Full House

Cowboy here. It's been a hectic week or so. We're still at loose ends but a bit of progress has been made. Sar went through a bunch of tests. The good news is that she has a healthy heart. All parts work in sync the way they're supposed to. The not so good news is that some other part of her body is causing it to sound alarms. An endocrinologist was called in for consultation. Two labs ran tests. At this time the tests are inconclusive as to cause. The dosage on meds was adjusted. We go back next week to see if there's a sign of improvement. The worse case scenario at the moment is that my wife might be facing exploratory surgery.

Ok, better news: Sar has bursts of energy. They don't last long - 1-2 hours at a time, then she has to rest a bit.

Better news: Sar's family has flown in from Chicago for the holidays. Our house is full. Max, Glory and Violet are here. Alli and her husband Paul plus 4 grown sons are here as well as their damn cat. Bull is here - not just eating. He's in charge of the animals plus running errands. David will arrive tomorrow. He wouldn't miss Thanksgiving dinner at our house. Our young friend Patrick and his mother are expected for turkey day too.

Thanksgiving: Glory is cooking. That's the woman who taught Sar how to cook and bake. Normally Glory's a sweet lady but when she takes over the kitchen the woman barks orders like she was commanding the Pacific Fleet. Everybody jumps! We all have jobs. Believe me, nobody argues with the cook.

Sar's family: My wife went to live with this trio at about age 9-10 years old. First stable home Sar had. There's great love between those 4. To my dying day I'll be grateful they took her in. They were here in time to accompany us to some of the medical tests.

Max told the medics this was his girl child and they "best be doing what was right for her."

Glory told the medics if they hurt her girl she would see them drawn and quartered before sun down.

Violet said she would do the drawing and quartering.

And you thought it was just Sar who threatened docs.

When a tech tried to draw blood, my wife actually hissed. Vampire!

Violet's reaction was instant. Grabbed the guy's arm and warned him to be careful.

Try to picture this. Glory is a redhead with a temper to match but a reputation for mothering everyone. Violet is barely 5 feet tall, blonde china doll, speaks softly. Harm her girl and consequences be damned. The woman carries a switchblade. At 70, Max is as fit as any man 30 years younger.

Then there's Alli. Another kid that survived the mean streets. Hurt a hair on my wife's head and before you could blink you'd need your own medics. I watched and listened to what they had to say. Guerilla warfare in the making.

As I write this the imp is resting on the couch. The cat is hovering. The dogs go back and forth between the kitchen and the couch to supervise. Glory is baking pies. Max just made another pot of chicory coffee. He's laughing at the Cajun words Violet is teaching Bull to pronounce. I'm happy to report that my wife writes a few words here and there and hopes to have a story finished sometime over the holiday season.

For now, the house is full. There's a lot of laughter, good food and a great deal of hope for what's to come. Thanking you for all your good wishes and hoping this is just the beginning of a joyous holiday season.

Cowboy