Happy New Year all. I know I am a bit early, but I am hoping to be sound asleep by midnight! LOL.

Very long week and Julie gave me a great suggestion tonight-book and maybe a good movie tomorrow. Will also have to check the football games.

I am exhausted as is Bruce. Way too much party! But it is wonderful to reflect on the holiday season and be able to say we completely enjoyed it and also had time to reflect on the past 2 1/2 years since the stroke.

We had the dinner with Carl, Bruce's college roommate stopped in for a visit on Wednesday, Bruce's Graduate school roommate and his wife for dinner Thursday. Bruce made a roast of beef that was incredible! Tomorrow he wants to try a shrimp scampi, just for us.

But again, the true spirit of the holiday is his continued cognitive recovery. He is discussing the way he responds to things. Asked me today why I felt he repeated what others said to him. He is more involved in conversation, as opposed to just asking "what's up" and then listening.

It is funny. He always did his best thinking and organizing in the morning. He's always been an early bird, made his coffee, read his paper, shower-shave and then got me up. I notice now he flips on the TV, but not the sound. I turn the sound down when I go to bed to avoid that volume on 100 when he flips it on in the morning. Also a reminder that if TV is on, I don't want to hear it-he is not deaf-lol. That has worked. The past six months he pays very close attention. But now starts the coffee, TV is on weather channel with no sound and he is thinking and considering. He has our daily plan in front of him and we also discuss it just before I help him out of bed at 5:30am or so.

2012 promises to be interesting. Bruce is back in PT-OT. Still unknown how may visits he will be allowed. But we will take all we can get. I still have to figure out how to best replace our dear Jen. And with Bruce's new interest in routine here at home, have to try to figure out where to go with that. I am thinking personal grooming-a step toward the old pattern of shower-shave. On busy mornings, we do what we call the help wash up, but am thinking now if I allow a bit more time, he should be able to do most of it himself.

We have been lucky so far this Winter. Cold weather due to set in this week and that has allowed us an extended time to enjoy getting out, fitting in appointments and setting up projects for those days we will be unable to get out. Today we packed away Christmas and took the tree down. I am sorry to see it go, but it was time and the week is already filling up, so it was best to do it when I had a weekend off. And I must get a 2012 calendar soonest. Have all the apointments and errands for next two weeks taped to the kitchen counter and someone is going to want that space for his special New Year's dinner-lol.

So again Happy and Healthy New Year and see you all in 2012!