a ramble

I suppose I'll take down the tree today.  In the past I couldn't wait to get the Christmas tree out of my way, and would always do the dreaded job on December 26.  In this house, there's an ideal place for the tree, so it isn't in the way at all.  I've enjoyed looking at my bubble lights every day.  My only complaint with this year's tree is that it never did have the fragrance a real Christmas tree ought to have; I guess I'll get a different variety next year.   
Our weather so far has been quite normal for winter in Missouri.  Last year the temperatures plunged and stayed below normal most of the winter.  This year, a cold front comes through and then leaves before it wears out its welcome, as any well-mannered cold front ought to do.  We've been getting a break before another sets in.  This kind of weather pattern makes winter much more bearable for me.   If the weather-guessers are right, Thursday will be warm enough for a motorcycle ride, with a high of sixty.  Unfortunately, strong winds are forecast for that day as well; that would take the joy out of the ride.  

Here's something to brighten up a winter day.  Actually, my mailbox was stuffed full of seed catalogs yesterday, but I tossed all of them but this, my favorite.  
I feel a peculiar scratchiness in my throat that might portend a cold.  I've gargled with warm salt water, and gone on a search in the master bath for the zinc nasal spray.  I crept in with a flashlight to do my search because that bathroom is about six feet away from where Cliff is sleeping.  I had no luck, however.  I'm not sure that stuff really works to ward off a cold anyhow, but it doesn't hurt to try... or does it?  I just did a search on the Internet and found out some zinc products may cause loss of your sense of smell.  
Cliff and I never consider a cold as "being sick", but rather, an aggravation.  We get a kick out of people who call every little case of the sniffles the flu, and every headache a migraine.  Some day we might be paid back for our high-and-mighty, holier-than-thou attitudes, do you think?   
We've taken glucosamine for years for our arthritis and truly believed it helped, if only a little.  Recently I read about a study that proved it does nothing, so we've agreed to stop taking it when our present supply runs out.  
Another supplement we both take is fish oil capsules.  Even Cliff's cardiologist approves that one.  Unless I find one that doesn't make me sick, though, I'm going to discontinue it for myself.  I wonder if anyone else has a problem with it.  
Speaking of the cardiologist, we got a bill from him for $650 that the insurance wouldn't pay.  Nice surprise, eh?  It isn't such a problem now, but once Cliff retires, doctors will be getting their payments about ten bucks at a time.  I'm just glad we can pay it at the present time.  I need to get in the habit of asking the people in the doctor's office, "How much will we owe after the insurance has paid?"  I don't like this kind of surprise.
Then I think about certain surprises other people have gotten lately, and I realize $650 is no big deal at all.  I'll pay it with a smile.