1st Sunday in January

Here is one of my violets in bloom. I've had quite a bit of luck with violets the last several years. I move them from the east window shaded by a big oak to the north windows depending on the time of year and they bloom profusely. I really like transplanting them and splitting them when they multiply.
We spent most of the afternoon at the emergency room with some dear friends. He has had a bad back for several weeks and nothing has helped him. He tried going to the chiropractor and that didn't seem to help. He also just got back from driving down to California and back to do some plumbing work on his rental property. When he got home he was really hurting and he couldn't get out of bed this morning. His wife couldn't persuade him to go to the ER so she called us and my hubby convinced him and drove them. So after sitting in the ER for 3 1/2 hours he came out with more meds and an appointment for an MRI. He was also told to stay in a prone position on a hard surface for the next 3 days or until he feels a little better. They were very grateful for us taking them. My husband is very thoughtful that way. He will do anything he can to help someone. Even those he hardly knows. He is a good guy and I am very lucky.
It's been very cold here all day. It's usually in the mid 40s this time of year and it was the mid 30s today. I think the highest it went was 40 degrees for a short time. Brrrr! I know some states get much colder than that but we aren't used to it that cold here. But then, my husband was wearing a short sleeved shirt and shorts today. He is nuts!! What can I say except his thermostat is out of whack!!