The driveway is pretty much covered with a fine misty snow this morning, so that means we're stuck down here in the "holler." A good day for doing some straightening, cleaning, and cleaning out. And a good day for blogging.
Blackie, the feral cat that we've been feeding for about two years, has found herself a new home. It's been so cold lately and we know that she bunkers down somewhere near the house so I made her a cardboard home with an old towel on the bottom to keep her paws warm and a couple of my favorite old sweaters to nestle in.
She ignored it for about three days but this morning she's in the house and quite happy about it. Her paws have to be happy too. Life for a feral cat is not very long. Without shots, they most often succumb to feline leukemia or a virus, or they get into a fight with another cat or animal and get injured (and can't hunt). We'd love to help Blackie but she is really wild and won't let anyone get near her. So we do what we can.
Blackie is an innocent, a sad little cat that's just trying to get by. She doesn't trust us but she needs us.
Sometimes in helping others less fortunate WE are helped more than they are. The poor have much to teach us. A professor from The University of Akron once told me that the oft repeated verse in the Bible that says, "The poor will always be with you," should actually be translated, "You will always be among the poor." Interesting.
People who visit other countries and encounter the so-called poor are always struck by the joy and constant smiles of the people. They come back realizing that we need very little to find the wonderful gift God gives us -- JOY. One woman is trying to help by paying for tuition, uniforms and such for children in another part of the world. The orphans she assists would have absolutely no other access to schooling or a better life without this support.
Each day when we wake up and have another glorious day to do the work of God, think of this -- imagine looking down on the ground and finding a small stone. Smooth from first the river that ran over it and then from the hands that have held it. Imagine picking up the stone and knowing that within it was the JOY that would last that whole day. Imagine carrying that stone with you wherever you go and letting others hold it for a moment to share the joy with you.
So each morning, let us start the day with a prayer thanking God for another day and then start the day's journey by glancing down on the floor and looking for that imaginary smooth stone -- your gift -- and start smiling!!
Light of Christ
Thursday, January 2, 2014
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
Late, Late, Late
Well, I never mentioned that we might have a day off from the blog today -- being that it's a holiday and New Year's Day (and we went to church). BUT, since I didn't, we'll have a short one to celebrate.
Last night our neighbors on Portage started shooting off some fireworks at around 10:00 p.m. and then at midnight, I awoke to a big boom and thought a tree fell. It must have been an M-80 or something, and that was followed by a bunch of gunshots. That's pretty unnerving. Never a good idea, besides the fact that the property was annexed to the city and now residents there need to abide by Canal Fulton's ordinances (that prohibit shooting a firearm in the city). I'm just glad that no errant ammunition found its way over here.
Years ago a farmhouse on Rt. 93 was hit by a bullet, a big one. It broke out the second floor window and embedded itself in the ceiling. The baby who normally slept in that room was not napping at the time, thank God, otherwise there would have been shards of glass in his/her crib.
We started investigating at the newspaper and my first thought was perhaps it might be the range off River Road where the police practiced. No one thought that made any sense, but it kind of did to me. They checked all of the ballistics of the weapons fired at the range that day and guess what? One of them matched, thus it was one of the police department's bullets that careened out past River Road, across State Rt. 21, and into the farm house ceiling about a mile and a half away. Scary, isn't it? They shut down the range after that.
One charitable organization is gathering together toy guns and giving kids some kind of reward for turning them in. You know, with all of the research that's being done out there, some of it dubious at best, I bet someone has done something on whether or not kids playing with toy guns are any more likely to use real ones when they get older. My first guess is NO. My brother and I each had six-shooters and played with caps all the time. The one rule was you weren't allowed to point the guns AT anyone. No matter that they were toys. It was my mother's rule and we usually obeyed, but if we didn't we THOUGHT about what we were doing.
I've never shot a real gun and don't have any plans on doing that any time soon. Yet, when I was little pretending I was Dale Evans was high on my list of things I liked to do. Could it be something like using a rake? A rake can be a pretty scary weapon in the hands of a disturbed individual, can't it? And yet, how many people use a rake as a weapon? Or for that matter a nail gun. Or a blow torch.
Just saying.
The real problem with guns in our society is the disintegration of the family unit. Throwing money at the problem, confiscating toy guns, and making more rules for registering the real ones just doesn't get at the heart of the problem.
Family, or the lack of one. The family unit, even when it isn't perfect, is the means by which we raise children. When the dad is missing, or there are drugs in the house, or no one can be counted on for anything -- we end up with kids that are neglected physically and emotionally and who are actually raised on the streets by their peers.
So we're starting the new year today, and I hope you found one or two of my helpful hints from yesterday useful. I think maybe this year I'm going to really pray about what I can do to help families.
Oh, and one other thought. Last night, two members of The Five, the talk show at 5:00 p.m. on Fox ushered in the new year with their own show. It was really awful, I've got to say. They interviewed a few of the partyers about their resolutions. One young woman actually said, "I'm going to try and eat less cheese." Oh, my gosh. That's it? Eating less cheese? Well, what does that do for others? How does that move a person from self-centered to others-centered? It doesn't, does it?
So this was going to be short and now it is rather long. Sorry about that. Tomorrow maybe I'll have something more positive to say about 2014. God Bless You.
Last night our neighbors on Portage started shooting off some fireworks at around 10:00 p.m. and then at midnight, I awoke to a big boom and thought a tree fell. It must have been an M-80 or something, and that was followed by a bunch of gunshots. That's pretty unnerving. Never a good idea, besides the fact that the property was annexed to the city and now residents there need to abide by Canal Fulton's ordinances (that prohibit shooting a firearm in the city). I'm just glad that no errant ammunition found its way over here.
Years ago a farmhouse on Rt. 93 was hit by a bullet, a big one. It broke out the second floor window and embedded itself in the ceiling. The baby who normally slept in that room was not napping at the time, thank God, otherwise there would have been shards of glass in his/her crib.
We started investigating at the newspaper and my first thought was perhaps it might be the range off River Road where the police practiced. No one thought that made any sense, but it kind of did to me. They checked all of the ballistics of the weapons fired at the range that day and guess what? One of them matched, thus it was one of the police department's bullets that careened out past River Road, across State Rt. 21, and into the farm house ceiling about a mile and a half away. Scary, isn't it? They shut down the range after that.
One charitable organization is gathering together toy guns and giving kids some kind of reward for turning them in. You know, with all of the research that's being done out there, some of it dubious at best, I bet someone has done something on whether or not kids playing with toy guns are any more likely to use real ones when they get older. My first guess is NO. My brother and I each had six-shooters and played with caps all the time. The one rule was you weren't allowed to point the guns AT anyone. No matter that they were toys. It was my mother's rule and we usually obeyed, but if we didn't we THOUGHT about what we were doing.
I've never shot a real gun and don't have any plans on doing that any time soon. Yet, when I was little pretending I was Dale Evans was high on my list of things I liked to do. Could it be something like using a rake? A rake can be a pretty scary weapon in the hands of a disturbed individual, can't it? And yet, how many people use a rake as a weapon? Or for that matter a nail gun. Or a blow torch.
Just saying.
The real problem with guns in our society is the disintegration of the family unit. Throwing money at the problem, confiscating toy guns, and making more rules for registering the real ones just doesn't get at the heart of the problem.
Family, or the lack of one. The family unit, even when it isn't perfect, is the means by which we raise children. When the dad is missing, or there are drugs in the house, or no one can be counted on for anything -- we end up with kids that are neglected physically and emotionally and who are actually raised on the streets by their peers.
So we're starting the new year today, and I hope you found one or two of my helpful hints from yesterday useful. I think maybe this year I'm going to really pray about what I can do to help families.
Oh, and one other thought. Last night, two members of The Five, the talk show at 5:00 p.m. on Fox ushered in the new year with their own show. It was really awful, I've got to say. They interviewed a few of the partyers about their resolutions. One young woman actually said, "I'm going to try and eat less cheese." Oh, my gosh. That's it? Eating less cheese? Well, what does that do for others? How does that move a person from self-centered to others-centered? It doesn't, does it?
So this was going to be short and now it is rather long. Sorry about that. Tomorrow maybe I'll have something more positive to say about 2014. God Bless You.
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Getting Ready
Getting ready for 2014? There are a number of things that we could do to make 2014 a little bit better and more organized. You'll see that there are 14!!
1. Get one of those pill containers that has pockets for the days of the week, etc. It helps you stay on track with your medications/vitamins and tells you at a glance if you forgot to take them. The containers also save you time each day and are easy to throw into a purse or carry-on for travel.
2. When you put away your Christmas decorations, don't just throw in the ones you didn't use this year. If they need repairs, then fix them. If you aren't going to use them again, either toss them or recycle them. If they are decent, donate them.
3. Take your time putting away the Christmas stuff. You'll be awfully glad you did when you unearth everything again in December 2014. Wash the table cloths and put them away clean. Put all the wrapping supplies together so you can get to them earlier. Same with extra cards.
4. Get your car washed and then if it isn't too cold, clean out the inside while you are parked in the garage. Do the inside windows too. It will give you a little boost when you drive it the next time. Put some Kleenex in the car, a small first aid kit, and a blanket. Clean out the glove compartment.
5. Do some searches for ideas for Christmas 2014. I did, and I'm so glad!! I have all of my "handmade" gift ideas selected and know what I'll make for each of our children/family. That way I can start accumulating some of the supplies when it goes on sale and work on some of it during the blah January, February, March time.
6. Go through your recipes. Wait until you can sit in front of the TV and watch something, then go through each recipe and ask yourself a couple of questions. Are you EVER going to make this recipe? If you did make it, did you LIKE it? That should help you thin out your collection. (I need to follow my own advice. I have 3-ring binders full of recipes and they aren't organized whatsoever. So I can never find anything or USE anything I have.)
7. Replace batteries in your smoke detectors and purchase a carbon monoxide detector if you don't have one. It's worth it.
8. Make sure you have a couple of working flashlights. Ditto candles and matches.
9. Make a list of annoying little things that need fixing or tweaking in the house. Like, a squeaky door. Or loose door knobs. Or that stupid thing that covers up the bolts on the toilets. Then either fix the stuff yourself or find someone who can help you. Borrow someone's handy husband and give him a homemade meal for his family in exchange.
10. Start a nice donation pile for your favorite charity. Go through closets and start weeding out the clothes you aren't wearing this winter so far. Don't forget the dresser drawers.
11. I have a beautiful pair of earrings that I used to wear all the time. They need to be fixed, so I'm going to get them out and make a trip to the jewelry store and have them fixed this coming month.
12. Add a couple of pillows around the house to make it look cozier and also more colorful. Chase away the winter blahs this way. If you have pillows that look a bit worse for the wear, either recover them yourself or give them to someone who can recover them.
13. Look at what you've got hanging on the walls. Be honest. Does it look good? If not, start rethinking your décor and look for replacements. There will be lots of sales.
14. A friend of mine just took up quilting. I think she took a class at Joanne's. Another friend is taking a watercolor class at the Canton Art Institute. Think about spreading your wings and taking a chance on something new. It's good for the brain and the soul.
Aren't we blessed that God has given us time to explore this beautiful earth and also explore the gifts that he's given us in abundance? We shouldn't hide our talents under a basket -- develop them!! We are never too old.
Thanks, readers.
1. Get one of those pill containers that has pockets for the days of the week, etc. It helps you stay on track with your medications/vitamins and tells you at a glance if you forgot to take them. The containers also save you time each day and are easy to throw into a purse or carry-on for travel.
2. When you put away your Christmas decorations, don't just throw in the ones you didn't use this year. If they need repairs, then fix them. If you aren't going to use them again, either toss them or recycle them. If they are decent, donate them.
3. Take your time putting away the Christmas stuff. You'll be awfully glad you did when you unearth everything again in December 2014. Wash the table cloths and put them away clean. Put all the wrapping supplies together so you can get to them earlier. Same with extra cards.
4. Get your car washed and then if it isn't too cold, clean out the inside while you are parked in the garage. Do the inside windows too. It will give you a little boost when you drive it the next time. Put some Kleenex in the car, a small first aid kit, and a blanket. Clean out the glove compartment.
5. Do some searches for ideas for Christmas 2014. I did, and I'm so glad!! I have all of my "handmade" gift ideas selected and know what I'll make for each of our children/family. That way I can start accumulating some of the supplies when it goes on sale and work on some of it during the blah January, February, March time.
6. Go through your recipes. Wait until you can sit in front of the TV and watch something, then go through each recipe and ask yourself a couple of questions. Are you EVER going to make this recipe? If you did make it, did you LIKE it? That should help you thin out your collection. (I need to follow my own advice. I have 3-ring binders full of recipes and they aren't organized whatsoever. So I can never find anything or USE anything I have.)
7. Replace batteries in your smoke detectors and purchase a carbon monoxide detector if you don't have one. It's worth it.
8. Make sure you have a couple of working flashlights. Ditto candles and matches.
9. Make a list of annoying little things that need fixing or tweaking in the house. Like, a squeaky door. Or loose door knobs. Or that stupid thing that covers up the bolts on the toilets. Then either fix the stuff yourself or find someone who can help you. Borrow someone's handy husband and give him a homemade meal for his family in exchange.
10. Start a nice donation pile for your favorite charity. Go through closets and start weeding out the clothes you aren't wearing this winter so far. Don't forget the dresser drawers.
11. I have a beautiful pair of earrings that I used to wear all the time. They need to be fixed, so I'm going to get them out and make a trip to the jewelry store and have them fixed this coming month.
12. Add a couple of pillows around the house to make it look cozier and also more colorful. Chase away the winter blahs this way. If you have pillows that look a bit worse for the wear, either recover them yourself or give them to someone who can recover them.
13. Look at what you've got hanging on the walls. Be honest. Does it look good? If not, start rethinking your décor and look for replacements. There will be lots of sales.
14. A friend of mine just took up quilting. I think she took a class at Joanne's. Another friend is taking a watercolor class at the Canton Art Institute. Think about spreading your wings and taking a chance on something new. It's good for the brain and the soul.
Aren't we blessed that God has given us time to explore this beautiful earth and also explore the gifts that he's given us in abundance? We shouldn't hide our talents under a basket -- develop them!! We are never too old.
Thanks, readers.
Saturday, December 28, 2013
Coffinberry School
My friend, Dolly, who lives in Washington (state) and is a writer sent me at my bequest a memory of Coffinberry School where we attended elementary school, she and our friend, Debbie, one year behind me.
I'm going to make up some copies of Dolly's story and give them to the "Coffinberry kids" at my September 2014 reunion. Maybe they can add to it with their own recollections?
Here are some snippets that would be of more interest to the broader audience of this blog:
"I remember that in 3rd or 4th grade, we had a teacher named either Mrs. Riggs or Mrs. Briggs. It was said of Mrs. Riggs/Briggs that she'd once been a dancer in Las Vegas. And so, ever after, I had this picture of her, kicking up her legs and showing her garters, like a saloon girl in westerns. It was a happy picture. I liked her, she was pretty and nice and young and different. I probably gossiped about her -- the price of fame! And here she is, all these years later, remembered because she was different. Glamorous, like a movie star. I picture her with long, curly red hair, but that could just be me, wanting to paint on some color. She was radical, in her way. I'll bet there are "boys" who remember her still.
I didn't like gym class. Swimming was the only sport I got any enjoyment out of, and there was no pool at Coffinberry. There was square dancing, though; it was actually a part of the curriculum in, what? 4th, 5th, 6th grade? I liked it better than volleyball -- for a while, anyhow.
I remember having to back out of a classroom once, when I laughed so hard that I peed my pants. I wish I could say this was in kindergarten or 1st grade --- but it was in either 4th or 5th grade. (Oh, maybe 3rd, I don't know; I don't want to know.) I waited for everyone to leave before I exited the room. I don't remember if I had a coat to cover it, if anyone saw it, commented on it, or how I got home; I just remember the horror of it all.
I was exceptionally naïve and idealistic as a child. I thought every kid I knew came from a happy, normal family. I think I was jealous of that. I think that's why I could sometimes be unkind. It took being treated that way myself in later years for me to begin to understand it. What goes around, comes around.
(Dolly rented a car when visiting a friend in 1982; she returned to her former home and her former neighborhood.)
One day I rented a car and drove to my childhood home. Both my parents were dead and the house had been recently bought. I parked on the street, in front of the house that Judy Porter, and later, Essler Shank, lived in. No one answered when I knocked on our door, so I rounded the house, snapping pictures. Then I walked from there to Coffinberry Elementary. It was August, the heat like a fist. The street and the houses were very much as I remembered. Well-kept homes; tidy lawns (though not so green); curtains pulled against the sun. And it was so quiet, just my sandals tapping on the sidewalk. I didn't see a single person, not even someone driving by. I WANTED to, I wanted some sort of human connection, but it wasn't to be. Finally I reached the school. You know how they say things look smaller when you revisit them as an adult? Well, it wasn't that way for me. Everything looked the same, especially the school: long and low, unprepossessing. Probably there were changes, but if there were, they didn't register. It was closed, of course; I peered through the steel-enforced window of the front door, gazed down that shiny, gray corridor, and knew just what it smelled like though I couldn't smell a thing. I know the school is gone now. I'm glad I was there in 1982; for whatever reasons, I really needed to see it.
As a child, I had a book by A.A. Milne, called, "Now We are 6". When I was six, I thought the whole world was contained within the streets, the people and the school of my childhood. I thought I owned that neighborhood and always would. I don't know if I ever completely stopped thinking that way until that visit in 1982, when I walked that same route, on the very same sidewalks my feet had trod 4 times a day, 2 semesters a year for 7 years, and felt not a scintilla of ownership or belonging, or even love. The philosopher Heraclitus said something like, You can't put your food into the same river twice, and I guess that applies here, too. At least that's how it is for me. How it has to be."
Dolly, Debbie and I went to the same school and yet our memories are quite different. I'm not entirely sure why and perhaps I can chalk that up to the fact that life in Coffinberry wasn't very happy for me. It started out okay in first grade, but with my ADD and all, I just didn't find my legs in that school.
That's another thing to write down on your "bucket list." Visit your old elementary school if it still exists. If you walked to school, try walking the same route, like Dolly did. Let yourself remember the little you.
I thank Dolly for sharing with me. She is probably one of the most honest, caring people I've ever known. We've been friends since I was five and she was four. That kind of thing doesn't happen all the time. Thank you, God, for Dolly.
I'm going to make up some copies of Dolly's story and give them to the "Coffinberry kids" at my September 2014 reunion. Maybe they can add to it with their own recollections?
Here are some snippets that would be of more interest to the broader audience of this blog:
"I remember that in 3rd or 4th grade, we had a teacher named either Mrs. Riggs or Mrs. Briggs. It was said of Mrs. Riggs/Briggs that she'd once been a dancer in Las Vegas. And so, ever after, I had this picture of her, kicking up her legs and showing her garters, like a saloon girl in westerns. It was a happy picture. I liked her, she was pretty and nice and young and different. I probably gossiped about her -- the price of fame! And here she is, all these years later, remembered because she was different. Glamorous, like a movie star. I picture her with long, curly red hair, but that could just be me, wanting to paint on some color. She was radical, in her way. I'll bet there are "boys" who remember her still.
I didn't like gym class. Swimming was the only sport I got any enjoyment out of, and there was no pool at Coffinberry. There was square dancing, though; it was actually a part of the curriculum in, what? 4th, 5th, 6th grade? I liked it better than volleyball -- for a while, anyhow.
I remember having to back out of a classroom once, when I laughed so hard that I peed my pants. I wish I could say this was in kindergarten or 1st grade --- but it was in either 4th or 5th grade. (Oh, maybe 3rd, I don't know; I don't want to know.) I waited for everyone to leave before I exited the room. I don't remember if I had a coat to cover it, if anyone saw it, commented on it, or how I got home; I just remember the horror of it all.
I was exceptionally naïve and idealistic as a child. I thought every kid I knew came from a happy, normal family. I think I was jealous of that. I think that's why I could sometimes be unkind. It took being treated that way myself in later years for me to begin to understand it. What goes around, comes around.
(Dolly rented a car when visiting a friend in 1982; she returned to her former home and her former neighborhood.)
One day I rented a car and drove to my childhood home. Both my parents were dead and the house had been recently bought. I parked on the street, in front of the house that Judy Porter, and later, Essler Shank, lived in. No one answered when I knocked on our door, so I rounded the house, snapping pictures. Then I walked from there to Coffinberry Elementary. It was August, the heat like a fist. The street and the houses were very much as I remembered. Well-kept homes; tidy lawns (though not so green); curtains pulled against the sun. And it was so quiet, just my sandals tapping on the sidewalk. I didn't see a single person, not even someone driving by. I WANTED to, I wanted some sort of human connection, but it wasn't to be. Finally I reached the school. You know how they say things look smaller when you revisit them as an adult? Well, it wasn't that way for me. Everything looked the same, especially the school: long and low, unprepossessing. Probably there were changes, but if there were, they didn't register. It was closed, of course; I peered through the steel-enforced window of the front door, gazed down that shiny, gray corridor, and knew just what it smelled like though I couldn't smell a thing. I know the school is gone now. I'm glad I was there in 1982; for whatever reasons, I really needed to see it.
As a child, I had a book by A.A. Milne, called, "Now We are 6". When I was six, I thought the whole world was contained within the streets, the people and the school of my childhood. I thought I owned that neighborhood and always would. I don't know if I ever completely stopped thinking that way until that visit in 1982, when I walked that same route, on the very same sidewalks my feet had trod 4 times a day, 2 semesters a year for 7 years, and felt not a scintilla of ownership or belonging, or even love. The philosopher Heraclitus said something like, You can't put your food into the same river twice, and I guess that applies here, too. At least that's how it is for me. How it has to be."
Dolly, Debbie and I went to the same school and yet our memories are quite different. I'm not entirely sure why and perhaps I can chalk that up to the fact that life in Coffinberry wasn't very happy for me. It started out okay in first grade, but with my ADD and all, I just didn't find my legs in that school.
That's another thing to write down on your "bucket list." Visit your old elementary school if it still exists. If you walked to school, try walking the same route, like Dolly did. Let yourself remember the little you.
I thank Dolly for sharing with me. She is probably one of the most honest, caring people I've ever known. We've been friends since I was five and she was four. That kind of thing doesn't happen all the time. Thank you, God, for Dolly.
Friday, December 27, 2013
Friday -- Not so Chipper
Felt good yesterday and I ate a pretty big supper. Today, not doing so great. I might have a touch of something because my head "feels funny."
At any rate, this is likely going to be a bit short today.
We got a Christmas card from Eric's cousin who lives in Denmark. She is 71 and has two boys, almost the exact ages of my sons. They are both married and have children. One of the boys and his wife just welcomed a little girl on September 11th. She said that they always remember that date because of USA. She'll be baptized in a couple of weeks and her name is going to be Karen. Isn't that something?
Eric's cousin came to the United States in the 60s for a visit. She speaks English well although she admits that she is rusty. Her letters though are easy to figure out and she is a savvy person. She sews and has other hobbies, used to work in a doctor's office and is retired.
She's going on holiday, as she calls it, to New Zealand in a month or two. I admire her zest for life.
Her name sounds like it should be a man's name -- Gunvar Hansen. I really like her; and in her clipped style she said in her way, we need to stay in touch more often. I couldn't agree more.
So as this new year is approaching, think about some of the folks you've lost touch with and do some reacquainting. The worst thing that could happen is that you don't have anything much in common anymore. Right?
I made a list of people who indicated that they'd like to talk on the phone or meet for coffee/tea, or people who need an email or a letter. So that way I don't go back into my rut of doing the same things all the time.
Well -- say some prayers for Luke, the little boy who has been battling cancer. His mom is worried about some test scores that he got back. Luke is probably getting close to four years old and they've really fought a good fight. He is still getting some chemotherapy. Let's shower heaven with our prayers for Luke!!
Talk to you tomorrow, dear readers.
At any rate, this is likely going to be a bit short today.
We got a Christmas card from Eric's cousin who lives in Denmark. She is 71 and has two boys, almost the exact ages of my sons. They are both married and have children. One of the boys and his wife just welcomed a little girl on September 11th. She said that they always remember that date because of USA. She'll be baptized in a couple of weeks and her name is going to be Karen. Isn't that something?
Eric's cousin came to the United States in the 60s for a visit. She speaks English well although she admits that she is rusty. Her letters though are easy to figure out and she is a savvy person. She sews and has other hobbies, used to work in a doctor's office and is retired.
She's going on holiday, as she calls it, to New Zealand in a month or two. I admire her zest for life.
Her name sounds like it should be a man's name -- Gunvar Hansen. I really like her; and in her clipped style she said in her way, we need to stay in touch more often. I couldn't agree more.
So as this new year is approaching, think about some of the folks you've lost touch with and do some reacquainting. The worst thing that could happen is that you don't have anything much in common anymore. Right?
I made a list of people who indicated that they'd like to talk on the phone or meet for coffee/tea, or people who need an email or a letter. So that way I don't go back into my rut of doing the same things all the time.
Well -- say some prayers for Luke, the little boy who has been battling cancer. His mom is worried about some test scores that he got back. Luke is probably getting close to four years old and they've really fought a good fight. He is still getting some chemotherapy. Let's shower heaven with our prayers for Luke!!
Talk to you tomorrow, dear readers.
Thursday, December 26, 2013
Christmas Wrap-Up
The basement looks pretty decent, other than some assorted boxes, bags and tiny pieces of wrapping paper here and there. Just a day and a half ago, it was bedlam and we had a great time!
First of all, the mermaid tail feet my granddaughter perfectly. She wore it for quite a while, and then exchanged it for her "Ariel with feet" presence, since her Aunt Dani bought her an Ariel nightgown that twirled when she would spin around. I'll try to send the picture from the upstairs computer down to this one for you to see tomorrow. The tutu and bandeau top that I made for Ella fit her well too and she also wore her outfit for a long time, dancing about and smiling constantly.
But I wanted to share with you an idea that was hatched years ago, and finally seemed to come together on Christmas Eve. It's called "The Christmas Penny Game." So here goes -- save this idea for next year and make Christmas memories for your family.
Use 3 x 5 cards and put a sticker or something colorful on the front, in assorted sizes and shapes. Then on the back, write a question or a statement. Here are some of the ones I wrote way back then (the cards are yellowed).
1. Sing a Christmas Song -- just a little bit -- and get 5 cents.
2. Name the reindeer -- 10 cents
3. Sing Jingle Bells. For everyone else who sings with you -- 3 cents each.
4. Who is your best friend at school? - 3 cents
5. Lottery ticket
6. Laundry detergent fee -- Pay the banker 5 cents
7. Name each person in the room -- 5 cents
8. Promise Mom you'll help clean up -- 10 cents
9. What are you most thankful for this year? - 5 cents
10. Clap your hands and give everyone "five." Collect 5 cents
11. The Christmas elves feel left out -- give 2 cents to the banker.
12. Tell us your favorite candy and collect 2 cents.
13. Stinky feet? Help those with stinky feet. Donate 5 cents to the fund.
14. What do shepherds do? - 5 cents
15. The grinch has green teeth. Help him buy a toothbrush. 2 cents to the banker
The banker holds the cards and reads the questions. Gather all of the kids around or make it for grownups too (just make the questions a little more challenging), and then let it go.
Some of the funny questions/answers we got were:
Make a bow or a curtsey. Jacob, 10, asked what a bow was. Apparently, he didn't know, so he stood up and did an honest-to-gosh curtsey, holding out the sides of his pants like a dress. Oh, my gosh. That was funny.
Ella got Santa loves a big smile. Smile nicely and collect 5 cents. Ella gave us a beautiful, happy Christmas smile! Can't beat that.
Zachary got "Shake hands with everyone." So at 14 he didn't balk and got up out of his chair, going from person to person and giving a nice, grown-up handshake. Worth something?
Give everyone some pennies up front, like maybe 10. Then make sure to have LOTS of pennies because they go fast.
So I hope all of you had a great Christmas, and now we move into post-holiday mode. It's kind of sad because Christmas 2013 is over, but we can keep the joy in our hearts and mull over the memories for a long time.
Talk to you tomorrow.
PS -- sorry about typos (can't fix). The mermaid tail "fit" my granddaughter perfectly, in case I messed you up on that one.
First of all, the mermaid tail feet my granddaughter perfectly. She wore it for quite a while, and then exchanged it for her "Ariel with feet" presence, since her Aunt Dani bought her an Ariel nightgown that twirled when she would spin around. I'll try to send the picture from the upstairs computer down to this one for you to see tomorrow. The tutu and bandeau top that I made for Ella fit her well too and she also wore her outfit for a long time, dancing about and smiling constantly.
But I wanted to share with you an idea that was hatched years ago, and finally seemed to come together on Christmas Eve. It's called "The Christmas Penny Game." So here goes -- save this idea for next year and make Christmas memories for your family.
Use 3 x 5 cards and put a sticker or something colorful on the front, in assorted sizes and shapes. Then on the back, write a question or a statement. Here are some of the ones I wrote way back then (the cards are yellowed).
1. Sing a Christmas Song -- just a little bit -- and get 5 cents.
2. Name the reindeer -- 10 cents
3. Sing Jingle Bells. For everyone else who sings with you -- 3 cents each.
4. Who is your best friend at school? - 3 cents
5. Lottery ticket
6. Laundry detergent fee -- Pay the banker 5 cents
7. Name each person in the room -- 5 cents
8. Promise Mom you'll help clean up -- 10 cents
9. What are you most thankful for this year? - 5 cents
10. Clap your hands and give everyone "five." Collect 5 cents
11. The Christmas elves feel left out -- give 2 cents to the banker.
12. Tell us your favorite candy and collect 2 cents.
13. Stinky feet? Help those with stinky feet. Donate 5 cents to the fund.
14. What do shepherds do? - 5 cents
15. The grinch has green teeth. Help him buy a toothbrush. 2 cents to the banker
The banker holds the cards and reads the questions. Gather all of the kids around or make it for grownups too (just make the questions a little more challenging), and then let it go.
Some of the funny questions/answers we got were:
Make a bow or a curtsey. Jacob, 10, asked what a bow was. Apparently, he didn't know, so he stood up and did an honest-to-gosh curtsey, holding out the sides of his pants like a dress. Oh, my gosh. That was funny.
Ella got Santa loves a big smile. Smile nicely and collect 5 cents. Ella gave us a beautiful, happy Christmas smile! Can't beat that.
Zachary got "Shake hands with everyone." So at 14 he didn't balk and got up out of his chair, going from person to person and giving a nice, grown-up handshake. Worth something?
Give everyone some pennies up front, like maybe 10. Then make sure to have LOTS of pennies because they go fast.
So I hope all of you had a great Christmas, and now we move into post-holiday mode. It's kind of sad because Christmas 2013 is over, but we can keep the joy in our hearts and mull over the memories for a long time.
Talk to you tomorrow.
PS -- sorry about typos (can't fix). The mermaid tail "fit" my granddaughter perfectly, in case I messed you up on that one.
Monday, December 23, 2013
Expectations
Can you remember what it was like when you were little and waiting for Christmas to come? It felt like time was pulling a huge ball on a chain behind it. Everything slowed down to a trickle and then finally it was time.
At our house, we celebrated Christmas on Christmas Eve. So my grandfather and unmarried aunt would come over to celebrate but that was a little later. Before that, around 5:00 p.m., my father would suggest that we take a ride to look at the lights. We never said, "No, we'd rather wait around here and see Santa when he comes." We dutifully climbed into the old sedan and off we went in search of fabulous lighting displays. Once I think we went to Nela (not sure if I spelled that right) Park to see their display.
But we'd only be gone maybe an hour and then when we returned, surprise, surprise, surprise, Santa had come and all of the presents were under the tree. We were just going crazy!
Of all of those Christmases, I can remember only a very few presents. I remember a Tiny Tears doll, a battery operated doll clothes washing machine, a sewing machine, a baby doll cradle someone must have made, and that's about it. What I can remember is family. All of us gathered in the warm house, eating my mother's fabulous cookies, and spending time together.
In the days before Christmas, we used the tree to play "I Spy." Here's how it went. "I spy something red." And then you'd have to point to an ornament that matched the description. And maybe you were "hot" or maybe you were "cold." It was fun. Someone must have read us the old classic, 'Twas the Night Before Christmas, because I can remember that well.
Now, going to bed after opening the presents wasn't easy. We didn't want to go to bed, ever. But we finally did, usually taking one toy up with us. Then we'd wake up early, scamper down the stairs and start playing again until the dreaded words, "It's time to get ready for church."
But we all went and then afterwards, returned for a day of play and eating and visiting. It was bliss!!
Each one of us can only hope that we've given our own children enough memories so that they can recreate those feelings at Christmas too.
Have a most blessed and Merry Christmas, all of you. Thanks for reading. I'll be spending time with family, cooking, cleaning, and all of that stuff so I'll be back Thursday morning.
Take care.
Say a prayer for Tim Yingling. He fell a good distance and shattered his elbow yesterday. He's got little kids and his mom is a good friend of mine.
At our house, we celebrated Christmas on Christmas Eve. So my grandfather and unmarried aunt would come over to celebrate but that was a little later. Before that, around 5:00 p.m., my father would suggest that we take a ride to look at the lights. We never said, "No, we'd rather wait around here and see Santa when he comes." We dutifully climbed into the old sedan and off we went in search of fabulous lighting displays. Once I think we went to Nela (not sure if I spelled that right) Park to see their display.
But we'd only be gone maybe an hour and then when we returned, surprise, surprise, surprise, Santa had come and all of the presents were under the tree. We were just going crazy!
Of all of those Christmases, I can remember only a very few presents. I remember a Tiny Tears doll, a battery operated doll clothes washing machine, a sewing machine, a baby doll cradle someone must have made, and that's about it. What I can remember is family. All of us gathered in the warm house, eating my mother's fabulous cookies, and spending time together.
In the days before Christmas, we used the tree to play "I Spy." Here's how it went. "I spy something red." And then you'd have to point to an ornament that matched the description. And maybe you were "hot" or maybe you were "cold." It was fun. Someone must have read us the old classic, 'Twas the Night Before Christmas, because I can remember that well.
Now, going to bed after opening the presents wasn't easy. We didn't want to go to bed, ever. But we finally did, usually taking one toy up with us. Then we'd wake up early, scamper down the stairs and start playing again until the dreaded words, "It's time to get ready for church."
But we all went and then afterwards, returned for a day of play and eating and visiting. It was bliss!!
Each one of us can only hope that we've given our own children enough memories so that they can recreate those feelings at Christmas too.
Have a most blessed and Merry Christmas, all of you. Thanks for reading. I'll be spending time with family, cooking, cleaning, and all of that stuff so I'll be back Thursday morning.
Take care.
Say a prayer for Tim Yingling. He fell a good distance and shattered his elbow yesterday. He's got little kids and his mom is a good friend of mine.
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