Weblog 305
December 18, 2011~ 12:00 am
Exactly one week from the event itself.... the yearly holiday of glitz and giving. The beauty (the almost forgotten religious significance)........... the main event.
It's always pretty, always hectic, always memorable, and filled with all our Christmases past. I love to think of old-fashioned Christmases... the ones before my time with actual candles on the trees and popcorn strung, real boughs of holly and fir, the smell of the Christmas goose simmering in its own juices within a cast iron stove. All I need do is close my eyes and imagine
and I can feel the prickly pines chaffing at my legs as some hard-working father pulls his little ones home across the snow on a great felled pine that will soon be ablaze with cheer, dangling its homemade ornaments.
So yes, I guess I am in the Christmas spirit at last. All my packages have arrived, and tonight I'll write out the cards and fix up some little treats for the ladies at mum's table at Assisted Living. I'll be having dinner with them Sunday evening, and they're always so cute and appreciative. I have chubby little bluebird figurines for each of them, an assortment of home-baked cookies and some foil wrapped chocolate Santas and bells. (Wayne and I decided to forego a movie Saturday evening because the roads turned 'iffy' with a thin coating of snow, leaving me lots of time to wrap and write.)
Our Friday evening was a joy, celebrating Holly's birthday at her house. I'm so tickled with how happy Kay and Bill are when we arrive. (They wanted to practice a bizarre skit we cooked up-- very avant-garde for a 6 and an 8 year old --and steeped in 'current events': it's called, "The Lamentable Tale of Doctor Conrad Murray." LOL!!! It started out as a lark a few weeks back, with Kay declaring, "Oooooo I hate drugs. They're bad," and Bill rejoining, "ESPECIALLY, don't take drugs from Conrad Murray!!" - which made all of us HOWL. That led to my own impersonation of his face at trial, and Kay quickly copied it. Wayne said, "Alright, let's act this out. Let's have a play" -- and so we did.
It starts with Bill as Michael Jackson, calling Dr. Murray to say he needs to sleep-- he's been practicing too hard on the 'This Is It' tour. What follows is a scene showing Dr. Murray talking on the phone to a girlfriend, when he suddenly realizes Michael's in a bad way. "OH no! He's dead! HIDE THE PROPOFOL!" The next scene is Wayne as judge, banging his gavel and telling Dr. Murray (i.e.-Kay) to rise, and she gets to do her mournful Murray face, which is what started this whole thing in the first place - and she's sentenced, then led off by the bailif Bill, with much giggling going on in trying to pronounce 'propofol' and Kay cracking up while trying to keep her mournful face intact.
You know, kids pick up MORE than you'd ever imagine from hearing snippets of the news or hearing grown-ups talk about current events. The last time we rehearsed it, the name 'SANDUSKY' had come up in conversation earlier in the evening, so we added a last act to our play. Dr. Conrad Murray is dismally staring at his empty, cold fireplace in his jail cell. "Guess there'll be no gifts THIS year... I've been a baaaaaaaaad boy." At that, a red-suited 'Santa' (Bill) bounds out of the chimney chirping gleefully, "It's...... Saaaaaaaan-TUSKY!" -grinning and putting his arm around Murray. "We bad guys have to stick together. C'mon! Let's have some HORSEPLAY in the shower!" --as Murray and Sandusky exit stage right, grinning wildly. LOL!!!
How much do they understand? I have no idea. But they simply LOVE doing that thing..... over and over.... and of course we adults (being the offbeat sort we are) laugh our old butts off. I've been told if we'd tape that for YouTube, it'd go viral. LOL!!!
You know, it's amazing to see those two kiddoes bloom and develop personalities of their own. I'm constantly taken aback by their intelligence and exuberance.... and I love being around them. They lift me up on the tiredst days and they inject a magic into life just being who they are and so often, by making me laugh.
As we look around at the glitter and beauty of the holiday trappings....
what we don't see is what the magic is all about.... and it's PEOPLE. It's those old folks at the home with mum, joking and joining in the carols and Christmas events. It's grandkids capering about, wondering what will be under the tree... and lovers... it's husbands and wives in a private world for two made more magical at this time of the year. It's friends and family....and co-workers..... it's PEOPLE who are at the heart of Christmas joy and Christmas giving, and whether you're a Christian or not, the love is loud and clear and at THIS time of year.
It behooves us to reflect on where all the sparkle comes from because it's from the inside out. At this time of year there's so MUCH OF IT we have to hang it on trees, wrap it around lampposts, create swags of garland out of it because we're here to LOVE and to celebrate that fact. It's that simple. I hope the good feeling lasts longer than midnight on the 31st... I deeply wish it all year though. From me to you.... merry MERRY Christmas!
December 19, 2011~ 7:30 pm
Today I've got something to make you laugh......
......and..... something to make you think.
How often I've wondered, "HOW MUCH INTERNET IS TOO MUCH?" .... then I quickly realize how our electronic connection is so embedded into the culture now, it makes the question a nearly negligible one....there's no going back.
However... this thought-provoking article is well worth reading. (Besides, I love David Lynch... and any reference to his movies makes me sit up and take notice. :) Enjoy.
December 23, 2011~ 11:00 pm
One day till gift-giving......
"Let The Wrapping
Commence!"
(which is what I am in the midst of right now. Christmas music on my new CD player, dining room table spread with ribbon and paper snippets, presents divided into piles... I am happy as a clam! -a MESSY one, for sure, but happy.....happy, oh YES indeed!)
Work is through for 3 days.... I pulled off another Christmas scramble to the finish line. I am getting ready to YULE!! hAppY eVe, folks! Hope your holiday is as bright as a new penny dropped in the sunlit snow. Go make memories. (They keep us warm through the years :)
Tomorrow Wayne and I will dine at Calabria's - Wayne to have the 'seven fishes' (finally! after YEARS of talking about it!) -then on to Holly and Gary's to dish out the Christmas booty and enjoy the high-spirits of the grandkids (who should be at 'launch level' by the 'eve' itself.) Much love to you and yours in whatever plans you've made for your own holiday. Peace to all of us. Everywhere. XOXOXO
***
(Return To Weekly Archives)
Exactly one week from the event itself.... the yearly holiday of glitz and giving. The beauty (the almost forgotten religious significance)........... the main event.
It's always pretty, always hectic, always memorable, and filled with all our Christmases past. I love to think of old-fashioned Christmases... the ones before my time with actual candles on the trees and popcorn strung, real boughs of holly and fir, the smell of the Christmas goose simmering in its own juices within a cast iron stove. All I need do is close my eyes and imagine
and I can feel the prickly pines chaffing at my legs as some hard-working father pulls his little ones home across the snow on a great felled pine that will soon be ablaze with cheer, dangling its homemade ornaments.
So yes, I guess I am in the Christmas spirit at last. All my packages have arrived, and tonight I'll write out the cards and fix up some little treats for the ladies at mum's table at Assisted Living. I'll be having dinner with them Sunday evening, and they're always so cute and appreciative. I have chubby little bluebird figurines for each of them, an assortment of home-baked cookies and some foil wrapped chocolate Santas and bells. (Wayne and I decided to forego a movie Saturday evening because the roads turned 'iffy' with a thin coating of snow, leaving me lots of time to wrap and write.)
Our Friday evening was a joy, celebrating Holly's birthday at her house. I'm so tickled with how happy Kay and Bill are when we arrive. (They wanted to practice a bizarre skit we cooked up-- very avant-garde for a 6 and an 8 year old --and steeped in 'current events': it's called, "The Lamentable Tale of Doctor Conrad Murray." LOL!!! It started out as a lark a few weeks back, with Kay declaring, "Oooooo I hate drugs. They're bad," and Bill rejoining, "ESPECIALLY, don't take drugs from Conrad Murray!!" - which made all of us HOWL. That led to my own impersonation of his face at trial, and Kay quickly copied it. Wayne said, "Alright, let's act this out. Let's have a play" -- and so we did.
It starts with Bill as Michael Jackson, calling Dr. Murray to say he needs to sleep-- he's been practicing too hard on the 'This Is It' tour. What follows is a scene showing Dr. Murray talking on the phone to a girlfriend, when he suddenly realizes Michael's in a bad way. "OH no! He's dead! HIDE THE PROPOFOL!" The next scene is Wayne as judge, banging his gavel and telling Dr. Murray (i.e.-Kay) to rise, and she gets to do her mournful Murray face, which is what started this whole thing in the first place - and she's sentenced, then led off by the bailif Bill, with much giggling going on in trying to pronounce 'propofol' and Kay cracking up while trying to keep her mournful face intact.
You know, kids pick up MORE than you'd ever imagine from hearing snippets of the news or hearing grown-ups talk about current events. The last time we rehearsed it, the name 'SANDUSKY' had come up in conversation earlier in the evening, so we added a last act to our play. Dr. Conrad Murray is dismally staring at his empty, cold fireplace in his jail cell. "Guess there'll be no gifts THIS year... I've been a baaaaaaaaad boy." At that, a red-suited 'Santa' (Bill) bounds out of the chimney chirping gleefully, "It's...... Saaaaaaaan-TUSKY!" -grinning and putting his arm around Murray. "We bad guys have to stick together. C'mon! Let's have some HORSEPLAY in the shower!" --as Murray and Sandusky exit stage right, grinning wildly. LOL!!!
How much do they understand? I have no idea. But they simply LOVE doing that thing..... over and over.... and of course we adults (being the offbeat sort we are) laugh our old butts off. I've been told if we'd tape that for YouTube, it'd go viral. LOL!!!
You know, it's amazing to see those two kiddoes bloom and develop personalities of their own. I'm constantly taken aback by their intelligence and exuberance.... and I love being around them. They lift me up on the tiredst days and they inject a magic into life just being who they are and so often, by making me laugh.
As we look around at the glitter and beauty of the holiday trappings....
what we don't see is what the magic is all about.... and it's PEOPLE. It's those old folks at the home with mum, joking and joining in the carols and Christmas events. It's grandkids capering about, wondering what will be under the tree... and lovers... it's husbands and wives in a private world for two made more magical at this time of the year. It's friends and family....and co-workers..... it's PEOPLE who are at the heart of Christmas joy and Christmas giving, and whether you're a Christian or not, the love is loud and clear and at THIS time of year.
It behooves us to reflect on where all the sparkle comes from because it's from the inside out. At this time of year there's so MUCH OF IT we have to hang it on trees, wrap it around lampposts, create swags of garland out of it because we're here to LOVE and to celebrate that fact. It's that simple. I hope the good feeling lasts longer than midnight on the 31st... I deeply wish it all year though. From me to you.... merry MERRY Christmas!
December 19, 2011~ 7:30 pm
Today I've got something to make you laugh......
......and..... something to make you think.
How often I've wondered, "HOW MUCH INTERNET IS TOO MUCH?" .... then I quickly realize how our electronic connection is so embedded into the culture now, it makes the question a nearly negligible one....there's no going back.
However... this thought-provoking article is well worth reading. (Besides, I love David Lynch... and any reference to his movies makes me sit up and take notice. :) Enjoy.
December 23, 2011~ 11:00 pm
One day till gift-giving......
Commence!"
(which is what I am in the midst of right now. Christmas music on my new CD player, dining room table spread with ribbon and paper snippets, presents divided into piles... I am happy as a clam! -a MESSY one, for sure, but happy.....happy, oh YES indeed!)
Work is through for 3 days.... I pulled off another Christmas scramble to the finish line. I am getting ready to YULE!! hAppY eVe, folks! Hope your holiday is as bright as a new penny dropped in the sunlit snow. Go make memories. (They keep us warm through the years :)
Tomorrow Wayne and I will dine at Calabria's - Wayne to have the 'seven fishes' (finally! after YEARS of talking about it!) -then on to Holly and Gary's to dish out the Christmas booty and enjoy the high-spirits of the grandkids (who should be at 'launch level' by the 'eve' itself.) Much love to you and yours in whatever plans you've made for your own holiday. Peace to all of us. Everywhere. XOXOXO
(Return To Weekly Archives)
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