Weblog 306
December 25, 2011~ 12:00 am
Here was the scene on the eve itself.....
Holly and Gary's front yard with movable reindeer-- nodding heads and munching grass. No snow, just a bright, CLEAR, CLEAR night. Simply lovely. We had a GRAND OLD TIME! The house was decked in Christmas cheer, the kiddoes rapt in happy anticipation. Here they are by the tree.
(Too bad I repeatedly caught only the BACK of Kay's head in all these shots. I would have taken more, but Bill informed me my flash was beginning to make him go blind. LOL!) Actually, what he said was, "Gram..... that flash," rubbing his eyes and looking miserable, "it's really starting to affect my eyes." Here's a shot of his face BEFORE the flash blinded him.....
When I downloaded that Saturday evening, all I could think is, "Man! He's getting so much older looking!" All the rounded, cherubic curves are gone...even here I can see the planes of the growing boy's face and the eventual full-grown young man he'll become. Wow. Time sure does fly.
I bought him a set of 'Boxcar Mystery' books
since he's SUCH an intense reader. Bill (honest fella that he is) promptly told me he'd tried reading one of them once but he didn't care for it much... "But I was younger Gram," the eight-year old said. "I might like it better this time." (Here's hoping. LOL!!!) I have to say the hit gift of the evening appears to have been the very last one I picked up for both of them while grocery shopping on Friday evening. A microphone that plays Christmas karaoke songs, complete with its own little songbook that, with the press of a button, makes your voice sound just like an elf. (Oh, I think the parents are gonna want to brain me over that one. lol) It did seem to make them quite 'lively'.... (to say nothing of the irritating high-pitched squeaks and squeals of elves in full Christmas MANIA.)
Gifts are always exciting when still mysteries.
That's true of all things, I think. The mind creates its own Sistine Chapels out of coloring books, doesn't it? Kay and Bill quite HAPPILY performed their 'Conrad Murray' Christmas play, and it was a HUGE HIT. The best they've ever done it, and quite pleased about having another new face in the audience.... their Grandpap Dabkowski, who chuckled and beamed through the whole thing. (We all agreed that, while not 'suitable' for mass consumption....lol.... for those with more esoteric tastes and big, broad minds.... it's quite remarkable theater.) After their many deep bows to the audience, Bill presented 'Best Actor', 'Best Actress (-to Kay of course) 'Best Director' and 'Best Producer' awards. (A bowling trophy was his 'stand-in' for the Oscar) and we cheered and whistled.
It was a terrific Christmas Eve. Yes, Wayne had his 'seven fishes' finally- and loved them. I had crab cakes -and loved them. We had all the fun at Holly's house, then back home to exchange gifts between the 2 of us. Wayne loved his sweatshirt with 'National Sarcasm Society' emblazoned on it. (And in small letters underneath, 'Like we need your support'- his 5 Chinese soapstone buddhas and his silver necklace.) I received fudge, chocolate... books and CD's, and love all of them like crazy!
Christmas afternoon.... it'll be my nephew's house to celebrate some more. I'm picking up mum at 3:00 pm ... and I hope she remembers it's Christmas. LOL!! She's been 'a bit confused' lately, to say the least. Not seeing my sister Kathy since her knee replacement surgery has disoriented her very structured, reified world. Most days, whatEVER day it is, she begins our conversation the same way... "You just get home from work?"
I think tomorrow I'll just say, "Yes, and my goodness mum, it's CHRISTMAS. How about that?" and off we'll go with her blinking and blinking and saying, "What?" --to just about everything. MERRY TIMES to you guys out there. Hope your holiday is bright and full of fun.....
and yes, that too: LOVE, LIGHT AND LAUGHTER. (Heavy emphasis on that last one. It'll get you through the bleakest times. It opens the pipes and lets the bats out for a while. LOL!!)
December 26, 2011~ 5:15 pm
The BEST kind of 'day after Christmas' ever......
SNOOZING the entire day. LOL!!! (Actually, I was up for a few hours this morning, then went back to bed with a book.) Soooooooo peaceful. Tomorrow it's back to work, but a short week, and another one to follow. (I love when the holidays fall on a weekend. Gives us TWO long weekends, plus plenty of time to relax.)
The food at nephew Michael's house on Christmas day was TOP NOTCH. It was a smaller group, a bit less mayhem, and I appreciated the relaxing atmosphere. Mum was ready to go when I picked her up... the roads were dry and clear... just a lovely 'no fuss' holiday. I hope you've enjoyed yours.... I know my own just spun out like a lovely bolt of satin for a change. 2012 coming up. Seems UNBELIEVABLE to me another year's been gobbled up by old Father Time. He's A RAPACIOUS fellow, scarfing down days and months and minutes. (But at least he left me alone today. I paid him no mind. Floated along as I pleased, no deadlines or commitments.) Very nice indeed!
December 26, 2011~ 8:40 pm
I'm about to go to bed now, since the 4:00 am 'get up' time is MIGHTLY early.... but I wanted to share a most BIZARRE confection that made me howl with delight.
Click on the pig to see what has to be one of the WEIRDEST, most remarkable marizipan creatures you'll ever find. (And it was made for a 5 and a 7 year old. LOL!!!!) Night, now. :)
December 28, 2011~ 5:30 pm
We dodged a bullet... didn't get the '1 to 3' inches of snow and black ice they were predicting for this morning. Though it was cold and windy, just a few flurries came through, which made these days of catching up on desk work less odious for me. (I'm actually making pretty good progress after my week of stay-at-home-sloth the first week of December.:)
When not hammering the keys at work, I've occupied myself with alternately looking at the abstract art of Helen Frankenthaler- who died yesterday, and becoming immersed in the photos of E.J. Bellocq, the famous early twentieth century photographer of Storyville- the notorious New Orleans red-light district, and his strange photos of smiling, often masked ladies of the night he managed to capture in collodian on glass plates.
I've read essays on his motivations... looked at examples of his work... heard descriptions of him being a 'Toulouse-Lautrec' sort of character with stunted limbs and a misshapen large head... but that seems to be just 'another story' from Storyville. He was actually a nice-looking man, who, (I believe) actually LOVED those ladies and I think they trusted him. (His records of the 4-square miles of legalized pleasure palaces that finally closed down in 1917, show relaxed, happy females- often posing with their pets.) It's a collection found after his death and locked away in a trunk at his home.... therefore... a mystery. I can't resist such things!
For instance..... THIS picture
makes me very, very
HAPPY.
Just that. Happy to my toes. Heck, even the dog is smiling. LOL!! It's a wonderful photo. (How could this man NOT care for these women? You can see in their faces they feel comfortable with him.) Nay-sayers, begone. Case closed. {{{{Gavel rap!}}}} If nudity doesn't offend you, do a search on Bellocq. It's a fascinating journey.
***
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Here was the scene on the eve itself.....
Holly and Gary's front yard with movable reindeer-- nodding heads and munching grass. No snow, just a bright, CLEAR, CLEAR night. Simply lovely. We had a GRAND OLD TIME! The house was decked in Christmas cheer, the kiddoes rapt in happy anticipation. Here they are by the tree.
(Too bad I repeatedly caught only the BACK of Kay's head in all these shots. I would have taken more, but Bill informed me my flash was beginning to make him go blind. LOL!) Actually, what he said was, "Gram..... that flash," rubbing his eyes and looking miserable, "it's really starting to affect my eyes." Here's a shot of his face BEFORE the flash blinded him.....
When I downloaded that Saturday evening, all I could think is, "Man! He's getting so much older looking!" All the rounded, cherubic curves are gone...even here I can see the planes of the growing boy's face and the eventual full-grown young man he'll become. Wow. Time sure does fly.
I bought him a set of 'Boxcar Mystery' books
since he's SUCH an intense reader. Bill (honest fella that he is) promptly told me he'd tried reading one of them once but he didn't care for it much... "But I was younger Gram," the eight-year old said. "I might like it better this time." (Here's hoping. LOL!!!) I have to say the hit gift of the evening appears to have been the very last one I picked up for both of them while grocery shopping on Friday evening. A microphone that plays Christmas karaoke songs, complete with its own little songbook that, with the press of a button, makes your voice sound just like an elf. (Oh, I think the parents are gonna want to brain me over that one. lol) It did seem to make them quite 'lively'.... (to say nothing of the irritating high-pitched squeaks and squeals of elves in full Christmas MANIA.)
Gifts are always exciting when still mysteries.
That's true of all things, I think. The mind creates its own Sistine Chapels out of coloring books, doesn't it? Kay and Bill quite HAPPILY performed their 'Conrad Murray' Christmas play, and it was a HUGE HIT. The best they've ever done it, and quite pleased about having another new face in the audience.... their Grandpap Dabkowski, who chuckled and beamed through the whole thing. (We all agreed that, while not 'suitable' for mass consumption....lol.... for those with more esoteric tastes and big, broad minds.... it's quite remarkable theater.) After their many deep bows to the audience, Bill presented 'Best Actor', 'Best Actress (-to Kay of course) 'Best Director' and 'Best Producer' awards. (A bowling trophy was his 'stand-in' for the Oscar) and we cheered and whistled.
It was a terrific Christmas Eve. Yes, Wayne had his 'seven fishes' finally- and loved them. I had crab cakes -and loved them. We had all the fun at Holly's house, then back home to exchange gifts between the 2 of us. Wayne loved his sweatshirt with 'National Sarcasm Society' emblazoned on it. (And in small letters underneath, 'Like we need your support'- his 5 Chinese soapstone buddhas and his silver necklace.) I received fudge, chocolate... books and CD's, and love all of them like crazy!
Christmas afternoon.... it'll be my nephew's house to celebrate some more. I'm picking up mum at 3:00 pm ... and I hope she remembers it's Christmas. LOL!! She's been 'a bit confused' lately, to say the least. Not seeing my sister Kathy since her knee replacement surgery has disoriented her very structured, reified world. Most days, whatEVER day it is, she begins our conversation the same way... "You just get home from work?"
I think tomorrow I'll just say, "Yes, and my goodness mum, it's CHRISTMAS. How about that?" and off we'll go with her blinking and blinking and saying, "What?" --to just about everything. MERRY TIMES to you guys out there. Hope your holiday is bright and full of fun.....
and yes, that too: LOVE, LIGHT AND LAUGHTER. (Heavy emphasis on that last one. It'll get you through the bleakest times. It opens the pipes and lets the bats out for a while. LOL!!)
December 26, 2011~ 5:15 pm
The BEST kind of 'day after Christmas' ever......
SNOOZING the entire day. LOL!!! (Actually, I was up for a few hours this morning, then went back to bed with a book.) Soooooooo peaceful. Tomorrow it's back to work, but a short week, and another one to follow. (I love when the holidays fall on a weekend. Gives us TWO long weekends, plus plenty of time to relax.)
The food at nephew Michael's house on Christmas day was TOP NOTCH. It was a smaller group, a bit less mayhem, and I appreciated the relaxing atmosphere. Mum was ready to go when I picked her up... the roads were dry and clear... just a lovely 'no fuss' holiday. I hope you've enjoyed yours.... I know my own just spun out like a lovely bolt of satin for a change. 2012 coming up. Seems UNBELIEVABLE to me another year's been gobbled up by old Father Time. He's A RAPACIOUS fellow, scarfing down days and months and minutes. (But at least he left me alone today. I paid him no mind. Floated along as I pleased, no deadlines or commitments.) Very nice indeed!
December 26, 2011~ 8:40 pm
I'm about to go to bed now, since the 4:00 am 'get up' time is MIGHTLY early.... but I wanted to share a most BIZARRE confection that made me howl with delight.
Click on the pig to see what has to be one of the WEIRDEST, most remarkable marizipan creatures you'll ever find. (And it was made for a 5 and a 7 year old. LOL!!!!) Night, now. :)
December 28, 2011~ 5:30 pm
We dodged a bullet... didn't get the '1 to 3' inches of snow and black ice they were predicting for this morning. Though it was cold and windy, just a few flurries came through, which made these days of catching up on desk work less odious for me. (I'm actually making pretty good progress after my week of stay-at-home-sloth the first week of December.:)
When not hammering the keys at work, I've occupied myself with alternately looking at the abstract art of Helen Frankenthaler- who died yesterday, and becoming immersed in the photos of E.J. Bellocq, the famous early twentieth century photographer of Storyville- the notorious New Orleans red-light district, and his strange photos of smiling, often masked ladies of the night he managed to capture in collodian on glass plates.
I've read essays on his motivations... looked at examples of his work... heard descriptions of him being a 'Toulouse-Lautrec' sort of character with stunted limbs and a misshapen large head... but that seems to be just 'another story' from Storyville. He was actually a nice-looking man, who, (I believe) actually LOVED those ladies and I think they trusted him. (His records of the 4-square miles of legalized pleasure palaces that finally closed down in 1917, show relaxed, happy females- often posing with their pets.) It's a collection found after his death and locked away in a trunk at his home.... therefore... a mystery. I can't resist such things!
For instance..... THIS picture
makes me very, very
HAPPY.
Just that. Happy to my toes. Heck, even the dog is smiling. LOL!! It's a wonderful photo. (How could this man NOT care for these women? You can see in their faces they feel comfortable with him.) Nay-sayers, begone. Case closed. {{{{Gavel rap!}}}} If nudity doesn't offend you, do a search on Bellocq. It's a fascinating journey.
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