Must shave legs, must plan events for the New Year......

Ah yes, a "New Year" with all prospects of new and exciting things to encounter in the days ahead.

My Cousin Sara got me started on this "Bridget Jones" thing the other day by printing a "BJ" sounding title on her blog.

Ever since then......I've had odd "Bridget Jones" type sentencing coming into my head. You know how you talk to yourself....ummm......"silently" like in "thought?"

Reading that crazy title of hers.....caused to to begin thinking things things...like in those types of "phrasings"...which is odd I know. But also it's been funny.

Yesterday while getting ready to take Miss Priss to the Dentist...I was thinking of everything I was going to attempt to get done. And the thoughts were pretty normal like....."must do this, must do that.....must go here....must go there.....must get this and must not forget that".....then things switched a bit and all of a sudden my thoughts went to....
"Must shave legs."
Weird.
So I did. Don't want to end the new year without doing that important thing now do we?

I mean what if I had been in an accident and they had to cut my jeans off of me and I had.... you know...weren't looking so great. Not that they were bad in that way to begin with because they weren't but....just in case.
Whew!
Glad I got that accomplished before the year ended.

Now....I've done some searching and have found what some of "Bridget's thoughts" were regarding "New Years Resolutions.

I for one PERSONALLY never make them anymore.

I've learned not to set myself up for "failure."
Because I always used to make New Year's "Resolutions"...and would always "CRASH and BURN" within say...a month or 6 weeks.

Then I used to just make some "New Years Goals."
That pretty much stunk too.

Especially the year I "found" my "Goal sheet" from the year BEFORE in some drawer somewhere...I can still remember the paper.....it was like a nice gold color..and I what I had written on it was the SAME stuff I was going to do that very SAME year that I was currently into already.
Not good......

IT was the same ol'....

#1. Loose weight....
#2. Learn Spanish....
#3. Backpack across Nepal....
#4. Move to a Foreign County...You know....that kind of stuff. EASY things.
Right.

I always had things like.....
"Strenghten my relationship with the Lord and with my family" on there too.

Now I will say......those last items I would work on big time.

And I normally DID loose some weight..then it might slip back somewhat..and I would always learn a few more Spanish words.

But I'm not "fluent." I just speak "Spanglish" which is better than nothing I say.

Now I try to relax a bit more at the New Year's and I take it day by day by day and with God's help....I accomplish what HE wants me to get accomplished. I still have some goals....but I don't freak out if I can't do them. I'm not really in control of so many things right now. But I connected to the one that is.

Don't get me wrong. I DO make lists nearly every day....and I think we should have some sort of "goals" in life and of course DREAMS.

Believe me.....I am SO the "dreamer."
But dreamers can become disillusioned if they DON'T accomplish their dreams...say like in 5 minutes. Or in some BIG WAY.

Here's some things I have learned....about goals and dreams and resolutions.

Because I am ONE who DOES set the "goals" way, way, high.

However.....in the past two years.......my life took a drastic "change" that I didn't expect.

As a result..my life was thrown into a tailspin and although I've had tailspins in my life before....this was very different.

I am recovering from that downward spiral..it's took me some time...and I may never be 100% again in my body unless I experience something SUPERNATURAL....which I am believing for ....but it's okay..it's all part of the "journey."

I'm not mad. I'm not bitter. That's the important thing.

We all have a journey that we are on.

It won't always be easy at times.

A person MUST stay positive as much as possible and you must stay CONNECTED or just forget it....you'll be pretty much doomed just by your thoughts and attitudes.
Faith and TRUST are super important.

You must have them to get through the hard days. And you will rest in them on the GOOD days. Because there will be both.

I've learned to just let it go and not to freak out. Well.....I freak out on occasion. But it doesn't last long.

Sometimes.....it's all about the "Season" we are in.

Sometimes......we have to wait.
Sometimes "The dream" is not for now.....it's for later.

It just depends. I can't figure it out for you. I'm still figuring it out for me.

Talk to the ONE who knows already and see what is going on for your life.
You can do that you know?

Back to Bridget...here's how she felt about New Year's Resolutions.

"I do think New Year's resolutions can't technically be expected to begin on New Year's Day, don't you? Since, because it's an extension of New Year's Eve, smokers are already on a smoking roll and cannot be expected to stop abruptly on the stroke of midnight with so much nicotine in the system.

Also dieting on New Year's Day isn't a good idea as you can't eat rationally but really need to be free to consume whatever is necessary, moment by moment, in order to ease your hangover. I think it would be much more sensible if resolutions began generally on January the second." ~Helen Fielding, Bridget Jones's Diary

Good points Bridget.

She's not exactly the best "role model" out there...but she does show us how "frail" a person can be. She made bad decisions. She made resolutions she couldn't keep.

She just wanted a "Relationship."
And don't we all?
We all do want "relationship"....but she always fell for that very bad Hugh Grant AKA "Daniel Cleaver."

We can have a relationship right now......and a good one. I

We can "fall" into the arms of a loving and caring Father who will help us through EVERY day of this year and every year to come.

I'm ready to get into 2008.
Must make plans.....must move on.

Oh....don't you just love Colin Firth's "Reindeer Jumper?"

P.S. IF this makes you hanker to watch a "Bridget Jones" movie now....don't rent it. Wait unitl it comes on TV and is filtered better.
There are At LEAST 2 MILLION "F" bombs in it.
"Must use caution."

“Must stop playing and get serious”

It's New Years Eve Day, and the the weather has been GORGEOUS outside...it's 70'ish right now...hard to imagine for the LAST day of 2008.

And although I feel like I have so many emotions and thoughts running throughout my mind....I've been doing CRAZY things all day long.

Like.....taking Miss Priss to get a "root canal" this morning at 9:00am...usually I can't even MOVE at 9:00 but today was a real "GIFT from God" to me so... off we went.
Amazingly.....I was up at 7:00 and getting ready to run for the day.
Good. Very good.

Once getting Miss Priss settled and after chatting with our dentist's wife.....who is a friend of mine....I "ventured" up Perkin's road which is NORMALLY a "nightmare" road here in B.R.

Ugh.....HORRIBLE construction...widening of the road..etc. etc....and then once you get close to Bluebonnet....it's like "PULL MY HAIR OUT SOMEONE PLEASE" because the traffic is so horrible...add in the construction on a major new "UPSCALE" Mall "Perkins Rowe" and Condo's AND...road construction.

The Baton Rouge city "planners" are nuts, I must say.

I know about these things because we lived here for 8 years...before moving away for 7 years.
Then we moved back and the city's "infrastructure" still was BAD.

Then....South Louisiana got hit by TWO not one....but TWO "Category 5hurricanes" within ONE months time of each other.

Baton Rouge was overwhelmed by Hurricane Katrina evacuees already....and I mean....thousands.....and thousands.....by some estimates......our city grew by 300 thousand people OVERNIGHT. Then add in some Rita evacuees.....

I'm not complaining about people fleeing and coming here to town.
God bless them I would have done just what they did and we all were very welcoming of them all coming.

The thing I'm talking about is an already "busting at the seams" over-CROWEDED city......cramming more people onto the roads.
Roads are just part of it....the schools have been hit hard too but that is another subject for another day.

Lord have mercy. It's been crazy ever since.
Not as bad mind you as those first days after hurricane Katrina but it's never, ever, been the same. Nor do I think it ever will be.

Traffic has always has been pretty bad in this city.....but now certain areas are even MORE wretched.

This area I was in today....I normally "boycott"....but I took a chance at traveling into that "zone" because it was already after the "8:00am work traffic".....today it is New Years Eve and people are off work...AND I had some spare time that I had to burn in that part of town.

First thing I did was......I checked out the brand new grocery store called
"Fresh Market" and it's lovely. Very nice and new and prissy.
It has a "to die for" Deli. Absolutly impressive.

However...I thought this store was going to be like another "Whole Foods" which I LOVE to shop at.

In fact, it's not similar to them at ALL. But they had some fine "Classical music" going on in there. That was nice.

This grocery store is mainly "Gourmet" type foods......which wasn't what I was looking for.
I was looking for the "Organic...Gluten Free....Natural" stuff...and that's not what they are all about...so I was in and out in a flash.

I spent an entire $4.00 there...I purchased some overpriced Banana's because I needed some at the house and some discounted German Chocolates, Truffles and such to eat tonight....yummmmm.

I remembered that they had just built a brand, spanking NEW "Barnes and Noble" store beside one of my MOST favorite restaurant's in ALL of Baton Rouge...."Le Madeline's"...so it was either go to Le Madeline's and EAT or go to Barnes and Noble which was open at 9:30am.....so since I had JUST ate one of my newly purchased Banana's....I choose Barnes and Noble.

Now I LOVE a good book store. I could NEVER work in one (unless I owned it) because I would spend MORE than what I could ever make working there.....inside the store.

I rarely go to Barnes and Noble here in town because the one we had is so far away from me and I don't like it that much.

I always go to Book's a Million.....it's not as upscale but their discount card is a greater discount and they have a decent coffee shop, etc. AND it's close to where I like to shop at......so I go there ALL the time.

But I have to say......this new store...."took my breath away"....I felt bad for my sad, dumpier looking "BAM store." I felt like I was "betraying" them.

I FORCED myself to "behave" in there...and put some things back on the shelf.....and only bought "discounted" items that I found for 50% off. Good girl.

Although I do plan on going back though one day with my friend Nora and we might as well do lunch next door too.
Yikes!!

Poor Miss Priss called......she had so much drainage and infection in this tooth she was having fixed that they couldn't really complete it. Ugh!
She has to go back in a week.....after another ROUND of anti-biotics she's started today.

I went back to get her at the Dentist then we went to another plaza area....and returned a robe....bought Miss Priss a purple scarf...and a greatly discounted.... "Red wooden box" chock full of "Godiva Chocolate" products and some nice "Lindt Chocolates in a very sweet, little tin that I will keep and use as well.
I would have just bought the very CUTE box for the money but the Godiva stuff was a bonus we figured.

Next...we had to drop the prescription off and get some groceries....in FACT..I bought enough groceries to get us through a "Midwest Blizzard"...what's up with that?
As if there won't be any food left in town tomorrow?
That was crazy.

Then we grabbed some "drive through" lunch.....not good. Then rented some movies to watch tonight, then went to the bank.

We drove home and ate....I checked my e-mails....and then Miss Priss took a nap.....and I left and went to TWO more shops!

What is this "Shopping madness" today??

I have other stuff I need to do important stuff....like "reflect".....which I have done and will continue to do throughout the afternoon and evening.

For now...I am "playing"...I went out into the yard and snapped this photo of one of my rosebushes that is going WILD....it's a climber but it's been blooming like mad since Christmas Day!

Don and the two boys were home very early and were getting in on the crazy day themselves by "lifting weights" on the back patio.
That was crazy.
Even my husband was doing it....his poor face was so red and I was afraid he might have a brain aneurysm....but he said..."let us be MEN!"....

To which I said....."Booooo RRRah...you GO for it guys!"
And then left them to continue to flash their testosterone around like cave men.

Since the weather is sooooo wonderful....people in our neighborhood are mowing and raking and taking down Christmas decorations outside.
OF course..I started to do that too.

I just took down my little outside "yard flag"....the Christmas one....and replaced it with a "Valentine's Day" one.......hummmmm.....that feels WEIRD.
Sort of early huh?? It's only December 31st. I keep forgetting.

Today I bought all the ingredients (and more)to make that "Mexican fifty thousand layer bean dip" for tonight while we are watching the movies I rented.

My house is cluttered...I'm scattered as "Buckshot" today for some reason....and I have a million things I COULD be doing...yet here I sit typing my brains out.

I "MUST stop playing and get serious!!"
Does that sound like "Bridget Jones??"

My Cousin put that on her blog the other day and she wondered if it was a
"Bridget Jones quote." But I sort of checked into it and I don't think it is actually from the movies.

Although I am not a Bridget Jones authority.

We are going to ponder that Bridge Jones stuff a bit more later.....because I have a few "thoughts"....hummm so stay tuned.

Possibly if there is too much Mexican bean dip happening around here...because that's as wild as it's going to get at our house tonight...and I don't make it back on here to say so....
MAY you all have a HAPPY AND BLESSED New Year.
Cheers!
JM
See you next year!
I hate when people do that. HA!

Help Stop "World Ironing"....

I saw this article on the BBC the other day.....about
"Political Protest Slogans".....apparently they had people send in photos of themselves with their "protest sign" and they printed them on the site.

I am all in favor of protesting "good and decent causes" when it IS the right thing to do.

So I couldn't resist looking and thought to myself...."let's take a look and see what's going on."

Of course there was your "anti Bush" and "anti war" signs....those are typicalof course.

Then there were a few other signs that I didn't quite understand their meaning or have knowledge of the cause they were protesting.....I believe some were specific "country" issues I take it. The type where"you had to be there to understand it"kind of thing.

But then I found this "little gem of a protester and his sign".....
and I thought...."hummm.....this is interesting."

I'm ALL ABOUT "not ironing"....I think I'm getting in on this thing.
It's a worthy cause huh? "Not ironing."
Works for me.

"Crumpled stripes" may just be "part" of the key....to unlocking "world peace"....or "global warming" or whatever.

BUT..... they are going to have to "run up and down" for me my friend."

No "horizontals" for me.
Is that too "conflictual?"
Yikes!

"The Wretched Ones, The Poor Ones.....Les Misérables"

Nothing discernable to the eye of the spirit is more brilliant or obscure than man; nothing is more formidible, complex, mysterious, and infinite. There is a prospect greater than the sea, and it is the sky; there is a prospect greater than the sky, and it is the human soul.
Victor Hugo, Les Miserables
French dramatist, novelist, & poet (1802 - 1885)

I SO love this story.

It is a tale about nothing but passion and forgiveness.

In fact.....it's purely a story of "forgiveness AND UNFORGIVENESS." "Justice AND INJUSTICE."

You really can't really have one without the other....in either case now can you?

When you have "injustice" many times there will BE "unforgiveness." It's a rare thing when it isn't happening.

Let me assure you though.
It's a GOD thing when it doesn't happen.

We watched the movie last night. We were going to go out to do something but decided to stay home and relax. It had been a busy day for both my husband and myself.

He asked what did I want to watch....it was going to be "It's A Wonderful Life" because I have this entire "stack" of Christmas "MUST WATCH" movies.
And we aren't quite through the stack yet.

Then Don opened the drawer to our TV cabinet and said...."let's watch something else" to which I said....."fine what do you want to watch" and the first thing he called out with a question was "how about Les Misérables."
To which I quickly said......"YES!"

We hadn't viewed it in years so...I was up for it. Plus then Don was "backpedaling" and wanting to watch some gory thing like...."The Gladiator" which he and our boys LOVE. Not happening. They watch it ALL the time on TV. Blah! I can't stand it any longer. Enough of that Maximus guy already.

I settled into my spot on the couch as he popped the movie in and the story unfolded of "Jean Valjean" the man who had accomplished some amazing things in his life despite tragedy and severe injustice during "Pre-Revolution" France began to unfold.

Liam Neeson is AMAZING in this role.

His whole being is into this part. Plus I like Liam Neeson....he's the voice of Aslan in the "Chronicles of Narnia," He's Michael Collins in that story...He plays "Oskar Schlinder" in Schlinder's List.
Plus he's in a host of other great movies and some not so great ones.

I mean the man is excellent at his craft though.
Even though I CAN'T believe that he and Helen Miran used to be an item. Hummm....

Also...small "Joyce" trivia fact here,....Neeson is from a little town in Northern Ireland called "Balleymena" that I've been to.

The most vivid thing I can remember (besides what I was doing there in the first place) was that the town was purely divided.

They had entire what we would call "subdivisions" with "flagging or banners" similar to what our car dealerships put up....over the area where their homes were...of their political preferences. England or Ireland basically. Protestant or Catholic.
It was odd to me. I had never seen something like that at all in Ireland where I had been staying. But then....this was a "hot spot" in the North apparently from what we were told.

So I guess we know where he gets his "inner acting passion" from.

Back to Les Misérables....

It will encourage you to be full of forgiveness when you witness the POWER that forgiveness holds for you and for others.

One man in this story....changed many lives because of his forgiveness....but one man "Javert" changed no one... he only hurt people...could NOT forgive.....and it ruined him as he attempted to ruin others. In the end....he could not even forgive himself.

You will recognize injustices done to people in this movie and feel for them. You will see the "Wretched Ones and the Poor Ones and the Miserable Ones" and you will see how one man who was forgiven in return helps them to feel God's powerful love and forgiveness like he has.

You MUST get this movie and watch it.
It will impact you.

Let me know after you view it what you think and how it affected you.
Because I know it will.

Engagement "Congrats" to Rache

Here's our family friend "Rache" from England looking like a "Blonde Bombshell" and in fact she sort of is....isn't she?

Rache sent me an e-mail early on "Boxing Day" reporting that her boyfriend had just "proposed" to her on Christmas Day and produced a lovely ring and all.
Her parents are......as she stated to me.......
"Over the Moon!"
I'm sure that they are.

No date is set as of now for the "Wedding"...and I have told her since I've known her which was from the time she was 14 years old.....that I would come to England for her wedding one day.

Yikes! So Miss Priss, and I have a "social event" to attend one day in the future.

Rache graduates from Oxford University this year. She tells me though she is in "no hurry" for the wedding because she wants to "plan it perfect." To which I agree.

I tried to get her to "squeeze" it into this new year sometime since we are trying to plan our Anniversary trip over there anyhow.
However..... I don't think she's going to arrange such a big ordeal around my little trip.

Which means.....we will just simply have to go AGAIN!!! HA!

The prospective Bride Groom is a "Professional Footballer"..... in otherwords he is a "Soccer player" to us Americans.....and plays for a Football (Soccer) League in England.

He is a "Midfielder." Whatever that is. HA! Sorry I know nothing about the game really.
He plays for a team called......the "Brighton/Hoves."They are obviously, hence the name......based out of Brighton.


I don't know much about all this British "Football" business, but I do know that these two young people love each other very much.
And I am glad for that.

"Cheers" to you BOTH and the very strongest of "best wishes for a great life together" from our entire family.

Christmas Day photos........

Our family had a very relaxing and "quiet" non-eventful Christmas Day.
Just what we needed actually. It was a very nice day inside and outside. The best thing was that we were all together. That is what is most important of all to us....."presence more than presents."

You can't take "things" with you later.....but you can take "people."
Don reading the "Christmas Story" and explaining certain things to the kids.

He does this every year so that they "don't forget the REAL meaning of Christmas"...he then expounds on certain points.. and always asks them different "questions" to make them ponder.....like...."What was the gift of Frankincense used for" and "How do you think Jesus' parents felt about their baby being given the gift of Myrrh?"

To which they then all answer various things. They really get involved in this which is cool. It's interesting to listen to their "thoughts" on these things.

Luke "loving" his accessories for his "new bedroom" which was Caleb's "old bedroom" we have just finished remodeling.

Miss Priss in her new "Peruvian Beanie"....now she can go to "Machu Picchu."
Caleb who also has a "December birthday" received birthday AND Christmas presents this day. He "cashed" in.....if you get what I mean.
Danny O'Shea, being a very "sweet" Christmas Dog.

IT finally all becomes "too much fun" for Big Daddy.....zzzzzZZZZZZ.

Sorry for the "blurrs" and crazy darkness in the photos.....my battery was nearly dead on my camera and I was having loads of fun dealing with it. I was glad I got these shots even. Ugh!

The "Old German"

My Grandfather.

My cousin Sara sent me this photo she took of our Grandfather at the family "Christmas Gathering" they had this year.

My Aunt wrote me and E-mail like she does to "fill me in" on the various "happenings" in our family. She mentioned how well my Grandfather (her Father) is getting along.....he just had his "second" cataract surgery.

He lives on his own, has outlived TWO wives...having lost the second one a few months ago. My Grandmother passed away nearly 24 years ago.

She also was telling me how independent and stubborn he is.
She called him an "Old German!"
That is so funny.
Because HE IS!

I haven't seen him in person for a few years.....we live so far away from where he is.

The last time I called him.....I said......"You should come South and see us".....to which he said......"Your the one that moved!"
Hummmm......"Old German."

He's going to be 93 years old on the same day as Gabe's Birthday.

My Grandfather is the "baby" of 5 children that were born of European Immigrants.
Three of his older siblings are STILL alive.
Old Germans indeed.

I think this is a good photo of him actually.

Gabe's trip to the "Big Apple"

Here's some photos of Gabe's trip to NYC last weekend. He wasn't feeling well.....and he said it was "SUPER COLD" which only added to his misery of having a "cold and a sore throat." I don't think he looks too bad off really for not feeling well.
Radio City Music Hall.

Gabe and "The Girlfriend"
Gabe sleeping on the Staten Island Ferry.....I guess he wasn't feeling so "grand" after all.
At the "John Lennon Memorial"....I asked him "Why in the world would you go see that Memorial out of ALL the things to do in New York.....??" Just me....but I wouldn't have had that on my "List of important things to do while in NYC".....
He said they went there because "The British people that he was (there were two families on this trip) with all wanted to see it." Makes sense....the families are from a town near Liverpool where John Lennon and The Beatles were from.
Okay, I will buy that.
The "Dakota" where John Lennon was shot and where Yoko still currently lives, is the cool building in the background.

Skating at Rockefella Center....Gabe said it "VERY expensive" so he didn't skate but the three girls did.
A "scary person" in Times Square.
Eating a "Chilly Dog" on the street.
Hummmm........

Overall Gabe said he had a "Great time" but would want to go back again when he felt better one day.

Warm wishes for a Very Happy Christmas!

"It was always said of him, that he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge. May that be truly said of us, and all of us! And so, as Tiny Tim observed, 'God Bless Us, Every One!'"
- Charles Dickens

"Christmas is a necessity. There has to be at least one day of the year to remind us that we're here for something else besides ourselves."
Eric Sevareid"And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."
Luke 2:9-14

"Christmas gift suggestions: To your enemy, forgiveness. To an opponent, tolerance. To a friend, your heart. To a customer, service. To all, charity. To every child, a good example. To yourself, respect. - Oren Arnold"

May you and yours have a very Happy and Merry Christmas.
Be BLESSED,
From our Family to yours!

Sunday

Busy day today. I'm exhausted. I want to watch some Christmas movies, but I think I will just go to bed instead. Which is wise and best.
I will have plenty of time in the next few days to do so.

We haven't any family here in the area so "Christmas" is just US.

Which is good and well but sometimes, it's also a bit lonely.
Especially with Gabe gone this year.
He will be having "Christmas in Connecticut."
HA! I had to say that at least ONCE!!

Friday night I made 2 batches of the "White Chocolate Fudge" from the recipe that I posted on here a while back. It turned out great.
The cranberries and orange peel along with the pecans make it fabulous and very colorful.

Yesterday before church I made 1 batch of "Peanut Butter Fudge"...ummmm. I just had a couple pieces with a cup of tea.
For some reason....I LOVE having a cup of tea with a piece of fudge.

That is some real......"Comfort and Joy"...not just the tea by that name nor the song either.

Don who tonight has been watching of all things..."Shreik" is having a bit of fudge himself right now. I just took him a little saucer full of both kinds of it. He especially likes the Peanut Butter one.

This all the "Holiday baking" I will be doing.
I'm SO not into it this year.

Miss Priss made only one batch of cookies and that was all. They didn't last long. She's been so busy herself that she hasn't had time to do more. The cookie dough will stay in the freezer I guess.

If you would like a piece of either kind of fudge, please come on over and have a chat and we will be honored to serve you some fudge along with a cup of tea.
Cheers!

English "Christmas Crackers"......

Have you gotten your "Christmas Crackers?"
If you haven't you better hurry because they sell out FAST.

I always buy mine early but even this year I had a hard time finding them. So I grabbed the only box I could find and they were smaller in size than the ones I usually buy.
Which mean that there's not as much cheap, junk in them.

Not a huge loss I suppose. HA!

Years ago I started buying them because we had company in from England and I wanted this person to feel "at home" and able to have a few "familiar" traditions.

My kids had a FIT and hated wearing the goofy "paper crown" hat inside of them.....but now....they like to do it.
And read the jokes and see the junky gifts. HA!

So I have to continue to purchase them.

Apparently so do others here in town....because they become sparse and limited after we get closer to Christmas.

Here's a bit of history for you regarding "Christmas Crackers".....
I like history and it helps us to understand cultures and other things better.

"Christmas crackers were invented by Thomas Smith, a London pastry cook in 1846. It was during a visit to Paris, where he came across the bob-bon, a sugar almond wrapped in tissue paper (with a twist on either side of the centrally placed sweet).
Smith included a romantic message inside his early crackers which he marketed in Britannia's "Kiss Mottos". However the product enjoyed only limited success until Smith devised a way to make the cracker "pop" when pulled apart."

I've only but in a bit of what "Crackers" are all about...the real joy is just opening them.....

And wearing those crazy hats. That is fun I have to say. And the cheesy jokes.
I haven't a CLUE as to "who" these people are.....but they look like they are having fun. HA!
Crackers will do that for you.
I think they look Irish though for several reasons...maybe they were hitting a "wee bit of the 'Bushmill's'" too?
The lady looks a bit...out of it.
At least they are happy....and have great "Hats" on.

Sweet Little Tree

Here is our "Sweet Little Tree"......I snapped this tonight before turning into bed.
I had to wait up for the kids, who were both working tonight.

I love the little "Fairy Lights" on it.

I'll take another one of it in the daytime sometime.

Gabe's going to New York City for the weekend with the Girlfriend and her family and their visitors from England that are in staying with them all for the Holidays.

He said he would "send me some photos" from the trip.
He better.

I just "transfered" his "Christmas present" into his bank account today so that he could buy some "Snow Boots" and a few other things he needed.

We will miss him for Christmas this year. The last time he was gone from us for Christmas was when he was living in England doing an "Internship."

It seems weird not to have him here.

My very good friend Lori JUST e-mailed me to tell me that her family is in the "middle of a big Christmas!" They are opening their GIFTS right now.
She decided it was "the night" and woke everyone up and they have been doing gifts. IS THAT CRAZY?? I told her she was crazy.

Every family does different things you know.
That's what makes the world go round.

For now.......
Goodnight.

Home To Holly Springs.... by Jan Karon

I JUST finished "Home To Holly Springs" yesterday before going to the Dr. and I LOOOOVED it. IF you like the "Mitford Series"...then you will be very happy with this new book by Jan Karon.

IF you have never read the "Mitford" books.....then start now, because you have so missed out.

I already "passed it on" to another friend of mine yesterday who was very excited to read it as well.
IT is worth the read.
That Father Tim is always into something. You just can't not love him. He's so nice and kind.
There are lots of new "twists and turns" in this book.
I won't say anything more about it as not to spoil your reading adventure.

Sarah.....read this first before you read your other books. HA~!

Ugh....now we have to WAIT forever for the next book to come out.

"Nothing but a 'wisp' of fog........

Tonight it is SO foggy out.

We have a travel advisory in fact.

I was doing some reading and pondering tonight.

I was thinking about how much I love "Calendars"....
I know I am a NUTHEAD! But I do.
I'm a freak about Calendars.

I love to buy Calendars for myself and for others as gifts.

I gave my friend Nora this really funny....."Nuns Having Fun" Calendar one year. I loved it. She did too. HA! We saw the "new" one for 2008 the other day but we didn't get it for either one if us....we just looked at the photos and laughed.

When the new year rolls around I have to have the "right" Calendars in my house. One for the kitchen....always something that is by an artist that does those "Folksy/American/Country type ones".....

That tradition started when we had some friends from Canada named Beth and Blaine, that were living here for a few years. One Christmas they had a special dinner and invited us and a few other couples over and as a gift they gave us all one of these type of Calendars.
I was THRILLED to say the least.

It was such a great gift, the entire dinner and the calendar was just a bonus.
Their friendship was the REAL gift that day.

They have since moved back to Canada and we still keep in touch with them to this day.

I have to get one of those Calendars for 2008 for my kitchen yet. I just haven't been "on it."
The day I found them I couldn't decide which stype to buy so I ended up only buying the new "office calendar" instead.
So I have to get one soon or they will all be gone!

Next....our office. Okay.....well the past few years.....two or three that is
I've gotten a "Susan Branch" Calendar for the office.
I LOVEEEE her stuff. She is such a cool artist.
She does all kinds of cute little quotes and special handwriting and cute illustrations.

Besides......she lives on "Martha's Vineyard" and that is someplace I've always wanted to go so.....hey why not just get her Calendar in the mean time and dream a bit right????

I'm always "travel dreaming" anyway.

Which leads me to our final Calendar and a very important one. I mean they are ALL important in this house but this one.......is important in it's own right.

Every year since I can't even remember when.....we've had a Calendar from England (and I mean FROM England)in our bathroom.
Well of COURSE!
What else would you expect to adorn the walls of the Mahan "loo?"
Well I do have a few "French tiles" and plagues in there too that Gabe purchased for me in Paris.


It's kind of the "Pièce de résistance" of our bathrooms. HA!

You see, a Calendar is NEEEEEDED in our Master Bedroom bathroom.

It's a very important place you know..both the bathroom and the Calendar....
to write dates and times and occasions on.

This tradition of a "Proper British Bathroom Calendar" began years ago as well when a friend was visiting us from England and presented us with a gifts from there including a lovely Calendar from her "county".....since then she's always given me one.

Which I proceeded to hang in my bathroom. No offense intended. It's just that
I have the most excellent spot for it.....right on the wall behind the bathroom door.
Last year she sent me one of various "sites all over England"....which I loved.

I don't think she will be sending me the traditional "Calendar of England" along with some wonderful "Cadbury" treats like she normally does this year though. We haven't stayed in as close of contact this year...somewhat but not the same.
And I just don't want to ring her up and ask her to do that type of thing for me.

Shop for me a new bathroom Calendar of her country......and ship it to me.

I've already inquired with Gabe's girlfriend who is from England to "scour me up" a Calendar from there but I don't think that's happening either.

It's not that I can't find a Calendar of England here in America. But they are different and I don't like them. They don't hang the same.

The dilemma that I have is......the Calendars from England are spiral bound and have these cute little wire hangers bound into them. That way when there is moisture in the bathroom from the shower they don't "warp" on the edges because they hang differently.

The American ones get really curly on the edges because they aren't made the same.

So....I am tad distressed over the bathroom Calandar issue.

Gabe and the girlfriend are going to England in March so I suppose I can hold off until then....if need be.

My good friend Diane was chatting with me recently and told me about how their church had some wonderful Calendars they had gotten from a local Funeral home and would I like one?

I had to decline her on that offer. I told her...."yeah I try to stay away from those, thank you though." HA! She said she "understood."

There really ARE worse things to be distressed over in life aren't there?

If only some of our battles could be this easy.
Bathroom Calendar issues for 2008.
Right. Those are "way up there huh?"

I don't think so. I think that creepy injection I had to take again today is something far worse than my Calendar troubles.

I was reading this passage this evening in the Bible:

"Come now, you who say,
“Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.”
Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow.

You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.

Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.”

But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil. Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.
"Jame 4:13-17

I think in light of many things....especially things in my own personal life....
I'm not going to get too crazy this year if I can't find the PERFECT Calendar for some of these odd spots in my house.

Besides...who knows what tomorrow may bring...hopefully we may get to flip the Calendar from December into January but our days are in God's hands ultimately...are they not according to what James says?

I am good with that.

How about you??

"Stille Nacht".....

For some reason I woke up very early (for me that is) this morning....around 5:30am. Igh!
I came in to read the morning news online and turned on what I "thought" was the "XM Christmas Classical music station" that I have my AOL programmed to but instead of calm music coming out of my speakers it was some VERY loud "Rascal Flats" song.......errrrr.....that Luke!! He always does that.

While reading I noticed that alot of the songs that are playing are in German right now. I like that of course. I maynot understand them all though. HA!
A word here or there.

I did understand this one particular song that come on.
It's a classic so who wouldn't really....even in German, plus I could remember the words to the first two lines myself.

You may know it too and maybe want to know some history about it.

The name of it in German is......
"Stille Nacht".....or "Silent Night" which was first sang on Christmas Eve in 1818.
If you have a moment or two.......read on.
Plus check out this site there is going to be a "live webcame performance" from the "Silent Night Chapel" on December 24th.
*****************************************************************************
Silent Night......
The origin of the Christmas carol we know as Silent Night was a poem that was written in 1816 by an Austrian priest called Joseph Mohr. On Christmas Eve in 1818 in the small alpine village called Oberndorf it is reputed that the organ at St. Nicholas Church had broken. Joseph Mohr gave the poem of Silent Night (Stille Nacht) to his friend Franz Xavier Gruber and the melody for Silent Night was composed with this in mind. The music to Silent Night was therefore intended for a guitar and the simple score was finished in time for Midnight Mass. Silent Night is the most famous Christmas carol of all time!

That's Right Bing....

"Unless we make Christmas an occasion to share our blessings, all the snow in Alaska won't make it "white".
Bing Crosby

During this busy time of year.....try to remember others. I don't mean just in "gift giving.
I mean possibly those "Ones"...let's call them "strangers" or better yet...."people" that maybe you haven't even "encountered" yet.

Those that you may never encounter again.

They are out there.....and they are waiting. They need to see the face of God and not just in a church. Also, not in a platic Manger scene.

They need to see real flesh acting accordingly.

Your act may just be a smile.
It may be a kind word. You may hold the door for someone.

Whatever it is that you feel led to do. Remember....it's not always the BIG things that God is looking for us to do.

Many times it's the very smallest of humble actions.

Say a little prayer of "preparation" now, and then just be "open and ready" for when your moment comes.

Please, don't stick your name, or a churches name, or a business's name on whatever you do.

Intead..."Be invisible."
Don't leave any footprints.
That way...God gets the glory.

"Ave Maria"....

There's nothing like a good "Ave Maria" once in a while.
In Italian.
Has to be Italian.

Tonight I am doing some work on the computer and have that new CD in that I am "LOVING" and there is Josh doing a very GOOD "Ave Maria"....
Right...in Italian. That'a boy.

Oh and YES....there ARE "little boy voices" in the background.
My favorite, as you might know by now.

A few years back, on a rainy and cold November day, I had taken a small group of women to try out a new Tea Room in a neighboring city in hopes of possibly holding a "Christmas Tea."

The Tea Room was alright..it was in a small Antique made over, cottage home..the tea food was okay, however the grounds around the house which was part of the package, to tour the grounds which were FABULOUS!

Our Hostess was a tad pompous I felt but she was "new at this"
I told myself. She just seemed a wee bit "over confident" in herself.

It wasn't too long before I was to find out why she was this way.

At one point while we were enjoying our "High Tea" she asked if we wanted her to "Sing" for us because she was an "accomplished Opera Singer."

No one knew WHAT to say and I was thinking in my head...."sure you are sweetie and I'm the Queen of England."

But me being...me.....I said...."Could you please sing 'Ave Maria for us?'" I figured...."we will see how accomplished of an Opera Singer she is."

You see.....I KNOW some singers that were trained in Opera and I've been to the Opera many times back in the day.... so...I sort of know how it should sound.

At that point she replied..."In English or Italian?"

I love a challenge of course and I love hearing Ave Maria in Italian....so I said..."Italian please."
Then I am wondering....."hummmm.....if she asked me which language....hummmm."

Then she proceeded to belt out a fine "Ave Maria" in that small room with harsh acoustics totally "a capella."

She sang it flawlessly.

When she was finished, I led the ladies in the clapping of our hands.

That wonderful song at that perticular moment was a total surprise for me and it still is a sweet and warm memory of that day when I was in a small Cajun town just to have a bit of Tea with this group of ladies.

It showed me once more.....that you may be amazed at what can come your way at times when you expect it lest.

Possibly I was the pompous one that day?

"Noel".......

I wasn't going to buy it.
My friend Nora had bought it while we were at "Books A Million" one day.
One of our "favorite" haunts. We both like books and Josh Groban obviously.

I told her I would borrow hers after she had listened to it.

Then I sort of forgot about it.

Until last week.

I turned the TV on one day to catch the local news and it was the tail end of
"The Oprah Show."
I'm not a huge fan of hers but watch occasional things she may have on from time to time....rare...but I do like Dr. Oz....ha!

This show was her "favorite things" show and she said they had very special singing guest coming up after the commercial break so I was curious of course.

I had trailed off into the other room to do some odd task and when I came back into the front room it was "Josh Groban" who I LOVE to hear....belting out....
"Silent Night" and "It Came Upon A Midnight" both off of his new CD and sang along with a "Little Boy Choir" and a wonderful Black Gospel Choir.

It was FABULOUS!!!!
I wanted to scream.
But I cried instead....right in my front room.

Yes, I need help.
Yes, Hallmark shows and commericals DO make me cry.
Thats just me.

Howeever, if you want to make me float on air.......
You can do a few things.....and I am talking musically here....

The music must have passion.....it's wonderful if it has say..."Bagpipes, and Irish Flutes, or Ulean Pipes" somewhere in the midst of it...but if you have a "Boy Choir"....
then I am "over the top" with joy.

I love "Boy Choirs" their little voices are always so ANGELIC......I can't hardly contain myself when I hear a sweet little Boy Choir.

These little guys were dressed in long Black Robes with cute little White Collars, and Red Belt Sashes.....like "Little Cardinals"..not the birds...the Priests.

I decided right then and there....."I have to get that CD for my music library!"

I just checked and the little "Boy Choir" that was singing with Josh Groban was from
"Magdalen College" Right.....that's the College that C.S. Lewis taught at in Oxford.
Nice.

Luke picked it up for me today right after he got a filling at the Dentist! HA!
How nice was that of him?

Well it did cost me two "Hunting Magazines and McDonald's" Ugh.....but it was sooo worth it.

I've listened to that CD from the moment he brought it in the door.

You HAVE to hear (and see) it.
I put the video up there for you if you hit on it you'll see what I mean!!!