Chas – I would have liked to sleep in, but had to be up at 6:15 to babysit Little Guy. Oh, what a joy to hear his talkative little voice first thing in the morning. (Not really. 😉 )
Good morning Chas and Kizzie, If I am not going to play golf in the cold rain, I must go to the mall to get my walking in. Surely, there won’t be any shoppers there on such a messy morning.
Ricky – Joan Bennett was also in the 1960s horror-soap opera, Dark Shadows. Even though I was pretty young, I had a huge crush on David Selby’s character “Quentin Collins”. 🙂
I posted later last night on the prayer thread that my aunt was transported to UAB. She is now 2nd on the transplant list. My uncle will be driving up today.
Advent – Day 3: This is my favorite chorus from Handel’s ‘Messiah’. The text is taken from a prophecy about the coming Christ in Malachi 3:2-3. The alto soloist sings from verse 2 and then the chorus sings from verse 3:
‘But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap:
And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness.’
Cute white-throated sparrow. That species comes in two color forms (they are not subspecies), one with a tan stripe in which the white is more buff, and the one with black and white stripes AJ photographed.
The cat no longer rings the doorbell. He knocks and jiggles the door knob. Food on demand. Good thing he only demands it right before his breakfast time.
Good morning. Piano concert day! Starts at 7:30, only 10 1/2 hours from now. Thrilling! I’m getting to love playing in these concerts more and more all the time. 🙂 I’m second-to-last on the program, so I’ll get more practice in containing my excitement/nerves/whatever emotions I’m feeling in the run-up to stepping on stage, lol. 😉
Yesterday at Bible study, my best friend, who is the leader, said she saw an announcement in the local newspaper about the concert. It listed all the performers, so my friend said, “You’re famous!” LOL. Except my name is already famous with those who know me and that there was once a movie star by the same name. 😉
Did I ever mention that when I was engaged to be married, I was attending an aerobics class, and one participant was named Betty Grable? 🙂 The ladies who were familiar with movie star names of that era enjoyed the fact that one of us in the class was “famous” and another was “almost famous.” 😉
Roscuro, as we did last year, I am going through Handel’s Messiah with the kids from December 1-25, and yesterday we listened to “And He Shall Purify,” in addition to the recitative and air that precede it. We’ve been using the version at YouTube of Sir Colin Davis directing the London Symphony Orchestra and Chorus Tenebrae.
Nice version of “And He Shall Purify” that you posted above. We read from Malachi 3, also, in preparation for listening to the song yesterday. I enjoy the music you post during the Advent season, and we listen to your selections each day, also. Thank you for doing that.
I know it’s only Dec,. 3, but I’m going to go ahead and put up my Christmas tree today. And Roscuro’s music is running in the background. Lovely. Of course I may have to turn it off if Samster wakes up and starts ‘singing’. He’s very musical and will howl and sing especially for opera. He also likes Johnny Cash. And my husband has encouraged him to howl to ‘Werewolves of London’, so if we’re in the car and the radio’s on, I just crawl under the dashboard. :–)
I slept in only by a little bit (’til 7:15 a.m.) but since I went to bed fairly early (9:30 p.m.) it all worked out. 🙂
I remember “Dark Shadows,” that was all the rage to watch after school. A ‘soap opera’ with a real twist (and a vampire as the leading character).
Long day yesterday, just as I was getting ready to leave the house to pick up my friend (about 20 minutes away) to head out to the far northeastern reaches of LA County for our annual day at the Christmas craft fair, real estate pal calls and says “hey, roofers can put the tub in — now. Are you home?” Oy.
My friend is not the flexible type, she kind of freaked out as even though she’s retired she has her own very precise schedules for feeding cats (?) and is often in bed by 8 p.m. up by 3-4 a.m., but we somehow made it all work since I just left the guys to do their thing (I’ve used them enough now that I trusted them in the house with me being gone, they’re the ones also who did the bathroom demo a couple weeks ago). Good guys. And I’m sure the dogs had fun hanging out with “the guys” doing all that work. Told them just close the door when you’re done — I still need to figure out how to pay them now, though, they don’t live in this area and when I asked them on the phone how much I owed them he said he didn’t know. ? Soo, yet to be figured out and determined.
When I got home at around 7 p.m., I had a brand new cast iron tub. It’s small, I really can’t tell that it’s a few inches “bigger” (supposedly) than the old one. 😦 I could have gone with the bigger one I liked better, I realize now, but I didn’t want to risk winding up with something *too* big, even by a few inches, that ate up more of the floor space in what already is a teen-tiny bathroom.
And there was a glitch in the drain I’d ordered to match my other fixtures, Koehler said turns out it was out of stock and the warehouse never let them know — so that’s why I never got it (it was ordered separately from the tub but was supposed to arrive maybe just a few days later; my fault partially for not following up, but I honestly sort of forgot about it until I suddenly realized yesterday I needed it immediately. So the new tub has a chrome drain now, left over from when these guys fixed my other old tub several months ago. Oh well, not a huge deal (other fixtures are all going to be dark bronze).
As Kim assured me, it’s all good, it will work, it will be beautiful when it’s all done, small tub w/chrome and all. Learn to love what you’ve got, I suppose. And the tub is gorgeous in that it’s solid, quality cast iron, very white and smooth and gleaming. 🙂 I mostly take showers so it’ll work.
Today the small vanity comes for the spare closet “bathroom,” sometime between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., so I’m stuck here until that arrives. And tonight is a dog park Christmas party at someone’s house, I’m tentatively planning to make it there.
DJ – I’m supposing your shower curtain will be closed most of the time, so no one will really see the drain unless they take a shower. (But yeah, I’d be a bit bugged by that detail, too.)
I know all this discombobulation in your home is very stressful. It certainly would be for me – I don’t deal well with even a hint of discombobulation. But I kind of envy you. We have so many things that need to be fixed, & I’d love for my kitchen to have new cabinets, but we can’t afford anything right now. Hubby would like to try to do some work, but has very little time for that.
Trusting God the changes will come in time. Meanwhile, Nightingale says we have a white trash kind of house. (Or something like that, I forget the exact thing she’s said, but it was close to that if not that.)
At the office again, still trying to enroll for the big 2017 ripoff. Somehow I have not yet managed to get enrolled. It’s not rocket science, but more chaotic and frustrating than going to the moon. I should be on the Rants & Rants page when talking health insurance.
Some have seen on Facebook what Miss Bosley did. I was testing on the couch and asked Art for his jacket to use as a warm covering. Miss Bosley decided she wanted to be under the jacket, too. A little later, she changed her mind and started to exit. She chose the sleeve of the jacket as her exit. Bad choice! She got stuck in the sleeve! I gave Art his jacket with the BIG problem. He helped her to get out. It was very funny to be there. I wish I had a video to share ❤😁😂😺
DJ, are dogs invited to a dog-park Christmas party? If you’re going to a party with these people, you must at some point have learned the names of the humans and not just the dogs, right?
I wasn’t all that regular at my Nashville dog park(s). I had two I went to, one better in summer and one better in winter, but I didn’t go at regular hours or even on a regular schedule. Sometimes every week, sometimes only once or twice a month. So I definitely got to know a few of the dogs,and to recognize a few of the people, but never developed anything close to a friendship with anyone. It didn’t help that most of them seemed to be a different social class than me (yuppies living in downtown condos for the most part, whereas I had a breed of dog that was stylish in the 50s).
Re singing dogs. I’ve probably told this story before.
When my husband and I were courting, when he came to town he would stay in the home of one of my elders and his wife. They had two big dogs, formerly strays. The husband would say to one dog, “I love you-uuuuu,” letting the last word go into a howl, and it was said that the dog would respond, and that the dog sounded like it was saying “I love you” back. I never heard it myself.
Well, on my husband’s second visit, the couple hosted the small group of us who had lunch together weekly, to play games and hang out and get to know my future hubby before he took me away to Indiana in a few months. The husband decided to get the dog to howl for us, so he kept doing his “I love you-uuuuu” and the dog just kept looking at him. (Too many people around, I’m sure.) Well, he saw my suitor looking at them, and he said, “You try.” So my man said, “I love . . . ” and then turned to me, not the dog, to howl the “youuuuuuu.” I then said it back with a more subdued version of the howl (somewhat self-consciously, because it was a room with about a dozen people in it and it was my first public declaration of love).
Then of course, the man who had been saying “I love you” to his dog, not his wife, had his turn to be embarrassed. 🙂 I think he slapped his forehead and said “Oh brother,” or something along that line.
Cheryl, yeah — it happens if you go at just a particular time of the day every week (these folks hang out together daily, I just join them on weekends just before the sun goes down for about an hour of chitchat). I was teasing them once when one of the people got up and headed for the gate to leave. They all immediately started talking about him.
I said What?? Do you do that whenever any of use walks away?? 🙂 I’ll know now to never leave before the rest of you again.
But it’s a very diverse, friendly group (real estate pal is among them). We’ve gone through the death of one of the people’s moms, budding romances (or so the rumor goes), health scares (both people and dogs), remodeling 🙂 (Yeah, they’re sick of hearing about my bathroom.)
Interesting, too, because a former little group that all hung out together (different people who tend not do go to the dog park anymore — dogs have passed on and/or schedules & routines change, etc.) also still gather for Christmas party every year, though the planned date for that, next Thursday night, is now in flux, hostess texted me last night that something came up and they’re going to have to reschedule it this year.
Kizzie, yes, it is such a blessing to be able to do some things (finally) for the house. Guess I didn’t realize how things can deteriorate just with wear and tear and time. 😦 And things like the spare partial-bathroom, which I just never used (that’s not good either), no longer was in working order when I did need it, of course. I’ll have to make sure that stays at least partially used to keep it in working order.
My kitchen isn’t anywhere near getting on a “to-do” list right now (other than for a new faucet, the one I have now is at least 15 years old, is corroded and leaks). But for now, there isn’t enough $, patience or anything else to tackle redoing that room unless it’s super cheap and I can do it myself (well, the new sliding door and pet door count as upgrades, I guess). So far, stuff seems to be “working” in there OK, at least, although new linoleum would be nice someday …
But I read that in remodeling, kitchens are the absolute hardest & most expensive jobs to do. No thanks. The tiny bathroom has already done me in, I think for good.
When we worked on our house, my brother set all the power up for a kitchen at the end of the dining room, looking out into the arboretum. Backyard. But we never moved the kitchen as it would have required more than moving the cabinets, they would have needed to be replaced. I always questioned that figuring if the space was larger, why wouldn’t the cabinets fit? Apparently they are too ugly to go in a new kitchen. I am delighted with it. Seems spacious to me, it is in the center of the home. So a few mice get in in the winter, it works for me.
While Jingle Bell Rock seems to be on continuous loop over on the other thread 😉 I will post a few other pieces over here. These are the three I am performing tonight, though in solo piano versions only.
The first one is the Advent hymn O Come O Come Emmanuel. I’m playing my own version of it tonight that I arranged a few months ago, but this one by the Piano Guys is much better. 😉
Second is Infant Holy, Infant Lowly. I’m playing an arrangement by Faye Lopez. She has a neat collection of Christmas songs with melodic, rhythmic and harmonic patterns inspired by 10 of Claude Debussy’s works for solo piano. Infant Holy, Infant Lowly, in her version, is stylistically reminiscent of Debussy’s Reflections in the Water, a lovely piece I played for my senior piano recital in college. This video is a beautiful rendition arranged by Stephen Cleobury.
Last is The Huron Carol, a 16th-century French-Canadian melody. I love this video, sung by the Canadian Tenors, and showing, among other things, the beauty of the Northern lights.
Third Arrow got her first cell phone last night — one of the perks of being a newly-licensed driver in our household. She took my phone with her the other night when she drove to her Sunday School teacher’s meeting, but is pleased to now have her own. 🙂
So, how about for a QoD, what books are you all reading now? (Or maybe none; December gets rather busy, doesn’t it?)
I have three books in progress. I think I mentioned two of them a little while back, that I’m still working on: Deskbound, and Unstuffed.
My latest book checked out of the library is Your Inner Critic Is A Big Jerk: And Other Truths About Being Creative. LOL. An interesting read. I am doing a little composing every day, and am trying to block out that little voice that says, “You’re not a composer. You haven’t even tried to get anything published, and probably couldn’t even if you tried…” Blah, blah, blah.
But I am enjoying the challenge, despite some of my negative self-talk, and reading that book is adding to my enrichment.
Let’s see:
Lafcado, the Lion Who Shot Back, Shel Silverstein to a bunch of folk
Treasure Island to nine year old daughter
Eldest from the Eragon series to ten year old son
Jump Off the Hormone Swing to see if I can help daughter
Francis Schaeffer 25 Bible studies to try to help me
The Whistler by John Grisham for encouragement
Soun Tetoken, Nez Perce Boy to ten year old for school
Two Years Before the Mast, again for entertainment and learning
I am reading Killing the Rising Sun by Bill O’Rilley . I know most of what he says. But he did clarify something. I have heard that the Japanese were talking with the Russians about surrender. Not so. Japan had no intention of surrendering. It was a “Let’s stop fighting” type agreement. Japan wanted to keep Korea and their conquests in China.
“Face” was vital to their culture. If you “lost face”, your life was worthless in that culture.
You lose face by surrendering. Thus the banzi charges.
I don’t know, Chas. I keep finding somebody with her head buried under my arm. We are quite concerned about that Long John Silver with only one leg because the boy was told to watch for a one legged seaman. And that other guy is missing some fingers. Pretty scary.
We don’t seem to have a lot of those around here. Though with Lewiston being a seaport….
Interestingly, Grisham inserted some comments on the FBI and their work looking for in country jihadists and discontented teens looking to join in this book.
Well, I’m reading a really interesting book called Human Anatomy & Physiology… Actually, one doesn’t read textbooks from start to finish, as not only do the lectures seldom go in the same order that the book chapters do, but it is also not the most efficient method of studying. Textbooks are reference manuals and are best treated as such. I’m also reading a lot of medical studies. The only non-school book I’m currently reading at is a Tintin story, Le crabe aux pinces d’or, which I got as part of a birthday present. My nephews enjoy the Tintin books, so I can share an interest of theirs. Recently, I read the latest Flavia de Luce mystery, Thrice the Brindled Cat Hath Mewed, in order to keep up with my niece. My young relatives keep me reading. I also got for my birthday a copy of two of Dorothy L. Sayers’ essays, in a little book titled Are Women Human?. I love her incisive wit – Sayers was a contemporary of C.S. Lewis and, like Lewis, wrote from a unique Christian perspective on contemporary topics.
Michelle inspired me to compose a Christmas letter today. I wasn’t sure I would do that this year, but I asked my husband a few days ago what he thought, and he said he didn’t care either way.
I haven’t copied the letter yet, but have it on my computer, and in rereading it, I noticed something that may not be grammatically correct, so I am curious what any of you more knowledgeable writers/editors/journalists have to say…
You know how when you’re comparing two things, you use the comparative form (-er), and with three or more, you use the superlative (-est)? For example, “Of the two children, the boy is older,” versus, “Of the three children, the boy is oldest.” IOW, it’s not correct to say, “Of the two children, the boy is oldest,” because that would be using the superlative form for a statement that compares only two.
Here’s the background: In attempting to more be brief this year, instead of writing one paragraph of information about each of our children (and for my husband and me, too), I lumped 4th, 5th and 6th Arrows into one paragraph, and 1st, 2nd and 3rd Arrows into another. I began, “Our youngest three children…ages 15, 12 and 9…”, and in the following paragraph, I started with, “The oldest three, our adult children…”
Now for my question to you: Is it incorrect to say “youngest” and “oldest” in this context? I used the “-est” form because I was thinking of three of my children when I wrote each of those paragraphs. However, I later thought that, because six total arrows divided by three individual arrows equals two groups of arrows, maybe I should write “younger three” and “older three” because we are talking about only two groups, not three or more.
Is that right? Or am I right the first way?
Or am I being WAAAAAYYYYYY too anal?! 😛
LOL. Thanks for any help. 😉 And sorry about the math!
Thirty some years ago when we were dirt poor and my husband made LCDR, I restriped his uniform in an effort to save $50. After that, I swore I’d never do it again–“if you make Commander you’ll have a big enough pay raise to pay for it.”
Which is exactly what happened–and the stripping looked much better than mine.
I figured I was home free after that–and why wouldn’t I be, the man retired 20 years ago?
But, as I noted, a “surprise weigh-in” at work shocked him so much, he’s been on a jogging diet since September 15 and has lost 30 pounds!
(Please congratulate me as I never said a word about his weight . . . )
We’re going to a black tie wedding on New Year’s Eve, which has caused the family conniptions ever since it was announced 13 months ago–what will we wear?
My husband decided to wear his uniform for the first time in nearly 20 years.
It almost fits now! Except, the waistband on the pants . . .
There I was, letting out the very wide seam this afternoon. It all worked–sort-of–and he’s taken the uniform off to be dry cleaned and pressed.
That budget-conscious Navy wife is still in here. As I battled with the seam ripper, ironing board and my now rusty sewing machine, all I could think of (besides that horrible stripping experience is), “think of all the money I’m saving!” 🙂
Still haven’t written the Christmas letter, though . . . .
I keep struggling with my weight. What is the jogging diet? I am thinking of starting to jog. But first I have to get new shoes in Australia. Just sold the shoes I bought last summer as they were too big. The same company, Merrell, and size as my others, but they were a half inch to an inch longer and my foot shifted when going down these hills just walking.
6, I’m not sure what the answer is, but the question got me wondering on another point. What is the difference between using ‘eldest’ and ‘oldest’? When I was trying to think of an answer to your question, I realized that I would say “the three eldest” rather than “the three oldest”. I suppose one could also say “the elder three”, but that might be misread as “the elder tree”. Perhaps that is an answer to your question, it depends on word order – “the older three” or “the three eldest”.
I finally finished the book, Untamed, by Jason Clark. I need to post my review which I am behind on partly because of the insurance saga. Next I may begin Lavish Grace by Kathy Howard. Art got that new book by Connelly that Donna is reading when he went with me to Sam’s. We are reading aloud, as time permits, the newest novel by Donn Taylor, Murder Mezzo Forte. We enjoy his humor. I just got a new study bible, Modern Life Study Bible, which I am considering reading this next year. It uses the NKJV. I like the biographies it contains as part of its features.
I got up to get a piece of firewood from the coat room, for the stove. Ten year old son says, “I can get a piece of firewood for you, mom.”
I said, “Okay but make sure you get a piece of red fir.”
He comes back a couple of minutes later with a piece of wood and says, “Sorry, mom, none of them had fur.”
I explained. We are fine. And I did not laugh, I did not laugh.
Shortly before, fifteen year old daughter came back from her walk. I looked up and smiled and said, “Hi, (insert her name).
She responds: “Hi, (insert her name).”
We looked at each other, I raised an eyebrow, she thought. Then she laughed as she realized her mistake. We giggled.
Roscuro, I thought of the eldest/oldest thing, too, when I was typing. I’ve always said “oldest,” but don’t know if there is any distinction between that and eldest. I notice you always refer to your parents’ firstborn as your “eldest” sibling, and my mom always refers to me as her “eldest” child, a term which reminds me of “elderly,” for which reason, in the immaturity of my youth, I did not like being called the “eldest.”
I wonder if eldest refers to people, and oldest to things? Just thought of that, but have no idea whether that’s the case.
Interesting thought on word order — I never considered that.
For quite a number of years, my children seemed to pair off — 1st and 2nd Arrows; 3rd and 4th Arrows; 5th and 6th Arrows, and I would mentally categorize them as the oldest two, the middle two, and the youngest two. (Maybe it should instead be the oldest, the youngest, and the middle four! But I digress.)
Anyway, after typing out my 5:03 above, I thought, well, if I divide them into 3 groups (oldest, middle, youngest), as I have before, then dividing them into two groups instead should probably be labeled the older group/the younger group.
But, then, it’s only a Christmas letter; probably most people aren’t going to care. 😉 My mind is in a whirl, and my brain goes to unusual places at the oddest times, where it really doesn’t need to be!
Janice, are you watching the “Bosch” series on Amazon? Pretty good, actually. (and I ordered the Miss Bosely story/book 🙂 )
6 arrows, hilarious.
So I’m missing the dog park party tonight — window guy was supposed to be here at 4:30, he emails me at that time saying he’s just now finishing up a job some 20 miles away, OK if he comes at 6 p.m.?
Um, no, that’s not good (so he’s coming at 9 a.m. tomorrow morning). At that time I was cooking the baked spaghetti to take to party when I got the package of spaghetti out of the cupboard and, surprise, it wasn’t somehow sealed well (I hadn’t opened it) and I suddenly had an avalanche of dry spaghetti all over the kitchen floor. It was like pickup sticks for the next 10 minutes … And I had to go to the store to get another package as I’d already started the rest of the recipe.
Thanks, Donna, for ordering the book. All sales proceeds go to Samaritan’s Purse.
We don’t have cable so we are not watching “Bosch.” That gives me a good gift idea for Art. Thanks.
I hate it when spaghetti pasta scatters. I break mine in half to boil it in a medium size pot, and some of the broken pieces tend to take flight.
If anyone wants to submit a story to the Moments books, I can give you information on upcoming titles. You receive one copy of the book from the publisher as a token compensation. It is nice to get publishing credits though and to also be published alongside some better known authors. And I do like to help Samaritan’s Purse because they help many people in troubled times.
Art is watching football, Clemson and Virginia Tech. He has seen some surprisingly good games lately.
I break mine in half too, but in this case it never made it that far 🙂
The Bosch series (available with Amazon Prime) is about to enter season 3 (but no date announced) — they jumble up some of the stories, but it works. I’ve always liked the author as he got his start as a police/crime newspaper reporter, including for the LA Times — also love his use of so many LA-Hollywood locales, all very familiar to us locals 🙂
Watching ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ tonight (first time in many years) and was struck by the opening conversation in heaven, when Clarence, the angel without wings, asked about his assignment, George Bailey.
“Is he sick?” he asks his heavenly superior/commander.
Concert’s over. It was nice. Six soloists, one duo and one trio. Smaller audience tonight, but very friendly, like always. I wasn’t nervous at all for my first two pieces, and then the third, Huron Carol, the fastest one of the three, I got started faster than I intended. Hoo whee, off to the races! It went well, though, despite those slightly shaky hands that decided to show up just then, lol. A little stumble about halfway through the piece, but I don’t think anyone noticed (except my daughter, who was turning pages for me), and that song was the one that collected the most compliments out of the ones I played.
My friend who goes to nearly every show at that venue, and typically serves refreshments during intermission, missed my first number, the one for which I had arranged my own harmony, because she was still cleaning up downstairs after the second half of the program started. My arrangement of O Come O Come Emmanuel was the one that she had most wanted to hear of everything I played, so she asked me after the concert if I would play that one for her, since she’d missed it. I did, and it was interesting to play in a room with a few people standing in the back, talking to each other, and my friend by the piano, instead of in a totally quiet room with everyone looking at me!
Fifth Arrow came along tonight, and when I was introducing my pieces, I saw him looking down and to the side, chin almost pressed to collar bone, grinning big that his mom was up on stage talking to everybody. 🙂
Another enjoyable evening, and, after three performances in 2016, that’s a wrap for this year!
I enjoy that movie, though I have not watched it in a long time. Maybe this year.
You know, you can use spaghetti noodles off of the floor. They are going to boil for a while. Of course, you might not mention what happened. And of course, that does not work if you have dogs in the house. Or cats.
Good Evening…I am home from work and watching “It’s a Wonderful Life”….I had popcorn for dinner… 🙂
Work was a killer today….on my drive home I actually contemplated quitting…it was that frustrating! Thankful I do not have to go in until next Friday….
I need to finish books I have started…I like Robert Whitlow books for light fiction reading. Right now I am trying to read The Confession. I also started reading The Idiot by Fyodor Dostoyevsky. Then on my Kindle I have just started reading The Beloved Daughter…I just need to find time to get these things read!! I don’t seem to be able to find a moment to myself any longer….sometimes I just want to run away from home…..
Good morning! We went to my MIL’s house yesterday to put up her tree and other Christmas decorations. She is getting around much better and doesn’t seem to be in as much pain. She doesn’t see her oncologist until January second–it was a melanoma they removed from her appendix and colon. Please remember her in your prayers….
Becca brought a good friend along to help decorate the tree–they did a fantastic job! We had dinner with her and got home around nine. Becca’s friend spent the night — she is an absolute delight! They are like two peas in a pod–and she has impeccable manners, so she’s very easy to host.
After church, I’m taking them to the mall–which I’m dreading–but Becca needs a new Christmas dress….so….
We sang this last night at church. The words were written recently by a young fellow from California. It was very moving. While the words engage the brain, it is the melody that stirs the emotions.
Good morning all. We are getting our first snowfall of the season, though it is mixed with rain and isn’t supposed to accumulate. It’s still pretty to watch.
I see it’s not snowing in the state of Blog this morning.
Took my first makeshift shower in the new tub — still needs the latch thingy to get it to drain afterward, I think that’s included in the fixtures I bought for it, otherwise we’ll have to get it separately. You don’t know how wonderful it is to even get a trickle of hot water to help you clean up …
So now the wood window guy who was supposed to come at 4:30 last night but tried to switch it to 6 p.m. is coming at 9 a.m. this morning. Hoping he’s on time so I can get out of here for church at 9:30.
This guy isn’t a window expert — he was recommended by the Sherwin-Williams people as sort of an all-around construction/handyman type — so I’m not expecting much beyond a recommendation to replace the windows, which is what 2 other guys have already told me in the past couple months. I’m expecting to get more of a valid assessment from the historic window restoration people who are coming out on Thursday. I avoided them at first thinking they’d be way expensive (and they may be). But now I also have a quote from the place in Indiana that makes exact replicas of your old windows, so at least I have one figure to use to compare.
Would rather have them done locally, though, so the measurements are precise and installation can be included. With windows being shipped from Indiana I guess I’d be on my own to find someone to install them which could really add to my costs.
Donna, we have four bathrooms and there is always the great outdoors! Though it is raining/sleeting/snowing out there. We were Singing in the Rain as we walked about doing the chores this morning and Wading in the Water.
Advent – Day 4: The lyrics of my favorite hymn of the Advent come from a Greek text dating back to at least the 400’s A.D. Like many early church writings, it is filled with quotations and allusions to Scripture passages and it is interesting to match the quotation with the passage:
Let all mortal flesh keep silence, and with fear and trembling stand; ponder nothing earthly minded for with blessing in his hand Christ our God to earth descended, our full homage to demand. (An allusion to Ephesians 4:7-15)
King of kings, yet born of Mary, as of old on earth he stood; Lord of lords in human vesture in the body and the blood. He will give to all the faithful his own self for heavenly food. (John 6:53-58)
Rank on rank, the host of heaven spreads its vanguard on the way, as the Light of Light, descending from the realms of endless day, that the powers of Hell may vanish as the darkness clears away. (Revelation 19 & 20)
At his feet the six-winged seraph, cherubim with sleepless eye veil their faces to his presence, as with ceaseless voice they cry: “Alleluia, alleluia! Alleluia, Lord Most High!” (Revelation 4)
So guy showed up (late) to look at Windows and is going to send me a scope of work and estimates — he proposes taking them to be restored with wood (new pieces where needed), putting up plywood on empty spaces in meantime.
He just started his own contracting biz, struck me as kind of a go-getter and I’m not fully sure it’s the best way to go
Made it to church after he left, though — not a clue as to how much it will run, but he also seemed to be angling for the painting work and seemed bummed when I told him I already had started the bathroom work. He had a woman (wife?) with him who took down info for bid
I’m thinking cute bathrooms may be more trouble than they’re worth (she says, staring at the bare studs and draped plastic …)
Just got home from church, stayed for the Q&A and then chatted for a while after that, a woman from England (who knows one of our members and who’d met several of us some years ago when we all were hiking at the church family camp) was visiting so good to get caught up with her. She’s Roman Catholic, not sure if she’s a believer or not, said she hasn’t “practiced” in years but does at least sometimes go to the always-packed RC church where she lives in GB.
As I was leaving, the little kids were practicing “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing!” for next Saturday’s church Christmas party. 🙂 Sweet.
Kind of funny, because talk of the American revolution came up during our Q&A which she stayed for. 🙂 I got the feeling, in talking to her afterward, that she wasn’t a big fan of Brexit and was hoping the vote could be “undone” by the judges now reviewing it.
Oh, and I got an estimate already from the guy who was here this morning, not as high as I’d feared but still more research I want to do, it’s kind of a big decision for this house …
What kind of wood is being used? How durable is it? Does it make sense instead to try to find a “wood-like” material (not vinyl, but something cheaper than Anderson) and just go with replicas? …
My neighbor says as soon as I’m gone someone will just rip out what’s here and put in vinyl. 😦
Maybe, but not on my watch …
I’m learning that window replacement is a technology that’s constantly evolving right now — we all want something that looks “good” (like wood), that can be painted and that is relatively maintenance free and will last a long time.
My neighbor told me when they put in vinyl windows they didn’t have the other materials/options that allowed you to paint on the outside. Instead, they have the outside trim that is bright white — forever.
I may decide to paint a different color trim on my house, dark? Who knows (that’s the next job to tackle), but I really don’t like the idea of being “trapped” into bright white (or beige, or brown or whatever other limited stock colors window companies offer).
I guess I should have taken care of the hammock earlier. The little folk brought it in loaded with baby bees and aphids and stink bugs. We got it out quickly, unrolled it, and they are taking care of the bodies. Oops.
Leslie ‘s tree is up. Her daughter came to help so she knew all the special ornaments. We also did the fireplace mantle. She has lots and lots of stuff. It was fun to play and do something with it.
I already bowled tonight and did not do very well. Again. And it was the night we bowl six games rather than three so I had seventeen year old come and bowl for me the last half, so I could bring the small folk home, feed them, and put them to bed. They enjoyed the drive because just in those twenty miles, there were two places decorated for Christmas and that was exciting.
Wandering Views 
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Good morning Ricky. You’r e up early. It’s 6:30 there.
And 10:30 p.m. for Jo.
Good morning everyone else. Sleep in. It’s Saturday.
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Chas – I would have liked to sleep in, but had to be up at 6:15 to babysit Little Guy. Oh, what a joy to hear his talkative little voice first thing in the morning. (Not really. 😉 )
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Good morning Chas and Kizzie, If I am not going to play golf in the cold rain, I must go to the mall to get my walking in. Surely, there won’t be any shoppers there on such a messy morning.
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Ricky – Joan Bennett was also in the 1960s horror-soap opera, Dark Shadows. Even though I was pretty young, I had a huge crush on David Selby’s character “Quentin Collins”. 🙂
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No malls to walk in here. But, though we get a lot of rain, usually it is gone in an hour or two.
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Chas has all the time zones figured out. No escaping his notice that I am up late. 🙂
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Jo, I have Port Moresby and Prague on my phone clock. All others I just know.
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Good Morning….can’t sleep in…work work work! Busy season in retail. Ya’ll have a good weekend…we got snow and ice yesterday….and it’s cold!!! 🙂
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I posted later last night on the prayer thread that my aunt was transported to UAB. She is now 2nd on the transplant list. My uncle will be driving up today.
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Advent – Day 3: This is my favorite chorus from Handel’s ‘Messiah’. The text is taken from a prophecy about the coming Christ in Malachi 3:2-3. The alto soloist sings from verse 2 and then the chorus sings from verse 3:
‘But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap:
And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness.’
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Cute white-throated sparrow. That species comes in two color forms (they are not subspecies), one with a tan stripe in which the white is more buff, and the one with black and white stripes AJ photographed.
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The cat no longer rings the doorbell. He knocks and jiggles the door knob. Food on demand. Good thing he only demands it right before his breakfast time.
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Good morning. Piano concert day! Starts at 7:30, only 10 1/2 hours from now. Thrilling! I’m getting to love playing in these concerts more and more all the time. 🙂 I’m second-to-last on the program, so I’ll get more practice in containing my excitement/nerves/whatever emotions I’m feeling in the run-up to stepping on stage, lol. 😉
Yesterday at Bible study, my best friend, who is the leader, said she saw an announcement in the local newspaper about the concert. It listed all the performers, so my friend said, “You’re famous!” LOL. Except my name is already famous with those who know me and that there was once a movie star by the same name. 😉
Did I ever mention that when I was engaged to be married, I was attending an aerobics class, and one participant was named Betty Grable? 🙂 The ladies who were familiar with movie star names of that era enjoyed the fact that one of us in the class was “famous” and another was “almost famous.” 😉
Roscuro, as we did last year, I am going through Handel’s Messiah with the kids from December 1-25, and yesterday we listened to “And He Shall Purify,” in addition to the recitative and air that precede it. We’ve been using the version at YouTube of Sir Colin Davis directing the London Symphony Orchestra and Chorus Tenebrae.
Nice version of “And He Shall Purify” that you posted above. We read from Malachi 3, also, in preparation for listening to the song yesterday. I enjoy the music you post during the Advent season, and we listen to your selections each day, also. Thank you for doing that.
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Thank you, Chas. Guess what’s now stuck in my head?
I write the Christmas letter today. What DID happen in 2016?
I’m still coming up for air!
And cleaning my office. 😦
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I know it’s only Dec,. 3, but I’m going to go ahead and put up my Christmas tree today. And Roscuro’s music is running in the background. Lovely. Of course I may have to turn it off if Samster wakes up and starts ‘singing’. He’s very musical and will howl and sing especially for opera. He also likes Johnny Cash. And my husband has encouraged him to howl to ‘Werewolves of London’, so if we’re in the car and the radio’s on, I just crawl under the dashboard. :–)
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I slept in only by a little bit (’til 7:15 a.m.) but since I went to bed fairly early (9:30 p.m.) it all worked out. 🙂
I remember “Dark Shadows,” that was all the rage to watch after school. A ‘soap opera’ with a real twist (and a vampire as the leading character).
Long day yesterday, just as I was getting ready to leave the house to pick up my friend (about 20 minutes away) to head out to the far northeastern reaches of LA County for our annual day at the Christmas craft fair, real estate pal calls and says “hey, roofers can put the tub in — now. Are you home?” Oy.
My friend is not the flexible type, she kind of freaked out as even though she’s retired she has her own very precise schedules for feeding cats (?) and is often in bed by 8 p.m. up by 3-4 a.m., but we somehow made it all work since I just left the guys to do their thing (I’ve used them enough now that I trusted them in the house with me being gone, they’re the ones also who did the bathroom demo a couple weeks ago). Good guys. And I’m sure the dogs had fun hanging out with “the guys” doing all that work. Told them just close the door when you’re done — I still need to figure out how to pay them now, though, they don’t live in this area and when I asked them on the phone how much I owed them he said he didn’t know. ? Soo, yet to be figured out and determined.
When I got home at around 7 p.m., I had a brand new cast iron tub. It’s small, I really can’t tell that it’s a few inches “bigger” (supposedly) than the old one. 😦 I could have gone with the bigger one I liked better, I realize now, but I didn’t want to risk winding up with something *too* big, even by a few inches, that ate up more of the floor space in what already is a teen-tiny bathroom.
And there was a glitch in the drain I’d ordered to match my other fixtures, Koehler said turns out it was out of stock and the warehouse never let them know — so that’s why I never got it (it was ordered separately from the tub but was supposed to arrive maybe just a few days later; my fault partially for not following up, but I honestly sort of forgot about it until I suddenly realized yesterday I needed it immediately. So the new tub has a chrome drain now, left over from when these guys fixed my other old tub several months ago. Oh well, not a huge deal (other fixtures are all going to be dark bronze).
As Kim assured me, it’s all good, it will work, it will be beautiful when it’s all done, small tub w/chrome and all. Learn to love what you’ve got, I suppose. And the tub is gorgeous in that it’s solid, quality cast iron, very white and smooth and gleaming. 🙂 I mostly take showers so it’ll work.
Today the small vanity comes for the spare closet “bathroom,” sometime between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., so I’m stuck here until that arrives. And tonight is a dog park Christmas party at someone’s house, I’m tentatively planning to make it there.
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Debra must have a husky? 🙂 They are such singers …
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🙂 6Arrows is named Marilyn Munroe!
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We used to know a small dog of the old type who used to sing to Up from the Grave. I think of that whenever we sing that song. Among other things.
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Chas. 🙂
Our turtle doesn’t sing, but she often hangs out in the end of her tank closest to the piano and watches whomever is playing. 😉
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DJ – I’m supposing your shower curtain will be closed most of the time, so no one will really see the drain unless they take a shower. (But yeah, I’d be a bit bugged by that detail, too.)
I know all this discombobulation in your home is very stressful. It certainly would be for me – I don’t deal well with even a hint of discombobulation. But I kind of envy you. We have so many things that need to be fixed, & I’d love for my kitchen to have new cabinets, but we can’t afford anything right now. Hubby would like to try to do some work, but has very little time for that.
Trusting God the changes will come in time. Meanwhile, Nightingale says we have a white trash kind of house. (Or something like that, I forget the exact thing she’s said, but it was close to that if not that.)
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Btw, she says that in a humorous sense. She really is thankful to live here.
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At the office again, still trying to enroll for the big 2017 ripoff. Somehow I have not yet managed to get enrolled. It’s not rocket science, but more chaotic and frustrating than going to the moon. I should be on the Rants & Rants page when talking health insurance.
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Some have seen on Facebook what Miss Bosley did. I was testing on the couch and asked Art for his jacket to use as a warm covering. Miss Bosley decided she wanted to be under the jacket, too. A little later, she changed her mind and started to exit. She chose the sleeve of the jacket as her exit. Bad choice! She got stuck in the sleeve! I gave Art his jacket with the BIG problem. He helped her to get out. It was very funny to be there. I wish I had a video to share ❤😁😂😺
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Testing=resting
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DJ, are dogs invited to a dog-park Christmas party? If you’re going to a party with these people, you must at some point have learned the names of the humans and not just the dogs, right?
I wasn’t all that regular at my Nashville dog park(s). I had two I went to, one better in summer and one better in winter, but I didn’t go at regular hours or even on a regular schedule. Sometimes every week, sometimes only once or twice a month. So I definitely got to know a few of the dogs,and to recognize a few of the people, but never developed anything close to a friendship with anyone. It didn’t help that most of them seemed to be a different social class than me (yuppies living in downtown condos for the most part, whereas I had a breed of dog that was stylish in the 50s).
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Re singing dogs. I’ve probably told this story before.
When my husband and I were courting, when he came to town he would stay in the home of one of my elders and his wife. They had two big dogs, formerly strays. The husband would say to one dog, “I love you-uuuuu,” letting the last word go into a howl, and it was said that the dog would respond, and that the dog sounded like it was saying “I love you” back. I never heard it myself.
Well, on my husband’s second visit, the couple hosted the small group of us who had lunch together weekly, to play games and hang out and get to know my future hubby before he took me away to Indiana in a few months. The husband decided to get the dog to howl for us, so he kept doing his “I love you-uuuuu” and the dog just kept looking at him. (Too many people around, I’m sure.) Well, he saw my suitor looking at them, and he said, “You try.” So my man said, “I love . . . ” and then turned to me, not the dog, to howl the “youuuuuuu.” I then said it back with a more subdued version of the howl (somewhat self-consciously, because it was a room with about a dozen people in it and it was my first public declaration of love).
Then of course, the man who had been saying “I love you” to his dog, not his wife, had his turn to be embarrassed. 🙂 I think he slapped his forehead and said “Oh brother,” or something along that line.
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Cheryl, yeah — it happens if you go at just a particular time of the day every week (these folks hang out together daily, I just join them on weekends just before the sun goes down for about an hour of chitchat). I was teasing them once when one of the people got up and headed for the gate to leave. They all immediately started talking about him.
I said What?? Do you do that whenever any of use walks away?? 🙂 I’ll know now to never leave before the rest of you again.
But it’s a very diverse, friendly group (real estate pal is among them). We’ve gone through the death of one of the people’s moms, budding romances (or so the rumor goes), health scares (both people and dogs), remodeling 🙂 (Yeah, they’re sick of hearing about my bathroom.)
Interesting, too, because a former little group that all hung out together (different people who tend not do go to the dog park anymore — dogs have passed on and/or schedules & routines change, etc.) also still gather for Christmas party every year, though the planned date for that, next Thursday night, is now in flux, hostess texted me last night that something came up and they’re going to have to reschedule it this year.
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But no, dogs aren’t invited. 🙂 Just us two-legged types bearing hot dishes to share.
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Kizzie, yes, it is such a blessing to be able to do some things (finally) for the house. Guess I didn’t realize how things can deteriorate just with wear and tear and time. 😦 And things like the spare partial-bathroom, which I just never used (that’s not good either), no longer was in working order when I did need it, of course. I’ll have to make sure that stays at least partially used to keep it in working order.
My kitchen isn’t anywhere near getting on a “to-do” list right now (other than for a new faucet, the one I have now is at least 15 years old, is corroded and leaks). But for now, there isn’t enough $, patience or anything else to tackle redoing that room unless it’s super cheap and I can do it myself (well, the new sliding door and pet door count as upgrades, I guess). So far, stuff seems to be “working” in there OK, at least, although new linoleum would be nice someday …
But I read that in remodeling, kitchens are the absolute hardest & most expensive jobs to do. No thanks. The tiny bathroom has already done me in, I think for good.
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When we worked on our house, my brother set all the power up for a kitchen at the end of the dining room, looking out into the arboretum. Backyard. But we never moved the kitchen as it would have required more than moving the cabinets, they would have needed to be replaced. I always questioned that figuring if the space was larger, why wouldn’t the cabinets fit? Apparently they are too ugly to go in a new kitchen. I am delighted with it. Seems spacious to me, it is in the center of the home. So a few mice get in in the winter, it works for me.
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While Jingle Bell Rock seems to be on continuous loop over on the other thread 😉 I will post a few other pieces over here. These are the three I am performing tonight, though in solo piano versions only.
The first one is the Advent hymn O Come O Come Emmanuel. I’m playing my own version of it tonight that I arranged a few months ago, but this one by the Piano Guys is much better. 😉
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Second is Infant Holy, Infant Lowly. I’m playing an arrangement by Faye Lopez. She has a neat collection of Christmas songs with melodic, rhythmic and harmonic patterns inspired by 10 of Claude Debussy’s works for solo piano. Infant Holy, Infant Lowly, in her version, is stylistically reminiscent of Debussy’s Reflections in the Water, a lovely piece I played for my senior piano recital in college. This video is a beautiful rendition arranged by Stephen Cleobury.
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Last is The Huron Carol, a 16th-century French-Canadian melody. I love this video, sung by the Canadian Tenors, and showing, among other things, the beauty of the Northern lights.
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Third Arrow got her first cell phone last night — one of the perks of being a newly-licensed driver in our household. She took my phone with her the other night when she drove to her Sunday School teacher’s meeting, but is pleased to now have her own. 🙂
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So, how about for a QoD, what books are you all reading now? (Or maybe none; December gets rather busy, doesn’t it?)
I have three books in progress. I think I mentioned two of them a little while back, that I’m still working on: Deskbound, and Unstuffed.
My latest book checked out of the library is Your Inner Critic Is A Big Jerk: And Other Truths About Being Creative. LOL. An interesting read. I am doing a little composing every day, and am trying to block out that little voice that says, “You’re not a composer. You haven’t even tried to get anything published, and probably couldn’t even if you tried…” Blah, blah, blah.
But I am enjoying the challenge, despite some of my negative self-talk, and reading that book is adding to my enrichment.
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Let’s see:
Lafcado, the Lion Who Shot Back, Shel Silverstein to a bunch of folk
Treasure Island to nine year old daughter
Eldest from the Eragon series to ten year old son
Jump Off the Hormone Swing to see if I can help daughter
Francis Schaeffer 25 Bible studies to try to help me
The Whistler by John Grisham for encouragement
Soun Tetoken, Nez Perce Boy to ten year old for school
Two Years Before the Mast, again for entertainment and learning
And that is about it.
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I am reading Killing the Rising Sun by Bill O’Rilley . I know most of what he says. But he did clarify something. I have heard that the Japanese were talking with the Russians about surrender. Not so. Japan had no intention of surrendering. It was a “Let’s stop fighting” type agreement. Japan wanted to keep Korea and their conquests in China.
“Face” was vital to their culture. If you “lost face”, your life was worthless in that culture.
You lose face by surrendering. Thus the banzi charges.
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I enjoyed Treasure Island.
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I don’t know, Chas. I keep finding somebody with her head buried under my arm. We are quite concerned about that Long John Silver with only one leg because the boy was told to watch for a one legged seaman. And that other guy is missing some fingers. Pretty scary.
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Tell her to avoid pirates and everything will be OK.
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“Prayer Pathway,” “Unlimited Grace” (just started both) and Michael Connelly’s latest copy mystery
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copy = cop
But copy mysteries do also exist
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We don’t seem to have a lot of those around here. Though with Lewiston being a seaport….
Interestingly, Grisham inserted some comments on the FBI and their work looking for in country jihadists and discontented teens looking to join in this book.
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We are not getting new linoleum 😉
TIle. I will sent you a picture later.
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Well, I’m reading a really interesting book called Human Anatomy & Physiology… Actually, one doesn’t read textbooks from start to finish, as not only do the lectures seldom go in the same order that the book chapters do, but it is also not the most efficient method of studying. Textbooks are reference manuals and are best treated as such. I’m also reading a lot of medical studies. The only non-school book I’m currently reading at is a Tintin story, Le crabe aux pinces d’or, which I got as part of a birthday present. My nephews enjoy the Tintin books, so I can share an interest of theirs. Recently, I read the latest Flavia de Luce mystery, Thrice the Brindled Cat Hath Mewed, in order to keep up with my niece. My young relatives keep me reading. I also got for my birthday a copy of two of Dorothy L. Sayers’ essays, in a little book titled Are Women Human?. I love her incisive wit – Sayers was a contemporary of C.S. Lewis and, like Lewis, wrote from a unique Christian perspective on contemporary topics.
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Michelle inspired me to compose a Christmas letter today. I wasn’t sure I would do that this year, but I asked my husband a few days ago what he thought, and he said he didn’t care either way.
I haven’t copied the letter yet, but have it on my computer, and in rereading it, I noticed something that may not be grammatically correct, so I am curious what any of you more knowledgeable writers/editors/journalists have to say…
You know how when you’re comparing two things, you use the comparative form (-er), and with three or more, you use the superlative (-est)? For example, “Of the two children, the boy is older,” versus, “Of the three children, the boy is oldest.” IOW, it’s not correct to say, “Of the two children, the boy is oldest,” because that would be using the superlative form for a statement that compares only two.
Here’s the background: In attempting to more be brief this year, instead of writing one paragraph of information about each of our children (and for my husband and me, too), I lumped 4th, 5th and 6th Arrows into one paragraph, and 1st, 2nd and 3rd Arrows into another. I began, “Our youngest three children…ages 15, 12 and 9…”, and in the following paragraph, I started with, “The oldest three, our adult children…”
Now for my question to you: Is it incorrect to say “youngest” and “oldest” in this context? I used the “-est” form because I was thinking of three of my children when I wrote each of those paragraphs. However, I later thought that, because six total arrows divided by three individual arrows equals two groups of arrows, maybe I should write “younger three” and “older three” because we are talking about only two groups, not three or more.
Is that right? Or am I right the first way?
Or am I being WAAAAAYYYYYY too anal?! 😛
LOL. Thanks for any help. 😉 And sorry about the math!
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“…any of you more knowledgeable writers/editors/journalists have to say…”
That probably should be “has” to say. !
I should go get ready for my concert now and quit with this grammar business!!
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Thirty some years ago when we were dirt poor and my husband made LCDR, I restriped his uniform in an effort to save $50. After that, I swore I’d never do it again–“if you make Commander you’ll have a big enough pay raise to pay for it.”
Which is exactly what happened–and the stripping looked much better than mine.
I figured I was home free after that–and why wouldn’t I be, the man retired 20 years ago?
But, as I noted, a “surprise weigh-in” at work shocked him so much, he’s been on a jogging diet since September 15 and has lost 30 pounds!
(Please congratulate me as I never said a word about his weight . . . )
We’re going to a black tie wedding on New Year’s Eve, which has caused the family conniptions ever since it was announced 13 months ago–what will we wear?
My husband decided to wear his uniform for the first time in nearly 20 years.
It almost fits now! Except, the waistband on the pants . . .
There I was, letting out the very wide seam this afternoon. It all worked–sort-of–and he’s taken the uniform off to be dry cleaned and pressed.
That budget-conscious Navy wife is still in here. As I battled with the seam ripper, ironing board and my now rusty sewing machine, all I could think of (besides that horrible stripping experience is), “think of all the money I’m saving!” 🙂
Still haven’t written the Christmas letter, though . . . .
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My house has bathroom tile — in boxes on the patio … neatly stacked … in the shadow of the gigantic vanity-in-a-box on a wood pallet …
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I keep struggling with my weight. What is the jogging diet? I am thinking of starting to jog. But first I have to get new shoes in Australia. Just sold the shoes I bought last summer as they were too big. The same company, Merrell, and size as my others, but they were a half inch to an inch longer and my foot shifted when going down these hills just walking.
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6, I’m not sure what the answer is, but the question got me wondering on another point. What is the difference between using ‘eldest’ and ‘oldest’? When I was trying to think of an answer to your question, I realized that I would say “the three eldest” rather than “the three oldest”. I suppose one could also say “the elder three”, but that might be misread as “the elder tree”. Perhaps that is an answer to your question, it depends on word order – “the older three” or “the three eldest”.
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I finally finished the book, Untamed, by Jason Clark. I need to post my review which I am behind on partly because of the insurance saga. Next I may begin Lavish Grace by Kathy Howard. Art got that new book by Connelly that Donna is reading when he went with me to Sam’s. We are reading aloud, as time permits, the newest novel by Donn Taylor, Murder Mezzo Forte. We enjoy his humor. I just got a new study bible, Modern Life Study Bible, which I am considering reading this next year. It uses the NKJV. I like the biographies it contains as part of its features.
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And I am reading stories in the Additional Christmas Moments book compiled by Yvonne Lehman that includes my story about Miss Bosley.
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This is my life, I kid you not:
I got up to get a piece of firewood from the coat room, for the stove. Ten year old son says, “I can get a piece of firewood for you, mom.”
I said, “Okay but make sure you get a piece of red fir.”
He comes back a couple of minutes later with a piece of wood and says, “Sorry, mom, none of them had fur.”
I explained. We are fine. And I did not laugh, I did not laugh.
Shortly before, fifteen year old daughter came back from her walk. I looked up and smiled and said, “Hi, (insert her name).
She responds: “Hi, (insert her name).”
We looked at each other, I raised an eyebrow, she thought. Then she laughed as she realized her mistake. We giggled.
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Roscuro, I thought of the eldest/oldest thing, too, when I was typing. I’ve always said “oldest,” but don’t know if there is any distinction between that and eldest. I notice you always refer to your parents’ firstborn as your “eldest” sibling, and my mom always refers to me as her “eldest” child, a term which reminds me of “elderly,” for which reason, in the immaturity of my youth, I did not like being called the “eldest.”
I wonder if eldest refers to people, and oldest to things? Just thought of that, but have no idea whether that’s the case.
Interesting thought on word order — I never considered that.
For quite a number of years, my children seemed to pair off — 1st and 2nd Arrows; 3rd and 4th Arrows; 5th and 6th Arrows, and I would mentally categorize them as the oldest two, the middle two, and the youngest two. (Maybe it should instead be the oldest, the youngest, and the middle four! But I digress.)
Anyway, after typing out my 5:03 above, I thought, well, if I divide them into 3 groups (oldest, middle, youngest), as I have before, then dividing them into two groups instead should probably be labeled the older group/the younger group.
But, then, it’s only a Christmas letter; probably most people aren’t going to care. 😉 My mind is in a whirl, and my brain goes to unusual places at the oddest times, where it really doesn’t need to be!
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Off we go! Showtime in under an hour! Thanks for letting me blow off steam here today. 🙂
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Enjoy, Six.
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Janice, are you watching the “Bosch” series on Amazon? Pretty good, actually. (and I ordered the Miss Bosely story/book 🙂 )
6 arrows, hilarious.
So I’m missing the dog park party tonight — window guy was supposed to be here at 4:30, he emails me at that time saying he’s just now finishing up a job some 20 miles away, OK if he comes at 6 p.m.?
Um, no, that’s not good (so he’s coming at 9 a.m. tomorrow morning). At that time I was cooking the baked spaghetti to take to party when I got the package of spaghetti out of the cupboard and, surprise, it wasn’t somehow sealed well (I hadn’t opened it) and I suddenly had an avalanche of dry spaghetti all over the kitchen floor. It was like pickup sticks for the next 10 minutes … And I had to go to the store to get another package as I’d already started the rest of the recipe.
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Thanks, Donna, for ordering the book. All sales proceeds go to Samaritan’s Purse.
We don’t have cable so we are not watching “Bosch.” That gives me a good gift idea for Art. Thanks.
I hate it when spaghetti pasta scatters. I break mine in half to boil it in a medium size pot, and some of the broken pieces tend to take flight.
If anyone wants to submit a story to the Moments books, I can give you information on upcoming titles. You receive one copy of the book from the publisher as a token compensation. It is nice to get publishing credits though and to also be published alongside some better known authors. And I do like to help Samaritan’s Purse because they help many people in troubled times.
Art is watching football, Clemson and Virginia Tech. He has seen some surprisingly good games lately.
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I break mine in half too, but in this case it never made it that far 🙂
The Bosch series (available with Amazon Prime) is about to enter season 3 (but no date announced) — they jumble up some of the stories, but it works. I’ve always liked the author as he got his start as a police/crime newspaper reporter, including for the LA Times — also love his use of so many LA-Hollywood locales, all very familiar to us locals 🙂
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Watching ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ tonight (first time in many years) and was struck by the opening conversation in heaven, when Clarence, the angel without wings, asked about his assignment, George Bailey.
“Is he sick?” he asks his heavenly superior/commander.
“No, worse. He’s discouraged.”
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Concert’s over. It was nice. Six soloists, one duo and one trio. Smaller audience tonight, but very friendly, like always. I wasn’t nervous at all for my first two pieces, and then the third, Huron Carol, the fastest one of the three, I got started faster than I intended. Hoo whee, off to the races! It went well, though, despite those slightly shaky hands that decided to show up just then, lol. A little stumble about halfway through the piece, but I don’t think anyone noticed (except my daughter, who was turning pages for me), and that song was the one that collected the most compliments out of the ones I played.
My friend who goes to nearly every show at that venue, and typically serves refreshments during intermission, missed my first number, the one for which I had arranged my own harmony, because she was still cleaning up downstairs after the second half of the program started. My arrangement of O Come O Come Emmanuel was the one that she had most wanted to hear of everything I played, so she asked me after the concert if I would play that one for her, since she’d missed it. I did, and it was interesting to play in a room with a few people standing in the back, talking to each other, and my friend by the piano, instead of in a totally quiet room with everyone looking at me!
Fifth Arrow came along tonight, and when I was introducing my pieces, I saw him looking down and to the side, chin almost pressed to collar bone, grinning big that his mom was up on stage talking to everybody. 🙂
Another enjoyable evening, and, after three performances in 2016, that’s a wrap for this year!
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I enjoy that movie, though I have not watched it in a long time. Maybe this year.
You know, you can use spaghetti noodles off of the floor. They are going to boil for a while. Of course, you might not mention what happened. And of course, that does not work if you have dogs in the house. Or cats.
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Glad you enjoyed it, Six! Sounds like many people did.
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Good Evening…I am home from work and watching “It’s a Wonderful Life”….I had popcorn for dinner… 🙂
Work was a killer today….on my drive home I actually contemplated quitting…it was that frustrating! Thankful I do not have to go in until next Friday….
I need to finish books I have started…I like Robert Whitlow books for light fiction reading. Right now I am trying to read The Confession. I also started reading The Idiot by Fyodor Dostoyevsky. Then on my Kindle I have just started reading The Beloved Daughter…I just need to find time to get these things read!! I don’t seem to be able to find a moment to myself any longer….sometimes I just want to run away from home…..
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Mumsee, or live in the middle of a construction zone?
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Run away? Did someone say run away from home ?
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or come to the mission field! We can use you all.
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Good morning! We went to my MIL’s house yesterday to put up her tree and other Christmas decorations. She is getting around much better and doesn’t seem to be in as much pain. She doesn’t see her oncologist until January second–it was a melanoma they removed from her appendix and colon. Please remember her in your prayers….
Becca brought a good friend along to help decorate the tree–they did a fantastic job! We had dinner with her and got home around nine. Becca’s friend spent the night — she is an absolute delight! They are like two peas in a pod–and she has impeccable manners, so she’s very easy to host.
After church, I’m taking them to the mall–which I’m dreading–but Becca needs a new Christmas dress….so….
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I think a Southern man is probably the best judge of such things. Chas can correct me if I am wrong.
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We sang this last night at church. The words were written recently by a young fellow from California. It was very moving. While the words engage the brain, it is the melody that stirs the emotions.
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Nice, Ricky. Thanks for sharing the video.
Thanks for all the encouraging words with the concert last night, friends. 🙂
Woke up to a winter wonderland this morning. Beautiful. I put a related prayer request on the prayer thread.
Have a blessed Sunday, everyone.
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My husband reads the Dilbert comic daily. I thought this “English with a foreign accent” one was actually pretty funny: http://dilbert.com/strip/2016-12-04?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+dilbert%2Fdaily_strip+%28Dilbert+Daily+Strip+-+UU%29&utm_content=Netvibes
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Good morning all. We are getting our first snowfall of the season, though it is mixed with rain and isn’t supposed to accumulate. It’s still pretty to watch.
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Jo, are there bathrooms?
I see it’s not snowing in the state of Blog this morning.
Took my first makeshift shower in the new tub — still needs the latch thingy to get it to drain afterward, I think that’s included in the fixtures I bought for it, otherwise we’ll have to get it separately. You don’t know how wonderful it is to even get a trickle of hot water to help you clean up …
So now the wood window guy who was supposed to come at 4:30 last night but tried to switch it to 6 p.m. is coming at 9 a.m. this morning. Hoping he’s on time so I can get out of here for church at 9:30.
This guy isn’t a window expert — he was recommended by the Sherwin-Williams people as sort of an all-around construction/handyman type — so I’m not expecting much beyond a recommendation to replace the windows, which is what 2 other guys have already told me in the past couple months. I’m expecting to get more of a valid assessment from the historic window restoration people who are coming out on Thursday. I avoided them at first thinking they’d be way expensive (and they may be). But now I also have a quote from the place in Indiana that makes exact replicas of your old windows, so at least I have one figure to use to compare.
Would rather have them done locally, though, so the measurements are precise and installation can be included. With windows being shipped from Indiana I guess I’d be on my own to find someone to install them which could really add to my costs.
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Donna, we have four bathrooms and there is always the great outdoors! Though it is raining/sleeting/snowing out there. We were Singing in the Rain as we walked about doing the chores this morning and Wading in the Water.
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Good Morning Everyone. I am going to put up the tree for my friend L today. Please pray that I bring her a little happiness.
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Advent – Day 4: The lyrics of my favorite hymn of the Advent come from a Greek text dating back to at least the 400’s A.D. Like many early church writings, it is filled with quotations and allusions to Scripture passages and it is interesting to match the quotation with the passage:
Let all mortal flesh keep silence, and with fear and trembling stand; ponder nothing earthly minded for with blessing in his hand Christ our God to earth descended, our full homage to demand. (An allusion to Ephesians 4:7-15)
King of kings, yet born of Mary, as of old on earth he stood; Lord of lords in human vesture in the body and the blood. He will give to all the faithful his own self for heavenly food. (John 6:53-58)
Rank on rank, the host of heaven spreads its vanguard on the way, as the Light of Light, descending from the realms of endless day, that the powers of Hell may vanish as the darkness clears away. (Revelation 19 & 20)
At his feet the six-winged seraph, cherubim with sleepless eye veil their faces to his presence, as with ceaseless voice they cry: “Alleluia, alleluia! Alleluia, Lord Most High!” (Revelation 4)
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Ricky, thanks for sharing the music. I liked it a lot—so did Samster. He sang soulfully through most of it. It may be a new favorite.
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So guy showed up (late) to look at Windows and is going to send me a scope of work and estimates — he proposes taking them to be restored with wood (new pieces where needed), putting up plywood on empty spaces in meantime.
He just started his own contracting biz, struck me as kind of a go-getter and I’m not fully sure it’s the best way to go
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Made it to church after he left, though — not a clue as to how much it will run, but he also seemed to be angling for the painting work and seemed bummed when I told him I already had started the bathroom work. He had a woman (wife?) with him who took down info for bid
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Yup, Donna, we have bathrooms, but there will be no decorating them here. Very simple, but they work.
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I’m thinking cute bathrooms may be more trouble than they’re worth (she says, staring at the bare studs and draped plastic …)
Just got home from church, stayed for the Q&A and then chatted for a while after that, a woman from England (who knows one of our members and who’d met several of us some years ago when we all were hiking at the church family camp) was visiting so good to get caught up with her. She’s Roman Catholic, not sure if she’s a believer or not, said she hasn’t “practiced” in years but does at least sometimes go to the always-packed RC church where she lives in GB.
As I was leaving, the little kids were practicing “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing!” for next Saturday’s church Christmas party. 🙂 Sweet.
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Kind of funny, because talk of the American revolution came up during our Q&A which she stayed for. 🙂 I got the feeling, in talking to her afterward, that she wasn’t a big fan of Brexit and was hoping the vote could be “undone” by the judges now reviewing it.
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Oh, and I got an estimate already from the guy who was here this morning, not as high as I’d feared but still more research I want to do, it’s kind of a big decision for this house …
What kind of wood is being used? How durable is it? Does it make sense instead to try to find a “wood-like” material (not vinyl, but something cheaper than Anderson) and just go with replicas? …
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My neighbor says as soon as I’m gone someone will just rip out what’s here and put in vinyl. 😦
Maybe, but not on my watch …
I’m learning that window replacement is a technology that’s constantly evolving right now — we all want something that looks “good” (like wood), that can be painted and that is relatively maintenance free and will last a long time.
My neighbor told me when they put in vinyl windows they didn’t have the other materials/options that allowed you to paint on the outside. Instead, they have the outside trim that is bright white — forever.
I may decide to paint a different color trim on my house, dark? Who knows (that’s the next job to tackle), but I really don’t like the idea of being “trapped” into bright white (or beige, or brown or whatever other limited stock colors window companies offer).
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I guess I should have taken care of the hammock earlier. The little folk brought it in loaded with baby bees and aphids and stink bugs. We got it out quickly, unrolled it, and they are taking care of the bodies. Oops.
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Deferred maintenance
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Leslie ‘s tree is up. Her daughter came to help so she knew all the special ornaments. We also did the fireplace mantle. She has lots and lots of stuff. It was fun to play and do something with it.
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100!
🙂
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How did you get 100 when my count only says 92?
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If Aj says 100, 100 it is.
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Debra was never in military service, obviously.
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Be careful AJ….Chas is going to think you went to Clemson with that kind of math!! 😛
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So, who won the 14th installment of the Pickled Pigskin Picks? Click here and find out.
And also go there and let me know if you want to do the bowl games, starting with the Army-Navy game this Saturday.
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I didn’t go to Clemson, but my math tells me this is post #97.
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So this one must be 98.
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And if no one else posts…
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I can get 100! That means I win twice in one weekend.
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My math was wrong, but I still got it, just one prior to when I thought I did.
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I already bowled tonight and did not do very well. Again. And it was the night we bowl six games rather than three so I had seventeen year old come and bowl for me the last half, so I could bring the small folk home, feed them, and put them to bed. They enjoyed the drive because just in those twenty miles, there were two places decorated for Christmas and that was exciting.
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I drove around here after the Christmas concert the other night and found several places with beautiful light displays up. Feels like home.
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