Good morning. Little boy and I have been up for an hour. His daddy arrives today to celebrate Christmas with his children. Tomorrow, a son’s girlfriend arrives to celebrate with us but son will stay at their house to watch their three dogs. Odd, I know! And another son also arrives. The one who had originally hoped to marry daughter who left husband and children to stay with her old boyfriend. Could be awkward having the two discards here, but at least that daughter is not returning! Pray for us.
It’s pouring here. Wow! I wish Santa could fill his sleigh and take it where it’s needed and wished for more. I hate that Art is driving to work in this deluge.
Good morning. I shared pictures of the babies to an old WV group on FB. I’m trying to make sure that I got everybody, so if we’re friends on FB and you didn’t get the pictures, please message me 🙂 I had a message with everyone’s name and when I went to add the pictures, it disappeared and I gave up…
Good Christmas Eve Morning! I got u a little late and am just now having my first cup of coffee. I have much to do so must not lallygag around too long.
Kare your boys are so precious…and I just smiled knowing Janice would be smiling at the name of the one! ♥️
I hope you don’t need to build an ark, Janice! Our scenery looks like a Christmas card this morning. The wind is horrible and I am glad not only that we don’t need to be out and about, but that our children are not having to drive up in the bad weather.
It’s raining here and probably will all day. It will for down to about 30 degrees tonight. Santa got an early start this morning and left the stockings full.
The train trip across Canada got scrapped so now he is getting a fly fishing rod and reel and casting lessons.
Santa also delivered a pink Lamborghini yesterday, some assembly required. It was left here because we live on the corner of two dead end streets. It should also drive the HOA Nazi across the street crazy so that’s just a bonus for me.
I suppose at some point I will have to clean the house and set the table. I don’t know what Mr P and I will do tonight or for dinner. I am mourning not being able to go to church tonight.
Our plans just changed. SIL (D1’s husband) has symptoms so we are delaying our trip to see them. D2 doesn’t want to take chances so seeing them would mean standing outside in the cold and talking through a window. Not worth the 90 minute drive for that.
It’s. FB Messenger thread. I thin Ann started it last year when she was letting us know Kizzie was having computer issues. I’ll just tell you they are bright eyed, alert, and beautiful. Two boys.
Oh, I’d love to see baby photos! I’m not on Facebook, though.
It’s supposed to be super cold here tomorrow (22 high), but no snow. If we ever get sun today (so far it’s doubtful) I’ll get outside for a bit today since I just might not want to tomorrow!
I made the executive decision to put off our tiny get together until Sunday. It’s going to be so cold tomorrow and a bit more time will allow virus bugs to show if they have anything else in their bag of tricks.
The 1st Canticle, ‘Benedictus’ from Luke 1:67-79:
‘Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:
“Praise the Lord, the God of Israel,
because He has visited
and provided redemption for His people.
He has raised up a horn of salvation for us
in the house of His servant David,
just as He spoke by the mouth
of His holy prophets in ancient times;
salvation from our enemies
and from the clutches of those who hate us.
“He has dealt mercifully with our fathers
and remembered His holy covenant
the oath that He swore to our father Abraham.
He has given us the privilege,
since we have been rescued
from our enemies’ clutches,
to serve Him without fear
in holiness and righteousness
in His presence all our days.
And child, you will be called
a prophet of the Most High,
for you will go before the Lord
to prepare His ways,
to give His people knowledge of salvation
through the forgiveness of their sins.
Because of our God’s merciful compassion,
the Dawn from on high will visit us
to shine on those who live in darkness
and the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace.”‘
I have a busy work day today, but this will be it for a while as I’m able to take next week off. I need it, I’m feeling close to burn out right now. We’re so short-staffed that having a person out is hard, but it mostly just means their beat doesn’t get covered (unless something huge happens).
I need to water today, the potted impatiens are wilting in the back, I noticed. Still no rain, although they’re saying we have maybe a 50% chance of rain on Monday.
Is “Greyhound” that movie I keep seeing advertised that’s being released on Christmas day? With all the different paid streaming platforms now, it’s hard to see some things unless you have them all (which none of us do).
Enjoy a peaceful Christmas Eve, wanderers. I am off to watch Archie nd Lucy while parents work. a difficult task. Lucy is two and has decided to be the boss and do a lot of yelling. Not with this grandma around!!!
I am so looking forward to the service tonight, outside, distanced in a tent. I am taking everything warm that I own, but oh, i need to sing those carols and worship with others while I freeze.
Mumsee, as you might have guessed, the family featured there are fellow believers – I am acquainted with them but know the mother best – but the columnist is also.
5 o’clock outdoor service in the dark on the lawn.
I’m hoping it will include candles since it’s the substitute for the “Midnight Mass.” 🙂
Afterward, the family will come here for Slovenian sausage and a variety of other items for Christmas Eve. Nine, instead of 15, which keeps us under the local limit of 12. Sigh.
Meanwhile, up in Seattle, Stargazer is duplicating the entire menu, only for one person. I’m surprised, touched, and wistful.
Speaking of initials, here is a funny Sixth story:
At four and two, neither Tiny nor Sixth are at the point of reading on their own quite yet. Tiny, however, knows the letters of her name and prints it frequently upon her artwork. Sixth recently, without special instruction on the subject, has come to the realization that his name starts with a letter too, and now he points out his Initial letter wherever he sees it.
Sixth and Tiny got into a dispute today over a toy – not sure what, as I only heard the exchange. The dispute became acrimonious enough that their parents intervened. I heard Sixth protest about the coveted object, “But there’s a ‘S’ on it!”
Sixth’s father had to inform him that not everything that had an ‘S’ belonged to Sixth.
Since I have no relationship to the Two Boys, I will just tell you that they are beautiful, perfect, and bright eyed. Very alert in their first photos.
And it continues to rain here. I am glad there is no advance voting today and tomorrow because of this weather and of course because of the holidays. People do not need to be out getting chilled since their immune systems are under assault by Covid, flu, and whatever else.
Kare’s Christmas Twins had me thinking last night about this Christmas and my disappointment in so much of it and so my mind wandered back. This isn’t the worst Christmas of my life.
Twenty-four years ago, I had gone through the 4th procedure to try to have a baby and I just didn’t have it in me to pull out all the china, crystal, silver, linens, and made the traditional Christmas Eve dinner that I had hosted since before I left my father’s house. I cancelled Christmas that year. George and I at grilled cheese sandwiches and Campbell’s tomato soup. We watched It’s a Wonderful Life. I got through Christmas the next day at my in-laws and Daddy always participated.
The NEXT Christmas I changed everything again. I started making Christmas morning breakfast for everyone to see what the baby got for Christmas!
Somewhere along the line I went back to making Christmas Eve for my widowed Aunt Virginia and my widower Uncle Beverly (I was shocked the first time I met a woman named Beverly) and did Christmas morning.
This will be the first Christmas Eve in a long, time that I haven’t done a big to do for tonight. Tomorrow will be soon enough. Prime rib, mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables. Strawberry Cheesecake.
In all of our preparations we didn’t get anything for our meal tonight. Paul was going to heat up some pre-package BBQ Chicken -I can’t think of much more disgusting), so I started stirring around in the refrigerator and found some Conecuh sausage and an onion, I cut all of it up and put it in a frying pan, usually when I make this I have petite diced canned tomatoes that I cook down. Guess what wasn’t in the pantry? Yep. So I poured in a jar of Pace Picante Sauce, I found a can of Margaret Homes Tomatoes and Okra, so I opened it and picked out the okra, and poured in a small can of Spicy V-8. It turned out pretty well. Full circle – something tomatoey on Christmas Eve.
Tomorrow Little Miss when get a “Pink Car” which luckily has parental controls, Her Daddy had it delivered and her Papa put it together. Quite sporty and the closest I’ll ever get to a “luxury” car. Oh sure, I could go lease one like every other “successful” realtor, but I quit letting what I drive 25 years or so ago, I used the car payment then to fund the infertility treatments.
I think I’ll make a grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup.
the obit is almost ready but not quite and we still have some missing pieces — editor wants everything turned in by a little over an hour from now so we may have to hold it to run Monday and have a weekend reporter fill in missing pieces that may be left.
I’ll just keep plugging away at it for the rest of the day, though reaching people for quotes is pretty much impossible on Christmas Eve afternoon, even during a pandemic, go figure.
Someone posted a rant about an indoor Christmas Eve Mass being held at one of our Catholic churches in town.
So a guy comments: “This is why I left religion as a whole 10 years ago and became a secular activist. Religion is no longer acting in our best interest as a society.”
Does that make any kind of real sense at all, to anyone?
~ when did it ever act in society’s best interest? Religion is a human construct used by people to brainwash and control other people through fear, obeisance, perpetuated ignorance, false promises, lies, intimidation, and sometimes just flat out violence. Anyone willing to join the lemmings’ march to their death by going to church services indoors under these circumstances gets their just desserts, whatever those may be… May Their Gods And/Or Goddesses Have “Mercy” On Their “Souls”… ~
DJ, ignore it. People have been making such comments about religion for years, and I have seen them for years in comment boatds. Free speech and all that. Remember Arcadia?
“Don’t pay attention to everything people say, or you may hear your servant cursing you, for you know that many times you yourself have cursed others.” (Ecclesiastes 7:21&22)
The 2nd Canticle, the ‘Magnificat’, from Luke 1:46-55:
‘And Mary said,
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
And his mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
he has brought down the mighty from their thrones
and exalted those of humble estate;
he has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
as he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his offspring”‘
Michelle – At my church, jeans and a red sweater would be appropriate for an in-person service, too. 🙂
Having come from a dress-up-for-Sunday-morning-service kind of church, it took me a little by surprise at how casual people dressed at my then-new-to-me church. Most, though, go for a dressy-casual kind of attire.
I went to the Christmas Eve service at David Jeremiah’s church in CA. You know how it has been horrible weather all day with lots of rain? It was dark and gloomy. When the Christmas story was being read, an orange peachy glow appeared here around 5:30. It was so beautiful that I went outside and tried to get a photo. For whatever reason, my phone camera will not get that color. I tried before at Hilton Head one year. So, I don’t have a good photo, but it was amazing. And God’s perfect timing to get our attention.
We will later watch a Christmas Eve church program on tv that one of my cousins and her church choir are singing in. It’s suppose to have a dramatic production, too. It will be on a local station for the Atlanta area.
At one point my family would attend the church Christmas Eve service and then get takeout Wonton soup for dinner because Chinese was all that was open here on Christmas Eve evening.
I wore grey corduroy jeans, a rosy thick cabled sweater with a plaid fleece/flannel shirt over that to the CA online church service. Hair is in a sloppy pony tail.
Our family never had the habit of attending Christmas Eve services. Not often held at the churches we attended, perhaps because weather is often uncertain, and driving at night in snow is more difficult.
But we do have Christmas Eve traditions. Just completed one – listening on CBC to ‘Fireside’ Al Maitland reading ‘The Shepherd’s, a story my father enjoys for all the technical airplane details, and the rest of us for the atmosphere.
We watched our Christmas Eve service online last night. I was amazed they had anyone out, since the weather was really bad and people were being asked to stay home. We have gone many times and missed other times when we have been at one daughter’s or another’s.
Peter, that must have been a disappointment for all of your family.
We had a new tradition this Christmas Eve. I work tomorrow so I asked if the family could open the gifts I had for them this evening. Before we did that, we sang carols together and I played. I have not played for other people singing in over a year. When we (siblings and I) were young people, every Christmas Eve we went caroling in the nursing homes, so it also reminded me of those years.
I have been to perhaps five Christmas Eve services in my life, maybe not even that many. My family always celebrated Christmas Eve, so I’ve usually been with family or traveling to see them. On the rare occasions I haven’t been seeing family, I’ve either been attending a church that didn’t have such a service or not “in the habit” of attending and thus didn’t really know if my church had one or not.
But my husband and I exchanged gifts, talked to his mom and one of my brothers, and had a Zoom call with his family gathering. It wasn’t good video at all (it would freeze at the same spot for a couple of minutes, and even at its best it was choppy with sound so low we couldn’t really hear it), but we got to see everyone. And afterward our younger daughter sent us a couple videos, of our granddaughter opening a drum set (she’s two, and it still has to be assembled, so she had no idea what it was, just a box) and my mother-in-law playing the accordion for the first time in decades. (My husband said he probably hasn’t heard it in 40 years.) My mother-in-law had asked first about giving the drums.
Tomorrow I’ll cook Cornish hens, and today I made brownies, and we have Chex mix and several other kinds of treats in the house. It’s supposed to be 17 degrees in the morning and head down to 12 for the afternoon, so we plan to hunker down and stay in.
I got “Wingspan” and the European expansion pack if anyone here has played it. I haven’t played it, but it looks interesting, so I put it on my list and my husband bought it and our daughter bought the expansion pack.
I hope all of you have sweet Christmases, whether quiet ones or ones with lots of people.
We did Zoom with Wesley this evening and then watched the Christmas Eve church production my cousin was in on tv. She had a duet song at one point so that was exciting to see her individually singing outside of the full choir group. Now we are watching a Celtic Christmas program. One group we’ve seen in person at a live Celtic Christmas show at Emory University. It’s nice to see for free on tv what we use to pay a lot for to see in person.
And I got to FaceTime with DIL and the babies while son was sleeping on the other side of the hospital room 🙂
Cheryl, let me know what you think about Wingspan. I saw it in a friend’s FB post last week and it looks perfect for my niece who LOVES birds (and science).
Kathaleena, I’m sorry I missed you on the first round of FB messages. Baby pictures have been sent.
Wandering Views 
Good morning. I made my “open thread” comment on the News section. But I won’t go back to change it.
I hope everyone has a nice Christmas.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Blessing to you, Chas and Elvera! May you have a pleasant and uneventful Christmas.
LikeLike
Good morning. Little boy and I have been up for an hour. His daddy arrives today to celebrate Christmas with his children. Tomorrow, a son’s girlfriend arrives to celebrate with us but son will stay at their house to watch their three dogs. Odd, I know! And another son also arrives. The one who had originally hoped to marry daughter who left husband and children to stay with her old boyfriend. Could be awkward having the two discards here, but at least that daughter is not returning! Pray for us.
LikeLiked by 6 people
It’s pouring here. Wow! I wish Santa could fill his sleigh and take it where it’s needed and wished for more. I hate that Art is driving to work in this deluge.
LikeLike
And, Good Morning!
LikeLike
This is for Mumsee, but the rest of you will enjoy it too:
https://www.thespec.com/news/hamilton-region/opinion/2020/12/23/a-hamilton-mother-and-son-share-a-different-kind-of-love-song.html
LikeLiked by 3 people
My gutter sound like a bowling alley.
LikeLike
Good morning. I shared pictures of the babies to an old WV group on FB. I’m trying to make sure that I got everybody, so if we’re friends on FB and you didn’t get the pictures, please message me 🙂 I had a message with everyone’s name and when I went to add the pictures, it disappeared and I gave up…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good Christmas Eve Morning! I got u a little late and am just now having my first cup of coffee. I have much to do so must not lallygag around too long.
Kare your boys are so precious…and I just smiled knowing Janice would be smiling at the name of the one! ♥️
LikeLiked by 2 people
I hope you don’t need to build an ark, Janice! Our scenery looks like a Christmas card this morning. The wind is horrible and I am glad not only that we don’t need to be out and about, but that our children are not having to drive up in the bad weather.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Roscuro, I needed that. Such an encouragement!
LikeLiked by 1 person
The rain is flowing on medium speed now. Overnight black ice could become a concern in our area.
Loved those sweet photos, Kare!
LikeLike
It’s raining here and probably will all day. It will for down to about 30 degrees tonight. Santa got an early start this morning and left the stockings full.
The train trip across Canada got scrapped so now he is getting a fly fishing rod and reel and casting lessons.
Santa also delivered a pink Lamborghini yesterday, some assembly required. It was left here because we live on the corner of two dead end streets. It should also drive the HOA Nazi across the street crazy so that’s just a bonus for me.
I suppose at some point I will have to clean the house and set the table. I don’t know what Mr P and I will do tonight or for dinner. I am mourning not being able to go to church tonight.
LikeLiked by 2 people
3 COVID-related texts by 7am. All is well, at the moment.
Not seeing baby photos . . . but I can find their grandma. 🙂
Cooking day! What Christmas movie shall we start with? 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Speaking of movies, our daughter had a free Apple TV subscription, and she turned on the Tom Hanks movie “Greyhound.”
My Navy guy was riveted— as I’ve seldom seen him—particularly during orders and status reports.
That movie did not let up! Worth seeing when available.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Our plans just changed. SIL (D1’s husband) has symptoms so we are delaying our trip to see them. D2 doesn’t want to take chances so seeing them would mean standing outside in the cold and talking through a window. Not worth the 90 minute drive for that.
And is there a WV Facebook group?
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s. FB Messenger thread. I thin Ann started it last year when she was letting us know Kizzie was having computer issues. I’ll just tell you they are bright eyed, alert, and beautiful. Two boys.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Oh, I’d love to see baby photos! I’m not on Facebook, though.
It’s supposed to be super cold here tomorrow (22 high), but no snow. If we ever get sun today (so far it’s doubtful) I’ll get outside for a bit today since I just might not want to tomorrow!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I made the executive decision to put off our tiny get together until Sunday. It’s going to be so cold tomorrow and a bit more time will allow virus bugs to show if they have anything else in their bag of tricks.
LikeLike
Cheryl, I emailed some pictures to you 🙂
Michelle, I’m not sure why you were missed, but I sent some pictures to you, too!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Peter, I couldn’t find you on FB 😦 sorry. And I don’t have your email, but the babies are just beautiful (if you can believe a smitten grandma)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Kare! They’re beautiful and such a precious gift.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The 1st Canticle, ‘Benedictus’ from Luke 1:67-79:
‘Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:
“Praise the Lord, the God of Israel,
because He has visited
and provided redemption for His people.
He has raised up a horn of salvation for us
in the house of His servant David,
just as He spoke by the mouth
of His holy prophets in ancient times;
salvation from our enemies
and from the clutches of those who hate us.
“He has dealt mercifully with our fathers
and remembered His holy covenant
the oath that He swore to our father Abraham.
He has given us the privilege,
since we have been rescued
from our enemies’ clutches,
to serve Him without fear
in holiness and righteousness
in His presence all our days.
And child, you will be called
a prophet of the Most High,
for you will go before the Lord
to prepare His ways,
to give His people knowledge of salvation
through the forgiveness of their sins.
Because of our God’s merciful compassion,
the Dawn from on high will visit us
to shine on those who live in darkness
and the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace.”‘
LikeLiked by 2 people
I have a busy work day today, but this will be it for a while as I’m able to take next week off. I need it, I’m feeling close to burn out right now. We’re so short-staffed that having a person out is hard, but it mostly just means their beat doesn’t get covered (unless something huge happens).
I need to water today, the potted impatiens are wilting in the back, I noticed. Still no rain, although they’re saying we have maybe a 50% chance of rain on Monday.
Is “Greyhound” that movie I keep seeing advertised that’s being released on Christmas day? With all the different paid streaming platforms now, it’s hard to see some things unless you have them all (which none of us do).
LikeLiked by 2 people
Enjoy a peaceful Christmas Eve, wanderers. I am off to watch Archie nd Lucy while parents work. a difficult task. Lucy is two and has decided to be the boss and do a lot of yelling. Not with this grandma around!!!
I am so looking forward to the service tonight, outside, distanced in a tent. I am taking everything warm that I own, but oh, i need to sing those carols and worship with others while I freeze.
LikeLiked by 4 people
Kare- I don’t use my name but my initials on FB.
LikeLike
Mumsee, as you might have guessed, the family featured there are fellow believers – I am acquainted with them but know the mother best – but the columnist is also.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I don’t know if the film is being released tomorrow; I know Hanks has signed a deal with Apple TV, which is why we hadn’t seen it before.
(New Iphone, 1 year free subscription to Apple TV, which is why we could watch it.)
Here’s our schedule for today, as just posted on FB:
A day of cooking.
We’ve just finished watching Jimmy Stewart in “The Shop Around the Corner.”
Next up (after a trip to the store for raisins and french bread): “In the Good Old Summertime,” with Judy Garland and Van Johnson.
Then we’ll move to “You’ve Got Mail,” with Tom Hanks and the woman.
Maybe there will even be time for a read aloud of Sarah Sundin’s “With Every Letter?” before Christmas Eve festivities begin? 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
5 o’clock outdoor service in the dark on the lawn.
I’m hoping it will include candles since it’s the substitute for the “Midnight Mass.” 🙂
Afterward, the family will come here for Slovenian sausage and a variety of other items for Christmas Eve. Nine, instead of 15, which keeps us under the local limit of 12. Sigh.
Meanwhile, up in Seattle, Stargazer is duplicating the entire menu, only for one person. I’m surprised, touched, and wistful.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Speaking of initials, here is a funny Sixth story:
At four and two, neither Tiny nor Sixth are at the point of reading on their own quite yet. Tiny, however, knows the letters of her name and prints it frequently upon her artwork. Sixth recently, without special instruction on the subject, has come to the realization that his name starts with a letter too, and now he points out his Initial letter wherever he sees it.
Sixth and Tiny got into a dispute today over a toy – not sure what, as I only heard the exchange. The dispute became acrimonious enough that their parents intervened. I heard Sixth protest about the coveted object, “But there’s a ‘S’ on it!”
Sixth’s father had to inform him that not everything that had an ‘S’ belonged to Sixth.
LikeLiked by 5 people
It’s raining. I hardly recognized what that was.
Not hard, just lightly, but wow. Just wow.
It’s cloudy and cold today, but I hadn’t seen any forecast for rain.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I finally got back into my email! 🙂
I’ve caught up, responded to some of you, and downloaded your pics to the blog. I will post them in the coming days.
LikeLiked by 1 person
My day: Writing the obit.
I’m really going to miss Christmas Eve services this year. 😦
LikeLiked by 1 person
The sky is falling! The sky is falling!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Peter, Michelle passed along your email.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, the real.
LikeLike
Since I have no relationship to the Two Boys, I will just tell you that they are beautiful, perfect, and bright eyed. Very alert in their first photos.
LikeLiked by 4 people
DJ, you must have been real good this year so Santa brought you rain!
LikeLike
And it continues to rain here. I am glad there is no advance voting today and tomorrow because of this weather and of course because of the holidays. People do not need to be out getting chilled since their immune systems are under assault by Covid, flu, and whatever else.
LikeLike
Kare’s Christmas Twins had me thinking last night about this Christmas and my disappointment in so much of it and so my mind wandered back. This isn’t the worst Christmas of my life.
Twenty-four years ago, I had gone through the 4th procedure to try to have a baby and I just didn’t have it in me to pull out all the china, crystal, silver, linens, and made the traditional Christmas Eve dinner that I had hosted since before I left my father’s house. I cancelled Christmas that year. George and I at grilled cheese sandwiches and Campbell’s tomato soup. We watched It’s a Wonderful Life. I got through Christmas the next day at my in-laws and Daddy always participated.
The NEXT Christmas I changed everything again. I started making Christmas morning breakfast for everyone to see what the baby got for Christmas!
Somewhere along the line I went back to making Christmas Eve for my widowed Aunt Virginia and my widower Uncle Beverly (I was shocked the first time I met a woman named Beverly) and did Christmas morning.
This will be the first Christmas Eve in a long, time that I haven’t done a big to do for tonight. Tomorrow will be soon enough. Prime rib, mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables. Strawberry Cheesecake.
In all of our preparations we didn’t get anything for our meal tonight. Paul was going to heat up some pre-package BBQ Chicken -I can’t think of much more disgusting), so I started stirring around in the refrigerator and found some Conecuh sausage and an onion, I cut all of it up and put it in a frying pan, usually when I make this I have petite diced canned tomatoes that I cook down. Guess what wasn’t in the pantry? Yep. So I poured in a jar of Pace Picante Sauce, I found a can of Margaret Homes Tomatoes and Okra, so I opened it and picked out the okra, and poured in a small can of Spicy V-8. It turned out pretty well. Full circle – something tomatoey on Christmas Eve.
Tomorrow Little Miss when get a “Pink Car” which luckily has parental controls, Her Daddy had it delivered and her Papa put it together. Quite sporty and the closest I’ll ever get to a “luxury” car. Oh sure, I could go lease one like every other “successful” realtor, but I quit letting what I drive 25 years or so ago, I used the car payment then to fund the infertility treatments.
LikeLike
Roscuro, fun story about toys with the “S” brand!
LikeLike
I think I’ll make a grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup.
the obit is almost ready but not quite and we still have some missing pieces — editor wants everything turned in by a little over an hour from now so we may have to hold it to run Monday and have a weekend reporter fill in missing pieces that may be left.
I’ll just keep plugging away at it for the rest of the day, though reaching people for quotes is pretty much impossible on Christmas Eve afternoon, even during a pandemic, go figure.
LikeLike
DG check FB Messenger
LikeLike
Someone posted a rant about an indoor Christmas Eve Mass being held at one of our Catholic churches in town.
So a guy comments: “This is why I left religion as a whole 10 years ago and became a secular activist. Religion is no longer acting in our best interest as a society.”
Does that make any kind of real sense at all, to anyone?
LikeLike
Ah, but he’s found support!
~ when did it ever act in society’s best interest? Religion is a human construct used by people to brainwash and control other people through fear, obeisance, perpetuated ignorance, false promises, lies, intimidation, and sometimes just flat out violence. Anyone willing to join the lemmings’ march to their death by going to church services indoors under these circumstances gets their just desserts, whatever those may be… May Their Gods And/Or Goddesses Have “Mercy” On Their “Souls”… ~
LikeLike
DJ, ignore it. People have been making such comments about religion for years, and I have seen them for years in comment boatds. Free speech and all that. Remember Arcadia?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Long thread with comments from folks who likely haven’t attended any kind of a church in decades (and so totally miss the point).
Sigh.
Another occasion to rudely judge and pummel people who, in their eyes, aren’t doing “the right thing.” May they all die, seems to be the sentiment.
Merry Christmas!
LikeLike
I know roscuro, it’s just my annoyance right now with social media and how it’s grown so mean.
But why am I surprised? We’re a fallen race in a fallen land.
And long live free speech, really, it’s certainly better than the alternative, as annoying as it an sometimes be
LikeLiked by 2 people
“Don’t pay attention to everything people say, or you may hear your servant cursing you, for you know that many times you yourself have cursed others.” (Ecclesiastes 7:21&22)
LikeLike
The 2nd Canticle, the ‘Magnificat’, from Luke 1:46-55:
‘And Mary said,
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
And his mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
he has brought down the mighty from their thrones
and exalted those of humble estate;
he has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
as he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his offspring”‘
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oops, this was the link I wanted to share of the Magnificat:
LikeLike
Cleaning up the kitchen, setting the table. In a normal year, I’d be figuring out what nice dress to wear to church.
In 2020?
“Do you think jeans and a red sweater are good enough for a 5 o’clock service?”
LOL
LikeLiked by 1 person
Michelle – At my church, jeans and a red sweater would be appropriate for an in-person service, too. 🙂
Having come from a dress-up-for-Sunday-morning-service kind of church, it took me a little by surprise at how casual people dressed at my then-new-to-me church. Most, though, go for a dressy-casual kind of attire.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I went to the Christmas Eve service at David Jeremiah’s church in CA. You know how it has been horrible weather all day with lots of rain? It was dark and gloomy. When the Christmas story was being read, an orange peachy glow appeared here around 5:30. It was so beautiful that I went outside and tried to get a photo. For whatever reason, my phone camera will not get that color. I tried before at Hilton Head one year. So, I don’t have a good photo, but it was amazing. And God’s perfect timing to get our attention.
LikeLike
We will later watch a Christmas Eve church program on tv that one of my cousins and her church choir are singing in. It’s suppose to have a dramatic production, too. It will be on a local station for the Atlanta area.
LikeLike
At one point my family would attend the church Christmas Eve service and then get takeout Wonton soup for dinner because Chinese was all that was open here on Christmas Eve evening.
LikeLike
I wore grey corduroy jeans, a rosy thick cabled sweater with a plaid fleece/flannel shirt over that to the CA online church service. Hair is in a sloppy pony tail.
LikeLike
Our family never had the habit of attending Christmas Eve services. Not often held at the churches we attended, perhaps because weather is often uncertain, and driving at night in snow is more difficult.
But we do have Christmas Eve traditions. Just completed one – listening on CBC to ‘Fireside’ Al Maitland reading ‘The Shepherd’s, a story my father enjoys for all the technical airplane details, and the rest of us for the atmosphere.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I am very much missing Christmas Eve. I love the 10 pm service, singing Silent Nigjt and driving home in silence
LikeLiked by 2 people
I would love to see a picture of the newest little boys around here, thank you very much.
LikeLiked by 2 people
We watched our Christmas Eve service online last night. I was amazed they had anyone out, since the weather was really bad and people were being asked to stay home. We have gone many times and missed other times when we have been at one daughter’s or another’s.
Peter, that must have been a disappointment for all of your family.
LikeLiked by 2 people
We had a new tradition this Christmas Eve. I work tomorrow so I asked if the family could open the gifts I had for them this evening. Before we did that, we sang carols together and I played. I have not played for other people singing in over a year. When we (siblings and I) were young people, every Christmas Eve we went caroling in the nursing homes, so it also reminded me of those years.
LikeLiked by 5 people
I have been to perhaps five Christmas Eve services in my life, maybe not even that many. My family always celebrated Christmas Eve, so I’ve usually been with family or traveling to see them. On the rare occasions I haven’t been seeing family, I’ve either been attending a church that didn’t have such a service or not “in the habit” of attending and thus didn’t really know if my church had one or not.
But my husband and I exchanged gifts, talked to his mom and one of my brothers, and had a Zoom call with his family gathering. It wasn’t good video at all (it would freeze at the same spot for a couple of minutes, and even at its best it was choppy with sound so low we couldn’t really hear it), but we got to see everyone. And afterward our younger daughter sent us a couple videos, of our granddaughter opening a drum set (she’s two, and it still has to be assembled, so she had no idea what it was, just a box) and my mother-in-law playing the accordion for the first time in decades. (My husband said he probably hasn’t heard it in 40 years.) My mother-in-law had asked first about giving the drums.
Tomorrow I’ll cook Cornish hens, and today I made brownies, and we have Chex mix and several other kinds of treats in the house. It’s supposed to be 17 degrees in the morning and head down to 12 for the afternoon, so we plan to hunker down and stay in.
I got “Wingspan” and the European expansion pack if anyone here has played it. I haven’t played it, but it looks interesting, so I put it on my list and my husband bought it and our daughter bought the expansion pack.
I hope all of you have sweet Christmases, whether quiet ones or ones with lots of people.
LikeLiked by 2 people
We did Zoom with Wesley this evening and then watched the Christmas Eve church production my cousin was in on tv. She had a duet song at one point so that was exciting to see her individually singing outside of the full choir group. Now we are watching a Celtic Christmas program. One group we’ve seen in person at a live Celtic Christmas show at Emory University. It’s nice to see for free on tv what we use to pay a lot for to see in person.
LikeLiked by 1 person
And I got to FaceTime with DIL and the babies while son was sleeping on the other side of the hospital room 🙂
Cheryl, let me know what you think about Wingspan. I saw it in a friend’s FB post last week and it looks perfect for my niece who LOVES birds (and science).
Kathaleena, I’m sorry I missed you on the first round of FB messages. Baby pictures have been sent.
LikeLiked by 3 people
If anyone has 6 arrows’ email, I would love to send her pics, too. I used to have it, but I can’t seem to find it anymore.
LikeLike
Kare, I’ll email it to you.
LikeLike
Please send me pictures of the babies, too! rkessler65@gmail.com
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good morning and merry Christmas all.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Babies? I like babies. Pictures? mumsee2002 at yahoo.com.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Merry Christmas, to all!
It’s a beautiful winter day here. No snow, but it sure feels like Christmas.
LikeLike