Good morning. Off to a pre-op appointment myself for my future cataract surgery. ‘Tis the season to be busy. I love hearing the beautiful Christmas hymns again that have such good theology in them.
We enjoyed a wonderful meal and Christmas party at the apartment building one of my husband’s group members now lives in. The group did the music for it. It was a tiny room to fit 50 some people in and a group of 6 musicians with all their equipment. The women who planned, decorated, made food did a stellar job. We felt welcomed and included.
I go to the eye doctor tomorrow and will see what he has to say. I know that my eyes are worse but we will see
Busy time as I am invited to lunch today and then grandson has an indoor soccer game
Jo
Speaking of seasonal music, here’s a different take on a question.
QoD: What is your least favorite song or style for this season?
Answer: I cannot stand the kind with bells jingling in the background, or most of the modern secular songs. And my least favorite religious tune is Drummer Boy.
So Saturday, I got to control the music we play over the PA at the cave gift shop. I found a list on Spotify that said it was “Christmas music that isn’t annoying”. I clicked on the playlist and the first listed song was :Rocking around the Christmas Tree” I guess one has to define annoying. I don’t cae for that song, so I found a piano instrumental playlist. Very calm and beautiful background music.
I prefer the quieter music myself. I heard some new Christmas song on the Christian radio station that sounded like loud party music and I really did not like it. Most of the secular music I can handle hearing once, but I don’t want to hear it a second time or I feel annoyed at not hearing Christian songs instead.
Funny that I was the last one to get to select a gift from under the tree at the White Elephant Exchange. The gift I had brought was next to last to be picked. I was afraid I was going to get the gift I had brought!
Advent Longing / Christmas Joy: New 100-Song Playlist (available on Spotify and Apple Music)
~ Part I: Advent Longing
“Come Thou Long Expected Jesus,” Hillside Recording, Eliza King
“O Come, O Come Emmanuel,” The Gray Havens
“Emmanuel,” Future of Forestry
“Come to Us O Lord,” Young Oceans
“Come Jesus Come,” Stephen McWhirter
“Lord Jesus Come,” Caleb Crino
“Deliver Us,” Andrew Peterson, Scott Mulvahill
“Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming,” Sarah Sparks
“O Come, All Ye Faithful,” John Van Deusen
“Where the Light Is Gone,” The Wood Drake Sessions, Kirk Sauers
“Benedictus,” The Porter’s Gate, Nick Chambers, Pages CXVI
“Come Thou Long Expected Jesus,” Wilder Adkins
“Christmas Bells,” Joel Ansett
“O Day of Peace That Dimly Shines,” Claire Holley
“Carol I, Desire of Nations, Come,” Providence
“Lord Remind Me,” Jon Guerra, Praytell
“Snow,” Sleeping at Last
“Silent Night,” Manchester Orchestra
“Still, Still, Still,” Anna Palfreeman
“Branch of Blessing,” Andrew Joseph Connell
“Jesus, Messiah,” Providence
“God Bless Us Every One,” Haddon, Jimmy Clifton, Will Clifton
“Little Drummer Boy,” John Van Deusen
“White Horse,” Over the Rhine
“Until He Comes Again,” Sandra McCracken, Andrew Osenga
“Christmas Communion Song,” Paul Zach, Lauren Plank Goans
“O Magnum Mysterium,” Morten Lauridsen, Vienna Brass Connection
“The Advent Song,” Future of Forestry
“Come, Lord Jesus, Come,” Steve Thorngate
“Come Thou Almighty King,” Advent Birmingham, Sarah Hydinger
“Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus,” Poor Bishop Hooper
“O Jerusalem,” The Porter’s Gate, Greg Thompson
“Felt,” Andrew Joseph Connell
“With Death in Mind,” Ordinary Time
“You Were Born to Die,” Providence
“Here/Now,” Joshua Leventhal
“Our God Came Down to Us,” Sarah Sparks
“Every Valley (It’s Hard to Wait),” Rain for Roots, Flo Paris
“Hope for Soon,” The Calendar Years
“Soon,” Brooke Ligertwood
“Father Winter,” Pacific Gold
“See Amid the Winter’s Snow,” Thomas Aston, One Hope Project
“Once in Royal David’s City,” Sandra McCracken, Matt Papa, Laura Story
“The Christmas Song,” Vince Guaraldi Trio
“It Came upon a Midnight Clear,” Over the Rhine
“O Holy Night,” Josh Garrels
“This Is the Truth Sent from Above,” Choir of King’s College
“Silent Night,” Brian Fallon
“Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring,” Future of Forestry
“O Come All Ye Faithful,” Ben Fuller
Part II: Christmas Joy
“Joy to the World,” Aretha Franklin
“O Come All Ye Faithful,” Kingdom Kids, Shane & Shane
“Joyful Joyful We Adore Thee,” Maverick City Music
“Oh for Joy,” Folk Hymnal
“Ding Dong Merrily On High,” Rend Collective
“Christmas Morning,” The McClures
“Come Behold the Wondrous Mystery,” The Gray Havens
“Magnificent, Marvelous, Matchless Love,” Keith & Kristyn Getty
“O Holy Night,” TAYA
“Hope Is Alive,” Ellie Holcomb
“Jesus Christ Is Born,” Mac Powell
“Christ Is Born,” Mill City Music
“In the Fullness of Time,” Matt Boswell, Matt Papa
“Baby Son,” John Mark McMillan
“Ways,” Jason Hofer
“Jesus Born on this Day,” Mariah Carey
“O What a King,” Katy Nichole
“Go Tell It on the Mountain,” Mahalia Jackson
“Ring Them Bells,” Ben Fuller, Jonathan Traylor
“Deck the Halls,” Forrest Frank
“O Little Town of Bethlehem,” Folk Angel
“Come Adore the Humble King,” Matt Boswell, Matt Papa
“O Come All Ye Faithful,” Johnnyswim
“Good Christian Men Rejoice, Rejoice,” John Fahey
“God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen,” Keith & Kristyn Getty
“It Came upon a Midnight Clear,” Sandra McCracken, Joseph Bradshaw
“Angels from the Realms of Glory,” Nathan Drake
“Away in a Manger,” Forrest Frank
“The First Noel,” Special Musick
“Little Drummer Boy,” Blessing Offor
“What Child Is This,” Andrea von Kampen
“Hark! The Herald Angels Sing,” Jeremy Riddle
“Magnificat (Glory to God),” Tenielle Neda, Jon Guerra, Praytell
“Excelsis Deo,” CalledOut Music
“Joy Has Dawned / Angels We Have Heard on High,” Keith & Kristyn Getty
“Joy to the World,” The Gray Havens
“Joy (As Far as the Curse Is Found),” Caroline Cobb
“Away in a Manger (All Glory to Jesus),” Sovereign Grace Music
“Manger Throne,” Phil Wickham
“Come, Let Us Gather,” Jonathan and Emily Martin
“O Come All You Unfaithful,” Travis Cottrell, Brooke Voland
“All Things Are Possible (Gabriel),” Melanie Penn
“Glad Tidings,” Ellie Holcomb
“Hallelujah, Christ Is Born,” Caroline Cobb
“Hallelujah,” Chris Tomlin, Blessing Offor
“Handel’s Messiah,” Jenny & Tyler
“Immanuel,” Beautiful Eulogy
“Joy to the World (Joyful, Joyful),” Shane & Shane, Phil Wickham
“Who Would Have Dreamed,” Sovereign Grace Music
“Come Thou Long Expected Jesus,” Kings Kaleidoscope ~
There are individual Christmas songs that I don’t like, but I do like a variety of styles. I enjoy the secular Christmas songs as well as the Christian ones.
I think of Christmas as a combination of a religious and secular holiday. It is religious, of course, because the main point is to celebrate the birth of our wonderful Savior, Jesus. But it is also secular because the population at large enjoys the holiday as well, for different reasons. As Christians, I think we have the freedom to enjoy the secular songs and such even as we remember and celebrate the birth of Christ.
Christmas is not in the Bible, so it is not a holiday that God has established for us to celebrate a certain way. We have freedom in Christ to enjoy both aspects of the holiday.
I may have mentioned that as a young Christian, I missed the enjoyable secular songs, but felt guilty for that. Then I heard a medley of secular sings on a Larnell Harris Christmas CD, and I felt God freeing me from that chain of legalism I had put on myself.
Excellent points about Christmas and the “holiday (or holy day)” issue, Kizzie.
And I, too, enjoy some of the secular holiday songs — and I like that our non-believing neighbors connect to what is a celebration of the incarnation in that way, even peripherally. Our neighbors know all the carols but aren’t perhaps “hearing” the words (or the real “music”) (yet). Praying that many get a fresh glimpse of Jesus this season, in both the joy and meaning of it all.
And in the meantime, I’ll go for a Rudolph song here and there – or a Charlie Brown Christmas rerun (which notably does embrace the incarnation story — reading Scripture — that almost got it bumped from the networks back in the 1960s). -dj
The med tech at the doc’s office had an urn heart necklace. I had never seen one. A loved one’s ashes are contained inside. I had asked about her Thanksgiving and she shared it wasn’t the same. 😒
I enjoy the old Christmas Caroles and not the new modern ones so much. Mariah Carey …all I want for Christmas is you… makes my head explode!!
I grew up listening to Bing, Frank, Perry etc….the crooners..I love all their music! And wasn’t it Chas who said it wasn’t Christmas until Bing sang White Christmas?
In the mornings we play the Jim Brickman piano only station and a piano Christmas list on Pandora. I want to hear no words while I am waking up and having my coffee….note to husband!!
Last year I played a lot of Gregorian chant as I was off for the week before Christmas and puttering around, writing out Christmas cards and trying to get Abby, who had just arrived on Dec. 20, not to be terrified of me. -dj
I also enjoy both secular and sacred Christmas music. Early in the season I enjoy the secular music more, then gravitate toward the sacred as Christmas approaches.
I like most “traditional” secular Christmas songs (songs that have been around as long as I have). Not so much the more “modern” ones, especially when they get played over and over and over again (“All I Want for Christmas is You”, “Last Christmas”).
Mumsee, Couldn’t figure out if you were talking about the Chas quote about Bing Cosby or doubting if Peter *really* took that photo. Then I figured it out. 🙂 – dj
Today I got a letter from insurance saying our eye doctors are out of network for the new year. My surgeries will be in December, so it should still be covered. This is supplemental to our Medicare coverage.
I would not want one of those urn necklaces myself.
NJ – I enjoy those, too! The Christmas CDs that I listen to are by Andy Williams, Nat King Cole, Bing Crosby, and Perry Como. Right now I am listening to a YouTube Christmas channel that has a bunch of the older singers and songs.
*******
Kathaleena – I am on state insurance, and was so very disappointed when the great dental place I had found stopped taking that insurance shortly after I had found them and had some work done. I actually cried! The place I had gone to before that had such a “cut-rate” feeling to it.
The dental place I settled on is somewhere between the cut-rate place and the really good place. But it gets good reviews, so that makes me feel better.
Wandering Views 
Good morning! Oh, what a delightful Christmas season view in the header.
We slept a little later than usual since Art has a doc appt. this morning.
Have a good Monday!
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Good morning. Off to a pre-op appointment myself for my future cataract surgery. ‘Tis the season to be busy. I love hearing the beautiful Christmas hymns again that have such good theology in them.
We enjoyed a wonderful meal and Christmas party at the apartment building one of my husband’s group members now lives in. The group did the music for it. It was a tiny room to fit 50 some people in and a group of 6 musicians with all their equipment. The women who planned, decorated, made food did a stellar job. We felt welcomed and included.
LikeLiked by 3 people
I go to the eye doctor tomorrow and will see what he has to say. I know that my eyes are worse but we will see
Busy time as I am invited to lunch today and then grandson has an indoor soccer game
Jo
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I go on Thursday . . . tis the season! It’s the vet in about an hour. Shh, don’t tell the cat!
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I’m supposed to have a routine followup with GP tomorrow but I’m going to call to see if we can push that into January. -dj
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Morning! Such a beautiful photo up there!
We will have snow melt today as the temps hit 50…what a difference a day makes.
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Good morning, all. A beautiful day here. Rain and forties. Supposed to get up to fifties tomorrow and then snow for a week or so.
mumsee
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It’s Monday. -dj
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Speaking of seasonal music, here’s a different take on a question.
QoD: What is your least favorite song or style for this season?
Answer: I cannot stand the kind with bells jingling in the background, or most of the modern secular songs. And my least favorite religious tune is Drummer Boy.
So Saturday, I got to control the music we play over the PA at the cave gift shop. I found a list on Spotify that said it was “Christmas music that isn’t annoying”. I clicked on the playlist and the first listed song was :Rocking around the Christmas Tree” I guess one has to define annoying. I don’t cae for that song, so I found a piano instrumental playlist. Very calm and beautiful background music.
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Good choice for the gift shop, Peter.
I prefer the quieter music myself. I heard some new Christmas song on the Christian radio station that sounded like loud party music and I really did not like it. Most of the secular music I can handle hearing once, but I don’t want to hear it a second time or I feel annoyed at not hearing Christian songs instead.
Funny that I was the last one to get to select a gift from under the tree at the White Elephant Exchange. The gift I had brought was next to last to be picked. I was afraid I was going to get the gift I had brought!
LikeLiked by 1 person
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/advent-playlist-2023/
Advent Longing / Christmas Joy: New 100-Song Playlist (available on Spotify and Apple Music)
~ Part I: Advent Longing
“Come Thou Long Expected Jesus,” Hillside Recording, Eliza King
“O Come, O Come Emmanuel,” The Gray Havens
“Emmanuel,” Future of Forestry
“Come to Us O Lord,” Young Oceans
“Come Jesus Come,” Stephen McWhirter
“Lord Jesus Come,” Caleb Crino
“Deliver Us,” Andrew Peterson, Scott Mulvahill
“Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming,” Sarah Sparks
“O Come, All Ye Faithful,” John Van Deusen
“Where the Light Is Gone,” The Wood Drake Sessions, Kirk Sauers
“Benedictus,” The Porter’s Gate, Nick Chambers, Pages CXVI
“Come Thou Long Expected Jesus,” Wilder Adkins
“Christmas Bells,” Joel Ansett
“O Day of Peace That Dimly Shines,” Claire Holley
“Carol I, Desire of Nations, Come,” Providence
“Lord Remind Me,” Jon Guerra, Praytell
“Snow,” Sleeping at Last
“Silent Night,” Manchester Orchestra
“Still, Still, Still,” Anna Palfreeman
“Branch of Blessing,” Andrew Joseph Connell
“Jesus, Messiah,” Providence
“God Bless Us Every One,” Haddon, Jimmy Clifton, Will Clifton
“Little Drummer Boy,” John Van Deusen
“White Horse,” Over the Rhine
“Until He Comes Again,” Sandra McCracken, Andrew Osenga
“Christmas Communion Song,” Paul Zach, Lauren Plank Goans
“O Magnum Mysterium,” Morten Lauridsen, Vienna Brass Connection
“The Advent Song,” Future of Forestry
“Come, Lord Jesus, Come,” Steve Thorngate
“Come Thou Almighty King,” Advent Birmingham, Sarah Hydinger
“Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus,” Poor Bishop Hooper
“O Jerusalem,” The Porter’s Gate, Greg Thompson
“Felt,” Andrew Joseph Connell
“With Death in Mind,” Ordinary Time
“You Were Born to Die,” Providence
“Here/Now,” Joshua Leventhal
“Our God Came Down to Us,” Sarah Sparks
“Every Valley (It’s Hard to Wait),” Rain for Roots, Flo Paris
“Hope for Soon,” The Calendar Years
“Soon,” Brooke Ligertwood
“Father Winter,” Pacific Gold
“See Amid the Winter’s Snow,” Thomas Aston, One Hope Project
“Once in Royal David’s City,” Sandra McCracken, Matt Papa, Laura Story
“The Christmas Song,” Vince Guaraldi Trio
“It Came upon a Midnight Clear,” Over the Rhine
“O Holy Night,” Josh Garrels
“This Is the Truth Sent from Above,” Choir of King’s College
“Silent Night,” Brian Fallon
“Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring,” Future of Forestry
“O Come All Ye Faithful,” Ben Fuller
Part II: Christmas Joy
“Joy to the World,” Aretha Franklin
“O Come All Ye Faithful,” Kingdom Kids, Shane & Shane
“Joyful Joyful We Adore Thee,” Maverick City Music
“Oh for Joy,” Folk Hymnal
“Ding Dong Merrily On High,” Rend Collective
“Christmas Morning,” The McClures
“Come Behold the Wondrous Mystery,” The Gray Havens
“Magnificent, Marvelous, Matchless Love,” Keith & Kristyn Getty
“O Holy Night,” TAYA
“Hope Is Alive,” Ellie Holcomb
“Jesus Christ Is Born,” Mac Powell
“Christ Is Born,” Mill City Music
“In the Fullness of Time,” Matt Boswell, Matt Papa
“Baby Son,” John Mark McMillan
“Ways,” Jason Hofer
“Jesus Born on this Day,” Mariah Carey
“O What a King,” Katy Nichole
“Go Tell It on the Mountain,” Mahalia Jackson
“Ring Them Bells,” Ben Fuller, Jonathan Traylor
“Deck the Halls,” Forrest Frank
“O Little Town of Bethlehem,” Folk Angel
“Come Adore the Humble King,” Matt Boswell, Matt Papa
“O Come All Ye Faithful,” Johnnyswim
“Good Christian Men Rejoice, Rejoice,” John Fahey
“God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen,” Keith & Kristyn Getty
“It Came upon a Midnight Clear,” Sandra McCracken, Joseph Bradshaw
“Angels from the Realms of Glory,” Nathan Drake
“Away in a Manger,” Forrest Frank
“The First Noel,” Special Musick
“Little Drummer Boy,” Blessing Offor
“What Child Is This,” Andrea von Kampen
“Hark! The Herald Angels Sing,” Jeremy Riddle
“Magnificat (Glory to God),” Tenielle Neda, Jon Guerra, Praytell
“Excelsis Deo,” CalledOut Music
“Joy Has Dawned / Angels We Have Heard on High,” Keith & Kristyn Getty
“Joy to the World,” The Gray Havens
“Joy (As Far as the Curse Is Found),” Caroline Cobb
“Away in a Manger (All Glory to Jesus),” Sovereign Grace Music
“Manger Throne,” Phil Wickham
“Come, Let Us Gather,” Jonathan and Emily Martin
“O Come All You Unfaithful,” Travis Cottrell, Brooke Voland
“All Things Are Possible (Gabriel),” Melanie Penn
“Glad Tidings,” Ellie Holcomb
“Hallelujah, Christ Is Born,” Caroline Cobb
“Hallelujah,” Chris Tomlin, Blessing Offor
“Handel’s Messiah,” Jenny & Tyler
“Immanuel,” Beautiful Eulogy
“Joy to the World (Joyful, Joyful),” Shane & Shane, Phil Wickham
“Who Would Have Dreamed,” Sovereign Grace Music
“Come Thou Long Expected Jesus,” Kings Kaleidoscope ~
-dj
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There are individual Christmas songs that I don’t like, but I do like a variety of styles. I enjoy the secular Christmas songs as well as the Christian ones.
I think of Christmas as a combination of a religious and secular holiday. It is religious, of course, because the main point is to celebrate the birth of our wonderful Savior, Jesus. But it is also secular because the population at large enjoys the holiday as well, for different reasons. As Christians, I think we have the freedom to enjoy the secular songs and such even as we remember and celebrate the birth of Christ.
Christmas is not in the Bible, so it is not a holiday that God has established for us to celebrate a certain way. We have freedom in Christ to enjoy both aspects of the holiday.
I may have mentioned that as a young Christian, I missed the enjoyable secular songs, but felt guilty for that. Then I heard a medley of secular sings on a Larnell Harris Christmas CD, and I felt God freeing me from that chain of legalism I had put on myself.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Excellent points about Christmas and the “holiday (or holy day)” issue, Kizzie.
And I, too, enjoy some of the secular holiday songs — and I like that our non-believing neighbors connect to what is a celebration of the incarnation in that way, even peripherally. Our neighbors know all the carols but aren’t perhaps “hearing” the words (or the real “music”) (yet). Praying that many get a fresh glimpse of Jesus this season, in both the joy and meaning of it all.
And in the meantime, I’ll go for a Rudolph song here and there – or a Charlie Brown Christmas rerun (which notably does embrace the incarnation story — reading Scripture — that almost got it bumped from the networks back in the 1960s). -dj
LikeLiked by 2 people
The med tech at the doc’s office had an urn heart necklace. I had never seen one. A loved one’s ashes are contained inside. I had asked about her Thanksgiving and she shared it wasn’t the same. 😒
LikeLiked by 2 people
I enjoy the old Christmas Caroles and not the new modern ones so much. Mariah Carey …all I want for Christmas is you… makes my head explode!!
I grew up listening to Bing, Frank, Perry etc….the crooners..I love all their music! And wasn’t it Chas who said it wasn’t Christmas until Bing sang White Christmas?
In the mornings we play the Jim Brickman piano only station and a piano Christmas list on Pandora. I want to hear no words while I am waking up and having my coffee….note to husband!!
Nj
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NJ 🙂
No words!
Getting up, and mornings in general, are not pretty for me either.
I remember Chas saying that every year at this time. 🙂 A Chas-ism.
-dj
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Last year I played a lot of Gregorian chant as I was off for the week before Christmas and puttering around, writing out Christmas cards and trying to get Abby, who had just arrived on Dec. 20, not to be terrified of me. -dj
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I also enjoy both secular and sacred Christmas music. Early in the season I enjoy the secular music more, then gravitate toward the sacred as Christmas approaches.
I like most “traditional” secular Christmas songs (songs that have been around as long as I have). Not so much the more “modern” ones, especially when they get played over and over and over again (“All I Want for Christmas is You”, “Last Christmas”).
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Son had his urn necklace confiscated going into Canada a couple of years ago. It was his brother’s ashes.
mumsee
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Did they say why?!
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Time to play The Messiah
Jo
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I think the organic lean ground beef just went up from 9 to 11 dollars since before Thanksgiving.😳
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We’re having a Messiah singalong at our church one of these nights.
Belated complement to the photographer (Peter?) to the beautiful and charming scene above.
-dj
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If he did, I don’t remember, and I would be dubious of the story.
mumsee
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Mumsee, Couldn’t figure out if you were talking about the Chas quote about Bing Cosby or doubting if Peter *really* took that photo. Then I figured it out. 🙂 – dj
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Today I got a letter from insurance saying our eye doctors are out of network for the new year. My surgeries will be in December, so it should still be covered. This is supplemental to our Medicare coverage.
I would not want one of those urn necklaces myself.
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Wow, eye surgeries in a rush — but that’s good, they’ll both be done in quick order, as long as you don’t catch something and have to postpone! -dj
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Nor would I. The three were each given one by their bio mom so they accepted.
mumsee
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NJ – I enjoy those, too! The Christmas CDs that I listen to are by Andy Williams, Nat King Cole, Bing Crosby, and Perry Como. Right now I am listening to a YouTube Christmas channel that has a bunch of the older singers and songs.
*******
Kathaleena – I am on state insurance, and was so very disappointed when the great dental place I had found stopped taking that insurance shortly after I had found them and had some work done. I actually cried! The place I had gone to before that had such a “cut-rate” feeling to it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The dental place I settled on is somewhere between the cut-rate place and the really good place. But it gets good reviews, so that makes me feel better.
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