Just a reminder, this will be the last post for a week or so. Surgery will be tomorrow, then a hospital stay for 5 to 7 days after. I will be back as soon as I feel up to it. Love you folks, and I will “see” you soon.
Michelle, I am so sorry, but glad you have found a new home already. I think we would need to make the same decision if that was put before us.
Talking about power and heating bills. Take your bill payment, now add ⅓ of the amount on top for carbon tax and then pay 5% more on that carbon tax for the GST. That’s where we’re at in Canada. It’s ridiculous.
My niece is defending her Master’s thesis today. I am so stinking proud of her (she’s the one with autism). Pending this defence she has already been accepted for her Ph. D.
Well I just called fraud again, turns out it was a call center in India. The same check for 1219.76 was again charged to my account and I got several notices that my account is overdrawn.
Now I again need to call them in the morning!!!
Jo
Oh Jo how awful! I hope the bank can just put a block on that check or perhaps even close the acct and give you another acct number? Praying it all gets resolved quickly!
I sure would have like to have gotten a letter like that one Peter! We just received notice that our gas rates will be increased next month! I am thankful that yours is going down…
Good morning all.
Praying for wisdom and peace, Jo.
A beautiful day here. Or, at least, I cannot imagine it otherwise.
Enjoying an unexpected Christmas. Son in law’s mom is here from Texas. She will do most of the cooking the next few days.
Son from Spokane arrives today. He plans to do some odd jobs around here for a week, incorporating seventeen son into the projects.
Cousin will come down from Moscow.
Twenty two daughter from town.
I have been encouraged by God, husband, and son in law to invite daughter ( wife of son in law) and daughter in law ( wife of son who just left for North Dakota). Could be awkward as older daughter has been intimate with both son and son in law (married to son in law and a week from marriage to son and has said many vile things to and about them and me and twenty two and her mother in law) but when God speaks. I imagine they have other plans.
I just realized something. Wasn’t “The Secret Room” thread started on the 14th of December? Ironic that this thread also started on the 14th. That one ended up with 7,000+ comments, I think. Will this one come close?
Jo, is there bank branch nearby that you can just go into and ask to speak to someone about all of this — in person? Seems like a stop payment (and closing down the account?) could be needed, they should be able to sort this out maybe better in person. Kind of scary and not sure I’d trust phone calls right now.
I have an in-person news conference in about an hour but it’s nearby and provides an easy story during this holiday dry spell for copy.
We had some good rain last night, I remember at one point hearing an especially heavy downpour. More today and tomorrow, according to the forecast.
Bro is in hospiral again. Hopefully for a short stay for another procedure. I am so tired of hospitals . . . and I know AJ is getting to that point by now! Keeping AJ in prayer and now, Bro, too.
Jo, Art found a hundred dollar credit sitting in our bank transactions, and by the time the statement dropped, the mysterious credit had disappeared. Not the same level of your situation but something that happened this month that is unusual.
Just back from the news conference about a new scam where thieves take gift cards from the open racks, somehow drain the funds from them, then bring them back to the rack where unsuspecting consumers buy them.
County supervisor was one of the victims recently at the local CVS and is asking retailers to put the cards behind the registers or behind glass.
Art wanted me to get gift cards for the business to give to rhree people. The mailman was one. Instead of gift cards I went to the bank and bought two cashier’s checks and one money order (did not know the man’s name). We had enough money in the account so I did not have to pay for the service.
I wanted to avoid the scam that Art was unaware of before I told him.
Hi it’s, Cheryl. I put an update on Allen on the prayer thread, it may, or, may not, be coherent, please feel free to ask any questions you might have and I will be happy to respond as I am able.
okay, I had to check. The secret room began on Dec. 20, 2014 and it has 7,361 comments. The last comment was made by Kizzie on Dec. 4, 2021.
That is pretty impressive.
Jo
A friend in England posted to Facebook:
“We’re ready for the Christingle services tomorrow afternoon. There’s a service at 3:00 p.m. and another one at 4:30 with mulled wine and mince pies in between the two services.
Our Christmas Day continues to morph. We started expecting just the eight of us, now it has reached thirteen or fourteen but the faces keep changing. I am hoping people will remember to make other plans for their dogs.
Sounds like exciting days at the Nest. Making plans for a big meal in three days with unknown number expected. You can always resort to rationing! No passing of plates😀
I went outside and a dove cooed. I have not heard one here in months. God is good.
I am lIstening to a cd of Salvation Army Christmas brass that they handed out at a Christmas event from years ago. The SE headquarters is off the street my street connects to, several miles from here. Thdy did a really nice Christmas program with a concert inside and a living nativity outside.
Life before Covid.
I can see a layer of fog below my home. We are clear up here at the top. I think I did too much yesterday with vaccuuming and leaf blowing. There is one section of my driveway that I could not get, too steep. In fact I actually went too far in what I did. I had to slowly walk back up to the house backwards.
Today I need to take care of all the clutter. A slim chance that some folks may come over. I am eating lunch with my friends as another friend is visiting.
I do not have an invitation for Christmas yet, but can always go to my friends house. I am sure I am invited to my daughters, but she has not mentioned it. So I will wait.
As I was sitting in her coffee shop, I texted my kids that I was sitting there waiting for the dilation of my eyes to subside so that I could drive home. She came out from her office to see if I needed a ride home. I had assumed that she had already left. Anyway as we were talking I mentioned my trip to NC and she asked if I was planning on moving there. I said no that this is my home and I love my house.
Jo
We start our family festivities, basically an 18-member moving feast with songs, celebrations, gifts, parties, and even blowing out 75 candles, today.
A relative’s “big” birthday tonight, the family pesant Christmas meal here tomorrow (followed by our last “midnight” service at our church), and then the full-day regalia at son’s house on Monday.
I’m constantly confused as to what day it is–and have had to stop myself from panicking.
In 90 minutes, I’ll drive to the bookstore to pick up the “world’s best Christmas present,” for the family.
I already bought 10 pair of glow-in-the-dark Yule log socks, but realized yesterday that I need four more pair.
I thought I’d bought out the store . . . but I’ll see.
Merry Christmas to all, with gratitude and thankfulness for your faithfulness and prayer and love for the One who is the reason for it all.
(And prayers, too, for AJ).
Next weekend, we’ll do a similiar moving feast, only this time with 22 . . . (including Stargazer’s girlfriend running the family gauntlet!)
Now for the house … and getting the Christmas tree inside and decorated. I’ve never had a Christmas quite like this one. I still miss my friends I lost, we survivors now seem to have too many doctor appointments on our calendars. 😦 But I’m praising God no one has anything terribly serious going on in our remaining circle.
I managed to churn out 2 stories yesterday and was “let go” when the editor finished reading and posting the last one at around 3 p.m. Then I had a call from Real Estate friend who was stranded at a doctor’s office when he couldn’t get the ignition key to work in his rather ancient CRV in the parking lot.
I picked him up to take him back home so he could retrieve a second key for the car to see if that might work. Nope.
So I waited (it was dark by then) in the parking lot while he called his insurance company to set up a tow appointment (that was complicated in itself) but once the tow truck was on the way I left — he texted me later that he and his car got home OK, but the next issue will be how to get it somewhere to get it fixed. On a holiday weekend, no less.
(I have had AAA ever since college boyfriend bought me a membership when my little old VW bug broke down a little too often; but you can’t use it for someone else, unfortunately — only if you’re a passenger in someone’s car and so if you’re also stranded, you can use your AAA card for the tow on their car.)
____________
Just got a calendar alert on my computer: Christmas Eve – Tomorrow.
Good news — my neighbor S is finally coming home after a month’s stay in the hospital following her 2nd knee surgery, yay!
She was so hoping to be home for Christmas so that worked out. I told her husband R I’d clear my car out of the driveway — they’ll be needing that again.
I asked if he was cleaning house to prepare (her standards are incredibly high and he said she’s been concerned he’s maybe let things go a bit) so he said yeah, he’s doing dishes, getting stuff moved into the spare bedroom and out of the kitchen and living room … 🙂
Thankful to hear your neighbor finally will be home, dj! A great blessing!
If I did not know better, I would think Michelle is in TX where everything is Bigger! What a wild sounding Christmas compared to our tiny gatherings. I would be lost in it all! But thankful people who enjoy such big gatherings can have it work out. Still feeling badly about the church situation. I know the feeling of loss when moving on.
My church is doing Christmas Eve Sunday service in the morning and Christmas Eve 5 p.m. service. I have heard other churches arr doing only a morning or evening service. Those pastors must be giving an early Christmas gift to themselves😀
We’re having our regular Sunday morning service plus the usual 5 p.m. Christmas Eve candlelight service tomorrow.
I’m busy in the house today, making progress. This is a very different Christmas, but that’s OK. I’ve realized the holidays just change through different stages of life. 🙂 We get stuck in our patterns and it feels like they’ll last forever, but they can’t (and don’t). But God … 🙂
I was reading a Michael Card book on lamentations and he had this to say which was so wise:
~ “And they will call him Immanuel” — which is “God with us.” (Matt. 1:23). We saw earlier that the ultimate answer to all laments is not to be found in the specifics of what is lamented for. The true answer for a lament of disease is not ultimately the cure. The real solution for a lament of financial distress is never simply money. The answer is always found in the Presence of God. It is rarely what we ask for, but it is always what we ultimately need.
In the end of the book, God’s answer to Job’s loss is not getting his dead children back. Indeed he never gets them back. The answer, God’s answer, is that Job gets God back. And Job’s response, brought into focus by his suffering is clear: That is all he ever really needed. The same can be said for both David and Jeremiah and you and me. ~ (“A Sacred Sorrow”)
We’re also going through the Book of Luke right now in our regular service sermons, and because we’ve not been doing that for long, we’ll have a natural expository sermon in the morning that will coincide nicely with the season. -dj
Hey, we’ve got a big enough crowd, feel free to slip in for dinner–hard to say if anyone will notice! LOL
I returned to the bookstore to buy more of the best Christmas gift of all time, where I ran into one of our elders who knows us well. I invited him into the store with me, he started to laugh and agreed, it will be the best Christmas gift of all time.
Alas, I bought them out yesterday–except for one more, the minimum I needed for my direct line descendants family–so I’m saved by the bell.
The other four guests (and me), will just have to admire the gift and wish they could have one, too.
We’re having a small Christmas, just the 2 of us and maybe our son. We’ll get with the rest of them next week.
Oh, and mumsee, by my figuring you got 257.
😦 Those air machines to inflate car tires at gas stations. Why do they almost never work? Tonight I went into the mini-mart to ask the gas station attendant if it was still working as I couldn’t get it to take my card — yes, that’s another rant, they charge $2 for AIR? — She said you can bypass paying sometimes by punching in some numbers on the key pad and it’ll turn on.
Well, not for me.
I usually swing by one of the local tire shops and pay a few dollars to one of the guys to fill the tires, but they were all closing early and it’s just one tire that’s low …
Oh well, it’s not alarmingly low, just kinda low so it should be fine; I’ll maybe try another gas station machine on the way home from church tomorrow.
We still had full-service gas stations when I was a new driver. I miss those, you just sat there like a member of a royal family while they washed your windshield, filled your tank, checked your oil and tires … -dj
I ate some chocolate chips tonight. Since I went off of coffee, I really should not eat chocolate before bed! I am tired and need rest but my eyes do not want to shut😳
The house smells of Swedish meatballs which I cooked this evening in prep for our Christmas meal. Tomorrow I will make the sauce and put it and the meatballs in the crockpot to heat up on Christmas Day.
We now have the thawing turkey that Bro had planned to cook. I told Son to not let Bro near that turkey since he should not lift any weights after his procedure. God knew Son needed to learn to roast a turkey in 2023. This will be his third in a month😀 Soon he will qualify as Pro Turkey Roaster(tempted to write Rooster).
Our church is only doing a service this morning. However, the church down the road is doing an evening service and has invited our church members to join. We have also joined together for some summer outdoor services.
Our weather reminds me of when we spent Christmas in Nashville, TN. We have fog and rain! It will be a brown Christmas. I did see a bit of snow left where the plow had left it, otherwise we have none except what the ski resorts have made. I have never experienced that here. We are in drought. We will have a bad spring unless the snow catches up in the next months (or rain).
Our Christmas will be quiet since the family Christmas will not be until between Christmas and New Years. That is a good thing. I am not ready for that yet. Presents are bought, except for one birthday, however more wrapping needs to be done and some other things. Oh, how I love this season!
Morning all on this snowy Christmas Eve! New fallen snow on the forest floor and it continues to fall. Light glistening flakes and cold!!
Husband will drive to church early to set up and it remains to be seen if I will attempt to drive on these icy roads! He will update me once he gets there…⛄️🧊🎄
Church remains to be seen. A house guest, up from Texas talked of the many illegals on her flights and the coughing and sneezing of the possibly unvaccinated from many countries. Then she was quite sick: sore throat, headache, tired, achy, etc. now the two littles are sneezing coughing, and the older of the two had a headache all day followed with sick to his stomach. Church or no church?
Youngest daughter and family surprised me last night and came to look at the Christmas lights. We found some wonderful ones. One you had to walk down the driveway to see. Got some huge hugs from the kids. Little Lucy yelled loudly when she found that the box that they made into a house was still here. I gave them part of their gift of two bags of belly flops. I love those and you have to eat them slowly and see what flavor each one is.
Just got a text from my young friend that his mom died yesterday.
Jo
A Washington Post headline unintentionally spoke a much larger theological truth today (the phrase referred to the physical state of Bethlehem and Gaza today with a war raging):
‘Jesus in the rubble’
Exactly right, but always and everywhere. Not as a defeated king — but as ultimate victor, ruler of all and comforter in our midst, all of it.
The grocery store after church on Christmas Eve was interesting.
Packed, parking spaces and carts at a premium, traffic-heavy aisles.
Older man looking confused in the sparkling water aisle answered his phone (which rang/barked like a dog) and on speaker phone his wife loudly (I was going to say ‘barked’ but I already used that word) listed the pie and cake varieties she needed him to pick up. CHEESE CAKE. PUMPKIN. APPLE. Then a woman overhearing it all added a few others they might consider and what she noticed was in stock … He looked so weary. -dj
Long day today, looking forward to a good night’s sleep. It will be a lazy morning, then Flyboy and his wife, and some of her family, joining us for afternoon dinner.
I met two new families tonight as I decided to sit in a different part of the room.
And then after the service I caught up with folks I talk to most every week, met the mom of my public educator church friend who (the mom) loves reading my name and stories in the paper as her daughter “knows me.” So sweet.
And the other friend whose brother had a double-lung transplant a couple months ago is doing so well, he accepted Christ during the ordeal and from what his sister says now he can’t get enough of learning about the faith, so wonderful and encouraging. She’s beaming. 🙂
Our pastor spoke (the passage in Luke about the shepherds) of Jesus’ coming in the fullness of time as mankind was in a literal free fall. In desperate need, as we still are of course, of a parachute.
Tree is “in” but not yet decorated. I have a lighted Bethlehem Star in the front window, several poinsettias hanging over and sitting on the front porch.
Not as many decorations as usual, but it was “one of those years.” I miss so many friends and traditions, these hard changes in life happen.
I saw a lot of the light blue strings of lights as we drove home from the Christmas Eve service. Those newer lights are easier on my eyes.
My brother got home yesterday. We will go to his house for a Christmas meal which we will mostly bring from our house. Brother is back to being how he is. He called to tell me to be on my good behavior tomorrow at his house. I finally said I might go stay out in the barn with the chickens. INO, I have been warned to expect his bad behavior toward me. This too shall pass.
Some of the cool white lights have a blue/ice look to them, very pretty. But the (actual) blue lights are so pretty too, I had all blue one year when I waited too long to buy lights (I didn’t have any at that point) and all Target had left were blue! But it was very pretty, the LED lights really are gorgeous.
Blue ice lights. That is what they were, not true blue. They are pretty. Maybe next year😀
I had to stay up to let the sauce I made for the Swedish meatballs cool to put it away. Now to make Brussel sprouts and baked spiced apples (to have with ice cream) along with roasting the turkey before we travel tomorrow. Busy, busy, busy . . . I am tired!
We had fireworks, too, last night and tonight — but they may be a thing of the past out here in time, seems there are pollution/environmental and other concerns about fireworks. -dj
Meanwhile, the Air Quality Management District has let us know we can’t burn wood in our fireplaces tonight or until further notice, air quality issues. Sigh.
Jo, I’m sorry to hear of your loneliness. It feels especially hard during the holiday season. You are on my heart and in my prayers. I pray you will have some joy come your way today to lift your spirits.
The glow-in-the-dark Yule log socks were a hit! (But I wish I’d had a pair for everyone. Too late to buy more since I only discovered them two days before Christmas).
The best part, though, was taking a walk between dinner and dessert. Two houses in my neighborhood were among the ones declared “best lights” in the city, so we walked between them, 17 of us, singing Christmas carols, and stopping at about five hours to sing.
One of the tweens ran to the front doors, rang the doorbell and knocked, ran back to join us and we sang while surprised people stared out into the night, delighted!
At the biggest display, where a half-dozen cars milled about watching the light show, the household came out enmasse to hear us, requested a second song, and filmed us!
Some of the other people viewing the light show got confused and joined us!
So much fun.
The two youngest Adorables skipped along with one of them turning to exclaim to me, “This is a walk around the block!”
I walked Abby later than usual last night, the lights were so beautiful and the streets so quiet. A party was underway in one of the houses but otherwise it was all very hushed.
We awake to an especially troubled and torn world this year — but such was the world, and much worse, when Jesus was born.
~ On this day, I am pondering a lovely quote I found in one of De Witt Talmage’s sermons—a quote that calls us to not only be joyful at Christmas, but to see in Christmas proof that Christianity is a joyful faith. He means to counter the “delusion that the religion of Christ is dolorous and grief-infusing.” Here is how Christmas counters any such notion:
The music that broke through the midnight heavens was not a dirge, but an anthem. It shook joy over the hills. It not only dropped upon the shepherds, but it sprang upward among the thrones.
The robe of a Saviour’s righteousness is not black.
The Christian life is not made up of weeping and cross-bearing and war-waging.
Through the revelation of that Christmas night I find that religion is not a groan, but a song.
In a world of sin, and sick beds, and sepulchres, we must have trouble; but in the darkest night the heavens part with angelic song.
You may, like Paul, be shipwrecked, but I exhort you to be of good cheer, for you who are trusting on Christ shall all escape safe to the land. ~
Good Christmas morn! This day did not start without Aj and Cheryl upon my heart and in our prayers. He has come and remains with us in the valley and mountain top…He is good. Praying for His presence to surround you and be known to all.
We spent a quiet evening last night and another quiet day today. Very sweet and new. While the world rages around us He brings meaning and comfort.
We have a white Christmas and single digit temps. And we may be in for another blizzardly blast…it’s a wait and see!
Went to my youngest daughters house for breakfast and gifts. They were so excited. Later Lucy came and snuggled on my lap. I got out my phone and showed her a picture of her asleep on my lap when she was nine months old. Sweet time
There’s an AJ update on the prayer thread, a bit more encouraging, Thank you Lord.
Peter, I never even thought of Santa! But of course. …
It’s a quiet Christmas for me, connecting w/a few folks, but I also finally got the tree decorated. Goodness, how late I was this year. Felt weird doing that on Christmas morning, but it was just one of those too-busy work months and everything really got away from me. 😦
But God knows.
I finally finished sterilizing and coating that little misshapen bird’s nest I’d been saving all year — after finding it abandoned and not top/backside of the winter wreath when I went to take it down.
So that’s also sitting in the tree, with a painted-wood robin bird ornament sitting in it. It so reminds me of the one we had for all those years back home, my mom — who found it in one of our backyard trees — treasured that and loved carefully unwrapping it and putting it in our Christmas trees every year.
I put lights and several other ornaments on, but stopped at some point remembering I’d have to dismantle it all in very short order this year — so the more I put up, the more has to come down.
Our son came about noon. We watched that disaster of a football game which Taylor Swift attended. So did some of our friends. Her (the friend’s, not Swift’s) uncle lives in KC and had 2 extra tickets. So she and her dad went to the game. Her preteen children somehow bought 2 tickets for eats right in front of her uncle’s seats.
Mrs L made pizza for our dinner. After the football game we played Scattergories and Rummy Cube.
I sent texts in Spanish to greet all our children and the 2 sons-in-law. D2 replied in Spanish, but D3 did it in Korean, since she learned some with her cousins (they are all K-Pop fans).
Jo, sounds like they just assume you know that you are invited – glad you got the text!
Busy, busy time here. The twins are hilarious and so busy. The one year old is an absolute sweetheart. The dogs are slowly playing better together with the youngest pup being twice as big as them all and learning to respect while playing.
Such a sweet family time. W said “I want to stay here”. So fun. Then I listed all the chores he would have to do if he stayed, like vacuuming, mopping, etc (all things he loves doing).
We made ornaments together and then went out to our little tree nursery and cut down a little pine with them. So fun to then put their decorations on their own little tree.
Ok, we are back to just eight in the house and no dogs. It has been loud. Eight of the adoptees showed up,one came by a couple days ago. They have forgotten how to keep their voices down.
Peter’s post reminded me that while riding home last night, son was engaged with his phone doing a French lesson. He never wastes a minute when he can learn something. We had some fun conversations about the words and origins, like ‘chef.’. He knows German and said he is interested in learning more about the reception of the writings of John Milton by the Germans back in those days.
Conversations with an English prof on Christmas Day.😀
No snow here, just rain, rain, rain. Lots of water standing in the yard.
Yes, Jo, I am glad she finally let you know! Adjusting to adult children can be a real learning curve. You don’t want to be presumptive, but you do want to be a part of their lives, too. All of them are super busy which makes forgetting to communicate to everyone easy to do.
I’ve also come to realize that the more adult children that are around, the more each thinks the others are doing things with the grandparents. I sure did with my mom and dad.
We’re getting some rain (maybe) later this week, but for now we have just clouds, temps still in the mid-60s.
And it’s back to work for us today.
Tree will come down as soon as I can get to it — shortest Christmas tree life ever — but I’m glad I managed to get it in and (barely) decorated “in time.” Sorta. What a strange holiday it was for me. Not bad, just “crunched.”
Dj, my friend, K, sent me a card that had Merry Christmas in silver glitter written on the front. I opened it and a popup Christmas tree appearrd all lit up with a star at the top of the tree while the Figgy Pudding song played. That was our Christmas tree.
Wes had ordered a new tree for us to put up on Friday, but had to cancel the order because of my brother’s surgery. Now I have a tree that goes up by opening the card. Taking down the tree is a snap of closing the card shut. Easy peasy😀❤💚❤💚
Jo, I would ask if you should consider that you have a standing invitation to dinner at your daughters home. I think that is a reasonable question. But she may be thinking you want to alternate between people and therefore asks at the last minute to be there for you if you did not prefer to be elsewhere. I don’t think it is a case of needing to feel rejected. But that is a view from the distance and I might be wrong.
Interesting day yesterday. I had invited daughter to spend some time with her children. But she brought an entourage of sister and sister in law. Both of whom have had nothing to say to me for quite a while though they do not hesitate to say a lot about me.
None said anything to me, and daughter was rude to her mother in law who welcomed her with a hi and said merry Christmas when daughter left. Daughter was totally focused on her son and ignored her daughter as is her wont. When grandson, who was way over stimulated, began crying, she told him he could go to her house to spend the night if he liked. On dad’s time. That was, of course vetoed. Who does that to a four year old? No mention of the same for granddaughter. Who does that to a four year old?
Mumsee, there has to be some form of mental illness in her mind and in the minds of those influenced by her. If not that then pure wickedness. It is not right. Maybe God prompted the invite so you could see it even more prominently on display. The children do not need to be around her so much. Very frustrating for everyone!
This reminded me of a bad situation with two adopted boys. Wes and I met a granmother and her grandsons at the pool. We became friends and got together to go fishing at Stone Mt. and do other fun boy activities. The grandmother’s daughter, adoptive mother of the boys had died. The dad was a high powered lawyer. The two boys, born the same year, had been adopted by the couple. One.boy was large and the other smaller. The dad clearly loved the smaller boy and showered him with favor while treating the larger boy poorly. The dad was not a large guy so I wondered if the unequal treatment was related to that. Yes, the question is, how can people do that?The boys had lost their birth families, and then their adoptive mother. It was very disstressing to the grandmother. I wonder what those boys are doing today.
Another round of blizzardy weather. Poor husband had the entire driveway cleared (he says so clean you could eat off of it!). The sun even appeared along with blue skies for a couple hours. But then the clouds returned with howling winds and snow. So far we have a new couple of inches with another predicted before 10 tonight.
So many travelers stuck at the CO and KS state lines wanting to come home….the gates are down and they don’t believe they will allow travelers to proceed before 5am tomorrow. One traveling family posted on the “road conditions” site saying there is no room at the inn for their family. They were going to stay in their car all night! Some locals told her of the community center and how to get there for shelter…Nj
I am sorry for those who are stuck in that weather, Nj. It sounds miserable. The few times we were in that type of weather was more than enough. It can be so deadly. Hope all is well with your family and the others on the blog.
In my life, we’ve only had one incident in Atlanta where a blizzard came in so fast that people were stuck in their cars, Snow Jam. Truly unforgetable. I was fortunate to take the rapid rail system, Marta, straight from inside my state office building to downtown Decatur where I got off and walked down the street to my apartment. My apartment mate had driven to a store a few blocks away for batteries and it took her a long time to get home in her car..
wow, such excitement and quietness on the blog.
I am having Archie and Lucy today so it will be busy. We will visit the parks and library on the way home. Then a storm is coming in later
Jo
Jo, sounds like a lovely and fun day ahead, enjoy. 🙂
I will have Thursday and Friday off as vacation days, yay. Handy as I need to finish up the drivers’ license renewal process (and finally take that test) plus make another stab at finding eyeglass frames I like at my eye doctor’s office before my insurance allowance for frames (offered only every other year) expires at the end of this month.
I’ll also be taking down the Christmas tree and continuing the straightening up process around here. I head back to work on Monday, New Year’s Day, I’m one of 3 reporters on the staggered, overlapping holiday shift.
Today I have two stories to write, I finally heard back from both contacts last night so we’re good to go for those.
Cloudy, maybe some rain today and more rain a few days from now.
The house is so quiet now. We had a wonderful time with our children and grandsons. Waiting now for news on whether the fourth due in June will be a boy or a girl.
Our daughter is still here until just after lunch today, along with her dog. Then the great toy pick up begins as does the laundry. So thankful we were able to pick up a new washing machine prior to Christmas – it’s going to get a work out.
Son and I saw my brother again to put flowers at my parent’s grave near where he lives. Usually brother does all the flowers, but I had the matching set from when we went to SC at Thanksgiving (Chas and Elvera). This was the first year that my brother did not do the flowers at Christmas because he was unexpectedly in the hospital. And it is the only year I have taken flowers. My mother died Dec.26, 2004. Glad I had flowers for this year! God knew.♡
Janice – My dad died two days after your mom, December 28, 2004.
Both of my parents were cremated. Their plan was that when mom died, her ashes would be mixed with his, and then they would be sprinkled into the ocean or something.
My brother, who owned a boat, did that last part. I didn’t even know about it until afterwards. 😦
*******
Mumsee – I am crying and praying for that little girl. Rejection from one’s mother must be the worst kind of all. 😦
Sounds like everyone survived Christmas. I worked, and the guys went to the in-laws. They will be back tonight. I had not had time to open the blog for a few days, but instantly saw that AJ is still in the hospital. Prayers continue for him.
Flu A is out of control in NM. Especially devastating to small babies. We have had 3 in the past 2 days which came in critically ill. All under 1 month of age.
Thanks for that funny, Peter. He was so good at making people laugh. A great reward for his seemingly easy effort (hard work in reality to be up during down times). Glad he had a long life.
Happy to see RKessler. Thanks for the heads up on the flu. That’s what my primary care doc said on the 19th . . . flu is big here now. I did not know it was hitting the ypungest babies though. So sad!
Prayers are continuing for AJ. May he have some good visits from people who keep a safe distance. May he begin to enjoy food again and find it agreeable to his body. May he receive the best of care and have much love poured into him from staff, family, and friends. May Cheryl also feel continually supported as she supports AJ through this rugged adventure. I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen
Morning! Good to see you RK!! Hoping you can finally celebrate with your guys upon their return!
My nephew’s 3 year old was down with that flu last week. ☹️
Tim Challies has a couple good suggestions on his blog for reading through the Bible in the coming year.
I failed miserably this year. I printed out his suggested plan.
Smothers’ death was the big type headline in our paper today. He was well-known and loved in the community.
We’ve got rain and chilly weather here, too. Stargazer and girlfriend arrive tomorrow to run our family’s gauntlet (after hers last weekend). We’re looking forward to seeing them; no news, yet, on my nieces though one appears to be ill.
A regrouping day here, and probably advanced cooking for the weekend.
It’s a great day, however, to sit around and read/watch movies and rest. 🙂
“Father God, we pray you would be with the Jackson family this day. Enable AJ’s systems to right themselves into the new normal and give him peace about this decision.
“Encourage Cheryl and give her the questions she needs to ask the physicians about how to love her husband best. Strengthen AJ, clear his mind, ease any pain, and suffuse him with grace, mercy, and love.
“We pray you would give the doctors and nurses wisdom in how to treat AJ, and that you would enable him to return home, soon. In Jesus’ name. Amen.”
I’m off work today and tomorrow, I’m heading to the DMV and eye doctor (on an eyeglass frame hunt) today though. I may wind up at Lenscrafters after all of this.
I barely need distance glasses at all, but probably would opt to use them driving if I had some.
I studied for the written driver’s test but that was back in October and after it all got postponed I haven’t revisited that handbook. So I think I’m just going to take my chances and hope I remember enough to get by today. If not, I’ll have to arrange to take the test again. -dj
I love Michelle’s expression, “run the family’s gauntlet”. Should Stargazer’s girlfriend be scared?
Some friends of ours received a stern lecture from their daughter about what they were allowed and not allowed to ask and say when she brought her serious boyfriend home…
I wonder if some of us have fun stories of the first time we met our in-laws-to-be (or the parents of other boy- or girlfriends that we didn’t end up marrying).
So, we are all waiting to hear if Dj passed her exam????
I went to town to buy the last sling bag. My daughter has one and I could see that it was a good size and safe. Found older daughter and granddaughter in the store, fun! When I was ready to pay I had no credit cards, etc. Couldn’t believe it. Turns out I had to get out my insurance card last night when a doctors office called and I didn’t put the other cards away. Good thing that I had my check book. I am liking the bag I got, it is navy blue. Can be used as a shoulder bag or a fanny pack.
Jo
Now I have to retake it. I studied in October but when everything got delayed due to cataract surgeries and other life complications I guess I forgot a lot.
At least they didn’t put a little red “X” with INCORRECT sticker to wear as I left (which is what appears on the computer every time you get a wrong answer).
I did get set up for the RealID on the new license and everything else is in place, after FOUR hours at a mobbed DMV.
From there it was on to the eye doctor’s office to order new glasses and they were also mobbed! I was under the gun to use my vision insurance frame benefit before it expired (it’s only offered every other year and this was the year). I guess others were there using up their flexible spending accounts. But that must have been about 2-3 hours before getting out of there.
One bright spot if dj doesn’t get her license before it expires: there won’t be a Jeep running us out of the way when trying for the next number goal. 😉
I’m not asking, I’m not asking, I’m not asking…. wow this is hard when there is a Mumsee mystery.
At least she has a bandaid…
In the next two weeks I have a haircut appointment, two dental appointments for fillings, an eye appointment to get my eyes measured for surgery that won’t be until March, oh, an appointment with the foot guy to try and figure out the pain, a deaconness meeting and a Bible study. Enough to keep me busy and probably broke.
Of course the dentist now gives me 30% off and medicare covers my eyes, so it is all okay.
Jo
Oh did I tell you that I told the little ones that I was sad to go to the Christmas eve service alone and invited them to go with me next year? They liked the idea.
We went to Sprouts around 7 a.m. It’s truly the best time to shop.
I’ve enjoyed walking the boardwalk trail lately with son while he’s been home. So many people are using it to walk dogs. Yesterday I saw a man in a wheelchair being pushed by a couple with him. So glad to see that. I’d love to get my friend, K, out there.
oh, my, Aj it is so sweet to hear from you. To have toast after over two weeks, what a blessing.
Prayers continue and thanks for the Facebook pictures.
God is holding you close.
Jo
Thanks for the birthday wishes. My birthday is one day, and the next day is my daughter’s. Between Christmas and New Years is a busy time for us when the family is home. This year we had a ball, as usual. Only two grandsons were missing.
It is interesting that a couple of you lost parents during the holiday season. My dad died between Christmas and New Years Day and my mom just after Thanksgiving. We have a friend who delivers bodies for a local funeral parlor. I was told that this time of year is very busy for them.
I am so glad Aj could have something to eat and things seem to be improving. I usually knew when I started to get impatient and crabby that I was really getting better. Before that I was too sick to feel that way. And, yes, I learned much through trials. What an awesome God who can bring good out of the bad!
So this morning at church I am going to try and find someone who would like to go see Boys in the Boat with me. I can’t remember the last time that I saw a movie except on airplanes. There is a 1 pm showing.
Also right now I am going to try and get the dough made for croissants. I would like to surprise my family with them this evening.
Jo
I listened/watched church on my phone. Nice to do that while on vacation. We spend the month of January each year doing Psalm 119 for Soul Care focus. Our challenge is to read 8 verses a day and journal about the readings for a month. The journals were handed out at the service.
It’s sunny and chilly here in coastal SC. An early walk on the beach with son was pleasant. We saw a gtoup of horseshoe crab shells washed up on the beach. Looked like parents and several young. I have never seen that before. It’s always been the lone big one before and never any young ones .
Wandering Views 
I can’t believe everyone let that sit there for 20 minutes, ripe for the taking.
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Congrats, Kevin!
I see WP is hiiding the first 200 comments. You have to click to see the older comments. Interesting.
For a prize, here is a link to a tasty NY Times soup recipe with over 4K five star reviews:
https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017980-mushroom-spinach-soup-with-cinnamon-coriander-and-cumin
I am enjoying an altered version of it now. Very good!
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Looks like we broke the thread. -dj
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Michelle, I am so sorry, but glad you have found a new home already. I think we would need to make the same decision if that was put before us.
Talking about power and heating bills. Take your bill payment, now add ⅓ of the amount on top for carbon tax and then pay 5% more on that carbon tax for the GST. That’s where we’re at in Canada. It’s ridiculous.
My niece is defending her Master’s thesis today. I am so stinking proud of her (she’s the one with autism). Pending this defence she has already been accepted for her Ph. D.
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Pipe down in here! Let’s have a little order. We are allegedly all grownups after all.
mumsee
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Orderly grownups? So you say, mumsee.
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-dj
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-dj
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I believe we have been the very epitome in order. Where do you find fault, Big Sister?
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DJ, that video is hilarious.
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Kevin, we are being accused of backsliding. -dj
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like dogs on ice …. dj
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I said they are in numerical order. You know….1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,etc.
mumsee.
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Wow! Congratulations to your niece, Kare.
Grrr about the extra costs for your power and heating bill. 😦
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Well I just called fraud again, turns out it was a call center in India. The same check for 1219.76 was again charged to my account and I got several notices that my account is overdrawn.
Now I again need to call them in the morning!!!
Jo
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Our gas company sent a letter saying our bill is going down, since natural gas costs less now. ow often does that happen?
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Oh Jo how awful! I hope the bank can just put a block on that check or perhaps even close the acct and give you another acct number? Praying it all gets resolved quickly!
I sure would have like to have gotten a letter like that one Peter! We just received notice that our gas rates will be increased next month! I am thankful that yours is going down…
Nj
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Good morning all.
Praying for wisdom and peace, Jo.
A beautiful day here. Or, at least, I cannot imagine it otherwise.
Enjoying an unexpected Christmas. Son in law’s mom is here from Texas. She will do most of the cooking the next few days.
Son from Spokane arrives today. He plans to do some odd jobs around here for a week, incorporating seventeen son into the projects.
Cousin will come down from Moscow.
Twenty two daughter from town.
I have been encouraged by God, husband, and son in law to invite daughter ( wife of son in law) and daughter in law ( wife of son who just left for North Dakota). Could be awkward as older daughter has been intimate with both son and son in law (married to son in law and a week from marriage to son and has said many vile things to and about them and me and twenty two and her mother in law) but when God speaks. I imagine they have other plans.
mumsee
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I just realized something. Wasn’t “The Secret Room” thread started on the 14th of December? Ironic that this thread also started on the 14th. That one ended up with 7,000+ comments, I think. Will this one come close?
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No.
mumsee
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Peter, what year was the secret room? I lost my bookmark when I replaced my computer, and I can’t find it now.
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Jo, is there bank branch nearby that you can just go into and ask to speak to someone about all of this — in person? Seems like a stop payment (and closing down the account?) could be needed, they should be able to sort this out maybe better in person. Kind of scary and not sure I’d trust phone calls right now.
I have an in-person news conference in about an hour but it’s nearby and provides an easy story during this holiday dry spell for copy.
We had some good rain last night, I remember at one point hearing an especially heavy downpour. More today and tomorrow, according to the forecast.
-dj
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AJ is back in surgery. Praying.
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Bro is in hospiral again. Hopefully for a short stay for another procedure. I am so tired of hospitals . . . and I know AJ is getting to that point by now! Keeping AJ in prayer and now, Bro, too.
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Yes, Dj. I will be going into my local branch this morning. Of course it has now disappeared from my account again
Praying for Aj
Jo
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Jo, Art found a hundred dollar credit sitting in our bank transactions, and by the time the statement dropped, the mysterious credit had disappeared. Not the same level of your situation but something that happened this month that is unusual.
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Just back from the news conference about a new scam where thieves take gift cards from the open racks, somehow drain the funds from them, then bring them back to the rack where unsuspecting consumers buy them.
County supervisor was one of the victims recently at the local CVS and is asking retailers to put the cards behind the registers or behind glass.
-dj
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https://www.today.com/money/gift-card-draining-scam-rcna130569
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Above link explains more about how it works -dj
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Thanks for alerting us Kare…I jumped over to the prayer thread and read Cheryl’s post…🙏
Sorry to hear your brother is back in the hospital Janice. Praying for him as well!!
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Art wanted me to get gift cards for the business to give to rhree people. The mailman was one. Instead of gift cards I went to the bank and bought two cashier’s checks and one money order (did not know the man’s name). We had enough money in the account so I did not have to pay for the service.
I wanted to avoid the scam that Art was unaware of before I told him.
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I just went to my local Bof A to ask if I could purchase a gift card there, instead of paying 11% to buy it at a store.
They couldn’t do it.
She suggested a cashier’s check.
But I was buying a gift card for a teenager without a bank account.
I had to pay the 11 % at Staples. Grrrrrr.
Banks are not interested in customer service.
We had a $1300 charge on our credit card to an apartment complext in Florida. Credit card company revoked it and sent us a new card.
Last night, someone tried to change my FB password twice. FB didn’t do it.
It’s still mine, but I think I should change my password.
If only these crooks were out doing peace on earth instead of fleece on earth.
God will not be mocked.
Yes, prayers for AJ, who should be in recovery at this point, right?
Congrats to your niece, Kare. That gives us all hope.
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Hi it’s, Cheryl. I put an update on Allen on the prayer thread, it may, or, may not, be coherent, please feel free to ask any questions you might have and I will be happy to respond as I am able.
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Thank you, Cheryl, for keeping us in the loop. We continue to pray.
mumsee
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Another Friday.
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Kevin- I think the Secret Room started in 2014. Hard to believe so much time has passed.
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okay, I had to check. The secret room began on Dec. 20, 2014 and it has 7,361 comments. The last comment was made by Kizzie on Dec. 4, 2021.
That is pretty impressive.
Jo
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So Kizzie just shut the door when she left the room and that was it? -dj
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Did she not turn out the light.
mumsee
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Would it be illegal to tell? The secret room is at https://wanderingviews.com/2014/12/20/our-daily-thread-12-20-14/#comments
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Or you can go back to the beginning instead of the end at https://wanderingviews.com/2014/12/20/our-daily-thread-12-20-14/comment-page-1/#comments
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Thanks, Kevin. And it all started when people were racing for 200.
And now it’s on the way to 10,000.
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A friend in England posted to Facebook:
“We’re ready for the Christingle services tomorrow afternoon. There’s a service at 3:00 p.m. and another one at 4:30 with mulled wine and mince pies in between the two services.
We’d love to see local folks there”
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Mulled wine and minced pies at church. Who knew?
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Good morning all. A beautiful day here. Earlier I was watching some planet, now the sky is covered with a beautiful slate gray.
My dad fell again last night, in his bathroom. Seemed okay, slept well, still sleeping.
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Oops, wrong button.
Our Christmas Day continues to morph. We started expecting just the eight of us, now it has reached thirteen or fourteen but the faces keep changing. I am hoping people will remember to make other plans for their dogs.
mumsee
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Sounds like exciting days at the Nest. Making plans for a big meal in three days with unknown number expected. You can always resort to rationing! No passing of plates😀
I went outside and a dove cooed. I have not heard one here in months. God is good.
I am lIstening to a cd of Salvation Army Christmas brass that they handed out at a Christmas event from years ago. The SE headquarters is off the street my street connects to, several miles from here. Thdy did a really nice Christmas program with a concert inside and a living nativity outside.
Life before Covid.
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I can see a layer of fog below my home. We are clear up here at the top. I think I did too much yesterday with vaccuuming and leaf blowing. There is one section of my driveway that I could not get, too steep. In fact I actually went too far in what I did. I had to slowly walk back up to the house backwards.
Today I need to take care of all the clutter. A slim chance that some folks may come over. I am eating lunch with my friends as another friend is visiting.
I do not have an invitation for Christmas yet, but can always go to my friends house. I am sure I am invited to my daughters, but she has not mentioned it. So I will wait.
As I was sitting in her coffee shop, I texted my kids that I was sitting there waiting for the dilation of my eyes to subside so that I could drive home. She came out from her office to see if I needed a ride home. I had assumed that she had already left. Anyway as we were talking I mentioned my trip to NC and she asked if I was planning on moving there. I said no that this is my home and I love my house.
Jo
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We start our family festivities, basically an 18-member moving feast with songs, celebrations, gifts, parties, and even blowing out 75 candles, today.
A relative’s “big” birthday tonight, the family pesant Christmas meal here tomorrow (followed by our last “midnight” service at our church), and then the full-day regalia at son’s house on Monday.
I’m constantly confused as to what day it is–and have had to stop myself from panicking.
In 90 minutes, I’ll drive to the bookstore to pick up the “world’s best Christmas present,” for the family.
I already bought 10 pair of glow-in-the-dark Yule log socks, but realized yesterday that I need four more pair.
I thought I’d bought out the store . . . but I’ll see.
Merry Christmas to all, with gratitude and thankfulness for your faithfulness and prayer and love for the One who is the reason for it all.
(And prayers, too, for AJ).
Next weekend, we’ll do a similiar moving feast, only this time with 22 . . . (including Stargazer’s girlfriend running the family gauntlet!)
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Janice, they all know how to eat as a group. It will work.
And I am not involved. Son in law’s mom, who got sick after her flight up, was making the meal. She will sit and direct. He will do fine.
mumsee
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Work is (finally) done until Tuesday.
Now for the house … and getting the Christmas tree inside and decorated. I’ve never had a Christmas quite like this one. I still miss my friends I lost, we survivors now seem to have too many doctor appointments on our calendars. 😦 But I’m praising God no one has anything terribly serious going on in our remaining circle.
I managed to churn out 2 stories yesterday and was “let go” when the editor finished reading and posting the last one at around 3 p.m. Then I had a call from Real Estate friend who was stranded at a doctor’s office when he couldn’t get the ignition key to work in his rather ancient CRV in the parking lot.
I picked him up to take him back home so he could retrieve a second key for the car to see if that might work. Nope.
So I waited (it was dark by then) in the parking lot while he called his insurance company to set up a tow appointment (that was complicated in itself) but once the tow truck was on the way I left — he texted me later that he and his car got home OK, but the next issue will be how to get it somewhere to get it fixed. On a holiday weekend, no less.
(I have had AAA ever since college boyfriend bought me a membership when my little old VW bug broke down a little too often; but you can’t use it for someone else, unfortunately — only if you’re a passenger in someone’s car and so if you’re also stranded, you can use your AAA card for the tow on their car.)
____________
Just got a calendar alert on my computer: Christmas Eve – Tomorrow.
– dj
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Good news — my neighbor S is finally coming home after a month’s stay in the hospital following her 2nd knee surgery, yay!
She was so hoping to be home for Christmas so that worked out. I told her husband R I’d clear my car out of the driveway — they’ll be needing that again.
I asked if he was cleaning house to prepare (her standards are incredibly high and he said she’s been concerned he’s maybe let things go a bit) so he said yeah, he’s doing dishes, getting stuff moved into the spare bedroom and out of the kitchen and living room … 🙂
-dj
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Thankful to hear your neighbor finally will be home, dj! A great blessing!
If I did not know better, I would think Michelle is in TX where everything is Bigger! What a wild sounding Christmas compared to our tiny gatherings. I would be lost in it all! But thankful people who enjoy such big gatherings can have it work out. Still feeling badly about the church situation. I know the feeling of loss when moving on.
My church is doing Christmas Eve Sunday service in the morning and Christmas Eve 5 p.m. service. I have heard other churches arr doing only a morning or evening service. Those pastors must be giving an early Christmas gift to themselves😀
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Jo, when you are in NC, my friend offered to take me to see you if we can work out times.
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Wonderful, Janice.
However I might drop by as I am coming or going. 🙂
Jo
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We’re having our regular Sunday morning service plus the usual 5 p.m. Christmas Eve candlelight service tomorrow.
I’m busy in the house today, making progress. This is a very different Christmas, but that’s OK. I’ve realized the holidays just change through different stages of life. 🙂 We get stuck in our patterns and it feels like they’ll last forever, but they can’t (and don’t). But God … 🙂
I was reading a Michael Card book on lamentations and he had this to say which was so wise:
~ “And they will call him Immanuel” — which is “God with us.” (Matt. 1:23). We saw earlier that the ultimate answer to all laments is not to be found in the specifics of what is lamented for. The true answer for a lament of disease is not ultimately the cure. The real solution for a lament of financial distress is never simply money. The answer is always found in the Presence of God. It is rarely what we ask for, but it is always what we ultimately need.
In the end of the book, God’s answer to Job’s loss is not getting his dead children back. Indeed he never gets them back. The answer, God’s answer, is that Job gets God back. And Job’s response, brought into focus by his suffering is clear: That is all he ever really needed. The same can be said for both David and Jeremiah and you and me. ~ (“A Sacred Sorrow”)
-dj
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We’re also going through the Book of Luke right now in our regular service sermons, and because we’ve not been doing that for long, we’ll have a natural expository sermon in the morning that will coincide nicely with the season. -dj
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Who took fifty seven?
Oh. I see the jeep.
Never mind.
mumsee
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Hey, we’ve got a big enough crowd, feel free to slip in for dinner–hard to say if anyone will notice! LOL
I returned to the bookstore to buy more of the best Christmas gift of all time, where I ran into one of our elders who knows us well. I invited him into the store with me, he started to laugh and agreed, it will be the best Christmas gift of all time.
Alas, I bought them out yesterday–except for one more, the minimum I needed for my direct line descendants family–so I’m saved by the bell.
The other four guests (and me), will just have to admire the gift and wish they could have one, too.
🙂
Now to wrap everything . . .
https://www.sockittome.com/products/yule-log-crew-socks-mef0588
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We’re having a small Christmas, just the 2 of us and maybe our son. We’ll get with the rest of them next week.
Oh, and mumsee, by my figuring you got 257.
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Could be.
mumsee
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257 Christmas guests? -dj
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A rant, because it’s Saturday:
😦 Those air machines to inflate car tires at gas stations. Why do they almost never work? Tonight I went into the mini-mart to ask the gas station attendant if it was still working as I couldn’t get it to take my card — yes, that’s another rant, they charge $2 for AIR? — She said you can bypass paying sometimes by punching in some numbers on the key pad and it’ll turn on.
Well, not for me.
I usually swing by one of the local tire shops and pay a few dollars to one of the guys to fill the tires, but they were all closing early and it’s just one tire that’s low …
Oh well, it’s not alarmingly low, just kinda low so it should be fine; I’ll maybe try another gas station machine on the way home from church tomorrow.
-dj
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We still had full-service gas stations when I was a new driver. I miss those, you just sat there like a member of a royal family while they washed your windshield, filled your tank, checked your oil and tires … -dj
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I ate some chocolate chips tonight. Since I went off of coffee, I really should not eat chocolate before bed! I am tired and need rest but my eyes do not want to shut😳
The house smells of Swedish meatballs which I cooked this evening in prep for our Christmas meal. Tomorrow I will make the sauce and put it and the meatballs in the crockpot to heat up on Christmas Day.
We now have the thawing turkey that Bro had planned to cook. I told Son to not let Bro near that turkey since he should not lift any weights after his procedure. God knew Son needed to learn to roast a turkey in 2023. This will be his third in a month😀 Soon he will qualify as Pro Turkey Roaster(tempted to write Rooster).
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Our church is only doing a service this morning. However, the church down the road is doing an evening service and has invited our church members to join. We have also joined together for some summer outdoor services.
Our weather reminds me of when we spent Christmas in Nashville, TN. We have fog and rain! It will be a brown Christmas. I did see a bit of snow left where the plow had left it, otherwise we have none except what the ski resorts have made. I have never experienced that here. We are in drought. We will have a bad spring unless the snow catches up in the next months (or rain).
Our Christmas will be quiet since the family Christmas will not be until between Christmas and New Years. That is a good thing. I am not ready for that yet. Presents are bought, except for one birthday, however more wrapping needs to be done and some other things. Oh, how I love this season!
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Morning all on this snowy Christmas Eve! New fallen snow on the forest floor and it continues to fall. Light glistening flakes and cold!!
Husband will drive to church early to set up and it remains to be seen if I will attempt to drive on these icy roads! He will update me once he gets there…⛄️🧊🎄
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Antecedents matter.
mumsee
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Good morning, all.
Church remains to be seen. A house guest, up from Texas talked of the many illegals on her flights and the coughing and sneezing of the possibly unvaccinated from many countries. Then she was quite sick: sore throat, headache, tired, achy, etc. now the two littles are sneezing coughing, and the older of the two had a headache all day followed with sick to his stomach. Church or no church?
mumsee
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A beautiful day here. Completely socked in with fog. Lots of ground showing through yesterday’s dusting of snow, but cold at around fifteen degrees.
mumsee
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Youngest daughter and family surprised me last night and came to look at the Christmas lights. We found some wonderful ones. One you had to walk down the driveway to see. Got some huge hugs from the kids. Little Lucy yelled loudly when she found that the box that they made into a house was still here. I gave them part of their gift of two bags of belly flops. I love those and you have to eat them slowly and see what flavor each one is.
Just got a text from my young friend that his mom died yesterday.
Jo
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What joy grandchildren can bring Jo!! Thankful they surprised you!!
Sad for your young friend…may our Lord bring comfort to him as only He can impart❣️
Staying in this morning…road conditions are not for the faint of heart on the steep hills!
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A Washington Post headline unintentionally spoke a much larger theological truth today (the phrase referred to the physical state of Bethlehem and Gaza today with a war raging):
‘Jesus in the rubble’
Exactly right, but always and everywhere. Not as a defeated king — but as ultimate victor, ruler of all and comforter in our midst, all of it.
-dj
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The grocery store after church on Christmas Eve was interesting.
Packed, parking spaces and carts at a premium, traffic-heavy aisles.
Older man looking confused in the sparkling water aisle answered his phone (which rang/barked like a dog) and on speaker phone his wife loudly (I was going to say ‘barked’ but I already used that word) listed the pie and cake varieties she needed him to pick up. CHEESE CAKE. PUMPKIN. APPLE. Then a woman overhearing it all added a few others they might consider and what she noticed was in stock … He looked so weary. -dj
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275!
Here is a beautiful song for the day.
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Thanks Peter, that was beautiful.
The tree is “in” and ornaments retrieved from the garage. But for now, it’s off to our candlelight Christmas Eve service. -dj
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Went to the Christmas eve service at 4. Of course we ended by lighting candles as we sang Silent Night.
None of my family came. Oh, so weary of being all alone.
Jo
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Long day today, looking forward to a good night’s sleep. It will be a lazy morning, then Flyboy and his wife, and some of her family, joining us for afternoon dinner.
Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!
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This year we sang “O Come, All Ye Faithful” with the candles lit at the end — but we did also sing “Silent Night” earlier in the service.
-dj
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I met two new families tonight as I decided to sit in a different part of the room.
And then after the service I caught up with folks I talk to most every week, met the mom of my public educator church friend who (the mom) loves reading my name and stories in the paper as her daughter “knows me.” So sweet.
And the other friend whose brother had a double-lung transplant a couple months ago is doing so well, he accepted Christ during the ordeal and from what his sister says now he can’t get enough of learning about the faith, so wonderful and encouraging. She’s beaming. 🙂
Our pastor spoke (the passage in Luke about the shepherds) of Jesus’ coming in the fullness of time as mankind was in a literal free fall. In desperate need, as we still are of course, of a parachute.
-dj
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Tree is “in” but not yet decorated. I have a lighted Bethlehem Star in the front window, several poinsettias hanging over and sitting on the front porch.
Not as many decorations as usual, but it was “one of those years.” I miss so many friends and traditions, these hard changes in life happen.
But it’s Christmas! It’s all good, amen?
-dj
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And I found a long string of 100 soft white battery lights in the garage that are now glowing across the top of the porch rail.
That feels better.
-dj
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I saw a lot of the light blue strings of lights as we drove home from the Christmas Eve service. Those newer lights are easier on my eyes.
My brother got home yesterday. We will go to his house for a Christmas meal which we will mostly bring from our house. Brother is back to being how he is. He called to tell me to be on my good behavior tomorrow at his house. I finally said I might go stay out in the barn with the chickens. INO, I have been warned to expect his bad behavior toward me. This too shall pass.
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Some of the cool white lights have a blue/ice look to them, very pretty. But the (actual) blue lights are so pretty too, I had all blue one year when I waited too long to buy lights (I didn’t have any at that point) and all Target had left were blue! But it was very pretty, the LED lights really are gorgeous.
-dj
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Fireworks going off at midnight on Christmas Eve. A new thing?
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Amen. Off to bed here.
mumsee
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Blue ice lights. That is what they were, not true blue. They are pretty. Maybe next year😀
I had to stay up to let the sauce I made for the Swedish meatballs cool to put it away. Now to make Brussel sprouts and baked spiced apples (to have with ice cream) along with roasting the turkey before we travel tomorrow. Busy, busy, busy . . . I am tired!
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We had fireworks, too, last night and tonight — but they may be a thing of the past out here in time, seems there are pollution/environmental and other concerns about fireworks. -dj
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Meanwhile, the Air Quality Management District has let us know we can’t burn wood in our fireplaces tonight or until further notice, air quality issues. Sigh.
-dj
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~ No-Burn Alert: Mandatory Wood-Burning Ban in Effect for Residents of the South Coast Air Basin ~
… All Indoor and Outdoor Residential Wood Burning Prohibited Due to High Air Pollution Predicted, scheduled for Monday, December 25, 2023 …
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Up again, up again, jiggedy-jog, to get the turkey started!
It used to be up early to open presents😀
Later, celebration of the birth of Jesus.
Merry Christmas to all! Especially thankful this year for all Jesus has done in His lpve for us❤
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Merry Christmas, everyone!
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DJ- Your air quality people were only thinking of Santa. Wouldn’t want him to get burned coming down a chimney with a fire in the fire place.
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The Yule log on television may have to be a substitute.
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Merry Christmas to all. God Bless you all.
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Jo, I’m sorry to hear of your loneliness. It feels especially hard during the holiday season. You are on my heart and in my prayers. I pray you will have some joy come your way today to lift your spirits.
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Last two comments are me, Cheryl, I will try to rememberjust sign off with CJ going forward
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A wonderful Christmas to all.
The glow-in-the-dark Yule log socks were a hit! (But I wish I’d had a pair for everyone. Too late to buy more since I only discovered them two days before Christmas).
The best part, though, was taking a walk between dinner and dessert. Two houses in my neighborhood were among the ones declared “best lights” in the city, so we walked between them, 17 of us, singing Christmas carols, and stopping at about five hours to sing.
One of the tweens ran to the front doors, rang the doorbell and knocked, ran back to join us and we sang while surprised people stared out into the night, delighted!
At the biggest display, where a half-dozen cars milled about watching the light show, the household came out enmasse to hear us, requested a second song, and filmed us!
Some of the other people viewing the light show got confused and joined us!
So much fun.
The two youngest Adorables skipped along with one of them turning to exclaim to me, “This is a walk around the block!”
https://www.michelleule.com/2022/08/09/walk-around-the-block/
This year has simply been too busy, but I love that some traditions–not with a night time sing-along added–are precious.
Merry Christmas all!
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300 and Merry Christmas? -dj
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I walked Abby later than usual last night, the lights were so beautiful and the streets so quiet. A party was underway in one of the houses but otherwise it was all very hushed.
We awake to an especially troubled and torn world this year — but such was the world, and much worse, when Jesus was born.
-dj
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From Charlies:
~ On this day, I am pondering a lovely quote I found in one of De Witt Talmage’s sermons—a quote that calls us to not only be joyful at Christmas, but to see in Christmas proof that Christianity is a joyful faith. He means to counter the “delusion that the religion of Christ is dolorous and grief-infusing.” Here is how Christmas counters any such notion:
The music that broke through the midnight heavens was not a dirge, but an anthem. It shook joy over the hills. It not only dropped upon the shepherds, but it sprang upward among the thrones.
The robe of a Saviour’s righteousness is not black.
The Christian life is not made up of weeping and cross-bearing and war-waging.
Through the revelation of that Christmas night I find that religion is not a groan, but a song.
In a world of sin, and sick beds, and sepulchres, we must have trouble; but in the darkest night the heavens part with angelic song.
You may, like Paul, be shipwrecked, but I exhort you to be of good cheer, for you who are trusting on Christ shall all escape safe to the land. ~
https://www.challies.com/quotes/today-of-all-days-be-of-good-cheer/
-dj
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Good Christmas morn! This day did not start without Aj and Cheryl upon my heart and in our prayers. He has come and remains with us in the valley and mountain top…He is good. Praying for His presence to surround you and be known to all.
We spent a quiet evening last night and another quiet day today. Very sweet and new. While the world rages around us He brings meaning and comfort.
We have a white Christmas and single digit temps. And we may be in for another blizzardly blast…it’s a wait and see!
Nj
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It’s Kim,
Merry Chritmas to all. Hurlburt House is full.
I will update everyone this week.
Nana is in rehab
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Went to my youngest daughters house for breakfast and gifts. They were so excited. Later Lucy came and snuggled on my lap. I got out my phone and showed her a picture of her asleep on my lap when she was nine months old. Sweet time
Still no word from older daughter
Jo
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Nice to see Ajs family picture on Facebook
Jo
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https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10228206745327466&set=a.10224769729764225&__cft__%5B0%5D=AZVcKj3PaeiOlV-Im400eG13UtLML5g5YwCrvvYZt9aJl6Ae7Elj3jznZjWOJUJAM5NkBjZSiFLcG6KO8UqD8igMbW_EG1Fg4ScKVtU0l0p5gMBNTgr8HqosBRz_0q7nxeF9Lz1HjgqNs167t46qZMYCyXH1fchlmMhgOuGcGx9QoQ&__tn__=EH-R
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Don’t know if the link will work, but it should/might take you to a picture of some Jacksons this Christmas
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There’s an AJ update on the prayer thread, a bit more encouraging, Thank you Lord.
Peter, I never even thought of Santa! But of course. …
It’s a quiet Christmas for me, connecting w/a few folks, but I also finally got the tree decorated. Goodness, how late I was this year. Felt weird doing that on Christmas morning, but it was just one of those too-busy work months and everything really got away from me. 😦
But God knows.
I finally finished sterilizing and coating that little misshapen bird’s nest I’d been saving all year — after finding it abandoned and not top/backside of the winter wreath when I went to take it down.
So that’s also sitting in the tree, with a painted-wood robin bird ornament sitting in it. It so reminds me of the one we had for all those years back home, my mom — who found it in one of our backyard trees — treasured that and loved carefully unwrapping it and putting it in our Christmas trees every year.
I put lights and several other ornaments on, but stopped at some point remembering I’d have to dismantle it all in very short order this year — so the more I put up, the more has to come down.
-dj
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Thanks for the FB link of the Jacksons.
Hard year for all of them, they’ve been through so much and it is not over yet. 😦
God is doing something as we continue to pray for a full recovery.
-dj
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Well I finally got a text from my older daughter telling me when to come. I guess that means that I am invited.
Jo
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Our son came about noon. We watched that disaster of a football game which Taylor Swift attended. So did some of our friends. Her (the friend’s, not Swift’s) uncle lives in KC and had 2 extra tickets. So she and her dad went to the game. Her preteen children somehow bought 2 tickets for eats right in front of her uncle’s seats.
Mrs L made pizza for our dinner. After the football game we played Scattergories and Rummy Cube.
I sent texts in Spanish to greet all our children and the 2 sons-in-law. D2 replied in Spanish, but D3 did it in Korean, since she learned some with her cousins (they are all K-Pop fans).
t was a good day.
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*seats, *It was (or T’was)
I need to press all the keys harder.
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Jo, sounds like they just assume you know that you are invited – glad you got the text!
Busy, busy time here. The twins are hilarious and so busy. The one year old is an absolute sweetheart. The dogs are slowly playing better together with the youngest pup being twice as big as them all and learning to respect while playing.
Such a sweet family time. W said “I want to stay here”. So fun. Then I listed all the chores he would have to do if he stayed, like vacuuming, mopping, etc (all things he loves doing).
We made ornaments together and then went out to our little tree nursery and cut down a little pine with them. So fun to then put their decorations on their own little tree.
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I am exhausted.
mumsee
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Ok, we are back to just eight in the house and no dogs. It has been loud. Eight of the adoptees showed up,one came by a couple days ago. They have forgotten how to keep their voices down.
mumsee
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Morning! Hoping all are recovering from yesterday’s activities!
We are finding ourselves in a snow globe this morning. About three inches of swirling whiteout snow so far and it is beautiful! ⛄️🎄
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Peter’s post reminded me that while riding home last night, son was engaged with his phone doing a French lesson. He never wastes a minute when he can learn something. We had some fun conversations about the words and origins, like ‘chef.’. He knows German and said he is interested in learning more about the reception of the writings of John Milton by the Germans back in those days.
Conversations with an English prof on Christmas Day.😀
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It was a rainy and foggy drive home last night. Fog continues today. The newsman said, “It’s the Ghost of Christmas Past.” So clever😀
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No snow here, just rain, rain, rain. Lots of water standing in the yard.
Yes, Jo, I am glad she finally let you know! Adjusting to adult children can be a real learning curve. You don’t want to be presumptive, but you do want to be a part of their lives, too. All of them are super busy which makes forgetting to communicate to everyone easy to do.
I’ve also come to realize that the more adult children that are around, the more each thinks the others are doing things with the grandparents. I sure did with my mom and dad.
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We’re getting some rain (maybe) later this week, but for now we have just clouds, temps still in the mid-60s.
And it’s back to work for us today.
Tree will come down as soon as I can get to it — shortest Christmas tree life ever — but I’m glad I managed to get it in and (barely) decorated “in time.” Sorta. What a strange holiday it was for me. Not bad, just “crunched.”
-dj
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Dj, my friend, K, sent me a card that had Merry Christmas in silver glitter written on the front. I opened it and a popup Christmas tree appearrd all lit up with a star at the top of the tree while the Figgy Pudding song played. That was our Christmas tree.
Wes had ordered a new tree for us to put up on Friday, but had to cancel the order because of my brother’s surgery. Now I have a tree that goes up by opening the card. Taking down the tree is a snap of closing the card shut. Easy peasy😀❤💚❤💚
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Keep that card for next year! 🙂
I guess we are getting some rain today after all.
-dj
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Jo, I would ask if you should consider that you have a standing invitation to dinner at your daughters home. I think that is a reasonable question. But she may be thinking you want to alternate between people and therefore asks at the last minute to be there for you if you did not prefer to be elsewhere. I don’t think it is a case of needing to feel rejected. But that is a view from the distance and I might be wrong.
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Interesting day yesterday. I had invited daughter to spend some time with her children. But she brought an entourage of sister and sister in law. Both of whom have had nothing to say to me for quite a while though they do not hesitate to say a lot about me.
None said anything to me, and daughter was rude to her mother in law who welcomed her with a hi and said merry Christmas when daughter left. Daughter was totally focused on her son and ignored her daughter as is her wont. When grandson, who was way over stimulated, began crying, she told him he could go to her house to spend the night if he liked. On dad’s time. That was, of course vetoed. Who does that to a four year old? No mention of the same for granddaughter. Who does that to a four year old?
I am so tired of this.
mumsee
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Mumsee, there has to be some form of mental illness in her mind and in the minds of those influenced by her. If not that then pure wickedness. It is not right. Maybe God prompted the invite so you could see it even more prominently on display. The children do not need to be around her so much. Very frustrating for everyone!
This reminded me of a bad situation with two adopted boys. Wes and I met a granmother and her grandsons at the pool. We became friends and got together to go fishing at Stone Mt. and do other fun boy activities. The grandmother’s daughter, adoptive mother of the boys had died. The dad was a high powered lawyer. The two boys, born the same year, had been adopted by the couple. One.boy was large and the other smaller. The dad clearly loved the smaller boy and showered him with favor while treating the larger boy poorly. The dad was not a large guy so I wondered if the unequal treatment was related to that. Yes, the question is, how can people do that?The boys had lost their birth families, and then their adoptive mother. It was very disstressing to the grandmother. I wonder what those boys are doing today.
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Another round of blizzardy weather. Poor husband had the entire driveway cleared (he says so clean you could eat off of it!). The sun even appeared along with blue skies for a couple hours. But then the clouds returned with howling winds and snow. So far we have a new couple of inches with another predicted before 10 tonight.
So many travelers stuck at the CO and KS state lines wanting to come home….the gates are down and they don’t believe they will allow travelers to proceed before 5am tomorrow. One traveling family posted on the “road conditions” site saying there is no room at the inn for their family. They were going to stay in their car all night! Some locals told her of the community center and how to get there for shelter…Nj
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I am sorry for those who are stuck in that weather, Nj. It sounds miserable. The few times we were in that type of weather was more than enough. It can be so deadly. Hope all is well with your family and the others on the blog.
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In my life, we’ve only had one incident in Atlanta where a blizzard came in so fast that people were stuck in their cars, Snow Jam. Truly unforgetable. I was fortunate to take the rapid rail system, Marta, straight from inside my state office building to downtown Decatur where I got off and walked down the street to my apartment. My apartment mate had driven to a store a few blocks away for batteries and it took her a long time to get home in her car..
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Good morning, all. Roosters are crowing, my dad is here sitting in his chair, don’t expect to see anybody else for an hour and a half.
mumsee
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wow, such excitement and quietness on the blog.
I am having Archie and Lucy today so it will be busy. We will visit the parks and library on the way home. Then a storm is coming in later
Jo
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Jo, sounds like a lovely and fun day ahead, enjoy. 🙂
I will have Thursday and Friday off as vacation days, yay. Handy as I need to finish up the drivers’ license renewal process (and finally take that test) plus make another stab at finding eyeglass frames I like at my eye doctor’s office before my insurance allowance for frames (offered only every other year) expires at the end of this month.
I’ll also be taking down the Christmas tree and continuing the straightening up process around here. I head back to work on Monday, New Year’s Day, I’m one of 3 reporters on the staggered, overlapping holiday shift.
Today I have two stories to write, I finally heard back from both contacts last night so we’re good to go for those.
Cloudy, maybe some rain today and more rain a few days from now.
-dj
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Roosters are crowing where mumsee is; Abby is lightly snoring as she’s sleeping in a bit today on her living room dog bed. -dj
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Oh, hey, I got #333 above. -dj
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That tree ought to be allowed to stay at least until Kim’s birthday, Jan 6. You let the lights and wreathe stay put. Seems fair.
mumsee
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Ah, the tree has an advocate. -dj
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We awakened to another 5-6 inches of snow. It is so lovely!
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The house is so quiet now. We had a wonderful time with our children and grandsons. Waiting now for news on whether the fourth due in June will be a boy or a girl.
Our daughter is still here until just after lunch today, along with her dog. Then the great toy pick up begins as does the laundry. So thankful we were able to pick up a new washing machine prior to Christmas – it’s going to get a work out.
Thinking of and praying for AJ and Cheryl.
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Son and I saw my brother again to put flowers at my parent’s grave near where he lives. Usually brother does all the flowers, but I had the matching set from when we went to SC at Thanksgiving (Chas and Elvera). This was the first year that my brother did not do the flowers at Christmas because he was unexpectedly in the hospital. And it is the only year I have taken flowers. My mother died Dec.26, 2004. Glad I had flowers for this year! God knew.♡
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Janice – My dad died two days after your mom, December 28, 2004.
Both of my parents were cremated. Their plan was that when mom died, her ashes would be mixed with his, and then they would be sprinkled into the ocean or something.
My brother, who owned a boat, did that last part. I didn’t even know about it until afterwards. 😦
*******
Mumsee – I am crying and praying for that little girl. Rejection from one’s mother must be the worst kind of all. 😦
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I don’t like that the frowning emojis look so dopey.
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Sounds like everyone survived Christmas. I worked, and the guys went to the in-laws. They will be back tonight. I had not had time to open the blog for a few days, but instantly saw that AJ is still in the hospital. Prayers continue for him.
Flu A is out of control in NM. Especially devastating to small babies. We have had 3 in the past 2 days which came in critically ill. All under 1 month of age.
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I do wonder if that was what my sick houseguest brought.
Continuing prayer for the real and family.
mumsee
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In memory of Tom Smothers, who died yesterday at age 86. This is one my favorite of his songs.
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Thanks for that funny, Peter. He was so good at making people laugh. A great reward for his seemingly easy effort (hard work in reality to be up during down times). Glad he had a long life.
Happy to see RKessler. Thanks for the heads up on the flu. That’s what my primary care doc said on the 19th . . . flu is big here now. I did not know it was hitting the ypungest babies though. So sad!
Prayers are continuing for AJ. May he have some good visits from people who keep a safe distance. May he begin to enjoy food again and find it agreeable to his body. May he receive the best of care and have much love poured into him from staff, family, and friends. May Cheryl also feel continually supported as she supports AJ through this rugged adventure. I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen
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Morning! Good to see you RK!! Hoping you can finally celebrate with your guys upon their return!
My nephew’s 3 year old was down with that flu last week. ☹️
Tim Challies has a couple good suggestions on his blog for reading through the Bible in the coming year.
I failed miserably this year. I printed out his suggested plan.
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Smothers’ death was the big type headline in our paper today. He was well-known and loved in the community.
We’ve got rain and chilly weather here, too. Stargazer and girlfriend arrive tomorrow to run our family’s gauntlet (after hers last weekend). We’re looking forward to seeing them; no news, yet, on my nieces though one appears to be ill.
A regrouping day here, and probably advanced cooking for the weekend.
It’s a great day, however, to sit around and read/watch movies and rest. 🙂
“Father God, we pray you would be with the Jackson family this day. Enable AJ’s systems to right themselves into the new normal and give him peace about this decision.
“Encourage Cheryl and give her the questions she needs to ask the physicians about how to love her husband best. Strengthen AJ, clear his mind, ease any pain, and suffuse him with grace, mercy, and love.
“We pray you would give the doctors and nurses wisdom in how to treat AJ, and that you would enable him to return home, soon. In Jesus’ name. Amen.”
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Amen!
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I’m off work today and tomorrow, I’m heading to the DMV and eye doctor (on an eyeglass frame hunt) today though. I may wind up at Lenscrafters after all of this.
I barely need distance glasses at all, but probably would opt to use them driving if I had some.
I studied for the written driver’s test but that was back in October and after it all got postponed I haven’t revisited that handbook. So I think I’m just going to take my chances and hope I remember enough to get by today. If not, I’ll have to arrange to take the test again. -dj
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Another good phone call with grandson and son in law.
mumsee
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I love Michelle’s expression, “run the family’s gauntlet”. Should Stargazer’s girlfriend be scared?
Some friends of ours received a stern lecture from their daughter about what they were allowed and not allowed to ask and say when she brought her serious boyfriend home…
I wonder if some of us have fun stories of the first time we met our in-laws-to-be (or the parents of other boy- or girlfriends that we didn’t end up marrying).
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So, we are all waiting to hear if Dj passed her exam????
I went to town to buy the last sling bag. My daughter has one and I could see that it was a good size and safe. Found older daughter and granddaughter in the store, fun! When I was ready to pay I had no credit cards, etc. Couldn’t believe it. Turns out I had to get out my insurance card last night when a doctors office called and I didn’t put the other cards away. Good thing that I had my check book. I am liking the bag I got, it is navy blue. Can be used as a shoulder bag or a fanny pack.
Jo
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I flunked!
Now I have to retake it. I studied in October but when everything got delayed due to cataract surgeries and other life complications I guess I forgot a lot.
At least they didn’t put a little red “X” with INCORRECT sticker to wear as I left (which is what appears on the computer every time you get a wrong answer).
I did get set up for the RealID on the new license and everything else is in place, after FOUR hours at a mobbed DMV.
From there it was on to the eye doctor’s office to order new glasses and they were also mobbed! I was under the gun to use my vision insurance frame benefit before it expired (it’s only offered every other year and this was the year). I guess others were there using up their flexible spending accounts. But that must have been about 2-3 hours before getting out of there.
What a fun vacation day. 🙂 I’m exhausted.
-dj
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And Abby’s ‘dinner’ was 2 hours late by the time I got home. She was happy to see me. -dj
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One bright spot if dj doesn’t get her license before it expires: there won’t be a Jeep running us out of the way when trying for the next number goal. 😉
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That is harsh big brother.
mumsee
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True though.
mumsee
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Did you know that if you are typing on an iPad with a bandaid on your finger, it does not register the bandaid?
mumsee
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If anybody is wondering about the bandaid on my finger: I had a run in with a power tool.
mumsee
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Oh look, I snatched fifty seven from right under his nose.
mumsee
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The power tool? An electric can opener.
Don’t ask.
mumsee
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I think this song speaks to how I have felt this year has gone. I am sure most of you have also had a similar time.
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Are you having a conversation by yourself, Mumsee?
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What were you opening? Cherry pie filling? Olives? Surely not spinach…
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I’m not asking, I’m not asking, I’m not asking…. wow this is hard when there is a Mumsee mystery.
At least she has a bandaid…
In the next two weeks I have a haircut appointment, two dental appointments for fillings, an eye appointment to get my eyes measured for surgery that won’t be until March, oh, an appointment with the foot guy to try and figure out the pain, a deaconness meeting and a Bible study. Enough to keep me busy and probably broke.
Of course the dentist now gives me 30% off and medicare covers my eyes, so it is all okay.
Jo
Oh did I tell you that I told the little ones that I was sad to go to the Christmas eve service alone and invited them to go with me next year? They liked the idea.
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I have heard that song on The Fish, an Atlanta Christian station. I relate to it this past year, most drfinitely. Thank Rk♡
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It’s the last Friday of 2023.
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Thanks for the song rkessler, I’m guessing a lot of us can relate to that one. -dj
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We went to Sprouts around 7 a.m. It’s truly the best time to shop.
I’ve enjoyed walking the boardwalk trail lately with son while he’s been home. So many people are using it to walk dogs. Yesterday I saw a man in a wheelchair being pushed by a couple with him. So glad to see that. I’d love to get my friend, K, out there.
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Happy birthday, Kathaleena!
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Kathaleena’s birthday? Happy Birthday to you!! Nj
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Roosters are crowing, the sun should be rising in the next hour.
A beautiful day here, I am sure.
I have been working on the puzzles given to me for Christmas. Challenges.
mumsee
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Happy birthday, Kathaleena! Yesterday or today or …
mumsee
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Happy Birthday, Kathaleena (whenever it was/is/will be)!
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375!
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I’ll let the the rest of you race to 400. After work today we leave on our 2 week trip West.
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Hey all, just wanted to say hi.finally gonna get some toast today. Little improvements. Doc said maybe come home later next week.
Thanks for all the prayers and thoughts.
Love
Aj
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oh, my, Aj it is so sweet to hear from you. To have toast after over two weeks, what a blessing.
Prayers continue and thanks for the Facebook pictures.
God is holding you close.
Jo
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Great news, AJ.
Happy birthday, Kathleena.
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Happy birthday, Kathaleena!
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Aj!!!! Happier New Year to you!! Thankful for progress and toast!!! Continued prayers for healing….❣️🙏
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Gauntlet run with joy and aplomb. Adorable granddaughter quartet is smitten.
We took a lovely hike through the redwoods this morning. Family will gather again tonight for Costco hotdogs and burgers.
Girlfriend has basic flash cards on all the family (! Family photo calendar gift to Stargazer) and is working through it with laughter.
All good.
Tomorrow is our last day at church. People are sending emotional goodbye emails. This is difficult, as we knew it would be.
M
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Happy birthday,KI.
Good news, AJ!
Anymore initials? 🙃
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Good to hear from you, the real brother.
mumsee
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We are in travel status for a week. I am so not used to traveling. I am very tired tonight. We found a great luttld restaurant for takeout tonifht.
So thankful to see AJ’s post!!! What a blessing. Toast is the beginning of many great foods fo taste and enjoy.
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Good news AJ!
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Happy Birthday, Kathaleena. 🙂
AJ, blessings to you.
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That was 6
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Thanks for the birthday wishes. My birthday is one day, and the next day is my daughter’s. Between Christmas and New Years is a busy time for us when the family is home. This year we had a ball, as usual. Only two grandsons were missing.
It is interesting that a couple of you lost parents during the holiday season. My dad died between Christmas and New Years Day and my mom just after Thanksgiving. We have a friend who delivers bodies for a local funeral parlor. I was told that this time of year is very busy for them.
I am so glad Aj could have something to eat and things seem to be improving. I usually knew when I started to get impatient and crabby that I was really getting better. Before that I was too sick to feel that way. And, yes, I learned much through trials. What an awesome God who can bring good out of the bad!
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Morning all. Kathaleena, it was so fun to see you with your family celebrating on Facebook. Memories to last.
Jo
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So this morning at church I am going to try and find someone who would like to go see Boys in the Boat with me. I can’t remember the last time that I saw a movie except on airplanes. There is a 1 pm showing.
Also right now I am going to try and get the dough made for croissants. I would like to surprise my family with them this evening.
Jo
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Good morning, all. A beautiful rainy day here. I am feeling off, we will see about church.
We read Boys in the Boat and husband is wanting to watch it. Probably happy to go to CA to watch but it has been sold out where he checked.
mumsee
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Church is on. Stepped outside for some fresh air. Dad wants to go. We are good.
mumsee
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I listened/watched church on my phone. Nice to do that while on vacation. We spend the month of January each year doing Psalm 119 for Soul Care focus. Our challenge is to read 8 verses a day and journal about the readings for a month. The journals were handed out at the service.
It’s sunny and chilly here in coastal SC. An early walk on the beach with son was pleasant. We saw a gtoup of horseshoe crab shells washed up on the beach. Looked like parents and several young. I have never seen that before. It’s always been the lone big one before and never any young ones .
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We saw Boys in the Boat a few days ago. Loved it. Very fun and inspiring.
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Happy…
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New
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Year…
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Wanderers!
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400!
You had you chance.
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