Here it is - two days before Christmas and I find it hard to comprehend how quickly we're tumbling towards the Big Day and the New Year.
BUT - Every night I write in my journal. As most of you know, I've been doing it for 30 odd years, plus more if you want to include my childhood. It's easy to realize how close we are to the end of the year by the limited number of pages I have left in it, and as they become less and less, it surely reminds me that the year is ending.
At that point, I usually turn to the end of my journal to read and ponder the section that is of other writings I have found to be inspirational during the year. Yes. I collect writings. As most of you know, I am an avid reader. And as I read I sometimes will come across some statement that I think is "cool." or hits my fancy. I want to remember it. Perhaps it has to do with my life at the present time, Perhaps it is just something that I think I will enjoy reading about later on. Either way, I write them down. I try to put the author's name, or some other way to give credit due to whomever the author is. But sometimes I forget. Oh, well. Good intentions.
When you get to be my age, Christmas is not about material things, such as Santa Claus and presents, as much as it is about the story of the Christ Child, family and friends, and I have my wonderful husband and family to help me celebrate the Christmas season. So - This year I have decided to share my quotes with you, as a gift for Christmas. Perhaps one or two will "ring a Christmas bell" for you.
Merry Christmas to you all.
Dec. 26, 2013 (I had just gotten my new diary and decided this would be a good entry for 2014)
Do not fault the lazy man
Who chooses to rise late.
He may achieve his destiny
By sleeping thru his fate.
****
It's good to have a dream,
And I also think it's true
That if you believe in your dream
Then your dream will believe in you
A.B. Curtis
The Little Chapel that Stood
Don't miss out on a blessing because it isn't packaged the way you expect.
****
No mother is ever, completely, a child's idea of what a mother should be, and I suppose it works the other way around as well. But despite everything we didn't do badly by one another, we did as well as most.
I wish she were here, so I could tell her I finally know this.
The Handmaid's Tale
****
Life is not the way it's supposed to be - it's the way it is. The way you cope with it is what makes the difference.
****
A boy does not need a father, unless he is a good father, and a good father is indispensable.
The Stand - Mar 29, 2014
****
I have learned that People
will forget what you said,
People will forget what you did, but
People will never forget how you made them feel.
Listen to yourself and in that quietude
you might hear the voice of God.
Maya Anjelou
****
I am no longer the daughter my parents knew. They will never know me as I am now.
Divergent
****
Life damages us, everyone. We can't escape that damage. But now, I am also learning this. We can be mended. We mend each other.
Allegiant
Tuesday, December 23, 2014
Saturday, December 20, 2014
No coats, No hats, No boots
Time is a-flying around here. I finally have some time to write.
Being in Florida and warm weather is not conducive to the Christmases we've had in the past. I must confess that I like it this way.
It certainly is fun not to worry about slipping on ice. Paul says he remembers how quickly he fell on our icy driveway upstate NY going to pick up the newspaper in the early morning. One second up, the next down. No thank you. We don't need that. It is such a pleasure to go out without coat, hat, boots. And still have all the merriment found at the Holiday Season. And to have Paul go out and put up the lights and not have it a chore.
Our Circle is just beautiful.
Our next door neighbor, Bob, and his brother-in-law, Phil who also lives in our Circle with his wife Kathy, and Paul have done such a marvelous job of lighting display - draping trees, shrubbery - using nets, strings of lights. Bob decorated before Thanksgiving, leaving them off, until the time was right.. His purpose in doing it so early? - do it while it isn't hot! Remember? It was cool at Thanksgiving. LOL.
Inside: We got a garland from Lowe's with LED lights that blink white, blink colored, or stay whatever you want. Things have certainly changed since we last bought lights! We have that in our lanai, draped across the long wall that separates the lanai from the kitchen.
We have a little decorated Christmas tree on our piano, I have a little crèche on the piano that my friend Ruth got for me several years ago. I should change that because when I open up the piano to use it, it obscures the crèche. The artificial Fica tree has lights in it and is also decorated.
We've had a couple of holiday parties here at the house. The first one was for the neighbors. Only a few people could come, but we had fun! Lots of cheer, food and merriment. We sat at the island and chatted.
My brother Bob will be happy to know that we used and are using his Christmas gift to us: a blue tooth speaker! I don't know how we managed before to enjoy all the Christmas music of Pandora. It has been wonderful. As I said, we continue to enjoy it. Maybe we'll bring it with us to Gainesville when we go for Christmas.
Our second party was a spur of the moment one - and was during the week - we're all retired - so it doesn't matter! This was my carol-sing. I wasn't sure I wanted to do it, but, several people asked if I was doing it. I must say - it was enjoyable. These are the popular modern Christmas songs. (White Christmas, Jingle Bell Rock) I must say - I have almost perfected this. I have the music, I have made up song sheets. And I found some gluten free chocolate chip cookie dough to make cookies. (That was good or bad actually.) Oh, but it tasted so good.
What I need is a copy of piano music carols with whom people can sing along too. (It Came Upon a Midnight Clear, Silent Night, O Little Town of Bethlehem - you know the kind.) Lots more people came for this event than the neighbors, since I opened it up. Even people from last year that couldn't make it, came. Very pleased to be invited again. Everyone brought an hors-doerve. And we used those for our "supper". Everyone came at 5:30. We drank, ate, and then sang. Enjoyable. Then almost all walked home. No coats, no hats, no boots.
I'm disappointed:
in the music at our Presbyterian church because the wonderful choir director of several years left (I don't know why, but it sure points out the great importance of music in a church)and they have a new young man in charge who didn't have time (I'm thinking/hoping) to do any of the extra Christmas music we usually have. The choir has dwindled. But perhaps that's because they haven't arrived yet. I think that has made us go elsewhere to hear the sounds of the season.
Last Sunday evening, Alice's church choir and music department put on a Cantata. A group of us from Circlewoods went. It was perfectly lovely. They had a small orchestra playing carols in the vestibule before the service began. The children's choirs sang, the 50+ member choir did a marvelous job. (I counted them.) Alice said it was so nice to look out and see us.
Tomorrow afternoon we're going to a barbershop concert with Alice and Carol at Carol's church. Alice and Carol are coming back here for some crockpot pot roast.
Oh NOW more such great happy thoughts:
I have to get used to the pleasant idea of thinking of Nancy, Dan, Vincent, Evie and Walter being in Cancun, Mexico for Christmas. Dan's parents are celebrating their 45th wedding anniversary and invited all their three children, spouses and significant others. How exciting. They won't need hats, coats, and boots! Yeah! They left yesterday so everyone is enjoying themselves in the warm sun! As I write.
They requested sending all their gifts to their Chicago address and a neighbor is picking them up and putting them in a safe place away from the open vestibule. They get home the day after Christmas. (night, actually) The nice thing is they have almost a week of vacation time left before they have to start back to work/school.
Thank you Sharon for sending the patio cushions that I erroneously sent upstate NY - (One step amazon prime shipping doesn't work if your address is NYS and you're in Fla.). They look beautiful on our outdoor patio set. You are wonderful and I thank you so much for being there for me. I am sometimes not very swift. My mind escapes me.
We're excited to be going to Gainesville for Christmas. Gracie has a special Christmas collar that she's worn for our parties. She doesn't care for it much, but she hasn't put up a great fuss. Brenda, Eric and Emma will be flying in from California. It'll be so nice. A little vacation for us and such a treat to see everyone.
Santa brought Paul a new bike. He got it early, a week or so ago. He's out riding it right now. Santa was smart to get that for him. Plus some power tools have been put to good use already. He's been having a wonderful time. Not Santa. Paul.
Being in Florida and warm weather is not conducive to the Christmases we've had in the past. I must confess that I like it this way.
It certainly is fun not to worry about slipping on ice. Paul says he remembers how quickly he fell on our icy driveway upstate NY going to pick up the newspaper in the early morning. One second up, the next down. No thank you. We don't need that. It is such a pleasure to go out without coat, hat, boots. And still have all the merriment found at the Holiday Season. And to have Paul go out and put up the lights and not have it a chore.
Our Circle is just beautiful.
Our next door neighbor, Bob, and his brother-in-law, Phil who also lives in our Circle with his wife Kathy, and Paul have done such a marvelous job of lighting display - draping trees, shrubbery - using nets, strings of lights. Bob decorated before Thanksgiving, leaving them off, until the time was right.. His purpose in doing it so early? - do it while it isn't hot! Remember? It was cool at Thanksgiving. LOL.
Inside: We got a garland from Lowe's with LED lights that blink white, blink colored, or stay whatever you want. Things have certainly changed since we last bought lights! We have that in our lanai, draped across the long wall that separates the lanai from the kitchen.
We have a little decorated Christmas tree on our piano, I have a little crèche on the piano that my friend Ruth got for me several years ago. I should change that because when I open up the piano to use it, it obscures the crèche. The artificial Fica tree has lights in it and is also decorated.
We've had a couple of holiday parties here at the house. The first one was for the neighbors. Only a few people could come, but we had fun! Lots of cheer, food and merriment. We sat at the island and chatted.
My brother Bob will be happy to know that we used and are using his Christmas gift to us: a blue tooth speaker! I don't know how we managed before to enjoy all the Christmas music of Pandora. It has been wonderful. As I said, we continue to enjoy it. Maybe we'll bring it with us to Gainesville when we go for Christmas.
Our second party was a spur of the moment one - and was during the week - we're all retired - so it doesn't matter! This was my carol-sing. I wasn't sure I wanted to do it, but, several people asked if I was doing it. I must say - it was enjoyable. These are the popular modern Christmas songs. (White Christmas, Jingle Bell Rock) I must say - I have almost perfected this. I have the music, I have made up song sheets. And I found some gluten free chocolate chip cookie dough to make cookies. (That was good or bad actually.) Oh, but it tasted so good.
What I need is a copy of piano music carols with whom people can sing along too. (It Came Upon a Midnight Clear, Silent Night, O Little Town of Bethlehem - you know the kind.) Lots more people came for this event than the neighbors, since I opened it up. Even people from last year that couldn't make it, came. Very pleased to be invited again. Everyone brought an hors-doerve. And we used those for our "supper". Everyone came at 5:30. We drank, ate, and then sang. Enjoyable. Then almost all walked home. No coats, no hats, no boots.
I'm disappointed:
in the music at our Presbyterian church because the wonderful choir director of several years left (I don't know why, but it sure points out the great importance of music in a church)and they have a new young man in charge who didn't have time (I'm thinking/hoping) to do any of the extra Christmas music we usually have. The choir has dwindled. But perhaps that's because they haven't arrived yet. I think that has made us go elsewhere to hear the sounds of the season.
Last Sunday evening, Alice's church choir and music department put on a Cantata. A group of us from Circlewoods went. It was perfectly lovely. They had a small orchestra playing carols in the vestibule before the service began. The children's choirs sang, the 50+ member choir did a marvelous job. (I counted them.) Alice said it was so nice to look out and see us.
Tomorrow afternoon we're going to a barbershop concert with Alice and Carol at Carol's church. Alice and Carol are coming back here for some crockpot pot roast.
Oh NOW more such great happy thoughts:
I have to get used to the pleasant idea of thinking of Nancy, Dan, Vincent, Evie and Walter being in Cancun, Mexico for Christmas. Dan's parents are celebrating their 45th wedding anniversary and invited all their three children, spouses and significant others. How exciting. They won't need hats, coats, and boots! Yeah! They left yesterday so everyone is enjoying themselves in the warm sun! As I write.
They requested sending all their gifts to their Chicago address and a neighbor is picking them up and putting them in a safe place away from the open vestibule. They get home the day after Christmas. (night, actually) The nice thing is they have almost a week of vacation time left before they have to start back to work/school.
Thank you Sharon for sending the patio cushions that I erroneously sent upstate NY - (One step amazon prime shipping doesn't work if your address is NYS and you're in Fla.). They look beautiful on our outdoor patio set. You are wonderful and I thank you so much for being there for me. I am sometimes not very swift. My mind escapes me.
We're excited to be going to Gainesville for Christmas. Gracie has a special Christmas collar that she's worn for our parties. She doesn't care for it much, but she hasn't put up a great fuss. Brenda, Eric and Emma will be flying in from California. It'll be so nice. A little vacation for us and such a treat to see everyone.
Santa brought Paul a new bike. He got it early, a week or so ago. He's out riding it right now. Santa was smart to get that for him. Plus some power tools have been put to good use already. He's been having a wonderful time. Not Santa. Paul.
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