It's here...

Santa stopped by..bad boy. We had agreed to not exchange gifts but...According to Perry Santa left me a Keurig K-cup turntable..I love it!

Christmas eve 2...

Christmas Eve
Has
Returned,
Inspiring
Santas
Throughout the land,
Making last minute lists,
As fast as they can,
Spreading Joy, Love, Peace and Cheer
Everlasting memories, Holiday fun,
Vowing to shop much earlier next year, on this
Eve of Christmas to come.

Christmas eve...

It's Christmas eve..Perry is working but he will have off Christmas and Monday. Looking forward to a two day holiday with no errands.

snowman...

I mean snow-cat

They are saying...

we may have snow on Saturday..that would be wonderful!

only 5 days til....

CHRISTmas

The strange Christmas scene.....

In a small southern town there was a "Nativity Scene" that showed great skill and much talent had gone into creating it. One small feature bothered the northern tourist.

The three wise men were wearing firemen's helmets.

Totally unable to come up with a reason or explanation,the tourist left. At a "Quik Stop" on the edge of town, she asked the lady behind the counter about the helmets. The store clerk exploded into a rage, yelling at her, "You stupid Yankees never do read the Bible!" The tourist assured her that she did, but simply couldn't recall anything about firemen in the Bible.

The clerk jerked her Bible from behind the counter and ruffled through some pages, and finally jabbed her finger at a passage. Sticking it in the tourists face she said "See, it says right here, 'The three wise man came from afar.'"

ha ha ha ha....

More Christmas stuff...

The right side of the window grouping with my Christmas village. I added the boy making a snow angel and the garbage cans with racoons this year. The snow chalet with trees was a birthday gift from Tom & Myra, a long, long time ago. The grands loved the little outhouse with a reindeer peaking in..open the door and Santa is on the pot...

the middle of the village...Nick thought the camp fire was a pizza...he was about 3 He said, "Nana, that boy is sharing his pizza with his dog." I let the grands play with these figures. They were very careful and loved to make up stories around the characters.

The left side...The store candy dish was given me for my birthday by Mom..also the lady with a little boy..Nick thought they were He & I. The decorated Christmas tree beside the store,  Perry made of plaster of Paris and painted.

The Santa on top of the shelf was made by Perry to his Mom when he was in the 3rd grade. It is 48 years old. the top shelf has a set of Christmas tree Salt & Pepper shakers that Beth gave me in my sock one year. My first collected Christmas S&P is the penguin w/igloo on the middle shelf. I have 27 Christmas S&P shaker sets and 6 orphans. The bunny on the bottom shelf is a Goebel figurine Perry gave me for my birthday, long ago.

The bottom of my tree..there is Spot a paper dalmation dog..the cat is Jingles, a gift to Nick from Mom when he was about 3 years old. When he used it for a nap pillow I had to take his bell off because it was very jingle-y. Lauren later napped with Jingles, many times. He usually hangs out on the back of the couch to this day.

middle of the tree..many beloved sister ornaments, handmade in school ornaments,Yes, I have a squirrel in my tree like the Griswolds.. 

the top of the tree..I asked Nick if we should put a star, bow or angel on top..he said all three..there is my Frosty night light. The knitted reindeer ornament Bitsi made me..

some of my Christmas S&P shakers

The table in back of the sofa...there is my Snowman cookie jar, lift the lid and it plays Frosty the Snowman. It was a game gift from a Life Group Christmas party.. my Santa babies, I love the snowman lamp tassle..Norma remember these canape trees and S&P shakers? I think you gave me one set for my birthday and I bought another to put on the bottom shelves of the coffee table I had at that time. The M&M candy jar was a Christmas gift from Perry's niece Kim.

the table ..I need a new table..but can't find one the right size for the tiny spot. The centerpiece is new ..it is battery operated..the lights come on at 5pm and go off at 11pm..It works.

a birthday gift from Norma

a message left on the Christmas Magnadoodle by a little blonde angel named Lauren. 

some more S&P shakers on the shelf behind the Christmas tree

My Christmas quilt, a gift from Zita in 1999, she had drawn my name..Mom made the pillows...

All around the house...



Grumpy husband with naked new tree...

Perry is not getting swallowed by the tree. He is fixing it so the cords don't show.

got the bows on..now working on the glass icicles..the bows are at least over 26 years old.

The tree all decorated..the grands stockings all stuffed..the garland is not lit yet. We have to string some new lights on it.

on top of the media cabinet...my snow babies, snowmen, penguins, and snowy trees. I bought the snowbabies before Perry and I married.

My nativity scene. It is Avon the date stamp on it is 1986.

Love this little grouping. It is Hallmark ornaments but I use it as a grouping.

the right side of the top shelf in the window of our library.

the middle of that shelf

the left side

I heard the bells on Christmas day...

Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

And thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along th’ unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.
Till ringing, singing on its way
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good will to men.
And in despair I bowed my head:
“There is no peace on earth,” I said,
“For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.”
Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
“God is not dead, nor does He sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail
With peace on earth, good will to men.”

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Born	February 27, 1807(1807-02-27) Portland, Maine, United States
Died	March 24, 1882(1882-03-24) (aged 75) Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States
Occupation	Poet Professor
Literary movement	Romanticism

A Sign of the Times...

As a little girl climbed onto Santa's lap, Santa asked the usual, "And what would you like for Christmas?"

 The child stared at him open mouthed and horrified for a minute, then gasped: "Didn't you get my E-mail?"

See, you should not smoke...

Actually, I think cigatettes would have the same effect....

Now this is funny...

I saw this and laughed...because, I don't think he is dead, just resting or maybe messing with Santa.

Politically Correct Christmas Wish....

Please accept without obligation, express or implied, these best wishes for an
environmentally safe, socially responsible, low stress, non addictive, and
gender neutral celebration of the winter solstice holiday as practiced within
the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice (but
with respect for the religious or secular persuasions and/or traditions of
others, or for their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at
all) and further for a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling, and medically
uncomplicated onset of the generally accepted calendar year (including, but not
limited to, the Christian calendar, but not without due respect for the
calendars of choice of other cultures). The preceding wishes are extended
without regard to the race, creed, color, age, physical ability, religious
faith, choice of computer platform, or sexual preference of the wishee(s).


And I say...ooooh please..Merry CHRISTmas and Happy New Year!

Today we bought...

a new Christmas tree. We shopped around and got it on sale and bought the floor display so we got an extra $40.00 off that already sale price..what a bargain. We plan to put it up Perry's next days off. I want to rearrange the furniture if we can. I need a change and to rid myself of some more books. Perry promises I won't have to live here til I die so I may pack them down awhile. I put out my Christmas dishes Saturday. Wow, dishes seem heavier than I remembered. I look forward to getting the house all decked out even though it will only be for Perry and me. I think it was more cheerful around here when I decorated for Halloween and Thanksgiving.

Put my Thanksgiving...

decor up today. Wow, that is fast for me. Had a beautiful Thanksgiving yesterday at Dave and Bitsi's home in Paris. We ate delicious traditional Thanksgiving food. Shared a lot of laughs.

Our hosts Dave and Bitsi

Happy Birthday, Zita.

Beth, Norma and Bitsi

Perry, Norma, and Zita

The Sisters

Glenda, Norma, Zita, & Bitsi

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and...

my sister Zita's birthday...

Happy Birthday, Zita....

May 2011
"A sister by blood, A friend by choice."

You're Thankful and You Know It...

If you're thankful and you know it, clap your hands.
If you're thankful and you know it, clap your hands.
If you're thankful and you know it,
Then your face will surely show it.
If you're thankful and you know it, clap your hands.

If you're thankful and you know it, stomp your feet.
If you're thankful and you know it, stomp your feet.
If you're thankful and you know it,
Then your face will surely show it.
If you're thankful and you know it, stomp your feet.

If you're thankful and you know it, shout "I am!"
If you're thankful and you know it, shout "I am!"
If you're thankful and you know it,
Then your face will surely show it.
If you're thankful and you know it, shout "I am!"

If you're thankful and you know it, do all three.
If you're thankful and you know it, do all three.
If you're thankful and you know it,
Then your face will surely show it.
If you're thankful and you know it, do all three.

While perusing the web for Thanksgiving poems, jokes, and such, I came across this modification of the booster band song "If You 're Happy and You Know It" I think it is a good thing..as a child this was one of my very favorite songs to sing and act out. I like the idea that the song points out you won't be happy to be saved unless you KNOW it. Nothing is as comforting to me than to know I am saved or in this case..truly thankful.

Happy Birthday, Norma....

Happy 60th Birthday and remember, as the Chinese say: You can not prevent the birds of sorrow from flying over your head, but you can prevent them from building a nest in your hair

A short history of medicine ...

"Doctor, I have an ear ache."
2000 BC - "Here, eat this root."
1000 BC - "That root is heathen, say this prayer."
1850 AD - "That prayer is superstition, drink this potion."
1940 AD - "That potion is snake oil, swallow this pill."
1985 AD - "That pill is ineffective, take this antibiotic."
2000 AD - "That antibiotic is artificial. Here, eat this root!"

Thanksgiving Bible Verses....

Psalm 31:19 How great is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you, which you bestow in the sight of men on those who take refuge in you. (NIV)

Psalm 95:1-6 "O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms. For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods. In his hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is his also. The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land. O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker." (KJV)

Psalm 100 "Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing. Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all  generations."

It wasn't me....

A lady was picking through the frozen turkeys at the grocery store, but couldn't find one big enough for her family. She asked the stock boy, "Do these turkeys get any bigger?" The stock boy answered, "No ma'am, they're dead."

Sorry, sorry..I think this is a  very funny joke...I have been  witness to clerks in stores this dumb. I once had a grocery checkout clerk that evidentaly had never eaten fruit or veggies..he did not know what a radish was..or ginger root, or chard. I found it astounding. I realized this when he rang up a bunch of radishes as grapes...Yikes! big price difference. I had to tell him what all my produce was. He asked "do you really eat all this stuff?" I assured him I did and that it was very tasty.

When turkey's on the table laid,....

And good things I may scan,
I'm thankful that I wasn't made
A vegetarian.

- Edgar A. Guest -
Aka Eddie Guest, (born Birmingham, England – died Detroit, Michigan) was a prolific English-born American poet who was popular in the first half of the 20th century and became known as the People's Poet.

It's time for Thanksgiving.....

This is my Fall village. I don't remember the year I bought it..at least 15 years ago..maybe more. I was going to buy something to add this year but guess it has been discontinued?

The other side of the window. When I unpacked it the stack was broken off the train but..you guessed it..Perry fixed it. At the far left is a little group of figurines. I think Norma gave me this one year for my birthday. It is a pilgrim couple and and Indian couple. It is so sweet.

This is  the top  shelf in the library window.

The middle of the top shelf. The praying bunny and squirrel are House of Lloyd so I maybe got them for a gift from Norma.

More of the top shelf..the left side. At the left is a stump with squirrels on it. I bought it to go with my Christmas village but went ahead and put it with display..it is new.. i wanted to use it even though there is snow at the base of the tree stump.

On the media cabinet. My Indian bunnies..at least 20 years old. I had to replace the feathers..they were all to pieces when I unpacked them.

The left side of the media cabinet. I have never arranged it like this. I was pleased. Some of the pumpkin and gourds were a little warped. The wax is breaking down in the heat, I guess. Didn't have the heart to throw them out yet.

 This is Nick at age 3 (1993) in our back yard "mowing". He loved all Nana and Papa's holiday decor and I let him play with it. He was always very careful and broke very little. Notice he is playing with one of the scarecrows. See how old my things are...Yikes!

This is pillow Tom. Nick took his naps with him through the Thanksgiving holiday..later Lauren did. He is very old and probably much too tough to cook.

I added the crows..I call Heckle and Jeckle this year. They were on sale at Hobby Lobby and I fell in love. I guess you can tell my decorating leans to cutesy.