12-25-12

Merry Christmas and Happy
Holidays to everyone!  

We had our family Christmas gathering on Sunday, since it was the only day we could all be together. Fifteen of us met at the University Club for the noon buffet. We have been there twice now and it is turning out to be the best value in town, plus the food is terrific. Instead of fork-tender rare roast beef, I had breakfast: a mushroom-cheese-green onion omelet, with bacon, biscuits, cheese grits and plenty of hot coffee. It was delicious. Everyone else chowed down on the beef and all the trimmings, especially my son, son-in-law and grandsons. The shrimp were huge and many of them were plated too. Suffice it to say that no one left there hungry. 

Afterwards, we all drove to daughter one's, to exchange presents. She had decorated well and we enjoyed seeing her home.  The huge tray of cookies daughter two brought didn't go to waste, but they were not as enthusiastically received as they might have been after a meager meal. 

The fun present of the day was a life-size cut-out of Louis Tomlinson (of One Direction fame) for my youngest granddaughter, who just turned 13 last week. When her mom told her to take 'Louis' to her bedroom, another granddaughter said "Make him buy dinner first."  I didn't know whether to laugh or cry - LOL. Everyone enjoyed their gifts, especially daughter two, who had been teased by our older grandson that he couldn't remember whose name he had drawn, and so, had no present to give. He had drawn her name, of course. She was relieved to find that he really did know. My present has not been bought yet - Mr. kenju drew my name - and I haven't been able to find anything I want. I suspect that after-holiday sales will call my name and I will find lots of things I want (only they won't fit, or be the wrong color, or cost too much despite the sale.) I am, ordinarily, a glass half-full kind of person, but not when it comes to shopping.  

I hope that all of you will have a wonderful day today - a Christmas for the memory books - and that you look forward to a very happy year to come. Thanks for reading my (not so daily) drivel and for leaving thoughtful, amusing or educational comments. I am grateful for all of you!

Ahhhhhhhh-Chooooooo

Many of us have seen a sneeze in action; documentaries on colds or germs often show them. But seeing one in person will bring you up short - they really do spread out for what seems like miles. 

Last week, Mr. kenju and I were out running errands. I parked near the UPS store and got out to mail a letter. Just as I closed the door, I remembered something I wanted to say to Mr. kenju, and I turned and bent down to see him through the driver's-side door. Just at that moment.....he sneezed. He was back-lit by the sun and the sneeze contents were sprayed out just like a demonstration on TV. 

We have all been told or shown how a sneeze can spread out, but seeing is believing. It went all the way to the base of the windshield, which in my van, is quite a distance from the passenger seat. It made me want to take my car in for a wash and interior cleaning.  Whew!  Cover your nose and mouth when you sneeze, okay???

$1,099.99...

was the price tag on a purse I saw today at TJMaxx. I first saw one for $899, and I thought that was high until I saw the other one!! The more expensive bag was an Yves St. Laurent, and I must say, it was beautiful and the craftsmanship and leather were exquisite. But I simply cannot imagine paying $200 for a purse, let alone $900 or $1100. Even if I were as rich as a Rockefeller, I couldn't do it. 

I remember walking in Rome on a street that ended at a well-known plaza (with steps, the name escapes me at the moment). There were quite a few eponymous shops there, named for the famous designers whose wares they carried. Even the least expensive, smallest purses in their windows were priced at $1400. When I buy a purse, I am hoping it will last me at least ten years. I suppose at $1400, divided out over the span of that many years, it wouldn't be so terrible to spend that much - but - what if I didn't really like it enough to carry it for years? I know I have talked about this before on the blog, so bear with me. 

So, since no purse there under $150 caught my eye, I left and went to another shop where I have had good luck in the past finding a bag I like. Guess what? No luck there either. Everything had too much extraneous metal on it; metal that served no purpose at all. Stuff like that scratches easily and makes a purse old before its time. Leather can be polished, but cheap metal cannot. Dangles, tassels, studs, grommets and the like are the same way, and they get old looking quickly. So, I suppose I will go on carrying the bag I bought two years ago, which I don't really like. It's good for travel (a cross-body strap) but not efficient for daily use. I can never find anything in it without taking it off over my head and removing most of the contents. 

No clothing caught my eye either; or if it did, they didn't have it in my size or it looked like it belonged on a chubby old woman (which I am, but don't want to dress like one.) Ronni Bennett will chastise me for saying "old woman", but it fits me today. 

My mother use to go to the malls with me when she came here to visit. Year by year I saw her tiring sooner and shopping less and less. Eventually, she plopped down on a bench and waited until I finished my shopping, seldom venturing into a shop. Now I know how she felt. I was out for about 2 1/2 hours and I simply didn't want to do it any longer. Maybe if I had been successful in finding something I wanted, my energy level would have kept pace with my mind - but it didn't. I eschewed going to the mall for one last try....maybe Monday..or after Christmas. Yeah, that's the ticket!

In case I don't get back here again before the 25th, I wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays, if that suits you better. I hope all of you get exactly what you want  (or need), and that you remember from Whence it came - and be grateful for it. 

Guys and Girls.....A Difference.....A Lesson

I was told last week that my two grandsons were overheard arguing over who was the better looking of the two. I had to laugh. It is just like a boy to look in  the mirror and see the best of himself - he may make a mountain out of a molehill!

A girl looks in the mirror and sees a scar or skin imperfection. She says "My hair is too long/short/dry/oily/fly-away/dark/light" and "I'm too short/tall/fat/skinny/bowlegged." Why can't a girl be more like a boy in this regard? She makes a mountain into a molehill. 

In the case of my two grandsons (whom I recently referred to as "swoon-worthy"), they are correct in the assessment of their appearance. Tall, trim and blessed with good skin and teeth, they are gorgeous to look at.  My four granddaughters are all very pretty (both inside and out), but none of them has ever been overheard discussing how good looking they are. They might have thought it, but would probably never say it out loud. On the contrary, chances are they would be heard discussing their problem areas and generally denigrating their looks, or choosing one bad thing on which to focus and ignoring the other wonderful 99%.  

I should like to remind all of them that there is an old saying...."Pretty is as pretty does." In other words, "beauty is only skin deep" and it is the pretty inside that really counts. How we live our lives and conduct ourselves; showing a genuine concern for others day by day is what makes us handsome or beautiful. Good thoughts and good works shine out of our countenance and make us glow  from within. That is true beauty and the lasting kind. Physical beauty can be done away with in an instant (or by growing old) but inner beauty will remain. 

Another reminder is that with physical beauty and handsome looks comes a responsibility to use it wisely. A pretty girl or a handsome boy never ought to (calculatingly) use their looks to get their way, or treat others poorly, though the temptation may be present. Don't use others (by beguiling them with your looks) to get your way, and don't treat others  shabbily when you are tired of their company. I am aware of a particular situation that prompted me to think about this, and although I won't mention it here, the person to whom I am referring will know what I mean (assuming he reads it.) A good rule to live by - no matter what your appearance is: Treat others they way you would want to be treated. 

Our Neighborhood Christmas Pot-Luck 2012

We gathered in a lovely home (one of the few in the area capable of holding so many for a sit-down dinner). There were 24 of us, I think.

After dinner, we have a gift exchange. It's fun and sometimes we get rowdy! Here, Jeanne show off her snowman dessert/appetizer plates. 

Pretty Beth chose this Santa made of stacked boxes. Each box held a different kind of candy.

Ha....this one from 2011 slipped in by itself.  That's moi on the left.

Mary gets a cute ornament, while Tara and Stephanie look on.

Pam decides to steal the silver "disco" ball from Stephanie. 

"You can't have mine", says Sherleen, as she hides her gift under her. We have to watch that one - she's devious!

Vicki ended up with this adorable apron - "I've Got Jingle" - and she does!

Dede got the apron first, but it was stolen.

I had offered to decorate for the owner of the home, but I see she didn't need me at all! Her artist daughter must have helped. 

Such a pretty bannister!

After dinner schmoozing. 

Fran got the stacked Santa first.

This is an event that we look forward to all year long. We have had as many as 35 women, but several were either out of town, sick or otherwise booked, so we had about 24 this time. We missed the others, but a slightly smaller group means you get to speak to each person, which is nice. Some of the women who come to this dinner don't participate much during the year, so it is nice to have a way to catch up at least once.

My neighborhood is the Best - and I am Blessed!!

I'm going to be Fine - I think

The cardiologist has not spoken with me yet, but I had the stress test this morning and passed it with flying colors, as they say. Once they combine the results of all my tests, they will call with the outlook.

Wish me luck. Thanks for all the prayers and good words and thoughts. You mean the world to me.

Without Consideration....

of the past weekend events I am incredibly blessed and I want to tell it to the world. But what happened this weekend has slammed it to the forefront of my mind, once again. 

My children responded with such love and concern to my physical problems. They are wonderful people; I often ask what I did to deserve them and I wonder how they could have possibly turned out as well as they have, since I had no idea what I should be doing while they were growing up. I know am often exasperating to them (as is their father) and shall continue to be as I age, but they persevere in our care and we are so grateful. 

Daughter Two was out of town Friday night for an office party. She called me Saturday morning and inquired how we were. I told her how I had spent the night  (see yesterday's post) and she immediately began go*gling my symptoms and implored me to call the doctor's office. When it was determined that I should get to the ER as soon as possible,  she left for home almost immediately. Later she packed my bag and brought some necessities (including my computer) to the hospital. In addition to my other symptoms, I was having serious withdrawal!!

Daughter One was on duty at the hospital, but when I called her, she clocked out ASAP and came to transport me to the nearest ER, which is only four miles from me. (My husband does not drive since his stroke five years ago.) She stayed with me all day and all night long, responding to every need and interpreting what the doctors and nurses told me. Can you imagine how valuable that is? Everyone needs an advocate when they are in distress and/or in the hospital. I could not have asked for a better one. Having a nurse (or doc) in the family is a definite plus when one is ill. 

My son and his family, who live about 80 miles away, were coming to Raleigh on Sat. for a portion of his wife's family Christmas celebration. Wasn't that a wonderful synchronicity?? It meant that they could come to the hospital and visit me without having to make a special trip to Raleigh.  They brought chocolate too (and lo, it was dark chocolate (my favorite). The nurse made a comment about how pretty my granddaughters were - and I told her she had only seen half of them - the other two were just as beautiful!! I don't know what she would have said about my grandsons - they are swoon-worthy. 

Daughter Two stayed all night here at home with her father, so we didn't have to worry about him, and she also kept Daughter One's youngest child; providing dinner and breakfast for them. Her poor, long suffering husband of less than 4 months was home alone, since the dog (Molly) was also here, and his two boys were with their mother.  

I have, of course, thanked all of them for their care and concern, but I wanted to shout to the rooftops about how blessed I am to have them and how much I love and appreciate them. It is especially appropriate at the Christmas season, to say God Bless us One and All!