Am I ready, willing and organized for Christmas to come next week?
Ha.
When you sing for church, this generally means you get booked a lot -- including Christmas Eve. So that will mean a quiet evening. (It takes a lot out of you.) We'll drive to one set of kids' for Christmas dinner, then have the Seven Fish Dishes later in the week. The kids enjoy contributing to this now, so I only have two dishes to come up with -- plus desserts. Which meansSachertorte and more cookies to make. (Peanut butter is done -- I have Russian teacakes, Banket, 7-layer Bars and Sugar Cookies to go.)
Some presents to wrap. Not many -- we already delivered an adult version of an Advent calendar. Mini bottles of mixers and liquor, plus candy bars and other goodies -- one per day. Which meant wrapping more than 50 little packages. Oof.
The tree is up. No ornaments (ours are in Michigan), but we borrowed lights from our friends, and I'll get some tinsel when we're next in town.
It looks lovely.
We've seen more than our share of goofy Christmas movies...which drives the Brick totally crazy. But he'll watch 'em if I put them on. Like Christmas For A Dollar -- which I just bought at the thrift shop for 80 cents!
It will be a quiet holiday around here, compared to some years. But at least we're home in Colorado, and spending time with our kids. I have missed that so much these past years. I miss The Mama and the rest of our family, too, but it can't be helped. She is gone now -- and they won't move from Michigan. (The stinkers.)
Here's hoping your Christmas is developing peacefully, too.
Alejandra Caraballo has an interesting testimony on how the LGBTQIA community is undergoing grief and danger these past months. (The Colorado Springs club shootings are included as a good example.) And it has been difficult, particularly because, she stresses, that social media has been heavily influencing these actions. (Caraballo, like many others, is active on Twitter and other platforms.)
(This is an important statement. Remember it -- I believe it's about at the 3-minute mark.)
Caraballo was testifying at a Congress subcommittee meeting. Nancy Mace, a House member from South Carolina, was part of that committee. She responded:
Mace emphasized that attacks and threats are wrong, whether they are directed toward the Right OR Left.(I agree with her, by the way.)
Caraballo's response, other than to wring her hands and say her words should not be "characterized like that..." In an adult version of a temper tantrum, she blocked Mace from her Twitter account.
Hmmm. In other words:
Don't say it if you don't mean it.
Don't decry others as incendiary if you're doing the same thing.
My Cat Couldn't Get To His Litter Box Because We Forgot and Closed The Toilet Door At Night. So He Spilled The Litter Bag Himself... And Pooped On It.
Serves 'em right. Our dogs would poop or throw up right at the front door -- a smelly "I told you so" reminder that we were too 'lazy' to get there in time.
It's dry as a bone here in our part of Colorado. We can see some white on the mountaintops, but that's about it.
I just lugged in more stuff from the garage and the fifth-wheel this afternoon...things that might freeze, like corn syrup and molasses, canned goods. I also carried in the rest of our DVD collection. After all, you can't watch Christmas movies ALL the time. (We saw Clear and Present Danger last night.)
A Huge Storm is heading across the country, according to all sorts of news sources. In fact, it's already dumped on Utah and Nevada. A plowing railroad is below -- Donner Pass in the Sierra Nevada. (Click on the link to see what's happening in Utah, especially. Doesn't look good.)
So we're all going to get dumped on... right??
Well, it depends on where you are.
If we were further north and west in Colorado, we'd get a couple of feet of snow, according to those ever-reliable (ahem) weathercasters.
They're saying, though, that the Front Range, including us (just on the edge of the Rampart Range), will only get a few inches.
Uh-huh. We've heard this before. And we've seen weather forecasts change at the speed of light, too.
It's midnight here. No snow yet...but I'm not holding my breath.
P.S. 12:30 a.m.Tuesday morning -- just started.
Update: Not even sure we got an inch...so much for all the hoopla.
This is one of the more unusual gem shows in Colorado, and just in time for the holidays:
THE ROCKS & RAILS EVENTstarted on Friday, and finishes up on Sunday 12/11, 10-5.
It's at the Boulder County Fairgrounds in Longmont, CO. We're headed there for the Phenomenal Gems booth -- we hear they have a electric railroad that travels around the table, dispensing free crystals!
Daughter #2 and Son #1 came up with this, when they heard model railroad buffs would be attending the expo, as well. They have a nice selection of reasonably-priced crystals and rock specimens -- just in time for gift-giving.
We'll be there. Look for the crystals railroad -- and get a freebie for yourself.
"The Jackson family of Muncie were initially surprised to find the black-suited agents pouring out of their chimney and ripping open their presents, but became cooperative after father Ben Jackson was given an explanation and a brief sleeper hold. "Yeah, I guess it's our patriotic duty or something," said Mr. Jackson after regaining consciousness.
Agents will be searching homes during the entire holiday season."
It wasn't just one suitcase -- it was TWO. How long will the Department of Energy be keeping this employee on?? (First court date: Dec. 19.) Update:they are no longer an employee...though it's not completely clear if that was the DOE's doing -- or theirs. An arrest warrant was issued last week. Here they are, appearing at court -- what, no lipstick and/or new suit?? I would think you'd really want to dress up for that.
This lady compassionately paid for his groceries, after a stranger found he had no money. Then she found out who he was. And something even nicer came from her selfless act. (No flipping on this particular story, so it's easier to read.)
