ORNAMENTS FOR OUR CHRISTMAS TREE

I'm dreaming of a WHITE CHRISTMAS,

d

YES, Virginia there is a Santa Claus

YES, Virginia there is a Santa Claus 

and a Santa Claus and a Santa Claus and some collect Santas.  
Do you collect???  I do.

YES, Virginia there are angels.  

Yes, Virginia there are some Nut Crackers.

YES, Virginia.

There are Center Pieces and Christmas Trees.

Parties, Programs and Candy.

Lights, Nativities, Presents and Food.  

Christmas Music, Egg Nog, Family and Friends.

~Fa LaLaLaLaaaLaLaLaLaaa~

Merry CHRISTmas and a Happy New Year,

d

Winter Wonderland

I gently washed by hand some very old platters that my dear Father.in.law gave me.  He couldn't remember which platters belonged to which Grandmother, but recalled the one he and his wife purchased in 1951.  Pretty sure they will hang on the Dining room walls in 2018.

Wonderful to have antique platters hanging on the wall that belonged to actual Family members not to strangers.

Wrote out CHRISTMAS CARDS.  Just about finished.  Have a few addresses to look up.  My hand started cramping from all the writing.  Had to take a break.  Took leftovers out of the freezer to thaw for tomorrow's Supper.  It will be feast...turkey, noodles, mashed potatoes.  Sounds like Shepherds Pie time.

When my dear Husband came HOME from work we had a DATE NIGHT.  We went to TOPEKA to TUESDAY MORNING on a Tuesday night.  I picked up a few things.  Wanted to purchased some socks for my husband that he likes.  For his birthday that is coming up he will get SOCKS, a wallet and a few other items.  He has a CHRISTMAS EVE birthday.  That's coming up on Sunday.  Mercy...Christmas will be here before I know it.

~WINTER WONDERLAND~

We had a dinner date at OLIVE GARDEN then drove over to Shawnee Lake to see the Winter Wonderland CHRISTMAS LIGHTS.  Beautiful.  Winter Wonderland.  Since we were in TOPEKA, we went ahead and drove through POTWIN Place again.  Delightful.

 ~POTWIN PLACE~

TIME to head back HOME.  Tired and ready to call it a night.
God bless,
d 

Aunt Dorothy

WE got up early to get ready for my Aunt's funeral.  About a 2 hour drive there.  We stopped to get some fuel, but the station didn't have the correct octane so we drove on and thought we'd get fuel later.  We had enough gas to get to the church.  

We made it with plenty of time to spare.  Afterwards I wanted to drive by Aunt Dorothy's house to refresh my memory of where she lived and raised her four daughters.  The minister didn't mention it in the service, but Aunt Dorothy had weathered many storms in her life.  It was her faith in Christ that got her through.

As a young woman she had a brain tumor.  My Dad was the one to tell me that it was her Husband and Sweetheart that went to the chapel and prayed for healing.  Dorothy would recover from surgery and live to be 92 years of age.  

I know that people have hardships to go through.  She did.  When her young son was walking on the sidewalk as a toddler he fell over dead.  No warning he was ill.  A silent killer called walking pneumonia took his young life.  

She and Uncle John would go on to have 4 girls altogether.  Roxy was close to my age.  Born prematurely as she was being kept warm too much oxygen was in the incubator which caused one of her eyes to go blind.

I know that Aunt Dorothy woke early on Saturdays a few hours before her children arose cleaning her humble house.  She was such a sweet woman and kind mother.  A true LOVE story existed between her and her husband which was my Dad's brother.  Uncle John was a gentle soul.  

Funerals.  Afterwards we went by her house close to the railroad tracks.  Went ahead and started out of town as we had a CHRISTMAS PROGAM to attend, but for some reason as we were heading north on the highway, the car started to sputter and jerk.  The cruise control messing up?

No, we rolled to a stop when my Husband told me we had run out of gas.  I looked at the gas gage and yes, it registered empty.  I blinked my eyes and asked, "What do we do now?" 

A SENIOR MOMENT.  Neither one of us remembered that we needed fuel.  Duh.  Both of us were over tired.

We sat in the car on a nice late Autumn day and talked.  My husband telephoned a help line and after a two hour wait, help came.  As soon as the assistant put fuel in the car, there was relief.  We drove to the nearest town and fueled the car so we could drive the rest of the way home.

Just before we made the turn to go HOME, I suggested that we eat MEXICAN tonite before the CHRISTMAS PROGRAM.  We did and I was ever so glad to be in small town america before the program.  We were already dressed for the evening and arrived early to sit in the auditorium.

SWEET PROGRAM.  Ready to head HOME to rest.  It has been a very busy and emotional 4 days.  Makes my head spin.  The thrill of it all is that we had a safe and productive time.  Now to rest and work on CHRISTMAS CARDS.  

Hoping to have them ready to go by Wednesday,
d

SO Good To Be HOME

On Friday we drove out to Guymon, Oklahoma for the week-end to visit my Father.in.law who has stage 4 Lung cancer.  On our way HOME, we stopped by the cemetery where my Mother.in.law is buried.  

We spent the majority of the day in the car traveling back to Kansas and stopped off to visit my Brother in the Hospital.  Morning will be here soon enough as I need to get to bed and rest after a very emotional week-end.  In the morning I will be attending my Aunt's Funeral.  

I have hopes of taking it slow on Tuesday as I will need the rest.  When it rains it pours, but what happens when it is more like a hurricane?  Sometimes we can do nothing, but seek shelter.

It's good to be HOME tonight.  So good,
d  

Nine Days and Counting

THE CHRISTMAS TREE IS UP, decorated and lit.  The Fireplace Mantel decorated.  Small Christmas Trees are on the front porch.  The NATIVITY SET is out.  CHRISTMAS MUSIC plays for the HOLIDAYS.  We've gone to look at the CHRISTMAS LIGHTS several times.  

I'll need to work on the CHRISTMAS CARDS in a few days and finish the shopping.  A little baking will need to take place.  Attend some CHRISTMAS PROGRAMS.  

We will be fine as CHRISTMAS arrives.  I'll relax and be HAPPY.

Wishing you all a very Merry and Blessed CHRISTMAS,
d  

Frosting On The Cake

THIS IS GOING TO BE one of those whirlwind CHRISTMASES....where I will be working on gifts right up to the last minute.  Somehow I am alright with this as it's the best I can do under the circumstances.  Generally I am relieved when all the CHRISTMAS gifts are ready to go and may already be in the hands of loved ones and friends.

This year is uniquely different.  Obligations have come before actual CHRISTMAS SHOPPING and I'm going to be just fine.  The Christmas cards will be worked on the coming week and if for some reason I can't get to them...well it will be just fine.  I'll explain later and that will be the way it is.

THE LORD's BIRTHDAY will be what is of the most importance, not greeting cards or gifts.  Pausing to think on HIM.  I put out a Nativity Set that I have owned for nearly 20 years which reaffirmed that this really is one of the things I enjoy doing the most.  The Christmas Tree and a few lights are next.

As I unwrapped the Nativity Set, I know my face must have been smiling as I felt so much pleasure.  Peace.

If it snows on CHRISTMAS, it will be like frosting on the cake. 

God bless and peace to you,
d   

   

Perry Como - Catch A Falling Star

Both Hubby's and my arm muscles are sore tonight.  It's the FURNITURE SHUFFLE ACHE.  Last Monday we managed to relocate the church pew from the Kitchen to the upstairs Bedroom.  I had shuffled the Victorian Settee and two Parlor Chairs that were in our Bedroom to the GREY ROOM which will become a DOLL ROOM/OFFICE  to make room for the Church Pew in the Master Bedroom.

We managed to get the pew up the flight of stairs take a turn and go up a few more steps, slide it down the hallway and maneuver it into the room.

Thar she sits all pius and stately waiting to have you sit on her to put shoes on your feet or just to sit and think.  A place to put the bed pillows when not in use.

The Master Bedroom is simply decorated and it may not be until much later that I do anything different to it.  I like the white walls with the grey bedding.  No pictures on the walls yet just framed photographs on the dresser.

It has been a busy 6 months since moving into our PRAIRIE HOME.  Some days I just want to sit and sit some more.  I have done very little CHRISTMAS SHOPPING.  GULP.  This week-end I hope to write out the CHRISTMAS CARDS.  CHRISTMAS GIFTS will have to come later.  GULP. 

Tonight as I was driving my Grand-daughter home, we sang CHRISTMAS CAROLS.  It was wonderful.  Falling Stars were seen as Lil Miss counted seeing almost 20 of them.  It was amazing.

CATCH A FALLING STAR AND PUT IT IN YOUR POCKET........

All is well,
d