Saturday 9: First Christmas

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) The song mentions snowmen and snow on a windowpane. Has it snowed near you yet?  It sure has. We had a minor storm last week that hit right for the morning rush and created quite a mess. We got 3-4 inches of snow that time. We've had lots of flurries since then and yesterday we got about half an inch at the end of the day. Now we are gearing up for 3-5 inches and frigid temperatures starting tomorrow afternoon.

2) Diane Keaton sings that hearing "I'll Be Home for Christmas" makes her miss someone she loved who won't be coming home at all. Is there a Christmas song that reminds you of a loved one?  No, nothing specific, but like me, my dad loved Bing Crosby so any of those make me feel nostalgic.
 

3) After the song was first released for Christmas 2024, Diane said she appreciated how many people posted on her Instagram, sharing their "First Christmas journeys," explaining how they navigated the first holiday season without a special someone. What have you recently posted on social media (other than this blog post)?  A list of things I'm thankful for here on the blog and on Facebook, a photo of our Christmas lights this year.

4) Diane appeared in the Broadway musical Hair and sang in movies like Annie Hall and The First Wives Club. Still she didn't consider herself "much of a singer." How about you? What's something you do, even though you're not completely comfortable doing it?  Now and then I have to speak in front of a group and at work I'm finding that more and more I am singing, if not loud and proud, then at least audibly even though I really, really stink.

 

5) This was Diane's first and, sadly, her only record. She was nervous doing it, but it helped that the lyrics was written by her friend, Carole Bayer Sager, and that both Carole and her writing partner, Jonas Myrin, were with Diane in the studio. Tell us about a friend who came through for you.  I had a dear friend who was there through all the grief our estranged son and his wife put us through. She allowed me to cry, be angry, and anything else I needed. She really helped me get through it.

6) After her 75th birthday, Diane said she was excited that new ventures were coming her way and she found herself saying "yes" more often. In addition to recording this week's song, she accepted an unexpected offer from Look Optic to design eyewear. Have you recently tried something you've never done before? OR What's something you'd like to try?  I am terrified of snakes...absolutely phobic about them...but when a local pet store came to work with several of their animals recently, I decided to face my fear.

Did I like it? NO! Am I over my fear? Also, NO!!! But I did it.

 

Now for some questions about the holiday season ...

7) Do you display the holiday cards you receive?  I have a metal Christmas tin I sit them up in. We really don't receive that many these days.

8) This is a big time of hear for necklaces, hats and headbands decorated with jingle bells. Will you be wearing any bells this season?  I wore some today!

 
9) The website Morning Save included these three items on their list of this season's popular gifts. Would you rather receive: a. cup holder/phone mount for your car; b. sherpa lined clog slippers; c. set of three stainless paring knives with rosemary green plastic handles?  None of those excite me that much, but I could like either the phone mount or the knives.

Thanks, as always, to Sam @ Saturday 9!

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Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful...

* for my cozy home, soft flannel pajamas, fuzzy socks, and a warm blanket on this frigid evening.

* my Christmas shopping is nearly done. A few things are on their way in the mail and I have a few gift certificates to pick up and that's it. Well, except for wrapping.

* for the Kindle app on my phone that allows me to read any place or time.

* the doctor scheduled my procedure (biopsy and a D & C) for January 19, after the new year begins so I will have PTO available again.

* the biopsies done of our daughter's esophagus showed nothing but inflammation.

* for coworkers who have my back and who make me laugh.

* they put either a Big Mac or chicken nuggets in the Grinch meals at McDonald's. I dislike both so I don't care that every McDonald's around sold out last week before I got one. (I just wanted to try fries with Grinch salt, anyway.)

* my daughter came to help me trim Oliver's claws tonight. Now his little "love taps" won't hurt when they come in the middle of the night.

* for my precious grandchildren...and all of my family.

* Rudolph is on to bring some nostalgic Christmas joy.

* for all the people who choose to act with kindness and generosity rather than irritation and anger during the holidays.

* for the Savior who is the reason for all of this. 

Currently

... 17 degrees with clear skies. Tomorrow will be one of those days when I don't know what to wear. Temps will be in the teens in the morning and close to 40 degrees in the afternoon.

... watching Christmas at the Inn on Hallmark.

... wanting to see Song Sung Blue over the Christmas holiday.

... reading Yours for the Season on the Kindle app on my phone. I started it while I was waiting for a friend at the dentist's this afternoon.

... listening to the all-Christmas music station.

... enjoying the glow of the Christmas tree. I finally finished decorating it over the weekend. Also the outdoor lights. We put up rainbow icicle lights, a rainbow swirl, tinsel tree, and my blow molds. I haven't taken any photos yet, but I will.

... indulging in Eat 'n' Park's hot chocolate whenever I can. It is soooo good!

... trying to get my shopping done and everything bagged or wrapped.

... looking forward to the big Christmas party at work next Friday. We are in full decorating mode at work this week.

... celebrating our grandson's birthday this Saturday. He will be NINE! The years have flown. There will be a small family gathering at noon and then a big kids' party at Chucky Cheese. (Feeling kind of thankful we don't have to go to that part.)

... thankful we were able to buy the kids the new beds they needed as an early Christmas present and that they love them so much. (Early because the box each one came in weighed in at 150 pounds...there was no way to hide them.)

... thankful Mom and John will be moving down off the ridge for the winter this Saturday. We don't see as much of them when they are up there and I do worry when they are there.

... giggling at

Saturday 9: Ja-Da

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here. 

 

1) The lyrics tell us the melody is soothing. What calms you when you're upset or anxious? I usually turn to prayer and/or journaling. The journaling often becomes a prayer.

 

2) There was a lot going on in 1918 – like WWI and the Spanish flu pandemic – that left people upset and anxious. In those days, radio wasn't yet a staple in American homes so people received their news through newspapers. Today with podcasts and 24 hour cable news and social media and other news outlets available, do you ever feel like taking a break from current events?   Now and then I will stop watching news for a couple of days just to get some perspective.

3) In addition to newspapers, magazines were a big deal in 1918. Women turned to publications like Ladies Home Journal and McCall's for trends and tips about fashion and housekeeping. Do you have any printed magazines in your home now?  I have some decorating magazines and maybe a few cooking ones. I have always loved magazines and am disappointed they have declined so much. Very few of those still around are worth the asking price, which is as much as a book costs in some cases. If they have content to justify it, great! However, so many just don't have much and still charge $12-15.

 

4) Today schoolchildren often learn "Ja-Da" because it's easy to sing and play. Was music part of your grade school curriculum?  If I'm remembering correctly I had to have music class every year until I started high school. I love music, but anything that required singing in front of others was painful. I can't carry a tune in a bucket. One music teacher even pronounced me "tone deaf" on a report card.

 

5) Composer Bob Carleton published more than 500 songs in his career. He had no songwriting partner, handling the words and lyrics himself. What's your favorite song? Was it written by a single composer or a songwriting team?  My favorite song is Piano Man. As far as I know Mr. Joel wrote it himself.

 

6) Bob got his start in his hometown of St. Louis, playing piano in his parents' saloon. When you think of St. Louis, what comes to mind?  I've never been there so I guess the Arch.

 

7) In 1918, Americans were buying more cars and Studebakers were a familiar sight on the streets and highways. Today that name is mostly forgotten. Can you think of a brand that used to popular but has disappeared?  Sears

 

8) During WWI, Americans were familiar with "Meatless Days." Back then we were encouraged to cut back on the consumption of meat as a patriotic gesture to help the American and Allied troops. Today "Meatless Monday" highlights health and the environment. Think about your diet. Do you try to eat more grains, fruits and vegetables?  Not nearly as much as I should and with my husband being a meat and potatoes kind of guy it's hard.

 

9) Random question: Where did you get the shirt you are wearing right now?  Walmart. It's the top of a pair of pajamas. I wear the tops but with leggings to sleep in rather than the paired bottoms.

Thanks to Crazy Sam for the music and questions!

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An Update and a Snake

They tried, they really, really tried to do the biopsy at my appointment yesterday, but I had a cone biopsy about 20 years ago and apparently, those leave a lot of scar tissue behind.

Long story short...they were unable to do the biopsy at the office so now I have to meet with the doctor next week. From there we will schedule to have the biopsy done under general anesthesia. I will get next year's PTO days in January. I hope to hold it off just until then.

As for the snake, in case you missed it on Facebook, this is one of the things I did at work today. No, I am not happy, but I was determined to do it to show the consumers that we don't have to be consumed by our fears.

Currently...

... cozy and warm, snuggled under a throw with the laptop, fuzzy socks in place, and Oliver perched behind my head keeping watch over things. I have survived Monday. It was so terribly hard to get up and go to work like a good, responsible adult this morning after 5 lovely days off.

... 32 degrees, cloudy, and still. The calm before the storm as we await the arrival of the season's first snow storm. The white stuff is to blow in around 3:00 tomorrow morning and keep falling until after lunch. Anticipated snowfall 3-5 inches.

... waiting for my next book club read to arrive. We chose something shorter to appease our youngest member...and to give ourselves a break through the holidays. It will be a re-read for me, S.E. Hinton's That Was Then, This Is Now.

... half watching old episodes of Murder, She Wrote on Prime.

... I'm in full-blown Christmas music mode. I choose it at home and in the car. At work it's all there is until the 26th.

... procrastinating like a pro. The tree is up, but I'm putting off decorating it until tomorrow. Stacks of boxes are staring at me. I can hear the judgmental tsk, tsk from within.

... trying not to think about tomorrow's appointment with my gyno. I've had a few small issues and called last week. I was immediately scheduled for an ultrasound. Tomorrow I find out if they saw anything and possibly have to face an on-sight biopsy. It is anything but calming that Tim insists on meeting me there.

... celebrating that the big Poplar tree that overshadowed the pool and most of the backyard (and loomed over part of the house and shed) is finally gone. The company we spoke to after the fiasco last month showed up at 8:00 the day after Thanksgiving and the tree was down by 10:00.

... giggling at

Saturday 9: Thank You Girl

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) Who were you talking to the last time you said, "thank you?"  My husband. I thanked him for several things after he got home from work and before he went to bed.

2) Paul McCartney recalls that "Thank You Girl" was inspired by all the female fans who had written them fan letters, pledging undying love. Have you ever written a fan letter? If yes, did you receive a response?  I do remember writing to Donny Osmond. I think I got a form letter back and a photo with a fake autograph.

3) Recording engineer Geoff Emerick remembered that John Lennon was easily winded while recording this song. John had a bad cold and went back to bed when they were done for the day. We're in cold/flu season right now. How are you feeling?  Good, but I am just getting over a mild bug that had me feeling congested for most of the week.

4) "Thank You Girl" is this week's song because November 27 was Thanksgiving. What are you thankful for this year?  For starters, I'm thankful I wasn't sick for Thanksgiving this year. Last year I was down with a nasty intestinal thing. In addition to that, I'm thankful for my family and friends, my job, the fun and success my daughter and I have had making crafts and selling them, and all the work we've been having done on the house (new porch, new shower, and the big tree in the back was finally cut down today). 

5) While the big meal is referred to as Thanksgiving dinner, most Americans enjoy it earlier than they usually serve dinner. 3:00 PM is the most popular time for the holiday feast. When did you have dinner on Thursday?  We were supposed to eat at 1:00, but it ended up being 2:00 before we sat down because the turkey took longer to cook than expected.

6) Cranberry sauce has been a Thanksgiving staple since the late 1800s. Was it on your menu this year?  My mom always makes...I'm not sure what it is, but it has chopped cranberries and oranges in it. Mom and John are the only ones that eat it. The rest of the family hates cranberries. I'm not a big fan, but I do like a little of the jellied stuff on a sandwich of leftovers.

7) The Thanksgiving Turducken is said to have originated in New Orleans. Chef Paul Prudhomme is often cited as the first to stuff a deboned chicken into a deboned duck into a deboned turkey. Prudhomme's recipe has more than 85 individual steps and takes a full day to prepare. Did you face any challenges while cooking your Thursday dinner?  Only that the turkey cooked a lot longer than I'd anticipated before the little timer button popped.

8) Leftovers are popular after Thanksgiving, especially turkey sandwiches. Some cooks recommend serving cold, sliced turkey on wheat bread, but white bread, pitas and flatbread are also popular. When you head into the kitchen to make a sandwich, what's your go-to bread?  Potato bread or potato rolls.

9) The day after Thanksgiving is known as Black Friday, the unofficial start of the holiday shopping season and sales. Black Friday got its name in Philadelphia back in the 1950s to describe the traffic clogging both highways and side streets as consumers raced out in search of bargains. When is the last time you were stuck in traffic?  I don't have any idea. We don't really have traffic jams around here.

 Thanks to Sam for the music and questions!

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