WEDNESDAY HODGEPODGE #399

Thank you Joyce

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1. What's something about Christmas that most people like, but you don't? Elaborate. 

Technically I can't say I don't like it but it was something that started to wear thin with me. I'm talking about a big Christmas dinner. Over the years I found that everyone was having a great time and I was in the kitchen all day cooking. 

Eventually we started doing our favorite deep dish pizza, Lou Malnati's, from Chicago. I wanted to be part of the party too. Also I put out a very nice spread of appetizers, cookies, etc. 

This year we are going to Adam and Gabby's. Our social distancing seems to work very well at their place and with Covid it works for me. James can take his nap and we can come over earlier in the day. 

The one thing that is important to me is Christmas Day at our house. I've always been fortunate that the kids significant other's have always celebrated with their families on Christmas Eve. We now celebrate Easter and Thanksgiving with Gabby's family which I love. Christmas Day has to be mine because James has to have one tradition that he will remember from our family. 

2. Tell us about one cherished tradition from your childhood and if you'll make it happen this year? 

I know this was a cherished tradition when I was young but to look back at it now I have to laugh about it. I don't know how this came to be but it was our tradition every year until we didn't believe in Santa anymore. 

My mother and father were very involved in our Presbyterian Church. So Christmas Eve service was a must and it is something I still treasure. However sitting in church at the time all I wanted to do was go home! Here's why....

Santa came to our house while we were at Christmas Eve service. No wonder my grandparents didn't go with us. When we came home, if the tree lights were on in the window it meant Santa came!!! No it won't happen this year and it never happened for my kids. 

3. In 1941 FDR declared December 15th Bill of Rights Day. Citizens were encouraged to fly the flag and gather for prayers and other ceremonies as appropriate. Did you know this? Will you fly a flag? Can you name all the rights and protections guaranteed in the first ten amendments of the US Constitution? Of the ten, which two do you value most? If you need a list you'll find one here. 

No I didn't know this and no I will not be flying a flag. No I can't name them all but I like what Joyce shared. I definitely like the first amendment and I do believe in the second amendment. I have to say that they are all important! 

4. Do you know someone named Bill? Tell us something about him? Is there a famous 'Bill' you'd like to meet? 

My Aunt Blanche, my dad's sister, was married to a Bill. Didn't really know him well until we moved to California over 30 years ago. I liked him a lot. They never had children and they lived a very nice life style but were also frugal about things.

He passed away in 2006 and my aunt in 2008. They were generous enough to leave everything to my dad and his three children. My dad got half of their estate and the other half was divided between my brother, sister and I. 

You couldn't have asked for a John. John Travolta has always been the one and only!! So I'm going to say Billy Crystal or Bill Murray. 

5. A step in the right direction, on the right track, bragging rights, be in the right place at the right time, get off on the right foot, right as rain, right side up, give your right arm for, have one's heart in the right place...choose a 'right' that applies to your life in some way in recent days and tell us how it's so.

I'm going to go with "a step in the right direction." I'm starting to feel a little bit of Christmas spirit coming into me. I'm not complaining but I did lose a week going to Arizona for Thanksgiving and it was the best of times. So thankful we went. What I didn't realize at the time was the fact that I would usually start decorating before Thanksgiving because my tree takes a week to do. (sorry I'm wordy today)

Also there were gift cards I needed to order but didn't want anything to arrived while we were gone so I had to wait until right before we came home to order them. Well that didn't go well. Haven't even received any of them yet except for Amazon. (Amazon is awesome) I had packages that need to be mailed and the gift cards were the gifts. 

This all had me beyond overwhelmed. I got Walmart to cancel my order and got my $250 back. I ended up having to send cash which I didn't like doing because a gift card is just different in my opinion. I spent most of last week getting all the padded envelopes along with a few boxes ready to go. Had everything laid out on one of the guest room beds. 

My plan was to mail on Monday but decided to move it up to Sunday since the post office opened for special hours. Got Adam's items to add to some of the envelopes and Amber's box. I did my click 'n ship labels and everything was scanned at the post office by 9:30 Sunday morning!

So I am now putting out a few decorations, listening to Christmas music and feeling a little more normal. No my tree will not have hundreds of ornaments on like previous years and I'm okay with that. I put on my new ones from this year and that's okay. All the previous years are on my sidebar if you want to look at them just click on them. 

2019

I've also decided that since this year sucks because of Covid, I am going to get the other 9 years of blog posts put into a book. I know some of you make books each year. I made one about my trip to Europe years ago so if you have a link to share for making the blog books let me know. Thank you. 

Also asking for prayers for Dylan's mom. She is in the hospital with Covid-19. Her oxygen level when she went in was in the 70's. Also Dylan was recently sick but tested negative for Covid. His mom lives here, not in Montana by Amber and Dylan. 

Okay, can you tell  by this post that I'm roll...... Thanks for listening!