For Tammy (and everyone else of course)

Tammy (Kentucky Gal) has asked her visitors to write a post about peace. No problem, Tammy. I think about it a lot and even more in this season.

From Isaiah Ch. 4, V. 2

KJV: And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks. Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

And wouldn't that be something to see!!

It's Thursday here, Christmas is on Monday. Ray came home from the hospital today. Carol is in the hospital in Turlock but seems to be keeping up her spirits. They decided on some relatively minor surgery after all and it seems to be helping, at least termporarily. She'd been a great deal of pain before that. I talk to her every day at least 3 or 4 times but I've been sick myself for a couple of days and haven't made the trip this week. I have presents for her but I'd rather deliver them to the care facility than to the hospital so I'm waiting a bit.

The girls are off school for the next 17 days. All of Christmas and New Year's week plus tomorrow. My goal - to have the younger two memorize all their times tables. And, with three hormonal girls, peace in my own household as well.

We'd hoped my older son Jim, now on the border with the Guard, would make it home for Christmas. It's not going to happen. They're too short of sergeants at the moment. I'm glad he's so well regarded but I'd rather have him home. He may get a little time off right after Christmas - 4 days, two of which will be spent driving. I offered to postpone Christmas dinner but he says he loves leftovers. Sounds like a replay of Thanksgiving doesn't it.

Jonathan is growing so fast and learning new things every day. Babies are awesome.

I have almost all of my Christmas shopping done. The girls will have a good Christmas but we never go overboard and wouldn't even if we could.

I still have a couple of things to pick up but I can do that at the local grocery store. My friend Dawn has the presents and stocking fillers. We have a deal. I buy enough Christmas candy to include her daughter and she sorts it all for me and wraps the presents. Except for one which is at Tim's because he helped me pick it out.

We're having a Christmas Eve potluck at the church followed by a service of carols. We invite the entire community with a special invitation to the Mission here. There are always organizations providing a Thanksgiving and Christmas meal but Christmas Eve can be a very lonely time. So I've doing my Christmas prep the day before and making a double batch of sweet potato souffle and either green bean casserole or dressing (maybe both). It's as easy to make twice as much and I can bake one and put the others in the fridge for the next day. Should work.

I finally broke down and bought them a Play Station II. They hadn't nagged for one but I know they'll enjoy it and I can treat it like I do the t.v. Just control time and content. I'm sure Rochelle and Rebecca will use it more so Elcie will have a replacement for her defunct dvd/vcr player, and I picked up an inexpensive radio/cd/cassette player recorder. Theirs has been toast for several years now.

Other than stocking fillers, that's it from us. They have clothes from their Grandma Nancy in San Francisco and some gifts from some of my friends already under the tree.

And I bought a new coffee pot. My old one joined my old microwave. Turned it on yesterday and nothing - absolutely nothing. At least they're cheap. I have an old 40 cup top of stove drip pot that we used when I had many more people all drinking coffee but it's overkill and pouring water into it has become more of a challenge.

Do we all shrink as we age? I certainly have. Cupboards that I could reach not so long ago require a step stool now.

Sorry I've been lax the past few days. Between busy and spending almost two entire days in bed while the girls were at school, not much was accomplished on the internet. I was sick enough to cancel my weekly coffee date. Now that's sick. We're trying for tomorrow if all goes well.

Thanks to all for the comments. I leave you with my wishes for a joyous holiday season, and my Christmas greeting to all. I hope the link works better than the last one I tried.

Of course I might get back between now and then. I never know until I sit down and start typing.