“Santa came”His young voice cried
“without a trace!” ( Someone had lied).
Yes, my son, the old man came
but we both know it’s just a game.
“Can we open our presents now?”said he
“i’ve waited oh so long to see”
Yes, we shall but first let’s pray
It’s more than  just a Holiday…
Santa Claus is not the one
who gave me You, my only son…
“He’s too small to understand”
grandma said, patting my hand..
“Santa Claus is all he knows,
He’ll learn the truth, as he grows”
yet, though my Mother raised me well
I have stumbled, Yes, i fell
I want to do the best i can
to raise this boy to a wise old man..
Suddenly a soft voive said
As if He was inside my head
“if the boy learns on his own
too many years he’s walked alone
time and truth are best at hand
to raise this boy to a wise old man..
For though he be wisest of them all
all could  stumble, all can fall…”

Poem and picture by Connetta Jean
This poem was Re-written as a Christmas poem…It was written in 1980…Published as a Easter Poem..

Joyeux Noël et Bonne Année de Chantal et Joel!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! We’ll see you in 2010

Claudette wishes you happy holidays

Today is December 23rd.
I have just woken up with my eyes overflowing with tears and the room seems shrouded in mist.
Today’s entry in my diary reads, collect Florentina and Andrew from NYU, let Christmas begin!
How is it possible to keep see-sawing from thinking that Andrew is alive only to remember that he is not. That he is dead. Every time I “remember that he is dead,” I get punched, in the gut, the stomach, the face, my underbelly, I’m a huge bruise on the outside, and a red hot shredded mess inside.
And here’s the thing though, I am responsible for a lot of this. If I see something that Andrew would have liked, or not liked for that matter, I go down that “road” and dig up all sorts of memories. You know how it is with these things; they gather momentum.
It is the Law of Attraction, and before I know it, it is August 2005. I am with the whole family, telling a woman in a car park near the ruins in Pompeii not to feed chicken bones to this stray puppy.
Next we are in the car asking two policemen, stationery at a gas station on their motorbikes, to point us toward the motorway to Naples.
“Wait just one minute,” says one of them, before continuing his conversation with his colleague. They keep talking, and talking and sitting in our steamy car, we start to think that it would have been quicker to try finding our own way out of Pompeii.
“Look,” I say to the policeman, leaning out of the window. “You are busy, we’ll be alright, we’ll find the way.”
“No, no Signora,” he insists. “We’ll take you to the motorway in just one minute.”
The children start chuckling, and so do I and Hugh.
“This is so Italian,” Andrew says.
Next, they stop a motorbike and start talking with the men on it, arms flying, voices rising. The guys on the bike start it up and make to leave, the two policemen draw their firearms and gun their bikes. We are in the middle of it.
“What the hell,” says Florentina.
“Oh fuck,” I say. “Now what?”
We are in shock, but the boys are doubled up in laughter, they think it’s the funniest thing ever. Then as suddenly as it all started, it ended. It was a misunderstanding, the guns are holstered, the “bad guys” are free to leave.
“Venga Signora. Ci segua, l’accompagniamo – Come Signora, follow us, we’ll escort you,” the two policemen say smiling as if nothing had happened and position their bikes, one in front and one behind us. That’s how they drove us to the entrance of the Autostrada del Nord. Then with a flourish, they raised their helmets and bid us goodbye.
We talked about it all the way to Naples and on to Rome. And we often reminisced about it around the dinner table whenever we talked about our many travels.

The Law of Attraction says: “… set your tone for things to appreciate…”
And I do, I appreciate ALL the moments that add up to over twenty years of memories of, and, with Andrew. And I do appreciate and treasure the reassurance that Swamiji, one of Amma’s Monastic disciples gave me in response to a question I posed to him; he says:

Aum Amriteswaryai Namah
Namah Sivaya,

“… Andrew is still your son. He is feeling comfortable where he is now. He still remembers all of you and is constantly sending his love and asking you not to get worried about him. Please do pray. Thanks,
Namah Sivaya

But I would rather have him here; I would rather deal with a pile of his dirty laundry and that general whirlwind that comes when all of ones’ children are home two days before Christmas. And they have “secret” meetings in each other’s room about… guess what – presents, stockings. Every year they remind each other of which stocking belongs to whom.
But Tigger…. I can’t bear to think of your stocking lying empty and sad, like all of us.

I love you Andrew

Wow! I haven’t blogged in a month and a half. Sorry. No excuses.

So as christmas is literally days away, I find myself wondering when this holiday became a couples holiday. I thought this holiday was to celebrate the birth of Christ. But to me it’s seems like it’s really professing your love to your significant other. Which is fine, but for those who are single- by choice, or just because, it’s another time of year when we are yet again to feel excluded. I mean You had valentines already. I am supposed to feel all rosy and loved. And although I have a loving family, and am constantly surrounded by my wonderful friends, I still am left to feel as if I come up short.  It’s like you can’t get away from it. I guess it says something as a society. That we constantly need to be loved, to be shown love, and the need to give love in order to  survive. It’s not all bad- I guess. But must we put it out there so publicly. Okay, you’ve found that special person to spend the rest of your life with- or maybe just the holidays. I’m happy for you, really I am. But don’t call in to MY favourite radio station to tell the whole world. Even the movies. Every holiday movie I’ve watched this season ( and I’ve watched a lot) are all based around some sort of love story. I can’t get away. I know they say ” if you can’t beat’em, join em’, but in this case for reasons beyond my control, I can’t. So I suffer. To all the other seasonal sufferers out there, just know…You are not alone!

The ignored reality of homelessness - Photo is from Chirs Hall (flickr)

Brussels is a wonderful unique city to be living in during the run up to Christmas.  It has wonderful Christmas markets, live music and with the recent downfall of snow, a real feeling of Christmas cheer.  Recently however, I had a sobering experience that made me reflect on the nature of societal divisions within Brussels in stark contrast to the Christmas cheer that I have been enjoying in the last few weeks.

Let me paint you a picture.  Last Saturday I had spent the whole day walking in the Ardennes (south Belgium); I came back to Brussels to watch Arsenal demolish Hull (3-0) before meeting up with a Spanish friend of mine to celebrate his birthday.  Despite the bitter weather (-9 in the city centre), lots of friends made it out to celebrate.  Being typically Spanish my friend had arranged to meet at 22:30, and the party lasted until the early hours.  I had a really fantastic evening.  Walking home (in bitter winds and heavy snowfall), I came across a group of homeless people who were lying on the street side exposed to the elements.  How I reacted to this situation reflects a lot on how we as a society view homelessness.

I stopped, and stared and the pure injustice of a collection of men lying in sub-zero temperatures with nothing more than a blanket to warm them hit me hard.  It repulsed me to see that this could be happening in a modern European city.  I felt myself shivering with the cold (wearing a ski coat, hats, gloves etc).   In my slightly inebriated state I stood still for well over 2 minutes to think what I could possibly do in this situation.  The sad truth dawned on me that right there, in that drunken moment; there was absolutely nothing I could do.  One gentleman lying on the ground spotted me and struck up conversation.  In my French (which improves dramatically after many beers…I think) we talked briefly about how terrible the weather was.  He seemed surprisingly jolly about the whole situation.  Despite his optimism, he was visually shaking.  I strongly suspected that his optimism was fundamentally based on a cocktail of drink and drugs to get him through that freezing night. 

As I walked away, I felt more for that chap than any sober person could.  My heart bled for the pure injustice of the whole situation.  As I walked, my sorrow and sadness slowly evolved into a massive sense of anger at a system that allows for this situation to exist.  Reflecting on these thoughts the next day (in a clearer state of mind), I vowed to myself that I would work to do something about this.  In the UK, this would be easier (no language barriers).  I am aware of organisations like Emmaus and Shelter working for homeless people.  In Bath (where I lived for a number of years) I am aware of the hostel Julian House that provides nightly food and shelter for the homeless.  In Brussels however I felt flummoxed about what I could do.  Trying to help individuals only goes so far, it does not tackle the underlying reasons for the homelessness.   For every bowl of soup you hand out another person slips into destitution. 

This is not to say that handing hot food is not beneficial.  Indeed, it can often be a life line.  It is however, fundamentally wrong that it is left to individuals and charities to try and provide support for those who have slipped through the state safety nets. 

Homelessness is not a problem in itself.  It is largely a symptom of other ills in society.  Some of the main causes of homelessness include mental health issues, substance abuse, unemployment, prison release and forced eviction.  The situation that I experienced on the streets of Brussels is reflective of our inability to tackle these underlying issues. 

These issues need to be tackled at a national level, with effective planning.  Until this happens, what can we do?  Is there anybody reading this that can offer me advice?  Is there really nothing more I can do other than hand out soup and look sympathetic?

Some really fun stuff today from here and there around Albero Winter Festival and Garden Fair.

H*S Betty

First from Hair Salon Betty the cutest hat hair and nose combo you`ll find.  Called Xmas Tonakai or Reindeer its a cute as hat with bangs that come down over your eyes and there is even a little nose and reindeer mustache to help finish the look off.  Too cute.  This is actually Hair Salon Betty`s Christmas Gacha.  One play L60, 12 colours to collect, mod/copy ok.

H*S Betty Albero

Clematis

Clematis  is new to Albero with some really cute furniture pieces, landscaping kits with lots of bits and bobs included and at the moment there is a free scarf set.  There`s one for girls and one for the guys as well in rich winter and Xmas colours.  Lots of trans ok items in the store so definately take a peek in here if you are looking for some stocking fillers.

TP to Clematis

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***ALBERO*** http://slurl.com/secondlife/Chowla/132/186/82

CIOCCOLATA  http://slurl.com/secondlife/Hyssop/163/200/62

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I haven’t decided yet.

I’m thinking of ignoring the bad news for now. Sounds so nice.

Looking at the best things in my life: My Bubba and his girlfriend are the most amazing people ever!! <3 I’d be so lost with out them..

CHRISTMAS IS COMING UP 5 DAYS LEFT! Who can wait?

Prom dress looking- Exciting!  Found the perfect one I think. -might ask my girlfriend to go with me-

The ACT test totally Sucked! It wasn’t to bad though. It is killer waiting for my score to be processed or whatever! Gahh! Pray I did good.. And hoping for the acceptance letter from the college afterward too!!

I love Ignorance.. Sometimes..

Gah.. Well Love!

~*Chi*~

If it’s December, then there must be frost in the air, gingerbread in the oven, and … right on time, Bill O’Reilly and the other defenders of Christmas bemoaning the prevalence of “Happy Holidays” – rather than “Merry Christmas” – greetings.

There’s a war on Christmas, O’Reilly recently reminded viewers, driven by those who “loathe the baby Jesus.” This season, a holiday-dÉcor company is marketing the CHRIST-mas Tree, a bushy artificial tree with a giant cross where the trunk should be. And the Colorado-based Focus on the Family is continuing its Stand for Christmas campaign to highlight the offenses of Christmas-denying retailers. The campaign was launched, according to its website, because “citizens across the nation were growing dissatisfied with the tendency of corporations to omit references to Christmas from holiday promotions.” (See TIME’s photoessay “Have a Very Ridiculous Christmas.”)

 But to a growing group of Christians, this focus on the commercial aspect of Christmas is itself the greatest threat to one of Christianity’s holiest days. “It’s the shopping, the going into debt, the worrying that if I don’t spend enough money, someone will think I don’t love them,” says Portland pastor Rick McKinley. “Christians get all bent out of shape over the fact that someone didn’t say ‘Merry Christmas’ when I walked into the store. But why are we expecting the store to tell our story? That’s just ridiculous.”

McKinley is one of the leaders of an effort to do away with the frenzied activity and extravagant gift-giving of a commercial Christmas. Through a savvy viral video and marketing effort, the so-called Advent Conspiracy movement has exploded. Hundreds of churches on four continents and in at least 17 countries have signed up to participate. The Advent Conspiracy video has been viewed more than a million times on YouTube and the movement boasts nearly 45,000 fans on Facebook. Baseball superstar Albert Pujols is a supporter – he spoke at a church event in St. Louis to endorse the effort. (See TIME’s video “Bethlehem’s Complicated Christmas.”)

In the past four years, Advent Conspiracy churches have donated millions of dollars to dig wells in developing countries through Living Water International and other organizations. McKinley likes to point out that a fraction of the money Americans spend at retailers in the month of December could supply the entire world with clean water. If more Christians changed how they thought about giving at Christmas, he argues, the holiday could be transformative in a religious and practical sense.

 The idea for their own war on Christmas came to McKinley four years ago, when he was sitting around with some of his pastor friends and they realized they were all dreading Christmas. “None of us like Christmas,” he says, adding, “That’s sort of bad if you’re a pastor.” Instead of helping their congregations focus on the season of Advent and prepare to celebrate the birth of Christ, the pastors found themselves competing with a secular consumerism that made December the hardest time to make their message heard.

 So McKinley and his friends decided to try a radical experiment. They urged congregants to spend less on presents for friends and family, and to consider donating some of the money they saved as a result. At first, church members weren’t quite sure how to react. “Some people were terrified,” remembers McKinley. “They said, ‘My gosh, you’re ruining Christmas. What do we tell our kids?’” The pastors had to reassure people that they weren’t advocating a Grinchy no-gifts kind of Christmas, but rather one in which people spent a little less and thought a little more, expressing their love through something more meaningful than a gift card. Once church members adjusted to this new conception of Christmas, they found that they loved it. Many, in fact, seemed relieved to be given permission to slow down and buy less. (Read “A Brief History of ‘The War on Christmas’”)

In many ways, the Advent Conspiracy movement has appropriated some of the traditional arguments of the conservative Christians who see themselves as defenders of Christmas. A popular rallying cry of the foot soldiers in the war on Christmas is, “Jesus is the reason for the season.” Often, however, it seems that being able to score a half-price Nintendo DSi and a “Merry Christmas” from the checkout clerk is the real prize. The Religious Right has spent decades casting secular culture as the enemy. And yet instead of critiquing the values of the consumer marketplace, many conservative Christians have embraced it as the battleground they seek to reclaim.

A movement like the Advent Conspiracy is countercultural on two fronts – not just fighting the secular idea that Christmas is a month-long shopping and decorating ritual, but the powerful conservative notion that the holiday requires acknowledgement from the nation’s retailers to be truly meaningful. It’s not easy, says one youth pastor whose church is part of the Advent Conspiracy. “When you start jacking with people’s idea of what Christmas is and you start to go against this $450 billion machine of materialism and consumerism, it really messes with people,” he explains. “It takes a lot of patience to say there’s a different way – Christmas doesn’t have to be like this.”

As the holidays approach and we enjoy special time with family and friends, our thoughts turn to American servicemen and women protecting our freedoms around the globe.

The Cowgirls Historical Foundation has been chosen for the fourth consecutive year to represent our Western heritage by riding in the Tournament of Roses Parade. We are dedicating our ride to Arizona’s Returning Warriors.

Every day more military members return from overseas assignments in combat zones. Many of these men and women are family members, coworkers, friends and neighbors. Even if we don’t know them personally, these brave soldiers are the sons and daughters of this country. They have sacrificed for all of us and many need our help when they return.

As you support the Cowgirls, your year-end gift will work hard to help these men and women regain their strength and independence.

Please honor their service today.
Click Here to make your tax-deductible donation.

Here is our Chairman Paul E. Vallely (Major General US Army ret.) with the gals of the CHP:

Much as I don’t want to wobble on about snow because I know that most of Europe has the stuff and the skies across the world are filling up with the more so that it can be dumped on us all over night. But I did want to just quickly mention the snow here and that is because it is cruel snow!

Why is it ‘cruel snow’ I hear you ask? Well take a look at this photograph of some poor pensioners who were caught in the snow this morning while waiting for a bus into Prague, poor things they were going on a grumbling and barging tour of the shops.

Happily by the time I went out to take the (probably award winning) picture the sun had come out and the sky was blue, it was chilly though and I got cold paws.

Honestly I don’t know what they are going to do with the poor frozen pensioners but I have noticed some really rubbish ‘installation art’ here and there in Prague and so they could use the frozen pensioners as that? It’s just an idea of course. Not much of a way to spend Christmas though is it!

Technorati Tags:
Christmas, Pensioners, Installation Art

A huge well done to the music teachers, instrumental instructors, drama department, AV technician, librarian, janitors, DHTs and the young performers. I thoroughly enjoyed last night’s Christmas Concert at Cathkin High. Why? It was great to see all the young people on stage giving their best – all levels of development were represented from beginner musicians to those older students who had been playing for some time. It was a showcase of tuition and learning during school lessons but also represented the after school and lunch time clubs which pupils attend to widen their achievement. Not just the dedication of the young people on show, but the staff at the school who put the extra mile in, day in day out.

Not mentioning names I also loved the DHT’s knock knock Christmas variety turn….

But not just music was on show. There was a really funny drama called “A credit Crunch Christmas” which caused lots of snorts and hoots of laughter. Chick Murray would have enjoyed it – Comedy is alive and kicking in Cathkin!

I often say it but its getting in and about the youngsters and staff that is what my job is all about. I know what my new year’s resolution is already – refocus continually on remembering that time spent in my office is less time to spend in schools. I tried as a Head to remember that and I need to keep working at that.

Hello,
The second of our Xmas gifts to you is a couple of right good tracks from Hindley, and they’re available for you to download for free from here right now!


The Cycle

Enjoy! More Xmas gifts coming your way in a couple of days – next up: The New Happiness …
x

For your consideration, read the article and gain a greater understanding of your faith.

http://www.examiner.com/x-23644-Albany-Evangelical-Examiner~y2009m12d11-Hanukkah-about-more-than-8-candles

bloggingthechurch

Last Saturday I met a really nice guy. He has an excellent sense of humor, he’s real easy to talk to and he had no problem expressing to me up front that he’s always been chaste and temple worthy. I met him for lunch at Chilis and we had fun. I was a little thrown at how normal he was after my recent dramas with other guys.

So after lunch we agreed to meet again. A day later, he texted me asking when he could see me again, and he had an idea in mind of what we should do already. Ooooh that’s so nice! We went to a star show at The Gateway Mall downtown, got dinner, then wondered around, shopping for a while. He has a lot of energy and I can tell he’s very intelligent. He was very good company and as the night went on, I became completely comfortable around him.

Even before we’d met again for the second date he’d invited me to some see the temple lights with a few of his friends the following Friday. I was excited to see what he was like around people he hung out with all the time. He texted me every day up until a few hours before our next date. Not too much, of course, just fun casual conversation. I enjoyed it.

Friday was our best date yet. He was very playful and teased his friends a lot. It was all smiles and laughs. Much of what I’m used to with my own family, so I felt completely comfortable even though I didn’t know any of these people.

Afterwords we all went to his uncle’s house for hot chocolate and a movie. We watched A Muppet Christmas Carol. He sat close to me and eventually we were cuddling. It was very nice. I kissed him on the cheek when I said goodnight and he texted me this morning. This guy is making everything so easy! He’s so much fun and I’m excited to go out with him again.

I hope this lasts for a while, but even if it doesn’t, I’m going to enjoy his company while I can. I can tell he’s a dear son of God who tries to be a good person and make the people around him happy.

We saw this on the simply zesty’s blog and we tried it out in the office, good Christmas fun for all the family. Try it out for yourself.

http://elfyourself.jibjab.com/

I’m dreaming of a white Christmas! And, considering this weekend, it may happen! I think it may be my first White Christmas EVER! Being from Texas, uhhhh, snow “don’t really happen round those parts” haha.  I think the last BIG snow I remember was when I was about 4! It was not even that much either, lol. maybe 2 inches or less. i remember making the woosiest and smallest snowman, but I giggled with pride at my new found friend. Perhaps this year, my snowman can grow a little! hehe. It snowed here this weekend and it was SO pretty! There is still some snow on the ground! Katie loved it. She walked in the snow yesterday and got mad when I said it was time to go! I think she liked the crunch crunch noise it made. She called it no, haha. Close enough, right? She had a blast watching it fall from the sky. She stood at our sliding glass doors in wonder and amazment. It was so cute, special and heart warming.  I will never forget her face. little kids can teach us so much. They teach us, to love, to live, to be without fear, to have more love, more joy, more happiness, more hope, more peace. . .they teach us to continue dreaming! Having a little girl, i am understanding child like faith more each day. Katie doesn’t worry I won’t take care of her, she just has faith and trust that her mommy will give her what she needs. If me as her imperfect earthly mother gives her what she needs (food, clothes, drink, home) than how much better is our Heavenly Father at taking  care of us!? It was a very special and memorable weekend this weekend, and katie taught me a little bit more about myself and to continue dreaming!

Sorry, as this is uber last minute.  Every night when I can’t fall asleep, I write book reviews in my head. Now, if only I had some sort of machine that transcribed these eloquently written thoughts onto this page, I would be one happy girl.  But since that never happens, and my obviously wonderful thoughts have utterly dissipated by the time my alarm “brrrrringsss” in the morning I slack.

The recent review traipsing through my mind is that of Kate Jacobs’s wonderful holiday novel KNIT THE SEASON.  I admit to having finished this before Halloween and listening to Christmas music since the last page (my poor roommate).  I was holding off on my review until it was a more appropriate Christmas time, but now I am tardy and TODAY is the day when Kate Jacobs is chatting LIVE via Penguin’s Reading Room!

Don’t miss this!  In a mere 68 minutes (12:30PM Eastern time), you’ll have the chance to ask this beloved author anything you want to know about Dakota, Anita, knitting, or her cute dog Baxter…

CLICK HERE for the link directly to the Reading Room, and join me as we wait in anticipation for Kate to chat.

Kate signing oodles of her new book!

  My Husband and I had two hours to ourselves this past weekend.  Sooo……. we went for a drive and came across this great place that we have in our area to see the wonderful site of Christmas display.   Every Year this is one of my favourite visits.   I remember before we were married we went together to Niagara on the Lake, short drive from the Niagara Falls in Ontario.   I always remember the beauty of all the handmade items some stores displayed in their windows.  Believe it or not I even visited Santa……my wish came true that year. Smile……..

 It is wonderful to see, and of course to shop for the small or big budget items you have liked to get for your special Christmas tree for your home:  Santa’s in all kinds of styles, Angels, Birds, Mice, Christmas Balls, Bells, Stars, and Trees.   Red or Yellow Dogwood Branches for your fresh ornaments you have welcoming your Guest and Friends by the Front Door.

 So many choices…and the nice time you have just looking at it and having fun sharing it together.

                                “Never Stop Believing”

For those who don’t mind a bite in the air and crave the feeling of a hot cup of mulled wine in your ice-cold hands-then Prague is the place for you.

The bright lights of the Christmas markets and the aroma of chestnuts, waffles, and hot sausage is enough to make you want to book right now!

There are always a million parties going on, the hardest decision is which one to choose.

If you haven’t experienced a Prague New Year’s, now is certainly the time to get onto it. At PLUS Prague Hostel there are some amazing specials, click here to book now and not miss out as spaces are limited.

Hmm well I’ve done my 7hrs hard work for the week :p taking a few days off to toddle around some nice places with Mark before knuckling down to save for Christmas

On that note I treat myself to an early Christmas prezzie yesterday, some awesome new boots which cost way too much but they’re lovely! also boughted Mark and me some tickets to see Eddie Izzard next month….can’t wait

Off to my first Pilates class tomorrow to start my ‘get uber fit’ regime…should be fun, may have a nice sit in the sauna after too mmm. Registered my interest for a few runs coming up so I’ll just see how I get on with those…buying a new bike too, phew…I feel fitter already, time for cake!

Works still all go, shift changes are underway and everyone’s getting shuffled around so fingers crossed all this upheaval is going to work out for the best…time will tell.

Oh and just a quick question iphone  3Gs or BlackBerry 9700? love the versatility of the BlackBerry but the iphone is just sooo pretty…I’m a sucker for those apps :p

Well going to head off, ciao for now x

How about hosting an Avon Party in your own home?  perhaps for a couple hours one evening? or at a weekend?

It’s a good excuse for a get-together with friends and neighbours…. an you will get chance to see many of the new Christmas products….

There’s no ‘hard-sell’ just a chance to see and try out the products, and browse through the brochures.  I will come along to demonstrate products and answer any questions…

You just need to find somewhere for your guests to sit and supply plenty of tea and biscuits – or glass of wine if you prefer!

And as a thank-you; you will receive 10% discount off your own order at the party AND a goody bag full of treats worth at least £10.

Please contact me via this website to arrange your party.

WordPress Blog Info:  beatlegirl61.wordpress.com
Author:  Ck’s Writing ©
December 20, 2008:

Topic:

Is it edible, taxable or both??

After a trip to Mega-Store -  Walmart last week with family and friends, I was quite surprised by what you can and cannot buy with the ‘infamous government endorsed’ Food Stamp Program.

Firstly, who decides what is edible? I mean, come on… aren’t cookies just plain cookies whether they’re in a foil bag, cardboard box, tin can or plastic wrapper?

So imagine this… You go shopping for Christmas cookies. You want chocolate chips or sugar cookies and decide you’d like those in a decorative can.

Scenario:

Walmart; the week before the big holiday. Shopping for cookies and find they’re in a decorated tin ‘Christmas’ can.
You decide you’ll have certain brand and proceed to the checkout.

Arriving there; you’ve finished and pay with your State Issued Access Food Stamp card.

You’ve purchased nothing but food (edible) items.

The cashier says that will be forty – three twenty – six in stamps and three twenty – one in cash; including tax.

Tax? Humm… Tax; for what? Suddenly there’s tax on food items?

Suppose we imposed a tax on food? For example… Red Bull®, Slim Fast® or Wrigley’s Gum®…

Which company would benefit from the huge corporate write-off?

So where do we draw the line? Consumers need to speak up when they’re in the know.

Gum is something you chew. It was never meant to be ingested, swallowed or digested. This could remain in your digestive track for up to four years. (So we’ve been taught) But point is, you may purchase gum with food stamps because it’s deemed to be edible.

You can stock up the Red Bull® even though it’s an ‘energy drink’.

We can buy Slim Fast;  nothing but a delicious ‘diet aid/ protein drink’ which is edible?

How about chewing tobacco, vitamin water, Cocktail drink mixes?

Now; compare edible with taxable and see what we deduce!

Why not include beer, wine and chewing tobacco on the list of edibles!

As we sit here on New Year’s Eve day putting labels and stamps on our holiday post cards, I thought I would take a few minutes to share two little miracles which occurred this past week. The first happened when I strung the outdoor Xmas lights. I had read a story to the kids from Tomie DePaola’s Christmas Remembered ( a book of short stories recalling Christmas memories from his youth) where every year his dad would string the lights and turn them on with everyone watching. Well I did the same thing, except that I was the only audience., I was up on the roof stringing the lights  and our lights lit up for a minute then,alas,they went dark.

The culprit

The miracle was that the first fuse slot I looked in revealed a shot fuse nesting next to a good fuse. Some miracles are simple.

Let there be light

Little miracle #3 is an urban street story with an unhappy ending. It happened one rainy day when the kids were still in school and…

part of the carpool

we were doing both ways of the carpool. I noticed this unidendified bug on my side view mirror. He became my riding companion all day long. On my back to school to pick up the kids I decided to take my bug eyed friends’ portrait. The second I snapped the shutter it fell off into the street thus laying to rest the non- interference notion of the saying, ” leave nothing but footprints, take nothing but pictures,” a quote said to have been coined by a photographer Ansel Adams.

Please leave us some of your miracles, both little and big, sad and happy.

While giving poor R a little time to sleep in on xmas morn I came across a yahoo article announcing Robert Pattinson cut his hair.  I had to look.  I like it both ways really.  But reading some of his fans quotes on it they are devastated.  Which makes me wonder if they are sad that Rob cut his hair or that Edward did.

Reality check people… Robert Pattinson plays a character.  You may love the character just the way he is but please realize that the man playing this beloved character is just that… a man.  One that does everything you do.  He laughs, cries, makes the occasional party foul, and farts just like the rest of us.  Yes, I said it.  Rob is not Edward.  Edward is what we call fictional.  Understand that please.  You can love how Rob portrays Edward and you can love Edward but please understand that there is a difference between these two creatures.

Now, for the pictures.

Before

After