2011 Blew IN with a Hoot and a Holler

The New Year blew in with a hoot and a holler.

Well, not quite.

Watching CNN in New York, I found it a lot quieter than in previous years.
Nashville seemed to be celebrating a lot more
and here in BC people were quite happy with the singers and entertainment but they are every year so nothing changed.

I made my version of samosa using philo dough and my own stuffing.
I used the hot sauce they advertised on television, where an old woman said she uses this .........on everything!
and it tasted good.

I also made lasagna with spinach meat eggplants onions tomatoes and lots of cheese. Today I will make my husbands favorite vine leaves from grape leaves.
They are stuffed like cabbage rolls and very good.
The roast will be baked for this evening and lots will probably be left for tomorrow.
I expect the vine leaves will be done by then . They always go very fast with yogurt.

I bought a new pie plate but have not used it yet. Would be a good day to try making an apple pie with lots of cinnamon.

I stopped making big meals because everyone runs around and is never home for a sit down. It's always a lot more convenient to have food made so they come and eat when they want.

Life and times have changed.
My son brought some friends to celebrate at home at 9 and then they left to party somewhere else.
They are young so I guess this is the time for them to enjoy. The police were working overtime telling every one they will be pulled over for drinking checks. Since no one wants to lose their cars which will cost them over 2k to get back, I think most people got the message not to drink and drive.


At midnight our neighbors kids took out fireworks and blew them outside, scaring the daylights out of everyone especially my little dog who was looking for comfort. lol
She is my little lion dog, defender of men.

Well I better get to it if I want to keep on schedule

Again .........Have a very pleasant and happy day .

Relax because the New Year has just begun and like with a baby, there will be lots to do.

:)

New Year's Day Prayer for One and All

Dear Lord

So far this year I've done well.

I haven't gossiped, I haven't lost my temper, I haven't been greedy, grumpy, nasty, selfish, or overindulgent. I'm very thankful for that. But in a few minutes, Lord, I'm going to get out of bed, and from then on I'm probably going to need a lot more help.

Amen

A New Year's Wish

On New Year's Eve, Marilyn stood up in the local pub and said that it was time to get ready. At the stroke of midnight, she wanted every husband to be standing next to the one person who made his life worth living.

Well, it was kind of embarrassing. As the clock struck - the bartender was almost crushed to death.

Lecture Tour with A Difference

On New Year's Eve, Daniel was in no shape to drive, so he sensibly left his van in the car park and walked home. As he was wobbling along, he was stopped by a policeman. 'What are you doing out here at four o'clock in the morning?' asked the police officer.

'I'm on my way to a lecture,' answered Roger.

'And who on earth, in their right mind, is going to give a lecture at this time on New Year's Eve?' enquired the constable sarcastically.

'My wife,' slurred Daniel grimly.

Politician in Action

A Senator in the USA was once asked about his attitude toward whisky.

'If you mean the demon drink that poisons the mind, pollutes the body, desecrates family life, and inflames sinners, then I'm against it. But if you mean the elixir of a New Year toast, the shield against winter chill, the taxable potion that puts needed funds into public coffers to comfort little crippled children, then I'm for it. This is my position, and I will not compromise.'

To The World - A HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

The weather outside is frightful.
And to many, not so delightful.

To find a warm place to hide
Food and a soft bed to lie,
Is indeed a good quest to find.

My heart is laden and heavy
as I watch the fireworks, splendid.
As bright lights spark in the skies
I wonder what tomorrow will arise?

Will it bring new hope for many?
Will it heal old scars and woes?
I wish my crystal ball would tell me
So I can tell everyone I know.

Till then, I can just send best wishes
to my friends around the world
And hope the new year supplies horns of plenty
To each household and each child.

May you all be safe and healthy and wise
And
May God Bless you all.


A Lady's Life sends best wishes to everyone
for a Happy New Year.

YEAR OF THE RABBIT

A placid year, very much welcomed and needed after the ferocious year of the Tiger. We should go off to some quiet spot to lick our wounds and get some rest after all the battles of the previous year.

Good taste and refinement will shine on everything and people will acknowledge that persuasion is better than force. A congenial time in which diplomacy, international relations and politics will be given a front seat again. We will act with discretion and make reasonable concessions without too much difficulty.

A time to watch out that we do not become too indulgent. The influence of the Rabbit tends to spoil those who like too much comfort and thus impair their effectiveness and sense of duty.

Law and order will be lax; rules and regulations will not be rigidly enforced. No one seems very inclined to bother with these unpleasant realities. They are busy enjoying themselves, entertaining others or simply taking it easy. The scene is quiet and calm, even deteriorating to the point of somnolence. We will all have a tendency to put off disagreeable tasks as long as possible

Money can be made without too much labor. Our life style will be languid and leisurely as we allow ourselves the luxuries we have always craved for. A temperate year with unhurried pace. For once, it may seem possible for us to be carefree and happy without too many annoyances.

Fly Baby Fly

Canada is being treated so badly by the Emirates and rightly so because they know most Canadians cannot afford their 10,000 dollar a night hotel rates. lol
And what fool would pay rates like this? With so much poverty and ruin in the world, if you want to throw away 10k, do it the right way by giving it to feed or educate someone Like Holmes on Homes is doing.

CTV News CTV NEWS CTV NEWS

I read the article above with great interest along with all the comments.
The only thing I can say about it is that I went to a Global warming web page and it told Canadians that this problem is the result of people activity and it advised Canada that in order to stabilize the weather, we have to stop bringing in more people which then increases more people activity.

It sounded all pretty smart and educated and our Prime Minister Harper, has my vote on this Emirate Issue. He seems to be making many good decisions because they are made for the right reasons.

We are good people. If the Emirates don't want us there, let them take those who they want.Why do they need money? Judging from the infrastructure, most of this money never goes to the people. It's hoarded and then they use the gold for their buildings to invite more people to come see, as if we never saw gold before.
Our streets are paved in gold. We have many good clean streets for people to use, including women.
We have enough of our own problems. We have the sick, the aged, the poor and homeless and we need to take care of our own.

Unlike their ways, which believes in fighting for death, we fight for life. Our treasure and riches, lies in the gifts God loans us in the form of life and breath and it is a slap in Gods' face when we become eager to throw his gifts away, believing in his giving of heavenly awards for bad behavior.

We will build our own gold reserves, in our own way.
Maybe one day, the Arabs will need our oil. We know the Russians want it.
lol

Go Canada!!!
True North Strong and Free!!

Swimming in December

There is nothing more enjoyable than sitting in a hot tub or heated pool or even
hot springs, surrounded by snowflakes, with a moon and nature all around you.
Japanese Macaque monkees do just that in Japan. They go in there to take a nice nap
in soft, warmth, thus keeping themselves also healthy and clean.



I did this in a health club at the top of Place Bonaventure, Montreal, with people, sitting and dining in an exclusive restaurant, watching, through huge windows. If it were not for people, this would have been an individual experience thing, instead of a people watching thing lol

BC has many hot springs to enjoy.

Whistler also gives people a chance to enjoy doing this and once in a while you see a few wild
souls taking advantage of this pleasure to relax, catch a few huge snow flakes and enjoy the view.

Now don't forget, there are 60 bears living in this area and they know how to swim and climb houses, just as well as a raccoon. lol

:)

All the Streets Are Ploughed and The Sky is Gray

One thing that is good about Whistler is that the snow plows do their work.
The streets are clean and you still have the beautiful view of the heavy snow clad trees and peaceful quiet people so yearn to have around them.

Christmas was spoiled for one family from Cali though this year.
They went down hill as a family and their 20 year old son steered off the path and they couldn't find him when they reached bottom. A search was made which had to be stopped when it got too dark and continued in the morning, at which point, they found the young man dead by the creek.
No one knows if he wore a helmet.
I asked my son where this creek is and he said way off the path and he saw no reason why the boy should end up there.
He said even in the gondola which hovers 1,500 overhead, one would not be able to see him there unless maybe if he wore extremely bright colors.
All he could see around the creek area were logs.

So how did the 20 year old make this mistake to go in that direction?
Did the snow blind his view of the path?
I guess we will never know but this makes it even more important to ski or snow board in groups and keep your eyes on one another.

Many mountains have the path cordoned off so people do not go off course but Whistler has too much ground to cover and maybe they do not do this, so people have to be very careful.


I found out that they do sell ski jackets equipped with GPS devices in the sleeve which can
help search and rescue track you. Sorta like a dog wearing a chip under the skin lol

I think it is a great idea and in this case, would have helped locate the lad sooner than they did and maybe saved his life.

A tragedy occurred Christmas of Dec 2010 and condolences must be sent to the family, devastated
by the loss of a son, while the world was celebrating the birth, of the son of God.
Is there a meaning here?

This is BC.
Beautiful, wild and dangerous.
Generous and greedy.
Loved, cried and died over.
Free and restricted
Plentiful and lean.

Whatever you are looking for,
You will find it here.
And if nothing else, the local stories will
definitely keep you entertained.

Charles Lemoyne Hospital - Geriatric Ward.

Christmas is a time to remember my Mom and Dad (who passed away with a bang
on the American Independence Day week end a long while back.)

This left us with my Mom who suffered from Parkinsons and Alzheimers.
My Dad was a diabetic and it was a hot day outside when he ventured out to cut the lawn.
He made it back inside to get his shot ready but instead fell on the floor.
My Mom could not get help so she lay down beside him to die and they lay there three days before a neighbor found them.
As a result My Mom had a bruise on her thigh bone which got infected apart from all her other problems.
The hospital called us and told us to hurry up because she might not make it.

We took the first plane out and it took a good 3 months of constant care before we could get her out of there. They saw this as a victory and everyone applauded as we left telling us that not many escape THE WARD.

I have to say that the hospital was very nice to us. They let my Son stay and even played with
him and let him carry trays to the patients, mostly old people. We spent a great deal of time there from 7 am to 8 pm every day because they had a shortage of nurses and my Mom needed
constant supervision. When she felt better they let us take her out for lunch across the street to the Chinese buffet where we could enjoy our meal and give her also things she liked to eat, like cabbage and sweet and sour soup and cous cous salad full of parsley which gave her iron, etc...
She would enjoy going out with us and the change of scenery and it gave her a new will to live.


One would never guess just how hard nursing is, especially with difficult patients who tear out
tubes and constantly call for help for one thing or another and then there is all this paper work.
I have seen a few nurses brought to tears, when they could not find any more veins to put in an I. V.

Well she made it out and we had a chance to take part in Halloween, Quebec style, before departing for the long trip to BC.

This is my Mom, a lady who would curl her hair, wear nice negligee's and put on lipstick before going to bed, in case she died that night. She never wanted people to find her in disarray.

These crippling diseases which turn beautiful people into 2 year old children, is indeed not something to look forward to.

I had my Mom to enjoy and was robbed of the pleasures of nice discussions, family memories and joyful outings to share with her. I did all of the above anyway, because I knew she was kept a captive in her mind.
She was still in there and it must have been devastating for her, not to be able to get out so I tried to keep her stimulated. She never forgot who I was till the very end.
So I don't know about this alzheimers. It's quite a funny disease.

It gave me great pleasure having her near me, whatever I was doing, in spite of it.
It wasn't easy. We had the whole family involved in her care and the whole family learned a great deal from it. Everything you do in life is a learning experience.
Knowing the two ends of the spectrum makes you a much better person.

My Mom liked to laugh and have fun so I would like to take the time and remember her and my Dad today.

My candles are lit for all the departed souls who cannot be with us to share the memories
in 2010. I hope my Dad met her and that they are both looking down upon us and sharing this day.

I Met You - this is heart tearing

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow

What's not to love about Christmas?
A crackling, apple wood, fire
and a good snot of brandy to fill your senses to end the day?

I look forward to have the family sit with no where to rush,
no dead lines to meet, no traffic to sit in, to just laze around
and enjoy a house that so longs to also be a home.

People spend so little time at home. Always rushing around
with somewhere else to be, except home, where the heart is.

So Christmas is that time of year when you bring your heart home
to loved ones to share of yourself and your time with people
who matter.

A Lady's Life
WISHES EVERYONE A MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!

Olympic Fever at Whistler.

Even after the Whistler Olympics, the fever has not calmed down.
The sign is up and ready for business.

The ski lift takes you up to 7000 feet and brrr. it can get cold up there.
Then you have a chance to learn to be either a winner, or become a person rug
for big black bear which occasionally show up there.

This is why we have many Olympic winners here in Canada because we have the best training. lol

My son began his new found delight in snow boarding, as opposed to skiing and soccer and what a blast he had with the boys.

They have a wide assortment of restaurants and shops, with wonderful buys of quality goods.

Yup ....Whistler is the place to be.

Everyone is welcome.......so common up .....ya hear?

:)
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Four old retired guys are walking down a street in The Villages, Florida ..
They turn a corner and see a sign that says, 'Old Timers Bar - all drinks 10
Cents.' They look at each other, and then go in, thinking this is too good
To be true.

The old bartender says in a voice that carries across the room, 'Come on in
And let me pour one for you!

What'll it be, Gentlemen?'

There seemed to be a fully-stocked bar, so each of the men ask for a
Martini. In short order, the bartender serves up four iced
Martinis.....Shaken, not stirred, and says, 'That'll be 10 cents each,
Please.'

The four men stare at the bartender for a moment.
Then look at each other...they can't believe their good luck.

They pay the 40 cents, finish their martinis, and order another round..
Again, four excellent martinis are produced with the bartender again saying,
'That's 40 cents, please.'
They pay the 40 cents, but their curiosity is more than they can
Stand.--They have each had two martinis and so far they've spent less than a
Dollar.

Finally one of the men says, 'How can you afford to serve martinis as good
As these for a dime a piece?'

'I'm a retired tailor from Boston ,' the bartender said.
'And I always wanted to own a bar. Last year I hit the Lottery for $25
Million and decided to open this place.
Every drink costs a dime - wine, liquor, beer, it's all the same.'

'Wow! That's quite a story!' says one of the men.

The four of them sipped at their martinis and couldn't help but notice seven
Other people at the end of the bar who didn't have drinks in front of them,
And hadn't ordered anything the whole time they were there.

One man gestures at the seven at the end of the bar without drinks and asks
The bartender, 'What's with them?'

The bartender says, 'Oh, they're all retired old farts from Canada, waiting For happy hour when drinks are half price.'

lol even I have to laugh at this one lol

Ol Man Winter

We took this shot in Whistler,BC.
It's unbelievable how the soft snow flakes wrapped tucked and warmed this small sapling.
It looked like old man winter, with his head and body bent low,
trudging along, oblivious of the beauty surrounding him.

He is used to it, as he is the one who brings it, wherever he goes.
I had to take this shot.
It was just too good to pass up.

Hope you all have a wonderful day!

:)

Wings of the Airforce

This blog is dedicated to the wonderful men and women of the Air Force.May the Christmas Spirit find you and keep you safe and happy this season.And may you see a twinkling star from the heavens showing you the way. :)

Blessings are sent your way from a Lady's Life.
====================================


Better is Possible = recommended this book for good reading.

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson

It sounded good so I am also recommending it on my blog. The review of the book is on her blog

.The story of A Christmas Carol explains what is meant by this famous carol with 12 geese a laying. I found it interesting.

=========================
From 1558 until 1829, Roman Catholics in England were not permitted to practice their faith openly. Someone during that era wrote this carol as a catechism song for young Catholics. It has two levels of meaning: the surface meaning plus a hidden meaning known only to members of their church. Each element in the carol has a code word for a religious reality which the children could remember. -The partridge in a pear tree was Jesus Christ.-Two turtle doves were the Old and New Testaments.-Three French hens stood for faith, hope and love.-The four calling birds were the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke & John.-The five golden rings recalled the Torah or Law, the first five books of the Old Testament.-The six geese a-laying stood for the six days of creation.-Seven swans a-swimming represented the sevenfold gifts of the Holy Spirit--Prophesy, Serving, Teaching, Exhortation, Contribution, Leadership, and Mercy.-The eight maids a-milking were the eight beatitudes.-Nine ladies dancing were the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit--Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control.-The ten lords a-leaping were the ten commandments.-The eleven pipers piping stood for the eleven faithful disciples.-The twelve drummers drumming symbolized the twelve points of belief in the Apostles' Creed.So there is your history for today.

This knowledge was shared with me and I found it interesting and enlightening and now I know how that strange song became a Christmas Carol.

Merry (Twelve Days of) Christmas Everyone

Over Seas Santa In the Military

Santa, because of having to make sure the children he gives presents to were good, has many places to live. He keeps an office where his staff, computers and satellite help keep him posted.
Sometimes even if you were not good but apologetic, he makes exceptions to his rule. ;)
Thank God for that cause other wise I wouldn't get anything for Christmas but a lump of coal.
I always do something bad every day. lol

One of Santas' homes, is in beautiful BC, where tree trunks are as wide as a one car garage.

Santa found one such place and made his head quarters there.
As you can see, he's up scaled it a bit. The children come to see him on the first floor and as you go higher up he has homes for the elves who get a chance to see the view all around and on the top floor is his residence.

Under ground, below the roots, lies his work shop, where no one would even think to look.
Sometimes, if you are real quiet, you can hear the whirring of the factory machines working hard to build some of the childrens' favorite toys. Sometimes Santa has to go to other companies for the
toys he doesn't make, like Computers, discs, music and games and he gets very annoyed with them when they run out of stock because then he can't give children what they ask for and has to think up of ways for them to get them later, if at all.

This is why he appreciates it when people celebrate Christmas at different times because they follow different calendars. Some people are always two weeks behind and this lets him make a second smaller trip or send some of his elves to bring the stuff to extremely good children.

I don't know why some children do not believe in Santa. They go to school and teachers and kids tell them there is no such thing and of course once they believe in that, the magic of Christmas is gone.
When my children were growing up, they also told me Mom....there is no such thing as Santa Claus. I immediately jumped up and hushed up their mouths and warned them that if Santa ever gets wind that they didn't believe, that would mean no presents anymore.

Even I still believe in him because I love the idea that even if he gives me just a little something for the fun, I would have so much pleasure trying to figure out what it was . To even find a little package under the tree, just for me, excites me every time. :)
So you don't have to ask me twice if I believe in him cause I sure do and I think I always will.

Of course parents love to play Santa too because sometimes he hires them to help his elves.
Then Christmas becomes even a better time.

But, the best Christmas I ever had in my life, had no presents at all under the tree.
We got different presents those years. Presents of blessings.

Presents of people we had not seen in a while we could share memories with.
New people who came into our lives who we talked with and learned things from.
I met an Opera singer who explained to me how to train my voice so I could sing like her and my friend met a hockey skater who gave him tips on how to score goals and my cousin, who met a famous piano player who showed her a few tunes to play, easy as pie. Of course they always came with candy and cake and hot chocolate and they were never in a rush to leave.

They sat talking and laughing and sharing their funny life stories and we just could not get enough. We went to bed happy and thanked God and Santa for sending us such wonderful people
who did not spend their Christmas Eve at home with their own families that year.

Santa , like God, knows what we want for Christmas, but instead gives us what we really need.
Those are called blessings when people learn to share of themselves with other people, being kind and generous of spirit. We light candles for these people in gratitude for what they do for us every day.

So A Lady's Life just wanted to share her story about Christmas. She took a Picture of the
magical place where Santa lives in BC but she is not allowed to disclose the exact location as to where it is.
You'd have to write Santa and ask him for the address for that lol
You never know, there might be another place like it, closer to your home.

Well, have a good one. My boys are helping me make cookies and my reindeer are outside barking so I better get them lol

A Lady's Life wants to wish All the Armed forces, away from home this Christmas, a
Peaceful and quiet and safe day!!
Blessings are sent your way and don't worry about us at home, cause you are always in our thoughts, every moment of the day.
Thanks Guys.
:)

===========================
Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the skies,
Air defences were up, with electronic eyes.
Combat pilots were nestled in ready-room beds,
As enemy silhouettes danced in their heads.

Every jet on the apron, each SAM in its tube,
Was triply-redundant, linked to the Blue Cube,
And ELINT and AWACS gave coverage so dense
That nothing that flew could slip through our defence.

When out of the klaxon arose such a clatter
I dashed to the screen to see what was the matter;
I increased the gain and then, quick as a flash,
Fine-adjusted the filters to damp out the hash.

And there found the source of the warning we’d heeded:
An incoming blip, by eight escorts preceded.
“Alert status red!” went the word down the wire,
As we gave every system the codes that meant “FIRE!”

On Aegis! Up Patriot, Phalanx and Hawk!
And scramble our fighters–let’s send the whole flock!
Launch decoys and missiles! Use chaff by the yard!
Get the kitchen sink up! Call the National Guard!

They turned toward the target, moved toward it, converged.
Till the tracks on the radar all finally merged,
And the sky was lit up with a demonic light,
As the foe met his fate in the high arctic night.

So we sent out some recon to look for debris,
Yet all that they found, both on land and on sea
Were some toys, a red hat, a charred left leather boot,
Broken sleigh bells, white hair, and a deer’s parachute.

Now it isn’t quite Christmas, with Saint Nick shot down.
There are unhappy kids in each village and town.
For the Spirit of Christmas can’t hope to evade
All the web of defences we’ve carefully made.

But a crash program’s on: Working hard, night and day,
All the elves are constructing a radar-proof sleigh.
So let’s wait for next Christmas, in cheer and in health,
For the future has hope: Santa’s coming by stealth!

Ship Ahoy ! Lighthouse Christmas

It's time to send a Christmas Message to all the Captains and Sailors, and Service people of the Navy and Merchant Marines
out in the Ocean Blue, working over the Christmas Holidays.

Ahoy! There Maities!!

A friendly lighthouse is here to wish you all the best of all wishes .
Please take pictures if you see Santa crossing the water with his sleigh full of good cheer and let us know where he is!

May you all be safe and warm in waters calm.
You are never forgotten .

Kisses of Peace and Love sent your way.

From A Lady's Life
:)
-------------------------------
Long ago lived a seaman named Captain Bravo. He was a manly man who showed no fear in facing his enemies. One day, while sailing the seven seas, a look-out spotted a pirate ship and the crew became frantic. Captain Bravo bellowed, ''Bring me my Red Shirt.'' The First Mate quickly retrieved the captain's red shirt and whilst wearing the bright red frock he led his men into battle and defeated the pirates.

Later on that day, the look-out spotted not one, but two pirate ships. The captain again called for his red shirt and once again, though the fighting was fierce, he was victorious over the two ships. That evening, all the men sat around on the deck recounting the day's triumphs and one of the them asked the captain, ''Sir, why do you call for your red shirt before battle? The captain replied, ''If I am wounded in the attack, the shirt will not show my blood and thus, you men will continue to fight, unafraid.''

All of the men sat in silence and marveled at the courage of such a manly man as Captain Bravo. As dawn came the next morning, the look-out spotted not one, not two, but TEN pirates ships approaching from the far horizon. The crew stared at the captain and waited for his usual reply.

Captain Bravo calmly shouted, ''Get me my brown pants.''
---------------------------------------------------------

How much does it cost for a pirate to pierce his ears?
A buck an ear!!! Aaaarrrgh!
------------------------------------------------------------

A Sailor In A Bar Leans Over To The Guy Next To Him And Says, "Wanna Hear A Marine Joke?"

The Guy Next To Him Replies, "Well, Before You Tell That Joke, You Should Know Something. I'm 6' Tall, 200 Lbs, And I'm A Marine. The Guy Sitting Next To Me Is 6'2" Tall, Weighs 225, And He's A Marine. The Fella Next To Him Is 6'5" Tall, Weighs 250, And He's Also A Marine. Now, You Still Wanna Tell That Joke?"

The Sailor Says, "Nah, I Don't Want To Have To Explain It Three Times."

===================================================

Capt. Charles Blue, was stationed in a remote area of Newfoundland during part of World War II. His wife was at home in Nova Scotia anxiously awaiting the birth of their third child. The only means of communication was the military radio, which could not be used for personal messages no matter how important. Blue was sure he would not get news of his child's birth. But a fellow officer in Yarmouth, N.S., cut through the red tape and relieved the anxiety with this wireless message:
LITTLE BOY BLUE ARRIVED STOP BLOW YOUR HORN STOP...
=============================================

A drunken sailor on liberty got into a big mud puddle in the street and was looking for something there.

Soon two other sailors came over and asked him: "Hey, bud, what are you looking for?"

"You better give me a hand, men," said the drunk.

The new arrivals walked into the puddle too and set about searching something unknown. At last the first drunk got out of the puddle and exclaimed: "I've found it!"

"What did you find?"

"The shore!" he exclaimed.

Have a good One!!!

:)

The Rudolf Story

The True Story of Rudolph

A man named Bob May, depressed and brokenhearted, stared out his drafty apartment window into the chilling December night.

His 4-year-old daughter Barbara sat on his lap quietly sobbing. Bob's wife, Evelyn, was dying of cancer Little Barbara couldn't understand why her mommy could never come home. Barbara looked up into her dad's eyes and asked, "Why isn't Mommy just like everybody else's Mommy?" Bob's jaw tightened and his eyes welled with tears. Her question brought waves of grief, but also of anger. It had been the story of Bob's life. Life always had to be different for Bob.

Small when he was a kid, Bob was often bullied by other boys. He was too little at the time to compete in sports. He was often called names he'd rather not remember. From childhood, Bob was different and never seemed to fit in. Bob did complete college, married his loving wife and was grateful to get his job as a copywriter at Montgomery Ward during the Great Depression. Then he was blessed with his little girl. But it was all short-lived. Evelyn's bout with cancer stripped them of all their savings and now Bob and his daughter were forced to live in a two-room apartment in the Chicago slums. Evelyn died just days before Christmas in 1938.

Bob struggled to give hope to his child, for whom he couldn't even afford to buy a Christmas gift. But if he couldn't buy a gift, he was determined to make one - a storybook! Bob had created an animal character in his own mind and told the animal's story to little Barbara to give her comfort and hope. Again and again Bob told the story, embellishing it more with each telling. Who was the character? What was the story all about? The story Bob May created was his own autobiography in fable form. The character he created was a misfit outcast like he was. The name of the character? A little reindeer named Rudolph, with a big shiny nose. Bob finished the book just in time to give it to his little girl on Christmas Day. But the story doesn't end there.

The general manager of Montgomery Ward caught wind of the little storybook and offered Bob May a nominal fee to purchase the rights to print the book. Wards went on to print,_ Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer_ and distribute it to children visiting Santa Claus in their stores. By 1946 Wards had printed and distributed more than six million copies of Rudolph. That same year, a major publisher wanted to purchase the rights from Wards to print an updated version of the book.

In an unprecedented gesture of kindness, the CEO of Wards returned all rights back to Bob May. The book became a best seller. Many toy and marketing deals followed and Bob May, now remarried with a growing family, became wealthy from the story he created to comfort his grieving daughter. But the story doesn't end there either.

Bob's brother-in-law, Johnny Marks, made a song adaptation to Rudolph. Though the song was turned down by such popular vocalists as Bing Crosby and Dinah Shore , it was recorded by the singing cowboy, Gene Autry. "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer" was released in 1949 and became a phenomenal success, selling more records than any other Christmas song, with the exception of "White Christmas."

The gift of love that Bob May created for his daughter so long ago kept on returning back to bless him again and again. And Bob May learned the lesson, just like his dear friend Rudolph, that being different isn't so bad. In fact, being different can be a blessing.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

2010
-------------------------------------

Christmas was over. Santa and his reindeer finally had a chance to rest. And they deserved it. They had done a good job.

Rudolph had a chance to do something he had wanted to do for a long time. He made an appointment with a plastic surgeon because he was so sensitive about his looks.

However, it wasn't his glowing proboscis that he wanted changed. He was proud of his nose and the help he had given Santa because of it. No, he was sensitive about his long ears which were much more prominent than the ears of the average reindeer, or bear, for that matter.

So one week after Christmas, he let the good doctor do the reconstructive surgical procedure, and since that time, January 1st has been celebrated as ... New Ears Day.

Christmas Quacker

What is Celibacy?
Celibacy can be a choice in life, or a condition imposed by circumstances.

While attending a Marriage Weekend, My wife and I, listened to
the instructor declare, 'It is essential that husbands and wives know the
things that are important to each other.."

He then addressed the men,
'Can you name and describe your wife's favorite flower?'

I leaned over, touched my wife's hand gently, and whispered,
'Robin Hood -All-Purpose, isn't it?'

And thus began my life of celibacy.........

Overjoyed!!

I was overjoyed this evening as well as very surprised to see
the little nuts I found by an oak tree, and planted, sprouted for
Christmas.

I was washing dishes and then saw this green color inside the plastic container
which I covered with cellophane paper so there would be no flies in there
laying eggs.

I looked inside and just couldn't believe what I saw.


BABIES FOR CHRISTMAS!!!

Now what better sign can you get at this time of year?

I am soo extremely happy you cannot imagine.
More are coming out and I so hope they survive.

I am encouraged to plant more now that I know they will grow.

Oak trees are truly a gift to mankind, animals and nature.

I have the I Wish You a Merry Christmas song in my head
and it will not leave.

I think I got my gift and I feel so merry and bright.
:)


A London lawyer runs a STOP sign and gets pulled over by a Glasgow copper.

The lawyer thinks that he is smarter than the cop because he is a lawyer from LONDON
and is certain that he has a better education than any cop.
He decides to prove this to himself and have some fun at the Glasgow cops expense

Glasgow cop says, " Licence and registration, please."
London Lawyer says, "What for?"
Glasgow cop says, "Ye didnae come tae a complete stop at the stop sign."
London Lawyer says, "I slowed down, and no one was coming." Glasgow cop says, "Ye still didnae come tae a complete stop.
Licence and registration, please"
London Lawyer says, "What's the difference?" Glasgow cop says, "The difference is, ye huvte come tae a complete stop,
That’s the law, Licence and registration, please!"
London Lawyer says, "If you can show me the legal difference between slow down and stop,
I'll give you my licence and registration and you can give me the ticket.
If not, you let me go and don't give me the ticket." Glasgow cop says "Sounds fair. Exit your vehicle, sir."
The London Lawyer exits his vehicle.

The Glasgow cop takes out his baton and starts beating the shit out of the lawyer and says,

"Dae ye want me tae stop, or jist slow Doon?"
===================================

Story behind the American Flag.
http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=Iwa-lSVqA1M&vq=medium

Whispering Sweet Nothings

This is a work in progress, although I am so far, not very fond of it.
Thinking of chucking it.
Have to put a lot more effort into it if it will get a passing grade for effort.
I love Renoir and this picture he painted in particular.
I am not doing it justice at all.

He didn't turn out so bad but she turned out horrible and it is the woman and her eyes
that really count.
Is it love?
He says it is but she ain't buyin it lol

Forgive me he says. For you are my turtle dove.
I am not impressed Monsieur. lol
Shame on you for trying to .......you know.......seduce
a young woman. lol
Fool me once, shame on you
Fool me twice... shame on me.

But such is the life in the artist world.
One loves and is loved.
Life burns with passion.
Once you feel it, you will never want to live without it.
Your cup runneth over.
-----------------------------

Burn bright oh love and
let me cover you
with the soft feathers
of my bed.
Let me kiss your bright red lips
and feel their softness
on my breath.
For I have never lived till now
And ne're more will live
If it were so
Ne'er to feast upon
Your clear dark eyes
And exclaim my passion through them
To your soul.
For what is life without the touch
of your soft, cool hands' caress across my brow.
Even now, I feel the tenderness, in so light a touch,
As to make me drunk with stupor
In delight, to be so loved
By such as thee.

A Lady's Life.

lol
:)


Sister Mary Ann, who worked for a home health agency, was out making
her rounds visiting homebound patients when she ran out of gas.

As luck would have it, a Texaco Gasoline station was just a block away.

She walked to the station to borrow a gas can and buy some gas. The
attendant told her that the only gas can he owned had beenloaned out,
but she could wait until it was returned. Since Sister Mary Ann was on
the way to see a patient, she decided not to waitand walked back to her
car.

She looked for something in her car that she could fill with gas and
spotted the bedpan she was taking to the patient.

Always resourceful, Sister Mary Ann carried the bedpan to the
station, filled it with gasoline, and carried the full bedpan back to her car.

As she was pouring the gas into her tank, two Baptists watched from
across the street.. One of them turned to the other and said,

'If it starts, I'm turning Catholic.'!!

In God we trust!

Soccer Fan Worries

Here is a sketch of a soccer fan I did.
She is standing, freezing in the cold, a bit concerned the game is not going the way she wants it.
Her thick long auburn hair is being blown by the wind.

When you love the game, not wind nor rain, nor sleet nor snow will stop you from being out on that field and don't I know it? lol Our family has played and sat through so many. lol
We are all like faithful post men, doing our jobs for the people and country we love.
GO TEAM!!!

FOR LEXOPHILES (LOVERS OF WORDS)

1. A bicycle can't stand alone; it is two tired.

2. A will is a dead giveaway.

3. Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana.

4. A backward poet writes inverse.

5. A chicken crossing the road: poultry in motion.

6. When a clock is hungry it goes back four seconds.

7. The guy who fell onto an upholstery machine was fully recovered.

8. You are stuck with your debt if you can't budge it.

9. He broke into song because he couldn't find the key.

10. A calendar's days are numbered.

11. A boiled egg is hard to beat.
----------------------------------------------------------

http://www.wimp.com/mirrorprank/

New Years Fortune?

Lady of the Light

(click to enlarge)

This is a little piece I did in chalk, I happen to enjoy.
I love old stories and this one is about a fortune teller
who tells young people their fortunes on New Years Eve.
This woman has an air of mystery about her as she smiles with a lit candle,
surrounded by snow flakes. Look into her eyes.

Will I be happy?
Will I be rich?
Will I marry?
Will I travel?
What is my destiny?

Ask the Lady and she will disclose to you, your fortune, through either her crystal ball or cards, which never lie.

May good fortune happiness and joy come your way, as we come closer to the New Year!

:)

Old Souls

No matter how many times this picture is drawn, or sketched,
I don't think people will ever get tired of it.

These artists seem to capture each generation with equal fascination.

You want to find out all you can about these people.
Who they were, what they did and what inspired them to create with such passion.

They drew their family members and their friends and just people in general
and here we are, years later, looking and wondering,
what were these people thinking at that moment?

Seeing a similar, so familiar face, in todays' world,
a fragment from the past...
then brings forth this feeling of
deja vous.

You've been there and done that before and you know because
you've seen it in the canvasses, the souls of the old masters.

:)
An out-of-towner accidentally drives his car into a deep ditch on the side of a country road. Luckily a farmer happened by with his big old horse named Benny. The man asked for help. The farmer said Benny could pull his car out. So he backed Benny up and hitched Benny to the man's car bumper. Then he yelled, "Pull, Nellie, pull." Benny didn't move. Then he yelled, "Come on, pull Ranger." Still, Benny didn't move. Then he yelled really loud, "Now pull, Fred, pull hard." Benny just stood. Then the farmer nonchalantly said, "Okay, Benny, pull." Benny pulled the car out of the ditch. The man was very appreciative but curious. He asked the farmer why he called his horse by the wrong name three times. The farmer said, "Oh, Benny is blind, and if he thought he was the only one pulling he wouldn't even try."

"Will I ever be able to race my horse again" the owner asked the vet. The vet replied, "You certainly will, and you'll probably beat her too!"

-------------------------

What did the horse say to whinnie the pooh while watching his t.v. show? I wish I could hear you whinnie.
------------------
Did you hear about the race horse that was so late coming in? They had to pay the jockey overtime!
------------------
You said this horse could jump as high as a ten foot fence and he can't jump at all.

Well neither can a fence!

---

Portrait Sketch

I love doing portraits
This is a sketch I did of my son this morning

It's amazing how your children take on features that are a mix of not only your
husband and yourself but also of grandparents and even great grandparents.
You get to see this a lot more clearly when you begin to draw them.

How they change from 2 - 10 -17 is amazing, and you wish that they'd stay small
cause they don't let you kiss their chubby cheeks anymore after they are grown.
lol

And well.... cheeks aren't chubby any more either. lol
Overnight, they become young men and women you don't recognize anymore.

And yet.......through pictures you see traces from the past.
Traces from faces which now are both deja vous and the future.

It gives you a funny feeling inside.
:)

Wanna know more about Christmas??

What do elves learn in school?
A: The Elf-abet!

Q: If athletes get athletes foot, what do astronauts get?
A: Missletoe!

Q: Why was Santa's little helper depressed?
A: Because he had low elf esteem.

Q: Why does Santa have 3 gardens?
A: So he can ho-ho-ho.

Q: Where do polar bears vote?
A: The North Poll.

Q: What do you get when you cross an archer with a gift-wrapper?
A: Ribbon hood.

Q: Why do birds fly south for the winter?
A: Because it's to far to walk.

Q: What was wrong with the boy's brand new toy electric train set he received for Christmas?
A: Forty feet of track - all straight!

Q: What kind of bird can write?
A: A PENguin.

Q: How does Al Gore's household keep Christmas politically correct?
A: On Christmas morning, they give the presents TO the tree.

Q: What do you call a cat on the beach at Christmas time?
A: Sandy Claus!

Q: How do sheep in Mexico say Merry Christmas?
A: Fleece Navidad!

Q: What nationality is Santa Claus?
A: North Polish.

Q: Why does Santa's sled get such good mileage?
A: Because it has long-distance runners on each side.

Q: What do you call a bunch of grandmasters of chess bragging about their games in a hotel lobby?
A: Chess nuts boasting in an open foyer!

Q: What do you get if you deep fry Santa Claus?
A: Crisp Cringle.

Q: What did the ghosts say to Santa Claus?
A: We'll have a boo Christmas without you.

Q: What did Santa shout to his toys on Christmas Eve?
A: Okay everyone, sack time!!

Q: What do snowmen eat for breakfast?
A: Snowflakes.

Q: If Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus had a child, what would he be called?
A: A subordinate claus.

Q: Why did the elf push his bed into the fireplace?
A: He wanted to sleep like a log.

Q: Why did Santa spell Christmas N-O-E?
A: Because the angel had said, "No L!"

Q: What goes Ho, Ho, Swoosh, Ho, Ho, Swoosh?
A: Santa caught in a revolving door!

Christmas Fun

Three more eggs and I will have my two dozen to put away to dry for a year.
In the mean time, they make a lovely postcard, do they not??

I can add as many eggs as I want to make a heritage collage
of my own stuff and am enjoying seeing them turn out lol

Here's a
WINTER Poem Someone wrote.

ENJOY!

It's winter in Canada
And the gentle breezes blow
Seventy miles an hour
At thirty-five below.

Oh, how I love Canada
When the snow's up to your butt
You take a breath of winter
And your nose gets frozen shut.

Yes, the weather here is wonderful
So I guess I'll hang around
I could never leave Canada
Cuz I'm frozen to the ground!

Have a great day...:)

Precious Consistency

I am having so much fun painting my eggs.
My husband just broke a dozen by putting another bag over the egg one.
At first I thought it was only one but then I saw the real damage so
unless you can get turkey eggs which I understand to be very thick, one needs to be very careful.
Today I painted one with red Christmas trees and a Santa with two bags of presents.
I think it turned out really nice.
Then I came across these eggs you see above.

Now this is a piece of art work.

To be able to have such perfect hand control, so as not to destroy the egg, is absolutely amazing.

These eggs are carved out just like you would a Halloween pumpkin.
I am soo impressed.

I hope they varnished them nicely so they do not break.
Such delicate work cannot be handled without risking destroying a masterpiece.

I am just wondering if they did not first soften the egg shell before carving it.
Otherwise how would it be done without cracking?

Excellent work indeed.
I hope you like it as much as I do.

As for turkey eggs...someone mentioned that we eat duck and chicken eggs and quail eggs, so why do we not eat turkey eggs?

I also wondered about that so I looked it up and they said it's because turkey eggs are larger and very rich, so you need to eat less to get the same amount of protein you would from a chicken egg.
Also they lay one, every two days and require a lot more food than a chicken does.

It would be too expensive to keep turkeys for egg laying and to sell the eggs in quantities of 12 and .... it would take longer to collect. One person said they also tasted strange, so unlike a chicken egg.

But for art purposes, I think turkey eggs would be great, since the skin is thicker.
I have no idea where one would buy them though.



Have a good one :)

Question: Why did the chicken lay an egg?
Answer: Because it would break if she dropped it!

Question: Where did the chicken go on her vacation?
Answer: Sandy Eggo

Question: Why did the egg cross the street?
Answer: To get to the shell station.

Question: Why did the chicken lay her eggs on a axe?
Answer: She wanted to hachet

Question: What do you call a egg who’s done lots of things?
Answer: An egg who has a lot of eggsperience.

Question: Where do you find information about eggs?
Answer: In the hen-cyclopedia

Question: Why is the chef so mean?
Answer: She beats the eggs!

Question: Did you hear the one about the egg?
Answer: It's not all it's "cracked" up to be!

Question: How can you drop an egg six feet without breaking it?
Answer: By dropping it seven feet - it won't break for the first six.

Question: What does mummy hen call her baby?
Answer: Eggs-tra special

:)

As God Is My Witness!!

When I watch Gone With the Wind, I am always left with the image of a beautiful young woman who lost everything in war, except her beloved Tara.
Angry and Hungry she raises her fist up to God and tells him, I want more!!
I will never go hungry again!! I want better.

And believing that life is about getting and being better, man always looks up into the horizon and the sky and the stars. He wants to know and see beyond.

Man is in awe of the beyond because it all seems to fit in such perfection.
And yet..... out there, in the beyond, is a battle .. a constant battle between things which have no feelings or senses to speak of.

But here on earth, being human, I always thought, if only man understood.

If only man wanted perfection and did more to obtain it through learning, we could actually obtain it one day.
And so I spent my life fighting for perfection............ "Fighting".

The more I fought, the more the world fought back saying... There is no such thing.

I say, when A man looks up into the sky, he is searching for answers.
So he is looking to get something better than what is.He is sent to school to learn.
Why?
Man gets angry at God and says there must be more!
This can't be all that there is!

And God answers...... there is a lot more
and you can see it through my eyes.

But man cannot see because he does not understand what God means by that.
So he rejects him, curses him,fights with him, and blames him.

Mankind is not worthy. Man is constantly fighting, arguing, getting mad.
He is never happy.

So how can he meet with God? How can he see God? How can he know what perfection is?

In God's world there is no fighting. In God's world, celestial battles do not take place.
It is a void, a place where nothing happens, where man could see and understand what utter peace is.

When I think of it, my polluted mind would explode from jumping from non perfection to absolute perfection.So when a person finally dies, we say... he is finally at peace. No more wars, no more fighting, no more arguments, no more pain.
Finally all the questions will be answered as his/her soul rises and God will then explain all that there is to explain.

When my child was born, I counted all the fingers and toes. I looked into it's eyes and saw intelligence and a smile.
Both my boys had me at their first .... agoo.

In my heart and soul, I knew and rejoiced in that each, at the time, was perfect.
Another Mother obtains an imperfect child but in her eyes, her child is her blood and soul
and in her mind, it is perfect and she will spend her whole life fighting, to keep it fighting,
to be perfect.

And to this day I fight with my sons telling them, I made you, created you... perfect.
So don't imperfect yourself and let me down. lol

But people grow and are thrust into a life they are not ready for and they become imperfect and thus imperfections become the status quo.
Imperfection is.......... what is today.

But perfection is never lost. Man has not stopped fighting.
Man still wants it and is still fighting for it, so the belief in its' existence still lives.
There in lies hope.

Man still gets mad at God and shows him his fist and cries out into the sky. There must be more!!
There is a great thirst for more.

And God in turn smiles down because he knows man is not quenched, because he does not understand.

In the end, there is more but there are no winners.

In the end, there will be only one.
Even right now, this minute, there is only one and tomorrow there will only be one as yesterday, there was only one.

And as man experiences the knowledge of an expanding universe, scientists tell us that maybe one day it will all break apart and we will all die.

All this fighting we are doing, is all for nothing.

There is no where to run.
There is no where to hide. There is nothing to prove.
The future is already written and no amount of money or prayers or head banging,or wars, is going to change anything. It is, what it is and will be.

That is the pure truth to it all and the true perfection.
Existence and life is not about chaos.
Mankind cannot learn himself to save a species because it's just too big
and too overwhelming to change anything that was already
planned and willed by God.

In God's hands we will rise again.
From one, there can be many.

Also from one, there can be none.
As a Mother decides when she will have her child, so does God.

As a humble person, a man can find love, health, peace.
Through kindness and sharing he can have wealth, health, joy.
Through learning he can obtain understanding, entertainment and laughter.

but from fighting, there is only death,
before ones' time to die.

So why is man born with 7 senses and a brain to think with? Why is he not born like a mineral which does not need to eat, sleep, drink, feel pain and suffering and think?

Man was born to understand, that there is more and a better way, a simpler way and all he needs to do, is see it through God's eyes and relax.

And God will witness it all, as he always does,
because we are all one with him.

There is no escaping God.
We are all at his mercy and all understanding that we have life because of his will
and his will alone.
:)

Beloved

Many of us have dear hearts who are our beloved's till death do us part.

I am one such lucky gal.

And if my high school allowed me to play the violin instead of the big bass, I would be serenading my beloved with his favorite song on one of my favorite instruments, for no other reason than love.
And who plays it better than this man.


This is for the beloved man in my life. (I am sure he rather look at my face but it's the best I could do) :)

Enjoy.

Winter TIps

SEND THESE TIPS TO YOUR COLD WEATHER FRIEND"S

Helpful Hints For Winter

Keep your headlights clear with car wax!
Just wipe ordinary car wax on your headlights.
It contains special water repellents that will prevent that messy mixture from
accumulating on your lights - lasts 6 weeks.

Squeak-proof your wipers with rubbing alcohol!
Wipe the wipers with a cloth saturated with rubbing alcohol or ammonia. This one trick
can make badly streaking & squeaking wipers change to near perfect silence & clarity.

Ice-proof your windows with vinegar!
Frost on it's way? Just fill a spray bottle with three parts vinegar to one part water &
spritz it on all your windows at night. In the morning, they'll be clear of icy mess.
Vinegar contains acetic acid, which raises the melting point of water---preventing
water from freezing!

Prevent car doors from freezing shut with cooking spray!
Spritz cooking oil on the rubber seals around car doors & rub it in with a paper towel.
The cooking spray prevents water from melting into the rubber.

Fog-proof your windshield with shaving cream!
Spray some shaving cream on the inside of your windshield & wipe if off with paper towels.
Shaving cream has many of the same ingredients found in commercial defoggers.

De-ice your lock in seconds with hand sanitizer!
Just put some hand sanitizer gel on the key & the lock & the problems solved!

HAPPY WINTER !!!

Tiger Power

Now this is one little copper kitty I found, which I made, when I was
a kid.
I remember how much I enjoyed making things like this.
I don't know where my beaver and other pieces I made went.

Things had a habit of disappearing in my house.
But I am glad this little guy remained and that I was able to take a picture of him.

After I made him, I remember thinking that I wanted my kitchen cabinets,
to be made out of such tigers.
How much delight I would take in cleaning them and caressing such a wonderful powerful animal
in my kitchen.
Some people want a tiger in their tank and I wanted a tiger in my kitchen,
growling me into beautiful succulent meals.

I have a nice kitchen but no tigers. :)
Nothing to scare me into cooking succulent meals.
Nothing to caress and give me incentive to clean my cabinets.
lol

Ah well.

Life could be worse I guess lol
:)

Suck It Up Cupcake.

"Suck it up cupcake, cause there ain't no changes."

This little picture is a carbon copy of my little dog Tanya.
She has the same temperament.
She can be pesty and loveable, pushy, nosy, curious and an excellent guard and protector.

For her small size it is quite impressive to see her Lion Heart.

This caption says that nothing will change for the new year and if you liked or disliked her, it doesn't matter cause she is here to stay to give you more of the same. lol

Well no problems here. I can't imagine her not being around.
I love her to pieces :)
I think this little dog is a girl too but they gave her a cigar and a gun.

I guess her name must be Annie Oakley too. Rootin, shootin cow girl who will not be bullied by the cow hands. lol

My Tanya has longer, curly hair, which makes her look a little dishevelled and devilishly
cute, which makes it hard to discipline her.
She gets away with everything by giving you that look which says, well that was fun, come on, let's do some more. lol
You almost want to join her and forget what she did . You just can't resist to love hug and pat her and of course she laps it all up and entertains you some more. lol


Animals certainly do bring out the best in us.Is it no wonder they are man's best friend?
lol

Reaching Out For Love

This is very enlightening and nice to watch
Enjoy





I remember lots of things about Christmas except what I got under the tree. I know I saw boxes but I don't remember what was in any of them.

When I got older I would save my allowance. Then I would go to the store and find a beautiful sweater or expensive shoes I thought would be a treat for my parents and I'd buy them. So while I got presents which so it seems, didn't mean much to me, cause I can't remember what they were, my parents were very happy with what they got.

We also did not put names from whom the presents were cause they were all from Santa.

Well, one day my Dad remarked that one present was from his daughter. And my Mom answered how do you know? And he answered, cause you would never spend so much.

My Mom blushed and my Dad laughed but I felt so good that they loved their presents.
From that day forward every time I gave a present, even though it had no name on it from who it was, my parents knew which ones were from me.lol

My parents were very frugal. They never spent just to buy. They spent on what was needed anyway, so it was all about socks and underwear and PJ's and slippers. I never had many toys and those I did have disappeared and I would see my cousins with them and wonder where mine went?

They never even asked if it was ok to give away my stuff and today when I think about it, it sometimes infuriates me. In those days however, I never missed them or new they were missing. I always had a very clean room.

I had a hand turning sewing machine made out of metal someone gave me and I know I treasured it. One day I saw my neighbors 4 year old daughter playing in the dirt with it outside.
I asked my Mom where my sewing machine was and she said you don't need it.
I gave it to the neighbor.
I was hurt but said nothing.

Then one day I walked into an antique store and there was my sewing machine but today it cost 250 dollars to buy back.

Well I didn't buy it back because I had a real one by now which I found and bought because I made an excuse that if I had to sew one day without electricity, I'd have one to sew with, and it looked the same. I could have just as easily used the little toy one, since it was just like the real one, but for kids.

See how, what parents do, affect children?
One never knows why one does things in life,
until life looks back at you.
:)