Thanks, Margaret. You’re funny; the loot! My absolute favorite was unintentionally funny, from a neighbor that is hyper religious, inside a card that had lots of scripture and holy pictures, a couple of lottery tickets. Besides which, one of them won $3. I’m still giggling.

LMAO! That’s funny. Drawing numbers for Jesus. Good morning! And Good Morning to all PUAC regulars, lurkers and newcomers!

Here is a shot of the New Years party. Note how great the camera is in low light. This is the first picture I took in low light and I was flatly astonished. It was serendipitous that I was already looking for a camera, (with the long distance help of our Eli) and wound up with this one for free.

YES! “The Year Without a Santa Claus” is the bestest Christmas movie ever! (Well, of course, “A Christmas Carol” too, for the classical, serious part.)

YWaSC is the best because it shows us how we have to each act to make good things happen. Santa’s sick and tired and pissed off, and rightfully so. The world has lost faith … except for a few quirky folks like me and you. Harmless elves get arrested for “riding a vixen the wrong way on a one way road, crossing the White Line, and wearing funny looking suits on a Sunday.” The weather’s all messed up thanks to the Miser Brothers, and Mother Nature is furious.

And yet … in the end the whole thing works out. At least till next year.

Good morning all.

I don’t do gifts, give or receive. My niece gives Xman PJs. The prior pair was useless; in fact I think I’ll find them & give them away. This year’s was light fleece & I think I might some day get around to using them.

Cahnstance received a bad of bird seed from my fave neighbor.

Thanks! And welcome to PUAC.

Why would your neighbor give birdseed to a cat, unless it was to use it as bait?

To grow birds, of course.

Ah! Of course. Silly me. ;)

Good morning, Margaret! We’ve missed you in the mornings, lately. I was just reading some of your trenchant comments on Swopa’s thread. At the end our friend Shooter242 showed up to throw a coupla stinky bombs at you.

I gift the grandkids, but none of the adults, and I ask that any gifts for me be in the form of charity donations. I don’t NEED a thing, and I can buy my WANTS myself, so I much prefer that the money be spent to help the less fortunate.

I do get very tired of the Christmas music that takes over my classical radio station from Thanksgiving through New Year’s, though.

I wondered that, myself, when she first mentioned it. Sounds like a clever joke!!

Ding.

Shooter often shows up to attack me long after I’m gone.

Something I really like is charities like WWF and Heifer Project letting you choose the gift you send, so the kids getting it can spend time under the tree or whatever making a choice of their gift, and that seems like it makes it more meaningful.

Re bird seed, I was puzzled myself & neighbor explained before I figured it out.

I bought shorter (so higher off the ground) feeding tubes, as Cahnstance had learned how to jump high enough to reach the bottom of the earlier ones. She hasn’t been outside enough during the colder weather to practice, so the real test will come in the spring.

and I ask that any gifts for me be in the form of charity donations.

What a wonderful and generous idea!

Good Morning Margaret, Ruth, pups

No loot right at the holidays this year. Santa (me) replaced a ten year old laptop with latest (for part of my work) and a wide-format very HQ photo printer that just came on the market. It is set up to print archival ink on art papers and canvas if desired. Experimenting with photo art as a means of additional income along with with existing need for plain printing for scaled CAD drawings.

Though it is nice to get to see relatives and old acquaintances back visiting their family homes and to taste a few special traditional foods, I am pretty glad that the neighbors have pulled the most offensive cold blue (LED I suspect) and other clashing colored, light display this poor night sky has ever seen. I’ve successfully avoided the traditional holiday shopping syndrome for many years now. Staying out of stores, watching very little teevee, and this year had the added benefit of a diversionary activity, collecting recall signatures. I guess that was the valuable loot this season.

I see many long hours of Cahnstance working on her leaping skills in your future.

I give honey to adults and bake cookies (24 dozen this year) for kiddies, now in their 20s & 30s.

Last year was first time I had honey to give and got this disappointed look, like what’s so special about something I could buy in the supermarket.

This year I got difja bring honey, dija didja didja.

Santa came a little late this year for me, in fact just a bit earlier this AM.

Chris Hayes on “Up” interviewed a Gitmo detainee, now freed.

Not a happy camper.

But remarkable to see on American TV.

I wonder if his colleagues on primetime will put that interview on their shows.

I don’t expect to see it on broadcast news.

That could be fun. I am easily amused. :-)

I did find her early attempts pretty funny. She would crouch in the mowed lawn underneath, like I’m soooo invisible. Didn’t fool the birds at all.

Months later, she caught one or two, when I decided I had to do something different for poor birdies.

Good morning everyone, and good morning Margaret, thanks for hosting. The missus & I got a new daughter-in-law for Christmas! Technically, probably the day after Christmas, since they are in China (but may have been pretty close to Christmas here – it’s a 14-hour time difference). It was a little bit of a surprise to us, as they had been planning to wed in late January. However, they moved it up because everything in China shuts down for 3 wks, even the gov’t, for Chinese new Year.

The expense of light displays has a merciful side to it.

Margaret,

That camera is terrific. Your boss sounds like a nice person.

Yep, Neko will crouch behind a teeny pot with a small cactus in it and stalk birds from there. And is more successful than I would have thought although she’s about as invisible as a Mack truck behind a Geo Metro.

I like that, too. Perhaps next year I will plan ahead and see if I can interest my daughter’s two girls in picking out something like that, and I will tell them I will give their choice of gift in their names. I also “adopt” a needy child from their school (anonymously) and give clothes and toys.

It’s more difficult for my son’s family. My daughter-in-law is Jewish and doesn’t celebrate Christmas, and their kids (his and hers) range from 18 – 6 years old. My son and wife prepare and serve food on Christmas morning at a shelter, but I’m not sure if they donate elsewhere in cash.

I read this year of people paying off a stranger’s lay-away at a Walmart or KMart so they could get their holiday purchases out of “hock.” I think I may try to do that next year. Our own KrisAinTX (I think it was) paid the balance of a checkout tab for someone ahead of him in line who was coming up short and was clearly needy.

Those things are what the holiday is about, at least for those of us of the atheist persuasion.

I like light displays… Unfortunately there is no accounting for taste. So that’s a huge caveat.

good morning Margaret n pups.
msmolly @ #10: agree on the xmas music tho heard a ‘smooth jazz’ piano rendition of carols that i could listen to year round –approx 1 uninterrupted hour …

best gift: neighbor couple are big on holidays starting thanksgiving potluck dinner. all the fun w/o the work.

best gift: neighbor couple are big on holidays starting thanksgiving potluck dinner. all the fun w/o the work.

And without the alcohol fueled embarrassing squabbles with relatives!(Okay, that would be MY relatives)

Stores more likely to play jingly stuff though, and it makes me really cross.

That one had to be a hodge-podge of every old and new string of lights they had an outlet for.

NPR did a hit piece on recall this morning. Gave every talking point from Walker, none from recall. Like how difficult it is to collect signatures in the winter, doubting they had the 540,000 the needed for recall, next challenge (owing to holidays) they had extra day day to collect. I had to turn it off.

Oh that smooth jazz rendition sounds very nice. I sing in a community/university-affiliated choir, and we did a lot of Christmas concerts — a big one and then sang at a local mental hospital, a Rotary luncheon (director is a member) and a little downtown cafe. But that is different than “Joy to the World” and “O Come All Ye Faithful” in multiple versions all day long.

I even got all Grinchy and wrote to the classical station, pointing out that their listeners were people of all faiths or no faiths and to play 100% Christmas music for the two weeks before Christmas was inconsiderate of those who are not believers. I got a rather disingenuous reply, and I dropped it.

My long time contractor warned me when I first got Cahnstance and I pooh poohed him. I should know better by now.

Good morning Peg and all Firedawgs. I didn’t get a whole lot for Christmas as I don’t ask for anything. I would rather spend the money on my wife and daughter. I got my wife an I-touch so she could download music and listen at work. I find when I help others that is the best gift for me. Thanks for hosting. *g*

Oh Holy Switch Breaker…

Hmmm, I don’t think that’s especially Grinchy. Maybe next year they’ll call it Saturnalia caroling. ;)

Re: Xmas light displays. One of my niece’s neighbors does a timed display in response to music which they play on a radio station so sound doesn’t disturb neighbors. We had to go to see it. Truly gross. Think I will not be invited to go along next time.

The failure of Obama to purge the Bush neocons from NPR and other top posts is one of the biggest disappointments to me.

Apparently one of the latest fads is decorating one’s house like that and then coordinating with music. People can pull up in the street and tune their radios to a specified spot on the dial and the lights pulse and flash to the carols. There are several of those in my daughter’s community (near Indianapolis). After the first visit, when one can only marvel at the gaudy display, and the probable size of their electric bill, and how long it must take to put up and take down, not to mention pitying the neighbors, I decided I fail to see the attraction. Grump.

OMG see my #40. The music might not disturb anyone, but the cars and the flashing lights sure would.

I figured it was the latest fad, so am not surprised to hear that it has invaded your area. I thought of the traffic problem also, but there were only 3 cars there when we went, so I didn’t remark on that.

Yep. A popular youtube starts a fad like nothing else. Maybe that money could be much better spent as a donation to the local animal shelter or something.

I didn’t know where it started, but it’s been around for at least a couple of years. The younger kids love it.

Speaking of YouTube fads, I didn’t see many flash mobs singing the Hallelujah Chorus this year. There was going to be one at our local mall, and choirfolk were encouraged to join in, but I was out of town so couldn’t participate. That video from Canada that went viral last year was a hoot.

I don’t think I’ve ever experienced a flash mob. I think it’s a neat concept though.

A brother-in-law has a neighbor who does that, and several other neighbors have joined in, including my B-I-L. It isn’t my cup of tea, but I guess if it helps get them in a holiday mood and gives them a bit of enjoyment, it’s OK.

In the cul-de-sac where my oldest son & D-I-L live, the neighbors line the street with candelerias on Christmas Eve, and a few families go house to house singing carols.

Candelarias are great, but it has to be a clear still evening for them to work well. I have done them on occasion.

Actually a brave squirrel took out their power-line transformer a week before they took it down. Mother Nature can be nasty mistress.

What is a candelaria? Wiki couldn’t help me.

How long did you spend training that squirrel?

This? :-)

The ones I’ve seen are basically a candle (usually a tea light) with a small paper bag placed over the top and weighted down. A very nice effect, the paper bag glows with a flickering light.

I’m dreaming of a lichen Christmas?

It’s a candle set out on the front walk inside a bag or can or whatever to keep it from blowing out, usually several of them.

here’s something I did find at google, sort of describes; http://www.bajainsider.com/baja-life/holidays/diadelacandelariamexico.htm

Gotta hop. Going to pick up this month’s CSA share.

Be well.

I used to live in East Grand Rapids, MI, and the whole community did that (those who wished to, of course). Some enterprising kids even went door-to-door on our street and neighboring streets and sold candles and brown paper bags. It was always a very pleasant sight, and people drove around and looked.

It may have changed in the intervening 25 years, but people in that community didn’t go out for big gaudy displays, mostly. It’s where I adopted the outdoor decoration I use to this day: a big natural wreath over the garage adorned with a big candy cane and a few white and red pine cones and a big bow, with a spotlight on it. A few neighbors have commented that they like it.

Margaret:

Were all the prizes at the employee Christmas luncheon of similar value?

LOL, funny mental picture!

Thanks. Sounds kinda like an andon.

Thanks for stopping by eCAHN.

It’s actually called a luminaria.

Well that’s NPR for ya. We were instructed to wrap up what signatures we had and get them in to the state office yesterday by 2PM. Shut down the recall office. People were still walking in up until noon to sign. Word was that it was going to be difficult (down state) to even process all the signatures turned in already, by Tuesday. I’m expecting an excess of what is needed to be around 200K.

Sorry folks for the diversion into politics at PUAC, but here is some additional info for anyone interested later.

I’m out too….to the Farmer’s Market!

Have a great weekend.

No but mine represented a sort of middle of the road gift.

Aha! Thanks Molly. :)

You are correct, guess the candle part just stuck in my brain. Give that lady a prize! Whatcha want?

Sorry folks for the diversion into politics at PUAC, but here is some additional info for anyone interested later.

Not at all. I’ve dipped my toes in too.

Wonderful work, you did good.

Except for books for the grandkids and checks for their parents, we haven’t exchanged or received gifts for three years. We give what we would have spent on stuff to charities (LA Catholic Worker and the Open Door Community in Atlanta) and buy some toys to give to the local Toy Bank.

Our new tradition: we watch “What Would Jesus Buy?”, the documentary of the cross-country bus trip Rev. Billy and the Church of Stop Shopping Choir took a few years ago. So funny, touching, and uplifting!

You can watch it free, here:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1056487665981560376#

Margaret,

We’re all the lucky ones to have you around here. The real loot if there ever was any.

Thanks for your diary, comments, intelligence and attitude.

Have a few chores to attend to myself. Be good to yourselves and others, pups.

Wow. High praise indeed coming from you. Thank you and thanks to everybody who stopped by!

Your boss is more innovative them me.

Years ago I stopped having the Christmas party and began simply putting sealed envelopes on my employees desks several days before Christmas.

Probably not as much fun, but……..

Margaret!
Oh man, I missed this. Sorry, I didn’t know it was Peg’s turn.
As I am still recovering from a nasty strain of the flu jumping on me, I probably needed the extra sleep.
Going to read the post now.

Don’t fret demi. Take care of your flu first!

Garlic and lemon to all with germs and now must get other stuff started.

Thanks, Margaret, for the good loot.

Half way through reading, thought I’d check back down this way.
Margaret – I did buy my sonny one kind of fun present that I think you’d appreciate – an oversize Family Guy Xmas Cup. He has his breakfast soup in it every morning. *g*

Sweet!

Mornin’, Margaret, pups

I got a homemade old fashioned southern fruit cake. Still moist, still delish. Just might have a piece for brekkie.

Nothing like those store bought things that after 2 days you can break off chunks and use ‘em as slingshot ammo.

And I bought both my sons r/c cars – they are surely cheaper now than when the boys were young. We opened gifts here on the Eve, and yes, the boys were in the front street playing with them. Now, here’s the real DEMI part…both cars were on the same frequency (kenneth) so they couldn’t run them at the same time. D’oh, mommy did a dum dum thing.
But, it got the boys talking about ten years ago when Battle Bots were all big. Do you remember that? All my son’s friends made their own and one year on a birthday they all brought them to our house and we had a huge Battle Bot contest on the driveway.

G’Day, SD. Are you feeling any better? Hope so, but at least you can stay inside and down if ya wanna. Did you try the garlic lemon tea yet? Think I need to make a second batch as it appears that I’ve “given” this yuck to the mister. What a gift. :(

http://m.youtube.com/watch?gl=US&hl=en&client=mv-google&v=4GExTGsEvqg

I like xmas lights — the holidays would be ordinary without them.

Feel better this morning, thanks for asking. I’ll pick up lemon, garlic and ginger today when I go to the store. Didn’t get home until after 6 last night and learned about Angela and didn’t want to go anywhere after that.

LMAO! It’s a dessert! No! It’s ammunition!

That’s understandable. Oh, the tears yesterday.
I asked her if she picked out a cuddly to sleep with last night. The thought of her sleeping without Angela’s warmth just had me heart broken.

Oh no! Did Angela die? Poor RevBev.

Took her to the vet and she made her journey to the Bridge yesterday afternoon. So sad. She’s at peace now.

Yesterday.
Group Hug around (((RevBev)))

He’s cowardly that way.

(((hug)))

(((RevBev)))

It certainly brings up the issue that when we open our hearts, become vulnerable, we will experience loss. Whether it’s a friend, a lover or a well loved pet.
But, the alternative, keeping your love to yourself, is that we also eliminate the opportunities for deep and greatly wonderful experiences.

demi @ 79

toys have always been a part of xmas in my family: over the years we’ve enjoyed flying dirigible back in 1950′s and a brass cannon in a following year. I gave a helocopter to my retired pilot friend a few years ago, and he said it was best present ever.

i had a couple tiny radio shack race cars that i tuned up with new batteries and gave to a boy visiting campground nearby and learned he and his dad spent a fun evening …

toys are xmas and you don’t have to be a kid to enjoy …

by the way, demi, did the guys examine the cars and controllers for frequency setting? the tiny ones i had had 4 position slide switches on controllers AND cars …

(((RevBev and Angela)))

These were very cheap ones, $10, so they probably didn’t have adjustable settings. But, it’s okay, because they had fun for that evening, at least. Boys are 18 and 24 and yes, who dooesn’t like toys?
The really funny part was when they were holding the wrapped boxes, they were about 14 inches long, my oldest said, Oh, I hope this is a toy. I wanted a remote controlled car. I think that’s what this is. See, how there this part where it’s plastic? Then they ripped off the paper and voila! It was my favorite part of xmas. Truly. My youngest and I were just sitting there with our mouths open. And, there was absolutely no way possible that he knew.

I’d like a room where I could set up a platform about 12′ x 12′ and set up an HO or N Gauge train layout.

Dream on, dream on, teenage queen. la la la

demi @ 94

yep, the mini ones i got were $10 also … 4 or 5 years ago. lot of low cost entertainment that can be passed on when the fun fades.

We sympathize with RevBev, having lost 2 cats and a dog to the process. All were foundlings and all were unique blessings. Valentine, our Shepherd was the biggest gift of all both in size and devotion. I was making breakfast on her last day. Her spirit called out as she passed and I turned and witnessed her last moments.

Burying a 90lb Shepherd is another story!

Anyway, my special gift from Christmas is a new monitor, configured for graphics (a Dell u2412). I knew it would be an improvement but what a big improvement is is!

Oh my goodness. That shows just how close your souls were/are. I’ve heard only a few stories about friends sharing the very last moment of a loved ones moving on.
Very special. I’m in awe, Starbuck.

The day prior to this photo, an extraordinarily talented, friend, “living,” life, drowned in an ice-boating mishap (on a different nearby lake). This was several years ago. Another, to-the-heart of the matter comment above, demi, thanks.

This photo is in my, what I like about winter file, everyday loot to those who are observant.

Completely gorgeous.
Observant indeed. You saw it, didn’t you?

Wow, You all are the best. Angela would certainly enjoy all this attention…think Purr. She esp loves under and round the neck rubs and scitches, as some one says. Ive had many cats, and she may have the most pleasant disposition in the group. Yesterday was about 4 weeks since the diagnosis, with good care, so I am comforted to think that she likely did not suffer, or at least, surely not for long. Many many thanks for all the care and information that has been offered and shared. A very grateful heart here. My best. A really loving gathering. Thank you, bev

We, my partner and I, both loved that dog, and she, us. Her arrival, the struggles to keep her, the triumphs and the final passing. It’s all extraordinary.

Peggy! Long after everyone’s left..in case you check back. How long have you been doing PUAC?

I try to stay off the computer on Saturdays,…not that it works all day, obviously.