The Eye of the Storm...

.... or The Days Between Holidays

I remember when I was doing my various newspaper columns these few days between Christmas and New Year's Eve were always a little strange. It was too early to do New Year's related material, and Christmas was gone, so... what on earth should we write about?

Nothing has changed, except I am now doing my "column" online. I'm still challenged as to a topic worthy of an entire blog post, so I'll just do my usual Monday thing.

What I'm Reading: The Merry-Go-Round by Donna Fasano. I just started it, but so far it has my attention. Of course, I've always loved a carrousel and one figures prominently in the story.

 What I'm Dismayed About: The great divide between police officers and the general public that is rift with hate and violence. Rioting and looting are not answers to injustice and killing police officers isn't either.

What I'm Happy About: I had a terrific visit with my kids at Christmas. We had the traditional Christmas Eve dinner of lasagna, and I had a good time helping my daughter-in-law make it. The lasagna in Taiwan is much different from the American version. After dinner we did a White Elephant gift exchange, which is always great fun. There were threats to life and limb over the sausage balls my son-in-law makes every year.

Other gifts were given, too, and one that I got was a Garmin Vivofit Activity Tracker.  So far today I've walked 6784 steps, 2.89 miles, and burned 1104 calories. I need to walk a lot more to make up for the pumpkin bread I will eat later today.

Some Monday Fun: This cartoon from Shoe was in Sunday's newspapers. Shoe is sitting at his trash-can desk reading a letter to the editor: "Dear Editor, I'm fifty and still live at home with my mother, who cooks, cleans and does my laundry for me.

"Everything was fine, but now she wants to charge me #400 a month for room and board!!

"What should I tell her?"

Shoe puts the letter down, fires up his laptop and writes, "Tell her I'll give her $800 and that I can move in Thursday."

And Now a Word From Our Sponsor: Not really. I just like saying that. However, I do want to mention that my YA novel, Friends Forever, is currently discounted now through Jan 2 for Kindle and Kindle Apps. This is the new edition from White Bird Publishing.

Friendship is a tenuous thing when you're thirteen and everything in your life is changing, especially your best friend.

"4 1/2 Stars! FRIENDS FOREVER beautifully captures the pain and confusion of early adolescence." (Sharpwriter review)

'Twas the Day After Christmas And...

Going back to older blog posts, I found another from 2009 that is appropriate for the day after Christmas. I do hope everyone had a wonderful celebration with family and friends. 


In keeping with the Holiday season, here is another excerpt from A Dead Tomato Plant and a Paycheck. Enjoy.....


The day after Christmas was usually one of the best and one of the worst days of the year for our family. If that doesn't make sense to you, don't worry, I'm not sure it does to me either. But let me try to explain.

It was the best because:

There were now 364 more shopping days until Christmas.

It was the one day of the year when perhaps the kids were just as tired as we were, and they’d sleep off and on all day.

All the build up for the Big Day was finally over, and the noise level in the house had dropped about 20 decibels.

I didn’t have to cook since we had all those leftovers from Christmas dinner. (If we didn't have a big Christmas dinner, I was in trouble on that score.)

The kids would decide they liked each other after all, and we could go the whole day without a fight – maybe.

The kids would invite me to color with them, or play a game, and we could share some really good times together - as long as they let me win now and then.

But every coin has its flip side, and the other side of this day was:

After the glitter and tinsel of Christmas, after the giving and receiving, the celebrating, singing and eating, we could all sit back, unbutton the waistband of our pants and try to decide who would clean up the mess.

Who would get to spend the next four days sorting through the thousand-and-one little pieces of games, toys, and puzzles that in less than one day managed to get tossed together from one end of the house to another?

On Christmas day, nobody seemed to care, but the day after nobody was being nice anymore, and the house was filled with moaning and wailing and the sounds of blood-letting and bones breaking ...

"Find that Stratego piece or I'll break your arm off and beat you over the head with it!"

"I never touched your Stratego game! Mommeee!!"

I guess four days out of my life wasn't too much to ask.

Who would dig through the 22 bags of trash to find the instructions for assembling the model airplane, because, for once in his life, a kid cleaned up after himself and threw them away with the wrapping paper? (Since that same kid would think nothing of digging through the neighbors' trash to see if they threw away anything he could put to good use, maybe I could pawn that job off on him. )

Who would accept the challenge of figuring out what to do with all the unidentifiable things we received as gifts, such as the strange looking thing from Aunt Mildred that could either be a doily or a dishrag.

The gadget from Uncle Willie that favors a Chinese puzzle, but could actually be his eccentric approach to the can opener.

The game that takes an IQ of at least 300 just to open the box.

The funny little knitted things from Aunt Lucy that are either thumb-less mittens or toe warmers.

I could have called them all personally to thank them for the gifts, and hope that somewhere in the conversation they will mention what they are. But that would have taken some of the fun out of lazy summer afternoons when we’d drag this stuff out again and play a new game called “What on Earth is It?”

Christmas Greetings

It seems particularly fitting to have an offering from Slim Randles this Christmas Eve. Here's hoping that those of you who celebrate Christmas have the best one possible. For those who celebrate other winter holidays and holy days, my best wishes to you and yours, as well. 

Windy had sent off for a doo-dad for his small kitchen, and that’s why he checked the mailbox. If you’re Alphonse “Windy” Wilson, and you’re long-in-the-tooth and single, you find yourself not checking the mailbox very often unless there’s a reason. It saves the disappointment of finding it empty, you see.

But there was something in there today.

He opened it up. It was a Christmas card from Mrs. Morris. In it, she had written “Thank you so much for fixing my shed.”

Wow! As Windy would say, it was a “transfigurational enlightening.” Of course, he only used his fancy English when there was an audience of one or more. But it led him to thinking he might have to check the ol’ mailbox more often.

He had straightened up Mrs. Morris’ shed that was perilously close to becoming kindling in her back yard. That Mrs. Morris had wanted it to become kindling so she could use the space for other reasons didn’t really figure in. It all happened on one of Windy’s helping days. One day each week, he looked around for someone who needed help and helped them, whether they wanted him to or not.

The next day there were two more Christmas cards. One from Mrs. Lopez, whose arthritis prevented her from weeding her flower patch, and one from someone who didn’t sign it, but just wrote “Thank you so much” inside.

Windy was rendered speechless, which is the equivalent, here in Home Country, of the Pacific Ocean tides deciding to take the day off.

But the capper came on Christmas Eve. Windy returned from eating at the Mule Barn and explaining to the guys all about “experiential trans-wisdom” and its effects on education these days. And there, on his front porch, was a cardboard box with holes punched in it. It was vibrating a big, too, and making whining sounds.

On opening it, Windy found a brown puppy with an overabundance of enthusiasm and an active tongue and smile. There was no note. He hugged the pup and took him in the house. It was going to be a great Christmas.
--------
Brought to you with warmest Christmas season wishes by Slim and Catherine Randles.
-------
And now a Holiday Greeting from one of my publishers, Five Star Cengage

Visiting Christmases Past

This post originally ran December 2009. I loved the picture of our cat, John, under the tree, as well as the essay, so I thought I would run it again today.

At this time of celebrating winter Holidays, I want to wish everyone the happiest of times with family and friends, and all the best for the New Year. I celebrate Christmas, and our cat, John, has decided he wants to be a Christmas present. Either that, or he is waiting to see what Santa is bringing him.

The following is an excerpt from my humorous memoir A Dead Tomato Plant and a Paycheck. Please accept it as a small gift to you.

The Christmas Season was always a source of great excitement at our house. It was also a time of great panic. Every year I found the Christmas Season closing in fast with me panting to cross the finish line before Santa Claus.

I’d immediately start my “Holiday Hustle” working non-stop for three weeks to get everything done. There were gifts to send out of state, and cards to mail. Since I didn’t start early enough on that task, I had to decide if I would write one let­ter and copy it for all our friends, or try to find the time to write individual letters. This was before the birth of The Holiday Letter, which has now become a standard way for friends to stay in touch. Some people don’t like them, but, you know, if the alternative means not keeping up with friends, I’m all for it.

Maybe instead of getting angry at the stores that were putting out their Christmas stuff before Halloween, I should have taken their reminder seriously. Then I wouldn't have let Thanksgiving slip by without a thought of the next holiday.

My basic problem was, and still is, the fact that I don't get in the Christmas spirit until a couple of weeks before "The Day" , and then the frantic juggling act begins. If I could just bring myself to think about Christmas in October I wouldn't be faced with the necessity of regimenting my time down to the last second to get everything done -- structure and discipline being the closest thing to medieval torture I can think of.

However, I knew that I must have some structure, so sometimes I made a calendar with Things to Do. Monday was slotted for shopping. No giving in to the urge to sing carols with the kids or start making decorations. Friday was slotted for singing, and decorating would start the following week. Tuesday was the day to finish the Christmas cards. No fair claiming writer's cramp as an excuse to quit for a while and play with the dog.

Wednesday of that week started out easy. That was the day to write my newspaper column, and I didn’t have to stress over what I would write about as I had all this great material to work from. But the strangest thing happened as I wrote about all the things I hadn’t done yet. I had to fight the urge to quit working and dash out to the store when I thought of the perfect gift to get Uncle Barney. Not to mention all the other things I’d forgotten on Monday.

While fighting down that urge, another distraction popped up. The Girl Scout caroling party. I still hadn't called the leader to tell her what songs I'd planned for the girls.

Then I remembered someone else I should have mailed a card to.

Then I remembered I was supposed to get soda for a neighborhood holiday party.

I don’t even remember the rest of that week.

Christmas and Holiday Music

A link to this fun blog post about the grammar and spelling in Christmas songs was posted on one of the group lists I belong to. I thought it was cute, and I especially liked the grammar lesson on the proper use of "lay." When I am writing I write all around that particular action so I don't inadvertently have someone "lay down on the couch." In the case of the carol, "Away in a Manger" the question is where Jesus puts his head.

"Away in a Manger" is one of my favorite carols, and I found several versions on YouTube, including this one by children.



I think this is at heart a child's song, and I love to hear sweet young voices singing it, but adults do it justice, too. I found this lovely rendition by Casting Crowns.



Another special carol is "Silent Night", and when I first started playing it on guitar, someone told me the song was originally written for guitar. I decided the check that fact out and here is what I found on Wikipedia:

The song was first performed on Christmas Eve 1818 at St Nicholas parish church in Oberndorf, a village on the Salzach river. The young priest, Father Joseph Mohr, had come to Oberndorf the year before. He had already written thelyrics of the song "Stille Nacht" in 1816 at Mariapfarr. The melody was composed by Franz Xaver Gruber, schoolmaster and organist in the nearby village of Arnsdorf. Before Christmas Eve, Mohr brought the words to Gruber and asked him to compose a melody and guitar accompaniment for the church service. Both performed the carol during the mass on the night of December 24.

So I guess what I had been told was partially true.

Another interesting fact about "Silent Night" is that  it was sung simultaneously in French, English and German by troops during the Christmas truce of 1914 during WWI, as it was one carol that soldiers on both sides of the front line knew.

Here is a wonderful rendition of "Silent Night" sung in German by a young boy's choir.



I've always enjoyed the holiday music, and every year I could not wait for the radio stations to start airing the music. The carols all have such beautiful messages, as do some of the other songs. In addition to the traditional carols, I like "White Christmas", especially the Bing Crosby version, and "Silver Bells". Oh, and I can't forget "Frosty the Snowman" and "The Little Drummer Boy."  When my kids were young, those were the two most requested songs when I got out my guitar, and it still gives me great pleasure to play and sing and remember those eager smiles. It never seemed to matter to them if I hit every note just right.

Actually, there are so many holiday songs and carols I like, it would be impossible to list them all here. What are some of your favorites? Do they bring back happy memories? Do you have holiday music filling your home, your car?

Countdown to Christmas

It's obvious to the most casual observer that there is no book review today. Since I decided at the very last minute, I mean just the other day, that I would not pretend that Christmas is not happening just because I didn't want to face my first Christmas without my husband, I have been busy trying to get a few presents purchased and wrapped and maybe think about baking one thing. So that has kept me busy, and my friend, Carl Brookins, has not sent one of his reviews, which has always been my salvation on the Sundays I don't do my own.

So instead of a review, I thought I'd share a bit of holiday fun I wrote that first appeared here in December 2010. Enjoy.


Tis the day before Christmas and all is not done,
Things on the “to do” list number a million and one.
There are cookies to cut while the oven is hot,
And a gift for Aunt Mildred. Egad! I forgot.

There are presents to measure, to balance and wrap,
If the stacks are not even the kids will know in a snap.
The turkey is snug in the freezer so cold,
Will anyone notice if I put dinner on hold?

Tis the day to test stamina, courage, and brawn,
The survivors are heroes at next morning’s dawn.
Just when I thought I was running out of time
A stranger appeared with a smile so sublime.

He was dressed all in silver from his head to his toe.
And I blinked my eyes twice to see if he would go.
He patted my shoulder and gave me a latte,
“Your’re almost there,” he said. “The rest will be easy.

“Don’t worry, don’t fret, don’t get in a frazzle,
Together we’ll do it with narry a hassle.
I’ll hang the tinsel and check all the lights,
You bathe the children and kiss them goodnight.”

The kids were all tucked in their beds nice and warm.
(A threat to their presents always works like a charm.)
I’d finally decided, of course. It’s a dream.
That’s a mirage on my sofa eating toffee ice cream.

I was amazed at the picture that greeted my eyes,
My living room looked like Currier and Ives.
The stockings were stuffed, and so was the bird,
What magic he used was beyond any word.

He smacked his lips, gave a sly little wink,
“It’s time I was off to help other, I think.”
He twirled around once, then three time and more,
And in a twinkling was headed out my front door.

There’s no doubt about it; it was love at first sight,
For that stranger who saved me on Christmas Eve night.
No matter his name, he was really such a dear.
I wonder, will he return again in another year?

Merry Christmas to all, and to all, Good Cheer!

The Perfect Christmas Gift

My friend, Slim Randles is back as today's Wednesday's Guest, sharing what some of his friends are dreaming about as the perfect holiday gift. Enjoy....

There is a secret selfish longing we all share this time of year. It is traditional to give gifts at Christmas, of course, but there’s always the chance that those who adore us for our sterling qualities won’t give us what we really want or unquestioningly deserve. Therefore … we are allowed to have Christmas present dreams.

Just take Doc. He knows he’ll be getting neckties from the grand-kids and socks and underwear from Mrs. Doc. His daughters? Well, they’re the wild cards. They work hard each year to get Doc something different and special. But for Doc, when he sits quietly and dreams, there’s just that nine-foot Sage fly rod. Oh yes. With that, he’ll be able to feel the fish breathe down in Lewis Creek.

Photo Courtesy of Front Range Anglers

Anita Campbell knows Dud will give her clothes that look really good to him but are either the wrong size or the wrong color, or they are a style she wouldn’t wear to the grand opening of a septic tank. But she always wears them for one day, anyway, and it’s a day when Dud is home and she knows she doesn’t have to go anywhere.

Her secret Christmas dream has a lot to do with warm, sandy beaches, a tall, fruity adult beverage with an umbrella in it, and surfing lessons. She’s willing to compromise, of course, because of the expense. It doesn’t have to have an umbrella.

Photo Courtesy of Breathing Space Blog

Steve, like many cowboys, has been gratifying his secret Christmas dreams in the well-worn pages of catalogs. His compadres in the bunkhouse will shower him with Snoose, of course, as that is his drug of choice, but for himself, there’s that pair of Tony Lama boots. Oh yes, the ones with the filigree-looking tops. He knows he’ll just naturally ride Ol’ Snort better if he’s wearing them.

Photo Courtesy of The Rusty Zipper Vintage Clothes

You know, every bride has this registry thingie she uses so Aunt Mims won’t get her a butter dish that doesn’t match the sugar bowl, so why doesn’t someone come up with a Christmas dream registry? You’re welcome. No charge.
------------
 If you like what Slim shares here, you would enjoy his books. Check out his author page on Amazon if you have a moment. His books are a delight, and they make perfect gifts for folks on your Christmas list.

Slim has sponsors for all of his columns, and this month it is Beltone Hearing Aids,  so we do have to do this little ad: Give the gift of hearing this Christmas. Start your loved one off with a free hearing test at BELTONE. Call 1-866-867-8700.

Grandma thought he said “you’re the crest,” ‘til she took her free hearing test.

Merry Christmas

I know the politically correct thing to say at this time is Happy Holidays, lest we offend someone who doesn't celebrate Christmas, but I feel like being a rebel today. Besides that, I don't get the least bit offended when someone says Happy Hanukkah or Happy Kwanzaa.

Those wishes mean something special to the folks who celebrate those holidays, the same way Merry Christmas means something special to me, and it doesn't take anything away from me for people to express their good wishes the way they want to.

If we all spent more time living up to the inherent meaning in all these holidays and expressions of good will, there could be no offense taken at the words used. There wouldn't be a "we" and "them" mentality that pushes us apart and makes us sensitive and defensive. There would just be "us". Mankind. Humankind. However you want to label us.

So my hope for all of us is to have a season of peace and a sense of inclusion instead of exclusion.

I will probably take most of the next two weeks off from blogging so I can celebrate Christmas and New Years with family and friends. I hope that all of you have many opportunities to likewise share the Holiday cheer, and I will see you in the New Year.

Even though I already gave you a Christmas gift with my free short story, The Last Dollar, a couple of weeks ago, I couldn't resist the impulse to give another free story. From December 24 through December 28, another short story, The Visitor, will be free for Kindle. Enjoy. 

A Holiday Gift

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

As we get caught up in the hustle and bustle of preparing for the holidays, it is easy to forget what the season is all about.

After my husband and I moved to Texas from Michigan, we rarely made it back to our home state for holidays, and my mother always sent handmade gifts for Christmas. The necessity of counting pennies has ruled her entire life, and we became accustomed to not expecting gifts of any great monetary value. Even so, the arrival of her annual box always sparked an eagerness in me that I never fully understood. The gifts were either hand made or just a small trinket, and sometimes there were even gifts for ‘we-don’t-know-who’.  There were also times we didn’t even know what the gift was or what it was for; usually something she knitted or crocheted that could be a small afghan or a large lap blanket.

When the kids were young, they never understood my excitement over mother’s box, either, but I couldn’t fault them for that. It's easy for a simple gift to be diminished when stacked up next to one larger and more expensive, and like the kids, I often saw my mother's efforts as a mere gesture.
But the year that necessity forced me to make gifts, was the year that I finally understood what a gift really is, whether handmade or purchased.

A gift is not just a thing. It's a connection between the person giving and the person receiving that says something special about the relationship between the two. And a gift should never be rushed. The longer you think about it, plan it, and work on it, the stronger the connection.

That's the special, intangible ingredient my mother wrapped up and sent to us for all those years.


So that is the intangible ingredient I wrapped up in this short story that is my gift to you this Christmas. It was written a number of years ago with a dear friend, and every year since when I read it again at Christmas, I can't help but think of the magic of this season.

The story will be free through December 17th, so you can get a copy for KINDLE or read it on my WEBSITE     ENJOY!

The Day After Christmas - What a Mess

The day after Christmas was usually one of the best and one of the worst days of the year for our family.

If that doesn't make sense to you, don't worry, I'm not sure it does to me either. But let me try to explain.

It was the best because:
There were now 364 more shopping days until Christmas.

It was the one day of the year when perhaps the kids were just as tired as we were, and they’d sleep off and on all day.

All the build up for the Big Day was finally over, and the noise level in the house had dropped about 20 decibels.

I didn’t have to cook since we had all those leftovers from Christmas dinner. (If we didn't have a big Christmas dinner, I was in trouble on that score.)

The kids would decide they liked each other after all, and we could go the whole day without a fight – maybe.

The kids would invite me to color with them, or play a game, and we could share some really good times together - as long as they let me win now and then.

But every coin has its flip side, and the other side of this day was:
After the glitter and tinsel of Christmas, after the giving and receiving, the celebrating, singing and eating, we could all sit back, unbutton the waistband of our pants and try to decide who would clean up the mess.

Who would get to spend the next four days sorting through the thousand-and-one little pieces of games, toys, and puzzles that in less than one day managed to get tossed together from one end of the house to another?

On Christmas day, nobody seemed to care, but the day after nobody was being nice anymore, and the house was filled with moaning and wailing and the sounds of blood-letting and bones breaking ...

"Find that Stratego piece or I'll break your arm off and beat you over the head with it!"

"I never touched your Stratego game! Mommeee!!"

I guess four days out of my life wasn't too much to ask.

Who would dig through the.22 bags of trash to find the instructions for assembling the model airplane, because, for once in his life, a kid cleaned up after himself and threw them away with the wrapping paper? (Since that same kid would think nothing of digging through the neighbors' trash to see if they threw away anything he could put to good use, maybe I could pawn that job off on him. )

Who would accept the challenge of figuring out what to do with all the unidentifiable things we received as gifts, such as the strange looking thing from Aunt Mildred that could either be a doily or a dishrag.

The gadget from Uncle Willie that favors a Chinese puzzle, but could actually be his eccentric approach to the can opener.

The game that takes an IQ of at least 300 just to open the box. 

The funny little knitted things from Aunt Lucy that are either thumb-less mittens or toe warmers.

I could have called them all personally to thank them for the gifts, and hope that somewhere in the conversation they will mention what they are. But that would have taken some of the fun out of lazy summer afternoons when we’d drag this stuff out again and play a new game called “What on Earth is It?”

Merry Christmas

To all my readers who celebrate the Christian holiday. And Happy Holidays to those who celebrate the Winter Soltice, Chanukah, Kwanza, and the other winter holidays. No matter which one we are connected to, we are all connected on another level in this time of peace and good cheer.

All I Want for Christmas is.....

Over the years we received some very interesting Christmas lists. One was written on an entire ream of computer paper in 1977, and I still occasionally pick it up for bedtime reading. It's a challenge like War and Peace. Someday I'm going to plow my way through the whole thing.

One year our kids all approached their Christmas lists quite differently. I guess they thought the standard line item list wasn’t garnering quite the response they were after, which means they didn’t get everything they requested. Perhaps they thought a clever approach might work better.

The one we got from our second son was written like a business letter, complete with address, date, salutation and ended with "Sincerely Yours." He forgot one basic rule of business letters, however. Brevity is a good rule of thumb. (But at least it wasn't another novel.)

Our older son took us at our word when we said to keep it short and reasonable. His merely read:
LIST
              1.    a VCR.
              2.    a stereo.
              3.    a radio-powered car.
P.S.  If there is room for more, see me.

Our oldest daughter got very creative with her Christmas list. It was a work of art, complete with decorative pictures and her own brand of humor:
MY CHRISTMAS LIST
                1.    Ferrari
                2.    Mink coat
                3.    Ruby ring
                4.    Arabian palomino
           ** 5. Patrick Duffy! (I think the stars meant she was really serious about this request.)
P.S. If you can't get those, I guess I could live with:
           ** 1.      A canary (I wondered if this was her concession to probably not getting Patrick Duffy.)
               2.     Wicker cage. (At least she's practical),
               3.      Yellow Izod sweater
               4.      Two western shirts and western boots. (Maybe that meant the horse would be at the top of her list the next year.)

When I asked the twins what they wanted for Christmas, they merely handed me the Christmas Wish Book from Sears.

"Do you want me to help you make out a list?" I asked.

"No, just tell Santa we want everything."

I guess they figured why waste your time making out a list while you're still young enough to believe that Santa has an unlimited bank account.

Personally, I never make out a list.

A Little Holiday Fun

Tis the day before Christmas and all is not done,
Things on the “to do” list number a million and one.
There are cookies to cut while the oven is hot,
And a gift for Aunt Mildred. Egad! I forgot.

There are presents to measure, to balance and wrap,
If the stacks are not even the kids will know in a snap.
The turkey is snug in the freezer so cold,
Will anyone notice if I put dinner on hold?

Tis the day to test stamina, courage, and brawn,
The survivors are heroes at next morning’s dawn.
Just when I thought I was running out of time
A stranger appeared with a smile so sublime.

He was dressed all in silver from his head to his toe.
And I blinked my eyes twice to see if he would go.
He patted my shoulder and gave me a latte,
“Your’re almost there,” he said. “The rest will be easy.

“Don’t worry, don’t fret, don’t get in a frazzle,
Together we’ll do it with narry a hassle.
I’ll hang the tinsel and check all the lights,
You bathe the children and kiss them goodnight.”

The kids were all tucked in their beds nice and warm.
(A threat to their presents always works like a charm.)
I’d finally decided, of course. It’s a dream.
That’s a mirage on my sofa eating toffee ice cream.

I was amazed at the picture that greeted my eyes,
My living room looked like Currier and Ives.
The stockings were stuffed, and so was the bird,
What magic he used was beyond any word.

He smacked his lips, gave a sly little wink,
“It’s time I was off to help other, I think.”
He twirled around once, then three time and more,
And in a twinkling was headed out my front door.

There’s no doubt about it; it was love at first sight,
For that stranger who saved me on Christmas Eve night.
No matter his name, he was really such a dear.
I wonder, will he return again in another year?

Merry Christmas to all, and to all, Good Cheer!

Where I am today....

I'm over at the All Day, All Night blog written by a group of us all named Maryann - with various spellings of course. The title of the blog comes from the old song, "All day, all night, Maryann. Down by the seashore sipping sand....." Most of the authors there are romance writers, but they allowed me to be part of the group because I do have one romance novel, even though my main genre is mystery.

Today is my day to post, so I put up one about Christmas lists my kids did one year. Hop on over if you have a minute. That might bring back some memories of your own....

HERE IS THE LINK

Christmas - Bah, Humbug

The Christmas season is officially upon us. We've had Black Friday and Cyber Monday and the lead story on many newscasts is about retail shopping. How much is being spent. Are the numbers better than last year. What does this mean for the recession.

Listening to the news after I came home from our rehearsal of "Scrooge" at the local community theatre last night, I realized that just like that old Ebeneezer Scrooge, we have our priorities all wrong. Maybe we need to be visited by some ghosts to point us back in the right direction.

I think this timeless story of redemption continues to be popular because it touches us deep inside where we know the true spirit of this season is about so much more than money and presents and keeping retail stores alive.

That is true, not just for Christmas and Christians , but for every religion, and even for people who don't believe in God. This time of winter solstice is a time to reflect on what is important in life. Perhaps reconnect with family that we have been estranged from. Make decisions to live a better life. Be kinder to our neighbors and our enemies.

There are many holidays and religious observances throughout December: Christmas, Hannukah, Kwanza, Las Posadas, Winter Solstice, Ramadan (Nov or Dec) and the Hopi Soyaluna Ceremony. There may be more, but this is what my Internet search turned up. The main thing all these observances have in common is that they celebrate family, promote helping others, and encourage self-improvement. The giving and receiving of presents isn't even mentioned in all of them, and those that do include that tradition base it on the fact that presents are tokens of love and good wishes. The actual value of the gift means nothing.

So maybe we should all take a lesson from Scrooge as he pleads with the third spirit, "Tell me that I can change these dreadful shadows you've shown me by an altered life! I'll honor Christmas in my heart! I'll - I'll try to keep it all the year. I'll live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. And I'll not shut out the lessons that they teach..."

After the Fun

In keeping with the Holiday season, here is another excerpt from A Dead Tomato Plant and a Paycheck. Enjoy.....


The day after Christmas was usually one of the best and one of the worst days of the year for our family. If that doesn't make sense to you, don't worry, I'm not sure it does to me either. But let me try to explain.

It was the best because:

There were now 364 more shopping days until Christmas.

It was the one day of the year when perhaps the kids were just as tired as we were, and they’d sleep off and on all day.

All the build up for the Big Day was finally over, and the noise level in the house had dropped about 20 decibels.

I didn’t have to cook since we had all those leftovers from Christmas dinner. (If we didn't have a big Christmas dinner, I was in trouble on that score.)

The kids would decide they liked each other after all, and we could go the whole day without a fight – maybe.

The kids would invite me to color with them, or play a game, and we could share some really good times together - as long as they let me win now and then.

But every coin has its flip side, and the other side of this day was:

After the glitter and tinsel of Christmas, after the giving and receiving, the celebrating, singing and eating, we could all sit back, unbutton the waistband of our pants and try to decide who would clean up the mess.

Who would get to spend the next four days sorting through the thousand-and-one little pieces of games, toys, and puzzles that in less than one day managed to get tossed together from one end of the house to another?

On Christmas day, nobody seemed to care, but the day after nobody was being nice anymore, and the house was filled with moaning and wailing and the sounds of blood-letting and bones breaking ...

"Find that Stratego piece or I'll break your arm off and beat you over the head with it!"

"I never touched your Stratego game! Mommeee!!"

I guess four days out of my life wasn't too much to ask.

Who would dig through the 22 bags of trash to find the instructions for assembling the model airplane, because, for once in his life, a kid cleaned up after himself and threw them away with the wrapping paper? (Since that same kid would think nothing of digging through the neighbors' trash to see if they threw away anything he could put to good use, maybe I could pawn that job off on him. )

Who would accept the challenge of figuring out what to do with all the unidentifiable things we received as gifts, such as the strange looking thing from Aunt Mildred that could either be a doily or a dishrag.

The gadget from Uncle Willie that favors a Chinese puzzle, but could actually be his eccentric approach to the can opener.

The game that takes an IQ of at least 300 just to open the box.

The funny little knitted things from Aunt Lucy that are either thumb-less mittens or toe warmers.

I could have called them all personally to thank them for the gifts, and hope that somewhere in the conversation they will mention what they are. But that would have taken some of the fun out of lazy summer afternoons when we’d drag this stuff out again and play a new game called “What on Earth is It?”

Holiday Wishes

At this time of celebrating winter Holidays, I want to wish everyone the happiest of times with family and friends, and all the best for the New Year. I celebrate Christmas, and our cat, John, has decided he wants to be a Christmas present. Either that, or he is waiting to see what Santa is bringing him.

The following is an excerpt from my new book A Dead Tomato Plant and a Paycheck. Please accept it as a small gift to you.

The Christmas Season was always a source of great excitement at our house. It was also a time of great panic. Every year I found the Christmas Season closing in fast with me panting to cross the finish line before Santa Claus.

I’d immediately start my “Holiday Hustle” working non-stop for three weeks to get everything done. There were gifts to send out of state, and cards to mail. Since I didn’t start early enough on that task, I had to decide if I would write one let­ter and copy it for all our friends, or try to find the time to write individual letters. This was before the birth of The Holiday Letter, which has now become a standard way for friends to stay in touch. Some people don’t like them, but, you know, if the alternative means not keeping up with friends, I’m all for it.

Maybe instead of getting angry at the stores that were putting out their Christmas stuff before Halloween, I should have taken their reminder seriously. Then I wouldn't have let Thanksgiving slip by without a thought of the next holiday.

My basic problem was, and still is, the fact that I don't get in the Christmas spirit until a couple of weeks before The Day, and then the frantic juggling act begins. If I could just bring myself to think about Christmas in October I wouldn't be faced with the necessity of regimenting my time down to the last second to get everything done -- structure and discipline being the closest thing to medieval torture I can think of.

However, I knew that I must have some structure, so sometimes I made a calendar with Things to Do. Monday was slotted for shopping. No giving in to the urge to sing carols with the kids or start making decorations. Friday was slotted for singing, and decorating would start the following week. Tuesday was the day to finish the Christmas cards. No fair claiming writer's cramp as an excuse to quit for a while and play with the dog.

Wednesday of that week started out easy. That was the day to write my column, and I didn’t have to stress over what I would write about as I had all this great material to work from. But the strangest thing happened as I wrote about all the things I hadn’t done yet. I had to fight the urge to quit working and dash out to the store when I thought of the perfect gift to get Uncle Barney. Not to mention all the other things I’d forgotten on Monday.

While fighting down that urge, another distraction popped up. The Girl Scout caroling party. I still hadn't called the leader to tell her what songs I'd planned for the girls.

Then I remembered someone else I should have mailed a card to.

Then I remembered I was supposed to get soda for a neighborhood holiday party.

I don’t even remember the rest of that week.

Give the Gift of Generosity

Several of my writer friends have shared special holiday essays with me, and here is another one from a regular contributor to WinnsboroToday.com Imelda Tatsch is the Program Director at the Northeast Texas Child Advocacy Center (NETCAC) located in Winnsboro, and her "Caring For Kids" columns also appear in their bi-monthly newsletter. In "Caring for Kids" she offers support, insight, and a touch of humor for parents and grandparents. Enjoy....

Christmas is HERE! We just finished off the last of the turkey leftovers and here we are just days from the big day….Where time goes I do not know, but it sure seems to be going there faster every year.

This year we have rarely heard any good news on television or read anything hopeful in the newspapers. With all that being said, I would expect very little in the way of help for those in need. This is certainly not the case here in Northeast Texas. At least not that I have seen in recent weeks.

If you are a regular reader of these articles, you know that I work at the Child Advocacy Center. Each year we see several hundred children from the eight counties we serve. The children have possibly suffered either severe physical or sexual abuse, or may have witnessed a violent crime. Abuse is no respecter of age, gender, or social class. Many of our families are put in desperate situations due to the obvious interruptions to life when something like abuse takes place. The entire family is affected.

This can take a toll on the finances of an already struggling family. To ease some of this stress during the Christmas season, we offer our Angel Tree Program to the families of children that have been through the center during the year. Families are given the opportunity to place their children on the angel tree and while many decline the offer, many more feel the need to accept. This offer is not limited to only the child or children that come through the center but for their siblings as well. Our angel tree list includes families of one child to often as many as seven or more. This is where my favorite word for the month comes into play…. GENEROSITY!!!!

In a time when we only hear of the negative economic conditions, we have been extremely blessed by an outpouring of love for these children.

We know that the economy has brought several to the edge of desperation. The need is there and just as the need has risen, so have those with the heart of love. They feel such gratefulness for their own blessings that they have shared with generosity beyond measure. Because of this many children will have something for Christmas this year. Those caring for these children; parents’ grand parents or other extended family members are very grateful. They often tell us that without what they receive from the Angel Tree Program the children would have nothing at all. We are forever grateful to all of you who have opened your hearts to our little angels this year.

I realize this space is allotted to me to write something more specific to parenting or raising children. So, this is my two cents worth of advice for this month! If you are so blessed to have your children with you and your family, though you may struggle at times is functioning and remains “intact” then you are greatly blessed. Share that blessing with others and teach your children to be generous. This does not have to cost you a dime. Be GENEROUS with your time, your words of kindness, and a friendly smile. A few years ago someone started a challenge to counter the reports of “random acts of violence” with “random acts of kindness”.

Maybe we can revive this practice.

If children really are our future, what kind of future do we want? They will only know from what we teach them…Their eyes are always on you, so when you think of what kind of person you want your child to be, look in the mirror, do you see that person? Children learn what they live and as you know they don’t always do what you tell them but they will do what you teach them through your actions.

**************

Yuck, Germs!

Being sick on the holidays is no fun. I started with a cold early this past week and sniffled my way through Christmas Eve and Christmas. Then I wasn't getting any better so I went to the doctor yesterday to find out I have a severe sinus infection -- as opposed to an ordinary sinus infection, I guess.

Anyway, this has sure put a crimp in all my plans to do some projects with the new cordless drill I got for Christmas. Or maybe start working on one of the jigsaw puzzles.

No, what I do is maybe a little bit of work and then collapse on the couch for another nap. And the work isn't that productive. Not when my head feels like it is stuffed with cotton. Not much clarity of thought under those conditions.

My hope is that the doctor was right and I will be feeling a WHOLE lot better by tomorrow.

Merry Christmas

I know the politically correct thing to say at this time is Happy Holidays, lest we offend someone who doesn't celebrate Christmas, but I feel like being a rebel today. Besides that, I don't get the least bit offended when someone says Happy Hanukka or Happy Kwanzaa.

Those wishes mean something special to the folks who celebrate those holidays, the same way Merry Christmas means something special to me, and it doesn't take anything away from me for people to express their good wishes the way they want to.

If we all spent more time living up to the inherent meaning in all these holidays and expressions of good will, there could be no offense taken at how people express them. There wouldn't be a "we" and "them" mentality that makes us more protective of our rights.

So my hope for all of us is to have a season of peace and a sense of inclusion instead of exclusion.