The TVM in vacationland!

[Calma]

Sent you an email. Iris....

[IrisBrandybuck]

Got it!!! Yay!!

You're so organized, Calma.

[Calma]

Yeah, sometimes I scare myself.

[Tookish_Traveler]

The dancing Santa a reindeer are pretty scary too....

[Ladykat]

Iris I sent you an email.

LK

[Calma]

Terrible, terrible accident in DuPont this morning.
Amtrak train derailed over I-5 during morning commute.
Prayers for all are needed.

[Tookish_Traveler]

Yea...saw that in the news.

[IrisBrandybuck]

Thank you, LK.

Those poor people.

So, it's going to be a week. Tonight Rob and I are going to visit one of my old meetings from the newspaper. Tomorrow I have two meetings...and I'll be saying goodbye to one of my favorite people, who didn't run for re-election. Then Wednesday Rob has an appointment with his neurologist and then a hearth catherization, then we're going to another of my old meetings...my favorite, and the one I miss the most. So I'll probably stay for the entire meeting on that one, just to gossip. And then Friday my Great Aunt turns 100!!!!! So we're having a little party for her. If anyone would like to send her a card (we're doing a card shower) let me know and I'll get you an address...she'd love it.

[Ladykat]

I'll send a card Iris. Doubt she'll get it by Friday though.

LK

[IrisBrandybuck]

It doesn't matter if it arrives on time, extending the thing will be fun for her.

Here's a link to the article I wrote on her. Aunt DotShe had to go to the hospital today to have her blood checked...she's needed blood transfusions and if she had to have one today, Friday's party would have been out. But she didn't need one.

[SimplySable]

Got your card Tooks...thanks hun. Hope you all will be getting yours from me soon.

Neat story Iris, we have several eagles and birds of prey in our area. So very neat to see them flying around. Was talking to my friend in New York and she said that you might have found your spirit guide in answer to your prayers.
It's raining here...rather gloomy but your story brightened my day. Thanks.

[notlistening]

Calma, thanks for your lovely card. I can't find your email but would love to send you an e-card.

[Calma]

Happy you liked it, nl.
You can use the envelope in my avatar to email me
I'll send you my email addy through that.

[Tookish_Traveler]

I got cards from Iris, nl, Calma, Sable, and maybe some others I can't remember off hand.


For a nice doo-wop Christmas....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ooc5eJc5SHA&feature=youtu.be

(courtesy of Jewelsong)

[Calma]

Wizards In Winter

Always marvel at the time it takes to do that.

And then there's THIS ONE
It always makes my foot start tapping....


ETA... nl, I received your e-card today.
Thank you.

[Tookish_Traveler]

Ooooo. Neat video there, Calma. Obviously some programmer has too much time on their hands.

My house has a wreath on the front door. That is the extent of outside decorations this year.

[Calma]

I have no outdoor decorations either.
Hey, if you put it up,
You have to take it down.
Love the sig pic, btw.

[SimplySable]

Thanks Ladykat and Iris for the cards.
Got to see my brother last weekend. We live like 30 minutes away from each other but don't get together very often. So it was nice to catch up and have lunch. (hmmmmm french onion soup and fish & chips)

Hope you all are ready for Monday.

[Tookish_Traveler]

Monday? What's Mon...

Oh, right.

[oldtoby]

I have no outdoor decorations either.
Hey, if you put it up,
You have to take it down.
Love the sig pic, btw.

I bought some lights, then after like a week half the bulbs on one string stopped working

[Tookish_Traveler]

Thanks for the card, toby.

Snoopy was a popular this year.

[IrisBrandybuck]

I went visiting this week. Rob and I visited two of the meetings I used to cover with the newspaper. Last night was the second one,
the one that was always my favorite because the people there have always been fun and funny and welcoming to me. I was still very nervous...it had been a while since I'd seen most of them. It didn't take long before it was just like it always had been...and we were invited to stay for their Christmas party.
(I might add that this is actually new...they never had one when I was covering them.) Lots of laughing, lots of catching up...two of the guys have retired,
the solicitor is semi-retired. And it did me a world of good to see them all...I need to make a point of going back more often.

Actually...I emailed the owner of the news site I string for and asked if I can cover them and a couple boroughs. It would mean extra money, the one borough hasn't been covered by the site before, and I'd get to see these people regularly again. Cross everything! and pray!

I've gotten cards! And I forgot to send some...ah, well. I don't have anything that looks like a memory.

[Cock-Robin]

I really love your sig pic, Tooks!

I really long for the Christmases of the past, before insanity took over and it was peaceful and enjoyable. Back then, I counted the days until Christmas, now I count the days until it is over. Then, I said Merry Christmas, but in the midst of the madness I'm really tempted to bring the giraffe aboard to say "Bah, Humbug!"



Working retail does that to me. *sigh* Will the insanity ever stop?

[IrisBrandybuck]

I'm with you there, CR. It won't end until we're dead.

That didn't sound very cheerful. Bad morning.

There are some things I look forward to, but mostly I just want to skip the whole thing, and I've had that feeling for several years. It used to help at the newspaper that we had a series of things we did leading up that sort of helped get us into the holiday spirit: the cookie contest, decorations, essay and coloring contests, feel good stories...stuff like that. I remember that from school too...especially the elementary school I went too. It was so small,
maybe 100 students altogether, and there was a rhythm to things there that followed from grade to grade.

Now everyone is worried about getting presents or having the house look nice or whatever and I sit there and think, what about the carols? the food?
the get togethers? What about the baby born in a stable? Why are these other things suddenly more important?

[Calma]

Here's a bit of Christmas for you, Iris and CR.

[Cock-Robin]

Thank you, Calma! That really lifted my spirits. I often feel like Art Carney in that immortal Twilight Zone episode Night of the Meek:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUEx-XqbB2M

[IrisBrandybuck]

[Tookish_Traveler]

Yea... I stay away from stores as much as possible this time of year. The local mall wasn't crazy this afternoon, but half of the stores are empty.

I still like the grocery store.

[Ninui]

Will not be able to post the next few days so I leave you with best wishes for the holidays !!
Enjoy them.

https://youtu.be/sFw6JW_A5XU

https://youtu.be/kQpq6v0qAaI

https://youtu.be/Z2L2ygQBBG4

https://youtu.be/z1YNh9BQVRg

[Calma]

Merry Christmas, Ninui!

Received your card today, toby.
Thank you.