Lovely Lewis

As one of you might know, I hate to start a series with out access to all the books. Nothing is more irritating than to get just so far with your characters and then be cut off ( did you hear that oh irritating author of the Eragon series!). I didn't read the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy for years because "someone" was generous enough to give them to me and then borrow the first book and never give it back. But all that is behind us now and I have finally ( in my dotage) finished the "Chronicles of Narnia"as well.
I saw the movie first and then was given a cd that was talk about CS Lewis from a Mormon POV.

Of Lions, Dragons and Turkish Delight: C. S. Lewis for Latter-day Saints

by S. Michael Wilcox

Fascinating actually, and so on to the series.
Not quite what I expected and yet more than I expected. I loved "The Last Battle" and that nothing in the books were politically correct. I strongly suggest downloading the talk, listening to it and then reading the series with your children of proper maturity. How exciting! An adventure book where the heroes are children of their own age and experience...to quote the book..." they might be giants!

Many Moods

Because of all the snow on Christmas Day Asher and fam did not come to visit until Friday night .
That's okay, we prefer safe.
The above picture shows Asher chewing on some tissue paper we had handy.
This is to prepare him for his very first solid food- rice cereal!
We thought the tissue paper and the rice cereal,
while not having the same texture, would have the same taste
...he liked them both.
Of course we get slightly sleepy after a full meal like that...

No scary movie here ( g'ma hates them), this is just a reaction to the flash.
All happy again!

Make Lemonade

I have, in the winter, a hankering for hot biscuits and stew and desiring such I sent mine oldest daughter for a "large" bag of my favorite biscuit mix to satisfy this desire. I would like it said now that we, in our family, possess cell phones, every one. And that when I say "large" and then specify, "about 10 pounds", I have a mental picture that I am meaning to send. Gaby went on the errand ( bless her), but failed to see my mental picture or use her cell phone and that's when I ended up with 50 lbs of said mix.
What to do?!
-Returning it was out of the question- too far in this weather ( as is just about anything quite frankly).
-I could make biscuits every day between now and next Christmas and make a sizable dent in the 50 lbs but the resulting weight gain for me (because I would eat most of them-I'll just say it now) would result in me having to look for new jeans and that I am unwilling to do ( jeans shopping and bathing suit shopping- two of the most depressing activities in the free world!)
-Orrrrr, I could make neighbor gifts! We have a lot of neighbors and friends and this seemed a little friendlier than handing out stale cookies-soooooo ta dah! A batch of biscuit mix and a sweet little honey bear all in a homespun bag- Merry Christmas one and all!

Treasure Worth Having

This is George. He is a fairly mild mannered miniature Schnauzer
who takes life very seriously and acts most of the time like a small Presbyterian minister of the less tolerant sort. He stares at you while you're eating that little snack as if to say, "You know that's just going to settle right on your hips...much better altogether if you just give it to me right now and avoid the mental anguish you will experience later". Very thoughtful of him I am sure, but annoying while ingesting said snack.
Well, George has been a model of restraint lately, what with all the visitors and Addie ( that backstabbing Plott hound who had the audacity to come into the house as an 8" puppy and then grow into a magnificently athletic 2 1/2 foot monster who now towers over George and disturbs his rest every waking moment) bedeviling him he has been taking most things in his little bouncy stride.
To begin our story George's strange behavior began, all of the sudden, Wednesday evening as he plops down by the Christmas tree and refuses to move. If Addie comes near he threatens first with low Germanic mutterings and then, if she came closer, with swift avenging fury. This happened time and again and all we could figure out was that, at this late hour he had taken it into his head to guard the presents. On Christmas morning it was the same thing and then we discovered it was one particular present...the one Cindy had brought for us Wednesday evening! As we opened it he hovered near and we discovered the fascination...
Florences Exquisite Chocolates! A treasure worth guarding with life and limb! And he continued to gaurd them all day until we put them up in the kitchen out of his reach. Oh, it's a dog's life...

Christmas Melody

Music...that's what Christmas means to me.
Singing with the congregation, choir, children, caroling in a brisk winter wonderland, or solo in the kitchen while baking...it's what brings Christmas alive in my hard little heart. I have a lot of albums ( and after researching for this picture I realize I am not even halfway there...who knew Jethro Tull had a Christmas album?! Tiny Tim - yeah. Neil Diamond and Barbra Streisand-oh yeah) and each has an important place to get me in the Christmas spirit.
My favorite in the hymnbook is "Angels We Have Heard On High". I love The Messiah ( anytime actually). Harry Connick Jr gets me up and doing when it is time for that and Raffi is my fave for kids ( its a GREAT album!). The Chieftains really reach for my roots and I love the coziness of Nat King Cole, Diana Krall jazzes it up nicely... I could go on ad infinitum but it sufficeth me to say:

It is incontestable that music induces in us a sense of the infinite and the contemplation of the invisible. ~Victor de LaPrade

Merry Chistmas!

It's a Pity ( party)

Pity.

That's the word for it. I feel for all of you near the coast who might have to endure some black ice and temps near ...zero!

"It" has begun and we won't see pavement until April if we're lucky!
I watched a large U-haul van go around a corner tonight and sashay in the snow like Sophia Loren in a satin dress. I know I signed up for this ( please re-read "the Egg and I"), but somehow it just doesn't make it any easier!

Alternate Universe

I feel as though I am out of synch with the rest of humanity. I put up Christmas trees in September and take them down in December- before Christmas. I am already thinking Spring and then in January it's back to Christmas when we wing to Dallas for a week of buying for next years trees. I'll let you know what the new hot color combos for trees this next year (purple and white!?)