Make This Christmas Thing Last

Last night we went to see the Trans-Siberian Orchestra in concert at the Palace in Auburn Hills, Michigan.  The tickets for the concert were a Christmas gift from my sons.  I love the music of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra and really enjoyed the concert.


The Palace is a large venue for a concert in my opinion.  There were so many people there that it was a bit overwhelming for me at first.  It is the same stadium where the Detroit Pistons play basketball, and it was filled to the rafters with people last night.  We really enjoyed the concert.  Traveling there, however, was another matter.  The drive there reminded me of something that I already know.  I am NOT a city girl.  Give me small town life in the midst of farm country any day over life in a big city.


There was a lot of traffic.  We got snarled up in it and inched along for quite a while.  We didn't know why the cars were backed up at first, but eventually we came upon the reason.  There had been an accident.  We don't know what happened or how many vehicles were involved, but when we came upon it, there was a semi truck  left across the road in front of us blocking all three lanes of the northbound traffic, one of which was our lane. So all three of our lanes were being funneled into a single lane which then had to go off the road and onto the berm to get around the wrecked semi truck.  No wonder the traffic was backed up so far!  


Once we got past that spot, things went along pretty well for a while until we missed a turn.  It was dark by this time and there didn't seem to be many signs or street lights where we were driving, so it wasn't easy to find our way.  Eventually, we got back on course and got into more heavy traffic around Detroit.  No accidents this time, just a lot of cars.  We finally arrived at the stadium, and we were glad to be there.


As I said we really enjoyed the music at the concert.  They played many of their Christmas songs that were familiar to me.  I especially liked some of the lyrics of one song in particular that I hadn't heard before.  The song is called "Old City Bar."  It is a rather long song, but you can listen to it at that link if you haven't heard it and wish to do so.  There was one part of the lyrics that I especially liked.  These are the words:

"If you want to arrange it
This world you can change it 

If we could somehow make this 
Christmas thing last 

By helping a neighbor 

Or even a stranger 

And to know who needs help 

You need only just ask."

Those seem like good words to live by to me.  Those in the audience at the concert were quite appreciative of the music and the words, and everyone seemed caught up in the spirit, not only of that song, but of all of them.  The feeling of good-will was almost palpable to me.

Traffic on the way home was much lighter and easier to manage.  We made good time going home and got back into our town just a little after midnight.  We noticed a helicopter landing on the pad at the hospital and thought that seemed a little unusual at that hour on a Thursday night.  Although patients are regularly transferred from our hospital to a larger one in either Toledo, Ohio or Fort Wayne, Indiana, those types of transfers are usually done during the day.  The helicopter at night usually is the result of an emergency or an accident of some sort.  

We didn't think too much about the helicopter other than taking note of it.  Then we saw a car blocking the side street in front of our local police station as we drove by it.  That seemed strange to us too.  We couldn't figure out why that car was there.  It just seemed odd and out of place there.  Both the police station and the hospital are just a few blocks from our home, by the way.

This morning we heard on the news that someone had showed up at our local police station with a rifle and fired shots into the building.  This was the same police station building that we drove by last night.  We drove by about a half an hour after the incident had occurred.  The shooter left the scene but the police found him a short distance away.  He was brandishing an assault rifle and opened fire on the officers.  The ordeal ended when he was shot by a local police officer.  The police officers weren't injured.  The man was life flighted out in that very helicopter that we saw at the hospital when we returned on our way back from the concert.  The last I heard he was in critical condition.  This is one of the local news reports about the incident if you want to listen to it.

The rumor is that this man's daughter died as a result of a motorcycle accident here last May. Some say that he hasn't been able to come to terms with her death and feels that the local police are responsible for what happened to her.  She apparently fell off a motorcycle that was being chased by the local law enforcement.  He blames the police for her death,  and that is why he showed up with the gun.  I don't know if that is true, but in any case, it is a sad story no matter how you look at it.

So the joy we experienced from attending the concert was tempered with the knowledge of this shooting in our little town that we might have literally driven right into if we had come home just a half an hour earlier.   A shooting that apparently may have come about because of a man whose soul was tortured with sadness from the death of his daughter and who had thoughts of revenge.

It made me think back to those lyrics from that song I mentioned above speaking about helping those who need it.  This man who arrived in our town with a rifle is someone who needed help, but apparently no one recognized it, or they knew and took no action.

So this year ends on a bittersweet note for me as I contemplate the events of the last 24 hours or so.  These events serve as a reminder to me that life is short, and that we should do our best to love one another as well as we are able.  We don't know what the next new day will bring to us or to those we love.  As we head into the new year,  I hope I can keep this in mind.  I hope like the song above says that I can also "make this Christmas thing last by helping a neighbor or even a stranger."

I hope this Christmas thing lasts for you and for those you love.  

Happy New Year, my friends.

Winter's Grip

Winter's Grip

A giant hand 

with snow fingers and nails of ice 

gripped the awning over the porch

until the warmth of the afternoon sun

relaxed it 

and

coaxed it to loosen its hold,

causing it to let go

and slip 

and drip

away.

(from inside the door looking out)

Another Christmas Comes and Goes

ANOTHER CHRISTMAS COMES AND GOES

After all the hoopla and hurry-scurry,

all the planning, all the worry,

so much build-up, so much to do,

and just so quick, it's done and through.

Presents bought and wrapped and given.

Visiting family---the miles driven!

So much food---what a feast!

Much more than we needed,

 (to say the least).

Fudge was boiled up.  Eggnog was poured.

Carols proclaimed the birth of the Lord.

There were parties and concerts, 

celebrations galore,

lights were hung,

wreaths were placed on the door,

but now the tree is empty of boxes and bows,

and outside it gently snows,

and another Christmas comes and goes.

Another Christmas comes and goes.

Will they remember why Christmas came

and say a prayer of thanks in His name?

We can hope...but only Heaven knows,

as another Christmas comes and goes.

Memorable Gifts

For many, this is the season of gifts, both the giving and the receiving.  I was thinking today of the Christmases of my childhood and of the gifts we gave and received back then.  It's interesting to me the things that stayed with me, the things I most remember when I look back at those times.


We used to give my Dad the worst gifts--at least, they seemed pretty awful to me, but they were things he wanted and asked for.  One gift he requested every single Christmas was a can of heavy duty mechanic's hand soap.  I thought the name of it was D&L hand cleaner or hand soap, or something of that nature.  I tried to find a picture of it, but was unsuccessful, so maybe I'm remembering it wrong, or maybe they don't make it anymore.


It came in a round blue and white can with a plastic lid.  The soap in it looked like lard and seemed to be of that same sort of consistency.  My Dad had two antique cars, a 1927 Chevy and a 1931 Chevy that he bought and worked on a little at a time for literally years to restore them to original condition. Because his hands would get very dirty and often greasy from working on his cars, he needed the heavy duty soap in order to get his hands clean again. It seemed like it took him just about a year to use up one of those big cans of soap, and every year he would ask for a new can of it for Christmas.


Another thing I remember buying for him a lot was a can of nuts.  Sometimes we would get him roasted peanuts and sometimes it would be a can of mixed nuts or cashews, but every year a can of nuts seemed to be one of the presents that ended up under the tree for my Dad.  What was funny was that the can of nuts and the can of heavy duty hand cleaner looked very similar once wrapped, except that, I think the hand soap can was bigger around than the nuts.  I'm not sure why, but we thought that was amusing back then, like we thought we could fool him when he went to open them, and he tried to guess what the gift was.  


The third less-than-exciting gift that I can remember us buying every year (or so it seemed) for my Dad was some Old Spice cologne.  You know the one.  It came in a white bottle with a blue ship on it, and the white bottle came in a red box, also with a blue ship on it.  This was long before the days of the "look at me" Old Spice guy of the commercials today.  That smell shall forever make me think of my Dad.  I can't remember him ever wearing any other kind of cologne.


Of course, my Dad received other gifts.  I think he got socks every year and maybe undershirts and boxers underwear too.  He'd receive the occasional sweater or shirt or slippers.  He often asked for certain tools too. Mom would make him write down what he wanted when it came to tools, though, so she'd know what to ask for at the hardware store.  I really can't remember anything much else that came his direction in the way of gifts.  I do remember thinking that I was glad I didn't get the kind of gifts that he got!


Gifts for my Mom were a little better, but not much, at least from the view of my child's eyes.  One of her every-year gifts was a bottle of Rose Milk skin care lotion that came in a pink bottle.

Another was Oil of Olay moisturizing lotion.

She also received lots of night gowns and slippers and warm socks.  All nice gifts if you need them, I suppose, but just not very exciting or memorable.


As for gifts that I received, what is funny is, there are very few that stand out as memorable, although at the time, I can well remember the excitement of waiting for the arrival of Christmas and the wonder of the presents under the tree.  A few of the gifts that I do remember being given as a child are a Mickey Mouse Marionette puppet, an Easy Bake Oven, 

some clamp-on metal roller skates that were worn over top of your regular shoes,

 and a Spirograph art drawing toy.

These were gifts that left an impression on me, that I remembered.


A gift that I requested and received every Christmas was a new diary.  I think from the age of 8, or so, clear up through my college years and beyond even, I received a diary for Christmas every year.  I loved those diaries.  I wrote in them every night before I went to bed.  I wrote about whatever had happened to me that day.  I think I still have them all in a box in the attic somewhere.  They make for pretty dull reading now, but for some reason keeping that daily log of my life was important to me as a kid.  I think it was part of my dream of growing up to be a writer.  There were always things I wanted to say, to get down on paper and save.  


Now, when someone asks me what I want for Christmas, I am generally hard put to come up with an answer. There really is very little that I need or want.  In all honesty, what I would really love is for someone to come and clean out the closets and attics and basement of my house and  take away some of my things rather than give me more!!  I'd love to have those spaces cleaned out and reorganized and made tidy.  That's a gift that is difficult for someone else to give me, though, because no one but me knows which items are of value to me and which items are just there taking up space.  I know that is a gift I will have to give myself if it is ever going to happen.


As you gather with your families this Christmas, whether or not you exchange gifts with one another, I hope that you remember to stop and take time to celebrate the very best gift of the season, the birth of the Christ Child--certainly a memorable gift, don't you think?  


We will be doing that on Christmas Eve here.  My church holds a candlelight service every year on Christmas Eve.  My son will be playing Christmas music on his upright bass with some other youth orchestra members from our church in the prelude to the service.  It is one of my favorite church services to attend because it always seems to be the purest celebration of peace and joy.  The candles make it seem more reverent, the songs seem to be sung with the most enthusiasm, and everyone seems to be wearing a smile.


I'd also like to say to you my readers, thank you for your friendship.  Friends are one of the most wonderful gifts we are given to share our lives here on earth, and I am very grateful for the gift of all my blogging friends.  I consider all of you very memorable gifts.  I wish you a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

So...You Turned 21 Today

   Today is my son's 21st birthday.  He is away at college, so I didn't get to celebrate the day with him.  It doesn't seem right not getting to see him on such an important birthday milestone, but he will be home this weekend, so we can celebrate the day then.  I did send him messages over the internet and talk to him on the phone tonight, but it's just not the same as seeing him and being able to give him a hug.


   Here are a couple of my favorite pictures of him when he was little.  The first when he was two years old and the second when he was three years old.  In the first one he was climbing up the slide in the back yard (not on the ladder, but up the slide itself).

I love the mischievous look on his face and the twinkle in his eye in this next one.  He looks like he is up to something.

   It seems like such a short time ago that he was this young.  It's hard to believe he is 21 years old.  I remember the days of water balloon fights and Little League baseball games and gliding about on roller blades so well.  I remember his love of matchbox cars and Pokemon characters and Power Rangers.  


   I remember how proud I was of him when he had a daily paper route, and when he not only was chosen to be part of the school's Quiz Bowl team, but when their team won first place in the county, and his picture was on the front page of the local newspaper. 


   I remember him looking out for his little brother, taking care of him and teaching him things.  He kept him safe from bullies in the neighborhood and taught him the secrets that brothers share.


   From the days when he lost his first tooth to when we took the training wheels off his bike to when he learned to drive a car and tie a necktie and went on his first date, all of those days have been on my mind today.


   In high school he was on the track team and cross country team and loved pole vaulting more than anything.  He was also very active in and passionate about our church youth fellowship group.  His concern for others was then, and still is, genuine and backed up by the many times he has volunteered his time and service to help those in need.


   He is now and always has been a blessing to me for which I am very grateful.  He has grown into a responsible young man.  He is a cheerful, caring, loving, personable fellow with a great sense of humor and lots of friends.  


   In addition to carrying a heavy class load with a double major at school, he is also the leader of a Christian student group on his campus that meets each week that he helped to create.  He will graduate from college this summer with his Bachelor's Degree and has applied to some Graduate colleges for after that.  I am pleased and proud to call him my son.  Happy Birthday, Kiddo!  Thank you for being the wonderful person that you are.

Oh Those Crazy Librarians!

   I attended our library staff appreciation Christmas party last Thursday evening.    I had a great time.  

   I work with a lot of very good people.  We are a silly bunch of folks who know how to laugh and have fun.  When I got home that night, my face hurt from laughing so much.


   The costume of the evening was reindeer antlers and red foam noses as you can plainly see.  One of my co-workers brought these in for the whole staff to wear and keep to take home!

I'm clear in the back row, far right in the red sweater in case you can't recognize me with my antlers and nose on. 


   We enjoyed a delicious catered dinner in a festively decorated meeting room at the library.  We all sat down together at a very long table.  (Well, it was several tables end to end, but we were all together.)  Dinner included chicken breasts cooked in and smothered with mushroom sauce, roast beef, lasagna, two kinds of salad, green beans almondine, mashed potatoes and gravy, a large assortment of desserts, and iced tea or lemonade.  


   I took this picture from the end where I was sitting, so you won't find me in this picture.  I'm sure you'll notice that most of us are still wearing our antlers, but the noses have come off.

   A very generous anonymous patron donated $1,000 to pay for this party because the library can no longer fund such events since the budget cuts.  How amazing and wonderful to have someone do that for us!


   The wall was decorated with elf pictures with the faces of staff members glued on.  The director and assistant director captioned each one with something funny for that person to say.

   Part of my job is to design flyers for the main library and for each of our five branches.  Quite often I am given short notice to create something for the events we have scheduled.  So this is the caption that they came up with for my elf.  

   We played some games and were each given two presents from the library.  Everyone got something different, but one of the gifts was some sort of candy and the other was some sort of seasonal item or decoration.


   I received this very pretty red and green snowflake set which included a bowl, a plate, some potholders, and a dish towel as my seasonal item.

This is the candy that I received.  Well, it WAS the candy that I received.  By the time I got around to taking a picture of it, my son had already found it.  (Actually, I gave it to him as soon as I got home.  I was lucky to find any still in the package at all by the time I got around to taking a picture!)

   We also had a staff white elephant gift exchange.  We had great fun with the exchange.  The gifts ran the gamut from quite bizarre and garish to quite nice.  We played a game with the gifts where we could steal something someone else had already unwrapped or open a new gift when it was our turn.  There was a lot of trading back and forth with some of the gifts.  It was pretty funny the way it all turned out.  I ended up with one of the nicer items, although for part of the time I had a really big and ugly statue of a man in a brightly striped coat in my possession!  What was even funnier, this same statue had made the rounds at LAST year's white elephant Christmas gift exchange.  This is the gift that was mine when the game ended.  

   I had a great time at the party.  It is nice to be appreciated for the work that you do.  It's also good to be able to say that the people I work for and with, are not just my coworkers, but are also my friends.


   I know you all wish you could have antlers and a red nose like mine to wear, but I only have one of each, so you will just have to settle for a picture of me wearing them instead.

A Little Snow, a Little Giggle, and a Little Dance

   We've had snow off and on most of this week. We haven't had a lot at any given time.  Most of it seems to melt off in the afternoon, only to get another inch or so overnight again.  I'm posting some snow pictures, not because there is anything spectacular about it, but because I promised my friend Nensa who lives in Indonesia that I would post some snow pictures for her.  So Nensa, these pictures are for you.  It was early morning when I took these shots. The sun was just rising, so the snow still looks pretty blue.

   This black squirrel didn't like me taking his picture and ran up the tree when I took the next step closer.

   This was taken while looking out from my front door across the street.  The snow plow didn't come down our street today.  We didn't get enough snow to warrant it.  I see my neighbor over there has shoveled his driveway though.  We didn't shovel ours.  We just drove through it.  It was only a couple of inches at most.

I went to the library staff Christmas party last night, but I'm going to wait and blog about that in my next post.  For right now, it is Friday night, and I think we ought to be dancing!!  That's one way to stay warm.


   So here's a dance video that might just give you a little giggle.  It did me, so maybe you'll like it too.  Have a good weekend, everyone!

Christmas Strings

Some of you may remember that my son's string quintet was scheduled to perform at the Christmas Open House at the library where I work.  Last night was the open house, and it went very well.  In the children's department, there were crafts, and cookies and punch, and visits with Santa, of course.  In the adult department there was Christmas music performed by the quintet.  The kids did a wonderful job and were well received.  My son is the one standing in the back to the left playing the upright bass.


I recorded a couple of the songs if you'd like to listen.  They are both fairly short.

It's in the Air

It snowed today.  Since the day after Thanksgiving, our local Chamber of Commerce has been piping Christmas music out over our downtown square during daytime shopping hours.  The Christmas decorations are up at the library.  It's cold outside.  Yes, the air definitely has the feel of Christmas to it.


I haven't played any music for you for  a while.  This seemed like a good one to play for you today.  There are a few different versions of this going around.  This particular one calls this event a Random Act of Culture.  I like that.  It appeals to me.  


I love this song. Two things happen to me when I hear this song.  I get chills, and I well up with tears.  I'm not sure why this song moves me in this way, but it does.  It always has.  I wish I could have been there when this video was made.