Friday Faves Five & Saturday 9

1. Thankful for sleep! I am blessed to have a comfortable bed with lots of pillows. My only problem is me getting to bed before 12 and staying asleep. If I can get 6 straight hours, I am good. I am a night owl and get more done in the later part of the day. I drag in the morning. But every morning, I thank the Lord for another day of life!

2. Thankful to get a quick doctor's appointment this past Monday. I had a later appointment and the clinic was not as crowded as usual. I have had this growth under my right eye at the eyelash line where I put eyeliner. I thought it was a clogged follicle and may be. It doesn't hurt like a sty or look red. I told the doctor about my basal skin cancer on my cheek and showed her the location. She said because of that, she was referring me to ophthalmology and said dermatology won't touch the area around the eye. So my appointment is on the 19th. The local clinic I go to is 7 minutes away. The medical center is about 25 minutes away and that is where most off the specialty departments are. I am thankful for great medical insurance, and I am praying the cost don't go up in the new year.

3. Enjoying the Christmas season and thankful my grands can help with the decorating. I have been busier than usual, and I have a busy week next starting on Sunday. I do have ADD, and managing my time can be a problem. I sewed 2 mini pillowcases out of flannel with a buffalo plaid check material for hubby's couch pillows. They match the rest of the blankets for the season. I did get my kitchen all decorated with gingerbread. The younger grands found the Shepherd on the Search gifts. Audrina got a new stocking and Elijah got Grinch material. Now he wants me to make a stocking. I told him it would be ready for Christmas.

4. Thankful that hubby helped put away the outdoor fall decor and bring out the Christmas decor. It felt good to be out in the sun for a short time. Our night's are in the mid 40's and days are low 70's. I can't complain. We usually don't turn the heat on until January. We can use the fireplace is we need to. Otherwise, we wear shirt shirts and use blankets.

5. Thankful that most of my Christmas shopping is done. I will start wrapping tomorrow while watching Christmas movies. I like the old Christmas classics and Hallmark. I also like Elf. Next week. I am also working on m Advent study with Illustrated Faith.

Saturday 9: Ja-Da (1918)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here. 

 

1) The lyrics tell us the melody is soothing. What calms you when you're upset or anxious? Music!

 

2) There was a lot going on in 1918 – like WWI and the Spanish flu pandemic – that left people upset and anxious. In those days, radio wasn't yet a staple in American homes so people received their news through newspapers. Today with podcasts and 24 hour cable news and social media and other news outlets available, do you ever feel like taking a break from current events? I have to really limit the news because it is so depressing.

3) In addition to newspapers, magazines were a big deal in 1918. Women turned to publications like Ladies Home Journal and McCall's for trends and tips about fashion and housekeeping. Do you have any printed magazines in your home now? Yes, I have some craft magazines.

 

4) Today schoolchildren often learn "Ja-Da" because it's easy to sing and play. Was music part of your grade school curriculum? Yes, there was music and art.

 

5) Composer Bob Carleton published more than 500 songs in his career. He had no songwriting partner, handling the words and lyrics himself. What's your favorite song? Was it written by a single composer or a songwriting team? That is a really hard question to answer! I like so many.

 

6) Bob got his start in his hometown of St. Louis, playing piano in his parents' saloon. When you think of St. Louis, what comes to mind? The movie called Meet Me in Saint Louis with Judy Garland singing Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.

 

7) In 1918, Americans were buying more cars and Studebakers were a familiar sight on the streets and highways. Today that name is mostly forgotten. Can you think of a brand that used to popular but has disappeared? Not at the moment.

 

8) During WWI, Americans were familiar with "Meatless Days." Back then we were encouraged to cut back on the consumption of meat as a patriotic gesture to help the American and Allied troops. Today "Meatless Monday" highlights health and the environment. Think about your diet. Do you try to eat more grains, fruits and vegetables? Yes, I have an apple every evening with peanut butter. I have veggies twice a day. I don't eat many grains. I did find some high fiber, high protein bread.

 

9) Random question: Where did you get the shirt you are wearing right now? At Kohl's.

Tuesday 4 & Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. What is the dumbest rule you've ever had to follow?  I can't think of anything at the moment.

2. What is the weirdest or funniest thing a guest ever did/said in your home? My cousin spent the night, and she was taking a shower, and it started to back up. I can't go into any more details, but we still laugh about it.

3. If you had a warning label, what would it say? Can talk your ears off! (This is only with people I am really comfortable with.)

4. What is the first thing you must do in case of a Snoopy/Charlie Brown Apocalypse?  Who is the first person you call for advice when that happens? (Imagine that The characters of Charlie Brown series take over the world! What do you do as your first move? Who would you call for advice on how to live in that world?) I would like to talk to Peppermint Patty. She remind me of one of my friends. I would like to have a front row seat to the Christmas Pageant. 

1. What does it mean to have the 'holiday spirit'? On a scale of 1-10 how is yours this year? (10=off the charts, 1=still looking for it) I would say an 8. I love the holidays. The only downfall is health issues. I always seem to get hurt while in the garage where I have my decorations. It's my own fault because I don't ask for help when I should. Other than that, I love to decorate the whole house. I was happy my church is participating in Advent this year.

2. What's your favorite character from a (December) holiday-themed movie, book, or TV special? Tell us why. Every Thanksgiving after dinner, we watch the National Lampoon Christmas. I really look forward to seeing White Christmas and A Christmas Carol. My family got me to see the movie Elf and I really like the innocence of Buddy the elf.

3. Do you like gingerbread? Are gingerbread houses part of your holiday tradition? My whole kitchen is decorated with gingerbread. I have been doing this for years and this year it is really popular. my grandkids help me with the gingerbread tree and they will be here on Thursday. I also bake cookies with my grands and gingerbread are always included. We usually go look at Christmas lights after and then come back for Mexican hot chocolate and cookies. I use gingerbread decor for Christmas breakfast and then more formal setting for dinner. The green tablecloths were my moms.

4. Much of our vocabulary is determined by where we live or where we grew up. What say you-

sprinkles or jimmies? lightning bugs or fireflies? soda or pop? sneakers, trainers, or tennis shoes? sub, hoagie, grinder, or hero? freeway, highway, or motorway? frosting or icing? sauce or gravy?

5. Share a favorite holiday memory from your childhood. I have a lot of favorites. I would say my last Christmas at home before I got married. My parents gave us a box of ornaments that we still use to this day. That was 52 years ago. The picture below was taken when I was 2.

 

6.  Insert your own random thought here.  Christmas is a fun family time of the year. We also know it is a special time and we remember the birth of Jesus, the reason for the season!

Thanks to Annie and Joyce for the memes. Links are on the left.