It has been a beautiful white day, snow softly falling and covering the still green grass. Just in the last hour or so it has been "sticking" on the driveway and streets as I look out the window. More juncos have been arriving in our yard to nibble on the fallen bird seed and plenty of cardinals, chickadees, tufted titmice, nuthatches, goldfinches, house sparrows and wrens have been at the feeders this afternoon. Ella, who is spending the day here, just asked me "What would you rather have, birds or flowers?" Oh, my ~ that is a hard one to answer. But she demanded I choose - so I said flowers. To which she replied "Well, if you have flowers you will get birds anyway!" Such wisdom from such a small person!
December 2009 Archives
Many loving birthday wishes go to Marshall today, and many happy returns of the day! Steve will go to Minnesota on Monday for a belated celebration with his dad, and hopefully the weather will cooperate!
Our Christmas was very nice from start to finish! Full of family, laughter, good food, crackling fire, lovely gifts and just plain fun!
And when we give each other Christmas gifts in His name, let us remember that he has given us the sun and the moon and the stars, and the earth with its forests and mountains and oceans - and all that lives and moves upon them. He has given us all green things and everything that blossoms and bears fruit - and all that we quarrel about and all that we have misused - and to save us from our own foolishness, from all our sins, he came down to earth and gave us himself.
We are getting ready to pick up the girls and head to Staybridge Suites in Fishers to spend the rest of today, overnight until tomorrow noon. We had a free hotel night to use up by 12/26 so thought this would be fun. We will probably be most of the time at the pool! Kind of neat, they also provide an evening meal and breakfast - so we won't have to leave to do that. Then tomorrow afternoon is the dress rehearsal for the children's Christmas program which is at the 4 pm church service on Christmas Eve. Delaney has the lead part this year, she is the "stage manager" - the premise is putting on the nativity etc etc. Ella is part of the group, no separate part. After church Taylor's are going to Melissa's mom's for Christmas Eve. Matthew and Davie will come here for supper and then we always watch the George C. Scott "A Christmas Carol". (Just finished my annual reading of Dickens book!) On Christmas day the whole bunch will be here in the morning for a little breakfast and then we will exchange gifts. Later in the afternoon we will have Christmas dinner together too.
We had more snow overnight, and it looks very pretty outside ~ maybe it will be a White Christmas!
We have been enjoying a light snow falling all day today - it is mostly melting, but there are patches of white here and there. What is it about snow that makes being inside feel so different? I feel more calm and peaceful, my mind is less cluttered and my pace is slower. At this time of year I'm not sure that is all good though...I have a long list of chores to complete before the 25th! Tonight though, we will take some time to reflect on Steve's accomplishment of 30 years at Lilly. We are taking Matthew and Davie to eat with us at Ruby Tuesday (coupons!!) and enjoy our time together. (Taylor's are down in Kentucky this weekend or else they would be joining us.) It is slowly sinking in that our future is somewhat of a blank slate that we will be working on filling in when the new year begins!
Lots going on here these days, right before the celebration of Christ's birth...
Steve's retirement reception at Lilly was very nice, and it was very special to have both Matthew and Taylor, myself, and Steve and Gloria Worth attend along with almost 100 Lilly friends and colleagues. More retirement lunches and after work dinners have continued this week. His last day is Friday, and I think we will celebrate with dinner out as well!
The juncos finally appeared last Saturday, although not since then - hopefully they will take up residence soon.
Have Christmas cards to write and mail, and the other package to Minnesota to get sent. Then start wrapping gifts, making more snack mix, fudge and Grandma Cherrington's sugar cookies.
Tonight a special session of Conversation Club at Maureen's to share some Christmas and Chanukkah cheer together - hopefully all seven of us will be there.
Well, no time to waste - must scoot!! It's a very cold, but pretty day...
It is hard to believe that we moved down here 30 years ago this past August. It is equally hard to believe that in just over a week from now, the reason we moved down here will no longer exist! Steve's career at Lilly is ending and where we go from here is not yet known. It would be fun to think that we could be footloose and fancy free - but it is more likely that another job is in the cards within the next few months. We had always thought that at retirement we would be able to have a lake home in Minnesota - hopefully that will still be a possibility in the years to come.
This Thursday Steve is being honored at a little retirement reception at Lilly. I am planning to be there, and so will Matthew and Taylor if possible. Last week Steve attended a luncheon for all 2009 retirees at which he received a pretty funny 30 year parting gift. A Hershey candy bar, overwrapped with another label that read A Sweet Thank You For All Your Years of Service. Oh my!!
Pearl Harbor Day, and I hope that everyone will pause and remember the many souls who were killed in that attack 68 years ago. Not many remain who can bear witness to the horror of that day, but I have read that there will be as many as 60 survivors attending a memorial service at the Arizona Memorial on Oahu island today. There will even be one gentleman, age 86, who is going to be back at Pearl Harbor for the first time since that long ago surprise attack. Quite something when you stop and think about it.
Thanking those brave men and women, and civilians too....
We bought our Christmas tree this morning, and about an hour ago we brought it into the family room. The fragrance is unbelievably wonderful - I can close my eyes and be transported all the way back to my growing up years. The memories of Christmases past are so dear...full of thoughts of what present I got this year or that year...the "piece" I spoke for a church Christmas program...the cold and snow...the never ending Christmas Eve sleep...the smell of a new doll...the big apple at the very bottom of my stocking...the nativity plays we cousins would put on while the aunts did the Christmas Eve dishes...singing Silent Night while holding a candle at church service...I could go on and on. Certainly am looking forward to observing another holy Christmas this year, and we are starting out the season with our friends the Worths who are coming over for supper tonight. We will probably decorate the tree tomorrow when Delaney and Ella are here, can't wait!
A respectable age for certain!! Seriously close to that next big number...but as I always say, I'm just glad to have made it this far!
I had a very nice birthday, beginning with a delicious breakfast at Gloria's and followed by some Christmas shopping, decorating the house, lots of nice birthday greetings in cards, phone calls, emails, FaceBook and even one singing message over the phone from my long time (more than 50 years!) school friend Jim. For supper Steve and I went to El Torito and then came home and watched a movie. What a pleasant birthday!
