#813 2010 is coming to a close

We have no plans for this evening. Perhaps we will be awake to watch Rockin' New Years Eve. Or not.

It has been a good year. Our travel plans were well planned and executed. Next year will see us on the road a little bit less.

Our families are doing well. We are truly blessed. A positive outlook seems to be doing right by us. I highly recommend it to others. I do know that each of us has to ply our own course. Therefore, I wish you all are able to complete your annual missions satisfactorily.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

#813

#810 It is that time of year again.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

to

ALL

Regardless of your belief system now is the time to give some thought to the concept of "Love thy neighbor as thyself". Here you might want to put emphasis on loving yourself. It will make it easier to love thy neighbor. I don't pretend to be knowledgeable of all religions, but I suspect that everyone of them has this concept as a part of them. Whether that is true or not, I do believe that it is something we should all consider and practice.

LOVE TO YOU ALL!

May the coming year bring you love, prosperity and excellent health!

#810

#773 November 11

VETERANS AND 


ACTIVE DUTY PERSONNEL


THANK YOU FOR

YOUR SERVICE!!!

#773

#604 Thinking Ahead For Memorial Day.

Thanks, Brad.


#604

#542 What happened? It's a new year...

and I am finally getting around to posting something.

Tuesday morning, December 30th, 0430 hours came around very early. In fact it got here at 0423 hours. I had set the alarm for the early hour because Keith's flight left at 0700 hours. Since we live approximately 35 minutes from the airport... well you can fill in the blank there.

Had it really been two weeks already? He and I did have a discussion as to the last time we spent Christmas together. Fifty-three years ago, in San Antonio, TX was the time and place. At the time I had been in the Air Force for about 18 months and he was still in high school. He and mom were waiting to go to Germany to be with our step-dad. A lot has happened since then, but that is for other postings, or not.

Keith arrived in Kansas City about 1900 hours on December 17th. The primary thing we did that day was to come home and let him get settled in. As I look back on the schedule, we did a lot of things.

• 12/18 - Pick up wine, cheese, and some sweet breads. Sounds easy enough, but it did take a few hours and we had to drive into the big city area to get them. I think it was around 70 miles until we got back home. It was on this trip that Keith found just the right Christmas gifts for Maryann (a bottle of Bailey's Irish Cream) and me (a bottle of Kahlua).
  
• 12/19 - An easy day because we stayed home. Maryann did some baking for an upcoming dinner party - a cherry pudding cake (cobbler?) and a wonderful chocolate cake.
• 12/20 - We hosted a wine/cheese tasting party for friends so they could meet my brother. It was a great time. We even had a slide show on the computer showing photos of Keith's art works. He is quite accomplished. Perhaps there will be one or two photos in a future posting.
• 12/21 - The weather was much colder than brisk. Keith lives in El Paso, TX where the temps run around 50-60 at this time of year. Our temps here were around 3 with wind chills below 0. Ouch, that is cold. However, that did not deter us from our schedule. The local players put on a production of Christmas Carol Gone Amuck. (Yes, that is the proper spelling for amuck. The author has a keen sense of humor. You had to be there.) It was hilarious. On the way home we stopped by the High Noon Saloon, a local brew/pub for a beer.
• 12/22 - Keith likes history, the military and weaponry among other things. This day we visited the Frontier Army Museum at Fort Leavenworth. The displays there depict how the fort got started and the part it played in the westward expanion. We also visited DorMail's, a local art gallery, where Keith had some of his paintings on display a few years ago. We showed Meredith the CD with his collection.
• 12/23 - Was another day of staying home. We didn't want to run him too ragged.
• 12/24 - We visited the National World War I Museum. It is worth the trip to Kansas City just to see this museum. It was the third time Maryann and I had visited it. There is always something new to see even when they don't change the displays that much. One of the highlights is the room were there are hand drawn maps depicting the different campaigns. We thought Keith would enjoy this, and he did.
• 12/25 - Yep, you guessed right, Christmas day arrived. Keith joined us in our annual ritual of sitting in the front room, sipping pineapple juice and opening presents. Later in the day we spoke on the phone to our daughters. We also got invited to go play games with friends. They introduced us to a new board game, Apples to Apples. This game is fun to play. We will have to add it to our collection. We also played a rousing round of Trivial Pursuit. Did I mention we also drank some wine? We always do when we spend time with this couple.
• 12/26 - Another day of rest.
• 12/27 - We have a successful artist, Michael Young, who lives in our area. Maryann and I met him at a party given by a friend back in October. At that time I knew I wanted Keith to meet Michael. His art is quite good and he has been able to make a nice living at it. Besides, it never hurts to get artists together, does it? You can see his work here. I did buy his book Houses on Parade. Michael has a great sense of humor. You will discover that when you preview the book on his site. He and Keith had a lot to talk about. Michael had met some of the artists Keith studies. It was a good meeting.
• 12/28 - The visit will come to an end soon and we still had to visit the C. W. Parker Carousel Museum in Leavenworth. It was a place Keith wanted to see once we told him about it. It was the first time we had taken the tour of the museum. It was another good choice. Keith even took some photos of the small, hand carved carousel horses. I'm not sure how his is going to use them or to whom he may show them, but he does have a plan.
• 12/29 - Another day at home. Keith has used these times to become more familiar with his new computer and one particular application - Aperture. He has been commissioned to design a package of corporate identity materials for the Alamo in San Antonio. He is discovering how to use the computer to make the job easier. He has been a very successful graphic artist back in the day when all of the work was done on a drawing board. He is having a great time learning how to do it with the computer.
• 12/30 - Well this is where I began this post. I got Keith to the airport with no difficulties other than he discovered later that he left his sun glasses in the car. He should have them by Friday. It was around lunch time when he called to let us know he was home and to see if we had his sun glasses. The glasses case is black and the upholstery in my car is also black. The case was easy to miss. I almost didn't see it.

It was a great visit. We see the world differently, and it was good to spend the time with him. We have already purchased airline tickets to visit him the first week in February. He has done some remodeling of the house and we want to see what he has done. The photos he sent were great. It should look really good up close and personal.

Now it is time for me to get back to bed and rest up for the big Rose Bowl game today.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

#542

#540 It's That Time of Year....

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!


MAY YOUR HOLIDAY BE BRIGHT AND YOUR FUTURE BE ALL YOU WANT IT TO BE!

#540

#539 'Twas the day before Christmas...

and all through the house, only two creatures were stirring-my wife and I. The time is 0440. The predicted snow has fallen. More may be on the way. Maryann is getting her daily coffee fix and I have just checked on the KU/Arizona men's BB score. (KU 67, AZ 84) What a bummer. The team is new and young, and has a great deal of potential.

The visit with Keith has been a good one. He will be here another week and we have already booked a flight to visit him the first week in February. Today we plan to visit the Liberty Memorial/WWI war museum. He is a history buff. This will be about the third visit to the museum for us. There is so much to see and the displays are absolutely wonderful. We may have to shovel some snow off of the drive.

The party we hosted last Saturday was so much fun. We did learn one thing, limit the wine and cheese to only three options.

It turned out that five different wines and cheeses was a tad to much. Between the wine/cheese tasting and the dinner the evening was very successful. There were eleven of us at dinner time and we had to have two tables. There was the adult table and then we kids had our own.



We kids did have a good time, and we were closer to the wine. Prior to dessert, the kids did join the adults. You know how kids are?

The menu included spinach salad, pork tenderloin, sweet potato hash, and roasted cauliflower. The dinner wine was a wonderful Riesling from Chateau Ste. Michelle.









It was a great way to begin the holidays.

Now it is time to go back to bed and rest up for a busy day.

UPDATE

It is now 0840 and we have just come back in from taking about an inch of snow off of the drive and the sidewalk. Next is cleanup, brunch and the promised trek into Kansas City to see the sights.

Merry Christmas to you all. Happy holidays for whichever one you celebrate. And if you don't celebrate holidays, celebrate life.

Continue to...

Serve with integrity, care about others, and share the love in your heart/soul.

#539

#534 Christmas Decorations

Here are some of the photos I promised a while back. We did spend time decorating trees and the house last week. The first two are of the main room. You can see the difference in lighting techniques. I usually prefer available light, but that one is a bit dark.









The following one is of the front room where we spend most of our time. As you can see one of us has gotten busy and wrapped some packages. I'll get to my wrapping later today.

This is the week my brother will come. It has been a while since his last visit. We can hardly wait. I just hope he brings some warm clothing. It is much warmer in El Paso than here in Lansing.




More to follow. Now back to the ball game. Who knows the Chiefs may win one today. We can only hope.

#534

#532 Christmas trees around the world and other things

The following posting was supplied by a friend via email. I thought you all might enjoy it. I am not sure of the original author/photographer/compiler. My compliments to that person's abilities.

Thanks, Mike.


Before the ball drops in Times Square, the Big Apple turns on its holiday charm with the Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center.



The Capitol Christmas tree in Washington , D.C. , is decorated with 3,000 ornaments that are the handiwork of U.S. schoolchildren. Encircling evergreens in the 'Pathway of Peace' represent the 50 U.S. states.



The world's largest Christmas tree display rises up the slopes of Monte Ingino outside of Gubbio, in Italy 's Umbria region. Composed of about 500 lights connected by 40,000 feet of wire, the 'tree' is a modern marvel for an ancient city.



A Christmas tree befitting Tokyo 's nighttime neon display is projected onto the exterior of the Grand Prince Hotel Akasaka.


Illuminating the Gothic facades of Prague's Old Town Square, and casting its glow over the manger display of the famous Christmas market, is a grand tree cut in the Sumava mountains in the southern Czech Republic .



Venice's Murano Island renowned throughout the world for its quality glasswork is home to the tallest glass tree in the world. Sculpted by master glass blower Simone Cenedese, the artistic Christmas tree is a modern reflection of the holiday season.


Moscow celebrates Christmas according to the Russian Orthodox calendar on Jan. 7. For weeks beforehand, the city is alive with festivities in anticipation of Father Frost's arrival on his magical troika with the Snow Maiden.

He and his helper deliver gifts under the New Year tree, or yolka, which is traditionally a fir.



The largest Christmas tree in Europe (more than 230 feet tall) can be found in the Praça do Comércio in Lisbon , Portugal. Thousands of lights adorn the tree, adding to the special enchantment of the city during the holiday season.


'Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree': Even in its humblest attire, aglow beside a tiny chapel in Germany 's Karwendel mountains, a Christmas tree is a wondrous sight.



Ooh la la Galeries Lafayette! In Paris , even the Christmas trees are chic. With its monumental, baroque dome, plus 10 stories of lights and high fashion, it's no surprise this show-stopping department store draws more visitors than the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower



In addition to the Vatican 's heavenly evergreen, St. Peter's Square in Rome hosts a larger-than-life nativity scene in front of the obelisk.


The Christmas tree that greets revelers at the Puerta del Sol is dressed for a party. Madrid 's two-week celebration makes millionaires along with merrymakers. On Dec. 22, a lucky citizen will win El Gordo (the fat one), the world's biggest lottery.


A token of gratitude for Britain 's aid during World War II, the Christmas tree in London 's Trafalgar Square has been the annual gift of the people of Norway since 1947.


Drink a glass of gluhwein from the holiday market at the Romer Frankfurt 's city hall since 1405 and enjoy a taste of Christmas past.


Against a backdrop of tall, shadowy firs, a rainbow trio of Christmas trees lights up the night (location unknown).


There is one Christmas Carol that has always baffled me. What in the world do leaping lords, French hens, swimming swans, and especially the partridge who won't come out of the pear tree have to do with Christmas? This week, I found out. From 1558 until 1829, Roman Catholics in England were not permitted to practice their faith openly. Someone during that era wrote this carol as a catechism song for young Catholics. It has two levels of meaning: the surface meaning plus a hidden meaning known only to members of their church. Each element in the carol has a code word for a religious reality which the children could remember. -The partridge in a pear tree was Jesus Christ. -Two turtle doves were the Old and New Testaments. -Three French hens stood for faith, hope and love. -The four calling birds were the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke & John . -The five golden rings recalled the Torah or Law, the first five books of the Old Testament. -The six geese a-laying stood for the six days of creation. -Seven swans a-swimming represented the sevenfold gifts of the Holy Spirit--Prophesy, Serving, Teaching, Exhortation, Contribution, Leadership, and Mercy. -The eight maids a-milking were the eight beatitudes. -Nine ladies dancing were the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit--Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control. -The ten lords a-leaping were the ten commandments. -The eleven pipers piping stood for the eleven faithful disciples. -The twelve drummers drumming symbolized the twelve points of belief in the Apostles' Creed. So there is your history for today. This knowledge was shared with me and I found it interesting and enlightening and now I know how that strange song became a Christmas Carol...so pass it on if you wish.'

Merry (Twelve Days of) Christmas Everyone

CHRISTMAS at Arlington National Cemetery

Rest easy, sleep well my brothers. Know the line has held, your job is done. Rest easy, sleep well. Others have taken up where you fell, the line has held. Peace, peace, and farewell...


Readers may be interested to know that these wreaths -- some 5,000 -- are donated by the Worcester Wreath Co. of Harrington , Maine . The owner, Merrill Worcester, not only provides the wreaths, but covers the trucking expense as well. He's done this since 1992. A wonderful guy. Also, most years, groups of Maine school kids combine an educational trip to DC with this event to help out. Making this even more remarkable is the fact that Harrington is in one the poorest parts of the state.

Merry Christmas to all!

Mike

#532

#527 Thanksgiving Week

This is the week of Thanksgiving. The weather is going to be beautiful here in our part of the mid-west. However, we are going to the north-west to spend the holiday with our girls. It promises to be a fun time. With a little bit of luck and a lot of perseverance there will be photos to post upon our return next week.

The computer will not travel with us this time. I can still check mail, but may not do so. I can still check blogs, but may not do so.

I will have a great time. I hope you will too.

#527

#523 Christmas from a retiree...

This is one of those emails that is too funny to just dump. Thanks, Nancy.

Dear family and friends, Christmas is tight this year. I will be making bedroom slippers for everyone as gifts. I hope you'll agree that it's a splendid idea and, should you wish to do the same for some of your Christmas gifts, I've included the instructions below:

You'll need four maxi pads for each pair of slippers. Lay two of them out flat. Wrap a single pad around the toe area of each flat pad to form the top of the slipper. Tape or glue each side of the top pieces to the bottom of the foot part. Decorate the tops with whatever you desire: silk flowers (this is most aesthetically appealing), etc.
Maxi slippers are:

Soft and Hygienic

Non-slip grip strips on the soles

Built in deodorant feature keeps feet smelling fresh

No more bending over to mop up spills

Disposable and biodegradable

Environmentally safe

Three convenient sizes: Regular, Light and Get out the Sand Bags. I've included a photo of the first pair I made so that you can see the nifty slippers for yourself. Let me know which size you'd like me to make for you.



#523

#346 Happy New Year!!!

Here it is, the last day of 2007. There have been a number of things running around my brain late at night and when it wasn't convenient to get the computer. I will not write them now. They tend to be a bit depressing. I even have another Messiah's Handbook posting waiting on the desktop, but it, too, is a tad bit depressing in light of recent events. I will post it next week some time.

As I look back on the year, I am reminded of a number of things that were quite eventful for us. Among them were the passing of Margaret, the visit of some dear friends from France, an extended road trip to the West coast to visit family and friends, a week in Las Vegas celebrating another year with other Retired Military Police officers/friends, another trip to Oregon to help Shannon and Kevin get settled in their new home, and a major redecorating of our home. Most of these events were chronicled here during the year.

Our plan is to stay home. Maybe open a bottle of Champagne. And celebrate quietly, much like we do every year.

So, dear friends and readers, we hope that your year had more happiness than sorrow, that you prospered and your health is good.

May the new year bring you more of the good stuff in life.
#346

#344 Merry Christmas

Last evening we had dinner with George and Gale. It was the first time we ventured off of our property since the snow came. They mentioned that a neighbor had done some rather fantastic ice sculpture. This morning, after breakfast we decided to go take a look at it. You can see the results below. Whoever did it, did a nice job.

Our usual Christmas morning ritual is to get a glass of pineapple juice and a cup of coffee or tea. We then sit by the tree and open our gifts. Even Hazel likes to get in on the act. She spent a good portion of her time sitting in Maryann's lap while gifts were being opened and examined.

We have gotten to that place in our lives where we decide what we would like to have and give those suggestions to our mate. Then it is up to that person to acquire some or all of them. It is also appropriate to add a surprise. One has to take note of comments dropped during the year and take action so it can be a true surprise.

We usually ask for clothing items. As you can see we did very well. The nice thing about this ritual is that everything is the right size and color. Some of the things from relatives were food baskets - fruits, chocolates, biscuits, etc. The one surprise gift that Maryann was not expecting is the DVD set of Ken Burn's documentary, The War. She had mentioned that since she had missed some of the episodes that had already aired, she would have to wait until they were run again.

We will have to learn how to use the GPS system the kids got us. They thought we would use one since we do travel quite a bit. Tomorrow is the time for a trial run.

We hope that your day has been as wonderful as possible and that you are able to celebrate it with your loved ones.

#344

#343 The Day Before Christmas

This morning as I was taking out the trash, the recycle bin and bringing in the newspaper, I looked West and saw this beautiful sight. It was too beautiful to keep to myself. I hurried back into the house and grabbed the camera. I shot four shots, and these are the best of the lot.


At this time of year we are bombarded with all kinds of messages. They range from buy more of this to remember to be nice or Santa will reward you accordingly. We are also reminded of the religious meaning as well.


It was that last message the popped into my head as I was taking these photos. If I remember the story correctly, a star appeared in the East to guide the Magi to the birth place. The thought occurred to me that this beautiful full moon was a modern day portent of that tale. One doesn't have to believe in all of the religious trappings of the story to believe that we can all get along peacefully. I am convinced that when we all decide to discover and share the love in our hearts we will all be better off for having done it.

I also recognize how much Pollyanna would applaud that thought. Some will say such ideas are foolishness. That may very well be true. All we need do is look about us and see the evil that people do to each other. On the other hand, we can also look around us and see the good that folks do.

So, my wish for you all this day, is to look at those photos, let them bring out the love in your hearts, and go forth to...

Serve others, care about those you serve, and, by all means, share the love in your heart.

#343

#323 Christmas Decorations 2007

UPDATE
The day after Thanksgiving we decorate for Christmas. This year was no exception. It has taken this long to get things placed properly and ready for the camera. One of these photos may even make it to our annual Christmas card.

The most difficult part of the process is getting the trees from the basement. A couple of years ago we finally got smart and left the lights on the trees. It does make it a lot easier to decorate each year. Hale will appreciate this tip, I hope. (Caution should be used when visiting this link. There is material that might be frowned upon by some. It may not be suitable for children.).

I forgot to mention that we leave the trees put together. The large one will come apart in the middle. It is still a struggle. I haven't figured out an easy way to find the bulb that affects the rest of the string. We do take the decorations off.

I hope you all have a wonderful holiday, however you celebrate the season.

#323