Christmas Countdown - 2013

[snowflake22]

Good morning everyone!

I never thought I would be able to say this, but I am currently posting from class! That's right. I'm on a prep period and the school has WiFi. Smartly, I brought my macbook, too!

It is a cold and chilly morning in Cornwall. Yes. I am not in Canada's capital. I drove to Cornwall yesterday at about 5pm and stayed at Kim's mom's house for the night. It was much easier than waking up at 5am and driving this morning. It allowed me to have a decent sleep!

Here we are. One day remains. The FINAL, as Crown put it ever so correctly. We've come so far. Dozens of milestone, 45 'Pines Days and we are here. We made it together. As the hours turn to minutes, and the minutes turn to seconds, we will usher in the 2013 Christmas Season. Christmas has "Blossomed" and began appearing everywhere since Halloween had passed. Christmas commercials are everywhere on television. Christmas decorations are filling up the stores. Christmas music is being played through speakers - although I have yet to hear it - it is almost the beginning of the Christmas Season.

Tonight, I can't wait to get home, begin to decorate and celebrate with everyone in real time. The Christmas lights and tree will be setup, but they will not be turned on until the clock strikes midnight and we all officially welcome the Christmas Season. It's a tradition we have all come to treasure. A tradition that has been made world famous - much thanks to Crown! Today, despite being at school and teaching, the Christmas Season is on my mind. I can't wait to gather with all of you tonight and, for the first time this year, I cannot wait to say those two special words that always bring an incredible joy to my heart. And I cannot wait to say it to you, my friends, first.

Until then, I hope you all have a great Tuesday. Tomorrow is the beginning of our favourite Season. I am sure Carl has a big celebration planned. After all, Pines Day and the beginning of the Christmas Season do not coincide every year. See you all tonight!

That is awesome, Brent. Hope you have a great day!

And have fun decorating tonight!!

Christmas magic awaits!


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[made582]

Good morning everyone!

I never thought I would be able to say this, but I am currently posting from class! That's right. I'm on a prep period and the school has WiFi. Smartly, I brought my macbook, too!

It is a cold and chilly morning in Cornwall. Yes. I am not in Canada's capital. I drove to Cornwall yesterday at about 5pm and stayed at Kim's mom's house for the night. It was much easier than waking up at 5am and driving this morning. It allowed me to have a decent sleep!

Here we are. One day remains. The FINAL, as Crown put it ever so correctly. We've come so far. Dozens of milestone, 45 'Pines Days and we are here. We made it together. As the hours turn to minutes, and the minutes turn to seconds, we will usher in the 2013 Christmas Season. Christmas has "Blossomed" and began appearing everywhere since Halloween had passed. Christmas commercials are everywhere on television. Christmas decorations are filling up the stores. Christmas music is being played through speakers - although I have yet to hear it - it is almost the beginning of the Christmas Season.

Great post!!!


Hope the kids are good for you today!!!! Have a safe trip home!!

 

[mgramsey]

Good chilly morning all. Again I need to apologize for being away. As most of you know, my mom was put on Hospice a couple of weeks ago. She has been able to stay home but we will soon have to move her to the Hospice house. She has fooled me before but it doesn't appear she has much time left. My Dad, brother and I are struggling with taking her away from her home but she needs more care than we can give.

On a positive note, the special posts have been great and I have really enjoyed everyone's snow pictures. We are expecting a dusting of snow this evening and a low temp of 17 tonight. Wish it would snow more but I will take what I can get.

Thanks everyone for your thoughts, comments, and prayers. Have a blessed day.

 

[Festive Spirit]

Good chilly morning all. Again I need to apologize for being away. As most of you know, my mom was put on Hospice a couple of weeks ago. She has been able to stay home but we will soon have to move her to the Hospice house. She has fooled me before but it doesn't appear she has much time left. My Dad, brother and I are struggling with taking her away from her home but she needs more care than we can give.

On a positive note, the special posts have been great and I have really enjoyed everyone's snow pictures. We are expecting a dusting of snow this evening and a low temp of 17 tonight. Wish it would snow more but I will take what I can get.

Thanks everyone for your thoughts, comments, and prayers. Have a blessed day.

Thinking of you and keeping you in prayer x

 

[made582]

Good chilly morning all. Again I need to apologize for being away. As most of you know, my mom was put on Hospice a couple of weeks ago. She has been able to stay home but we will soon have to move her to the Hospice house. She has fooled me before but it doesn't appear she has much time left. My Dad, brother and I are struggling with taking her away from her home but she needs more care than we can give.

On a positive note, the special posts have been great and I have really enjoyed everyone's snow pictures. We are expecting a dusting of snow this evening and a low temp of 17 tonight. Wish it would snow more but I will take what I can get.

Thanks everyone for your thoughts, comments, and prayers. Have a blessed day.

Still praying for your mom, dad, you, and the rest of your family.

 

[brent]

That is awesome, Brent. Hope you have a great day!

And have fun decorating tonight!!

Christmas magic awaits!


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It truly does. So glad we'll all be able to experience the magic shortly!

 

[snowflake22]

Good chilly morning all. Again I need to apologize for being away. As most of you know, my mom was put on Hospice a couple of weeks ago. She has been able to stay home but we will soon have to move her to the Hospice house. She has fooled me before but it doesn't appear she has much time left. My Dad, brother and I are struggling with taking her away from her home but she needs more care than we can give.

On a positive note, the special posts have been great and I have really enjoyed everyone's snow pictures. We are expecting a dusting of snow this evening and a low temp of 17 tonight. Wish it would snow more but I will take what I can get.

Thanks everyone for your thoughts, comments, and prayers. Have a blessed day.

Thoughts, prayers, and love being sent to you & your family, friend.

Hope you get lots of that beautiful snow.

xx


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[brent]

Great post!!!


Hope the kids are good for you today!!!! Have a safe trip home!!

Thank you, friend. They have been good thus far. We shall see about the final two classes. I'll do my best to make it home safe and sound!

 

[xmastidings]

Could it be? Is tomorrow really the start of the Christmas season? This morning the cap'n told me it is!

I just realized the start of the season coincides with the Pines. Dare I ask again what Carl has planned? Should be wild!

Have a great day friends!

That is so cool! Gotta love the Captain....

 

[xmastidings]

Beautiful morning here too

Love the snow...What a wonderful thing to see first thing in the morning...:sparkle:

 

[xmastidings]

Out my back door this morning. So exciting!!! View attachment 2088


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Beautiful view Sugar....:sparkle: :razz:

 

[Ryan]

Good chilly morning all. Again I need to apologize for being away. As most of you know, my mom was put on Hospice a couple of weeks ago. She has been able to stay home but we will soon have to move her to the Hospice house. She has fooled me before but it doesn't appear she has much time left. My Dad, brother and I are struggling with taking her away from her home but she needs more care than we can give.

On a positive note, the special posts have been great and I have really enjoyed everyone's snow pictures. We are expecting a dusting of snow this evening and a low temp of 17 tonight. Wish it would snow more but I will take what I can get.

Thanks everyone for your thoughts, comments, and prayers. Have a blessed day.

I am praying for you mom, you, and your family.

 

[Festive Spirit]

I hope everyone is having a great day. I have been doing some painting today , just a bit of a touch up throughout the house where needed it. I just got back from the school the school run and I am having a short break before starting dinner and the kids evening routine.

I want very much to be here tonight but with the time difference it might be difficult. I am a little downhearted about that. I'm sad to miss out on chatting with you all in real time but never mind.

It's been wonderful counting down the days to the season with you all and I can't believe that it is actually upon us. I think back to those dark, cold days in January when reaching this point seemed such a long way to go but this wonderful place and you wonderful people made it a tolerable, hopeful and exciting journey!

Have a wonderful time counting down and celebrating together later.

 

[Christmasstar]

Carl gave me this some time ago, he now sits on the dash of my van to hold sunglasses,
Not sure if I shared this with you or not

 

[Seawaters]

Stunningly beautiful, Xmas!

This is not my style, I like to post in the "privacy" of the blogs, but our most special friend would be most proud of me doing it this way. I am anxious, but it is my time to do a little extra for MMC.


December 26, 2012 12:01 AM

It was over for most of the world, the greatest day of the year had come and gone. the wrapping paper still strewn on some floors across the country, and I am sure there were some lonely Christmas trees already on the sidewalk. I have a friend that is that way, you build up the hype and the fun just to throw it out the door as soon as Bing, Nat, and all the other crooners voices have not even finished echoing from the radio. It is not the end, but the beginning.

We may be sad at that time, but we know there are only 364 days to countdown to make the next year even better.

As we began that journey on the way Christmas 2013, the friendship here grows, we share our lives on The Countdown thread, we pray for each other, we care for each other, we love each other as family. We cry for our friends at the loss of a pet, we give a shoulder to one who needs it. We private message each other when we have a concern. We have become a family in the most 21st Century way.

This journey has had its share of laughs, heartbreak, loss, and strength.

The absolute darkest part of this past year happened back in April, we lost probably our most beloved member, Louanne, Caninemom3. As for me and probably a lot of others here, she was the first to introduce herself to a new member. We became very close in a short amount of time, I was able to confide in her because she was always there to lend an ear, a shoulder to cry on, or one of her special (((hugs))). I, like most of us, was absolutely devastated by her passing, I cried gallons of tears for someone I never met in person, but my heart could not help but feel torn. I was very close to leaving MMC at that point, the pain of coming here was too much to bear. Then the strength of this community reached down and grabbed me by the shoulders and held me firm, two of you especially, I am sure you know who you are and how you made me see how much more important it was to be here than leave. Thank You so much.

We moved forward, we grew closer as a community, our family full of love soon was able laugh again, grow closer and celebrate little things together.
Who will forget Christmas In July and #blamesugar, I still laugh thinking of that. Valerie, Chad's blue shirt, and some of the wine induced laughter brought on by QVC.

The 'Bers, where else can a bunch of us go nuts over the last three letters of a month. Celebrating the birth of one our members daughter, the pure happiness we felt for Coach as we read his heartfelt posts about becoming a father. The journey was getting higher, getting closer, Halloween, sharing our decorations, the candy we enjoy, Music Choice Xmas music. It is getting closer, you can smell it, you can taste it, Christmas is becoming visible.

Here it is, November 12, the journey has brought us to the peak. Look down everyone, you can see the tree at the bottom this mountain. We have made it to the top, it is all down hill as the season starts tomorrow. Let's get ready for this rush, it always goes way too fast, let's enjoy this to the fullest extent.

Do the little things, enjoy the thoughts of Christmas. Celebrate Louanne this year, as she taught us all so much about her love of Christmas. Put a polar bear in your nativity, as we all knew she had a whole menagerie celebrating the birth of Jesus in her nativity scene.

We love you Louanne, we will celebrate this Christmas as we always do, but it will be done with you deeply in our hearts. You led us on this journey, you were the strength, the heart, your legacy is the love that is here. Thank you my friend. Merry Christmas.

The season is less than 24 hours away, let's get ready to party MMC this is our time of year.

The journey is nearly complete.

 

[Seawaters]

Remembering right along with you. Thanks, Coach!

“The Lord giveth, the Lord taketh away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.”


At the beginning of the year, I posted about all the fun things that would happen in this thread....little did I know the life changes that I would be starting a few weeks later…

On Jan. 30, I found out my world (my wife) was about to produce something that would become my world (my child). I wanted to tell my family so bad, but I had to wait….Wifey wanted me to do so. So I came here and told my “other family” in this post….

“Please, please, please...don't put this on my facebook page....because we are waiting to tell our family because of the difficulties we have experienced....

but....

I'm going to be a Dad…shhhhh….."

Shortly thereafter….the congratulations started coming in….but there was one….there was one that stands out now….

Oh Coach !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WONDERFUL !!!!!! XOXOXOO.

And as I reflect on that post over the past few months, I realized it (the post) was one of many….there were so many other instances of kindness….

The ornament came yesterday and it is SO WONDERFUL !!!
Hi Coach ! That is so sweet !!
You are such a kind man. Your wife is such a lucky lady as are all the students who have the pleasure to know you !!
Coach, I hope you are doing well.

There was more than that to me…but when you started looking, it was mind boggling how many more there was to others….

Nice to see you !!
you are too funny !!!! xo
You are SUCH a GENIUS with words !!! xo
Hope you get plenty of rest and stay nice and cozy !! xo
I hope you have a better night xo
Awwwww...what a precious angel xo

There is more….so much more….I could go on and on….because for CM3, kindness is who she was and it was what she brought to us….her gift to us.

See….in my world….I thought about the fun that would be had in the thread. But CM3….she didn’t bring fun to our world. To her, this was an opportunity to bring compassion.

I think about all the compassion she brought to the board, the compassion she had for her animals (and ours), and the compassion she had for us.

And as we head into the season…I want to return that compassion…

I wanted her voice to be heard…I wanted her to lead us into the season….so I found this quote from her…and I think I want it to help to do just that….

Merry Christmas! ((((((HUGS)))))))) xo

As we head into the season, let’s remember those of us who aren’t here….and how their experiences helped mold us into who we are….

As the days have turned to hours in our countdown, I pray that we all keep the spirit of compassion that CM3 brought to us…and I pray you have a Merry Christmas.

 

[Seawaters]

Thinking of you and your whole family. Peace and healing to your mom.

Good chilly morning all. Again I need to apologize for being away. As most of you know, my mom was put on Hospice a couple of weeks ago. She has been able to stay home but we will soon have to move her to the Hospice house. She has fooled me before but it doesn't appear she has much time left. My Dad, brother and I are struggling with taking her away from her home but she needs more care than we can give.

On a positive note, the special posts have been great and I have really enjoyed everyone's snow pictures. We are expecting a dusting of snow this evening and a low temp of 17 tonight. Wish it would snow more but I will take what I can get.

Thanks everyone for your thoughts, comments, and prayers. Have a blessed day.

 

[Seawaters]

We are still working on the demo of the back part of the house. It is so weird to go into that "room," which really isn't a room any more. Most of the ceiling/roof is off. Last night it was fun to walk into that part of the house and look up and see the moon and stars! All of you are on my mind as we continue our journey through the most wonderful time of the year!

 

[MerryCarey]

Love it! I don't remember your posting it before, so I'm glad you did now!

Carl gave me this some time ago, he now sits on the dash of my van to hold sunglasses,
Not sure if I shared this with you or not

 

[MerryCarey]

We had a few snowflakes this morning---it was nice to see! Now it's just gray and drab.

Getting a little nervous here---I'm supposed to proofread an entire website by the end of the day tomorrow, and it hasn't been submitted to me yet ... looks like today and tomorrow could be VERY long days as a consequence. It doesn't seem fair when I have to stay late because something was submitted much later than expected. But that's how it goes here sometime. I'm grateful to have a job to crab about. Just the same, I'll be glad to get today and tomorrow behind me!

I'm also happy because we've been trying to get someone to come and take down a huge dead branch that's dangerously near the house and cars. We've been trying to nail down a date for weeks, and are finally scheduled for later this week. Turns out the entire tree will have to come down---they did some kind of ultrasound testing and found out that it's eaten up inside. I've been nervous about it for weeks, because I want it taken down before a winter storm brings it down. Cross your fingers that it finally happens this week!

I may be absent here tonight---as the deadline I'm working against gets tighter by the minute (almost half a day lost already in waiting!), I'll either be working late and/or trying to get some sleep so I can crank on it tomorrow. But you can bet I will be celebrating the start of the Season, if only in my dreams.