Christmas Countdown - 2012
- Thread starter Crown 84
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I just finished listening to this and can really relate. I liked the part about the snowman in the yard. As a kid, I would get sad when all the snow would melt or partially melt and we would try to make one last snowman. The body would have dirt and dead leaves and would make me feel so bad that the snow was ending.
I know how she feels!!! I have been off so long that I have gotten used to it and do not look forward to going back. I still need to rest during the day, so it will be difficult to get through a school day--there's no time to relax!
Good morning to you, Xmas. I have truly enjoyed your Christmas Song a Day thread, especially the one you posted on Dec. 27.
Just like last year, I resolve to visit here each day and respond as much as I am able. When I don't get a chance to visit, I really miss it. I might not respond to a lot, but I will make an effort to be here!
Of course, though, the ones who take their decorations down the day after Christmas and those who complain about Christmas stuff showing up in the stores too soon seem to have loud voices! LOL!!!
I am the same way. Once I got Tapatalk on my iPhone, I thought it would be a lot easier to check in, but I still fund myself busy and I just can't make the time. I think that may be one if my New Year resolution's!
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
Did you tell us the titles of all the new ones you received/bought? I ordered A Christmas Memory based on Bullypup's recommendation. One stars Patty Duke and the older one is a Stage 67 movie starring Geraldine Page. I love how we have access to so many older movies and TV shows. Don't you and Mr. do your own--I can't think of the word: not splicing, but something. I will think on it and get back to my question. Chemo brain still in effect! LOL!
I wanted to share a reading from the Advent and Christmas Seasons booklet that we get at church just before Advent. In the selection for Christmas Day entitled "Mary's Christmas," I read:
"Think back to Christmas 41. Not 1941, Christmas in the year 41 A.D., 1,971 years ago. It must have been a lonely day for Mary, who would have been in her late 50s. She must have missed her son. She must have missed her husband who was long since dead. No matter how many of her relatives may have been there in that little village of Nazareth, it was probably lonelier for her than some other days...just as Christmas today is often lonelier than some other days for people who have lost their wife or husband, people who are divorced, people who don't have any family to speak of. For whatever reason, Christmas can be a lonely day."
I really thought a lot on this reading and just could not get it out of my mind. It really made me appreciate all of you that much more. Thanks for sharing your Christmas with me. Even though I was not alone at Christmastime, I still had a lonely corner of my heart, thinking about those whose loneliness overwhelms them. Take care, my Christmas friends. No more sad talk from me!
"Think back to Christmas 41. Not 1941, Christmas in the year 41 A.D., 1,971 years ago. It must have been a lonely day for Mary, who would have been in her late 50s. She must have missed her son. She must have missed her husband who was long since dead. No matter how many of her relatives may have been there in that little village of Nazareth, it was probably lonelier for her than some other days...just as Christmas today is often lonelier than some other days for people who have lost their wife or husband, people who are divorced, people who don't have any family to speak of. For whatever reason, Christmas can be a lonely day."
I really thought a lot on this reading and just could not get it out of my mind. It really made me appreciate all of you that much more. Thanks for sharing your Christmas with me. Even though I was not alone at Christmastime, I still had a lonely corner of my heart, thinking about those whose loneliness overwhelms them. Take care, my Christmas friends. No more sad talk from me!
It is chilly and overcast here in northern California this morning. Hubby and I will be driving to Chico to visit with his mom and his sister who is coming up from Madera. We will exchange gifts and have a late lunch at a nice diner there. TTYL
I need some help/advise/reassurance/guideance here from a situation that my family has decided to get involved in; it's about taking in another teenager.
This may a little long here, but I will try to do my best to get to the points.
The beginning:
I met this kid 6 years ago (his name is Austin) from the rest of the kids in the neighborhood that constantly/ always hung out at my house. I never liked him at first because he was smart mouthed, always stirring up trouble in the neighborhood and with other kids (stirring the pot), etc... and he was disrespectful to other adults.
About 4 years ago, he mouthed off to me outside of the house one day and so I gave him the boot off the property and told hime he was banned until apologized and showed some respect; (I directed my kids to stay away from him as well).
The Middle years:
So, for 2 years, he was not around, but as a board member of my HOA, I kept tabs on him, (if there was a problem in the neighborhood) because of his past behavior. During that time I noticed a change over him, he got quiet, and stayed low keyed, stayed close to his own neighborhood, (apparently, he got a steady girlfriend) and the girls parents are know to be very strick with her. Well, they sort of gave him some guideance over those years (as I was told) and I noticed a major change in him.
A year ago:
About a year ago, my son approached me and told me that Austin was outside the house at the end of the driveway and he wanted to talk to me and apologize to me. I told my son to tell him that I needed to think about it. A couple of months went past, I was working out back and my son came to me again and told me that Austin wanted to talk to me, I said ok. I went to the front porch and we talked for an hour, he apologized, said that he has changed for the better and he would really work hard to earn my trust back again... I was, impressed with his sincerity!
Now:
Over the past year, he slowly started coming over the house to visit and hang out with the other kids (NOTE: Since we have lived here, we have been adopted by every kid in the neighborhood, Perry Hall, Baltimore County... Well, at times it seems like it, lol - we have always held this belief that if we let them stay here, then we know where they are, who their with and what their doing.... plus help to keep all of them on a straight path), and he had earned his trust back after time. Now, during all of the years since we known him, we did not know much about his family, past or troubles...
He joined the Army on a delayed entry and was scheduled to go in around September, a month prior to this, he was told to leave his house, get out, pack your stuff and leave by his stepfather and mother, (apparently, he couldn't get along with the stepfather and the stepfather with him). So we let him stay with us (I couldn't see the boy living on the streets), he slept on the couch in the basement and we charged him nothing. He left for the Army as scheduled, but injured his ankle during basic training and the Army discharged him (a general discharge).
He told my son that he was going to ask to stay with this one and then that one, (just bounce around), we know he had a troubled past and knew that could be dangerous so we told him he can stay with us on a temporary basis. Now he is with us, sleeping in my sons room in a sleeping bag. I became frustrated with the apparent lack of information from his family so I went up there (unannounced) and talked with them for 4 hours. Wow, I left just completely blown away with all the information I had.
Apparently, Austin was an abused child (verbally and physically) and so was his mother, by the ex husband as well as she was as a child as well by her own father...Yikes...from talking with the mother, there is alot of pain there all the way around! The stepfather - seems like a nice guy, firm, quiet but yet strict; he fully accepted her two children when he married the mother, but one child never accepted him, for 5 years; Austin.. hence, there lies one problem!
So, here we are now, sort of stuck with this 18 year old kid in my house, the mother and stepfather are writing a contact for Austin to sign in order for him to return back to their house, but they told me that it is only for 7 month and then after that he has to leave again...WHAT??? and get this, he has to pay for his own food, have strict hours when he can take a shower, has to stay in certain portions of the house only, and it gets worse.... worse that bootcamp or a prison! I mean even if he goes back home, I can guarentee that if there is one problem, boom - he's out of the house again, and where is he going to go???? My house! I like the kid, but am in no means prepaired to have a permanent boarder in my home forever.
He loves us to death, he's best friends with both my daughter and son and the rest of their friends. he told us that after 6 months he wants to try to go back in the military again, after his ankle heals properlly. I'm at a moral crossroads here and I don't want a permanent boarder and yet I don't want to see the boy on the streets. He's cleancut, no tatoos, no body pericings, says yes mam/ no sir, etc.... I don't know what to do!
Thanks~
This may a little long here, but I will try to do my best to get to the points.
The beginning:
I met this kid 6 years ago (his name is Austin) from the rest of the kids in the neighborhood that constantly/ always hung out at my house. I never liked him at first because he was smart mouthed, always stirring up trouble in the neighborhood and with other kids (stirring the pot), etc... and he was disrespectful to other adults.
About 4 years ago, he mouthed off to me outside of the house one day and so I gave him the boot off the property and told hime he was banned until apologized and showed some respect; (I directed my kids to stay away from him as well).
The Middle years:
So, for 2 years, he was not around, but as a board member of my HOA, I kept tabs on him, (if there was a problem in the neighborhood) because of his past behavior. During that time I noticed a change over him, he got quiet, and stayed low keyed, stayed close to his own neighborhood, (apparently, he got a steady girlfriend) and the girls parents are know to be very strick with her. Well, they sort of gave him some guideance over those years (as I was told) and I noticed a major change in him.
A year ago:
About a year ago, my son approached me and told me that Austin was outside the house at the end of the driveway and he wanted to talk to me and apologize to me. I told my son to tell him that I needed to think about it. A couple of months went past, I was working out back and my son came to me again and told me that Austin wanted to talk to me, I said ok. I went to the front porch and we talked for an hour, he apologized, said that he has changed for the better and he would really work hard to earn my trust back again... I was, impressed with his sincerity!
Now:
Over the past year, he slowly started coming over the house to visit and hang out with the other kids (NOTE: Since we have lived here, we have been adopted by every kid in the neighborhood, Perry Hall, Baltimore County... Well, at times it seems like it, lol - we have always held this belief that if we let them stay here, then we know where they are, who their with and what their doing.... plus help to keep all of them on a straight path), and he had earned his trust back after time. Now, during all of the years since we known him, we did not know much about his family, past or troubles...
He joined the Army on a delayed entry and was scheduled to go in around September, a month prior to this, he was told to leave his house, get out, pack your stuff and leave by his stepfather and mother, (apparently, he couldn't get along with the stepfather and the stepfather with him). So we let him stay with us (I couldn't see the boy living on the streets), he slept on the couch in the basement and we charged him nothing. He left for the Army as scheduled, but injured his ankle during basic training and the Army discharged him (a general discharge).
He told my son that he was going to ask to stay with this one and then that one, (just bounce around), we know he had a troubled past and knew that could be dangerous so we told him he can stay with us on a temporary basis. Now he is with us, sleeping in my sons room in a sleeping bag. I became frustrated with the apparent lack of information from his family so I went up there (unannounced) and talked with them for 4 hours. Wow, I left just completely blown away with all the information I had.
Apparently, Austin was an abused child (verbally and physically) and so was his mother, by the ex husband as well as she was as a child as well by her own father...Yikes...from talking with the mother, there is alot of pain there all the way around! The stepfather - seems like a nice guy, firm, quiet but yet strict; he fully accepted her two children when he married the mother, but one child never accepted him, for 5 years; Austin.. hence, there lies one problem!
So, here we are now, sort of stuck with this 18 year old kid in my house, the mother and stepfather are writing a contact for Austin to sign in order for him to return back to their house, but they told me that it is only for 7 month and then after that he has to leave again...WHAT??? and get this, he has to pay for his own food, have strict hours when he can take a shower, has to stay in certain portions of the house only, and it gets worse.... worse that bootcamp or a prison! I mean even if he goes back home, I can guarentee that if there is one problem, boom - he's out of the house again, and where is he going to go???? My house! I like the kid, but am in no means prepaired to have a permanent boarder in my home forever.
He loves us to death, he's best friends with both my daughter and son and the rest of their friends. he told us that after 6 months he wants to try to go back in the military again, after his ankle heals properlly. I'm at a moral crossroads here and I don't want a permanent boarder and yet I don't want to see the boy on the streets. He's cleancut, no tatoos, no body pericings, says yes mam/ no sir, etc.... I don't know what to do!
Thanks~
MerryCarey
A Voice from the North
MMC Lifer
MMC Donor
Christmas Crew
Louann Jeffries Award
Santa's Elf
Kringle Radio DJ
Generally speaking, things rev up after the holidays. During the holidays, various people are out of the office various days---both our people and clients---and that generally slows things down a bit. Once everyone is back at their desks, things pick up. Also, some clients' fiscal years coincide with the calendar year---so in January they have money to play with.
More specifically, our agency is doing well and has been picking up new clients and new employees in recent months---and of course, more clients means more work. So it'll be "nose to the grindstone" for me until I take some time off in April to go back home and (finally!) bury Dad's ashes in the family plot.
No, I didn't list them all---partly because, thanks to our interest in vintage films and having many film-collector friends, DVDs form the bulk of what winds up under our Christmas tree! This year's haul includes Thin Man movies, Charlie Chan movies, Mr. Moto movies, Ma & Pa Kettle movies, special editions (with extras) of "Meet John Doe" and "The Gold Rush," some pre-Code titles from the Warner Archive, and even Pawn Stars ... I know for a fact we won't be able to view all of these before next Christmas!
As for the splicing, as you know, Mr. has collected 16mm film prints (yes, they're legally obtained!) since his teens. He has a well-equipped editing bench and is a wizard at examining a film print, re-making poorly made splices (in a special way that doesn't cause a "pop" when the splice goes past the sound drum), editing to make damaged areas run more smoothly, and even repairing torn sprocket holes. He sometimes takes two worn, damaged, and/or incomplete prints and combines the footage to make a single good, smooth-running print. Is the effort worth it? Ah, you haven't viewed a beautifully printed 16mm print that has been expertly rehabilitated ... just last week we watched a print of the Seymour Hicks version of "Scrooge" that was struck in England in 1936 (only one year after the film was first released)---the murky, scratched, dirty versions that you see on DVDs don't do the film justice. If more people could see it as it was meant to be seen, the Hicks version would be much more popular.
[steps down from dais, blushing slightly]
This is so interesting to me. Thanks for sharing the process. I totally LOVE the old movies and TV shows. When I happened to see the DVDs advertised with Good Old Days Store, I bought them for Hubby for Christmas; but I think I bought them mostly for myself. There are so many that I want!!! I really loved Topper when I was a kid, and that is one of the shows on Hubby's new DVDs. As I mentioned before, when my youngest son was small, he fell in love with old movies and TV shows. I bought him Howdy Doody, Louis and Costello, Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, Ronald Reagan movies, Ma and Pa Kettle, etc. He even loves the audios of the old timey radio shows. He also loves opera; can you believe it?
I think it is time for a road trip to your place. Everybody board the Lear! Merry Carey is making Chex Mix, one of my favorites.
I think it is time for a road trip to your place. Everybody board the Lear! Merry Carey is making Chex Mix, one of my favorites.
watching a quizshow about Disney.....love it
Xmas Tidings,
I have printed out your post and want to mull it over and get back to you. We are going out of town for a few hours, but I will respond. I might not have an answer per se, but I will have questions, thoughts, musings, etc. that might help you think and make a decision. I won't say do this or do that, but I will try to get some ideas to present.
I have printed out your post and want to mull it over and get back to you. We are going out of town for a few hours, but I will respond. I might not have an answer per se, but I will have questions, thoughts, musings, etc. that might help you think and make a decision. I won't say do this or do that, but I will try to get some ideas to present.
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