Looking Back on 2009

I can’t say it any better than JibJab!

Oil Capital Skywatch

Christmas Eve Tulsa had only their third blizzard ever according to one of our television news stations. I don’t know if that is true or not but by earlier this week it was still cold with lots of snow on the ground.

I had to work Monday so I took this shot from my office window.

I wish all of you blessings in the coming New Year.

Check out skies from all over the world at Skywatch Friday

“Too Much Happiness” by Alice Munro

“Too Much Happiness” is Alice Munro’s latest book. It is a collection of short stories and it is marvelous.

This is the type of book that makes reading almost effortless. She is so smooth and compelling in her writing that I’m drawn in just a few pages and it doesn’t even seem like I’m reading.

The book is chilling, lots of secrets presented in ironic ways. The secrets stay secrets but the characters are forever changed by them.

If you like short stories read this book. I rate it 3.5 stars out of 4.

Baby Boomer Christmas

December 1964 – back cover of National Geographic

Where Would You Rather Be?

Here?

Or Here?

from April 1955 National Geographic

After Christmas Dinner and Pairings

Well, we finally had our real Christmas on the day after Christmas. Because of the bad weather here in Tulsa we did not have Christmas with my Mother-in-Law Nana even though we were just a few miles apart. So we had our own Yogi family Christmas and it was fun but our hearts were heavy because Nana was by herself.

So this morning I loaded up my snow shovel and ventured over to her house and shoveled her driveway and front porch. Loaded her up and brought her home. Things were immediately better. SuperPizzaBoy especially was missing his Nana.

We exchanged gifts

Sweetie who had been cooking and setting the table put it all on the table.

And we sat down to finally have our Christmas Dinner.

You know exchanging gifts and all that good stuff is nice but sharing meals and visiting on Christmas the best part. Nana got me a set of disks that have all the National Geographics since 1888 on it. Below is a picture from their June 1959 issue showing a German family hosting some American Servicemen. Hopefully NG won’t mind me sharing the photograph with you.

Oh, I love the tree, the candles on the tree, the little candle windmill doodad, the cradle and the guy playing the violin. You know, when I was a kid it was ok to have trees that were not so darn bushy!

I’m digressing, its Sunday and its time for a Bible verse. Since it’s after Christmas I’m going to use one concerning the birth of Jesus, after he was born, when his parents took him to the temple to be circumcised in accordance with their beliefs.

^“25Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. ²⁶It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. ²⁷Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, ²⁸Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:
²⁹“Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,
      you now dismiss your servant in peace.
³⁰For my eyes have seen your salvation,
    ³¹which you have prepared in the sight of all people,
³²a light for revelation to the Gentiles
      and for glory to your people Israel.””

Luke 2:25-32
NIV

For other pairings of photographs with Bible verses check out That’s Baloney.

Timely Gifts for Self

I learned and continue to learn a lot from my Dad, (aka “Gramps”). One of the most valuable things I learned from him is to do my own shopping for stocking stuffers for myself at Christmas. So over the years I have treated myself to all sorts of stuff from camo duct tape, to those nifty little Craftsman tools from Sears, CD’s, pens, notebooks, candy bars, and all sorts of other more or less useful “neat stuff.” I don’t do this selfishly. I’ve done it to take the load and worry off of Sweetie about what to get me for stocking stuffers. She has been pretty good about hiding her appreciation of my consideration.

This year though I got myself only one item. They are ice traction slip-ons that go over shoes. The way the weather has turned out this could be one of my most useful stocking stuffers ever.

So what personal holiday traditions do you have?

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas from the Yogis. We had a White Christmas this year. I don’t know quite how much but I’m guessing that we had about 5″ or so at the house. It drifted up to maybe a foot in some places.

Lots of fun Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. We got a lot of snow so we are not quite done with Christmas yet since we have not been able to get together with my favorite MIL Nana.

We’ll probably get with her tomorrow and Sweetie will cook our Christmas Dinner then.

So today is a day of shoveling snow and rest. My neighbor Mark came over and lent a hand shoveling my driveway after he did his. What a guy! Great timing. My tired was beginning to show.