KarensNewBlog: December 2020

Thursday, December 31, 2020

FRIDAY JANUARY 1, 2021 - LOVE WINS

Welcome to my first blog of 2021!! And, since it is a Friday, we’re going to look at LOVE WINS!!

Let’s look at Isaiah 11:6-8

“On that day the wolf and the lamb will live together; the leopard will lie down with the baby goat. The calf and the yearling will be safe with the lion, and a little child will lead them all. The cow will graze near the bear. The cub and the calf will lie down together. The lion will eat hay like a cow. The baby will play safely near the hole of a cobra. Yes, a little child will put its hand in a nest of deadly snakes without harm.”

The Peaceable Kingdom is the name of the painting by EdwardHicks. Wikipedia gives a quick introduction to Hicks.

“Edward Hicks (April 4, 1780 – August 23, 1849) was an American folk painter and distinguished religious minister of the Society of Friends (aka "Quakers"). He became a Quaker icon because of his paintings.”

This hasn’t happened yet. Last week, I talked about the “Prince of Peace” - as I interpret the painting, it fits well with the concept of the Prince of Peace. The wolf and lamb laying down together. In most cases, the wolf would see the lamb as food. Likewise, the leopard with the baby goat, the cow grazing near the bear, and a child to lead them.

So, how do I envision this? The wolf and the lamb getting along? It must be a miracle!!! And, it is. If we take the concept that Isaiah was divinely inspired to write this (like he did with “Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace”).

We have the concept of a kingdom, a world, with peace - without the natural enmity that exists between these animals - and (unfortunately) between various groups of humans. “Hate is strong and mocks the song of ‘Peace on Earth, Goodwill to men” (from the Christmas song, I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day). Can peace exist between Black Americans and the Police? Can peace exist between Republicans and Democrats? Can peace exist between the anti-abortion and the pro-abortion groups? Can we have dialog and real LOVE between all people and all creation?

And, Micah 4:3-4

“The Lord will mediate between peoples and will settle disputes between strong nations far away. They will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks.

Nations will no longer fight against other nations, nor train for war anymore. Everyone will live in peace and prosperity, enjoying their own grapevines and fig trees, for there will be nothing to fear.”

And, finally 1 Corinthians 13:4-7.

“Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.”

Karen (always the Pollyanna), likes the promises in these verses - peace, perfect peace, no wars, no hatred, and love!!

As we start this New Year - 2021, let us work towards LOVE, towards Forgiveness, towards Peace - starting within ourselves and emulation out to others!!!

LOVE WINS!!!

HUGS!!

Karen

Wednesday, December 30, 2020

THURSDAY DECEMBER 31, 2020 - LAST BLOG OF THE YEAR

Here we are - the last blog of 2020

This is a personal view of the year 2020

I found this to be a year with some personal highs and some lows.

Attitude:

In 2019, I spent four days in the Rock Springs Mental Hospital for depression. While I had some minor depression, in general, 2020 was a happy year for me - emotionally.

There were some down times - as the economy tanked with the COVID-10 virus, with too much time spent inside, with isolation and quarantines. There were times this year, I thought about getting a television set. (I’m still happy that I don’t have one)

Activities:

I walked a LOT this year. I used the Health App on my iPhone to track my steps. I took 2000 steps to equate to 1 mile. I walked about 1,560 miles this year or about 3,200,000 steps (3 million steps!!!) WOW!!

Enabling the walking was that so many of my other activities were on hold for COVID-19. No bridge group, no Granny Basketball, no Williamson County Symphony Orchestra rehearsals and concerts, My walking was also made possible by friends (especially AP - who I walked with four or five times a week for 6 to 8 miles in spring).

I wrote a blog each and every day for 2020. That is 366 blogs (with leap year/leap day). There were some blog posts I was really happy with, and some blog posts that were so-so.

Aside. Yes, I do write for myself and my sanctity - but I GREATLY APPRECIATE all the people that read my blog. I try to keep it to two typed pages - or about 750 to 800 words.

I did get a little tired of writing, so made Friday into a “Love Wins” day - where I got more into philosophy about loving one another. I use the quote from Dorothy Day “I can only love God as much as the person I love the least”. I am to LOVE ALL, and I believe that LOVE does WIN!!!

Saturday became a day for short stories (some going into five or six typed pages). Many followed a social awareness theme. (And, I have called myself a “Pollyanna” and many of these stories have happy endings).

Sunday became “Sunday Funday” - where I tried to use some puzzles, looked at the National Days (Today is “New Year’s Eve” and “National Champagne Day”). I had some jokes, some puzzles, and just some things that I found fun. (I can’t say these were amazing literary works, but … I had fun with them).

(Aside - I did a weekly blog for the Bridgebrat bridge card game group. About September, that blog (on Thursday for my bridge-playing friends) and my Sunday Funday blog started to intertwine a little)

More personal

In February 2020, the Great State of Texas recognized me as a female and legally changed my name. That has had a mixed reception. I didn’t want to hurt my many friends from 72 years of Bruce White. I am on a new adventure in my life - my comfort zone is increasing, and I am learning so much. (Aside more on this next week)

In September, I legally became a single person as my marriage to a wonderful woman came to an end after 46 years of marriage. She was correct when she said, “You are not the man I married”. Honestly - that hurt. I still love my wife and my family.

It also has been since September 2018 that I saw my grandchildren in person. My daughter slammed a door in my face on Mother’s Day when I knocked on her door to say “Happy Mother’s Day”.

Tuesday, December 29, 2020

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2020 - PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

THE 2020 TRENDS AS I SAW THEM. The 2020 United States Presidential Election

Yes, I had a bias in the election - and it still continues. Please forgive me.

I viewed the 2020 Presidential Election as a type of Civil War. While the mainstream politicians may not agree with me, here goes.

Conservative View::

Stop abortion

Keep the status quo

Be somewhat restrictive on the LGBTQ+ views

Tend to be supportive of Evangelical White Christian views

(And … wanting to be careful on this - Supportive of police, opposed to riots, opposed to immigrantion, and, some of these conservatives were opposed to Black Lives Matter.)

Liberal View:

Keep the option for women to choose to keep a baby or not

Move ahead - progressive. The world is changing, the status quo isn’t working.

Be understanding and tolerant of LGBTQ+ views.

Integration - blacks, whites, Hispanics, immigrants

Care more for all people - not just white, Christian Americans

Black Lives Matter

*****

Okay, an analogy.

In college basketball, there is the “March Madness” tournament. Sixty-four teams are selected, and only one survives to win the NCAA Men’s (or Women’s) Basketball Championship.

There is sometimes some luck, and sometimes the superior team wins, and (gasp) sometimes the underdog wins.

There might be games that go into overtime - some even to two or more overtime games when a possible winning shot - goes in at the buzzer - or doesn’t go on.

The losers go home, the winners go on to the next round.

*****

But, in politics this year, one candidate kept crying “foul”. According to this candidate, there was widespread voter fraud - WIDESPREAD. (And, particularly in the states where this candidate lost).

In basketball, after a close, nail-biting game, the players on both teams meet on court and shake hands. But this candidate demanded recounts, claimed victory, did not concede.

“President Trump’s aides have told my Washington Post colleagues to never expect the president to actually say “I concede” the election. And polls suggest the president has taken along a sizable chunk of the Republican base with him into falsely believing the election was rigged and he won.” (Washington Post, November 27, 2020)

Seemingly there have been rumors that that candidate has discussed declaring martial law to keep the government from changing hands.

I don’t know about other areas of the country, in fact, I don’t know about other areas in Texas. But in Williamson County, where I worked for both the Early Voting and for the actual Election Day, we were very careful of verifying voters. There was also an attempt to let people vote in the national and state-wide elections if they had moved from another county before the election and hadn’t registered to vote in Williamson County.

Could some fraud exist? I suppose. The case I think of is when a couple both sign up for mail-in ballots. The ballots come to their mailbox. But maybe the man gets the mail and he wants to vote one way but knows his wife wants to vote another way. He fills out both ballots, forges his wife’s signature, and sends them back. The election board could review the signatures and suggest that her signature on the ballot is different from the signature on file. But, I will assume that even in such a situation, that the couple will still each vote their own ballots.

My personal bias is that this candidate “complained too much”. It might be like a basketball coach screaming at the end of a game where a substitute player on the other team makes a “hail Mary” shot from half-court at the buzzer to win the game for the other team. It happens.

To me, this almost caused a Constitutional problem. Yes, the election was close - but most elections are close. Whining isn’t something that I enjoy hearing. (I had former students whine!!). Elections in the United States aren’t necessarily pretty!!

Here is a snippet about the Hayes/Tilden election of 1876

“The 1876 United States presidential election was the 23rd quadrennial presidential election, held on Tuesday, November 7, 1876, in which Republican nominee Rutherford B. Hayes faced Democrat Samuel J. Tilden. It was one of the most contentious presidential elections in American history and gave rise to the Compromise of 1877 by which the Democrats conceded the election to Hayes in return for an end to Reconstruction and the withdrawal of federal troops from the South. After a controversial post-election process, Hayes was declared the winner.”

To me, there is a difference between a statesman and a politician.

*****

I am reminded of 1 Timothy chapter 2, verses 1 and 2

“ I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity.”

We are to pray for all people - and especially for all who are in authority. I have wondered who would want to be President of the United States - it is an almost impossible job. It tends to be a “damned if you do and damned if you don’t”. The “loyal opposition” will criticize your every move. Therefore, we are to pray for those in authority!!

LOVE WINS!!!

HUGS!!

Karen

Monday, December 28, 2020

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2020 - BLACK LIVES MATTER

Year in review - part II On my list of 2020 highlights (lowlights?) is BLM - Black Lives Matter.

Yes - Black Lives do Matter!!!

On May 25th, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, George Floyd was killed by police. Seemingly, Floyd was trying to pass a counterfeit twenty-dollar bill. Yes, that is illegal.

Wikipedia notes “He (George Floyd) was a hip hop artist and served as a mentor in his religious community. Between 1997 and 2005, he was convicted of eight crimes. He served four years in prison after accepting a plea bargain for a 2007 aggravated robbery in a home invasion.”

So, yes, he probably should have been arrested - counterfeiting is a crime, and passing counterfeit bills intentionally is a crime. But, it is not a crime punished by death on a street by a police officer.

Another article said “Four police officers arrived for what is now a notorious arrest, captured on video by bystanders. Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin held his knee on Floyd's neck for more than eight minutes, and Floyd was declared dead shortly thereafter.

And, a further description “Newly released transcripts of the minutes leading up to George Floyd’s death reveal he told officers “I can’t breathe” more than 20 times, only to have his plea dismissed by Derek Chauvin, the white officer pressing his knee into Floyd’s neck, who said: “It takes a heck of a lot of oxygen to talk.”

His death was ruled a homicide. Chauvin and three other Minneapolis police officers were fired; Chauvin faces criminal charges.

*****

What was going through Derek Chauvin’s mind as he knelt on George Floyd’s neck for eight minutes?

*****

This set off a summer of Black Lives Matter demonstrations - some of which lead to riots and destruction. We saw race demonstrations. I heard an elderly white lady comment about the nastiness of the riots. The rioters broke story windows and stole merchandise.

I am reminded of a very incorrect statement from history - where Marie Antoinette supposedly said “Let them eat cake” when told that the peasants didn’t have bread. Even though sources say she didn’t say those words, the sentiment was supposedly true. Marie and the others were rich, and to not have bread was not even understood by them. But, of course, all people have bread if I interpret the conceptual basis of Marie Antoinette.

To me - a white person with a very privileged background, I don’t understand the Black Culture of poverty, of having to pass counterfeit bills to buy things. I don’t understand why many Black Americans lived from paycheck to paycheck and when the pandemic interrupted that process and Black Americans were laid off at a higher rate than managerial white Americans.

What does a group do when they get oppressed long enough? What does a group do when they don’t have money, their rent (or mortgage) is due and they can’t pay it? When they do have the money to buy food or clothes. And, the white people around them are blind and deaf to their plight? Is a riot ever justified? What if peaceful protests do spell over when somebody yells at them or tells them they are not worthy? What if only a few ‘hot-heads’ throw bricks and break things? How does such a group make their situation known?

I don’t know the solution to poverty among black families, I don’t know the solution to the problems that have been just under the surface since the Civil War.

In 1963, fifty-seven years ago, Dr. Martin Luther King said in his “I have a dream” speech,

“But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languished in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land.”

*****

Now fifty-seven years later, are the Black Americans free? Is the life of the Black Americans still crippled by segregation and discrimination? Are Black Americans still on that lonely island of poverty?

Yes, George Floyd was killed by a police officer, other Black Americans are jailed more frequently than white Americans.

Were Black Americans justified by peaceful protests? Did Congress listen? Did the President listen? Did police departments listen?

As a white American, I am more a part of the problem and not a part of the solution. And, as one of those privileged white Americans, I challenge us to face up to the statement “With Liberty and Justice for all”. Can we find solutions? Can we find solutions in light of a pandemic and poverty in the black community?

If we can not find solutions and have meaningful dialogues and progress, the summer of 2021 may be a repeat of the summer of 2020!!

LOVE WINS!!

Hugs!!

Karen

Sunday, December 27, 2020

MONDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2020 - COVID-19

MONDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2020

The Last Monday of 2020!!!

COVID-19

First - some background:

“The new virus was found to be a coronavirus, and coronaviruses cause severe acute respiratory syndrome. This new coronavirus is similar to SARS-CoV, so it was named SARS-CoV-2 The disease caused by the virus was named COVID-19 to show that it was discovered in 2019.

An outbreak is called an epidemic when there is a sudden increase in cases. As COVID-19 began spreading in Wuhan, China, it became an epidemic. Because the disease then spread across several countries and affected a large number of people, it was classified as a pandemic.”

*****

Now, my perspective.

AHH - what a year to be alive!!! What a year to be a human. And, what a year to have a pandemic!!

DATES (of meaning to me)

Thursday, March 12, 2020

Today was Bridgebrat Bridge day (I gave the term “Bridge Brats” to our group - and I write a weekly blog - the Bridgebrat Bulletin). By-the-way, this is a social group - that sometimes plays the bridge card game!!

There was discussion at bridge that morning about this strange illness that seemed to have popped up out of nowhere. We didn’t seem too worried about it. It would die down quickly. The media needed to tell us something - but like many news stories, it would quickly peak and die away.

Thursday, March 12, 2020

This was our dress rehearsal for the Williamson County Symphony Orchestra. We set up at the First United Methodist Church in Round Rock. This group generally plays two concerts in a row in two different locations. Williamson County is growing quickly and by playing two (free) concerts we allow people to hear orchestra music. Our Friday night concert was to be at that church, and the Saturday night concert was to be at the Georgetown High School Auditorium.

The rehearsal was to start at 7 and we were just going to run through the program to make sure we were ready for the next two nights.

BUT - the first hour of the rehearsal time was spent on talking about should we or should we NOT play the concert because of this coronavirus. Like most groups of adults - everybody had their opinion. (And, some are much more vocal than others).

The orchestra decided we would still play the next two nights anyway, but if somebody didn’t want to play because of the illness, they would be excused without retribution.

We played through our music and finished at about 9:15 or so.

BUT … the next day, Williamson County (and Travis County - to the south of Williamson County and home to Austin Texas) went on alert for the coronavirus - and we did end up canceling our two concerts (kind of).

We did play on Saturday night at an empty Georgetown High School Auditorium - for recording purposes. (Not that I have seen the video, but I assume it exists).

Friday, March 13, 2020

The start of the scare. With the local communities suggesting we stay safe, and with the national news telling of incidents of the spread of the pandemic, this (at least to me), was the real beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sunday, March 15, 2020

The panic of the pandemic became evident today. We did have our regular church service and after the service, the coffee hour seemed to be centered on this pandemic. And, this was our LAST church service for a while.

Sunday, March 15,2020

A couple, a widow, and I met at the widow’s house to play bridge. We had a great time talking and playing. We decided that night we would cancel our bridge group until we had a better idea. Our bridge group is all seniors - and many with other physical issues.

Monday, March 16, 2020

This was to be the day that Spring Break ended for the local schools, but instead, Spring Break got extended another week (and eventually for two weeks) because of COVID-19.

About this time, there started the various theories and finger-pointing. Some speculated that China had developed this pandemic and tested it out in Wuhan China (and it seemingly was potent there). Others were more rational and suggested that varieties of coronaviruses had arisen over the years and while Wuhan seemed to have the biggest first outbreak, it wasn’t a man-made virus. (That issue seemingly hasn’t totally disappeared).

We went into isolation. For me, that meant: no more driving seniors to their appointments, no Williamson County Symphony Orchestra rehearsals or concerts, no more Granny Basketball practices or games; no more Bridgebrat games, no more regular church services.

Since I didn’t have television, I missed a lot of the finger-pointing and posturing among governments and agencies. Sports were canceled, schools moved to 100% online classes (which had to be hard for some classes - it is hard to have choir and band online!!!). Finished your high school and college degrees became interesting - generally without a graduation ceremony.

Some questioned if the government could really make us stop having religious services (in particular Passover and Easter). Was that an issue of the government interfering with our Constitutional Privilege of Freedom of Worship?

Restaurants closed, people got laid off (or outright fired), the economy did “go to hell in a handbasket”!!

The finger point got worse - some thought the President and other world leaders did the right things, others thought such leaders were not doing enough to get over this scourge, and yet others thought that the whole thing was largely made up. There were lots of home remedies - gargling with a strong antibacterial mouthwash, washing our hands with alcohol-based liquids. There was the “masks faction” - and the “no-masks faction” - where wearing a mask was important and in our best interest and NOT wearing a mask was our personal prerogative. Ideas popped up all over the internet on how to make a mask out of handkerchiefs or other solutions. Air Transportation came to a (general) halt; cities somewhat closed down.

There was a shortage of toilet paper (I’m not quite sure why). Some functions were considered to be vital and thus employees were allowed to work. Grocery stores had shelves empty faster than a predicted blizzard in the Northeast or a predicted hurricane in Florida. I waited 45 minutes outside my local grocery store only once. Hours were cut, security people watched the doors and kept track of how many people were inside - somebody had to leave for another person to enter!! Signs went on the floor telling people to keep a six-foot “social distancing”.

And, eventually, people wanted to relax some of the restrictions and then the number of COVID-19 cases went up again because people were gathering.

I had worked for the Super Tuesday early voting in my county. That finished before COVID became significant. But there were a few political races that needed runoffs (such as four people sought one position and no one person got 50% so the top two needed to be in a run-off. That was to be in April - and finally happened in July.

Summer was a mix of “you can do that”, and “you can’t do that”. My particular church started to have services on Mother’s Day - but with limited seating, whole rows taped off, pews sprayed down between services, everybody had to wear a mask, everybody had to clean their hands with alcohol sprays. The Georgetown Recreation Center opened in June, the library opened in June - and closed again in November. Restaurants had take-out only - and then with some in-house dining.

People got tired of quarantining - and forgot about social distancing - and started to gather in crowds, college students started to party (again), and the numbers went up. People gathered for Thanksgiving - and the numbers went up. While it was only last week, it seemed like many also gathered for Christmas - and again, social distancing disappeared!!!

Vaccines have been developed in an extraordinarily short time. It seems like the immovable force is going to hit the unmovable wall soon. Will COVID-19 be history in 2021? We can only hope!! At one point, I worried that with the rapid development, that the vaccines might have possible side-effects that wouldn’t show up until later. That still may be the case, but when my opportunity comes, I will get the vaccine.

Will we still need to wear masks, keep social distancing, and isolation? Time will tell!!!

I do know that LOVE WINS (and at times, death is a victory)

HUGS!!!

Karen

Saturday, December 26, 2020

SUNDAY FUNDAY - DECEMBER 27, 2020

WOW - IT IS TWO DAYS AFTER CHRISTMAS!!

Do you have a favorite Christmas food? Do you have Eggnog (with or without liquor)? Do you have gingerbread houses or cookies? We had turkey on Thanksgiving, Ham on Easter, and I don’t remember what we had on Christmas - maybe a HoneyBaked Ham? My father had a standing joke that we could have leftover turkey from Thanksgiving for a whole year!! Do you have pie? Do you like Mincemeat pie? I do (and no meat in the mincemeat pies I’ve eaten!!) Do you have fruitcakes? Actually, I don’t mind fruitcakes (unless they are the really bad ones - that could be used for bricks!!). Do you have wine?

For Christmas Eve, I spent it with a friend’s family. I drive for the Georgetown Faith in Action group. In particular, two of my riders have become great friends. One has a daughter in Round Rock who invited us to cook on Wednesday and then to enjoy Christmas Eve with them on Thursday. And, no mincemeat pie, but some very nice cherry cheesecakes!!! (It was nice to be with a family for Christmas).

As a child, we opened presents on Christmas Day. One year, my uncle was visiting and wanted us to open presents on Christmas Eve (which we did), and to me, that spoiled Christmas.

Has your Christmas/Holiday Card list decreased over the years? I had cards for about five local friends and emailed greetings to others!!!

At age 73, I really don’t need anything for Christmas, although LOVE is always an awesome gift!!! I am learning to be content.

I hope you had a loving, thoughtful, SAFE Christmas!!! Even though there is a vaccination, COVID is NOT over!!!

Hugs!!

Karen

CRYPTOGRAMS (encoded messages - each letter is the same for all the puzzles. One hint is given at the bottom)

Do you do Cryptograms? Here is a list of encrypted Christmas Songs

Q PQOR WYY VR JWFNSJBY
AFYRUN UFTSN, SQYV UFTSN
IRPZ NSR SWYYA DFNS MQBTSA QJ SQYYV
SWXZ! NSR WUTRYA AFUT
NSR JFXAN UQRY
DR DFAS VQB W ORXXV PSXFANOWA
FN PWOR BLQU NSR OFIUFTSN PYRWX
F’O IXRWOFUT QJ W DSFNR PSXFANOWA
WDWV FU NSR OWUTRX
AWUNW PYWBA FA PQQFUT NQ NQDU
AFYERX MRYYA
YFNNYR IXBOORX MQV
TQI XRAN VR ORXXV TRUNYRORU
XBIQULS NSR XRI UQARI XRFUIRRX
F AWD OQOOV ZFAAFUT AWUNW PYWBA
KFUTYR MRYYA (hmm - #11 and #16 have the same word)

POEM TIME:

Do you know this poem by heart? I did once upon a time. But, I missed a few words here and there this year. We sang it in the High School Choir (55 years-ago!!)

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,

In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;

The children were nestled all snug in their beds;

While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;

And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,

Had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap,

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,

I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter.

Away to the window, I flew like a flash,

Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow,

Gave a luster of midday to objects below,

When what to my wondering eyes did appear,

But a miniature sleigh and eight tiny rein-deer,

With a little old driver so lively and quick,

I knew in a moment he must be St. Nick.

More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,

And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name:

"Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now Prancer and Vixen!

On, Comet! on, Cupid! on, Donner and Blitzen!

To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!

Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"

As leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,

When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky;

So up to the housetop the coursers they flew

With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too—

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof

The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.

As I drew in my head and was turning around,

Down the chimney, St. Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,

And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;

A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,

And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.

His eyes-how they twinkled! his dimples, how merry!

His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!

His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,

And the beard on his chin was as white as the snow;

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,

And the smoke, it encircled his head like a wreath;

He had a broad face and a little round belly

That shook when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly.

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,

And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head

Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,

And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,

And laying his finger aside of his nose,

And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,

And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.

But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight—

“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”

******

Hints: Q in the Puzzle is “O”, R in the puzzle is “E”.

*****

SOME CHRISTMAS QUOTES

"Christmas isn't a season. It's a feeling." —Edna Ferber

"My idea of Christmas, whether old-fashioned or modern, is very simple: loving others. Come to think of it, why do we have to wait for Christmas to do that?" – Bob Hope

"May you never be too grown up to search the skies on Christmas Eve."

"I stopped believing in Santa Claus when I was six. Mother took me to see him in a department store and he asked for my autograph." – Shirley Temple

"I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year." – Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol

"Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas." – Calvin Coolidge

"God bless us, every one!" — A Christmas Carol

"Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories and love of kindred, and we are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmastime." – Laura Ingalls Wilder

"Christmas is doing a little something extra for someone.” – Charles M. Schulz

"I don't think Christmas is necessarily about things. It's about being good to one another." — Carrie Fisher

“Peace on earth will come to stay, When we live Christmas every day.” – Helen Steiner Rice

******

CHRISTMAS MUSIC

I love Christmas religious music. I grew up in choirs and for many of the common Christmas carols, I can sing four stanzas (and my voice is pretty harsh these days).

I also sang Handel’s Messiah a few times, and I greatly enjoy singing along with it.

For me, Christmas is the birth of a special baby. For me, this is the Messiah - I know my Jewish friends are still looking for the Messiah - and we can agree to disagree on this topic. Never-the-less, someday, the Prince of Peace will be with us someday to reign forever and ever!!!

Next week, the obligatory review of 2020 - COVID, Black Lives Matter, Election, Isolation, and (maybe) Hope!!!

LOVE WINS!!!

HUGS!!!

Karen