Fireside Chat

[Sparrowhawk]

Been up since about 3:30 newspaper lady dropped off the paper, then she stood around for awhile and shared stories about her 2 year old daughter.

Gave her a Christmas Gift, and I know people like her struggle in life but I wonder if there is a set tip amount for newspaper carriers.


At restaurants we give 15% and at church 10%, humm that don't seem right, as if we think more of our bellies then we do our souls.

Anyway, she's new to the area, said that her route is one of the most concentrated route in Riverside, even Los Angeles County where a carrier has to drive over 40 miles to have the amount of subscribers she has in a square mile area. Makes me feel good that the people around me are informed and probably don't watch as much TV as other folks. or they like to read.


Weird thing happened this morning, weird for some folks but perhaps not for others.

I always feel I have lived on borrowed time, been that way since Vietnam. This morning as I went to reset the Christmas lights having started already a nice fire in the Chimnea I came back around and caught a shadow moving toward the front door from our living room. I could see through the window and the form was moving fast.

I figured it was my wife as she sometimes comes out in the morning before getting ready for work and we sit by the fire for awhile, but its Saturday and she wouldn't be up.
I quickly moved forward to get a better view as to who it was, and saw the dark form now at the edge of my porch and it quickly disappeared into the night. As I got to where it was or should have been it was gone and goose bumps and the hair in the back of my neck stood up, and I knew what I had seen. The front door remained closed so it would have had to go through it without hesitation.


I’ve seen shadows like that before, in dreams and in visions of the night, and even little glimpse here and there when you turn real quick and they quickly disappear. But this one was different it went through my home as if it had a mission, looking hurriedly for something, and went by me as if I wasn’t there or it was not aware of my presence.

I wonder what we look like to the spirit world and glad there remains this gap between the two worlds. Perhaps someday some scientist will find a way to bridge that gap and then who knows what demons from hell we’ll turn loose into this world. With men it seems anything is possible, we just have to wait for that time.

It’s a beautiful day in sunny California going to reach into the high 70’s. Wife has a hair appointment, 9:00 am, maybe I’ll get a blond this time. LOL

Think, I'll go along and sit at a coffee shop nearby and write a story about the lives of the people I see.

Semper Fi

Cook

[nc.gal]

Had a restless night---some beeping noise in the house--I would dose off and hear it again. I would think, man what is that? Finally fell asleep and awoke this morn to the same beeping noise.


My husband was having his coffee and reading the paper, so I asked him, "What is that beeping noise that kept me awake?" He said that the smoke alarm needs new battery. Well, I was THINKING, "why didn't you just change the battery?" So , I said for us to change it now. Thank GOD for these smoke detectors.

Feb. 2002, we had a house fire and I was home alone and asleep. The smoke alarm woke me, so I get up to investigate---went into living room and it was full of thick black smoke and one whole wall was burning and all my curtains had already burned and we lost a window plus several other items that were replaceable. As soon as I saw fire, I tried dialing 911, but my hand was shaking so bad, I was dialing 988 instead and also couldn't see numbers because of smoke. I finally dialed 911 and it probably took firefighters 5 minutes to get to my house. If we had not had smoke detectors, they said I could have died from smoke inhalation. I feel very blessed to still be living.

It is a beautiful sunny day this morn--temps are 36.
I will do some more Christmas shopping today---just dread all those crowds. Only 7 days till Christmas so I wish you all a good day and have a safe and happy Christmas.

nc.gal

[Sparrowhawk]

36 degrees nc.gal?

Too cold, don't like wearing too much clothes to stay warm. Born in New Mexico and grew up in Casa grande, Arizona. It was always warm there, so I've always enjoyed warm weather.


I guess that's why I ended up in California always warm here and while the nights get cold, not that cold.

Thinking of retiring near Palm Springs... always warm there..


Cook

[nc.gal]

Me, I prefer cool temps ranging from 55 to 75---
guess that is being female having hot flashes---LOL-LOL



I've been to Palm Springs---is real nice place to retire--
if you like hot weather!!

I really enjoy all four seasons---Autumn is my favorite--
Spring brings too many allergies..:eek:

[nc.gal]

Cook,
ya don't like wearing too many clothes?

Guess you're the one running around "NIKED" all the time!!LOL






By the way, how was the kids play at school?

nc.gal

[Arlene Horton]

Boy N.C. you don't know cold until you are in "Wonderful Wisconsin". Today it's at 36 with snow flurries but tomorrow, well it'll be a good day for the Packers and Brett Favre...temp around 13 with a wind chill of -10-15 and snow. The "frozen tundra"has returned. A few of my kids live in Florida and when it gets down to 40 they are freezing. My daughter-in-law asked me to send some warm nightgowns for our 5 year old granddaughter since they can't find them anywhere around Tampa. That was easy for me. Hope you all have a great Christmas and all your wishes come true. Semper Fi
Arlene

[Arlene Horton]

Boy N.C. you don't know cold until you are in "Wonderful Wisconsin". Today it's at 36 with snow flurries but tomorrow, well it'll be a good day for the Packers and Brett Favre...temp around 13 with a wind chill of -10-15 and snow. The "frozen tundra"has returned. A few of my kids live in Florida and when it gets down to 40 they are freezing. My daughter-in-law asked me to send some warm nightgowns for our 5 year old granddaughter since they can't find them anywhere around Tampa. That was easy for me. Hope you all have a great Christmas and all your wishes come true. Semper Fi
Arlene

[nc.gal]

Yes, I know its cold in your area----I don't like that kind of COLD.

We visited my husbands 'Nam buddy in South Dakota the week before Christmas in the 1980's. They picked us up at the airport in Sioux Falls and it was miserably cold. And the snow!!!!--snow, snow, snow. It even snowed while we were visiting them and you couldn't even tell it snowed new snow because of the several feet of snow already on the ground. Luckily, I wore my full length down filled coat and boots up to my knees. I would have froze without my down coat. We were glad to get home---we could manage our cold weather better.
Arlene, I hope you and your family have a safe and happy Christmas. I enjoyed reading your post twice.

nc.gal

[Arlene Horton]

I'm a real sad case. Been learning how to use the computer I won in a sweepstakes two years ago and make all kinds of mistakes. The two posts were obviously a mistake, as usual. My kids are dtrying to teach me how to function on it. Oh well, time will tell, I guess. Looking forward to the game tomorrow. GO PACK! Sempers

[Sparrowhawk]

Get rid of the keyboard it'll get you in trouble everytime.

Mine does not type what I want to type, then goes and misspels what I do wants to type, then when I'm not looking it types what I shouldn't be typing...



PS Nc.gal is still looking for that "any key" and the "space bar"

the computer asks her to hit.





If she finds the "any key" on her keyboard we promised her a keyboard hat.




LOL

[nc.gal]

Cook,

YOU'RE CORRECT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I FOUND IT---------------I FOUND IT-------------

Thanks for cap

LMAO





ps,
think I just had a blonde moment

[thedrifter]

Goodmorning

We are having a mix bag in the weathewr department today..
A little chilly , with fog on my end now, will be going into the low 40's with rain, but by evening temps are dropping with snow.....
I guess it is a wake up call to see if we are paying attention.....

Been real busy, trying to finish decorating the house, shopping, baking, plus the normal duties....I still have to get to the wrapping....

They do say the Sunday is a day of rest, and I will be doing that today....I enjoy football, so while taking in my game plus a few other's I'm going to do some wrapping....That's killing to birds at once with enjoyment....

Went to Roger's grave yesterday to place down a blanket for him...
Roger always made this Season fun for the kids..Treasure hunts to find their gifts, special letters from Santa, just a few thoughts I'm sharing with you....They have been bringing up all the things he use to do, especially for them...I'm glad....

We will go see him on Christmas, to place more flowers on his grave, and to show him his Christmas gifts...which we have under the tree now...

You all Have A Great Day!

Ellie

[Sparrowhawk]

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood, as Mr. Rogers would say;

The winds are blowing softly across the front of the house, its early morning, fire is going good in the Chiminea, and the Christmas lights are on.

Last night coming home was a surprise. Usually the neighborhood is decorated for Christmas, a few lights here and there nothing unusual, but not this year. Neighbors say it’s the Poinsettias that did it. Last night the lady from the corner house brought over one of her visitors to see our home, and they spoke to my daughter for awhile about how they enjoy the look of our home.

Last year our home looked the same as theirs it’s the same model, but I took out the front pillar, put in a porch and it widen things up. Actually they worked on their porch first and that’s what inspired me. One of those “I got an idea,” moments that I get every once in awhile. LOL

Last night when we came home, the whole neighborhood was lit up; people say that it looks like Christmas exploded in our neighborhood. Homes were decked out like never before, lights went up in new decorative and very festive designs.

For awhile there I though my wife had taken a wrong turn; You did it she said, now we’ll probably become one of those highlighted areas where people come from all over to cruise by and see the lights. LOL

Maybe I’ll add the cost of the neighbors lighting to Morales bill... LOL


Enjoyed yesterday while my wife was having her hair done (she remained a redhead, but a bit brighter for the Holidays… LOL), I sat in front of a sidewalk café and did some editing on the book, and watched the people walk by. The area is very liberal and saw a couple of wannabee hippies walk by... LOL

Then two of our daughters joined us for lunch, Rebekah and Serah, all of my daughters first names end with ah, Rebekah, Serah, Deborah, Joannah, and Annah. Didn’t really planned it that way, but that’s the order that they were born. I think they were all going to be boys, but changed their minds at the last minute, and they have a story to tell about that day. Deborah was the one that when we were on the way to the hospital for her to be delivered, I stopped at Taco Bell to pick up something to eat... LOL

Heck I knew it was going to be awhile, so why not! LOL Life is a miracle and you might as well celebrate on a full stomach.

It’s amazing the type of Marines we have that post here, what they say sometimes stays with me for days, what Greensideout wrote the other day about what do you say to a five year old when their grandfather died?

“My son-in-law lost his father as he was killed from a step latter fall in his garage while getting out the Christmas decorations from a shelf. Our grandsons were there at the time. Age 3 and 5. The 5 year old wants to talk about it to sort it out in his mind. What do you say to a 5 year old?”

Or what Toby M wrote, the other day, on the Stolen Fetus story;
“ Weird, isn't it? Here it is near Christmas and this baby, born in a world of chaos and violence...just goes to show that miracles do happen! Maybe there is hope for us after all...”

Or Ellie’s post above, what to you say on Christmas Day, to a loved one, that's gone?

[nc.gal]

Christmas time I know is sad for all of us who have lost a loved one. This is Ellie's first Christmas without Roger, this will be my sisters first Christmas without her husband---my husband's father died 17 December 1997. I would like to say a few words about my brother, Edward who died 30 December 1998. Why I want to talk about him is that he was a proud UNITED STATES MARINE ----who served in Vietnam 1968-1969 (I will be posting his info sometime in January). He was 49 years of age. The last Christmas with him, 1998, we were all at my mothers, not knowing that would be Ed's last Christmas. We made lots of pictures and my husband made group pictures of all my siblings and with our mother. I shall cherish these always. After being discharged from the Marine Corps, he became ill and was later diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes---had to take 2 insulin shots each day.(Later found out this was caused by agent orange). I remember going to Parris Island August 1997 to his boot camp graduation, we were so proud of him. My Mom and Dad and my two sisters and myself went. I have two other brothers who did not go . One was married with small childlren and I don't know why the other one wasn't there.Ed was so proud to show us around. In December he was sent to Vietnam and our mom worried and did all mothers. He was wounded---and I remember our mom getting the news---we were all crushed by this, but of course he survived. After the Marine Corps, he married three times and all ended in divorce. The first marriage produced a handsome son---he was named Brian Edward, after his dad. Now Brian is married with a little boy of his own who will soon be 3 years old---his name is Caleb Edward---yes, named after his granddad. Three generations of Edward's. The last five years of Ed's live were very miserable for him. He was in and out of the VA hospitals. He had worked in a furniture warehouse and stepped on a nail and of course being a diabetic, this was the beginning of many infections. He once spent a whole year in the VA hospital. Eventually, the diabetes diseased most of his body which caused him to have corornary heart disease and the last four months of his life, his kidneys failed so he was on dialysis 3 times a week. This really brought his health down fast. He lived with our mother and I kept warning her that one day she might get up and find him dead, and sure enought it happened. She is a strong woman and she got past this, but was hard on her at first. Now, my nephew Brian has told his son Caleb, about his granddad Edward.
Caleb will proudly get Edward's Marine pictures and point to Ed and say,"this is my granddad, he was a Marine". Now I know that a toddler doesn't know what a Marine is. I'm just so sad that my brother didn't live long enough to see Caleb. He would have been proud of his little grandson.

nc.gal

[Sgted]

I will remember your Brother Edward along with you and Edwards Marine Brothers here.
My thoughts, prayers and best wishes to you and your family, nc. gal.