Post Christmas Season 2017/2018 - The Velveteen Rabbit

This guy made it out for the first time in years. He was a Target stores promotion years ago, probably as far back as the early nineties.

Post Christmas Season 2017/2018 - New Santa

Noel and I did some of our weekly shopping this past Saturday. She helped me spot this wonderful Teena Flanner Santa. 

Post Christmas Season 2017/2018 - Birds

After most of the Christmas stuff was taken down I set out the birds.

Post Christmas Season 2017/2018 - Dala Horses

I found the big blue dala horse. Now if I could only find the red one...

Post Christmas Season 2017/2018 - Jewish Christmas, Way Late

Friday, January 19, 2018

Warren and I went to happy hour at The Eagle and then returned to have Chinese food with Dale at our place. Our version of Jewish Christmas involves ordering in and watching a movie. Warren picked Morgan Spurlock's Confessions of a Superhero from 2007 - very interesting documentary.

Post Christmas Season 2017/2018 - MLK

Monday, January 15, 2018

I always take a little time on Martin Luther King, Jr.  day to think about MLK but to also reflect on the past Christmas season and to do a few of the things I never get to during the actual Christmas season.

It's become something of a tradition to listen to Sting's If On a Winter's Night on MLK Day. It's become one of my holiday favorites and I think it lends itself well to midwinter January quite nicely. 

I also usually drink a shot of Jaegermeister but this year I needed to finish up the Bailey's Irish Cream, so I did. And I got 4 shots worth out of it before emptying the bottle. 

I like the idea of making porridge which I've done a couple of times before. It's a Swedish thing which is part of my background but I usually just make oatmeal with lots of brown sugar 'cuz it's just a bit easier. 

I usually do something with gingerbread. Yesterday I bought some mix but didn't get to making it today. At least I made it that far. I think I'll make it this week and then make some bread pudding out of it for when we have Warren over this coming Friday. 

Post Christmas Season 2017/2018 - Putting It All Away

Sunday, January 14, 2018

At church today I noticed the stable for the nativity scene is out of the sanctuary but still not yet put away for the year. I have the day off today so, although I've taken most Christmas stuff down, I'll take the time to pack up what's left. For me it's a bunch of reindeer still out on the porch. 

Post Christmas Season 2017/2018 - New Year Cigar

Saturday, January 13, 2018

Stopped by Stogies on Grand in Saint Paul after visiting Carol and the gals. First cigar of the new year was an Asylum 13. It was awesome. Set some goals for 2018 including number of cigars to smoke, listening to more of The Killers (whom Dale and I will see at the Xcel this coming Wednesday), and cleaning up all the clutter that's accumulated over 20 years in our house. Not that I haven't gone through stuff over the years but there's still a LOT more to get rid of. 

Post Christmas Season 2017/2018 - Christmas Carol

Saturday, December 13, 2018

I had the opportunity today to visit with a former colleague who's dying of cancer. I began teaching with Carol M. almost 30 years ago. She was a veteran teacher who acted as a mentor for me for the nine years I was at the school where we taught together. Another former colleague emailed me to let me know she was going in for tests at the Mayo Clinic in late November. Carol had cancer once before shortly after I was done teaching at the school where we taught together. I believe I visited her once or twice after she recovered. Another former colleague emailed me to let me know that cancer had returned and that she was going in for tests at the Mayo Clinic in late November.  They were going to try to determine what kind of cancer. It turns out it's a very rare kind that has been recorded in American adults only 8 times before. Slightly more common in children, it usually appears in their arms or legs and can be easily removed. Unfortunately for Carol what they found was near her eye and had already spread to her brain and is moving down her neck. 

I visited her today with about 5 other former colleagues. It was wonderful to see everyone and I can't believe how natural it felt to be together after 20 years. Carol is doing incredibly well and is sustained by her strong faith. Her acceptance and bravery reminds me of my Dad's when he died almost 11 years ago. 

Carol and I taught in a school where Christmas could be recognized. It was always so much fun getting ready with the kids. Even though the time leading up to Christmas vacation was during Advent it was so meaningful to get ready with the kids doing Christmas/winter themed writing, projects, and decorating. We would decorate a tree in the classroom so on the last day of school before vacation many students would give me Christmas tree ornaments. I still have all of them to this day.

Carol told a few stories about Christmas on the farm where she grew up. The one I remember most is how her family's tree would go up on Christmas Eve and her mother would keep it up and the house decorated until Candlemas on February 2. The idea of leaving everything up until the beginning of February always intrigued me. I'd often remind Dale of Carol's family's tradition whenever he gets on me about leaving our house decorated into January. Although I always have 95% of it cleaned up before the end of the month, Carol's story always bought me a little extra time. 

Post Christmas Season 2017/2018 - Back to the Grind

Monday, January 8, 2018

All good things must come to an end. Back to work.

Post Christmas Season 2017/2018 - The Party's Over

Sunday, January 7, 2018

School starts up tomorrow. 

A couple of these this morning helped. Maggie and Cindi joined us at the Normandy Kitchen for breakfast after church. It was a nice distraction from getting lost in my own head over the transition back to ordinary life tomorrow. It's like jumping in a swimming pool. The anticipation and the first moments after the jump are the worst. It doesn't really take that long to adjust to the change in temperature and then it's not so bad. 

Post Christmas Season 2017/2018 - More Decorating

Some of the following was set out on the 10th day of Christmas or after. Most of it has already been put away. I did a much better job of displaying my plates this year as I finally picked up some decent plate stands.  I could only find the smaller dala horses this year and not the two bigger ones. If it's getting to the point where I've got so much stuff that I can't find all of it then I think I may have a problem. Haha.

Post Christmas Season 2017/2018 - Taking Down the Tree

Sunday, January 7, 2018

The ornaments came down yesterday.

The lights and the tree came down today.

Christmastide 2017/2018 - Summary

Friday, January 5, 2018

What a year. I know of so many folks who are so looking forward to letting this year go.  Politically it's been a very unpleasant roller coast ride for me. But when I look at it from the standpoint of my personal life though, it's quite a different story. 

A year ago I was so depressed by what was going on at a national level that I resolved to take care of myself, get active, and focus on family and friendships. I did and overall I'm gonna claim success. I feel my friendships with my handful of close friends have grown deeper and more intimate. I've gotten more politically active through my labor union which has diminished my feelings of powerlessness and elevated my mood.  This past Christmas season has afforded me some time to think about all of this and appreciate where I'm at. For that I'm grateful. Despite all the ugliness in the news Christmas still comes around just the same.  It's hard to put it all away.

I read a book this year titled Old Fashioned Christmas by Ellen Stimson. I've always had a hard time saying goodbye to Christmas when it's all over and Ms. Stimson is one of the few authors of a Christmas themed book that's done a good job of describing what I often go through. She says, "And I really do not like putting away Christmas. I don't want it to end." Of course she goes into much more detail and provides the context of her own experience. For me it's hard to part with it all because it provides a beacon of light and hope during dark December. It's hard to say goodbye to the warm sentiment, time away from work, time with family and friends and time for quiet reflection, the color, spectacle, hope and anticipation, the memories of the past it stirs and helps to keep alive. Ms. Stimson also says, "...part of the secret of keeping Christmas is that Christmas has a time table." And, "Christmas only comes once a year. We all get our measure of Christmas. I have probably already had more Christmases in my past than I will get in the future. Unless I live to be 105, which doesn't seem exactly likely. But that rarity is what makes Christmas special. We have to put it away to keep it." True dat. 

Here's to many more...

Christmas Season 2017/2018 - 12th Night

Friday, January 5, 2018

Twelfth Night.

Lit a fire in the "fireplace." Dale and I both found it very relaxing.

Athena seemed to like it too.

We sang some Christmas songs with the t.v.

Made cocktails and had a simple dinner of frozen pizza.

And watched Elf.  Will Ferrell is awesome in the lead. I get a kick out of it when Buddy answers the phone and says, "Buddy the Elf. What's your favorite color?"

I didn't realize until this most recent viewing that Peter Billingsley from A Christmas Story plays the head elf at Santa's workshop. Clever casting.

The first time I saw the movie (only a few years ago) I didn't realize it was Zooey Deschanel playing the apple of Buddy's eye. The blonde hair threw me off. It wasn't until she sang Baby It's Cold Outside with her unmistakeable voice that I realized it was her. 

Christmas Season 2017/2018 - 12th Day of Christmas

Friday, January 5, 2018

Last weekday of Christmas vacation. Low key morning. Got an adjustment from Dr. Bob and then went to the gym with Dale. Still very cold but the sun was brilliant. Athena doesn't last long in sub-zero weather but she's getting a little more acclimated than she was when this deep freeze set in two weeks ago.

Christmas Season 2017/2018 - Ninth Day of Christmas

January 2, 2018

On the ninth Day of Christmas...

Mike and I got together at his place on the 9th Day of Christmas for cocktails and basement jazz. He informed me that he hadn't watched any Christmas movies this year. I was sure he had at least seen White Christmas, but no. Would have watched one with him except I wasn't able to stay to late. Fortunately I had enough time to listen to some music and share cocktails and conversation. He had recently spent the Christmas holiday in Arizona with Charisse, Shayla, and his in-laws. Jealous cuz here it was and still is...