Christmas Season 2024/2025: The Second Day of Christmas - Leaving Phoenix and a Couple Ghost Stories

Thursday, December. 26, 2024

Dianne called us outside this morning to see the sunrise. It certainly was spectacular. Dale and I took Irv to his physical therapy appointment this morning. He did really well. Afterward we went to Brenda and Irv's place. Dianne came to pick us up and take us to the airport. Before we left she changed the bandaging on Brenda's head from her Mohs surgery. Irv wanted Dale to put their car in the garage but Dianne recommended against it as there just wouldn't be enough. room for walking around the car with a walker in such a tight space. Irv was none to happy although I think he actually was pretty accepting of it in the end. Eventually he's going to have to have the keys taken away from him and I just don't see that playing. out well at all. 

Read my second ghost story of the season on the plane ride home. The synopsis is as follows: "When Margaret finds a cottage to rent in the moorlands for her visiting Aunt Dorothea, she pays no mind to its rumored dark history. But when Dorothea goes missing only days after her arrival, a haunting tale of greed and murder soon comes to light." The scariest parts are told through a letter from Aunt Dorothea to Margaret after they happen which lends a certain eeriness to the whole story. I really liked this one.

Read the 3rd ghost story of the Christmas season from Seth on the plane ride home. The synopsis: "When. a group of tourists visits the deserted island of Podolo, one wants to rescue a feral cat they find there, and the others reluctantly agree. Unfortunately,  the rescue proves more difficult than they expect - and they soon discover they're not alone on Podolo." Tragic and sufficiently creepy. 

Our plane landed at about 7:45 pm. By the time we got our luggage and stopped by the grocery store on the way home from the airport we finally wallked in the back door just before 9 pm Sylvester was really glad to see us.

Countdown to Christmas: 2 Days

 Monday, December 23, 2024

Woke up this morning around 5:00. Last night was Dale’s first night away from staying with his parents this trip. So nice to have him here this morning. Hot tub with John about 7:00 am. Talked family, (my) work, and politics. 

Nice walk with Dale up to the sundial on a nearby trail. 

You stand on the month. . .

...and your shadow points to the hour. This photo was taken at 10:53 am. Pretty accurate. 

The trail ends with the sundial at the top of a hill. 

The views from up top are pretty nice. 

Dale and I took the same hike last time I was here in February. 

After our hike we went to lunch at IHOP.  Dale got breakfast and I got the shrimp platter.  The regular shrimp platter not the 55+ version. 

Dale needed some clothes so we did some shopping at Kohl’s. He got a pair of pants and some shirts. I ended up getting a couple of shirts as well.  Next off to the cigar store where I picked up a couple of cigars. Our final stop for errands was Safeway where I got some cereal   and some premade Old Fashioneds. Those should last me through Christmas. One would hope. 

At Safeway I also picked up an Archie Christmas Comics Digest. It’s a throwback to when Pete was born in late November back in the day. Mom was in the hospital for a few days which was how they did it back then. No get-‘em-in-and-get-‘em-out like they do now. They also didn’t let kids in to visit so Dad bought Sam and I comic books we could read in the waiting room. Archies were my favorite at the time and by that part of the year Christmas issues were out so he bought me a few. 

When we got home we were at the high for the day...

Was feeling a little sniffly so I decided to take a soak in the sun but not the water. 

I read a ghost story for Christmas from the Seth series titled Captain Dalgety Returns. I may  have to reread it as I found it tough to follow. 

Gathering at the home of Candace and Doug, John and Dianne's next door neighbors. They had a nice gathering of folks who live on the blockc and it was nice to meet so many of them. I met a woman named Nancy who is a retired primary teacher who left the profession around the time of Covid. We talked about the many joys of teaching but also about the joys of not doing it anymore. 

John and Dianne's other next door neighbor, Kirk, came to the party as well and is pictured here with us on the left.  The theme of the party was Mele Kelikimaka which is the reason for the leis. 

Dale and I back at John and Dianne's place after the party. 

Christmas Season 2023/2024 - 7th Day of Christmas Part 1: The House by the Poppy Field

Sunday, December 31, 2023

The 7th Day of Christmas

Recently finished reading The House by the Poppy Field by Marjorie Bowen. It's another title from Seth's Ghost Stories for Christmas series. 

According to the teaser on the back of the book, "After having lived a largely solitary life, Maitland returns to his ancestral estate and soon finds himself increasingly obsessed with the magnificent field of poppies surrounding the home - as well as the man harvesting them."

Along with the harvester a couple of other mysterious figures appear but, are they all really there?

Seth

Christmas Season 2023/2024 - 5th Day of Christmas Part 2: A Room In a Rectory

 Friday, December 29, 2023

The 5th Day of Christmas

Finished reading A Room In a Rectory which is part of Seth's Ghost Stories for Christmas series. 

             

The teaser on the back of the book summarizes the story as follows: "Reverend Nigel arrives at Tilchhington rectory expecting a comfortable living in the beautiful countryside."

"But when he stubbornly opens a locked chamber, it isn't long before he's plagued with disturbingly devilish visions."

Thing don't go well from there. All I'll add is that the young  reverend should have listened to the housekeeper who had been living in the rectory for years. However, if he had there really wouldn't have been much of a story, so there's that. 

Christmas Season 2023/2024 - 1st Day of Christmas: Ghost Story

Monday, December 25, 2023

They couldn't find anyone to be a lobby host for this morning's service at church so Dale volunteered to go in. I stayed home, poured myself some Bailey's and endeavored to finish the ghost story I started yesterday. 

                      

The teaser on the back of the book, The Captain of the Pole-Star, says: "When the Pole-Star is trapped in arctic ice, it's voyage comes to a halt and the lives of the crew are in danger. Superstition soon takes hold as the frightened men claim to hear ghosts in the darkness - but it's the captain's increasingly strange behavior that concerns the doctor most."

I quite liked the story and in doing a little research discovered that Arthur Conan Doyle was actually a ship's doctor on a whaling ship just like the main character in the story. 

Note: While I was reading Sylvester hopped up on the couch and settled in on my chest and stayed there until I finished the story. 

Holiday Season 2023 - Article: Forget Halloween, Bring Ghost Stories Back to Christmas

Wednesday, December 20, 2023

Universal History Archive/Getty Images

Click on the link below for a New York Times article about ghost stories at Christmas. 

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/20/world/europe/christmas-ghost-stories.html?smtyp=cur&smid=fb-nytimes&fbclid=IwAR3y6ohzU9w563TQqs9mAAThAW012z4CZoPlnovw-Qn7sdeJNhiYDYDHhvw

Christmas Season 2022/2023 - 5th Day of Christmas: A Ghost Story For Christmas

Thursday, December 29, 2022

More ghost stories illustrated by Seth for the holiday season. 

"The dead sleep peacefully—until a railway is built near their cemetery. While the old priest works to keep them at rest, the count’s dying wife begs to be buried near the railway. But when her last wish is granted, the priest finds that the sound of the train leaves the countess far from at peace."

"Margaret visits the lavish home of her friend Carla Rhodes for the summer holidays. But when Carla's brother arrives with a mysterious friend, strange occurrences cause tensions to rise within the group, and secrets hidden within the house begin to emerge."

"Peter Wood enters a charming antiques shop owned by two young women one stormy evening. But after he returns a second time to a strange old man and a far gloomier atmosphere, and leaves with an unusual jade frog, Peter soon discovers that his purchase was worth more than he paid."

Seth by Seth

I enjoyed all three!

MLK Weekend - Ghost Stories

Monday, January 17, 2022

Finished Mr. Jones by Edith Wharton recently. Quite well done and sufficiently spooky. The teaser on the back of the book reads: "When Lady Jane Lynke unexpectedly inherits Bells, a beautiful country estate, she declares she'll never leave the peaceful grounds and starts to make the house her home. But she hasn't reckoned on the obstinate Mr. Jones, who haas instructed the caretakers to deny all entry - yet is nowhere to be found."

Today I read, and finished, An Eddy On the Floor by Bernard Capes. This one was exceptional and got into my head. For this the teaser reads: "A man receives an unexpected appointment as doctor at the local prison. But when a terrified inmate begs to be moved, the young doctor begins to question his good fortune: The cell adjacent the frightened man has been boarded up for years - and no one will let the doctor inside."

I always enjoy Seth's illustrations. 

Christmastide 2021/2022 - 3rd Day of Christmas: Article - How Ghost Stories Became A Christmas Tradition In Victorian England

Tuesday, December 28, 2021

How did ghost stories become a tradition in Victorian England and why did the tradition never really catch on in the United States? Click on the link below for an interesting read. 

Link: 

https://www.history.com/news/christmas-tradition-ghost-stories

Christmastide 2021/2022 - 3rd Day of Christmas: Books of the Day

Monday, December 27, 2021

An Amazon order I put in a week or so ago arrived today. A received the books from Seth's A Ghost Story for Christmas series. There are three new ones this year. Today I read The Doll's Ghost by F. Marion Crawford in which the main character has an odd affinity for  dolls. 

Christmastide 2021/2022 - Kalle Anke

Friday, December 24, 2021

The service we attended this afternoon was quiet short. It only lasted about 50 minutes and we were home not too long after 5:00. It was still somewhat light when we pulled into our driveway. Time for Kalle Anke! This year we watched Mickey's Christmas Carol. 

After that we watched The Small One. All very cozy. 

I had a Bloody Mary for the occasion. After cocktails we had a simple dinner of reheated lasagna which we made a couple days ago. It was a quiet, simple, and lovely Christmas Eve and I so happy to have spent it with my darling Dale. 

I ordered a few ghost stories online recently but they won't show up until after Christmas. However, Mickey's Christmas Carol counts as a one.