Le soixante-neuvième . . .

Sacré bleu, j'ai déjà commencé mon soixante-dixième année sur cette planète, la Terre. C'est vraiment ridicule! And in honor of this day in history 69 years ago yesterday I was notified by the Social Security Administration that I would receive a whopping $5 a month raise starting in January 2012. I also received notification from the Connecticut Teachers' Retirement board that I would now lose $2 a month from my pension to pay for medical insurance. That means I get a $36 a year raise. I will be able to buy an extra tank of gas for the Élantra. Woot! The government is taking care of me in marvelous, superior ways.

Spent a great day with Kiddo yesterday freezing to death while he and big brother played basketball in the yard. I am really impressed by how well he and J. play together. It's great fun to watch them bounce pass to each other and drive into the paint for close shots for the Kiddo while the big Kiddo takes the outside shots. I also got a chance to follow Kiddo's Skylander, Spyro, around the crazy Wii world trying to be careful not to attack him. I was supposed to help him but I just kept dying all over the place. He finally ran out of live Skylanders for me to use when we called it quits. I think I did win a game of indoor hallway soccer so the day was not a loss. Won't see the kids until next year as they are going to a party today at their Aunt's house to celebrate, Christmas, J's seventeenth birthday and the New Year. Tomorrow night Richoni's will have their gala and the big kid will keep the little kid company at home. Good way to welcome 2012. They'd better spend as much time together as they can. Seems impossible that they are 7 and 17 years old. Time keeps moving on.

Speaking of time I believe I have found a New Year's Resolution that is in keeping with my now older self. I shall really attempt to stop being critical of myself, others and life. I shall accept my lack of perfection and enjoy others as they are. Ditto for accepting what life has in store for us. Feels good already!

Quote: Time was, is past; thou canst not it recall: time is, thou hast; employ the portion small; time future, is not; and may never be: time present, is the only time for thee. __Mrs. Sigourney

Now, that was fun . . .

We went to the 11:20am showing of The Adventures of Tintin in Lisbon. Wow, it was a lot of fun. We ended up at the 3D version at $10 a pop. I don't particularly care for 3D but this was fantastic. For once we saw a movie that was not preachy and full of modern day silliness. It was a good story with good characters and wonderful tech effects. I could watch this one again. Since the movie is based on a Belgian French speaking comic book character I hope the sequels keep coming. Saw the advert for the The Hobbit which will be out a year from now. Looking forward to seeing it. Must admit that there is nothing like seeing a good movie on the big screen with the surround sound.

Not up to much today. Will walk indoors, work on my horrible puzzle and cross stitch embroidery before I take time to read more of John Derbyshire's free novel about China. It is very interesting yet I don't think it ever made it to the New York Times book list. I'm guessing that the author self-published because regular publishing houses probably were unwilling to face Chinese condemnation.

Quote: The morning steals upon the night, melting the darkness. _____Shakespeare

All warmed up . . .

Just returned from a walk up to Church Street and through the Little League Park. Believe you me I am thoroughly warmed up. It was 37 degrees when I left and it is already 43, so what looked like a possible snow day looks like a rainy day. Kiddo called yesterday to see if I would stop by his home so he could show me his Christmas things. I couldn't refuse the invitation since he had tried twice to call and Grampa and I had been out for a walk. We had stopped for coffee at Johnny's therefore not home for the calls. It seems that his best present is Skylanders, little creatures that have their own portal and work with the Wii. Amazing electronic devices. He'll bring it here someday so Grampa and I can be taught how it all works. He did let me take home my favorite Hess truck to keep under the tree until he gets here to retrieve it.

Christmas Dinner was just about perfect if I do say so myself. Today I'll make soup with the roast beast bones. It'll smell so nice in this old house as it cooks up. I still have some cheese cake but I will not indulge because it really doesn't like me too much.

Came home one day last week and there was a monster box for me. I was blown away when I opened the outer box and there was an early birthday present from my friend Sue G, Godiva Chocolates in a sweet basket with a puppy! I've been very good and not opened the beautiful arrangement yet but I may dive in today. I've also gotten permission from Puppy's Pop to start a puzzle in the kitchen. We've decided that before we tackle the 2000 piece puzzle from Oneco friends we might as well warm up with the 1500 piece Santa puzzle given to us a year or so ago by local nephew and his wife. I sent part of last night setting out the pieces and putting together the borders. Now set to start work in earnest.

Puppy's Pop is off with the Élantra to play horseshoes in East Hartford so I'm indulging in loud music and maybe some piano!

Quote: I am a great eater of beef, and I believe that does harm to my wit. ___Shakespeare

Gloria in excelsis Deo . . .

He is born . . . Merry Christmas.

The roast beast smells wonderful; the cheese cake is ready; dinner will be served at one o'clock. Spoke with the youngest who is spending a Happy Christmas with G's family in Bradford, England and the oldest who is celebrating with M's family in Dallas. It is a day full of blessings, peace and good will. Happy Birthday, Holy Child, gift of love to all nations.

Now that was fun . . .

Picked up Kiddo at 1pm yesterday and after we got to Moosup and he had shown Grampa a new Wii game he and I went out to play soccer. Pretty exhilarating and tiring in the cold and almost dark! But the best was after supper when he asked if we could set up the Lionel train. We dug out all of the tracks, cars, diner, traffic gate and siding plus the rail cars and set it up before we asked Grampa to wire it all together. What a good time he had. He had played with the train when he was younger and it was okay but now he really likes to go racing around the tracks. He and Grampa even have the smoke working again! And naturally the whistle must work every time you come to a crossing or Irene's Diner! He played for at least three hours last evening and went back upstairs after breakfast this morning to play again before we left for Groton. I'm glad he finally really likes it because it is so much fun to watch him run everything. He even wears his engineer hat.

Got the house in some semblance of order as we prepare for tomorrow's Christmas Dinner. I'm pretty tired today but I'll be off to the children's Christmas Mass soon.

Quote: Children are the hands by which we take hold of heaven. By these tendrils we clasp it and climb thitherward. ___H. W. Beecher

Busy week . . .

Have been to Groton every day but Monday this week. Middle child needed help with Christmas shopping and wrapping. The wrapping was so much fun for me because I haven't had to wrap a lot of presents in years. Christmas is the best when you have lots of kiddos. Seeing their pleasure on Christmas morning makes having kids worth the sacrifice of time, hard work and watchfulness. They are the real Christmas gifts and as I ponder that statement I realize that our children are our gifts to the world and ourselves. Kids of all ages make our lives interesting.

The weather is a balmy 45 degrees and rainy. The only snow visible is on the HP home screen. That's okay by me. We'll have no slippery driving conditions for Christmas Day and the oil man will not have to come too often. The best thing that happened this week is I brought the Élantra for the 3000 mile check up. It had over 5000 miles on it but that was okay. They only did an oil change and rotated the tires which is on the 6000 mile checkup list. But . . . I bought the special USB cord from Hyundai and I can now listen to my iTunes albums through the speakers on the car. Wow, that is such a great idea. Not only can I listen to the iTunes library of music through the car speakers we can go to Pandora radio and play any kind of music we like without commercials or news breaks. I'm so impressed. I think I'm going to get a piece of Velcro so I can set the iPad right next to the left of the passenger seat leg space. The cord is not very long. While the music is playing it is also charging the iPad. Who knew that man was capable of such wonders and the cord only cost a measly $40. Oh well, one must pay for ones toys.

Will leave shortly for lunch duty and pick Kiddo up early. He has a half day and pajama day. Can't believe they really do go to school in pajamas. Seems foolish. Getting older and more Scrooge like every day I wouldn't dare question the asininity of school administrators. I'm certain he will have proper attire when we stop by Richoni's to say a quick good by to his folks. They are so busy with their regular Friday night gala and today there are quite a few private parties starting at noon. We shall certainly say a very fast good by.

Quote: It is not money, nor is it mere intellect, that governs the world; it is moral character, and intellect associated with moral excellence. ___T. D. Woolsey

Poor old house . . .

Eleven degrees outside today; the sun is bright, sparkling on the frosted grass and the poor, old homestead is having trouble warming up. But I guess in the grand scheme of life sixty-six degrees in the house is warm enough. I've put on my warm papates and the comfortable, wool sweater youngest child made for me, have had my breakfast and am on my second cup of coffee so all is well in Moosup. I can take the time to read the edifying Bulletin and get even warmer as I fume at the paucity of real news and the scarcity of well written articles.

Had such great pleasure yesterday when youngest sister-in-law and I had the good fortune to get tickets to the sold out last performance of Annie at the Bradley Playhouse in Putnam. It really did bring tears to my eyes. Not because of the story being told but because I was so appreciative of the effort and love lavished on this production by everyone who worked behind scenes, on stage, in the pit, building sets, making costumes, manning the lights. It was an all out achievement by local people who enjoyed giving of their best to help the beautiful young, intense director, Nicole Panteleakos accomplish a unique rendition of an old favorite. Am I prejudiced? Most definitely. But I honestly could sit through it many more times and enjoy the production by people who love théâtre because it gives them pleasure to work hard and become more than their singular talent but a great collective talent giving happiness and pure delight to the likes of me, someone with no theatrical aspirations but who enjoys the gift of their time consuming, tiring, fulfilling travail. Yes, I am just a slight bit verbose, again, but I am in awe of the people who make the time to give so much of themselves so others may laugh, cry and be carried away to another time and place. Kudos all around.

Now back to the mundane. Have to make my list and most certainly must check it twice to be sure I get all the right ingredients for Christmas Dinner.

Quote: Although it is said of plays that they teach morality, and of the stage that it is the mirror of human life, these assertions are mere declamations, and have no foundation in truth and experience. ___Sir John Hawkins (My dear Sir John, I humbly beg to disagree. You are an old fogey.)