Friday, December 25, 2009

"Christiansen's Comments" For the Hinds County Gazette...November 5 2009



Hinds county Gazette

Chritiansen’s comments

November 5 2009

“Chestnuts roasting on an open fire, Jack Frost nipping at your nose” Well…… none of that is happening it has been perfect for wiener roasts and marshmallow toasting….roasting weenies and making S’Morhere in Mid-Mississippi. The rain finally stopped and the weather has been perfect for many, many days in a row now. I have finished lots of chores that I have been putting off…some of them for years….like painting the porch furniture.



And it’s sitting around a fire barrel is just about my favorite fall activity. I certainly have plenty of sticks and fallen limbs to burn.



My Christmas tree is up…and mostly decorated…. This is early even for me to have the tree up but, opportunity knocked and I answered! Grandson Garrett came for the weekend…I paid him to do it.



Life lesson # 1046 : When children are young and are too little to be much help….they beg to help….when they get old enough to be of real assistance you have to pay them.



To Garrett’s credit he did tell me I didn’t have to pay him. But, way on after while, I got to wondering…. Grand kids are quite skilled in the manipulation of grandmas. Reckon, he said that so I would give him a big tip? If he did, it worked he got his tip.



I have baked a fruitcake it’s ripening, all snug, wrapped in cheese cloth, soaked in dark rum. I know you all think I am rushing the season….I am not. I am calling myself getting prepared. Now days, the holiday season begins so early and lasts so long. Actually, Halloween through Super bowl Sunday….so if I don’t get started…I get behind.



We all have days driven by panic. I am not fond of days driven by panic…but I can handle them ….I have them… so I know I can. But at holiday time, the hectic, hurried, panic days that are self created… exasperate me. So I go on and get the tree up…The biggest dirt clods swept out the door, the most noticeable cobwebs pulled down, and the fluffiest dust bunnies vacuumed up. And I’m ready to enjoy the season‘s events…







And I like to have lots of time to leisurely enjoy the holidays, time to cook and bake, time to have friends in for nibbles…time for working in my shop. Time for late evening visits to Kay and Doug Turner in their shop, they make a birdhouse every Christmas….This year’s Turner Christmas birdhouse is the Edwards Baptist Church.



As usual I am crafting most of my Christmas gifts and as usual I have to get advise/help from Doug on how to proceed with my plan. Ideas and plans are easy to come up with…the difficulty comes in the execution….of said plan. I think Doug has the kinks worked out of mine now…so I shall began building in earnest this week.

Love to all

PS.

Here is my advise to you….During the holidays, don’t be grinning…..adopt a “Poor me” face, take lots of deep harried breaths and act busy…. Because if you are not scurrying around in a panic, …chances are you will be perceived as having nothing to do…and almost certainly shirking your holiday responsibilities. ..No doubt somebody is going to have to step up and carry your load….That person already in panic mode probably …so don’t be acting happy….act busy…Only when you are by yourself, do you dare smile, hum Christmas Carols and contemplate on the birth we are celebrating.













“Chestnuts roasting on an open fire, Jack Frost nipping at your nose” Well…… none of that is happening it has been perfect for wiener roasts and marshmallow toasting….roasting weenies and making S’Morhere in Mid-Mississippi. The rain finally stopped and the weather has been perfect for many, many days in a row now. I have finished lots of chores that I have been putting off…some of them for years….like painting the porch furniture.



And it’s around a fire is just about my favorite fall activity. I certainly have plenty of sticks and fallen limbs to burn.



My Christmas tree is up…and mostly decorated…. This is early even for me to have the tree up but, opportunity knocked and I answered! Grandson Garrett came for the weekend…I paid him to do it.



Life lesson # 1046 : When children are young and are too little to be much help….they beg to help….when they get old enough to be of real assistance you have to pay them.



To Garrett’s credit he did tell me I didn’t have to pay him. But, way on after while, I got to wondering…. Grand kids are quite skilled in the manipulation of grandmas. Reckon, he said that so I would give him a big tip? If he did, it worked he got his tip.



I have baked a fruitcake it’s ripening, all snug, wrapped in cheese cloth, soaked in dark rum. I know you all think I am rushing the season….I am not. I am calling myself getting prepared. Now days, the holiday season begins so early and lasts so long. Actually, Halloween through Super bowl Sunday….so if I don’t get started…I get behind.



We all have days driven by panic. I am not fond of days driven by panic…but I can handle them ….I have them… so I know I can. But at holiday time, the hectic, hurried, panic days that are self created… exasperate me. So I go on and get the tree up…The biggest dirt clods swept out the door, the most noticeable cobwebs pulled down, and the fluffiest dust bunnies vacuumed up. And I’m ready to enjoy the season‘s events…







And I like to have lots of time to leisurely enjoy the holidays, time to cook and bake, time to have friends in for nibbles…time for working in my shop. Time for late evening visits to Kay and Doug Turner in their shop, they make a birdhouse every Christmas….This year’s Turner Christmas birdhouse is the Edwards Baptist Church.



As usual I am crafting most of my Christmas gifts and as usual I have to get advise/help from Doug on how to proceed with my plan. Ideas and plans are easy to come up with…the difficulty comes in the execution….of said plan. I think Doug has the kinks worked out of mine now…so I shall began building in earnest this week.

Love to all

PS.

Here is my advise to you….During the holidays, don’t be grinning…..adopt a “Poor me” face, take lots of deep harried breaths and act busy…. Because if you are not scurrying around in a panic, …chances are you will be perceived as having nothing to do…and almost certainly shirking your holiday responsibilities. ..No doubt somebody is going to have to step up and carry your load….so don’t be acting happy.



Only when you are by yourself, do you dare smile, hum Christmas Carols and contemplate on the birth we are celebrating.

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