WE HAD CHRISTMAS COMPANY TODAY

     KAI READS US A STORY FROM A BOOK HE RECEIVED THIS CHRISTMAS

It was the sound of an overnight hard rain clanging on our steel roof that briefly had me awake a few times during the wee dark hours.  Not the best way to start a new day.  Those rains, although lighter, continued throughout the morning turning rural gravel roads into a quagmire of mud.  Needless to say, Pheebs and I kept the Jeep out of all that and stuck to several paved roads for a half-hour cruise through the soggy countryside.

 RED AND GREEN CHRISTMAS COLORS COUNTRY STYLE AND NOTICE THE FLOODING

Kelly's two sons, Ben and Jason along with Ben's two young boys Darion and Kai rolled in about 12:40 this afternoon for a Christmas visit.  With the two young boys being older now they were well behaved and it was nice to see Kelly interacting with her two sons and two grandsons.  And she had gifts for the grandsons too.  Kelly had also whooped up a great turkey supper with all the fixins'.  (I scrubbed and sliced the potatoes and carrots) Especially enjoyed was a 'pink jello salad dessert' she made.  That recipe of crushed pineapples, strawberry jello, and whipped cream mixed with cream cheese had been made by Kelly's Mother each year at Christmas for many years and it is the best jello salad dessert that I have ever tasted.  Chatted for a while after supper, Kai read us a story and then it was time for them all to head for home.  Jason, Ben, and the boys packed things up around 5:45p.m. and hit the road in a cold pouring rain.  Overall today, a good time was had by all:))

 KAI, BEN, KELLY JASON, DARION

 NOW GREAT TO SEE A YOUNG PERSON ACTUALLY LOOKING AT A BOOK INSTEAD OF AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE FOR A CHANGE

 KELLY HAS PRESENTS FOR THE BOYS 

 KAI IS INTERESTED IN ROCKS AND STONES SO KELLY GAVE HIM SOME CRYSTALS 

 THERE IS THE JELLO SALAD DESERT I LIKED SO MUCH

 OUR CHRISTMAS DINNER WAS 'GIT YER OWN STUFF'

Only four more days to go until the end of the year when a wee welcome mental boost takes place.  'Out with the Old and In with the New' as the old saying goes and it's an old saying I understand well.  It's like at midnight of the old year we step up to the counter at the 'Old and New Problem Store' and flop our big sack of 2023 problems up on the counter, trading them in for a brand new sack of 2024 problems.  With the heavy burden of our old sack of 2023 problems lifted, we readily shoulder our new sack of 2024 problems and with a touch of renewed confidence head back out the door hoping that the big storm of human confusement we just trudged through to reach the Problem Store hasn't worsened while we were inside at the counter making our trade.  What are the odds I wonder...............      

 RELAXING AFTER A GREAT SUPPER

 KAI WITH HIS BOOK....HE DID VERY WELL IN READING US A STORY AND SO WELL, IN FACT, I THINK HE IS GOING TO BE A N AVID BOOKWORM WHICH WILL SERVE HIM WELL IN LIFE 

 ALL PACKED UP AND HEADING HOME

 THANKS FOR COMING GUYS, YOU MADE YOUR MOTHER'S DAY

Normally by this time of the year, my snow shovel and I would have already moved about 3.8 tons of snow.  But, so far this year I have only had to mess with maybe 12.6 pounds of the cold white stuff.  I like it when this happens:)) 

Al's Music Box:)) Suzanne  is a song written by Canadian poet and musician Leonard Cohen in the 1960s. First published as a poem in 1966, it was recorded as a song by Judy Collins in the same year, and Cohen performed it as his debut single, from his 1967 album Songs of Leonard Cohen. "Suzanne" was inspired by Cohen's platonic relationship with dancer Suzanne Verdal. Its lyrics describe the rituals that they enjoyed when they met: Suzanne would invite Cohen to visit her apartment by the harbour in Montreal, where she would serve him Constant Comment tea, and they would walk around Old Montreal past the church of Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours, where sailors were blessed before heading out to sea. Cohen's recording was released as a single in 1968 but did not reach the music charts. The song only charted after Cohen's death in 2016.

GROANER'S CORNER:(( Joan invited some people to dinner. At the table, she turned to her six-year-old daughter and said, 'Would you like to say the blessing?'  'I wouldn't know what to say,' the girl replied.  'Just say what you hear Mommy say,' Joan answered.  The girl thought for a minute, then bowed her head and said, 'Lord, why on earth did I invite all these people to dinner?'

- What happens when a police officer gets into bed?  He becomes an undercover cop.

A wife went to the police station with her next-door neighbor to report that her husband was missing. The policeman asked for a description.  She said, "He's 35 years old, 6 foot 4, has dark eyes, dark wavy hair, an athletic build, weighs 185 pounds, is soft-spoken, and is good to the children."  The next-door neighbor protested, "Your husband is 5 foot 4, chubby, bald, has a big mouth, and is mean to your children."  The wife replied, "Yes, but who wants HIM back?"
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HAVE YOU NOTICED THESE PAST FEW DAYS GETTING LONGER??

Surprisingly, for this time of year, we had a 45F day.  If this is the new Winter I then say, bring it on.  A touch of sunshine today would have been the icing on the cake.  However, it was under a heavy overcast of drizzling rain that Pheebs and I turned east onto Bayfield River Road after leaving our Park and drove to the T-intersection 3 miles away, made a U-turn, and came home.  Not much in the way of photos today so I've included a few pics from the last three days that didn't make it into my previous daily posts.

 THE QUESTION HERE IS WHETHER THE SHED IS TOO SMALL FOR THE BOAT OR THE BOAT IS TOO BIG FOR THE SHED

A BAYFIELD FISHING BOAT UP ON BLOCKS FOR THE WINTER

A COLD RAINY CHRISTMAS MORNING ON BAYFIELDS SOUTH PIER

Hey, have you noticed these past few days getting longer??  I have:))   

Being my usual forgetful self, I forgot to add something to my post a couple days ago. Kelly's brother Peter, posted this to Facebook on December 23rd......'My mom and dad shared the same birthday on December 23rd. This was a wedding picture taken at the family home in Manchester, NY. Dad was in the Marines and home on furlough before shipping out to Hawaii and then on to Iwo Jima. They did not see each other for 3 years after this.'  

Al's Music Box:)) Travelin' On is one of my favorite songs by Hagood Hardy.   He played mainly jazz and easy-listening music. He is best known for the 1975 single, "The Homecoming" from his album of the same name, and for his soundtrack to the Anne of Green Gables and Anne of Avonlea films.  Hardy was born in Angola, Indiana. His mother was an American citizen. He came to Canada as an infant settling in Brantford Ontario and grew up in Oakville, Ontario. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Trinity College, Toronto and studied music privately in Toronto with Gordon Delamont. As a young man, he participated in bebop jam sessions on Gerrard Street in Toronto. In the 1960s he played vibraphone in the bands of Martin Denny, Gigi Gryce, Herbie Mann, and George Shearing.

GROANER'S CORNER:((  “The whole purpose of places like Starbucks is for people with no decision-making ability whatsoever to make six decisions just to buy one cup of coffee. Short, tall, light, dark, caf, decaf, low-fat, non-fat. So people who don’t know what they’re doing, or who on earth they are can, for only $2.95, get not just a cup of coffee but an absolutely defining sense of self.” 

- “Common sense is like deodorant. The people who need it most never use it.” 

- “You know you’ve reached middle age when you’re cautioned to slow down by your doctor, instead of by the police.” 

  

Murphy and his wife, a middle-aged couple, went for a stroll in the park. They sat down on a bench to rest. They overheard voices coming from a secluded spot several benches away. Suddenly Mrs. Murphy realized that a young man was about to propose.  Not wanting to eavesdrop at such an intimate moment, she nudged her husband and whispered, "Whistle and let that young couple know that someone can hear them."  Murphy said, "Whistle? Why should I whistle? Nobody whistled to warn me."
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SOON IT WILL BE THE END OF ANOTHER YEAR

LATE AFTERNOON'S TWILIGHT HAS MADE FOR OUR PARK'S VERY OWN GOLDEN POND

Christmas Days have become quiet days for us now in these latter years and both Kelly and I are quite alright with that.  However, Santa did drop off a little green squeaker toy for Pheebs.  With her hearing impaired, she couldn't hear it squeak but we did have ourselves a little game of squeak and catch.

 'NO MOM, THAT LITTLE GREEN GUY IS TOO SCARY FOR ME'

 'OKAY, I'LL GIVE HIM A SNIFF'

 'I'M TELLIN YA MOM HE'S JUST TOO SCARY'

 'OH COME ON PHEEBS, I'M JUST A FRIENDLY LITTLE LITTLE GREENY MCWEENIE'

 'WELL OKAY THEN GREENY, LET'S BE PALS'

With a faint touch of sunshine outside and almost a windless 40F Pheebs and I headed into Bayfield to make our usual rounds with the only difference being we stopped at the Bayfield Cemetery for a walk through the hardwood forest at the cemetery's east side.  I liked the rustle of leaves underfoot rather than the sound of crunching snow.  

 ENTRANCEWAY TO THE HARDWOOD FOREST

WE SAW A FURRY LITTLE GNOME SCURRY IN HERE

 'I KNOW HE'S IN THERE DAD'

HEADING BACK TO THE JEEP

 DRIVING HOME ON THIS SNOWLESS CHRISTMAS MORNING

We were home well before noon and I enjoyed the afternoon's sunshine beaming through our sunroom's windows.  With the low angle of the Sun on the horizon this time of year I tipped back in my recliner swathed in the warm and soothing rays of old Sol himself.  With my latest book securely in hand, I immersed my mind in the latest telling of mysterious true and fabled tales.

 WE HAVE A FRIENDLY LITTLE FRONT YARD BUNNY THAT LIKES TO SIT MOTIONLESS STARING AT OUR SUNROOM WINDOW.....I ALWAYS PUT OUT CORN AND BIRDSEED FOR HIM

It was about mid-afternoon when I put my book down, put my hat on, grabbed a camera, and out the door Pheebs and went for a walk over around the Park's pond and beyond.  I also put up a lamp post along the Fairy path at the southwest corner of our house,

 NICE AFTERNOON FOR A WALK AROUND THE PARK'S POND....I THINK WE GOT UP TO 50F OR MORE TODAY

 INSTEAD OF ICE AND SNOW ALONG THE POND'S EDGE, IT'S LOOKING MORE LIKE SPRING

A few days ago I finished a book called, The Unseen by Mike McClelland.  It's a work of fiction coming from an unusual man.  I wavered on choosing this book until I read the line, 'This is a work of fiction that could only be written by someone who deeply knows the reality of the phenomena'.  (Owls) It was a long riveting 12-hour read but the author had me hooked all the way through from start to finish.  My search for elusive answers continue.  

SHIMMERING REFLECTIONS

Soon, it will be the end of another year on our arduous journey through the decades.  I feel a tiredness at times now that differs from the tiredness of youth.  And, I am beginning to think it is knowingly okay.....................               

Al's Music Box:)) Winter Time is a song from Canadian composer, pianist, and vibraphonist Hagood Hardy's 1975 album 'The Homecoming'.  In 1976, based on the music in this album's collection, Hardy was named Composer of the Year at the annual Juno Awards.

GROANER'S CORNER:(( Things Not To Say During Childbirth

-- Gosh, you're lucky. I sure wish men could experience the miracle of childbirth.
-- Do you think the baby will come before Monday Night Football starts?
-- I hope you are ready. The Glamour Shot photographer will be here in fifteen minutes.
-- If you think this hurts, I should tell you about the time I twisted my ankle playing basketball.
-- That was the kids on the phone. Did you have anything planned for dinner?
-- When you lay on your back, you look like a python that swallowed a wild boar.
-- You don't need an epidural. Just relax and enjoy the moment.
-- This whole experience kind of reminds me of an episode from I Love Lucy.
-- Oops! Which cord was I supposed to cut?
-- Stop your swearing and just breathe.
-- Remember what we learned in Lamaze class! HEE HEE HOO HOO. You're not using the right words.
-- Your stomach still looks like there's another one in there

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Two inexperienced hunters are out in the woods, and after a while, they come upon some tracks.  "These are bear tracks!" the first hunter exclaims.  "No, idiot, they're deer tracks!" the second one retorts.  "No, moron ..."  And they go on like this for hours, until a train hits them.

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As we were putting out cookies for Santa on Christmas Eve, I accidentally dropped one. "No problem," I said, picking it up and dusting it off before placing it back on the plate.  "You can't do that," argued my four-year-old.  "Don't worry. Santa will never know."  He shot me a look. "So he knows if I've been bad or good, but he doesn't know you dropped a cookie on the floor?"

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