Keeping a Diary

Wednesday, 28 December 2005 12:00 A GMT-06

My diary for 1961 is boring and interesting at the same time. I wrote down every time I took a bath and washed my hair! At least I didn't write down what I ate for supper every day like I did in my diary for 1958. I also wrote about the weather. Did

Category: The Past

Boxing Day

Monday, 26 December 2005 12:00 A GMT-06

One year, our family was invited to our friends, the Plaatsmans, for Boxing Day (December 26). We ate dinner with them, and for dessert Freda served Christmas pudding. The tradition is that whoever finds a sixpence in his or her serving will have

Category: The Past

15 Things That I Like About Christmas: Day 15 – Jesus’ Birthday

Sunday, 25 December 2005 12:00 A GMT-06

I like Christmas because it is Jesus’ birthday. Because so many activities revolve around the holiday season, it is easy to forget the real reason we celebrate Christmas. To me the holiday season stems from one thing--the birth of a baby boy who

Category: The Present My Thoughts

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15 Things That I Like About Christmas: Day 14 – The Smells

Saturday, 24 December 2005 12:00 A GMT-06

As you probably realize from my previous entries, I love the smell of all the foods and goodies. Some people burn candles and they smell great. If the weather gets cooler, then the air has a nice smell. I can’t describe the smell, but it is good.

Category: The Present My Thoughts

15 Things That I Like About Christmas: Day 13 – Good Meals Where You Eat Too Much

Friday, 23 December 2005 12:00 A GMT-06

Where I work, we always have a Christmas party where everyone brings something to eat. Everything is delicious! There is always so much to eat. So much that there is enough for everyone to eat the next day. We spend Christmas with our children and

Category: The Present My Thoughts

15 Things That I Like About Christmas: Day 12 – The Lights

Thursday, 22 December 2005 12:00 A GMT-06

During the Christmas season, my husband and I spend at least one evening driving around town looking at all the lights. In the next town to us, there is a house that has so many lights that they light up the sky! We can see them clearly from the

Category: The Present My Thoughts

15 Things That I Like About Christmas: Day 11 – Using Christmas Dishes, Glasses, and Napkins

Wednesday, 21 December 2005 12:00 A GMT-06

I have a set of Christmas dishes and glasses with a holly design on them. They don't have a gold edge or anthing like that because I like dishes that I can put in the dishwasher. I've been looking for servings dishes that match. I also buy Christmas

Category: The Present My Thoughts

15 Things That I Like About Christmas: Day 10 – Christmas Can be Celebrated Anywhere

Tuesday, 20 December 2005 12:00 A GMT-06

For most of my life I have been associated with the military. That means I have spent the Christmas season in many different places. I’ve celebrated Christmas in merry ole England with plum pudding and Boxing Day. Several Advent seasons were spen

Category: The Present My Thoughts

15 Things That I Like About Christmas: Day 9 – Joy and Thankfulness

Monday, 19 December 2005 12:00 A GMT-06

I like the joy and thankfulness that I feel when I stop and think about Christmas. At Christmas, we celebrate the greatest event in human history--the coming of Jesus Christ into the world. On that night over 2,000 years ago, God stepped down from

Category: The Present My Thoughts

15 Things That I Like About Christmas: Day 8 – Celebrating Advent

Sunday, 18 December 2005 12:00 A GMT-06

Advent is the time to prepare for Christmas by remembering Christ's first coming to us (His birth) and thinking about Christ's second coming at the end of time. The Advent candle custom started long ago. Soon after December 25 was established as the

Category: The Present My Thoughts

15 Things That I Like About Christmas: Day 7 – Christmas Movies

Saturday, 17 December 2005 12:00 A GMT-06

One of my favorite Christmas movies is "It's a Wonderful Life" with James Stewart and Donna Reed. I also like two Scrooge movies: "A Christmas Carol" starring Patrick Stewart and "Ebbie" starring Susan Lucci. I'll watch any Christmas-type movie or

Category: The Present My Thoughts

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15 Things That I Like About Christmas: Day 6 – Receiving and Giving Gifts

Friday, 16 December 2005 12:00 A GMT-06

It is fun to open gifts and to see what people have given to me. I usually get things that I like and enjoy using. In recent years my husband has given me gift cards from different stores. That makes Christmas last long after December 25.

Category: The Present My Thoughts

15 Things That I Like About Christmas: Day 5 – Christmas Cards

Thursday, 15 December 2005 12:00 A GMT-06

We send out about 65 Christmas cards each year to family and friends. Some of our friends Bill and I knew when we were first married 35 years ago and others we have met along the way. When I address the envelopes, I think of each person or family

Category: The Present My Thoughts

15 Things That I Like About Christmas: Day 4 – A Chance to be Sappy

Wednesday, 14 December 2005 12:00 A GMT-06

My daughter’s mother-in-law told me that she gets sappy during the holidays. She is exactly like me. I start thinking about the people that I love and want to be around them. Also, I start telling them I love them and appreciate them. They

Category: The Present My Thoughts

Happy Birthday, Lee!

Wednesday, 14 December 2005 12:00 A GMT-06

Today is my son Lee's birthday. I'm taking my daughter Amy's idea and writing an open letter to him. Dear Lee, thank you for being in my life. My life has been more interesting and loving because you are in it. When you were born, it was like a

Category: The Present Your Biggest Fan

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15 Things That I Like About Christmas: Day 3 – Laugher

Tuesday, 13 December 2005 12:00 A GMT-06

I like the laughter that I hear during the Christmas season. It seems as though people laugh more. I think most people are more lighthearted and happy, which causes laughter. When I hear laughter, I want to laugh too. Hearing my granddaughters

Category: The Present My Thoughts

15 Things That I Like About Christmas: Day 2 – Desserts, Cookies, Candy, and Other Sweet Stuff

Monday, 12 December 2005 12:00 A GMT-06

I like is the desserts, cookies, candy, and all the different sweet things. Like everyone else, we have certain foods we make every year. In recent years, I have baked a fruit cake for my son-in-law for Christmas. He likes the fruit cake so muc

Category: The Present My Thoughts

Charm Bracelets

Monday, 12 December 2005 12:00 A GMT-06

Charm bracelets were popular in the early 1960s. Here are two that I wore. The top one has charms representing buildings in London. The bottom one I bought in Scotland. See the thistle on the right? Click on photo to see a larger version.

Category: The Past

15 Things That I Like About Christmas: Day 1 - Christmas Carols

Sunday, 11 December 2005 8:07 A GMT-06

Today I am starting what I call “15 Things That I Like About Christmas.” I hope my 15 things will make me pause and appreciate the true meaning of Christmas-—the birth of Jesus, the Savior of the world. Some of the things that I will talk abo

Category: The Present My Thoughts

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Riding the Bus and Learning to Knit

Friday, 9 December 2005 12:00 A GMT-06

The bus that we rode to high school was not one of those school buses you normally think of. We rode in a luxury coach (like one of those nice Greyhound buses). It was good because the rides were so long. While riding the bus, we had time to do

Category: The Past

Central High School

Wednesday, 7 December 2005 12:00 A GMT-06

When is was time for Dottie and me to start high school (9th grade), my dad said that we should go to an American school rather than the English one we had attended the past year and a half. So, we went to an American school called Central High Scho

Category: The Past

Lassie Club

Monday, 5 December 2005 12:00 A GMT-06

I found this when I was going through my trunk. Don't you wish you belonged to the Lassie Club like me?!

Category: The Past

My Own Shoe Tier

Sunday, 4 December 2005 2:01 P GMT-06

Last Sunday I told you that I had my own manicurists. I now have someone to tie my shoes for me! Below is a photo of my shoes tied by my younger granddaughter. Below that is a photo of the shoe-tying girl's feet.

Category: Grandkids are Grand!

Different Colored Plates

Friday, 2 December 2005 12:00 A GMT-06

My mom had a set of dishes that was different colors--there was a green plate, a yellow plate, and dark pink plate, and a gray plate. The bowls and cups were the same colors. There may have been other colors, but I don't remember. My sister Dottie

Category: The Past