tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post5709667903640099790..comments2024-03-28T13:23:25.055-07:00Comments on Chant du Départ: The HolidaysOldAFSargehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15935839956936191547noreply@blogger.comBlogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-49025100693519259162019-11-05T02:33:31.725-08:002019-11-05T02:33:31.725-08:00Now there's an idea!Now there's an idea!OldAFSargehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15935839956936191547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-51138250276442065182019-11-04T20:00:39.598-08:002019-11-04T20:00:39.598-08:00Good post! Maybe I need to institute a moratorium...Good post! Maybe I need to institute a moratorium on cell phones during Thanksgiving this year (we're hosting the clan). It won't take us back to earlier and simpler times, but it can allow us to focus on what's truly important. Or, I could just buy a cell phone jammer!Tunahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04930237104692982421noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-66504801113552447162019-11-04T05:20:28.803-08:002019-11-04T05:20:28.803-08:00I'm reminded of the scene in National Lampoon&...I'm reminded of the scene in <i>National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation</i> with the squirrel in the tree.<br /><br />Cats and trees, always interesting.OldAFSargehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15935839956936191547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-53516994133378010602019-11-04T05:18:19.451-08:002019-11-04T05:18:19.451-08:00Cats and trees, sometimes dangerous, often amusing...Cats and trees, sometimes dangerous, often amusing.OldAFSargehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15935839956936191547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-73795745367338740282019-11-04T05:17:34.213-08:002019-11-04T05:17:34.213-08:00Badgers and power tools, the mind reels...Badgers and power tools, the mind reels...OldAFSargehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15935839956936191547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-39554514949775366522019-11-04T05:16:54.685-08:002019-11-04T05:16:54.685-08:00Beans - I could but it ain't the same.Beans - I could but it ain't the same.OldAFSargehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15935839956936191547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-36526390373870209812019-11-03T23:20:14.606-08:002019-11-03T23:20:14.606-08:00Juvat, I just got a 24" throat scroll saw, an...Juvat, I just got a 24" throat scroll saw, and I bought some spiral blades for it, which will cut in any direction. That means I can ignore even the most basic safety rules!SCOTTtheBADGERhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12859188068159799373noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-74824922682972890062019-11-03T23:12:08.837-08:002019-11-03T23:12:08.837-08:00We always wired the tree to the wall, as we had ka...We always wired the tree to the wall, as we had katzes. usually, one round trip was enough for that year's tree, but Lazarus would make a daily round trip. He was also the cat that liked to sleep on my bed, curled up by my head. Man, he smelled good in December!SCOTTtheBADGERhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12859188068159799373noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-81886420876534177772019-11-03T18:51:14.240-08:002019-11-03T18:51:14.240-08:00Great post and great comments. Too many great holi...Great post and great comments. Too many great holiday memories to count. When I was six, or maybe seven, my Dad put up the tree and Mom and us kids decorated it (which means Mom decorated it and we turned a one-hour job into a marathon). The tree was a bit lopsided and nearly went over a time or two. In the middle of the night it went down, and Mom and dad lost a lot of sleep righting it and making it right. It went down again during breakfast the next morning. Dad pulled out a hammer and nails and nailed it to the floor. He stood back and evaluated his work, then suddenly his hand shot deep into the green boughs and emerged with the squalling family cat, which he soundly flang against the wall. Mystery solved. That cat wouldn't even think about entering the living room for the rest of its days. I'm quite certain that morning before school was the first time I heard the expression "firetrucking cat." My Mom's reaction to the phrase told me that one of those words was a "special" word, and I was pretty sure it wasn't C-A-T. So my early present that year was momentary fame at school as the bearer of a new and powerful word.<br /><br />The healing of our shared national problems begins with the individual. Be kind and caring indeed. Especially, especially, when you don't wanna be. That's when you can do your best work and touch hearts with love.PrairieAdventurehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06466447251827774900noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-11749885945241283232019-11-03T18:03:53.406-08:002019-11-03T18:03:53.406-08:00You can always make pumpkin bread without nuts. Af...You can always make pumpkin bread without nuts. After all, you're nuts enough already...Beanshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15293778848879361153noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-88954146549912040632019-11-03T15:48:50.911-08:002019-11-03T15:48:50.911-08:00Old cherished memories do that.Old cherished memories do that.OldAFSargehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15935839956936191547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-22383681799681391852019-11-03T15:48:35.895-08:002019-11-03T15:48:35.895-08:00Great story John. I can picture the dog's face...Great story John. I can picture the dog's face!OldAFSargehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15935839956936191547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-84948655304675649212019-11-03T15:15:59.532-08:002019-11-03T15:15:59.532-08:00"sky" not "ski" it was getting..."sky" not "ski" it was getting a touch misty. John in Phillyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16196033252818387245noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-19944092162387740792019-11-03T15:14:47.421-08:002019-11-03T15:14:47.421-08:00Some of the most often repeated family holiday sto...Some of the most often repeated family holiday stories are when cooking went wrong. <br />I know that pumpkin pies taste much better with sugar than without. (Mom)<br />I know that removing the beaters from the mixer while the mixer is plugged in is a bad thing. (Cousin)<br />I know that if you (me) have been tasked to remove the turkey from the oven because my Dad was having tendonitis problems, and you feel your grip slipping a bit, it is better to put the turkey and pan back into the oven because dropping the turkey on the kitchen floor will result in a mess, and the family will tell the story forever. And it also resulted in the dog's look of wide eyed astonishment when a cooked turkey fell from the ski directly in front of him. I swear at that instant I could read the dog's mind, and I believe he said, "Yes, there is a heavenly power that grants wishes!" (of course we ate the turkey, you don't through food away)<br />It would not surprise me one iota that when I am the star of my funeral, the question, "Does anyone have anything to say?" is answered with, "Well, yes, there was this one time at Christmas Dinner where he dropped the turkey on the kitchen floor!" <br /><br />Good post that sparked some wonderful memories. Thanks. John in Phillyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16196033252818387245noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-3960938751499680112019-11-03T12:32:49.608-08:002019-11-03T12:32:49.608-08:00Juvat - Measure 85 times, put off cutting until I&...Juvat - Measure 85 times, put off cutting until I've reworked the numbers and...<br /><br />"What's that honey, you hired a guy to do that? Sounds good."<br /><br />Takes me forever to do carpentry, probably why we "have a guy."OldAFSargehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15935839956936191547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-54988525587639627382019-11-03T12:30:17.881-08:002019-11-03T12:30:17.881-08:00My paternal grandmother used that system well, her...My paternal grandmother used that system well, her baking (all of it using TLAR) was unbelievably good!OldAFSargehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15935839956936191547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-70176769855068913662019-11-03T12:29:29.751-08:002019-11-03T12:29:29.751-08:00As my woodworking experience continuously shows me...As my woodworking experience continuously shows me...TLAR is always 1/4" too short. "Measure twice, cut once" is being changed to "Measure 5 times, cut twice". But....Hey! I've got a lot of scrap wood around, just in case I need it!<br /><br />So...I've got that going for me...which is nice. Gunga galunga… gunga, gunga-lagunga Y'all!juvathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09096708575138552532noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-62683677074800994292019-11-03T12:29:12.460-08:002019-11-03T12:29:12.460-08:00Some good traditions there, and good memories.
So...Some good traditions there, and good memories.<br /><br />Sometimes remembering the past can be overwhelming as you can't go back there, as much as you want to. I so get that.<br /><br />Seeing the faces of those family members no longer with us who made Christmas past so memorable is sometimes soul-crushing. But I try to remember the good times, the good memories. Like you say though, they are still in my head and heart and like you I cam, and do, see them all the time.OldAFSargehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15935839956936191547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-64948094928978017492019-11-03T12:26:14.944-08:002019-11-03T12:26:14.944-08:00Thanks drjim!Thanks drjim!OldAFSargehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15935839956936191547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-27267607638182771522019-11-03T12:25:59.936-08:002019-11-03T12:25:59.936-08:00What an awesome tradition. I love thing like that,...What an awesome tradition. I love thing like that, the best of small town America.OldAFSargehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15935839956936191547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-92168529653370869402019-11-03T12:24:58.615-08:002019-11-03T12:24:58.615-08:00I used to make a mean pumpkin bread. My problem is...I used to make a mean pumpkin bread. My problem is that I want the entire kitchen when other things need to be prepared as well.<br /><br />Don't do it any more as nuts don't like me, not an allergy thing, a diverticulitis thing.OldAFSargehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15935839956936191547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-73693554754782213852019-11-03T12:22:21.562-08:002019-11-03T12:22:21.562-08:00STxAR - Some families just have an odd streak, non...STxAR - Some families just have an odd streak, non-Catholic sent to school in a convent? That had to have been rough.<br /><br />Your mom's side sound like salt of the Earth types.OldAFSargehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15935839956936191547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-32588450095669154622019-11-03T12:19:54.644-08:002019-11-03T12:19:54.644-08:00Beans - Roger that.Beans - Roger that.OldAFSargehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15935839956936191547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-65224621941292932552019-11-03T11:17:42.256-08:002019-11-03T11:17:42.256-08:00Grandmother had a hard life. Her dad had about fo...Grandmother had a hard life. Her dad had about forty names (depending on where he was, shifty as all get out), and left her to a convent for schooling. As a non-catholic, she got some rough handling. The family was strange. I never could figure how folks that grew up dirt poor in the dust bowl turned into such snotty people. My superintendent uncle, would drive over to visit, then sit in his car and talk through the window, then drive away without ever getting out. I really have no idea.... They were all a bit...... pinned off kilter.<br /><br />Most of the kin on that side were in education (3 uncles and an aunt) and all were a tad snooty... Dad was a Texas Peace Officer, another Uncle was OK Highway Patrol, and another Uncle was a wannabe musician/alcohol sponge. Oh, and an uncle that made helicopters in Fort Worth. We (just my dad and his family) were treated like a step-kid's family. (I never figured out what caused it) It was uncomfortable to say the least, and down right awful most of the time.<br /><br />Mom's side was polar opposite. Everyone was a rancher. We kids were on our own recognizance. We ran all over that part of the world and never got in trouble. Just a pile of fun and freedom south of the county seat... It was heaven.... At times, as I wake up, I'm back there for a second before I open my eyes.... That is the definition of bittersweet....STxARhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04588850178293194825noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-44535501720960112672019-11-03T11:16:21.533-08:002019-11-03T11:16:21.533-08:00Wonderful post, Sarge.Wonderful post, Sarge.drjimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05647484115197408897noreply@blogger.com