The Library

[BarbStAubrey]

December Library
Our Library Cafe is open 24/7; the Welcome Mat is always out.
Do come in from daily chores and spend some time with us.


Pull up your chair, bring your coffee or wine and tell us,
How You Celebrate the December Holidays
Note the "Topics for the Day" - We want to hear all about it.

And please, continue to share your library news in addition to these holiday topics.
Let's make the library a bustling place to be this month.

November 26-28: - Tell us the best book YOU read this year and why?
November 29-30: - Did you ever have a disastrous holiday you laugh about now? The dressing that ran, the turkey which never cooked, the tree that toppled? Tell us about it.

December 1-3: - Do you carve wood, knit, crochet or sew?  Have you spent the last year making things for your family? Share your talents with us!  How about a photo?
December 3: - The First Sunday in December, Advent begins - do you hang an Advent calendar or read from a special Advent book?

December 4-7: - Do you always have something special to eat on Christmas Eve?  Or Christmas morning? How about a recipe?
December 6: - Today is the Feast of St Nickolas - Do you do anything special for the day?
December 7: - Pearl Harbor Remembrance - Do you 'remember' anyone who died during WWII? Have you ever visited Pearl Harbor?

Everyone is welcome! As the month of December goes on there will be additional topic question every couple of days - We start with our first topical question on Sunday, November, 26th through Tuesday the 28th - on the 29th we pickup and share the next topic and so forth.

During the month there will be special days that we will note as additional topics. Please do not jump ahead - the next nearly 2 weeks are shown so that y'all get the jest of what we are doing this year.

Again, the Library as usual continues with this Holiday/December theme an addition.

[rosemarykaye]

Hi Frybabe and Dana - yes, it has been 'a time' - I don't know where it has gone! Busy with offspring, parent, parents-in-law, job, etc but I am always thinking of you all and wanting to get back here.

I don't think Monica Dickens has dated at all - at least not in this book. I read all the others when i too was at school, and I think i will try to read them again.

I think I have that JG Farrell book, must dig it out, thanks for the recommmendation.

I am currently reading The Cavalier Case by Antonia Fraser - she who was has written some acclaimed literary biographies and who was married to Harold Pinter. This is a Jemima Shore mystery - I remember reading some others in the series years ago, but this one is pretty poor really - a bit like Jilly Cooper (lots of posh people and posh places) but Cooper is much better, even though she does not have the intellectual reputation that Fraser has acquired. Dorothy L Sayers Fraser most certainly is not, though that may have been what she was aspiring to.

Best wishes, Rosemary

[Jonathan]

Thanks, Dana. Just when I was wondering what do I read next, you come up with a great reccomendation: The Siege of Krishnapur. I've had that on my shelf for a long time, and I've often thought, that does look good.

For the past few days I've been browsing through another unusual coffee-table book, thanks to Ginny. Vanity Fair: Selections From America's Most Memorable Magazine. A Cavalcade of the 1920s and 1930s. This is the ultimate nostalgia thing. Pictorially as grand as the National Portrait Gallery, with many VF things by distinguished, familiar literary figures. Yes, Ginny, I caught the Tina Brown thing last weekend, and, like you, I'll be looking for her Vanity Fair Diaries.

And do I have a book for you, Barb. You'll love it. Perhaps you have it. Art & Nature: An Illustrated Anthology of Nature Poetry, put out by The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Like your splendid work, it matches pictures and poetry. Congratulations.

[rosemarykaye]

I also wanted to mention a book I have bought for one of my daughters for Christmas.

It is by a wonderful girl called Kate Young and it is called The Little Library Cookbook. Kate is Australian but lives in London. She had the idea of writing about dishes that are mentioned in her favourite books - not books that give the recipes, she has developed all of those herself. The book is beautifully produced with some lovely photos, and great chapters about everything from Everard's chicken casserole in Barbara Pym's Excellent Women to Sole with White Sauce from A Room of One's Own (Woolf), Sesame Balls from The Joy Luck Club[/i]]The Joy Luck Club, Pistachio and Rose Cake from Christie's Murder on the Orient Express and Bread, Butter and Honey from I Capture the Castle. There are lots of children's books mentioned too.

I went to the Edinburgh launch of this book in a little independent shop called Golden Hare Books. It was so interesting, and Kate was such a friendly person - she even brought along her own home made buns and biscuits. And she knows her stuff - I had a long chat with her about Pym, and it was fabulous to meet someone who actually got all the food references (there are many) in the novels. So it's a gift idea for anyone who loves books and food!

[BarbStAubrey]

Haha I need to stop coming in here - always there is a book suggested that I just cannot pass up - evidently Rosemary, Kate Young is coming out with a new version of her book next March - cannot tell if she is tapping into different stories and different authors or if it is an updated version of the book she has published but what I could not pass up - The Christmas Chronicles: Notes, Stories & 100 Essential Recipes for Midwinter by Nigel Slater.

And I did go ahead and order the Anthology of Nature Poetry Jonathan - I had another of her books that I ended up giving away as a token teacher gift last year. Art & Wonder: An Illustrated Anthology of Visionary Poetry which included many of Shakespeare's poems with illustrations of paintings from his time.

The next two weeks will be perfect for hours of reading - My favorite TV shows on are PBS, Friday through Monday night - I was already having withdrawal symptoms of 'what now' when they cancelled Charlie Rose and now it is pledge drive time with nothing exciting at all this year to replace the wonderful selections we have enjoyed this fall. Plus, the listing I've been dealing with since last summer is finally under contract - a cracked slab is a huge downer even though she made the repairs - the closing is delayed since the couple are leasing and cannot afford double payments so they split the time between the end or the lease and the contract date - which again leaves me free of all except dealing with the Title Company till January and the seller who is a good friend.

This year Christmas is just me and I have decided to enjoy - family are all busy and there are no close friends any longer - so rather than getting into memory and memorializing what was, I'm putting together a sorta Bucket List - of Christmas books to read, and places to see lights and a few recipes I have never tried and of course Advent and Christmas Cds - I've some Daffodil bulbs coming to plant in pots and dishes and finally, I will have time to make covered boxes -

I've always enjoyed making boxes since I was a kid and later covered them in needlework - I'm thinking of covering a few in Christmas designed fabric that has been in my bin forever and fill them with cookies for neighbors and teachers and the firemen, who are so good to us in this neighborhood coming to the rescue of many of the elders who fall in their homes.

Looking at the Christmas topics in the heading and trying to decide the best book I read this year... hmmm that will take some looking into my shelves - I have never developed the habit of writing down the books I read and a year is a long time.

[bellamarie]

Barb, it sounds like a bittersweet Christmas this year for you.  I do love alone time, so I am envying you get to have this time to do the special things you love to do.  Making Christmas boxes sound delightful, and to think you will use them to show your appreciation for the firemen is just so thoughtful of a thing to do.  They will be touched by it I am sure.

My favorite book I read this year.....hmmmm that will take me some thinking as well.  I do know I read Max Lucado's Because of Bethlehem: Love Is Born, Hope Is Here It would definitely be in my top 5 best reads of the year.  I am currently reading with an online Bible Study group his Anxious for Nothing: Finding Calm in a Chaotic World.  It couldn't have come at a more perfect time. 

I will glance back over the books I have read and see the title of my favorite and get back with you on this.

Charlie Rose's sexual scandal hit me like a rock.  As did Bill O'Reilly's and many others.  But then now that so many powerful, prominent, political and presidential names are coming out, it seems it all has a commonality to it.  What truly amazes me is how so many women, young actor/actresses, interns, co workers etc., have had to experience such behaviors from these men, and kept quiet for what ever reasons, and were able to either leave their jobs, or maintain a career in Hollywood, in spite of it.  It seems Pandora's box has been opened, and what is coming out now is not pretty. I am glad these victims are having a chance to finally come forward, exposing these men for who they are.  I am shocked at how many millions of dollars of taxpayer's money has been spent to settle sexual cases of senators and congressmen, not to mention how many people in Hollywood knew what has been going on for decades and stayed silent.  They all seem to protect their own. 

[nlhome]

 I read a lot of books this year, none seemed exceptional, just enjoyed them all. I did like Elizabeth Berg's What We Keep. It Was set in a time period that I lived - I would be the same age as one of the sisters in 1958, so some of the memories of the character resonated with me. What I liked best is that I passed it on to one of my sisters, and she really enjoyed reading it, as she had been struggling with finding something good. We usually don't read the same books. She will be looking at other books by Ms. Berg.

[Dana]

Re The Siege of Krishnapur.....I thought it was really excellent, a fictional account of the Brits in India prior to the mutiny, funny and serious at the same time with lots of interesting diversions into phrenology and cholera and other stuff too. Perhaps a bit over the top sometimes in the depictions of the behaviour of some characters and some scenes....but, what the heck, poetic license....

I did think it would be a good one for the book club here, it is so different.

Now I am reading The Singapore Grip, another of his books.  This one is most definitely over the top, its about Singapore prior to and at the time of the invasion by the Japs.   He  wrote another one about Ireland, not sure what period....I shall have to read that too, now I'm on a roll...

I was thinking not long ago about Monica Dickens and how I used to like her, I thought she would be unavailable now so I shall have to look for her books over here.  I remember her as a sort of mixture of Maeve Binchy and  Elizabeth Jane Howard.

[Mkaren557]

I am feeling just overwhelmed with books I want to read.  You all know the famous, "So many books, So little time."  That used to mean that I am working or have other committments that don't allow mw to read.  Now I have time and I recently realized that is I read every hour of every day I have left on this earth, I still will not be able to read them all.  Reading has been such a joyous part of my life that I don't want this realization to be a downer. So, I will read on consumed by the places books take me, the people I meet in the pages, and the challenges to my thinking and my understanding that still await me.
     The best books I have read in the last year are non-fiction.  I have always been a reader of fiction, non-fiction has always seemed to feel like work.  My first find of the year was Quiet by Susan Cain.  She writes about being an introvert in our extroverted society.  It this interests you, try her Ted Talk on UTube.  Two books have been so helpful as I face the end of my life:  Being Mortal by Atul Gawande and When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi.  To be honest this past year I discovered that I had never read Jane Austens Emma.  I just loved it.  So, its on to 2018 and 365 more days to read.

[PatH]

Karen, I envy you reading Emma for the first time.  I've read all of Austen's books so many times I've lost count.

[bellamarie]

Karen,  I have to say Jane Austen is one of my favorite authors, Emma and Pride and Prejudice are my two favorites of hers.  I have the DVD movie of Emma, the one with Romola Garai playing Emma, she fits her character in the book perfectly, the spit and spunk is captured.  You will love it!!  I've read all of Austen's books and enjoyed every one of them.  I envy you have the time to read every day, I need to parcel out an hour or two.  I wish I could own every book I think I would like to read, and have the time to read them.  Once school begins in August I am so busy keeping up with going to my grandkids sports, I drop in bed at night exhausted with my book still waiting for me to open it.

[ginny]

It's an interesting question, the "Best Book."  Would that mean the one you enjoyed most or the one you got the most  out of, if they are not the same? The one you read for pure escapism which did not disappoint?

I've been thinking about it for 2 days.  I also don't write down what I read, so it's hard to remember, especially now,  in a sea of great reading, some of it personally satisfying, some of it others would call trash, some of it fun:  it's hard to pick a "best."

You'll laugh at me but I'm going to go with the one I think about the most, which made the most profound effect on me,  which seems to come up in the strangest ways, and which was ultimately the most useful, (and that might be because of the comments of those in the group read), but I'm going to say Number Our Days by Barbara Myerhoff.

That is the first book of "anthropology" I have ever read, and I find myself using the insights she  provided and thinking of the people in the book almost every day. I also read in connection with that How to Say it to Seniors: Closing the Communication Gap,  which made some startling observations about dealing with people of a certain age.

Now if the category is the Best Escape Book or the Best Sink Into It and Enjoy Book, or the Best Comfort book,   I have a whole other slate of  contenders.

Welcome back, Rosemary! We have missed you and your great posts!

[ginny]

Karen, I also have read  Being Mortal and Quiet, they are great. Another book a student recommended to me was The Sociopath Next Door, and boy is THAT an eye opener. It's not a big book but when you read a chapter you suddenly see a Sociopath in every person you're around  for quite a  while. hahahaa

 I didn't realize what a Sociopath WAS, it's not like a Psychopath, it's quite interesting, actually, and once you get the idea of what one IS, you see them EVERYWHERE. They don't foam at the mouth so it's hard to realize that there is one you've known for quite a while.

I also read some time ago How We Die from a doctor's perspective,  and I thought that was fascinating: that sticks with one, too, particularly the bit about the famous death bed scenes and why you need to say what you have to say before that.

The Siege of Krishnapur sounds great, I will look for it, I never  heard of it. Always get such great recommendations here!

[BarbStAubrey]

Golly like you Ginny, how to decide on the BEST book among so many categories I've read - can't do it so, I am at least down to 'Three' Best Books...

I loved, The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper by Phaedra Patrick for several reasons - I like a novel that includes humor and this surely does, along with some serious thinking because of the story. He is a recent widow in a rut and grieving till he clears out his wife things and finds a Charm bracelet that it turns out each charm represented a life experience she had before she met and married Arthur.

Never thought but yes, we have a life that we seldom share the details with our husband since there are old boyfriends and other bits that seem either in poor taste to share or irrelevant to the life shared with this love of your life. That was an eyeopener - we all have a back story that often our family and our husband know little to nothing about.

Then what I thought was so well done was, while Arthur tracked down those who either gave her a charm or knew where the charm came from, he was getting out of himself - trying new things - as if his wife was offering him a gift of adventure that gradually opened up new aspects of his personality and gradually you could see and feel his grief phases leaving. Nice lesson how we can handle grief by going on a learning spree or on some adventures.

And best of all, where he was a rock of predictability he became open to neighbors and in particular helped mentor a troubled teen - all round satisfactory read that stuck with me.

Then there was this eye opener - Holy Hannah had no idea - The Suppressed History of American Banking: How Big Banks Fought Jackson, Killed Lincoln, and Caused the Civil War by Xaviant Haze - yes, the author is into conspiracy theories however, reading the facts was an eye opener and as we learned -"Follow the Gold" - The result, I have been reading many books that  uncover more than I ever imagined as to the 'why and wherefore' which is usually 'the' major cause but, is not picked up as the theme that becomes a slogan by the many.

After reading Haze's book I had to read,  King Cotton diplomacy; Foreign relations of the Confederate States of America by Frank Lawrence Owsley,  Unholy Trinity: The IMF, World Bank and WTO by Richard Peet, All The President's Bankers by Nomi Prins - Those with money run the show and here we think it is the leaders of a nation.  I never put it together but wars are fought on borrowed money that enslaves the winning nation for generations to the desires of the lender. These issues go back to medieval days when nobles financed the king's wars and then demanded special privileges. We have been deeply indebted to a few since the Civil War which doubled the nation's debt from the War of 1812 that was a manageable debt. The entire line of power bondage through credit is mouth dropping...

And then, this tid bit blew me away and it has been quite a ride going deeper into science - for whatever reason I was looking into atoms and how the human body is made of atoms and lo and behold learned that about a 3rd of any atom is from material before the big bang - spent lots of time ruminating and then the topper, learned that our mental ability is not a formation from atoms - it is not biology ---

OK I could see the process of evolution that brought us to man and the furthering of the human form and physical capacity but, how did our learning and wisdom and mental capacity develop - there was nothing I could find that showed any progression as evolution.

And so, starting the ball rolling was - Chaos Creativity and Cosmic Consciousness by Rupert Sheldrake, Terence McKenna and Ralph Abraham - not a huge tome and a stimulating read that opened the door which led to Consciousness Explained- a huge tome 646 pages - Followed by the best and most demanding, Biocentrism: How Life and Consciousness Are the Keys to Understanding the True Nature of the Universe I've not yet finished since each page brings up more and more questions - relating all this to the Christian concept of God is just the way I think. This is turning into an excursion of unraveling the Labyrinthos Caves.

Next is looking into Pierre Teilhard de Chardin SJ a Jesuit philosopher, who conceived the vitalist idea of the Omega Point (a maximum level of complexity and consciousness) and then to read Quantum Enigma: Physics Encounters Consciousness I just need to find out how our consciousness, awareness, mental capacity grew, how it originated.

This is when I want to hole up like a Monk and just study and read but its not to be, there is a house and garden to maintain and a slowing but active career to take care of and a body that needs activity or it will atrophy. Ah so, as the song goes, Good tidings to you and all of your friends; We wish you a merry Christmas and a happy New Year!

[BarbStAubrey]

November 29-30: - Did you ever have a disastrous holiday you laugh about now? The dressing that ran, the turkey which never cooked, the tree that toppled? Tell us about it.

[bellamarie]

Ginny and RosemaryKaye it is so nice to see you are back with us.  I always look forward to hear about which books you are reading. I need to begin a list of all the books mentioned by all you members, they sound wonderful for the winter approaching.

My most disastrous Christmas experience that tops the list is when my three children were just in elementary school.  Our tradition was always go to my Mom's house for Christmas Eve and get home very late.  I would put the kids to bed, and my hubby and I would sit up waiting til they were fast asleep so Santa could put all the gifts under the tree.  Well, Mr. & Mrs. Claus just happened to lay down on their nice comfy bed waiting, and fell fast asleep.  If ever I considered NOT believing in Santa Claus, I can tell you this particular night I know he woke me from my slumber..... it was almost daybreak, I awoke out of a dead sleep and realized we had not put the gifts under the tree.  Oh heavens my hubby and I scurried like little elves, trying to be quiet as we had to take all the clothes out of my tiny closet, get the ladder to get up into the attic to bring down the hidden toys.  I remember praying, "Oh dear Lord Jesus please do not let those three little ones wake up."  We managed to get the last gift placed under the tree, crept back upstairs, laid down on our bed breathing like we ran a marathon, and heard our daughter waking up.  My hubby and I looked at each other, gave a high five and closed our eyes pretending we were asleep when the three of the kids came creeping into our bedroom saying, "Did Santa come last night?"  We rubbed our sleepy eyes and said, "Let's go see!"  Oh the joy on their faces, and squeals as they opened their gifts, made my heart leap.  My hubby and I winked at each other and said, "Mission accomplished,  Ho! Ho! Ho!"

[PatH]

You can never be sure you've gotten away with it.  I remember when I figured out, from a similar incident, who really played Santa Clause and Easter Bunny, I didn't tell my parents.  I was tickled to have figured it out, but even more tickled that they didn't realize I knew.

[BarbStAubrey]

I feel so good - had an inspection in Georgetown that went well - and just finished mapping out the next weeks, even into January - I've decided this year to only plan a 5 day week - I keep pushing and pushing and wonder why I am always behind - its because no one can keep doing without looking forward to a couple of days of unplanned fun.

As to Christmas disaster that we can laugh about - not really - a couple of times, weeks after Christmas I found wrapped Gifts I hid in the closet that I forgot about and so it was anti-climactic giving the gifts - I also remember figuring it out before Mom said anything but by then my kid brother was born and the following year I slid into helping Mom set things up without having the talk - and then two years later there was my Kid sister so my teen years Mom, and later my sister, 2 and half years younger and I went to Mid-night Mass together and when we returned there was the treat of BLT and mayo on German Rye bread - while we were gone my Dad always strung the lights on the Tree - we never had our tree up before Christmas eve so that was part of waking up - but again, no big disasters.

The only time we had an incident was at Paul and Sally's when the grandboys were about 9 and 10 - we went for the Tree and decorated it before an Evening Thanksgiving dinner and while eating, with our forks frozen half way to our mouths, we watched as slow motion the entire tree fell to the floor - so there we were picking up and Paul anchored it to the ceiling molding this time - only one bulb broke it was such a slow motions event - I think that is what had us frozen in time - watching this slowly happen.

[Jonathan]

Read on, Karen, and thanks for the lovely thoughts on the joys of reading. Jane Austen's Emma, as a 'discovery'. Wonderful. That's going onto my TBR list for 2018. Others on the list are books on Margaret Thatcher, Sophia Tolstoy,  Beatrice Cenci, Margaret Kempe, Dorathy Parker and Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough, all of which I've had around the house for many years. The time has come to read them. The Trollope discussion left me with the resolution to read a few books about women. It began with a biography of the author's mother. What an ardent feminist she was. And Anthony got caught up in it himself as we saw.

Barb, what an esoteric reader you are. A third of me was in existence before the Big Bang! That does make me feel a lot older. Discovering oneself is really what it's all about. And the least part of it is mental. I'm of 'the devil made me do it', or 'my guardian angel saved me that time' school. A mood may well be an angelic visitation.

[bellamarie]

Jonathan,  I had to giggle reading this,  "'the devil made me do it', or 'my guardian angel saved me that time'"   When I am teaching my third grade CCD class (religion) about the Holy Spirit, I use an analogy of the Holy Spirit sits on your right shoulder whispering "Don't do it.", while the devil sits on your left shoulder screaming, "Do it, do it!"   I guess no matter how old we get, we struggle with the right from wrong, and the temptation to resist, or not.

Barb, that's pretty hilarious anchoring the tree to the ceiling.  Oh what we won't do to have a huge tree in our house for the Christmas season.  Good to hear you plan to cut back a bit in the new year.  I retired two years ago and absolutely love it!  My volunteer work keeps me busy enough, along with all the school activities and sports my five grandchildren keep us involved in.

PatH.,  If they ever knew the real truth about Santa at that time, they kept a good secret. 

I can remember my daughter Julie coming to me at the age of twelve, I was in the kitchen doing dishes, she said, "Mom can I ask you a question and you will tell me the truth?"  I said, "Sure."  She said, "Everyone in my class makes fun of me because I still believe in Santa, they told me that there really is no Santa, and that the parents buy all the gifts.  Is there really a Santa, or do you and Dad buy our gifts?"  Oh how I dreaded this.... I told her, "First of all let me tell you I believe in Santa because for me he is the Spirit of Christmas, but as far as him coming to everyone's house with the Christmas gifts, no, the parents do buy the presents, but.... there are many times you ask for something that we can not find no matter how many stores we go to and then out of no where we finally find it, and that I believe is Santa leading us to fill your Christmas list."  I also told her she must not spoil Christmas for her younger two brothers by telling them there is no real Santa.  She smiled at me and said, "I'm never going to stop believing in Santa like you Mom because like you said, he is about the Spirit of giving."  We hugged and knew we had a secret pack.  My oldest son's sixth grade teacher decided to announce to the entire class there was no real Santa. While we were decorating the tree, my oldest son Michael, ran out of the house and we couldn't find him. I searched the garage and backyard.  I finally saw him sitting in our car.  I opened the door, climbed in next to him and asked what was wrong.  He started to cry and said, "Why have you and Dad been lying to me?"  I had no idea what he meant, so I asked what did he feel we were lying to him about.  He said, "All these years you have told us there is a real Santa, and Mrs. Burcher told the class our parents are the ones who buy the presents, there really is no Santa."  Oh, I was devastated this teacher took this special part of my child's experience of Christmas from him, and took my chance to have this talk with him.  I explained to him the same as I did with my daughter.  He then said on his own, "Mom, we can't tell Jeremy, he is too little and it's not fair to ruin his Christmas, we need to keep it a secret."  I said, "I agree, now let's go finish decorating the tree."  Oh what memories I hold near and dear.....

[BarbStAubrey]

Bellamarie you hit on something that I've been pondering this morning - belief that is for those of us who believed in the goodness and honesty of others and the trust that others will be good and honest versus understanding myth that is wrapped up in fantasy.

There are many today that in their effort to teach children to question and not blindly trust suggest that including myth is either confusing or not the way to be honest with their children.

Myth or not and that is the question - believing in what we cannot see - I know, Biblical Thomas - but there are many times we are challenged after bad things happen because we trusted when even our gut told us something was wrong. I do not think we are taught, any of us, how to handle dishonesty - we do not trust certain nations and this nation's response, like all the nations in history is to have a strong fighting force or we use essentially shunning. As the Amish, we nationally shun by closing off trade and other forms of communication - those seem to be the only choices - fight or retreat - and so to teach our children about the goodness of others without acknowledging how to take care of themselves when 'the devil makes others do it' is tough.

Many of us like to ignore that reality till our kids are in their teens, or if they were bullied when in grade school - I do not know the answer - I do know that those who are super practical and think 'the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth' are not taking into consideration 'whose' truth - we know that just simply observing an accident, according to where you were standing and your own history, everyone will have a slightly different version of what happened.

Thank goodness I did not have these kind of questions when my children were young and St. Nickolas was celebrated as part of  Christmas - and I am so glad my school years included reading so many of the myths along with fairy tales that I was able to read to my children since, their education did not include reading myths and memorizing of poetry that was the center of study for my generation.

All this is a continuing sort out - I see so much broken trust that I now understand my own grands - they have been clued in and take for granted the amount of duplicity, deception, disingenuous and down right deceit among leaders, advertisements, corporations, seeing those all around them who will go to any ends to obtain what they want.  And then like both you Bellamarie and Jonathan who see our individual choices as good or bad, brings up in me so much anxiety - knowing and having experienced the bad and realizing, to shine light on the bad is to make far more and deeper bad with no security for yourself or your siblings is a dilemma facing many children.

For me, God was always my 'go to guy' and myths were awesome but, like today's movies, there are messages within the even the action figure stories - however, scientists and those who see accepting and coming to grips with this lack of trust have said and even attempt to prove that God is a myth - I'm not ready to give up. No one has seen God and come back to describe God - I am past thinking of God as a superman with flowing hair - if God is basic to the universe than I'm counting on this force of energy to be before the big bang and thus the story, we all are made in the image of God makes perfect sense after learning part of every atom includes material, for the want of a better word, from before the big bang - and since God has developed by man's consciousness - voila the reason for my exploration and also, more personal, how to think and talk, not argue but to understand one grandson who sees the words of folks like Steven Hawkins having more value than the teachings of any cleric.

All that - but not knowing how to deal with the pervasive lack of trust and now, how to not feel wounded by those we trusted to entertain us, lead us, and inform us with the news has me reeling. This is Christmas by gum - all I can do is bring my feelings with me because darn it all I still believe in the Christmas story.

Is that the message - regardless the hardships that 'no room at the inn' suggests, or that a birth would enrage the 'powers that be' to kill thousands of babies - you just go on - but that is the missing piece - there was a loving family to trust and for many children that is a missing ingredient - hmmm trying to make sense of all this is not easy.

Looks like we all have our questions - Jonathan is curious about women and is on an adventure to read as much as he can about them - from her sharing her choice of books it appears Frybabe likes what science fiction bring to her - Dana is currently into reading about various key uprisings - yes Dana, the Irish one is a good read, about the troubles.

And Ginny finds the latest. Yes, that whole thing on The Sociopath Next Door also had me taking a double take on nearly everyone I knew - oh dear, not sure what to think. One thing I've concluded, we give an awful lot of power in our minds to one voice just because we read their 'thesis' in a book. After a bit I thought it best to calm down - I'm seeing concern, fear and outrage is the currency of the day and that was my reaction reading the book - Enough!

Then Karen enjoyed reading this year those authors who had something to say about living near the end of their life as well as, her ongoing love of nineteenth century novels. Karen have you read yet, Driving Miss Norma: One Family's Journey Saying "Yes" to Living - really a great read - haha maybe I should re-read and take on Norma's outlook rather than searching for man's development of the Biblical God and also, trying to find this God before the big Bang - at my age I'll surely find out soon enough  Oh dear but can I 'trust' I will find out when my brain is dead along with my body???   

[bellamarie]

Barb,   "All that - but not knowing how to deal with the pervasive lack of trust and now, how to not feel wounded by those we trusted to entertain us, lead us, and inform us with the news has me reeling. This is Christmas by gum - all I can do is bring my feelings with me because darn it all I still believe in the Christmas story."

Me too! 

I am but a simple person.  I don't really need to delve too deep into things, because I trust my own heart and head.  My trust level has changed over the years, refusing to put little to no trust or emphasis in the greatness of celebrities, leaders, media heads or sports figures.  I put all trust and faith in the one who has never changed over the beginning of time, and that is my Lord and Savior.  God for me personally has never let me down, he is there always ready and willing to calm my stormy days, to carry me when my burdens are heavy, and to give me the Grace of peace in a life so confusing and complicated.  The stories coming out lately, of all the misconduct and criminal acts of these men, have truly shaken my trust, as it has their fellow colleagues, family, friends, and co workers.  But, the one thing I find comforting for me, is the women are finally getting a chance to come forward, and are being heard.  There is something going on in this world of late, people are being exposed for the frauds and perverts they are.  It's Biblical in the sense of evil being brought to light.  I am sick at learning of the horrible acts that have been committed against not only women, but even children for decades, and others knew and stayed quiet for their own personal gain and fame.  If this has taught me anything, it is that I will remain in the light of my faith.  As scripture has said:

Ephesians 2:8 ESV

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,

As the Christmas season draws near, I will not allow the evil to over take my thoughts and misguide me into the darkness.  Satan would be dancing with joy if we allow this to happen, especially at this most celebratory time of Christ's birth.  Nope, not gonna let it get me down.  I'll play my Christmas music and sing along...... O Come all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant, O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem. 

[BarbStAubrey]

Santa's Sleigh in the Texas Hill Country

[BarbStAubrey]

This is too funny - talk about disasters...

[ginny]

That's so cute!

But on this one: I'm seeing concern, fear and outrage is the currency of the day and that was my reaction reading the book - Enough!

Really? I agree with that being the currency of the day and enough, more than enough, but I found the book empowering. As to one person's definition, I think it's the standard definition but what I found positive about it was how it allows people to draw back and consider, themselves, that the fault may lie in the other person  if they are being victimized or taken advantage of.  I liked it. 

It's all in the attitude. I'm about anything that makes things better and that has the power to do that, for some people. "It's not me after all, it was YOU all along." 



Just because you read about it, doesn't make you it, right?

[BarbStAubrey]

Yes, Ginny I understand - and no critique of what you found - I was commenting on how I was reacting by looking at everyone I knew to measure if they were or were not - ah so, the power and influence of a book, said in all ironic sarcasm, since I do it every time - and so I guess it is me giving more power to the author's views - me oh my - I've grown weary of examining belly buttons 

[ginny]

  You may not need any more power, but to me it's giving the reader the power to see the validity of his own views, not somebody else's.  That was the problem in the first place, or it always has been with me.

I guess one could argue it's not particularly healthy to think it wasn't ME all along, etc., etc., but it sure is nice sometimes.  Because SOME of us worry over,  and take responsibility for, and feel guilty about,  every leaf that falls. Very freeing.

[BarbStAubrey]

I am sorry Ginny - did not mean to demean your point of view, honestly - I was being too flippant and I am sorry - Obviously we each had a different reaction to our reading the book - I took it so seriously i was becoming a danger to myself as I was analyzing everyone where as you were able to see something that was empowering so that you no longer had to blame yourself for the behavior of others.

I agree, that is a bummer and it is still my first reaction - my way of dealing with it is to accept I do that and then, I end up trying to figure out why I do it and why others behave as they do and that goes into, what makes them different and I'm off to the races - and so I tend to become flippant as my protection from getting into blame.

That is what I am seeing with so many issues today  - as long as there is someone or something to blame nothing gets fixed - My new mission is to stop thinking blame which means it is no one's fault - it just is... and with that, it appears we each looked at the message by this author differently... just do not want you to feel I was demeaning you because we share a different viewpoint. Peace...

P.S. Just need to share how bad it is for me to take responsibility - yesterday scared the stuffings out of me, a huge explosive sound that came from I thought the side of my house - convinced, since I had problems with my heat exchange not turning off, the explosion came from my house and I needed to know what it could be and what to expect next. Called my son, who lives and works over in Houston, he had someone come out and check my furnace - all fine and Paul told the service guy to put a new fire alarm and carbon monoxide monitor and alert system in the hall close to the system - I was still not satisfied - needed to know how the system worked to figure out what could have caused such an explosion - online for hours studying how a furnace operates and all the parts etc etc.

Well today we were without electricity for hours this morning - seems the City's electric utility transformer, on the pole about 40 or 50 feet from my and my neighbor's house, blew and that was the horrific sound - and so here we spend good money checking out my system and Paul arranges for an extra alert system in addition to the ones I have already all because I was so sure the cause of the explosion was from my house and my heating system plus, hours trying to find the cause of something that was never a problem to begin with. Yep, I know self blame - she is my twin sister. 

[ginny]

Not a problem over here. We're all good.  Happy as a clam. Thank you for being concerned,  though.

And you are right, she DID go on a bit and it did get pretty grim and so on but with my newfound freedom I figured it was just her (as you said, her ideas) and so felt free to ignore the extensions of them, she had made her point.

(Of course the possibility exists I am one of the ones she's talking about?) hahahaha

Ho Ho Ho, I am ready for Christmas!   Your plans with the boxes sound absolutely wonderful!

[ginny]

Oh that is too funny! Night before last we also had a BOOM outside! And there was this strange smell, sort of like smoke but more like a chemical burn? I tried to ignore it but it made my eyes burn and I didn't want to be on the news for having deliberately burned up, so at 3:30 am there I was with flashlight "inspecting" outside and in, sniffing around like a bird dog,  trying to find the source and thinking we must get another fire alarm!! Nothing on the news, tho, and my husband said he thinks it must have been a wood stove somewhere, and we have plenty of fire alarms, etc.

 hahahaa Great minds run together.  Well at least you acted on it, I just worried. And sniffed.

[BarbStAubrey]

December 1-3: - Do you carve wood, knit, crochet or sew?  Have you spent the last year making things for your family? Share your talents with us!  How about a photo?

December 3: - The First Sunday in December, Advent begins - do you hang an Advent calendar or read from a special Advent book?

[PatH]

Barb and Ginny, I'm very familiar with the sound and smell of transformers blowing.  It used to happen all the time here.  In a bad storm you'd hear them popping like popcorn, so you just made sure your flashlight was at hand in case yours went too.  Finally they were all replaced by bigger ones, a more appropriate size, and it doesn't happen any more.

[bellamarie]

Hmmm... my talents, well, it seems I am beginning to take on more than what I can deal with of late. 

Last Christmas season I decided I was going to make bun hats for all four of my granddaughters, with matching scarves.  Of course I procrastinated, and found myself busy as Santa's elves, trying to finish them before Christmas Eve.  I did manage to get them all done and wrapped, and the girls loved them!!  This year, I have decided to do stencil tee shirts for the granddaughters.  I have never done it before, but by golly I am determined to get them each one, to go with a pj bottom. 

As if that is not enough of a challenge for me, my hubby and I decided to make the stencil wood signs with words like JOY, BELIEVE, NOEL, FAITH, HOPE & LOVE etc., etc.  He prepared all the wood boards and showed them to me, I came up with a brainstorm of an idea, to put religious/Christmas words on one side, and then put other seasonal words on the other side, so they can be used all year round!  I'm hoping to get these completed, so we can give each of our three children's family one for a Christmas present.  Pressure.....nah, piece of cake!   NOT!!!  But once I put my mind to something, it must get done.  These boards at craft shows are going for $35 to $65, which for us to make, costs nothing, since we already have the wood and paint here in the garage.  Wish us luck!

[BarbStAubrey]

Fabulous ideas Bellamarie - I've been 'trying' to knit - got back into knitting about a year ago and determined to make house socks for all the grandboys - this is where I miss my grandmother who ALWAYS turned the heel saying it was too hard for me - hate following written instructions but that is where I am slowly turning the heal on the second sock - I have the nicest wool and this heal turning has me so slowed that I am loosing out on the fun of kitting with the new wool.

Once I successfully get this heal turned I think it will be smooth sailing because the other project I am looking forward to is making boxes - love the idea of making them from cardboard and covering them with fabric and batting - want to make some to fill with cookies - of course where it is a nice compliment it is work I had not expected, a past client got in touch with me who is back in Indonesia and wants to sell the house he had as a rent house for the past 3 or 4 years - so that carves into my time - but at least I just need to get these socks done.

Nothing fancy just two colors of yarn - if they go fast enough I may put a cable or something on the last of the pairs - using thick wool so that these are not socks to wear with shoes or tennies but work well in place of slippers around the house on a cold day.

[bellamarie]

Well here is a pic of our first attempt at stencil boards and my stencil tee shirts.  They are not perfect, but it reminds me neither am I. 





Someone please feel free to change the size of my pics, I still haven't figured that part out yet.  Thank you!

[BarbStAubrey]

Love the Tshirt Bellamarie - reminds us that we are all blessed - nice - now where do the boards go - I think you shared you were doing several words that were both Christmas and year round - where will you put them - will they hang or sit on the floor or ground?

[bellamarie]

The boards depending on the size can sit on a shelf, stand against a wall, or on your front porch.  This board I will add a different word on the back of it, so if I want to use it after Christmas, I just turn it around.  I was thinking of Let it Snow, and add a couple of snowflakes.  I am doing smaller boards with the words I mentioned earlier, JOY, NOEL, etc.

[BarbStAubrey]

I'm envisioning one of the tall ones leaning against the house next to the front door and another leaning on the wall sitting on the bathroom sink counter for an early morning and before bed smile.

[BarbStAubrey]

Isn't this a cleaver idea - it is a Martha Stewart craft where for a Bibliophile she suggests giving used books but stamping the edges with a design or a quote using ink stamps.

[BarbStAubrey]

and I love this idea

Martha Stewart Living, September 1999 To protect books from dust, crisp lengths of linen can be hung from shelves. The technique, used in old Swedish libraries, also gives a neat appearance to uneven volumes. To make, measure the length of the shelf, and the distance from the shelf above to the top of the shortest book. Add 1 inch to all sides; cut prewashed linen to this size. Hem bottom and sides by 1 inch. Sew 1-inch-wide twill tape to top edge. Fasten to underside of shelf every 6 inches with upholsterers' tacks or a strip of Velcro.