To Everyone

A New Year, A New Life

It seemed like an insurmountable task, but we have pretty well wrapped up the chores of my parent's affairs, including the sale of their home. We have spent most of the Christmas Season taking care of things, and so on Tuesday, December 29th, we are moving to Coeur D' Alene for the rest of the winter, and then in the Spring, we will decide if we are going back to Seattle, or Oregon. I have lived for extended periods of time in both place, and love both of them. But for the next few months, it is back to CDA where we met three years ago.

So, we close this chapter of our lives, say good by to the Valley, and close the books on my parent's lives here. It is sad and exciting at the same time. On December 7th, both of my parent's cremains were laid to rest in their hometown of Joplin, Missouri. TIme now to move on, although I will never forget, and will always treasure the memories the rest of my life. I am surprised how sad I feel leaving the Valley again, although years ago I swore that I would never live here again. But, the people here are so real, so nice.

We have things in storage here, so we will no doubt be back, but how often, who knows.

So long Silver Valley, at least for now, and although I shed some tears, I also smile and laugh.
So, GF, watch out  for we are invading your city. Hope to see you there.

I will conitune to blog wherever we go, for I am the Cedar Street Kid, and Wallace and Cedar Street are my roots. I uderstand that now.

To My Blogging Friends

We are going to CDA tomorrow to spend the night, so in case I don't blog again until after Christmas, I want to take this time to say a very blessed and Merry Christmas. It was quite the year, and you guys were with me the whole time. You are all indeed friends.

GF. the years have rolled by, and here we are still. I remember so many stories and good times from grade school through high school. Merry Christmas, my old friend.

Silver Valley Girl-you have been an inspiration this year, and it was a privilege to meet you in person in November.A most Merry Christmas to you and your wonderful family.

Inland Empire Girl-thanks for being a reader and a friend. A very Merry Christmas to you and yours.

MT-wow knowing you has been great. Best wishes and a very Merry Christmas to you and your sons.

Rain-well, what can I say. You are my daughter and my pride and joy. Merry Christmas, Sweetie.

I wish all of you, love, joy, and peace this Holy Season.

God Bless

The Shortest Day

Sorry, don't have time to write a long blog today. This is the shortest day of the year, and I have got to make every minute count. Tomorrow will be about 1 second longer, so I will write a longer post tomorrow.

Apology to my readers

Due to the excessive spam, I have added word verification for comments. I am sorry that I have to do it, but hope you all understand.

Christmas Stockings

Wow, here it is, what you have been waiting for, the world's largest Christmas Stocking.

Of all of the the traditions for Christmas, this is one of the strangest. It never did work for me. The last time that I hung up my stockings, all that I found it in it was a can of foot powder for athlete's foot.

Old Fashioned Christmas-NOT

I've never seen a purple tree,

I never hope to see one

but, i can tell you anyhow

I'd rather see than be one

A sample of my last post-

Turn on full blast, put on your earphones, and enjoy. This guy does a nice job, but nothing as good as my former pastor did, but you can get the idea of what it must have sounded like in the pipe room.

A little More Serious Christmas Story

When I was a teenager I had the privilege of hearing one of the greatest private concerts ever given. The place was "Calvary Temple" in Seattle. Calvary was at that time a huge Church in my denomination, and it was exciting to be given a private tour by my former pastor from Wallace, who was as an accomplished pianist and organist as you would ever want to hear.Calvary had a huge pipe organ, and the rooms where the pipes were was where I was when my former pastor decided to give us the treat of a lifetime. He had spent many years arranging Handel's Messiah for the piano, and even though i had heard him play the Hallelujah Chorus many times on the piano, I was not ready for what I was about to hear. My former Pastor was no longer in the pipe room. All of a sudden, a sound that could only be described as "other world" filled the pipe room. It came cascading down on us, overwhelming the senses, our emotions unchecked as tears streamed down our faces. He was playing the Hallelujah Chorus on the pipe organ, and there we were, in the pipe rooms. I can never describe the sensation, the chill, the spiritual uplift, the goose-bumps. When it was done, my father, who was there with me, turned to me and said" that is a close as we will ever be to heaven on this earth."

My Pastor has long gone on , and as far as I know there are no recordings of his arrangements, but everytime I hear the Messiah performed, I think of that experience in the pipe room of that grand old church in Seattle.

Making your Budget for Christmas-Tips by Cedar Street Kid

With the economic woes strangling the average shopper this year, it is prudent to take inventory of your shopping list, and cut the fat from your budget. I will help you do that by offering some great price cutting ideas. You can save money, and still cover the necessary items on your list.

1, Christmas cards. --recycle them--It is totally unnecessary to buy new cards each year. Try taking some white-out to the cards that you received last year. Now, go through your list, and send the recycled card to someone other than the person who sent it to you last year. You see, you not only save money, you are helping the "green" effort by saving a tree and recycling the old cards.

2. Gift wrapping paper. Instead of going out and buying new paper this season, think ahead, and start saving the comic section out of the newspaper all year long. The paper is colorful, bright, and cheery. Just right to wrap up that gift for that special someone.

3. Gifts for toddlers on your list. If there were ever any gifts that are waste of money, they are the gifts bought for toddlers. Try this instead. Save your bug cardboard boxes. Color them or wrap them in comic papers, and tie a bow on it. The toddler will spend countless hours of pleasure sitting and playing in the box. A perfect gift that for special child.

4. For the youngster who is scientific minded, instead of a high cost chemistry set or telescope. save your toilet paper rolls. Once again, color them or wrap around them with comic paper, and tell them it is the latest telescope. Watch their eyes light up with joy.

5. Christmas dinner.Every year thousands of dollars are spent on that special dinner. Let's have ten guests coming for dinner. Go to Wal Mart, and go to the frozen food section. There you will see the perfect dinner for the Holidays. I suggest "Swanson's Turkey dinner" and for $10.00 you can buy ten of them. Take them home, zap them, and mix them all together. Your guests will never know the difference.

So, you see. You need not go broke doing the Holiday thing. Use these ideas, save money, and out smile on hte faces of those you love, and have a Merry Christmas.

The Family all gathered together-the perfect Christmas dinner

Gift Choosing For Someone You Don't Really Like

Deluxe version, or is it really a meatloaf in drag?

Yes, it is time for that Holiday classic. No it's not jingle bells. No, it is not Nintendo. No, it is not a PlayStation, Lincoln Logs,  Barbie dolls, Deck the Halls. Nope, none of these. It is the gift meant to last a lifetime, the one and only FRUIT CAKE. Now, I was told that this is not only a fruit cake, but that it is none other than the Deluxe Edition Fruitcake. Wow!

Now, trust me. This is a gift that will last for a lifetime, and maybe a lot longer that that! There is a little known archaeological fact that recent digs from ancient lands produced a fruit cake still wrapped, and boxed, ready to eat , and preserved for over 5,000 years. So, if you want to give a gift that will last a lifetime, give a fruitcake.

Not only that, this is a collector's edition. Johnny Carson said it best when he said that there is really only one fruit cake in the world, and it is passed from person to person, family to family, generation to generation.
So, for that not so special someone on your list, don't delay, send a fruitcake today.

Regular version-No one really knows what is in it.