Holy Toledo!!!!! It's Snowing!!!!!

It started snowing during the night on Sunday and it continued through the night and throughout the day. I awakened this morning and threw on my robe to go see what the noise was outside. It was Brice shovelling my front steps and sidewalk. I actually ventured forth to try to do errands but gave it up as a bad job. Too slippery for these legs and poor Miss Ruby doesn't like such conditions and there were fender benders all over town -- typical for the first real snowfall. This evening I heard a snow shovel scraping again and when I went and looked and it was David, aka Lil' Red and the son of my neighbors Red and Carol, shovelling. When I expressed my thanks he said, "I had to do our walks so I figured that I'd do yours while I was at it."

I am so blessed to have these nice teenagers around me. And some people wonder why I like my neighborhood so much! And the snow is pretty if one need not go anywhere.

It's supposed to continue for another day or two so I called and rescheduled my stress test for tomorrow. I'll be doing that on Thursday morning instead. Hopefully, by then most folks will have recovered their winter driving skills and the snow will have abated. Besides, me driving in rush hour on snow after the obligatory fast is a sure fire way to have me in a full blown panic attack!!!!!

Here's my theme song for the next day or so!!!!



However, it all has to melt when I need to drive again!!!! LOL

Happy Blogging!!!!!

Kay

It's the Groaner of the Week!!!!!!

This week's groaner is a familiar theme because it's about men forgetting important occasions. My ex couldn't remember my birthday to save his soul until the kids got old enough to remind him!!!!

Enjoy this goody -- it should give y'all an awesome groooaaannn!!!!!

Monty was in big trouble because he forgot his wedding anniversary and his wife was going to make him pay. She told him, “Tomorrow morning, I expect to find a gift in the driveway that goes from 0 to 200 in just seconds and it had better be there!”

The next morning Monty got up early so that he could buy the gift and have it in the driveway by the time his wife woke up. When his wife woke up she looked out the window and there was a gift-wrapped box in the middle of the driveway. But it was smaller than she expected. Confused, she put on her robe and ran out to the driveway. She unwrapped her present right there . . .

. . . It was a brand-new bathroom scale.

Happy Blogging!!!!!!

Kay

Random Post-Christmas Thoughts

Hope y'all celebrated the holiday long and well!!!! It was a nice enough holiday here. I went to Midnight mass and did my stint at the parish the next day which is always fulfilling. Things are so bad here that we, as usual, ran out of food and that I bothers me but I do realize is that all we can do is our best and we do. With a 12% unemployment rate (which I think y'all know is a false figure because it doesn't count those unemployment benefits have run out), many are in need. A couple of the regulars who spend Christmas like me stopped at my place afterwards for Kay's Infamous Killer eggnog and snacks. It was fun.

* Brice, my young neighbor, brought me some baklava made by his Greek grandmother. Serious yum! It's probably my favorite dessert and I'm trying hard not to commit the deadly sin of gluttony and make it last a while!

* Diane stopped earlier this week with her special potatoes and some ham for my Christmas dinner. Someone gave her a ham for Christmas and she really isn't supposed to have it so she baked it and divided it between herself, her mom and moi.
I truly appreciate her thinking of me.

* I spoke with my son and his family -- Jen, my daughter-in-law, sounded like a box full of birds; the boys were wound up with excitement over their gifts -- Drake reminds me of my son at that age -- very chatty and Connor is like his Aunt Kate who hates to talk on the phone but he did fine; and Eric seemed really relaxed and happy. I was delighted.

* My buddy/decorator, Richard, stopped and I was so glad -- I hadn't heard from him in an eon!!! He seems to finally be getting over his mom's death. I, of course, gave him hell for making me worry. We agreed that one of our 'treasure hunt' and dinner days is far overdue. He finally got a cell phone and it's now easier for me to track him down. (huge grin)

* Marcia called and we had a great conversation and made plans to get together soon.

* I spoke with my stepmom, too, and she had news of my dad's family as well news of my favorites among her many nieces and nephews. As always, we had a good talk.

* I'm leaving my Christmas stuff up until New Year's Day. I like it.

* No snow for Christmas. In fact, I don't think we've had 2 inches of snow yet. Seriously weird! I haven't had to pay anyone to shovel. My trusty bag of salt has done the trick!

* Here's a favorite song from one of my favorite musicals by the lady who sang it first and sang it best for all you Buckeye fans out there to help you get in the spirit for the bowl game next week!



Happy Blogging!!!!!

Kay

St. Stephen's Day

One of my favorite carols is "Good King Wencelas" and here is an excellent rendition by Lorena McKennit whose lovely voice really does it justice!



The day after Christmas, December 26th, is St. Stephen's Day. St. Stephen was the Church's first martyr. Many countries celebrate his day and nearly all include include acts of charity but I, of course given my forbears, enjoy the way the Irish, who call it the Day of the Wren, celebrate it best. Here's a video of one of the annual parades known as the Wrenboys parade to collect alms for the poor:



In the UK they celebrate Boxing Day on the 26th of December and it has become mostly a shopping day but it derives from the tradition of giving seasonal gifts to less wealthy people and social inferiors. Until their distribution, these gifts were stored in a "Christmas box," which was opened on December 26, when the contents were distributed. In the United Kingdom, this was later extended to include various workers such as laborers and servants. I like the original tradition better than the present one and prefer the Irish way over both. An excuse to have a wee pint and help others works for me! LOL

My favorite Irishmen -- The Clancy Brothers -- sing a traditional song for this holiday:



Happy Blogging and Happy Wren's Day!!!!!!!!!!

Kay

My Favorite Christmas Songs

What is becoming a tradition here is my favorite song by a favorite singer on one our favorite days! Enjoy!!!!!!!



And here is my favorite Christmas carol which is the only time I sing in public. It's always the last hymn at Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve. This version is performed by Mannheim Steamroller in their inimitable style. Again -- enjoy!!!!



I wish you all a very happy and a very blessed Christmas!!!!! And I hope you're spending it with the ones you love and the ones who love you back!!!!!!

Happy Christmas and Happy Blogging!!!!!!!

Kay

Time to Start Celebrating

It's Christmas Eve and the Kay has decided that we all need to take a breather from all the idiocy surrounding us and give thought to the Reason for the Season and, after paying our respects to God and his Son, we should rejoice in what we have no matter how small or how great our blessings are. Hallelujah and Amen, my brothers and sisters!!!! Hope your Christmas is filled with blessings!!!!

Here are few things I found in my wanderings that range from weird to fun!

Here's a Christmas project that I think could keep me busy for the coming year!!!!!! (hiccup)



I love Christmas lights and these, accompanied by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra playing a medley from "The Nutcracker" are truly magnificent!



And here are my favorite guys for Christmas fun -- Straight No Chaser!



Happy Blogging!!!!!!!!!

Kay

Old TV -- Quiz Shows (Part 3)

Game shows have been a staple of television since it's beginnings. And they appeared in many formats.

A favorite of mine was Treasure Hunt hosted by Jan Murray who was (I thought) really funny and featured glamorous prizes.



We all remember Bob Barker on the Price is Right but do you remember its original host? Do you remember flat top haircut, too?




You'll recall this young man from Nebraska who cut his television teeth as a game show host and took his announcer to the top with him!



Next week we'll look at couple really challenging quiz shows and the fallout from them.

Happy Blogging!!!!!!!

Kay

Let's Have Some Fun!!!!!!!

It's countdown time!!! Lots going on in Kay's World. I'm busy with appointments with the legion of my docs and more to come. I'm cleaning house a bit because it needs it and I might have company -- stranger things have happened in Kay's World.

My plans for Christmas? I'll be at Midnight Mass on the Eve and volunteering at the dinner my parish sponsors for the poor the next day. I always enjoy both. I'm also making my infamous egg nog and told a few friends to stop by if they can on Christmas afternoon/evening to savor its glory. LOL If they don't, I guess I'll drink it all myself! LOL

Here's a clip from the film "White Christmas" that never fails to make me laugh!!! I thought you might like a break from the usual Christmas schmaltz!!!



Happy Blogging!!!!!!

Kay

A Christmas Present from Our Congress -- NOT!

I am mad as hell and I'm not gonna take it anymore!!!!!!!!!

The health care bill helps no one in this country except the insurance companies and the politicians who will get huge campaign donations for passing it! We are getting, as my ex-husband would say, "screwed without getting kissed."

I like these folks at Firedoglake because they are pretty much centrist -- not so far to the right to be nutty and not so far left to be in la-la land.
Mostly they make sense -- a rare commodity these days! While you're there sign up for their newsletter!!!!

Click on this link and weep over the ramifications of this bill:

http://action.firedoglake.com/page/s/killthisbill?source=email&subsource=122109

Can you afford to be sold out to the Philistines? I can't.

Notify your Senators NOW and pass on the link to all and sundry!!!!!!

Happy Blogging!!!!!

Kay

It's the Groaner of the Week!!!!!!!!!!!

I dug around the archives because I thought y'all would appreciate a holiday theme. Apologies to those of you are Jewish -- there simply aren't many Hanukkah groaners so I hope you enjoy this one. It gave me the giggles!!!!

After hearing the Christmas story, and singing "Silent Night" a Sunday
School Class of six-year-olds was asked to draw what they thought the
Nativity Scene might have looked like. One boy did a good likeness of
Joseph, Mary and the infant, but off to the side was a roly-poly figure.
The teacher, afraid that he had somehow worked Santa Claus into the
scene asked him who that was. She wasn't sure whether she was relieved
or even more worried when the boy responded, ...

Are y'all ready?


(Don't forget to sing the punchline!!!!)


"Oh, that's Round John Virgin."


Happy Blogging and Happy Solstice!!!!!!!!

Kay