Monday, December 16, 2019

AN EARLY CHRISTMAS CAROL

Gentle Readers . . . and Maxwell,

Illness prevented me from writing this post immediately after Carol arrived, so many of you already know that she's here with me as my very own snow bird. When I was in so much pain and had to go to the emergency room, one of her friends told her, Carol, God always puts you right where you're needed.

And I have definitely needed her. I hope she's happy here. I know she's glad to escape the cold and snow of Wisconsin.

Carol arrived in October and will probably depart in May. She used to stay with one of her daughters, but the daughter moved back to Milwaukee and now lives in Carol's house there. I was happy to invite her to stay with me.

At 80-years-young, Carol is sharper and stronger than I am. In fact, I'd venture a guess that she's sharper and stronger than most everybody.

Carol and I met when I was hired as a crew leader for the 2010 Census and she was on my crew. I asked her to be one of my two assistant crew leaders because I could see that she had the intelligence and the patience for the job. She tells everyone that I was her boss. I always respond that I could never be her boss.

We like to go out gallivanting around together, even if the gallivanting only takes us to appointments with my doctors and to Costco.

Although it took me quite a bit of time because I tire easily, I've decorated for Christmas more this year than I had in a long time. Favorite Young Man never got his butt over here to get the decorations that were in the attic, so I asked the adorable young man next door if he could get them out for me. He could and he did. He just might become my new Favorite Young Man. I have promised him a batch of my best Norwegian cookies, but he might not receive them until after the holidays because the pain in my right shoulder won't allow me to stir the thick dough.

I decorated the living room, and I asked Carol if she would like to have a smaller tree that only had lights on it in her bedroom. She said, Sure. Then she decorated the tree so beautifully that we put it in the family room. Here's Carol at work:





So now we have a gold tree. The larger tree in the living room has all my other decorations. We've decided that next Christmas we want a gold tree, a red tree, and a whatever's-left-over tree. Here's the living room:












My mom painted the Santas and gave me many of the ornaments on the tree. I also tried to make a practice of buying special ornaments when we traveled. One was a woolly little sheep made by a member of the von Trapp family (we once stayed at their lodge in Vermont). Sadly, the sheep is no longer with us because the late, great Harper decided it was a doggy toy. He thought some other decorations were doggy toys, too. He taught me to put anything that might be considered a doggy toy up high on the tree.

And as angry parsnip says, here is your pretty for week. It's Carol, who looks so beautiful in her church-going finery:


I also have a photo of Willy Dunne Woofers (we changed his last name because he loves the dogs) naked and sprawled out on my bed. Be glad that I don't share that photo with you.


Infinities of love,

Janie Junebug

Some of you might have seen on the news that we have two missing children here in Jacksonville. The Amber Alert came out yesterday afternoon. They were last seen playing in front of their house. They are six-year-old Braxton Williams - Male, 6 and his sister Bri'ya Williams - Female, 5. Please remember these children in your prayers or in whatever way you communicate with the universe. I burst into tears when I saw the alert. It hasn't been very long since a little girl disappeared in Jacksonville and her body was found in Alabama.


It's been more than 24 hours. They could be almost anywhere by now. Please watch for them. 

53 comments:

  1. Decorating the Christmas tree brings everyone together.

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  2. Your trees and decorations look amazing. Nearly as amazing as Carol. 80 years young I was sure you said. And then I saw her photo. And had to scroll up to confirm that shameful lie.
    Definitely holding Braxton and his sister Bri'ya in my heart. And hoping fervently for a happy ending.

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    1. Thank you for thinking of the children. Carol is wonderful. I'm so glad she's here, especially for Christmas.

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  3. Carol may be a vampire. I am not convinced she is 80 years old. I hope I can look that good at 80!

    I'm glad you have your decorations up and are enjoying the holidays. Hopefully, there will be no more illnesses!

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  4. You do have a lot of decorations! Looks so festive. Really nice to see a picture of your guardian angel. ;)

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    1. I really enjoy having all of the decorations out. I'm grateful to Andrew for being such a kind neighbor. When Franklin took off one evening after going for a ride with WDW, Andrew and his friend Lee helped me track him down.

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  5. So festive! What a blessing to have Carol there with you. She is a treasure and a beautiful lady. Maybe she can take a photo of you so we can see what you look like. ;-)

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    1. Oh, aren't you funny. You already know what I look like. The drawing on the blog is me and so is the photo of the back of my head at City Lights Bookstore in San Francisco.

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  6. Perfect time of the year for a Christmas Carol around the house.

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  7. Your decorations are beautiful! Kudos to Adorable Young Man Next Door for getting them down out of story for you. And hey, I thought you said that Carol was 80? She certainly does not look it!

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    1. "storage" not "story." I need another cup of coffee!

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    2. I knew what you meant, and yes, Carol really is 80. It always shocks people.

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  8. So glad you have a Carol to help you muddle through this time.
    The decorations look lovely. I am very uninspired to do much this year.
    Recently 2 girls from the Birmingham area have disappeared and the outcome was not good. Prayers that Braxton and Briya are found safe and sound.

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    1. Thank you for praying, Anne. I'm grateful for Amber Alerts, but I feel as if my heart will stop every time one comes on my phone.

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  9. The decorations are beautiful! Well done to you and Carol. She sounds like a lovely person to have stayig with you. Wishing you all the best for the holidays.

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    1. Thank you so much, my beloved Murees. I bet you would have as much fun with Carol as I do. I've always said she's my partner in crime.

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  10. Your trees are gorgeous and so is Carol! I had to scroll up to see if I read your post correctly that she was 80 years old. Wow!

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  11. I want to be like Carol when I am eighty!

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    1. So do I, but I'll have to undergo a huge change because I don't look that good now.

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  12. Wow, Carol is 80? She totally doesn't look her age.

    I'll keep those little ones in my prayers. So sad.

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    1. Thank you, Debby. The response in Jacksonville has been huge. Volunteers go out at night with flashlights to help the searchers. Dogs help and divers have gone in bodies of water. We seem to have no trace of them.

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  13. Carol is a rockstar.
    I heard it said once that with Christmas ornaments, there’s a story on every branch. I’ve found that to be true.

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  14. Carol sounds awesome, I love decorating Christmas Trees

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    1. I was really impressed that she made the smaller tree look so beautiful.

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  15. Love your Christmas trees. I will be thinking about those kids.

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    1. They are on my mind all the time. I want so badly for them to come home safely.

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  16. I am so glad you got Carol when she landed, and can be with you for awhile.She is a precious gift of the universe.
    The children are in my thoughts and prayers.

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    1. Thank you, Joanne. I will be sad when Carol flies away.

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  17. What a lovely lady! I never would have guessed she's 80. Amazing.

    And that is very sad about the children. It hurts my heart when these things happen. I hope they are found safe.

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  18. I hope so, too, Martha. I always hear that if children aren't found within 24 hours that they probably won't be found, or their bodies are found. But I know of cases when children were gone from years and were discovered. We need a Christmas miracle.

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  19. Beautiful Christmas in your home !
    I will remember the little children, I am so sad to read this.
    parsnip x

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    1. The children were found! They had wandered away from home.

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  20. They found those children safe and sound! So good to hear GOOD news for a change. They asked for a cheese pizza and they GOT IT! Love it!
    I love the photos of your Christmas decorations and I am so glad you have someone around to help you out, she is an angel!
    Take care! xx

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    1. I was so happy when I heard they'd been found. Carol is an angel. You're right about that.

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  21. Sounds like you and Carol are having a grand time. She looks YOUNG. Prayers for the little children. The situation is gut wrenching.
    Darn thick Christmas dough! I ended up with muscle spasms and had to go to ER after stirring mine:)

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  22. Just noticed Kay's comment. So glad the kids are okay.

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  23. Carol looks amazing, far from 80 years of age. I'm so glad she was there to help you out, and that you each have good company in the other during non-emergencies too.

    And I'm glad to see Kay G.'s comment that the children were found safe. There is so much wickedness in the world - thank goodness there is also good now and then or a person would go mad.

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    1. I'm glad they were found before we had a cold front move in.

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  24. Aww I'm sorry for your pain. But I'm so glad you have someone to help you 'galavant' around town. That makes everything much more fun. Your trees and decorations are beautiful. Enjoy your holidays and take it easy on yourself. Hope you feel better.

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    1. Thank you. I already feel better except for my right shoulder and the right side of my neck. That's the next problem to fix.

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  25. Sometimes people come into our lives whom I suspect are secretly angels. Carol sounds like one to me, and I am thankful she is there for you, Janie. Your decorations are lovely ~ Thanks for sharing them. May 2020 be a happy and healthy year for you!

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    ReplyDelete

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