Thoughts On Thursday - Christmas Eve Edition...

Almost CHRISTMAS, too!

Here we are at long last.
Hopefully, all that was needed to be done HAS been done.
Wonderful weather we're having as well.
I will say it beats having to shovel a foot of snow. I can wait until next year for that.
It would have been nice to have a white Christmas, however.
Our Hoosierland weather for today sees us with moderate temps reaching into the upper 40s.
Expect breezy conditions and the possibility of a rain shower. Although, looking at the sky this morning, we might get a sunrise (or something pretty close to it).
Now, with that over with, let's get that soothing morning beverage nearby us as we see what has been going on elsewhere...
*** First out of the cereal box is the answer to yesterday's WHO SAID THAT? quote:
"Christmas, my child, is love in action. Every time we love, every time we give, it's Christmas."
If you're from MY era, you'll know the name.

This was spoken by The Queen of the Cowgirls, DALE EVANS (October 31 1912 - Feb 7 2001) and here is her WIKI:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dale_Evans
It's really worth a read, because I learned things about her I never knew, and I grew up watching here (and her FOURTH husband, Roy Rogers) on television.

She did have what is said to be a tumultuous early life.
But could she sing.
She lobbied for prayer in schools (struck down by the Supreme Court who used the "establishment clause" of the 1st Amendment of the Constitution.

She was also an author and was very outspoken about her Christianity, attending many Billy Graham crusades with Roy, singing spirituals and giving their testimony.
Like I said, it's a good read.
Happy Trails, to her and Roy for instilling good values in those who watched them.
*** Next up, is our "What the hell happens today, Bob?" feature:
December 24 -
--- Today is CHRISTMAS EVE

(get those stockings hung...WITH CARE!
---It's also NATIONAL EGGNOG DAY

(I prefer mine a bit more on the "high-octane" side, if you know what I mean)
*** Next up, Wifey came home yesterday, JUST beating the storms we had (thank God), and it's comforting to have her back safe under this roof again.
And, as could be expected, I had to perform some electrical "contracting" around the "Fortress".

Seems we have a problem with that garage security floodlights. One side loves to blow one of the two bulbs out (sadly, they're not a dime a dozen), and I have no guess as to WHY.
It doesn't appear shorted out. Might have to get a new fixture after the holidays (oh, joy).
For the interim, I'm using the BLUE floodlight bulbs we had from years past.
And the family room swag light pull-chain decided to jam (when the lights were OFF).
Had to take THAT apart, use some WD-40 and fix that bugger. The chain works fine now.
The "fun" never seems to end, does it?
---Today, we kinda HAVE to go out, much as I disdain doing that, because Wifey left her wall-plug phone charger in Vincennes (she does her car charger).

Now, both our phones are made by L-G, but she's got the SMART phone, and I have a flip phone (a DUMB one). So, I tried MY charger on HER phone...
It WORKED perfectly.
Chalk one up for common sense applications, right?
Still, that means a trip to the Verizon store (Waynedale) to get HER another wall charger.
I told her it ALWAYS make sense to have a SPARE (or two)...just in case. We lucked out on that one.
While we're over there, I'm gonna stop by Do-It-Best and look for a couple more floodlight bulbs, again...JUST IN CASE.
 And then a bit later, we stop by the Allen County SPCA to drop oiff the dog and cat food we donate every year.
(plus, I get to see the "kids" frolicking about...always makes me smile.)
((Okay - update time: Wifey FOUND her charger, tangled about her hair dryer cord. one less thing to do today...a Christmas "miracle"? We'll take whatever we can get...lol))
*** Next, because today is trash and recycle day, we get to NOT have to wait an additional day for the pickup.

Dumbassery-at-work.

Talk about lucking out, hmm?
Just hope the damn wind doesn't play havoc with the bins out around the area. People LOVE to overfill them, which causes blowing trash along our streets and then the crows come by noisy as anything.
One thing that always seems to be in short supply on THIS side of town is some COMMON SENSE.
Now THAT would be a great Christmas gift for a LOT of people down here, that's for sure.
(wonder how you get that wrapped?)
---And the Doctor Who Takeover continues...another full day of episodes to watch while you're wrapping those gifts.
I really like the fact that THIS show does an annual CHRISTMAS-themed show.

Tomorrow night at 9 PM is THIS year's broadcast.

Tonight we've the 1951 Christmas Carol (Alistair Sim) on FXM, Prep and Landing on ABC (both half-hour shows back-to-back) and Wifey and I will watch (on DVD) Garfield's Christmas.
Tomorrow is the movie White Christmas.
Gonna be fun squeezing all that in AND making dinner tomorrow.
*** Last back to the (non-functioning) fireplace...we're standing on the doorstep of CHRISTMAS, an we should always be mindful of what the meaning truly is.

Sure, it's great to hit stores the day AFTER for sale items, (and to me, that beats shopping FOR Christmas gifts...lol), but this holiday is so much more than mere trinkets.
So when we gather around our respective tables tomorrow for dinner, we should take a moment to be a bit reflective along those lines.

We may have more EMPTY chairs than filled ones, but it's not a time to dwell on that. Better to think upon the times when ALL the chairs well filled...the laughter, the love, and the charity we showed to one another.
And then, those chairs won't seem as empty, will they?
Because if you listen closely, and think really hard, you can almost see the way it was.
It's to such things that we need to take comfort in...the familiar, and yes, even the routine.
We called such things TRADITION, and that is something to hold onto all the days of our lives.
And the best tradition is knowing that our Savior as born to come into the world and rid mankind of it's sins.

Never think of that as "a away out", bur instead...believe it to be A WAY UP.
Tomorrow, a brief post with a weekend roundup, and some Christmas cheer and wishes.

Be well, make a difference to someone, and...
Stay SAFE out there, America.