XMAS Letter / Stumpy’s Discovery

                The weather system that has caused such distress to the rest of the country has not done much here in Tuscaloosa. The temperatures are a lot colder than I ever remember them being this time of year. The worst for me are the seemingly never ending gray days. Like my great aunt Teenie used to do, I light all the bright lights I can to keep my spirits up.

I’m not one for the XMAS spirit anymore. I attribute this feeling to being exposed to exploitation of XMAS merchandise in September and the annual fake outrage of the “War on XMAS” that seems to get worse every year. Coming out as an atheist is almost as hard as when I came out as gay. I’m so sick of the Sarah Palin’s, Bill O’Reilly’s., and Rush Limbaugh’s on the airwaves constantly screaming they are the victims. Nobody is taking away the freedom of worship to whatever god you believe in. There is a wall that needs to be kept between the church and state.

I can just hear the heads exploding over the displays of non-Christian religious symbols that now have the right to be displayed on public properties that allow a crèche.

I don’t like to do religion or politics here on my journal. I just wanted to clarify why I’m not bubbly and happy over this time of year. I will not rain on anybody’s parade. If I institute a greeting it is usually “Happy Holidays”, if someone wishes me a “Merry XMAS” I’ll answer in the same. It a way of showing respect.

Sunday the upstairs warmed up enough to get some work done on the remodel project. The previous owners finished off this open space around 1994. I can’t imagine what this all ended up costing them. I had the door open to this awkward storage space. There were boxes stacked right up to the door with just a little bit of space on the right hand side.

Stumpy decided to join me and went right into this open space to explore. He could not get very far when he had to turn around. As he maneuvered himself I heard a familiar rattle of wood louvers. Once he got out I pulled out the boxes and discovered the eight missing shutter panels I KNEW I had!

 

The first panel of four shutters is glued and clamped together in the workshop. Will hopefully get the second panel together this afternoon when it warms up a bit.

I’ve got to get to work on my cards. That is the only thing I really do for the holidays anymore.

Speaking of letters I dug up a favourite XMAS letter from my files.

Back in my old AOL days when chat rooms were all the rage, I always checked into the “gay morning kawfee” chat room. There were the daily regulars who were on-line to just gossip and shoot the breeze. This was not a hook up room. That was way over ten years ago, but it seems like ancient history to be speaking of AOL and Chat rooms. Do these even exist anymore? Just typing this out I can hear the dial up sounds:

 

 

<span style="font-family: 'Book

man Old Style’;”>One of the regulars to this room, Jon sent me the following spoof vanity XMAS letter. I’ve forwarded this to so many people over the years and have even posted it to my journal in the distant past.

Here it is again. Enjoy!!!

 

 

Dear Friends:

What a wonderful year we have had!  Bob was named Vice President of the bank, so we celebrated by buying a MERCEDES and taking a trip to the ORIENT.  In addition to his Boy Scout work, Bob served as Chairman of the United Fund Drive. He is still on the hospital board and President of Kiwanis.  Just for kicks, he played the lead in the Little Theater production last June, and everyone said he was better than the star that did it on Broadway.  His first love however is still conservation, and he continues to work hard as Chairman of the committee to Fight Dutch Elm Disease.

After completing my term as Junior League President, I swore I would take life easy, but it seems I am more involved than ever.  I accepted the Vice Presidency of the Garden Club and am still very active in the DAR.  Our church organist became ill and they asked me to substitute, so I accepted.  I ran the rummage sale again this year and managed to take a course in flower arranging and cake decorating.

Little Latwanda was elected class president and won letters in volleyball and basketball.  She is on the all-state debate team and placed second in the National Oratory contest last May.  She has already been accepted by Harvard.  She has sure grown the last few years and has turned out to be a gorgeous young lady.  We are very proud of her and her dedication for work with the Homeless Shelter at the same time tutoring young people and attending finishing school.  Of course for Christmas she has asked for a new Corvette but we are hesitant to give her everything she wants so we bought her a 2012.

 In early October we lost Bob’s mother.  For the last 5 days of her life I set with her never leaving her side and controlling her visitors and working closely getting her affairs in order.  Being appointed her Power of Attorney is sure a Godsend and makes things so much easier.  Well after 5 days she passed away and boy did Bob get a surprise when her will was read.  We got EVERYTHING but I did give my sister in law a real nice cabinet that sits above the toilet and that nice set of Melmac which did include the sugar and creamer.  I thought that was fair enough.  You know me; I like to keep harmony in the family.  I had to laugh, Bob said we should just invest all the money we inherited and just live on the interest.

 Well I hope you all have a wonderful Holiday and a great 2014.  We leave in January for a 6 week well earned vacation in Europe.

 Again,  MERRY CHRISTMAS

 

PS  – Crazy me. I forgot to ask how your year went.  Keep in touch but don’t call until we return from Europe because I am sure I will have lots of stories to relate to you since you have never traveled abroad.