A Place of Refuge for Mind and Soul
Hello, People!
First the news and updates. The husband and I have been doing the doctor rounds again. Nothing serious! Just his six-month cancer checkup and trying to get him some help for his back pain.
Good news….he is now officially cancer free and in complete remission! He has had a CT scan and a few months ago he had another colonoscopy and it showed him completely cancer free. Whew! That was a relief I can tell you. I know he was worried about it. Who wouldn’t be?
The husband has arthritis on the spine with the added complication of a number of spurs there too. We have been trying for years to get him more help for the immense pain he is constantly in. Yesterday we finally were able to get in to see a specialist for this. With the combined efforts of his general MD and help from a home care nurse, we got an appointment with this specialist yesterday.
It was almost an all day affair but it’s something we got used to this last year with his cancer. First off to the hospital lab for blood work, then to X-rays for….well, x-rays, then finally in to see the specialist. He asked a million questions, examined the husband and asked me a million more questions. Bottom line….the doctor wasn’t sure if he could help the husband. He ordered a more invasive x-ray done of the spine with a special dye and then we go back to see the specialist in about a month.
So, the husband is still on strong pain meds (which were prescribed even stronger) and we won’t know if any other procedures or meds will help his situation for another month.
It’s a beginning though and we are grateful for that!
Now for the Christmas question.
I wanted to know who would like a Christmas card? A real, paper, Christmas card showing up via snail mail?
I am going to be making out my cards this weekend and wanted to know if any of my new friends and readers would like me to add them to my list? I have a number of you from the year before last when I started my list for Christmas cards but I know some of you have moved and a few of you are new(ish) to my blog.
Let me know in the comments if you would like a card and I’d be more than happy to send you one!
Me, personally, I LOVE getting things in the mail. It makes my whole day when I do!
If you would like one from me, Sam and the gang just let me know and I’ll contact you for your address! Also, if you’d like to send me one and don’t have my address, let me know that too and I’ll send you my address!
I didn’t do this much last year as it was not a good time for me then but this year will be different. I’m feeling much more…..un-stressed, I guess you could say.
Which is a good thing. So let’s have a Merry Christmas ya’ll!!
Hello, people!
I hope you had a great Christmas and now we are fast approaching New Year’s! Anyone have plans for New Year’s eve or day?
Here’s a Sam and Me comic about how pets enjoy the wrapping that gifts come in much more than then the toys themselves. Hope you enjoy it!
Hello people!
I hope everyone’s Christmas was super! Mine was quiet. Just the way I needed. Today in many parts of the world it’s Boxing Day. Here is a repeat of a post I did last year. Hope you enjoy and I hope you enjoy the day!
Boxing Day ~~ (Via Wikipedia) This holiday is traditionally the day following Christmas Day, when servants and tradesmen would receive gifts, known as a “Christmas box”, from their bosses or employers. Today, Boxing Day is the bank holiday that generally takes place on 26 December. It is observed in the United Kingdom, Canada, Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Trinidad and Tobago and some other Commonwealth nations. In South Africa, Boxing Day was renamed Day of Goodwill in 1994. In Ireland and Italy, the day is known as St. Stephen’s Day (Irish: Lá Fhéile Stiofáin) or the Day of the Wren (Irish: Lá an Dreoilín). In many European countries, including Germany, Poland, the Netherlands and those in Scandinavia, 26 December is celebrated as the Second Christmas Day.
In Britain, Canada, and some states of Australia, Boxing Day is primarily known as a shopping holiday, much like Black Friday (the day after Thanksgiving) in the US. It is a time where shops have sales, often with dramatic price reductions. For many merchants, Boxing Day has become the day of the year with the greatest amount of returns. And that my friends is why I stay safely at home and laze around today. I hate shopping, but today is extra crazy out there.
Kwanzaa ~~ Kwanzaa is a weeklong celebration held in the United States and also celebrated in the Western African Diaspora in other nations of the Americas. The celebration honors African heritage in African-American culture and is observed from December 26 to January 1, culminating in a feast and gift-giving. Kwanzaa has seven core principles (Nguzo Saba). It was created by Maulana Karenga, and was first celebrated in 1966–67.
(Via Wikipedia) Kwanzaa celebrates what its founder called the seven principles of Kwanzaa, or Nguzo Saba (originally Nguzu Saba—the seven principles of African Heritage), which Karenga said “is a communitarian African philosophy,” consisting of what Karenga called “the best of African thought and practice in constant exchange with the world.” These seven principles comprise *Kawaida, a Swahili term for tradition and reason. Each of the seven days of Kwanzaa is dedicated to one of the following principles, as follows:
Kwanzaa symbols include a decorative mat (Mkeka) on which other symbols are placed, corn (Muhindi) and other crops, a candle holder Kinara with seven candles (Mishumaa Saba), a communal cup for pouring libation (Kikimbe cha Umoja), gifts (Zawadi), a poster of the seven principles, and a black, red, and green flag. The symbols were designed to convey the seven principles
National Candy Cane Day ~~ Now you know candy canes had to be celebrated at some point this month. So here it is! This day celebrates the sweet sugary treat that has become a traditional holiday candy. Candy Canes started as just all white sticks and it wasn’t until the turn of the century that the red stripe and the peppermint flavor was added. Many decorate their Christmas Trees with Candy Canes.
A recipe for straight peppermint candy sticks, white with colored stripes, was published in 1844. The candy cane has been mentioned in literature since 1866, was first mentioned in association with Christmas in 1874, And as early as 1882 was hung on Christmas trees. Chicago confectioners the Bunte Brothers filed the earliest patents for candy cane making machines in the early 1920s.
There are several stories about how the candy cane came about, most of them with a religious bent. Some (like Snopes.com) have some convincing arguments against these stories. As for me, I’m just glad they are around to decorate trees with and to eat. Whichever way they came about, enjoy a candy cane today!
National Whiners Day ~~ When I found this holiday I laughed out loud. So fitting don’t you think, to have Whiners day on the day after Christmas? Today is the day you can whine about the bad gifts you received or the gifts you wanted but didn’t get! National Whiners Day was founded in 1986 and is dedicated to those who like to whine. Especially, those who are returning or exchanging Christmas gifts. Actually, this day is to encourage everyone to appreciate what they have.
Rev. Kevin Zaborney, in 1986, designated December 26 as National Whiner’s Day. Rev. Zaborney founded the holiday in hopes of encouraging people to be thankful for what they have, rather than unhappy about what they don’t have.
Suggestions for Celebrating National Whiner’s Day
*Visit a shopping mall or retail store and watch people “whine” as they return and exchange their holiday gifts (remember, it’s not only the customers who whine).
*Invite friends over, or plan a party, and call it a “Whine and Geeze” party! Serve non-alcoholic wine and cheese!
*Again, invite friends to a National Whiner’s Day party. In order to get in, your friends need to bring one unwanted gift, wrapped, for a white elephant exchange.
*Hold a whining contest at home or with friends, and invite a radio or television station to broadcast the event. Award the winner with a funny certificate or trophy. Make it more fun by scoring not only the whine quality but on the whining itself. For example, “Ohhhhh, mooomm. Do I havvvvve to cleeeeean my roooomm?”
Either way, you celebrate the day, have fun!
Sam, the husband and I would like to wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas! And to those who don’t celebrate Christmas, I wish you love and light. Have a wonderful next couple of days and I will see you back again after Christmas!
Love to you all! And to all a good day!
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