Christmas Lights
Last Tuesday, our two grandsons came over again and helped install the outside Christmas lights in the bushes by our front door. A timer lets them come on at 5 p.m. and go off at 10:30. What we first thought would look like two Christmas trees on the fence, in reality looks more like two angels, which is lovely. The rest looks more like the “Starry Night” by van Gogh.
Shortly after that, Mike got sick. The doctor came, (yes, we have “Doctors Making Housecalls”) and a technician came with a large X-ray machine to rule out pneumonia. The test was negative, and we hope that with the proper antibiotics Mike will be well enough for our family celebration on Christmas Eve.
We enjoyed a beautiful Christmas Cantata, orchestrated by Stephanie, with a string quartet, a harp, Dennis playing trumpet and Chandler trombone. The choral performance was amazing, with a choir of 36 voices instead of the usual 25.
Today it is raining. I just love the rain! Always looking forward to the pounding torrents like we had them sometimes in Hilo and Prescott, I will take the days-long drizzle anytime. It prevents me from taking my daily walk, but once in a while that is good, because then I can take care of other things.
Winter Solstice
The winter solstice — marking the longest night and fewest hours of daylight of the year — is Thursday. The winter solstice is the precise moment at which the Northern Hemisphere is tilted farthest from the sun. The solstice occurs at the same instant everywhere on Earth. In the United States, it happens at 11:28 a.m. ET Thursday (10:28 a.m. CT, 9:28 a.m. MT, 8:28 a.m. PT). I’m going to set my watch for that!
A few days after the solstice, right after Christmas, I will be celebrating the 50th Anniversary of my 29th Birthday! I’m all excited. There are people that want to forget about their birthday. I have always wondered why. I think it is something to celebrate! Yes, of course, I am getting older year after year, but don’t you think it is better than the alternative? And don’t you feel inside like you will be forever 29? You bet I do!
Actually, now living in the United States, I could celebrate my birthday on Christmas Day as well. That is because I was born in the Dutch East Indies, on the other side of the Dateline. So when it was December 26 on Java, it was still Christmas Day in the U.S. A double celebration every year! Who has it?
It’s a Wonderful World!
Until next time,
Ronny