The last day of 2006

Hello Readers!

It was a nice morning when I woke up, then after I got out of the shower, it started raining. And it rained until 2 pm or so. All those fans sitting at LP Field watching the Titans and Patriots got mighty wet!

Last night, the Predators beat the Bruins 5-0. Serves them right for beating the Black Hawks the night before! Boston's captain is Zdeno Chara...a Czech who measures 6' 9" and 260 lbs. A big guy! Fortunately, he was pretty ineffective. Preds play Colorado tomorrow afternoon at 2 pm. I like New Year's Day games. Puts a nice twist on watching so much football.

Mass was nice this morning. The flowers were still vibrant red; plus a wedding yesterday added a bit more color. A pretty full church...considering the rain and the Titans game. Mass at 11 am tomorrow as well for the feast of the Solemnity of Mary. Since it falls on a Monday, it is not considered a Holy Day of Obligation (HDO). There is a list of 10 HDO's in Canon Law, but each country's Bishop's Conference determines which ones their churches will observe. The US observes 6 of the 10, leaving off St. Joseph's Mar 19, Sts. Peter and Paul Jun 29, Epiphany Jan 6 and Body and Blood of Christ Thurs after Trinity Sunday. Then if the Solemnity of Mary Jan 1, Assumption of Mary Aug 15 or All Saints Nov 1 falls on a Monday or Saturday, the obligation is abrogated. With the way the country is going right now and how the culture has degraded, you would think the Conference would want people to go to church MORE???

So, with church across the street and me trying to be a good Catholic, I'll be in a pew at 11 am.

Watched the Titans game this afternoon. They lost 40-23. They almost made the playoffs this year. It was a four-phase process that would have gotten them in. They had to beat New England, Pitts beat Cincy, KC beat Jacksonville and then SF beat Denver. I thought there is no way SF can beat Denver. Well, they did! The Titans screwed their own plan in losing to New England. If they had won, they'd be in the playoffs as the other three scenarios played out in favor of them.

Now I am listening to the Bears and Packers. It's halftime and the Bears are losing 23-0. What a horrible showing by the "Monsters of the Midway." The Bears have already won home field advantage throughout the playoffs, but I was hoping they would put an exclamation point on the season by having a great game. Guess they'll need to battle back in the 2nd half. They just interviewed Lovie (their head coach). He said he was going to start Brian Griese the second half and sit Grossman. ABOUT TIME~!

Also been studying for my final Wednesday. It's going slow. There is just so much info! It has only been 10 lessons, but with the period covering English handwriting from 1066 until 1700's, it looks at church hierarchy, calendars, weights and measures, nobility and societal ranks, Scottish system, court records, etc. I've gotten through the first 4 lessons. Re-reading the material and going over the Mastery Check questions/answers and the Instructor Graded questions/answers. The exam is supposed to have 20 short answers from those 120+ questions, a will in old handwriting to transcribe and some other short transcription of church and legal documents.

Tonight, the Germantown Neighborhood has its annual New Years Eve party at the intersection of 6th and Monroe. We again will have a kielbasa drop into a bowl of sauerkraut rather than a ball in Times Square. I'll take my camera and get some pics. It's a light-form sausage and a cauldron that looks like it full of kraut...only in Germantown. We'll have music and champagne and sparklers as well. Last year there were about 100 party goers.

So, I'll update when I get back in.

I want to wish each of you a very Happy, Healthy, Fun and Wonderful 2007! May it be one of the best!

The weekend!

Ahhh, Saturday morning! A good night's sleep and now a new morning to get things done around the house. I have clothes washing already, getting ready to take a shower, then get some dishes done in the kitchen. Coffeepot is going...getting ready to settle in with some more studying.

Well, Saddam Hussein is gone. Iraq did what they felt they had to do. I think some of the violence will end, as those supporters of his will now realize he cannot re-assume power and they are out. But I believe most of the car-bombings and roadside bombs will continue. It is more the influence of Syria and Iran rather than the Ba'athists of Saddam. Plus, don't forget that Syria is Ba'athist as well. I hope that this chapter in the history of Iraq is now closed and the whole country can move forward to a more peaceful state.

I'm going to listen to the Met opera this afternoon. It is scheduled to be Mozart's Die Zauberflote (The Magic Flute). A little comedy and a lot of great singing.

Then the Boston Bruins are in town tonight to face the Preds. I always enjoy watching one of the "Original Six" play. For those not familiar with the term, "Original Six" refers to the original six teams in the National Hockey League--Boston Bruins, New York Rangers, Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Black Hawks, Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs. For most of the middle of the 20th century, they were it for major league hockey. The league started expanding in 1967. The Preds lost to Dallas last night 4-1 and Boston beat my Black Hawks 5-3. So, I really don't have a favorite in this match-up. Probably root for the Preds so they can pull a few more points ahead of Detroit.

Today, December 30, we celebrate the feasts of :

St. Anysia of Salonika (Greek, virgin, martyred by the sword in 304)

St. Anysius of Salonika (Greek, bishop, c. 410)

Sts. Appian, Donatus, Honorius, Mansuetus, Severus, and four companions (Egyptian, martyred at Alexandria by heretics c. 483)

St. Egwin of Worcester (English, nobleman, Benedictine monk, bishop, d. 717)

St. Eugene of Milan (Italian, bishop)

Sts. Sabinus, Exuperantius, Marcellus, and Venustian of Spoleto (Italian ... bishop, two deacons, layman ... martyred in 303)

St. John Alcober Figuero (Spanish, Dominican missionary priest, martyred by strangling in China in 1748 [canonized 2000])

St. Liberius of Ravenna (Italian, bishop, c. 200)

Bl. Margaret Colonna [Margherita] (Roman, noblewoman, abbess, d. 1284)

Bl. Matthia dei Nazzarei (Italian, Benedictine [later Poor Clare] abbess for 40 years, d. 1213)

St. Ralph of Vaucelles (English, Cistercian abbot in France, d. 1152)

St. Raynerius of Aquila (Italian, bishop, d. 1077)

Also, December 30 was always the Feast of the Holy Family, before they tinkered with the calendar and made it a movable feast to fall on the Sunday after Christmas.

Yesterday was the feast of St. Thomas a' Becket, the famous Archbishop of Canterbury, who was murdered in his cathedral in 1170 by the soldiers of King Henry II of England.

I found a good prayer for this holiday season...Slow Me Down:

Slow me down Lord,
ease the pounding of my heart
by the quieting of my mind.

Teach me the art of slowing down,
to look at a flower,
to chat to a friend,
to read a few lines from a good book.

Remind me each day of the fable
of the hare and the tortoise,
that I may know that the race
is not always to the swift,
that there is more to life than
increasing its speed.

Let me look upward into the
branches of the towering oak
and know that it grew great and
strong because it grew slowly
and well.

Slow me down, Lord, and inspire
me to send my roots deep into
the soil of life's enduring
values that I may grow toward
the stars of my greater destiny.

--from The Catholic Prayer Book, 1984, compiled by Msgr. Michael Buckley

OK, now on with the day!

Thursday in Nashville

A short post tonight readers.

Not much going on. I started studying for my Paleography class final exam next Tuesday. I'll be glad to get it over with! I take it at 9:30 am.

A good day at work. Got some smaller jobs done, so that clears the way for whatever big projects hit in January. Legislature convenes the 2nd week, so you never know what will happen.

Today is the feast of the Holy Innocents. They were the young boys killed by the orders of King Herod after the visit of the Magi to the Christ Child.

Father, the Holy Innocents offered you praise by the death they suffered for Christ. May our lives bear witness to the faith we profess with our lips. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.


Wishing you a great Friday tomorrow!

Can it be Wednesday already?

Wow! Two days since Christmas! Time is just moving by too, too quickly.

I had a list of things I wanted to do yesterday...none done. It was a shit day. Yeah, shit day. I was in a mood yesterday morning that was foul. I took about a half-hour snooze in the afternoon and felt better. I played on the PC a bit and did some genealogy digging. Then I went to the Preds/Blues game. Met Vaidas and his wife Jurgita and some friends there. They pulled me out of the funk! Nashville won the game in a shootout. They played awful the whole game. Here are the Blues...one of the worst teams in the league and Nashville could only manage a tie through 65 minutes of play? The first period was blah...second period picked up some steam and third period was hard hitting. Jordin Tootoo was a dynamo on the ice and made bone crushing checks that caused the Blues to meltdown. After one such hit and the accompanying brawl that followed, a Blues player was penalized 19 minutes! The Blues goalie, Manny Legace, called Tootoo a "donkey" on the ice. Yes, donkey was the actual word. But in all, it was a thrilling game. Next home game is Saturday night versus one of the original six....Boston Bruins.

When I got home I watched a PBS special I had wanted to see on the White City. That was the locale in Chicago for the 1892/3 World's Fair. I caught the last half hour. It was amazing. I need to see the whole thing, and both Part's I and II.

Then I flipped channels and saw the sad news that President Ford had passed away. I got back into my funk of earlier. My heart grew heavy and I thought back to 1974. Gerald R. Ford was the start of my political awareness. I remember that exact time and place that I became a political junkie...and the exact words... It was August 9, 1974. I was at my grandmothers house in Bridgeport in Chicago. She had just moved into a new flat. I was washing the windows on her back porch. The porch faced north and there was Sears Tower right there as big as life. It was about noon and she had the radio on. They broke in and I was half listening....but how vividly I remember the words, "Our long national nightmare is over. Our constitution works..." I sat and listened to the remaining words of his speech. The voice was soft, calming, like an old friend. I was 12 years old and I had heard all the Watergate saga, saw Nixon's news conferences and speeches, especially his resignation speech of the previous night. But this was a new voice; one that was firm and reassuring. After that, I was hooked. And I have been a political junkie since then. President Ford helped heal the deep wounds in the nation and oh what would have been if he had won re-election in 1976! But "what-woulda's" don't count. We dealt ourselves Jimmy Carter and his ineffective treatment of the Iranian hostage situation and other problems in the Middle East spurred the ire and resentment of radical Islam that we see manifest today.

Someone they interviewed in Michigan today made a statement that with President Ford's passing, a generation has ended. I believe they refer to that in which the politician was a common man. They made mention that his first morning as President, Ford got up and made his own breakfast. He was a Republican as I was a Republican...in the mode of Eisenhower. Not the rabid fundamentalists of the modern right-wing party. I believe with all my heart that you cannot legislate morality. The aims of government is for the common good...not special groups. I am still a fiscal conservative; and a social moderate. The two main parties are so polarized right now. They cater to the minority groups on either end and kow-tow to their every whim to get their vote. What about us? What about Middle America? We are the ones who make the goods, pay the taxes, keep the economy going. When with Washington listen to us again?

So, Godspeed Mr. President. You were good for America and your service was well done!

Today I had to go back to work...UGH! But I only stayed until 2:30. I had a visit to the dermatologist to get some stitches out. On Dec 15th I had a mole, or nevus, removed from my back. Lab report had no mention of cancer. Had 15 stitches as it was a big slice of 30 centimeters. So I guess I am back to 100% for now. But keep me in your prayers...I have another test to go through shortly.

Going to Chicago January 4 - 7. Winter in Chicago! Who could ask for anything better?!

Just finished watching back-to-back episodes of Bones on FOX. I really like that show. Guess I'm a nerd like the rest of them. Unfortunately, the next new show is January 17th, I think. It centers around a forensic anthropologist, Dr. Brennan, working with an FBI agent, Booth. They solve all kinds of murders. A bit graphic at times...hence the series name "Bones".

Was looking over all my Christmas presents tonight. I did good...from moccasins to a new blanket to a tackle box...cash...archival quality photo album...a book "On Bullshit"... The blanket will definitely come in handy tonight. Temps have fallen here and it is cold. Heavy frost on the car this morning. Supposed to warm up by the weekend and have bad storms with rain, hail and potential for tornadoes.

Today, December 27th, is the feast of St. John, Apostle and Evangelist. He was the last of the Apostles to die and wrote the last book of the Bible, Revelation, along with the gospel which bears his name and some epistles.

God our Father, You have revealed the mysteries of Your Word
through John the Apostle. Through his intercession and our prayer
and reflection may we come to understand the wisdom he taught.
 
This Apostle was the beloved of Your Son and reclined on His
breast. Through his intercession, may we come to understand and
experience the love of the Sacred Heart for us.
 
At the foot of the Cross, Your Son gave Mary as a mother to St.
John. Through his intercession, may we grow in a tender relationship
with Mary our mother.
 
All this Father, we ask in the Name of Your Son, Jesus, Who lives
and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, One God for ever and ever.
Amen.

Signing off for now.  Catch you later.

Merry Christmas!

Hello all!

To borrow a line from Rocco at Whispers in the Loggia blogspot:

Christus natus est pro nobis---venite adoremus!

Sorry about the delay over the weekend. I got rushed and was busy busy busy. Dad, Mom and Uncle John came over about 8:45 pm last night. Had a nice visit, went to Midnight Mass, then to the party in the school afterward. Finally fell asleep about 3:45 am. Was up at 8 am this morning and made waffles for breakfast.

Auntie Katie and Uncle Kent called this morning and said they couldn't make it for dinner. Uncle Kent was coughing a bit much and it was storming up in Kentucky. Since it's been raining for two days, I guess the dampness the best of Uncle Kent. So instead of having dinner at 12:30, we set it for 2:30. Opened presents afterward, had dessert and they left about 5 pm.

Since then, I've been mostly a couch potato. I did put everything away and get the dishes done.

I hope you had a wonderful Christmas Day! Here are some pics from recent days...

Here's the outside of 1224...not a lot, but the only one with lights on the block!


Here's the dinner table this afternoon. Ham, cranberries, relish tray, corn casserole, sauerkraut, Lithuanian winter salad, sweet potatoes, green beans, horseradish, bread and butter...mmm!!



My nativity set on the mantle.


My Christmas tree.

I'll have some more pictures tomorrow. I want to go back to church and take pics. The poinsettias were great this year and for a two hour decorating time, it looks great!

Again let me wish all of you a most Blessed Christmas! A big hello to Ryan, Dave, Rich, LLW and Lindsay and family in England.

Merry Christmas! Linksmu Kaledu! (Lithuanian) Nollaig shona duit! (Gaelic Irish) Frohliche Weihnachten! (German) Vesel Bozic! (Slovenian)

Well, it's after 10 pm, and I am ready to take a long sleep. Catch you all tomorrow!

The Friday before...

Hello dear ones!

Sorry I missed a post last night. I went to the Preds/Sabres massacre last night and was dead tired by the time I got back home. I hit the sack not too long after walking through the door. It was the last day in the office until next Wednesday. I got a lot done and was able to chill a bit as well. We did hear that Kirk, my boss, has a new grandson...Max. Everything went well and Max and mom are doing fine.

Today I finished Christmas shopping! YAY!!!! I also bagged and wrapped most of the presents. That's always the job I hate the worst. My fingers aren't the greatest when it comes to wrapping. And don't even mention ribbon. When you get presents from me, it's wrapped or in a bag with a bow. That's it!

I pulled all the Christmas stuff out of storage. I was a bit late due to the fact I have some stitches in the top of my back between the shoulder blades and I didn't want to pull them earlier. I had a mole removed last Friday and the doc told me to not twist, lift or pull down anything major for a few days. So, I waited until today. They twinge a bit, but nothing drastic.

I put up outside lights, and am now getting ready to start inside. I am cutting this short until later tonight. I'll add some pics too of Christmas at 1224!

Until later...

Wednesday the 20th

Hello friends!

Two anniversaries stick out in my mind on December 20th. In 1975, my Grandma Bell had a stroke. She was busy with her Christmas tasks, one of which was making potica, a Slovenian nut cake/bread. She would hand grind the walnuts...pounds and pounds of walnuts. That year, it took it's toll. She was partially paralyzed on her left side.

The second remembrance happened a year later, 1976. Richard J. Daley, The Mayor, passed away of a heart attack in his doctor's office. Of course, for many Chicagoans he was the only mayor they knew. He was first elected in 1955 and served almost 22 years. I still have the Chicago Tribune and Sun-Times from December 21st.

I am going to Chicago Jan 4-7. I was looking at the Trib this afternoon and there is an article about a production at the Prop Theater about Mayor Daley. http://www.chicagotribune.com/ I think I am going to try and see it when I am up there. The actor who plays Richard J. says he had to gain 60 pounds. I have some extra I can give him!!!

Slow day at work today. My boss' daughter-in-law was supposed to have a baby by C-section today in Atlanta. Waiting to hear how things went.

BIG NEWS from this afternoon...our Commissioner is leaving! The governor made an announcement that Commissioner Chumley will be leaving at the end of his first term, which would be January 20. So let the political games begin!

I stayed in tonight. Didn't feel like going out in the damp. Feels like it is going to rain, which the weatherman said it should by tomorrow morning. Wonder if we'll get any snow from that storm that hit Denver. WOW!!! The snow!!

For people interested in the Catholic Church and it's news, check out Whispers In The Loggia, a blog by Rocco Palmo. Rocco is a Philadelphia guy in his early 20's who has a wonderful resource in his blog. We've emailed back and forth some, and he is a good guy. His sources are top-rate.

Well, washing dishes and clothes tonight. Caught up on some paperwork and a little housecleaning. Tomorrow night is the big Preds vs. Buffalo game I've been waiting for. Always have liked the Sabres, and this year they got off to a fantastic start. It bodes to be an excellent game.

Let's see whose feast day today is...

Ammon, Zeno, Ptolemy, Ingen, and Theophilus MM

Died 249.

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Dominic of Brescia B

Died c. 612.

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Dominic (Domingo) of Silos, OSB, Abbot

died 1073.

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Eugene and Macarius MM

Died 362.

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Blessed Gundisalvus (Gonzalo) of Silos, OSB

Died c. 1073.

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Julius of Gelduba M

Date unknown.

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Liberatus and Bajulus MM

Date unknown.

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Malou (Madeloup)

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Blessed Peter de la Cadireta, OP M

died 1277.

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Blessed Peter Massalenus, OSB Cam.

died Venice, 1453.

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Blessed Peter Thi M

died in Hanoi, December 21, 1839.

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Philogonius of Antioch B

Died 324.

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Ursicinus of Cahors, Abbot

Died c. 535.

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Ursicinus of St-Ursanne, Abbot

Died c. 625.

Does the name St. Dominic of Silos ring a bell? Remember the Chant CD's that were popular a few years ago? They were recorded at the monastery at Silos that St. Dominic was abbot at.

Tonight's prayer is from the Church Office Night Prayers:

Lord Jesus Christ, you have given your followers an example of gentleness and humility, a task that is easy, a burden that is light. Accept the prayers and work of this day, and give us the rest that will strengthen us to render more faithful service to you who live and reign for ever and ever. May the all-powerful Lord grant us a restful night and a peaceful death. Amen.

Catch you all tomorrow...the last day in the office until next Wednesday!!

Another day is done...

Hello all!

If you are reading this as a result of my insert in my Christmas card...yay! I'm so glad you could join me! For the regulars, welcome back for another day.

This post will be short. It's been a blah day. Had meetings at work. Then a haircut and Christmas shopping this evening. I'm just about finished shopping!!! Now just have to put up the tree, wrap presents and clean house. I can do that in the days left!

Hope you are all doing well! It was another nice day here in Nashville. The temp dropped into the 50's, but still sunny and a nice breeze. What strange weather two days before the start of Winter.

As I said, I got a haircut tonight. It looks pretty good. Even trimmed my beard a bit. Ahh....yes...I've grown a beard this winter. I had beards in prior years, so I wanted to do it again. Everyone says it looks good, so I guess I'll keep it until spring. I need to put a pic up of me in my new haircut...I'll save that for tomorrow.

I really feel bad for the families of the three hikers on Mt Hood in Oregon. With one known fatality, the other two families must be beside themselves. It's one thing knowing an outcome...yet not knowing what happened to their loved ones must be heart-wrenching. Keep them in your prayers.

The feasts for today December 19 are:

Anastasius I, Pope

Died in Rome in 401.

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Avitus (Adjutus) of Micy, Abbot

Date unknown.

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Bernard (Berard) Paleara, OSB B

Died 1122.

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Blessed Caecilia of Ferrara, OP V

Died 1511.

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Cyriacus and Companions MM

Died 303.

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Darius, Zosimus, Paul, and Secundus MM

Date unknown.

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Fausta of Sirmium, Widow

3rd century. .

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Gregory of Auxerre B

Died c. 540.

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Blessed Macarius of Würzburg, OSB Abbot

(also known as Macarius the Scot)

Died 1153.

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Manirus of Scotland B

Date unknown.

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Meuris and Thea VV MM

Died c. 307.

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Nemesius of Alexandria M

Born in Egypt; died 250.

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Ribert (Ribarius) of Saint-Oyend, OSB Abbot

Died c. 790.

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Samthana of Meath V

6th century.

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Blessed Thomas De and Companions, OP Tert. MM

Died 1839.

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Timothy of Africa M

Died c. 250.

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Blessed Urban V OSB, Pope

died in Avignon, France, December 19, 1370

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Blessed William of Fenoli, O. Cart.

Died c. 1205.

And Lives of the Saints singles out Blessed Urban V for today:

Almighty and eternal God, You willed to set Blessed Urban over your entire people and to go before them in word and example. By his intercession keep the pastors of Your Church together with their flocks and guide them in the way of eternal salvation. Amen.

With that, I am calling it a night. Peace to each of you and may God give you a good sleep tonight!

Monday already???

Yes, another Monday has rolled around and is almost kaput! Time has been moving so fast these last couple of months. I can't believe my last blogs were in June from Chicago...seems like just a few weeks ago.

So to catch you up on things since June...

Baseball season has come and gone. White Sox fizzled out in August and let Detroit and Minnesota walk all over them. At least the Cards won the World Series...St Louis is my favorite NL team. They hate the Cubs just as much as I do!

I went back to Chicago at the end of September. Mom and dad went too, as my cousin Craig got married. It was a great wedding and it was nice to see my dad's cousins Jim and Fran, Craig's parents, his sister Lynn and her new husband Brad, and my dad's cousins Sharon and Bobby from Phoenix. Did some more shopping and brought back a carload of goodies.

Oktoberfest went extremely well financially this year. As with all Oktoberfests, we had some bumps, but they smoothed out quickly and we had a splendid day. Remember the date for next year...always the second Saturday in October.

The weather has been extremely wishy-washy this autumn. Today was in the 70's, and they are calling for flurries on Christmas. With the warmer weather I was able to get some much needed yard maintenance done and it does look better. I dug up a corner of the front that was loaded with monkey grass, and split some irises and daffs. Hope they winter over good and pop up brightly in the spring.

Also did some dr visits the end of October and through November and into December. I'm in good health, but not good shape. (Hey, round is a shape! he didn't buy it!) My blood pressure was up a bit, so I have to lower it, exercise more, cut potatoes, white rice, white bread out of my diet, eat smaller portions, lose 1/2 lb a week and keep it off. My blood numbers were all good, so I just have to keep them the same. Went to the eye doctor and my sight was as near 20/20 as can be. He said I may need some really low power reading glasses, like the drugstore .50 or .75 strength. No prescriptions. Went to the dermatologist for some skin tags taken off, and he found a mole that needed to go. He did that this past Friday afternoon. Went fine...but it's in the middle of my back and I can't reach it to change the dressing. So the state employee clinic came in handy today and the rest of the week. I go get the stitches out after Christmas.

I finished the class work finally in my genealogy class on Paleography from BYU. All I need to close it out is to take the final exam. I have to check with Nashville State Comm Coll. to see if they received it yet. The exams have to be taken at a college testing center now. I'll try to take it right after New Years. I still have the research class to finish up with the outlines from the genealogy conference in Chicago in June. It'll be great to get those two classes under my belt!

I went to Salt Lake City Dec 7 - 11 to do research. It's my third trip out there...I seem to hit it every other year. I zeroed in on my English families--Bell, James and Jobson. I also did some checking on my other European clans, with little success. But I found at least a generation or two back on each of the three English families. That puts me right up to the early, early 1700's. Most church records are very sparse before that time frame, so this may be a good delineation mark to say, I'm finished with this direct line. I need to get the data published so it'll be of benefit to others.

Let's see if I can post a few pics from Salt Lake City....




This is the view from the Conference Center after seeing the Mormon Tabernacle Choir perform their weekly radio broadcast on Sunday morning.





Here's a picture of the Choir and stage in the Conference Center. It was magnificent!


After the performance, I went to Mass at the Cathedral of the Madeleine, under the patronage of St. Mary Magdalen. The pics of the inside came out a bit dark, so let's see how it posts here..


And the Stations of the Cross are interesting. Jesus is portrayed as an Indian.


I have a lot more pics. I'll see how I can added them all. Stay tuned!

So, that just about brings us up to date. Almost finished my shopping tonight. Just a few things left to buy. Then I have grocery shopping, as I am having Christmas dinner. I am thinking a ham and Italian sausage, plus veggies and bread and desserts. Gotta get the decorations up, the house cleaned and presents wrapped...thank God for gift bags!!

So I think I'm going to call it a night. I wonder if this blogger has spell check? I think I'm going to need it...my fingers are fatter than the keys and usually hit two at a time! Yep..I see the checkmarkABC....cool!

That's all for now from Germantown Central! Catch you tomorrow!

As in some of the past posts, I will try to include the saints whose feast day is the current day. So today is December 18 and the list includes:

Sts. Augustine Moi, Peter Duong, Peter Truat, and Paul Mi (Vietnamese, catechists, refused to trample a crucifix, martyred by strangling in 1838)
St. Auxentius of Mopsuestia (Cilician [Turkish], emperor's guard, bishop, c. 321)
St. Bodagisil (French, abbot, d. 588)
St. Desideratus of Fontenelle (French, Benedictine monk, c. 700)
St. Flannan of Killaloe (Irish, missionary monk, bishop, prayed the psalter [150 psalms] daily, 7th century)
St. Gatian of Tours (French, bishop, c. 337)
St. Mawnan of Cornwall
St. Moysetes (African, martyred c. 250)
Sts. Quintus, Simplicius, and companions (African, martyred c. 255)
Sts. Rufus and Zosimus (Syrian?, martyred [thrown to wild beasts] in Rome c. 107)
St. Samthann of Clonbroney (Irish, nun, d. 739)
Sts. Theotimus and Basilian (Syrian, early martyrs)
Sts. Victurus, Victor, Victorinus, Adjutor, Quartus, and 30 companions (African, early martyrs)
St. Winebald (English, son of King St. Richard, missionary, Benedictine abbot, d. 761 in Germany).

My Lives of the Saints singles out Gatian of Tours, who was bishop of Tours France in the middle of the third century.

God, You made St Gatian an outstanding exemplar of Divine love and the Faith that conquers the world, and added him to the role of saintly Pastors. Grant by his intercession that we may persevere in Faith and love and become sharers of his glory. Amen.

May God grant you a peaceful and restful night!

Tackling the last of the list...

Hi all!

Well, I'm headed out the door to try and finish up my Christmas list.

My back is still a bit sore, so I'll wait and put up the tree and all my other Christmas regalia Wednesday or Friday. As long as I get the shopping done, I can coast the rest of the way!

Hope you are all doing well. Weather was fantastic here today...mid 70's. I have a funny feeling we will pay for all this nice weather about the middle of February...

OK, off to find Santa! Will cover the day and it's happenings when I get back home, kick off my shoes and get a mug of hot chocolate!

Back to Blogging---It's About Time!

Yes, I am back to blogging! I sent out Christmas cards Friday and yesterday and told everyone I was picking up the story line once again. So here I am...

I am currently listening to the Bears-Bucs game over the internet from WBBM-AM radio. I really love this three hour part of Sunday afternoon. Right now it's in overtime, with the Bears trying to keep the drive going.

I'm going back to listening to the game...I'll post more tonight.

I'm so glad to be back again!