Left Over Sunday

Left Over Sunday

This the first Sunday after Christmas, was a different service, we Sat round tables, had quizes, prayer and testimonies.

I went way out of my comfort zone and made a testimony embarrassing myself by crying.

It then finished with a shared lunch

Christmas

Christmas

We attended the midnight Christmas Service.

Waking up Christmas morning, how I miss the hustle and bustle of Christmas Morning when the children were at home, Bucks Fizz, Croissants, Presents, excitement. It all seems so flat and boring now.

We popped in to Jenny (my daughter) and family making our first Santa Visit.

We then went to Church, after Church we made our Second Santa Visit to Steven (my son) and family, my 4yr old Grandson Miles kept stealing Smarties when he was stopped, I asked if I was getting a Goodbye kiss he said No I'm in a Grump.

Then we went to Mum and Dads where Dad was also in a Grump. We finished getting our Christmas Dinner and had an enjoyable Christmas Dinner.

In the afternoon my sister Debbie turned up with her family where we did a quiz, talked and ate.

On Boxing Day we went to see my other son Micheal and family and played Santa.  Bob left for work and we all played Junior Scrabble.

Family Christmas Party - One More Drama

Yesterday was our Annual Christmas Party, all ready, table laid, posh frock on awaiting the invasion, and believe me when it arrived it arrived with a bang.

6pm arrived and at first we heard voices and was just commenting that they had arrived when there was an exploding noise, the house shook and we were deafened.

Dylan, 9yr old Grandson, ran up the garden path at full pelt, and completely shattered our Patio Door, he was a little battered and was taken to A&E as a precautionery measure, he was X rayed and the verdict was he was just bruised, They got back about about 8pm.

In the meantime Sophie his 15yr old Autistic sister had a complete meltdown, she was screaming, shaking and hysterical, she completely wrecked my small bedroom, blaming Dylan for ruining everything, she hated him and never wanted to see him again, eventually she calmed down but was still not happy.

Apart from these dramas it was a reasonably successful evening and a pleasant time was had by all present.

Glolight Cafe Service

Last Night I attended our Carol Service the church was set out as a Cafe, we had tea and cakes, a lovely evening.

Christingle

On Wednesday we attended Dylan's school Christingle service which was most disappointing, it was held in the parish and led by the parish priest.

It was pure chaos, very disappointing, children were screaming, parents were talking, it was crowded and u couldn't see anything and it went on much too long.

I love Christingle services and was most disappointed.

Miracle on 34th Street - Week 4

On Tuesday it was our final Bible Study based on Miracle on 34th Street, I found the discussion and the presentation much better, thoroughly enjoyed the evening.

Christmas Poem

Christmas time has come again,
It seems to come each year,
With trees and decorations,
And people full of Christmas cheer.

With all that extra shopping,
And all that extra drink and food,
All those crisply baked mince pies,
And mulled wined to get you in the mood.

It will soon be time for turkey,
And lots of Christmas pudding,
A feel good film on the telly,
And Christmas songs to sing.

So my message for those who have read this,
Is, may you be filled up with cheer,
May I wish you merry Christmas,
And a prosperous and happy new year.

BobD 2013

Twas the night before Christmas

Twas the night before Christmas when all through the house

Not a computer was whirring not even a mouse

The online shopping had all been done

Though the sprouts and the stuffing were barely begun

The children were nestled all snug in their beds

While visions of Playstations danced in their heads

And Mum in her Onesie was faint from the heat

And Dad pulled his musical socks on his feet

Then out on the lawn there arose such a clatter

I sprung from the bed to see what was the matter

Had inflatable Santa flown over the privet

Or the LED flashing elf done something illicit

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow

Gave the lustre of midday to objects below

When what to my wandering eyes should appear

But a miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer

With a little old driver so lively and quick

I knew in a moment it must be St Nick

More rapid than eagles his reindeer they came

And he whistled and shouted and called them by name

Now Niall, now Louis, Now Liam and Harry

Now you Zayn, on Simon, on Sharon and Gary

St Nick had made the X Factor connection

As his reindeer are named for the band One Direction

It wasn’t my B&Q Christmas Array

That I saw through the window just over the way

But then onto the house top the reindeer they flew

With a sleigh full of toys and St Nicholas too

And then in a twinkling, I heard on the roof

The prancing and pawing of each little hoof

As I drew in my head and was turning around

Down the Chimney St Nicholas came with abound

Or doubtless he would have, but the truth be told

Our house is not terribly old

We don’t have a chimney, just a central heating flue

But St Nick, he still managed to worm his way through

Over the centuries he’s become quite adept

At working out where all the stockings are kept

As if by some magic he appeared by the Telly

With a smile on his face and a great wobbly belly

He was dressed all in fur from his head to his foot

And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot

He took a short step and then let out a shout

When he fell, having slipped on a peeled brussel sprout

Though he knocked over his sherry and squashed his mince pie

He didn’t get flustered or once lose his poise

His eyes – how they twinkled! His dimples how merry!

His cheeks were like roses, it must be the sherry

He spoke not a word but went straight to his work

And filled all the stockings then turned with a jerk

He waved a goodbye and without further ado

He hoicked up his cloak and was whisked up the flue

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle

And away they all flew like the down of a thistle

But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight

“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a Good Night”

Skipping Christmas by John Grisham

John Grisham has turned a satirical eye on the overblown ritual of the festive season, and the result is Skipping Christmas, a modest but funny novel about the tyranny of December 25. Grisham's story revolves around a typical middle-aged American couple, Luther and Nora Krank. On the first Sunday after Thanksgiving they wave their daughter Blair off to Peru to work for the Peace Corps, and suddenly realise that "for the first time in her young and sheltered life Blair would spend Christmas away from home".
Luther Krank sees his daughter's Christmas absence as an opportunity. An accountant, Luther quickly estimates that "a year earlier, the Luther Krank family had spent $6,100 on Christmas", and had "precious little to show for it". Luther makes an executive decision, telling his wife, friends and neighbours that "we won't do Christmas". Instead, Luther books a 10-day Caribbean cruise. All goes well until people get wind of the Kranks' subversive scheme. Everyone, from Christmas card salesmen to horrified neighbours, besieges the couple with questions; what about the Christmas party, carols and the erection of Frosty the Snowman? Things start to turn nasty in the local neighbourhood.
Grisham builds up a funny but increasingly terrifying picture of how the tightknit community turn on the Kranks, who find themselves under increasing pressure to conform. As the tension mounts, will they ever manage to board their plane on December 25? Skipping Christmas is Grisham-lite, with none of the serious drama of earlier books such as The Pelican Brief, but a funny poke at the craziness of Christmas. --Jerry Brotton

Christmas Eve by Angela Burns

I usually keep seasonal books to read at the right season, but then i forget, so i just read this book, and just couldn't put it down, it entrapped me in its spirit, a wonderful bitter sweet book that made me cry, a great read.  I am keeping it on my kindle to reread, which is saying something, i do not often do that.

Something happened to the Newson family last Christmas. Only the spirit of this Christmas can make it better.

New Year 2013

After an extremely busy day in Calendar Club we went to the Club at Manor Park, and had an enjoyable evening seeing in the new year.

On New Years Day - Shock Horror, we both had the day off, it was lovely and sunny and we drove to Kelling and had a lovely walk.

Christmas 2012

Sunday before Christmas - Went to Debbie and Jons
On Christmas Eve - Kinga and Kevin came round for a short while.
Christmas Day - Went to Church then Jen and Andy's
Boxing Day - Went to Mums while Bob Worked, we went for a nice walk along Snettisham Beach, then we went to Steven's when Bob got home for tea.

The problem with Calendar Club is we have little Christmas, as we only have Christmas Day off which i find disappointing.

Christmas Lantern

1 roll of masking tape
10+ pea sticks approx 24" long

tissue paper
PVA adhesive
2 pieces of stiff wire
1 sponge
garden cane to hold lantern from
1 small lightweight battery powered torch/tealight

Method: (use masking tape at each joint)
Start by making two isosceles triangles using your sticks
Join the two triangles at their apexes and add two sticks to form a square base. Then add two more sticks across the diagonals of the base This should give you a basic pyramid shape with a cross on the bottom to strengthen it. You then need to make a small door so that you can access your light.You can then continue adding to this shape to create your own design.
Once happy with the shape of your lantern use the two pieces of wire to make a secure carrying loop at the top of the lantern and a hook inside the lantern to hold the torch/tealight inside.
Using a sponge start to apply PVA to one side of the tissue paper working away from yourself. Attach the paper to the lantern overlapping. Do the sides first, then the base and the door last.
(PVA is best diluted with water 2:l to obtain a good working consistency) When it's completly covered, leave to dry overnight.
The finished lantern can then be attached to a garden cane by the wire loop. Insert the tealight through the door, turn it on and you are ready to join the procession.

Snowglobe (TV 2007)

A young woman discovers a Christmas-themed dreamworld inside a magical snowglobe.

	Christina Milian	...	Angela Moreno
	Erin Karpluk	...	Claire
	Hilda Doherty	...	Mrs. Fionella
	Jason Schombing	...	Donny
	James Kot	...	Max
	Andrew Krivanek	...	Delivery Man
	Josh Cooke	...	Eddie

Christmas Reunion (TV 1995)

A lovely film


A story of two parallel lives in the past, the middle generation has passed away and there's no connection, between paternal grandfather and grandson.

Both stories contains a marriages which were contrary to the families involved. In the first the parents died in a car accident.In the other the father died in the war, and the mother when the child was born.

Almost half the cast has made this movie only yet the result is extraordinary. Being a romantic I had hoped for a total reunion, as the title imply, but this ending with its promise of something better, is even better. This film is a story for a pass-time, but can also give something to reflect about.

	James Coburn	...	Santa
	Edward Woodward	...	Colonel Phillips
	Meredith Edwards	...	Alf Boswell
	Myfanwy Talog	...	Edith
	Fraser Cains	...	Jake

Christmas Cupid

Sloan is beautiful, stylish, and on the fast track to success at her public relations firm. After her client Caitlin dies and becomes her own personal ghost of Christmas past, present, and future; she finds out first hand that her unethical ways needs to change and reuniting with a past jilted lover may be the answer. Sloan is beautiful, stylish, and on the fast track to success at her public relations firm. After her client Caitlin dies and becomes her own personal ghost of Christmas past, present, and future; she finds out first hand that her unethical ways needs to change and reuniting with a past jilted lover may be the answer.

	Chad Michael Murray	...	Patrick
	Ashley Benson	...	Caitlin Quinn
	Ashley Johnson	...	Jenny
	Christina Milian	...	Sloane Spencer
	Ryan Sypek	...	Jason

Christmas Town

Southern California realtor and single mother Liz McCann is a workaholic, much like her banker father Jack Travers. Her work leaves her little time to spend with her ten year old son, Mason, even during the Christmas holidays, much to Mason's dismay. Liz sees Christmas as a nuisance with which to deal, except for being able to use the holiday spirit of others to her business advantage. Despite Liz's feelings about Christmas, Mason is able to talk her into visiting Jack for Christmas, he who has just moved to a little town called Hollyville, which isn't located on any map. Upon their arrival in Hollyville, Mason immediately becomes enthralled with life in the town, especially at the mysterious N.P. Enterprises, and the Christmas spirit pervasive there, which he believes is more than just Christmas spirit. Liz, who is surprised to see Jack living a more relaxed lifestyle, just wants to continue on with her work via cell phone. But Jack, Mason, and the local café owner Kevin O'Reilly, who, like Jack just found Hollyville when his life wasn't going all that well, try to convince Liz that she needs to believe to make her life more meaningful.

	Nicole de Boer	...	Elizabeth 'Liz' McCann (as Nicole De Boer)
	Patrick Muldoon	...	Kevin O'Reilly
	Gig Morton	...	Mason McCann
	Garry Chalk	...	Jack Travers

Cancel Christmas

	Judd Nelson	...	Santa Claus / Kris Frost
	Justin Landry	...	Randal / Mr. Elfman
	Natalie Brown	...	Jeannie Claymore
	John Fleming	...	Adam Claymore

Christmas Tree Festival 2011

During the course of the year, we have been making decorations for an entry to The Christmas Tree Festival, which is this weekend.

The Town Christmas Forgot

A lovely feel good movie.

The Town Christmas Forgot - About the Movie
An urban family that can’t seem to get along gets stranded in a remote, impoverished lumber town two days before Christmas. When they become involved in the town’s home-grown Christmas pageant, they not only help solve the town’s problems but learn to connect with each other just in time for the holidays.

	Lauren Holly	...	Annie Benson
	Rick Roberts	...	Charles Benson
	Azer Greco	...	Nolan Benson
	Torri Webster	...	Trish Benson
	Stephanie Belding	...	Samantha Bee
	Joe Pingue	...	Jeremiah Bee