Today's Objective- Kindness



Sometimes, a quote says it all.

Boxing Day Blues

Turkeys on the Yard for Christmas Breakfast

Turkey on the Table for Christmas Dinner

          As always, Christmas Day was a glorious day!  I am so thankful for our home and our family's homes, for the thoughfulness of others, for beautiful symbols of the season, and for all the goodies shared.  But I must have PTDD- post turkey distress disorder, because of some guilty feelings. Here is a list of things I did not do on Christmas Day:

• I did not phone my sister in Missisauga
• I did not phone my brother in Ottawa
• I did not phone my aunt in New York
• I did not talk with my mother on Christmas Day, though I did phone
• I did not talk with my sister in Florida

If you are one of these important people in my life, and you are reading this, please forgive me, for these are some of the things I did do:

• Got up at 4 am to bake pies
• Prepared a Christmas breakfast for my hubby
• Took pictures of the turkeys in the yard
• Tried to download a map program for our new GPS
• Talked on the phone with our daughter twice
• Talked on the phone with our son twice
• Drove to Brockville hospital twice
• Drove to Williamburg and back through a snowstorm
• Fell asleep at 8 pm. 

          So, now it is Boxing Day, and my to-do list has begun again!

Wherever you are, I wish you a happy and guiltfree day!

Until next time,

Bee Rich

Saying Merry Christmas across the miles!

Santa-the traditional greeter!

My honey and the traditional Christmas Tree

Snowman are one of my favourite symbols!

Nanny's Fruit Cake Tins!

Christmas Excitement

MacArthur and S. Claus- December 24, 2011

MacArthur on his CAT- December 25, 2011

          
         
          It is 8:30 pm on our grandson's first Christmas. Judging om the pictures his father posted on Facebook, it was an exciting Christmas for their family.  You can see that he is learning more and more about his world every day and we wish we were there to share more of that.  Oh, but their visit is just three sleeps away!
          After a mid-morning nap, I awoke to my husband calling the Mika dog to come inside.  The Mika loves to run and romp in the fresh snow.  Apparently she had wandered away from the house.  At first we thought that she had followed the 13 wild turkeys who had come for a breakfast of corn on the cob, but when my husband went outside and followed the turkey tracks, Mika's were not among them.
          I took it upon myself to find her tracks and follow her trail.  To my horror, she had travelled down to the lake, out on the ice.  I could see where she darted from dock to deck, from boat ramp and then back out to the middle of the lake.  I was sure that she had somehow gone through the ice.  While we discussed her demise (with tears rolling down my face) we heard a snowplow go out along the nearby county road, located at the end of the lake.  Suddenly my husband yells, "There she is!"
          I looked out onto the lake and, sure enough, there was the Mika bounding up the lake from the opposite direction, tail wagging and tongue hanging out.  She was joy running over the snowy ice.  We called her name and she abruptly changed direction, this time heading straight toward shore, up the steep hill, and right to my feet.  I was not impressed and made sure she knew it with a swift swat on the backside. 
          Poor Mika then spent the rest of Christmas Day locked in her kennel, while the "good dog," Finnegan was able to roam the house while we were off at a delicious Christmas dinner.  The meal was perfectly lovely, thanks to my husband's older brother and two younger sisters. 
          After dessert and tea, we gathered up gifts and a plate of food and drove to the nearby hospital to deliver Christmas dinner to another brother, who had to miss the family event due to illness. After a quick visit there we headed home.  Because it was snowing and Christmas, the roads were very exciting too.  Thankfully our four-wheel drive jeep kept us safe all the way home. 

And that is the kind of day it was here!  Until tomorrow,


Bee Rich
         

Merry Christmas to Family and Friends!

          It is 8:00 Christmas morning here on Silvery Lane.  The ice is forming on the lake and there is a bit of frost in the air.  We have been up since 4:00 a.m. baking buns and pies for our family dinner at the Richmire home place in Williamsburg this afternoon. 
          It is going to be an "old fashioned Christmas" dinner with turkey, dressing, potatoes, gravy and all of the trimmings.  The best part will be getting together with my husband's family, reminiscing about Christmases past and making more memories for the future. 
          Sadly, my brother-in-law was taken to the hospital last night with a fever and was admitted for a day or two for antibiotic therapy. We will stop in on our way to and from the dinner and hopefully have a plate load for him to enjoy later in the day. 
          Our daughter is working in Scotland and our son is enjoying his son's first Christmas at his home.  It is quiet here, so I snapped a few pictures to share with them on line. 
          Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas.  May the joy of the true meaning of Christmas, the birth of God's son, Jesus Christ, shine in your life throughout the year.

Until Boxing Day,

Bee Rich
  

'Twas the Day Before the Day Before Christmas

It's is beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

          This week has flown by!  On Sunday I checked my teaching schedule and said to myself, "Ah-the last week before the Christmas holidays, and I have only one day of teaching...lots of time to get ready."

          The to-do list was immense:

• finish wrapping gifts
• cut the tree
• decorate the tree
• deliver gifts
• bake pies
• bake buns
• launder the bedding
• clean the house
• grocery shopping
• stop at the drug store
• etc...

          Occasional Teaching is occasional!  In fact, the phone rang on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings for jobs on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday!  Every morning, the list was revised, jobs were delegated to my husband, and I set off on a new adventure to spend my days with students. 
         Whirlwind forward to Friday afternoon, December 23, 3:30 pm.  Cell phone call to hubby, "I am running a little late, I should be home by 4:00."  No worries.  The tree farm is open until 9:00 pm, and it is less than an hour away.  We were going on our annual expedition to cut our own Christmas tree!
          We left the house at 4:30, a cup of tea in hand, and drove in the dark toward the Christmas Tree Farm.  It was cold outside and the temperature dropping.  Wind chill forecast: -25 degrees C. Snow on the ground from last night.  The trees along the side of the road are sugary white. It is going to be a white and cold Christmas after all!
          We arrive at the farm and are shocked to see that there is only one other vehicle in the parking lot. Where is everyone?  I say to the gentleman at the gate, "We are late this year."
         He replies, "I hope everyone else is late this year because it has been slow."  So slow that a sign announces that pre-cut trees are now $10.00 off.  We look longingly out onto the dark fields.  Then our eyes drift to the rows and rows of pre-cut trees...there are hundreds of Douglas firs and balsams, leaning proudly on the fences, all waiting for a warm home.  The lights above make the snow on the trees glisten and each one beckons to us.
          I am not sure if it was the darkness, the cold, our dog pulling on her leash, or a combination of those factors, but we quickly chose our tall and slim fir tree, and carried it over to be wrapped.  We walked quickly to the cabin where we were offered a cup of hot chocolate and a seat by the fire. 
          That is when the magic happened.  It was cold and clear.  Stars sprinkled the sky.  The fire was brightly burning, warm and glowing near its base of hardwood logs. We stood drinking in the sensations of the frosty cold night, the warmth, heat and light of the fire, the sweet taste of the drink, the twinkling of the stars, and the joyous silence of the woods. For a moment, it did not matter the length of the to-do list. 
           We headed back to the truck and our tree, the dog sprinting happily ahead, while we held hands under the stars. We had already begun our merry Christmas. 

Until next time,

Bee Rich

Angels All Around Us!

An Angel Announcing the Birth of the Christ Child

         

           Each year in early December, I take time to go through our collection of Christmas decorations.  Each ornament reminds me of a special time in my life.  There are no less than four large plastic tubs of these home decorations- all carefully wrapped in newspaper, plastic bags, or tissue paper from previous years. 

          We have a tub of tree decorations, in all shapes and sizes, made from various materials, that are placed gently on the Christmas tree each year.  This year, because of various circumstances, we have not yet gone to cut our tree.  It may no happen until December 24, the way that occasional teaching has picked up this week.

          We have a collection of snowmen.  There is a snowman cookie jar, snowman stocking hangers for the mantle, snowman plates and candy dishes, snowman plush toys that sing various endearing Christmas carols, and a snowman card holder.  There is even one extra large snowman that we bought last November in Puerto Rico.  

          But, my favourite group of Christmas decorations, aside from the creche scene of the baby Jesus, are the angels.  It started with an angel given to me by a teaching colleague many years ago. There is a tiny glass angel, a larger golden angel, an angel made from pottery, as well as a teacher angel. 

          The angel that I treasure most is one that was hand painted by my sister-in-law, Louise, several years ago.  Sadly, that lovely person, a collector of angels while she battled breast cancer, has since passed on to become an angel herself.  This Christmas Angel, dressed in red and green is centrally located in our living room and serves as a reminder of God's love in our lives.

          I think that this January, when I put away the tubs of decorations, I will leave Louise's angel on the wall, as a beacon of hope for the new year.    

Until next time,

Bee Rich

            

Living with Santa Claus

My Santa Does Not Text!

          If you have ever met my husband, you would think that he does look quite a bit like the man of the month, Mr. S. Claus.  I have a secret to share with you.  I believe that he really is Santa Claus.  And that makes me, Mrs. S. Claus.  How can that be?  Read on...
          Every year my husband spends hours in his workshop building special Christmas gifts for his family.  This year was no exception.  Last week, after making his list and checking it twice, he headed out to the "shop" to make sure his wood supplies were adequate and his tools sharpened.
        On the weekend, we heard him sawing and planing and sanding and nailing.  He emerged only for tea and cookies,  his white beard covered in sawdust. 
         And what did I do all this time?  What every Mrs. S. Claus does when her husband is busy, I was in the kitchen baking old-fashioned date cookies, from a recipe passed down from my husband's mother.  I measured and mixed, rolled and cut, dolloped and closed, and baked and tested.  Yum!
         So as I sit comfortably on my new office chair (an early gift from Mr. S Claus himself), I am reflecting on the rest of the story. 
         This morning, the cookies were stored, all snug in their containers, waiting for Christmas to arrive.  However, the gifts from the "shop" still needed "a little work."  Sure, the cutting and planing and sanding and  nailing were finished, but there were several more jobs to complete, and they were elf jobs, not Santa jobs. 
         After searching high and low for the elves in our home and finding none,  I came to the conclusion that Mr. S. Claus expected Mrs. S. Claus to complete these elf jobs.  Ho ho ho, so I spent a pleasant morning, afternoon and evening drawing and painting, printing and painting and cleaning up after both myself and S. Claus.  That's right, I not only washed the brushes and cleaned up the paint gobs, I got to sweep out the workshop!
         Alas, I shall not complain.  My Santa Hubby cooked a lovely dinner and as we were just getting ready to serve, there was a call from a neighbour who needed a ride home from a flat tire incident.  Thinking I would hop in the sleigh while he and his brother sat down to a delicious meal, I went for the keys.  That was not to be.  In fact, Santa Hubby hopped in the sleigh (a.k.a. red Jeep) and flew to the rescue.
         Such is the joy of living with Mr. S. Claus.  I wouldn't trade him for all the money, gifts or cookies in the world. 

Until next time,


Bee Rich

Hooked on Christmas

Just for FUN!

 

          I love the Christmas season!  As the years pass I am very thankful for the old and new Christmas traditions that keep our family ties tied tightly.  The cartoon above reminded me of my favourite Christmas tradition, the chopping of the Christmas tree.
          Since before our first child was born, we have tromped through the fields of the local Christmas tree farm, looking for the perfect (for us) Christmas tree.  Our son's first trip to the field, in 1980, was as a passenger in a warm and cuddly Snugli.  By 1981, he was sitting happily in his little red wooden sleigh.  In 1982, our son walked and our six month old daughter rode in the sleigh.
          In those days, my husband and I would usually argue about the size and type of tree to cut.  He liked short needles while I liked long ones.  I wanted a small tree and he wanted a large one.  It was almost a game, I would say this and he would argue that. 
          As the years passed and we matured (a little), we would step back and let the children decide.  It was the same old, however, while our son and daughter joined the family decision making team.  Somewhere along the way we learned to agree to disagree and came to the decision that it was "Dad's tree" this year or "Mom's tree" that year or "whomever's tree whose turn it was for the current year.
          Although our children have been away for many years, we have managed to have at least one of them home when setting out on our tree selecting trek.  This year will be different.  Our son and his wife and child won't be arriving until December 28.  Our daughter is overseas working during the holidays. This year it will be me and my hubby, just like it was for our first Christmas in 1979. 
          I pondered the situation today and suggested that we not get a tree this year.  My husband did not even hesitate to state, "We have to get a tree...for Mac."
          So, tomorrow, or the next day, or maybe even the following day, we will once again head down the road to find that perfect (for us) little (or big) long needled (or short needled) fresh Christmas tree to decorate our home.  We can't wait to see Mac's face when he sees the lights!

My your traditions continue and, until next time,


Bee Rich
         

'Tis the Season!

Christmas Letters Ready to Mail- Check!

'Tis the season to be jolly

Fa la la la la la, la

        
          It has been a busy week, with lots of teaching and lots of Christmas preparations.  A week ago I sent out Christmas cards.  During the week I picked up a few gifts for my favourite man, wrapped them and hid them away.  I am hoping to remember where they are come Christmas Eve.
          Then yesterday, while a taught a full day at a local school, my husband drive south to deliver a job application to a rural school.  While he was there he decided to do his Christmas shopping for the two of us.  What?  Why hadn't he consulted with me?  He loves to surprise, that is why. 
          So, this morning he brought in the gifts for me to wrap.  There was a small one...no problem, I wrapped it up without reading the box.  There was a medium one...the box was big enough to see the picture, but it was something we both liked, so I wrapped it up, too. 
          Finally, my main man carried in the large one.  The box was very large and would have taken several rolls of wrapping paper.  What you need to know is that since the beginning of our marriage, some 32 years ago, we have always opened an "early" Christmas gift. I looked at him and asked, "Can this be our early present?"  With only one week until Christmas Eve, he replied, "Sure!"
          Needless to say, I am thrilled, because after about an hour of construction and reading directions, we were able to put the gift together in time for this post.
           So, here I sit, on our newest piece of furniture, tapping away, and singing to myself,  "Fa la la la la la la la la la!" I am so blessed. 

Until next time,

Bee Rich

Early Christmas Gift from S. Claus

Missing a Day

My Amazing Man!

          The last time I wrote, I declared it was Wednesday when it was actually Tuesday.  How could I miss a whole day?  Nevertheless, it was a busy Tuesday, and since then, it has been a busy week.  I taught a half day on Tuesday, a full day on Wednesday, two-thirds of a day today... and who knows what will happen tomorrow.
          It has also been an extremely busy week for my husband and his brother.  With appointments in Ottawa on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and possibly Friday, both of these men in my life have persevered through the days with positive attitudes.  They are my inspiration.
          On Facebook today I read a post from a friend and I had to cut and paste it as my status.  It said...

          If you have an amazing man in your life, who brings balance to your world, who isn't perfect but perfect for you, who would do anything for you, who makes you laugh and drives you crazy...who is your best friend and soul mate, who you want to grow old with, who you are thankful for everyday and is the one and only true love of your life. Brag about him a little and put this as your status. ♥ 

.... and so I did. And it got me thinking, how truly rich I really am. 

         
Until next time,

Bee Rich

PS  Next time I will have to write about the most recent incident in my husband's wood shop and how my brother-in-law earned the title of "nurse."

My Amazing Man's Amazing Brother

Life Work Balance

Notice the look of contentment!

          Today was a Wednesday, the middle of busy week. It proved to be a day to appreciate the balance of life and work.  I was called to teach for a half day at a school about 45 minutes away from home. The class was a group of older students, which seems to be my calling lately.  The morning flew by, despite some intermediately-sized annoyances.  Upon reflection, I was the best I could be. 
          On the way home I followed-up on some business- filling the car with gas, shopping for a gifts for a special someone, stopping for a haircut at First Choice, renewing my drivers licence and health card, and mailing the final few Christmas cards.
          Upon my return home I checked emails, registered for a math workshop, and received two phone calls from my husband, requesting me to run two errands. The two dogs needed some attention, so I loaded them in the car and we drove off to the nearby town to shop.
          While in the grocery store I recognised two students from two different occasional teaching jobs.  This was the first such experience in my new role.  As I drove back home from the grocery store I thought to myself, This has been a successful day- I am feeling balanced- I am content.
          The day did not stop there. There was a text from our daughter-in-law wanting to Skype at 7:00 pm, two phone calls from our daughter in Scotland, a call from a neighbour, and two important telephone messages.  In the meantime the two dogs went for a romp in the front yard and only one returned, so I took a flashlight outside in search of her whereabouts. 
         At 7:45 pm, I called the neighbours, to let them know that I could look after their daughter on Thursday (their daycare had to close due to illness).  However, in the middle of that conversation, I received a call to teach for the whole day on Thursday. 
         So now, I am awake at 2:00 am, reflecting on yesterday and hoping to be able to get back to sleep in preparation for tomorrow's skating field trip with a primary class! Life is good!

Until tomorrow,

Bee Rich

Some days are busier than others!

        

Happiness in Scientific Research

Here is something interesting that I read from scanning Facebook today. 

Source:  http://www.livescience.com/9824-5-happier.html

There are five ways to feel happier, according to recent studies. 

1. Be grateful – Some study participants were asked to write letters of gratitude to people who had helped them in some way. The study found that these people reported a lasting increase in happiness – over weeks and even months –after implementing the habit. What's even more surprising: Sending the letter is not necessary. Even when people wrote letters but never delivered them to the addressee, they still reported feeling better afterwards.

2. Be optimistic – Another practice that seems to help is optimistic thinking. Study participants were asked to visualize an ideal future – for example, living with a loving and supportive partner, or finding a job that was fulfilling – and describe the image in a journal entry. After doing this for a few weeks, these people too reported increased feelings of well-being.

3. Count your blessings – People who practise writing down three good things that have happened to them every week show significant boosts in happiness, studies have found. It seems the act of focusing on the positive helps people remember reasons to be glad.

4. Use your strengths – Another study asked people to identify their greatest strengths, and then to try to use these strengths in new ways. For example, someone who says they have a good sense of humour could try telling jokes to lighten up business meetings or cheer up sad friends. This habit, too, seems to heighten happiness.

5. Commit acts of kindness – It turns out helping others also helps ourselves. People who donate time or money to charity, or who altruistically assist people in need, report improvements in their own happiness.
And how are you feeling today? 

Until next time,

Bee Rich

Just a giggle to share. 

101 Posts!

New fallen snow on our pines.

          I love to write. In August, inspired by Emily and Lindsay (two wonderful friends from Egyptian days),  I began to write a blog.  This morning I noticed that I have written 100 entries.  That calls for some form of celebration...something like what primary classroom teachers plan on the 100th day of school.  So, for all of my favourite people who read this blog, here are 100 reasons to write and/or read people's blogs.

100- You will learn something new every day about life.
  99- You will learn something about yourself.
  98- It is good for the soul.
  97- It is great practise for the writing process.
  96- You can count down the days until Christmas.
  95- You can post awesome pictures so your friends and family can visualise where you are.
  94- You can use spell check before you press PUBLISH POST.
  93- Blogger continuously saves your writing, so if you accidentally press the wrong key, you don't lose all of your work.
  92- It is easy and FUN to learn to blog.
  91- You can "free think" and write to your heart's content, and then delete the inappropriate parts.
  90- You can keep track of the date.
  89- It keeps your mind active.
  88- Your mind subconsciously sends messages like: "You could write about this."
  87- You can recall wonderful memories.
  86- You get to tell and retell stories.
  85- You can reflect on news items.
  84- You can copy and paste (aka steal) quotations from Facebook and Hotmail.
  83- You can reread your blog and think, "Did I really write that?"
  82- You can look back in your declining years and recall something that you have forgotten.
  81- You can write about sad times.
  80- You can write about happy times.
  79- You can ask rhetorical questions.
  78- You sometimes receive comments from people you didn't know were reading your blog.
  77- There is a deep satisfaction when you write something just right.
  76- You can always go back and edit a blog post.
  75- You can express appreciation.
  74- You can start a family feud about animal rights.
  73- You can promote a worthwhile cause.
  72- You can express love.
  71- You can learn about different genres of writing and experiment with them.
  70- When someone asks you what you like to do in your spare time, you can say, "I write a blog."
  69- You can express satisfaction.
  68- You gain insight.
  67- You get to know yourself.
  66- You get to know others.
  65- You realise how difficult it is to stick to a schedule.
  64- You appreciate the passage of time.
  63- You gain wisdom from others.
  62- You realise that you have something worthwhile to say. 
  61- You realise that others have something worthwhile to say.
  60- You begin to value your primary and secondary and tertiary education.
  59- You grow spiritually.
  58- You grow emotionally.
  57- You grow stronger in your convictions.
  56- You become a more flexible thinker.
  55- You realise that sometimes the only people who care about what you write are your best friends in the world and yourself, and that's okay.
  54- You realise that you will never run out of ideas.
  53- You understand that everyone has a different point of view and that is what makes life so interesting.
  52- You learn to agree to disagree. 
  51- You learn to persevere.
  50- You see how one person can make a difference.
  49- You can pick labels which help you and others to find out what really is important to you.
  48- You can gain confidence in yourself.
  47- You can do something that you really enjoy.
  46- You begin to realise that you are a part of something greater.
  45- You learn to empathise more with others.
  44- You begin to share experiences with others.
  43- You can imagine being at someone's home for tea.
  42- You can travel vicariously.
  41- You can encourage others.
  40- You can encourage yourself.
  39- You begin to understand your priorities.
  38- You are more open to the ideas of others.
  37- You experience the power of the written word.
  36- You understand that a picture is often worth more than a thousand words.
  35- You learn more about what really interests you.
  34- You see that inspiration can come from within or without.
  33- Reading and writing are great motivators.
  32- You do not have to worry about due dates, deadlines, rubrics or marks.
  31- You can change your name to a pen name.
  30- You can pass on your web address to people and know that only those who are truly interested will be your audience.
  29- You can take a break to help your husband do something more important, like putting up the Christmas lights, and go back to your writing later.
  28- You can write and drink tea at the same time.
  27- It saves paper.
  26- You feel connected, linked in, networked, or whatever the jargon of the day happens to be.
  25- You can express joy.
  24- You can enjoy a cup of coffee while you write or read.
  23- You can stand up while you write or read.
  22- You can enjoy a glass or two of wine while you write.
  21- You can see the joy in the most menial of tasks e.g. washing dishes, vacuuming, gardening.

  19-  You can make comments about the weather.
  18-  You can recall a story from a CBC program that really turned your crank.
  17-  You can ponder the meaning of life.
  16-  You can begin to accept the realities of your situation.
  15-  You can begin to examine your mortality.
  14-  You can count down from 100 the most important reasons for blogging.
  13-  You can reconnect with a brother or sister. 
  12-  You can touch the life of a person who lives half way around the globe.
  11-  You can pass on good news. 
  10-  You can express hope.
    9-  You can make a difference in one person's life.
    8-  You can start a "prayer chain".
    7-  You can celebrate special moments.
    6-  You can honour a special person in your life. 
    5-  You can highlight a special moment in your life. 
    4-  You can reconcile with a long lost friend.
    3-  You can connect with those people you cherish. 
    2-  You can stay in touch with the important people in your life.
    1-  You can express gratitude--thank YOU for reading to the end of this centenary of ideas. 

Here's to the first one hundred.  Now on to the next one hundred...

Until next time,


Bee Rich
 
 

I hope you will know if you are on my list of someone I miss! 

 

The Reason for the Season

          My good friend from teaching days in St. Maarten sent the link below for me (and all her email friends to listen to.  I don't usually take the time to turn up the speakers and really listen to music, but there was something about the message that made me stop, click, look and listen. 

          Before you listen, please take the time to read the following message, which came to my email in-box today and brought a tear to my eye.  Merry Christmas Season! 

Bee Rich

About the Song 

While at the mall a couple of years ago, my then four year old nephew, Spencer, saw kids lined up to see Santa Claus. Having been taught as a toddler that Christmas is the holiday that Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus, he asked his mom, "where's the line to see Jesus"?             

My sister mentioned this to my dad, who immediately became inspired and jotted words down to a song in just a few minutes. After putting music to the words, and doing a quick recording at home, he received a great response from friends. He sent the song off to Nashville without much response, except for a Christian song writer who suggested adding a bridge at the end of the first chorus. My dad then asked if I wanted to record the song to see what we could do with it. I listened to the song, made a few changes to the words to make it flow better, and we headed to Shock City Studios.             

It was at the studio where Chris, owner and producer, rewrote the 2nd verse and part of the chorus... with goose bumps and emotions high, we were all hopeful and felt like we had something special. The demo was recorded in just under 2 hours and sent off again to Nashville... still no response. 

Then 2 weeks before Christmas last year, my cousins Greg and Robbie decided to do a video to see what we could accomplish on YouTube. The first day we had 3000 hits and it soared from there. We received e-mails, phone calls, Facebook messages from people all over asking for the music, CD's, iTunes, anything... we had nothing. After a couple of meetings with Chris following the amazing response, we got serious. We headed back into the studio this past spring... this time with guitars, drums, bass, pianos, choirs... the real deal.... and here we are today.

Getting iTunes set up, a website put together, and loving that thousands upon thousands of Christians have come together... remembering the true meaning of Christmas. Out of the mouths of babes come profound truths that many adults can not understand. Hopefully Spencer's observation will cause people all over to reflect on the love of Jesus, and that one day we will all stand in line to see Him. We are most thankful to our Heavenly Father to have this chance to share our music with you. Merry Christmas everyone.

MERRY CHRISTMAS! OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO

http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=OExXItDyWEY&vq=medium

Christmas and the Post Office

Our daughter's last visit- Thanksgiving 2011.

          As the Christmas Season arrives, I usually write a long list and, like Santa, gain great satisfaction from checking it twice.  Every year there are cards to write and send, gifts to buy and wrap, a tree to cut and decorate, goodies to bake and store, and dinner to prepare and eat!  I love the season because it usually brings out the best in people. 
          This year is a little bit different.  For the first time in many years, our daughter will not be here to celebrate.  She is a grown up working person.  And she is working in a foreign country.  In early November I visited the local post office to find out the recommended dates to send packages to Europe.  The date was November 28.  As you can probably guess, I was a little bit late in my purchasing and preparing, so when the gifts were finally wrapped and packed and wrapped again, the date on the calendar was December 5.  Oops.  Missed it by a week. 
          We decided to contact the three available couriers for estimates of the cost for a 15 X 12 X 6 inch parcel weighing just under ten pounds.  I was elated to find out that they each would deliver the package within five days.  However, when I was given the cost- oh my- almost $200.00, I thought it might be better to check the post office again. 
          I walked into our local office and the worker greeted me with a huge happy smile.  "So you have your package ready?" she asked excitedly.
          "Yes, it is here, but I'm late," I replied.
          "No, I think you are just in time." 
          Puzzled, I looked on the chart of best times to send parcels.  To send them by Expresspost (which is similar to a courier), my daughter's gifts did not have to be sent until December 6.  Whew!  I had made it. 
           The worker weighed and measured the package, while I held my breath.  She had told me that if it was over two kilograms (around five pounds) the cost would sky rocket.  It weighed 2.54 kilograms.  Long story short, the price for sending the package, which would arrive within ten days, was only $94.81. 
          I left the post office feeling relieved and thankful.  My deserving daughter would have something from home to open on Christmas morning.  CHECK!
          Now it is time to get on with the rest of the preparations.  Christmas cards are next!

Until tomorrow,

Bee Rich

PS  I am happy to report that, as I wrote this entry, the snow gently drifted down, covering the pines with a beautiful white frosting.

Christmas Preparations

Snowmen and Santa Claus

         Today was a wonderful day!  After cleaning almost every inch of our home, I descended in to the crawl space to retrieve the Christmas decorations.  I turned on the radio, listened to Christmas tunes, and bit by bit, decorated for the season. 
         As I unwrapped each individual ornament, memories filled my head and heart

• Christmas 1979 ball- our first Christmas as a married couple
• Christmas 1980- our son's first Christmas
• Baby's First Christmas 1982- our daughter's first Christmas
• Hand made decorations from my sister dated 1982
• Hand made decorations from my sister-in-law dated 1990
• A beautiful Christmas angel made and painted by a sister-in-law who is no longer living

        The list goes on and on, each item a subtle reminder of Christmases past, kept from year to year to remind us of our good fortune and the ever present passage of time. 

Until next time,

Bee Rich

My sister-in-law's reminder...

The Christmas creche from my childhood. 

December is Here!

The Happy Hopper at four months. 

         
          Last weekend I drove to Guelph to spend some time with our grandson.  A month had passed since the last time I had seen him.  So many changes are happening in his little life.  One of them is that he sits upright in his Jolly Jumper. He hops and hops and hops and then flashes his cute little grin.  I call him Happy Hopper.
          It reminds me of a time, 30 years ago, when our son was this age.  We had a Jolly Jumper (but not near so fancy) and he, too, would hop and hop and hop and flash his cute little grin.  We lived in a small bungalow in Wasaga Beach, off the beaten path. 
          I often felt isolated. We had a small colour TV and a black telephone which was connected to the wall. I believe it had a rotary dial. We did not have a second vehicle for me to drive, nor a computer, a cell phone, the internet, Facebook, email, Skype.
         I would often, in those early days, put my son in a Snugli and go for long walks with him fastened to my chest.  I would wander for miles and he would sleep.  I walked by the side of the road, through the bush, to the beach, and back home again in time to prepare dinner.  We lived in simpler times then. 
          Flash forward to today.  It is December! On Wednesday this week my boy turns 31. I am thankful that he was born on that cold wintry Sunday morning in 1980.  I am thankful for his life and also for his wife.  I am thankful for his son, our grandson.  Most of all, I am thankful for the continuity of life, for family gatherings, and for good health.
          I am looking forward to the Christmas season.  Next time, I will write about my amazing daughter, who is visiting Paris, France this weekend. 

Until then,

Bee Rich

A Rich Family

 

Bye-bye little one, until next time!

         
          
         
         

Not Now!

I needed to read this today!

          After three full days in a kindergarten class (aka Early Learning Centre), I am a little tired and discouraged.  I had requested an evaluation for today in order to complete part of the requirements for new occasional teachers.  A time was set twice, but unfortunately, the administrator of the school was too busy "chasing students."  The evaluation did not happen. No evaluation, no letter of reference from a local principal, no full time job, at least for now.
          Last week I applied for a full time teaching job at a location close to home. There was no phone call this week, so I won't be having an interview.  Another disappointment. Glancing through my facebook homepage I saw this cartoon.  The cartoon reminded me that there is a time for everything, and this is not the right time.
         
          What I need now are  serenity, courage, and wisdom. 
          I need serenity to accept the things I cannot change
          I need courage to change the things I can
          And I need wisdom to know the difference between the two. 

          And the small still voice in my head says, "Not now."  I am content. 
         
Until next time,         

Bee Rich