Willy Or Won't He – So Many Years of Experience But Still Making Mistakes!

Memes for a Monday

A bagful of Christmasy memes to bring a snicker, a snort, or a smile to your hectic day.

Time is running out but you can always blame Canada Post!

Finally the last tin icicle (250 of the little buggers) has been hung on our tree but there may be people just starting their tree.

A logical answer to my mind but …..

Then get a smaller tree!

We thank who ever came up with the idea of prelit! You have a star on your crown in Heaven.

I’ll just let you deal with this.

I hate being judged by some old white guy’s standards.

Only if Santa ODed on Jennie Craig would I look like Santa Claus.

Think about it – he goes from house to house drinking milk out of millions of glasses – he’s lucky that’s all he got!

I don’t blame him.

Come on – he only works one night a year – he has to have a sideline to get by.

Why? Just why?

As much as I love antipasti – no! Just no!

And you thought the Caesar was “unusual”.

There are only two Christmas cakes that I enjoyed – my father’s and my dear friend John’s.

And because we approach a religious season ..

Probably the third most read story at Christmas – such a lovely tradition.

The word for December 18^th is:
Sideline /sīd′līn″/: [^1.noun ^2. verb]
^1.1 A line along either of the two sides of a playing court or field, marking its limits.
^1.2 The space outside such limits, occupied by coaches, inactive players, and spectators.
^1.3 The position or point of view of those who observe rather than participate in an activity.
^1.4 A subsidiary line of merchandise.
^1.5 An activity pursued in addition to one’s regular occupation.
^2.1To remove or keep from active participation.
1768: “line extending along or attached to the side of anything,” 1768. The specific sense of “line marking the limits of playing area” (on a football field, etc.) is by 1862.The meaning “course of business aside from one’s regular occupation” is from 1890. The figurative sense of “position removed from active participation” is attested from 1934 (because players who are not in the game stand along the sidelines). The verb meaning “put out of play” is from 1945.

Advent III

Today we light the third or Gaudete (Rejoice) candle on our Advent Wreath. Why “Rejoice”? The Latin Introit for the third Sunday in Advent begins, Gaudete in Domino semper: iterum dico, gaudete – Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice! In the midst of a season of penance we are reminded that what is to come is a thing of joy and a cause for rejoicing.

In my search for a carol for today I found this wondrous mash-up of a familiar carol and a beautiful hymn by Pepper Choplin. A composer, conductor, and humourist, Choplin has published over 330 anthems for church and school choir plus 24 church cantatas and four books of piano arrangements. I think this version of his The coming of the Lord by the Gramophone Chorus of Ghana gives life to the rejoicing that today’s Introit asks of us.

Lift up your heads, O gates
and make the highway straight,
prepare to celebrate
the coming of the Lord
Your waiting soon will end,
God’s glory will descend,
rise up and welcome in the coming of the Lord
the coming of the Lord!

Prepare the way for the coming of the Lord,
prepare the way for the coming of the Lord!
The ancient words foretell God with us,
He will dwell
Christ, our Emmanuel
and all will see the glory of the Lord

O come, O come,
Prepare the way,
O come prepare the way!
Prepare the way,
O come prepare the way, way of the Lord!

And then the deaf will hear,
The blind will see Him clear,
The mute ‘ll find their voice,
The lame will leap with joy,

Prepare, the way of the coming of the Lord!
Prepare the way of the Lord!
Rejoice, rejoice, Emmanuel,
Our God will come to us.
Prepare the way for the coming of the Lord!

The word for December 17^th is:
Mash-up /măsh′ŭp″/: [noun]
^1.1 Something created by combining elements from two or more sources.
Etymology vague but possibly 1967 when it was used in the recording industry.

An Age-old Tradition

Okay not age-old but pretty damned old.

As my faithful reader may recall circumstances last year decreed that we have a low-keyed Christmas with just a small tree. In light of the sad events of the past few days (more about that later) we decided that this year we would lift the mood and put up the big tree. This meant that an honoured and much anticipated tradition, and you know we are all about tradition, was revived.

Yes faithful reader, once it again it was time for me to polish my balls. (Would you please grow up! Honestly such puerility sullies a lovely tradition.) However I didn’t feel quite up to it so this year I entrusted someone with the delicate task of welding the Silvo and polishing cloth. Yes someone else handled my balls and a sterling job they did of it too! My balls are positively glowing!

So once again my balls are sparkling in the flickering lights of our Christmas tree and it gives us that sense of well-being and much-needed comfort that a beloved tradition brings.

Anyone not familiar with my balls (STOP IT!) can read the full story by left-clicking here.

The word for December 14^th is:
Sterling /stûr′lĭng/: [noun]
^1.1 British money, especially the pound as the basic unit of currency of the United Kingdom.
^1.2 British coinage of silver or gold, having as a standard of fineness 0.500 for silver and 0.91666 for gold.
^1.3 An alloy containing 92.5% by mass of silver and 7.5% by mass of other metals, usually coppers.
c. 1300, “English silver penny,” struck from the time of Richard I, a word of much-discussed etymology. Perhaps it is from Middle English sterre according to OED “presumably” so-called for stars in the design of certain Norman coins, + diminutive suffix -ling. It can also be used as an adjective.

Memes for a Monday Christmas

I have been taken to task for being Grinchy which I took to mean I had the sophisticated golden tones of Boris Karloff. Apparently not – so here are some Christmasy memes, even if it is still advent.

Hey they said there were treats behind each door.

Hmm – a gift for our little nephew? Nah his parents wouldn’t be surprised.

We’ve had a dog meme so being all for equality, here’s a cat.

The town of Almonte, north of Ottawa, has become prosperous standing in for charming New England towns. Thank you Hallmark.

It’s a pity some traditions die.

At least it’s consistent.

Think that way before giving any animal.

Could be worse. It could be Céline Dion, crucifying our Lord before his time, singing O Holy Night.

You knew there had to be one.

And a dachshund one too.

Just saying:

That pretty much sums up a PEI winter.

Yep.

And speaking of Christmas movies you don’t want to see.

This elf eats well – real well.

Don’t let them near the menorah!

Every Christmas Craft Market in the Word.

The word for December 11^th is:
Market /mär′kĭt/ [^1. noun ^2.verb]
^1.1 A public gathering held for buying and selling goods or services.
^1.2 An open space or a building where goods or services are offered for sale by multiple sellers.
^1.3 A store or shop that sells agricultural produce.
^1.4 A system of exchange in which prices are determined by the interaction of multiple, competing buyers and sellers.
^1.5 A subdivision of a population considered as consumers.
^2.1 To offer for sale.
^2.2 To try to make (a product or service) appealing to particular groups of consumers; promote by marketing.
^2.3 To buy household supplies.
Circa 1154, from Old Northern French markiet (Old French marchié, modern marché), from Latin mercātus (“trade, market”), from mercor (“I trade, deal in, buy”), itself derived from merx (“wares, merchandise”), from the Italic root *merk-, possibly stemming from Etruscan, referring to various aspects of economics.

Advent II

A number of the carols for Adventtide are grounded in the Lutheran tradition of worship music. The lyrics for Prepare the Royal Highway were written by Bishop Frans Mikael Franzen (1772-1847). It was set to Bereden väg för Herran (Make way for the Lord) which derives from Swedish folk melody.

Though it origins are Lutheran it appears in early American collections of praise songs and was popular as a shape note piece. As with many Advent hymns it takes inspiration from the foretelling of the Messiah in the book of Isaiah.

The word for December 10th is:
-tide tīd: [suffix]
^1.1 Time
Added to a festival or a season to indicate the period around that festival or season
From Middle English tyde, tide, tyd, tid, from Old English tīd “time”.

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