an Innkeeper...it sounds so delicious...

Dream? Yes I have one...I want to be an Innkeeper. That is to say. I would love to own a Bed and Breakfast. So, to that end, I am working toward that goal. First, the education. What it takes to be a good innkeeper. I don't want to be just a good innkeeper...I want to be the best. So that people from all around the globe will want to visit, and thus...give me the opportunity to be gainfully employed in something I love...in a home I would enjoy, and truth be told...retire from work that just does not suit me.

So what is it like to be an Innkeeper?

Just ask these people. They have 10 reasons...

Top Ten Reasons I love being an Innkeeper:

I get to meet the most awesome people.

I love people and have so many opportunities to express that love.

I enjoy watching people unwind, relax and mellow each day they are with us.

Sometimes I feel I was born to serve people, so innkeeping makes me feel personally fulfilled.

I had a restaurant (now that was a hate thing).....and the only part of that business that I really enjoyed...was serving people, talking with people and giving them a wonderful experience.

I can't tell you what reading the comments in our guest books does for me emotionally. I turn to mush, not really believing it could have been that great an experience.

I love to cook simple, normal breakfast food and I have no place to put the accolades I get for that.

It blows me away that people just want to sit and chat for hours...I listen to their stories and tell mine.

To feel their gratitude because I waited up late and welcomed them to the inn after traffic problems, endless drives, airport delays, snow storms, etc., etc., .....what a blessing that is to me.

I still can't believe (after five years of innkeeping) I can make a living doing something that is so much fun! I am one happy innkeeper!

Philip & Ellen Wolff,


Now that is the ticket...I love that. And so...I will be an innkeeper, it makes sense.

Wish me luck...

Love,
The Lass

Oh...and for a little inspiration.



Now...I am not saying that I would have such a visit...but who really knows what visitor will come...looking for comfort...or simple conversation...a bale of hay...and that is a very nice thought. And in my Inn...all will be welcome...hearth and home.

Love,
The lass

Quote by Jewish Proverb
The innkeeper loves a drunkard, but not for a son-in-law

The Tao of Pooh...think not??? Ah...follow me...rabbit

Ah, yes, the teachings of Pooh, the great master and philosopher. This is the premise for the book "The Tao of Pooh" by Benjamin Hoff. In it, Pooh is characterized as a simple bear who provides "invaluable lessons on simplicity and natural living". Basically, Pooh's simple-minded phrases can be pause for deeper thought when used in or out of context.

"I think, therefore I am." --- René Descartes
"Think, think, think." --- Winnie-the-Pooh

You scoff at this? How can you?

With such poetic wisdom as this...

Aha!" said Pooh. (Rum-tum-tiddle-um-tum.) "If I know anything about anything, that hole means Rabbit," he said, "and Rabbit means Company," he said, "and Company means Food and Listening-to-Me-Humming and such like. Rum-tum-tum-tiddle-um. So he bend down, put his head into the hole, and called out: "Is anybody at home?" There was a sudden scuffling noise from inside the hole, and then silence. "What I said was, 'Is anybody at home?'" called out Pooh very loudly. "No!" said a voice; and then added, "You needn't shout so loud. I heard you quite well the first time." "Bother!" said Pooh. "Isn't there anybody here at all?" "Nobody." Winnie-the-Pooh took his head out of the hole, and thought for a little, and he thought to himself, "There must be somebody there, because somebody must have said 'Nobody'".


Could a stuffed bear really come up with these gems?

If you live to be 100, I hope I live to be 100 minus 1 day, so I never have to live without you.

“You can't stay in your corner of the Forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes.”

“Sometimes, if you stand on the bottom rail of a bridge and lean over to watch the river slipping slowly away beneath you, you will suddenly know everything there is to be known.”

A little Consideration, a little Thought for Others, makes all the difference.

“"I don't see much sense in that," said Rabbit.
"No," said Pooh humbly, "there isn't. But there was going to be when I began it. It's just that something happened to it along the way."”

Those who are clever, who have a Brain, never understand anything.

And who can argue with this wisdom?

You can't help respecting anybody who can spell TUESDAY, even if he doesn't spell it right; but spelling isn't everything. There are days when spelling Tuesday simply doesn't count.”

Yes indeed the Tao of Pooh...and quite honestly Descarte was so full of himself...and little Pooh...well he never really saw himself as that much to think about. Thinking about oneself can sometimes lead to things you would rather not think about. Or something like that.

I do believe I am...and I am certain I think...I am just not so certain that it adds up to a hill of beans. Diana Miller whoever she is...

Love,
The Lass

I had a conversation with one of my friends...about being a mother...

The difficulty with describing what mothering is...is there is too much to describe. Not all mothers are good ones. As for me...well I believe it is a little like this..


To Jannine, El Cid, Carlene,Cindy...and all of the mothers I love...this one...is yours.

And how proper it is that it should be done...so efficiently. I just love that.

Love,
The Lass

Gloria in Excelsis Deo

Love,
The Lass

Happy Birthday, Dear Yeshua, Happy Birthday to You!

Happy Birthday indeed

Love,
The Lass

a soldier's christmas

Santa don't cry...this life is my choice...

To all the guardians of light...

May God bless you this night.


Love,
The Lass

Joy to the world....JOY JOY

Merry Christmas. And much joy to the world !!!!

And may this joy find your hearts. This is a day for celebration. And although I will work later tonight...I am am at the moment filled with the joy I experience each year.

I miss my family...and third year..no tree. Yet heaven and earth are in such a joyful state...nothing can erase my feelings....nothing.

And so...for all those I love, and hold dear...it is a day to be joyfull...and praise the King of Kings, Lord of Lords.



Thank goodness...we were blessed with this wonderful gift...

Happy Birthday...to our Blessed Saviour.

Love,
The Lass...

Oh...and keep a candle in the window for me....

Missing you all...so very, very much.

A fire as it is reported..but I know the rest of the story

Here is how it was reported in the Seattle Post Inelligencer....

Two fires Tuesday in Everett
Everett firefighters responded to two fires early Tuesday, but no major injuries were reported.

In the first fire, an Everett house in the 1900 block of Highland Avenue burned at about 3 a.m.

Nobody was home at the time, and no injuries were reported.

"Balloon-frame construction had allowed fire to quickly spread into the ceiling and crawl space causing extensive damage," Everett Fire Marshall Glen Martinsen said.

The structure was a total loss, and the cause is under investigation.

In the second, a double-wide mobile home was destroyed in the 7700 block of Hardeson Road.

A woman who alerted her two sons to the fire was hospitalized, but expected to survive. Her sons made it out safety.

The mobile home was a total loss, and the cause was under investigation.

The Red Cross is providing shelter for the family, Martinsen said.


The second fire...

The second fire involved two people I work with. One is Kate..."the mother of the two sons" who is currently in the hospital. Kate is 75 years old. She is a fantastic woman...and she did get injured. She lost everything. As Kate says..."all of her memories...a lifetime of them" And this is a sorrowful thing for Kate...sadly, Kate's daughter in law works with us as well. Tracy is suffering for her mother in laws loss...and this Christmas will be difficult...for this family.

To Kate, all my love. To Tracy...the same.

I wish that this had not happened at this time. I saw Richard tonight, one of Kate's sons...and he said..."Why on December 23rd?" I had no answer. While others are celebrating the birth of Christ...or some secular day...This family is struggling.

Our little Corporate family will help...and did respond immediately. Kate is one of us...and we are praying for a speedy recovery.

My thoughts and prayers are with you tonight Kate...come back strong...and fiesty. Just the way we have grown to love you.

Love,
The Lass

a birth....and all is changed.

There may be people who do not believe, but they have been touched. There are people that will scoff, but they will wonder...could I be wrong? If you do not believe, there is little that will make you do so...because what evidence of the Divine will intrude on your secular belief? None...but I believe...why? Because, I have no other way to explain the Divinity of love...and the promise of hope for the redemption of man. Do we need redemption? We have always needed that.

And so we near a celebration of a birth...and this birth...changed something. You may not think so...



But I do...

Love,
The Lass

Go home with Bonnie Jean....

I just love this song...

And it reminds me of the joys...of all things Celtic.

So...enjoy



You cannot be sad...when you watch this...if so...you are just not human.

Love,
The Lass

a gift...and a parable there... I think

Love, generosity, and the various definitions of wealth and poverty are central themes in "The Gift of the Magi," in which a poor, loving young husband and wife sell the only valuable things they own to give each other special Christmas gifts. Delia Young sells her beautiful hair to buy Jim a platinum watch chain, and Jim sells his heirloom watch to buy Delia some tortoise-shell hair combs. These gifts are useless, in one sense; Delia cannot wear her combs without her hair, and Jim, without his watch, cannot use his watch chain.

And you know...I rather think that no matter what the language. We all understand the gift...and what it really means.



The theme for 'The Gift of the Magi' is that love is more important than any material item. Della and Jim, the two main characters, demonstrated the theme. This theme also occurs in the 'real world.'

The theme in this short story has a deep meaning. One way to interpret the theme is that love will last a lifetime, and material gifts will not. Another interpretation is that people will always remember how much they love someone or how much someone loves them, but they will not necessarily remember a certain material gift. Also, many people can give more love than money can buy and it is often valued more.

This is a thought for all those couples who love and all of us...not coupled who know its meaning...no matter what the language.

It is almost time...getting closer. The very special day...I love to celebrate.

Merry Christmas,

Love
The Lass

oh...and if you are planning on getting your loved one a gift...you may want to remember...that those two souls gave and received the wisest and most precious gift - that of human emotion and affection. Just a hint for those who are struggling with the economy...

the ecstasy of moment...and Lewis's conversion...

this is the story...of a man's conversion...and I cannot write better...than what he has written himself.



maybe the journey is like that for some...not easy to explain the moment...but it is so powerful, that even an athiest can give rise to it. What a source...to bring a man closer to truth. I love that.

And I love C.S.Lewis. And I love what he felt for his wife Joy. I have often visited that relationship and thought...how wonderful to have such a love...even for a short time. It is for me, a witness to the possiblity of it happening.

A christmas gift to me.

Love,
The Lass

a missle crisis and a carol...think not?...think again...

In the midst of the cuban missle crisis...a married couple, sat down and wrote a song. In 1962, while we ducked...and covered, this couple, wrote a tune. That tune would become one of the most popular of Christmas Carols.

The Lyrics:

Said the night wind to the little lamb,
"Do you see what I see?
Way up in the sky, little lamb,
Do you see what I see?
A star, a star, dancing in the night
With a tail as big as a kite,
With a tail as big as a kite."
Said the little lamb to the shepherd boy,
"Do you hear what I hear?
Ringing through the sky shepherd boy,
Do you hear what I hear?
A song, a song, high above the trees
With a voice as big as the sea,
With a voice as big as the sea."
Said the shepherd boy to the mighty king,
"Do you know what I know?
In your palace warm, mighty king,
Do you know what I know?
A Child, a Child, shivers in the cold;
Let us bring him silver and gold,
Let us bring him silver and gold."
Said the king to the people everywhere,
"Listen to what I say!
Pray for peace, people everywhere,
Listen to what I say!
The Child, the Child, sleeping in the night,
He will bring us goodness and light,
He will bring us goodness and light."
"Bring us Light!"


And so you know the rest of the story...


and here is Bing...



And this is what we all heard...



We heard and so did someone else...and that I believe also had a little to do with the fact, that we can still hear...the carol. Prayers are answered in most unusual ways.

Getting closer to the day...

Merry Christmas,
The Lass

oh...and the couple?

Noel Regney (1922-2002) was a Frenchman trained as a classical composer who was drafted into the German army in World War II. He deserted and joined the French Resistance. After the war ended, Regney joined the French Overseas Radio Service and worked out of French Indochina until moving to Manhattan in 1952. He met Gloria Shayne while she was working as a pianist in a hotel dinning room and married her a month later. With Regney writing the music and Shayne the lyrics, the pair had a string of successful songs in late '50s and early '60s, including "Dominique" in 1963 by Soeur Sourire, the Singing Nun.

the beginnings of a story...and then we read on

All stories begin with a sentance...and that one phrase, leads us on. We are hooked in a few words. But some beginnings, are remembered and become part of our lexicon...like these...

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times; it ws the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness; it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity; it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness; it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair; we had everything before us, we had nothing before us; we were all going directly to Heaven, we were all going the other way." - Tale of Two Cities - Charles Dickens


It is a curious thing that at my age, fifty-five last birthday, I should find myself taking up a pen to try and write a history. King Solomon's Mines - H.R. Haggard

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife. Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen

I had the story, bit by bit, from various people, and, as generally happens in such cases, each time it was a different story. Ethan Frome - Edith Wharton


Call me Ishmael. Moby-Dick-Herman Melville

and so it is with all beginnings. We remember a word or may a look...or maybe just a sound. But we move on...read on, and that begins the story.

I think of beginnings, and then I wonder...how many beginnings have I encountered, and wondered...where will this story take me...and what will be its end.

One of my favorite movie openings...I had a farm in Africa...such a few words, and I felt every one.

We are coming close to the holy day. The holiest of holy days.

Merry Christmas,
The Lass

oh holy night...and a little miracle

The journey of the beloved carol "O Holy Night" began in France, eventually making its way around the world. This simple song, inspired by a request from a clergyman, would not only become one of the most beloved anthems of all time, it would mark a technological revolution that would forever change the way people were introduced to music.

In 1847, Placide Cappeau de Roquemaure was the commissionaire of wines in a small French town. Known more for his poetry than his church attendance, it probably shocked Placide when his parish priest asked the commissionaire to pen a poem for Christmas mass. Nevertheless, the poet was honored to share his talents with the church.

In a dusty coach traveling down a bumpy road to France's capital city, Placide Cappeau considered the priest's request. Using the gospel of Luke as his guide, Cappeau imagined witnessing the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem. Thoughts of being present on the blessed night inspired him. By the time he arrived in Paris, "Cantique de Noel" had been completed.

Moved by his own work, Cappeau decided that his "Cantique de Noel" was not just a poem, but a song in need of a master musician's hand. Not musically inclined himself, the poet turned to one of his friends, Adolphe Charles Adams, for help.

The son of a well-known classical musician, Adolphe had studied in the Paris conservatoire. His talent and fame brought requests to write works for orchestras and ballets all over the world. Yet the lyrics that his friend Cappeau gave him must have challenged the composer in a fashion unlike anything he received from London, Berlin, or St. Petersburg.

As a man of Jewish ancestry, for Adolphe the words of "Cantique de Noel" represented a day he didn't celebrate and a man he did not view as the son of God. Nevertheless, Adams quickly went to work, attempting to marry an original score to Cappeau's beautiful words. Adams' finished work pleased both poet and priest. The song was performed just three weeks later at a Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve

Initially, "Cantique de Noel" was wholeheartedly accepted by the church in France and the song quickly found its way into various Catholic Christmas services. But when Placide Cappeau walked away from the church and became a part of the socialist movement, and church leaders discovered that Adolphe Adams was a Jew, the song--which had quickly grown to be one of the most beloved Christmas songs in France--was suddenly and uniformly denounced by the church. The heads of the French Catholic church of the time deemed "Cantique de Noel" as unfit for church services because of its lack of musical taste and "total absence of the spirit of religion." Yet even as the church tried to bury the Christmas song, the French people continued to sing it, and a decade later a reclusive American writer brought it to a whole new audience halfway around the world.

Not only did this American writer--John Sullivan Dwight--feel that this wonderful Christmas song needed to be introduced to America, he saw something else in the song that moved him beyond the story of the birth of Christ. An ardent abolitionist, Dwight strongly identified with the lines of the third verse: "Truly he taught us to love one another; his law is love and his gospel is peace. Chains shall he break, for the slave is our brother; and in his name all oppression shall cease." The text supported Dwight's own view of slavery in the South. Published in his magazine, Dwight's English translation of "O Holy Night" quickly found favor in America, especially in the North during the Civil War.

Back in France, even though the song had been banned from the church for almost two decades, many commoners still sang "Cantique de Noel" at home. Legend has it that on Christmas Eve 1871, in the midst of fierce fighting between the armies of Germany and France, during the Franco-Prussian War, a French soldier suddenly jumped out of his muddy trench. Both sides stared at the seemingly crazed man. Boldly standing with no weapon in his hand or at his side, he lifted his eyes to the heavens and sang, "Minuit, Chretiens, c'est l'heure solennelle ou L'Homme Dieu descendit jusqu'a nous," the beginning of "Cantique de Noel."

After completing all three verses, a German infantryman climbed out his hiding place and answered with, "Vom Himmel noch, da komm' ich her. Ich bring' euch gute neue Mar, Der guten Mar bring' ich so viel, Davon ich sing'n und sagen will," the beginning of Martin Luther's robust "From Heaven Above to Earth I Come."

The story goes that the fighting stopped for the next twenty-four hours while the men on both sides observed a temporary peace in honor of Christmas day. Perhaps this story had a part in the French church once again embracing "Cantique de Noel" in holiday services.

Adams had been dead for many years and Cappeau and Dwight were old men when on Christmas Eve 1906, Reginald Fessenden--a 33-year-old university professor and former chief chemist for Thomas Edison--did something long thought impossible. Using a new type of generator, Fessenden spoke into a microphone and, for the first time in history, a man's voice was broadcast over the airwaves: "And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed," he began in a clear, strong voice, hoping he was reaching across the distances he supposed he would.

Shocked radio operators on ships and astonished wireless owners at newspapers sat slack-jawed as their normal, coded impulses, heard over tiny speakers, were interrupted by a professor reading from the gospel of Luke. To the few who caught this broadcast, it must have seemed like a miracle--hearing a voice somehow transmitted to those far away. Some might have believed they were hearing the voice of an angel.

Fessenden was probably unaware of the sensation he was causing on ships and in offices; he couldn't have known that men and women were rushing to their wireless units to catch this Christmas Eve miracle. After finishing his recitation of the birth of Christ, Fessenden picked up his violin and played "O Holy Night," the first song ever sent through the air via radio waves. When the carol ended, so did the broadcast--but not before music had found a new medium that would take it around the world.

Since that first rendition at a small Christmas mass in 1847, "O Holy Night" has been sung millions of times in churches in every corner of the world. And since the moment a handful of people first heard it played over the radio, the carol has gone on to become one of the entertainment industry's most recorded and played spiritual songs. This incredible work--requested by a forgotten parish priest, written by a poet who would later split from the church, given soaring music by a Jewish composer, and brought to Americans to serve as much as a tool to spotlight the sinful nature of slavery as tell the story of the birth of a Savior--has become one of the most beautiful, inspired pieces of music ever created.

Reprinted from "Stories Behind the Best-Loved Songs of Christmas" for educational purposes only, from Zondervan.

O Holy Night
O holy night! The stars are brightly shining,
It is the night of the dear Saviour's birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining.
Till He appeared and the Spirit felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices!
O night divine, the night when Christ was born;
O night, O holy night, O night divine!
O night, O holy night, O night divine!

Led by the light of faith serenely beaming,
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.
O'er the world a star is sweetly gleaming,
Now come the wisemen from out of the Orient land.
The King of kings lay thus lowly manger;
In all our trials born to be our friends.
He knows our need, our weakness is no stranger,
Behold your King! Before him lowly bend!
Behold your King! Before him lowly bend!

Truly He taught us to love one another,
His law is love and His gospel is peace.
Chains he shall break, for the slave is our brother.
And in his name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
With all our hearts we praise His holy name.
Christ is the Lord! Then ever, ever praise we,
His power and glory ever more proclaim!
His power and glory ever more proclaim!

What do I love about this story? I love the words...and some more than others. Such as...

Long lay the world in sin and error pining.
Till He appeared and the Spirit felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices

That is it isn't it, the fact that the world in sin and error pining...I just love that line.

And here is how it sounds, when song by those who know how to do it well.



enjoy...and the story...is a good one.

getting close...

Love,
The Lass

a song...and a little story.

I love songs and the stories that go with them. Now you all know the great carol, Silent Night. But as is my custom, I will share with you the story of that wonderful piece of music.

It was a 'Silent Night' indeed when this beloved song was first composed. If not for a broken pipe organ, the world likely would have been without its most popular Christmas carol.

Perhaps it was that very silence that inspired the Reverend Joseph Mohr to pen those now-famous words in 1818. At the time, it was probably sheer desperation rather than inspiration that motivated him.

As Father Mohr prepared for Christmas Eve Mass in his church in the small Austrian village of Oberndorf, someone discovered that the church's ancient organ was out of commission. With only a few days to go and the nearest repairman several days journey away, it appeared as though Mass would have to commence without musical accompaniment.

Feeling thwarted in his efforts to plan a memorable Christmas, Fr. Mohr set about to manufacture another plan. This was in the midst of all of his regular parish duties, including the blessing of a newborn infant. On this particular call, Fr. Mohr was suddenly struck by the words to what is now known as "Silent Night," or "Stille Nacht" in his native tongue. Quickly, so as not to lose the lines that were rapidly filling his brain, he finished his call and raced home. Here he penned four stanzas, the first of which reads in English:

Silent Night, Holy night,
All is calm, all is bright,
Round yon' virgin, Mother and child.
Holy infant so tender and mild,
Sleep in Heavenly peace.

When he had set his words to parchment, he called upon his colleague, Franz Gruber, the musician who trained the parish choir. He managed to finagle from him the fact that, in addition to his organ prowess, Gruber was also a guitar player. Gruber emphatically informed him, however, that his guitar skills were less than proficient. Undeterred, Mohr presented the words to his new poem to Gruber. Rounding up a dusty, little-used guitar, the two men composed the song that would provide music for Oberndorf's Christmas Mass.

It was unlikely at the time that either Mohr or Gruber had any inkling of the impact they would have on history. In fact, the song disappeared into near obscurity for a decade. It was then that "Silent Night" fell into the hands of the Strasser family of Zillertal Valley.

The four young, musically-trained Strasser children spent many an hour drumming up business for their parents' glove-making business by singing in front of the shop. In a manner not unlike a modern talent agent discovering some secret talent in the unlikeliest of places, "Silent Night" was introduced to the Strassers. Rearranged from two-part to four-part harmony, the Strasser children were catapulted to instant renown with their rendition. Valley residents renamed it "The Song From Heaven," since the Strasser children sounded so much like a choir of angels when they performed it. They sang so beautifully, in fact, the Strassers were invited to perform it before kings and queens.

It may have been a king who placed "Silent Night" indelibly on the lips of Christendom. King Frederick William IV of Prussia heard it sung some 22 years after the Strasser children began performing "The Song from Heaven." Afterward, he declared that it should "be given first place in all future Christmas concerts" within the domain of his rule. Whether it really was or not isn't certain. What is certain is that "Silent Night" breached King Frederick's bounds to become loved the world over.

Now enjoy the many voices of Silent Night



The Original so beautiful







I love this song...

so silent night...and holy night...and to my friends...enjoy your time with loved ones and family, and to my family I say, I love you, and we will spend another Christmas together. You can count on it.

Love,
The Lass

it is getting nearer...to a wonderful event...

Christmas, and all of its wonder.

Now...here are some things you may not know...
To avoid persecution during the Roman pagan festival, early Christians decked their homes with Saturnalia holly. As Christian numbers increased and their customs prevailed, the celebrations took on a Christian observance. But the early church actually did not celebrate the birth of Christ in December until Telesphorus, who was the second Bishop of Rome from 125 to 136AD, declared that Church services should be held during this time to celebrate "The Nativity of our Lord and Saviour." However, since no-one was quite sure in which month Christ was born, Nativity was often held in September, which was during the Jewish Feast of Trumpets (modern-day Rosh Hashanah). In fact, for more than 300 years, people observed the birth of Jesus on various dates.

In the year 274AD, solstice fell on 25th December. Roman Emperor Aurelian proclaimed the date as "Natalis Solis Invicti," the festival of the birth of the invincible sun. In 320 AD, Pope Julius I specified the 25th of December as the official date of the birth of Jesus Christ.

In 325AD, Constantine the Great, the first Christian Roman emperor, introduced Christmas as an immovable feast on 25 December. He also introduced Sunday as a holy day in a new 7-day week, and introduced movable feasts (Easter). In 354AD, Bishop Liberius of Rome officially ordered his members to celebrate the birth of Jesus on 25 December.

However, even though Constantine officiated 25 December as the birthday of Christ, Christians, recognising the date as a pagan festival, did not share in the emperor's good meaning. Christmas failed to gain universal recognition among Christians until quite recently. In England, Oliver Cromwell banned Christmas festivities between 1649 and 1660 through the so-called Blue Laws, believing that Christmas should be a solemn day.

When many Protestants escaped persecution by fleeing to the colonies all over the world, interest in joyous Christmas celebrations was rekindled there. Still, Christmas was not even a legal holiday until the 1800s. And, keep in mind, there was no Father Christmas (Santa Claus) figure at that time.

So this is my traditional beginning. A sogourne of sorts, leading to a blessed day and and event, which simply needs a lead in, from a lass, whose heart and soul...celebrates the occasion.

Merry Christmas to all...

and as usual there is much more to come.

Love the lass

If I had a million dollars...hmmm

Now...my baby sis is just a hoot. And she loves things that make her smile...who knew?

But, in this family of silly people...there are moments we just love to laugh...and this little video...made her smile...and then made me smile.

If I had a million dollars? Well I would be semi-rich...and that is something that makes Obama...want a little more...and thus...I would have to spend it...or place it...in a bank acount...in the Camon Islands...so he could not get his little hands on it...



Oh...and I would also want to visit...Australia...yep...my dream...

Love,
The Lass

god bless the broken road...I just love that song...

sometimes you string words together and they just make perfect sense. This song has a lyric I particularly like...because it really is about a journey we all make...or take. We all are on a broken road. I rather like that thought. It makes it all seem worth the journey.

My wandering years may be long...but one day...this broken road will bring me to someone...or him to me. Nice thought considering it has been a long and lonely road.

To all my fellow travelers...hoping for you to find...the road leads...

a song can tell a story...this is one I understand

a feeling...well, it does feel like that now...doesn't it?

Love,
The lass

She is good...and they say...she is the best. Now, I don't know about that...but she is good.

battle of wits...and I just love that...

There are people who get it...and those who don't. I love the Princess Bride, mainly for its wit. Just have to love...a good battle of wits. I do love that. Mainly because it sparks something in me. A good banter...does it get better? I think no...

So...here is the battle...haha...enjoy.



Don't feel like a battle? Oh...too bad...I personally love them.

Love,
The Lass

This is George...and I agree

I love to converse...I do. And me being me will engage just about anyone in conversation. But, rarely...do I ever get satisfied with the engagment. Why...well I think George got it right...People are boring...well most...



My sister and I have discussed how diffiuclt it is to find someone to talk to...and you know...I think that I will simply save the conversation for something important...like...unilateral military intervention. Now that is a conversation...haha

Love,
The Lass