Happy New Year????

Well, how about this for a downer? Someone just sent me an opportunity to join a new group.........It was called, "EVERYTHING Vintage and Shabby". Who sent me this?? Were they hinting at something? Oh, My Golly. 

I ran to the full-length mirror. Standing there, I checked out the reflection. Yes, I think I would agree with vintage. After all, the calendar and the mirror, don't lie. Mid-seventy doesn't resemble mid-forty, does it? But shabby, not so much. Only about half of my wardrobe, I estimated, is showing a bit of wear.

Time for a change. Beginning today, I am going to start a major overhaul of my personal clothing collection. I am going to eliminate any possibility of shabby.

        #1. Anything bought before 2000, has to go. (that's 24 years old folks) Anything that old just              smacks of VINTAGE, which is a Fancy Nancy word for OLD.

        #2. Greys and blacks are probably not the most attractive colors for seniors. If I can't jazz it up with     Red or Hot Pink, it's gone. Anything that screams dull, just doesn't work. Dull is absolutely SHABBY.

        #3. If I haven't worn an article in 5 years.......OUT. (And that goes for shoes, too.)

It's a New Year, and instead of old and drab, I'm aiming for Mature and Marvelous. Or how about Elderly and Elegant? Do any of my readers want to join my new group......"Seventies.... Sensational and Savy!

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Dear God. Faith is necessary for a complete life. Change is inevitable. You are our Constant.

  

"Caroling, Caroling Through the Snow"

 "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year", or so the song goes. It's that time of year, when I expound on Christmas tunes. I've written before about my unmarketable talent for recalling song lyrics, and of course Christmas Song Lyrics are some of my favorites. I've gone on and on about how I dislike anyone singing any version of "O Holy Night" and that my favorite Christmas Song is "Here comes Santa Claus". Especially, when it's sung by one of my childhood heroes, Gene Autry, the Singing Cowboy. 

This year however, I'd like to focus on mis-quoted or humorous interpretations of these classic songs. The Internet is great for this kind of thing. Yesterday, someone sent me a photo of one lonely reindeer peering out over a fence, at hundreds of other frolicking reindeer. The caption read, "Proof that Rudolph was not allowed to join in any reindeer games." Then, I received another picture of a bowl of tater tots, each sporting neon green alien eyes. "Tiny tots with their eyes all a glow, will find it hard to EAT tonight." I laughed. 

Well really. Who can remember all of the 12 days of Christmas Gifts? And, just who would want to receive any of them, anyway? Birds are downright messy. I'd like a show of hands for every high school holiday band concert you've attended, where the cracking whip sound in "Sleigh Ride" was played on the right beat! Did Frosty really have a "broom stuck in his head"??

So folks, whether you sing "round yon Virgin" or "Round John Virgin", or belt out "Up on the housetop, reindeer PAWS or pause", just remember to have a very happy Christmas and a joyous holiday season.

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Lord you are the reason for this season. Let us all be in the spirit of joyfully giving and graciously receiving. Remind us to sing a little.

Winners??????

  I am a proud graduate of the University of Kansas. I follow Jayhawk Basketball, fairly closely. Kansas has been a winner, on the court, for ages. After all, James Naismith, the inventor of the game, taught and coached at Kansas for decades. Kansas Football Teams have been much less successful. Since the early 1970s, they have rarely had a winning season. 

Recently, things have been looking up for the Hawks. I mean, they have actually won some games. They finished their 2023 regular season with 8 wins and 4 losses. Definitely an improvement, but not spectacular, in my opinion. 

Now, imagine my surprise when I heard, via radio, that in spite of such a mediocre record, the Jayhawks are scheduled to play in a College Bowl Game. The school will be in the post-season "Big Time", along with long-time rivals, K-State (8-4) and Mizzou (10-2)

With that snippet of knowledge, I decided to do a bit of Bowl Research. After all, I have, in past years watched parts of the Sugar, Rose and Cotton Bowls. Those bowls have been around, forever. This year, there will be approximately 20 major Bowl Games. They'll be played from December 16th to January 8th. And, yes, you can have a losing season and play in a Bowl Game. Do the math, folks. You have to have 40 teams, to play in 20 games. Some of them are bound to be losers!

All modern era Bowl Games include the name of the "big money" sponsor, in their titles. Kansas State will not play in the Tony the Tiger Bowl, but instead will play in the Pop Tarts Bowl. Kansas will play, December 26th, in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl and Mizzou will play in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl, not the Cheeze It Bowl. The other bowl games include the Chick fil a Bowl, the Isleta Bowl, the Famous Toastery Bowl, and the Scooter's Coffee Bowl.

That's the truth, folks. Congratulations to all the teams. I hope all of the players get free samples.

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Lord. Show us the humor in our life's journey. Bring peace to our souls. Be our strength and our salvation.