Getting to our Third Christmas Date...

Sunday, December 13, 2020 while I was in the basement Blogging away, the Coyne family delivered the most yummy cookies. 

Amy, the mother of the family, was my councilor when I was Primary president several years ago. Now Claude is the councilor to Jeremy, the father, in the Elder's Quorum presidency at Church. I found it amusing this week that the local paper, The Georgetown NewsGraphic, happened to do a story on the Coyne children. They have started Moe's Bake Shop. Last year we purchased homemade cinnamon rolls for breakfast on Christmas morning. The rolls come frozen. You thaw them on Christmas Eve and then turn your oven on Christmas morning and they bake while you are opening presents. We enjoyed this experience so much, Claude and I have purchased cinnamon rolls again this year. We pick them up Friday. Here is the newspaper article. Amy tells me the kids were very excited to be interviewed by the newspaper. They say print is dead. I know printed newspapers are struggling. But this is heartwarming to find these little ones so excited to be in the newspaper. 

We also spent the evening watching Christmas music programs. One of them was by the local PBS station about Silent Night through the years. All my life I have sung and played three verses to Silent Night. It wasn't until this program that I learned the original Silent Night had several more verses. Curious about those verses, I Googled and found the Silent Night Museum and learned this about the verses.

First english historic correct translation in the spirit and meaning of Joseph Mohr including all 6 verses. Translated by Bettina Klein © 1998 Silent Night Museum A-5024 Salzburg, Steingasse 9 CHRISTMAS CAROL

Silent Night! Holy Night! All is calm, all is bright Round yon godly tender pair Holy infant with curly hair Sleep in heavenly peace Sleep in heavenly peace. Silent Night! Holy Night! Son of God, love's pure light Radiant beams from thy holy face With the dawn of redeeming grace Jesus, Lord at thy birth Jesus, Lord at thy birth. Silent Night! Holy Night! Brought the world gracious light Down from heaven's golden height Comes to us the glorious sight: Jesus, as one of mankind Jesus, as one of mankind.

Silent Night! Holy Night! By his love, by his might God our Father us has graced As a brother gently embraced Jesus, all nations on earth Jesus, all nations on earth. Silent Night! Holy Night! Long ago, minding our plight God the world from misery freed In the dark age of our fathers decreed: All the world is redeemed All the world is redeemed. Silent Night! Holy Night! Shepherds first saw the sight Of angels singing alleluia Calling clearly near and far: Christ, the saviour is born Christ the Saviour is born.

The version of "Silent Night" as it is traditionally sung in English has only three verses. These are the first, second and last verse of the six verses of "Stille Nacht! Heil´ge Nacht!" written by Joseph Mohr in 1816. The new translation is for everyone interested in the meaning of the words of Joseph Mohr. It is based on the three verses translated by John Young (1820-1885), but keeps as close as possible to the original text. According to Hanno Schilf from the "Silent Night" Museum, Salzburg, the reason verses 4 and 5 are comparatively unknown may be that they do not directly describe the nativity scene. Verse 4 is a celebration of freedom and peace. 1816, the year the carol was written, also marked the end of the Napoleonic Wars. Salzburg was the last state to be liberated from the Bavarian occupation and Mohr directly experienced the suffering of the oppression and the euphoria of the long-awaited liberation, and could well have been inspired to include this verse as a result. Verse 5 reveals the progressive attitude of Mohr. In 1816 he was living in Mariapfarr, an isolated mountain village south of Salzburg, in which pre-Christian rituals still thrived alongside the Christian ceremonies. Although the Catholic authorities who were at pains to stamp out these rituals, and preached damnation and hellfire, this verse suggests that Mohr believed that God alone offers redemption without the necessity of a Catholic priest as an intermediary.

As my mother used to say, I now have a new wrinkle in my brain!!

Monday, December 14, 2020 we received a package from Claude's sister, Lynette Drysdale in the mail. Surprised at this as we do not exchange gifts with his 5 siblings or my 2 siblings, Claude opened the box and found this cute treasure. You put water in it and start it up. It sounds just like an old tractor as it turns over several times before it actually catches and starts. It continues its running sound while smoke comes out of the smoke stack. When it goes off, you just clap your hands over it and it starts back up. What a delight. I took a short video of the tractor starting and running, then Claude clapped his hands over it and it started again. I posted this on Facebook with a thank you to the Drysdale family for this treasure. Lynette commented back, "The second I heard it in the store, I flashed back to the old Farmall, the smell of starter fluid, and hearing dad cuss (when she wouldn't start) and cheers when she finally came to life." What fun to share these memories with her brother at Christmas time. Love it!

I also had this little Messenger exchange with our first-born grandmonster, Katelyn. 

• Katelyn: So the ladies at the bank said you got a good looking guy! Ha Ha
• Sandi: I assume they are speaking Drew...and he is a good looking guy.
• Katelyn: Nope your husband. I was reading past posts and one of them came behind and said he is good looking. Then all the girls came to look. They are all old enough to be my mom or grandma. 

Here is the picture they were looking at. It was taken when Claude and his older sister, Joann, were performing at their sister, Kayla's, wedding. Kayla now has a son who has graduated high school so this was some years back. They sang really well together. 

This trade of messages was followed by a telephone call of explanation from Katelyn. She assured me she told these ladies that he was happily married to the same person for 50 years and that would be 51 years in February. I assured Katelyn it was okay for them to find him handsome. He is, after all, a handsome man. I also agreed with her whole-heartedly that this was a solid marriage and would continue so. We had a chuckle. 

Monday we also did our drive in to Georgetown to leave a treat bag for Papa. This time we also made a stop by our Bishop's home. He has a tree on his front porch with cards hanging on it for monetary donations to buy presents for families in need. Since we can't go to Church in person now, this is the best way to handle this Christmas tradition which would usually be in the foyer at Church. This picture is Claude on the porch looking for four of the cards to take so we could provide financial support to get those presents. 

Tuesday, December 15, 2020 we were encouraged to post something about our parents for Light the World. I posted these pictures. 

This was my comment: The year was 2002. I made a trip to Louisiana alone to visit my parents. My mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. We piled in their car and drove to old family history sights. Places I lived and went to school at as a child. Places my parents lived when first married. It was good to remember before Mimi wouldn't be able to remember all things. I was born of goodly parents and have many good memories to enjoy. My mother's counsel when getting married: "We have done the best we could in raising you. Take that and make it better with your family." My father answering my questions as a teenager in letters I have saved and can still read.  Grateful for my parents today and always. #lightoftheworld

Raelyn was able to back to in-person school for a week. They made Christmas ornaments. She promptly brought hers home and hung it on the tree! So fun.

We received a package in the mail from our son, Jake. It has to be the most beautifully wrapped present I have seen in a while. I took this picture and sent it to Jake to let him know it came. I do not care for wrapping presents. I do them as they are purchased and store them in a big tub in our storage in the basement. I keep a grid on my computer with everyone's name and the presents purchased through the year so I always know where I am with Christmas gift collecting. After wrapping the present, I simply write with a felt tip marker who the present is going to. So receiving this beautifully wrapped present was a real treat. 

Sometimes I see a cartoon or meme that just sends me into peels of laughter. This was one of those moments for me.

Wednesday, December 16, 2020 found me finishing making our Peru/Guatemala scrapbook into a PowerPoint presentation. This felt so good. 

Claude was wanting to be sure we had a good grocery list of what me needed to Christmas in case the Marx family can come. He wants to buy the things that don't need refrigeration ahead so it is an easier grocery shopping trip the week of Christmas. This discussion brought us to New Year's Eve. Our grandson, Hayden, wants to be here again to watch Lord of the Rings with us on New Year's Eve. I send him a text to see what he might want for food and/or snacks while we watch these movies. He sent me an eMail with a link to his Keep list of needed foodstuffs. Oh this digital age. Oh the appetite of a 16 year old who is going to watch nine hours of movies with his grandparents if the virus allows.

Here is his list: Blueberry bagels, Oreos, Orange Sherbet, Waffle fries, Popcorn shrimp, Chicken fingers, Rolls, M&M's, Twizzlers, Skittles, Swedish Fish, Kit Kats, Reese's, Popcorn, Cupcakes, Frosted Sugar Cookies. Oh My!! 

On this day I was walking in the basement and noticed something strange. I took this picture.

It took me aback. Why would the footstool be in front of the television. There are only Claude and me in this house. I didn't do this. Once, several years ago, we awoke to get ready for Church. As I walked in our living room past the windows to the deck, I realized Claude's smoker was in the middle of the deck. We had not used the smoker. We had not been outside. Yet, there was the smoker in the middle of the deck. I got Claude. He looked at it in wonderment. We had a windy night that night but how it could have blown that smoker from the very corner of the deck along the walls we could not figure out. We have left it as the 'other people' that live in our home. When I saw this footstool in such an odd place, I wondered if the 'other people' were back. They are friendly but these things are a little unsettling. I took the picture upstairs and showed it to Claude. He smiled. It seems he wanted to see what plugs are behind the television and so he stood on the footstool to look over the television. He never put the stool back as he needed to get a flashlight to see better. Whew!! Relief.

Our suggested topic for Light the World this day was to speak of a hero in our life. This is the picture I posted.

And, this is my comment: "Who is my hero? Many throughout my life. But from 2006-2010 I was privileged to serve with these ladies in the Stake Relief Society presidency of the Lexington North Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They are strong, dedicated, caring women. Each of us had a trial or two in our personal lives during this time period. Their support, faith and prayers sustained me. This friendship lasts to this day. I love these 'heroes among women'." 

(Barbara Mason, Lisa Adams, Sandi Christensen, Laura Carter & Jessie Carter)

#lighttheworld

Wednesday we would go on our third Christmas date for 2020. I purchased tickets on-line. This is being done a lot so that people are not needing to touch anything of anyone else. Such is the nature of dealing with a pandemic. I always purchase on-line when it is available but now they are specifically stating 'no cash will be taken'. 

We were off to Louisville at 1:30pm. The weather was iffy. Cold and wet. Our first destination was Lights Under Louisville. There are the Louisville Mega Caverns that were really limestone mines. They cover a large area under Louisville including under the zoo and the Watterson Parkway. They are the largest building in Louisville. In December part of this vast underground area is set up with Christmas lights. You pay for a car to go in and you drive yourself in your own car through the Christmas lights. No stopping or getting out of your car. How much more social distancing friendly can one be? Here are pictures of our visit to Lights Under Louisville.

Since the caverns can be viewed any time of the day beginning at 11am, we did those early so we wouldn't get in a line. There was no line and we did fine. This left us a few hours before our next adventure. We drove to Shelbyville Road and the Snyder to find something to eat. We got food from Chipotle and ate in our car. Then we drove thru at Krispy Kreme and had a donut for dessert.

We then went to The Parklands Floyds Fork Beckley Creek Park in Louisville. They have started a light display in the park. You walk one mile on gravel mostly but some paved pathways. The name of their event is Winter Illuminations. We would get our walk in and enjoy the lights and a bit of drizzle in the air. Here are some pictures. 

We had a wonderful time on this date. Loved the lights and the time in between to sit together and visit. We talked about making this a tradition for us each year. We have a couple of more light displays we may catch before this is all over. But these three dates are the ones we really wanted to see this year.

Epilogue: I missed posting this picture of our Emelia. She is closing in on two years old. About 5 more months. She is learning to display her attitude. Katelyn told her "no pouting". This was Emelia's response to that statement from her mother. Oh the joy she will bring through the years.