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Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Christmas by John Betjeman

The bells of waiting Advent ring,
The Tortoise stove is lit again
And lamp-oil light across the night
Has caught the streaks of winter rain
In many a stained-glass window sheen
From Crimson Lake to Hookers Green.

The holly in the windy hedge
And round the Manor House the yew
Will soon be stripped to deck the ledge,
The altar, font and arch and pew,
So that the villagers can say
'The church looks nice' on Christmas Day.

Provincial Public Houses blaze,
Corporation tramcars clang,
On lighted tenements I gaze,
Where paper decorations hang,
And bunting in the red Town Hall
Says 'Merry Christmas to you all'.

And London shops on Christmas Eve
Are strung with silver bells and flowers
As hurrying clerks the City leave
To pigeon-haunted classic towers,
And marbled clouds go scudding by
The many-steepled London sky.

And girls in slacks remember Dad,
And oafish louts remember Mum,
And sleepless children's hearts are glad.
And Christmas-morning bells say 'Come!'
Even to shining ones who dwell
Safe in the Dorchester Hotel.

And is it true,
This most tremendous tale of all,
Seen in a stained-glass window's hue,
A Baby in an ox's stall ?
The Maker of the stars and sea
Become a Child on earth for me ?

And is it true ? For if it is,
No loving fingers tying strings
Around those tissued fripperies,
The sweet and silly Christmas things,
Bath salts and inexpensive scent
And hideous tie so kindly meant,

No love that in a family dwells,
No carolling in frosty air,
Nor all the steeple-shaking bells
Can with this single Truth compare -
That God was man in Palestine
And lives today in Bread and Wine.


Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Black with white stripes or?

Doesn't this just say "Christmas!" to you?

We got some "Snuggies" for Christmas gifts -
Careful, if you stare too long, you may get dizzy!

Friday, December 18, 2009

The CCCP strikes again

Many, many stories lie behind the smiles of these two ladies (and myself!) below. Broken teeth and plastic robots, pogoballs and frogs BUT best of all...
...the Chocolate Chip Cookie Pizza! For nearly 10 years the famous CCCP regularly appears in the arms of my beloved third grade Sunday school teacher - above on the right.

This nearly devoured CCCP is evidence as to why in the last week I've gained five Michigan pounds... and counting! Though I'm not concerned - again, it's worth it!

Irregretably irresistable

I was wandering up and down the aisles of a nearby store with no intent to purchase - only peruse.

I passed these 'Pumpkin Cremes' - irresistible. I tried. I glanced at them and quickly diverted my eyes. I marched to the end of the aisle, but soon found my feet sauntering back.

Half-price, small package and all mine. I was sold. They disappeared shortly after purchase and my stomach complained just as quickly.

Were they worth it? Definitely!

(Yes, Mrs Lake, I know "irregretably" is not a word - just call it poetic license!)

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Orange you glad...

PART 1:
Many of you faithful Vanessa blog readers will remember that March 2009 was an important month for me. If you can't quite recall why, I will direct your attention to the previous web-blog full of literary genius: www.jogthruprague.blogspot.com.

One of the perks of participating in the Prague Half-Marathon was the small satchel of many free items - magazines, power bars, etc. This bottle of lotion was included in the booty:It's simply an unassuming tube of hand lotion, which I took as a kind gesture from the Marathon organisers.

Having sat in my cupboard for almost a year, I decided it was the perfect size to carry along with me for my trip to Michigan.

PART 2:
My Christmas travels had me sleeping one night in a Vienna airport hotel, to allow me to catch an early morning flight out. It was this morning that I first started noticing a strange discolouration in between my toes and also the fingers of my right hand. I couldn't scrub it away, so during my long trip to Michigan, a few options as to the cause came to mind:

- Rusted water in the hotel, which I didn't notice
- A strange skin disease which was slowly overtaking my epidermis
- An allergic reaction to the West which worsened the further I travelled

PART 3:
Having settled into my parents' home and my old bedroom in Grandville, I couldn't help but notice that this orange colouring wasn't lessening and in fact this morning it was worse than ever.
Before panicking and admitting myself into the Medical Care Unit down the street, I did a bit of investigative work and soon found the culprit of this colouring.

Yes, it was my Half-Marathon lotion! It's not this pleasant hydrating lotion, which I had assumed it to be and used it thus. No, it is indeed TANNING LOTION!

... I've no further comment.

THE END

Saturday, December 12, 2009

Santa Sighting

Every year at this time he appears in shopping centres and parades, on television and magazine covers. This weekend I had my 2009 encounter with the famous jolly fellow.

My parents and I (along with many other parents and their children) took the 'Santa train' this past Saturday beginning and ending in the small city of Coopersville.

Mr Claus made his appearance with his pointy eared elf on the small train in which under two hours, the Big C heard each child's Christmas wish, a Christmas story was told by a teenage Miss Coopersville 2008 and young five year old Landon was told to sit down one hundred and thirteen times by his frustrated parents.

All in all a good trip, concluding with our taking advantage of the coupon on the back of our train tickets for a pizza place in Coopersville.

St Nick and his elfess greeting the train passengers.


Me, the oldest 'child' on the train, with our Conductor (Tom), who I'm convinced was actually the real Santa undercover.

My wonderful parents on the Santa Express.


Have you seen me?

"Hello! I'm red, soft-sided, durable, not at all new and smell of German sausages.

Oh, did I mention I love to travel - and to my own time schedule."

Yep, I've arrived to the winter-wonderland of West Michigan. The trip was a long one during which I was transported by taxi (1), plane (2), bus (2), train (1), underground (1), foot (many), airport shuttle (2) and an old green Alero (1).

Half-way through the trip my luggage had had enough and decided to spend a day among the French speaking population of our globe before making its entrance to Michigan.

The last three times I've visited the US of A, my luggage had its own independent adventure.

The first was on my return trip to Prague from visiting my wonderful nephew on the West Coast in 2006 - my bag followed me two weeks later. Yes, two weeks - I had given up hope by then.

The second was a trip to see my parents a year and a half ago when my case never appeared on the baggage carousel in Grand Rapids. Upon tracking my bag I learned that when it did arrive the next day a confused old man took it home with him. He then showed up at my parents' door to return it with great apology.

The third - this trip. I think I could fill out these lost baggage claim forms with my eyes closed!

More to come regarding my Christmas Michigan adventures - don't worry!