AND SO WE GROW...

Tonight our second oldest, Kate, brought over an ornament for us with five little elves on it, but the fifth one had no name on its hat.....this was her very cute way of telling us that she was pregnant with her second child, and our fifth grandchild. Suffice it to say, we were thrilled. Our kids continue to affirm their faith in the future, and in His plan for us all...an early Christmas present, if you will.
God bless us, everyone.

SELF PROMOTION AT ITS WORST

I have for about a year and a half been doing a semi-monthly column in the local Suburban Journal called "A Boomer's Journal". It has been great fun, and has allowed me to basically wander about through my mind for topics that are near and dear.
So I blatantly invite you to find it on the "stltoday.com" website, the official site of the ST. Louis Post-Dispatch, the owner of the Journals, who are in turn owned by Lee Enterprises of Iowa...(weren't monopolies outlawed some years ago.....?). Go to Neighborhoods and then click on any of the North Journals and look for "Baby Boomer".
Let me know on this site if you see anything you like.....

SIMPLIFY

With the coming of Christmas, the tendency is to begin to get everything in order. You know, decorate the house, put up the lights, buy gifts ( I love the line when a gift is purchased..."well, we got so and so out of the way..."). Stress and anxiety are high, and this is just not what it should be. What we all need to do is to Simplify.
Take it easy on the holiday parties... so what if cards aren't sent out...cut back on the gifts.... make your presence more important than your presents. Show love in a way other than through what you get for someone.
Now this is not to say that we should forego the trappings of the time. Especially if you have little kids, Christmas is a big deal and memories should be made. But don't let yourself get upset if the item you feel will tell your loved one that he or she is special is out of your price range. You are just the right price...and more valuable than any "early-bird special bargain at the greatest sale of the year."
In a book called "The Little Prince", there is a quote....."what is essential is invisible to the eye."
Remember this during this time when we should be celebrating the birth of The Child.

TURKEY DAY 2005

We hosted the wife's family for the T day dinner....lots of laughing, singing, imbibing, and love....Jill is one of 9, and they were all in attendance with their corresponding kids, kids spouses, our kids and their families...and one great-grampa...my mom, who has been in poor health, chose to stay home..probably a wise move, since it was raucous. A note of sadness...three years ago today the matriarch of the family died of heart failure, after fighting a weak heart for years...she is missed today as much as she was then, maybe even more so...she loved Thanksgiving and seeing all the kids and grandkids wreak havoc....her dressing is probably the single most delicious dressing ever concocted....a little gravy, some pepper......perfection on a plate.
We love you, Joanie....

OK...NOW ITS SAFE TO WATCH....

After over a year since the heartbreak, I finally watched "Fever Pitch", the story of the Red Sox reversing the curse. And in a way, I wish I could have enjoyed it when it happened, since it really was a miraculous sports moment. They were down 3 games to none and in their last chance in the ninth, when they strung 4 straight wins against all odds and against their arch-rivals....the momentum carrying over to our own Cardinals, and.....well, another sweep. The movie mercifully only touched on the World Series in St. Louis....the real story was about a baseball nut and his love for a woman. As a film, it was just so-so....as a piece of sports history, it made me realize that, yeah, the Sawks really deserved to be champs...as much as I hated to believe it for so long.
Next year I will enjoy the game more for what it is.....win or lose.

THAT'S A WINNER!

Well, it looks like the baseball gods smiled on St. Louis as Albert Pujols won the National League Most Valuable Player award this week. It is more than coincidental that the day he was announced was the Catholic feast day of St. Albert the Great. How can you add to that piece of irony? Pujols was clearly deserving, as he has been for several years, only to have been beaten out of the honor by (who every right-thinking person knows is) a cheater...Mr. Bonds from the Giants.
Justice wins out at last.

DANG...LOST AGAIN

I just saw that People magazine named someone else "sexiest man alive"....and once more, they pass me by....oh well, as the Cubs and the Blues (and the Democrats) say....there's always next year.