Books We Love Insider Blog: Present

Friday, December 17, 2021

Thoughts of Christmas Past and Present by Janet Lane Walters #BWLAuthor #MFRWAuthor #Christmas trees #Ornaments

Before the memories, once again, Ashled decorated the porch for Christams. The interesting thing I noticed while driving up street. There are a few more porches with lights and decorations. The following pictures will give you an idea of the porch.

This one shows the partly decorated tree through the window. Only 100 more ornaments to find a space for.

My parents alwasy waited until Christmas Eve to put up the Christmas tree after we were in bed. Then came the year I was old enough to help. Actually, I helped because this was the one Christmas when my father a steelworker wasn't on strike. Just as it began to be dark, my friend and I took his wagon to the VFW who sold trees. To get there, we could go one of two ways. The one was to cross a busy street and down the hill through a tunnel. The other was to cross the railroad tracks and take the less steep street down. Of course we crossed the railroad tracks since no trains were due. I had a dollar to buy a tree. This was 75 years ago, a dollar bought a lot. After buying one of the few trees left, we loaded it on the wagon. The tree hung over front, back and sides. But we managed to get the tree home without losing too many needles. With the help of a neighbor we set the tree on the table . The ceilings in the row house were twelve feet high and the tree nearly touched the ceiling. The table was necessary since my brother was two years old and a busy child. Mother and I started to trim the tree. The lights went on easily and so did the ornaments until I slipped on the ladder and managed to cut a swath of ornaments. Interesting only two broke. I still have one of the glass ornaments on my present tree. That was my best memory of Christmas, knowing I was no longer a child but grownup at the age of ten.

This year my granddaughter and I bought a new artificial tree. I've used one since the year I had both knees replaced and knew I couldn't get down to water the tree. This one is marvelous with both white and colored lights and it changes color constantly. The decorations are quite different. The pictures that follow are of my dragon ornaments.

Below are the standing dragons/

Here are the ones that must be hung.

As you can see, there are many. I think there are fifteen. This year I bought four, Three silver and one dark red guarding a gem.

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Tuesday, November 17, 2020

Thanksgiving This Year - Janet Lane Walters #BWLAuthor #MFRWAuthor #Thanksgiving #These Days #Past ones

Thanksgiving This Year

As I was thinking about what to post this month, I had a strange thought. I don’t think I have any of my books that have a Thanksgiving celebration in them. I’ve used Valentine’s Day, Halloween and Christmas but I can’t remember using many other holidays. I’m not sure what that means.

Thanksgiving this year will be a quiet one. There will be family phone calls but there won’t be any family visiting. It’s sad. But I will make dinner. Turkey is a great one. What I’ve done this year is to buy four extra legs. My son and granddaughter who live here are suckers for dark meet, leaving me to eat the white meat. This year’s turkey is a small one. Our grocery store gives a free one but that’s not my choice. We’ll take the turkey they give away to People to People, the local food pantry. Last year, the only one I could find was twenty-one pounds. Some family had a great meal. I usually include other things with the turkey. I’ll be checking to see what I have and what I need to buy.

Would be nice to have an old fashioned Thanksgiving like the ones in the past when we’ve had to add a picnic table to extend the dining room one but one can only remember the past. In these days with this Covid virus rampaging, There are many things to be thankful for and the best is knowing none of my family has been caught by the virus though friends have been. So far no one in my wide circle has died but some have been very ill. They will have my healing thoughts every day and especially on Thanksgiving.