SAYING HELLO AND GOODBYE

   MONDAY, DECEMBER 31ST., 2018
      SAYING HELLO & GOODBYE

   Well tonight is the night we say hello
and goodbye all at the same time.
     Our goodbye, of course, is to the
year we have called 2018.
     Some will say it's been a good year
while others will likely describe it as a
bad one. The truth, I suppose, us that it's
been a bit of both.
      My wife and I have had a lot of
opportunity to spend time with family
this year. She reunited with all 7 of her
siblings in Florida in March and every
hour spent with our grandchildren was
precious!
      We made new friends as well
hosting a cruise and also a bus tour to
Canada for Travelworld!
      Add that to time and adventures
spent with friends as 2018 looks pretty
good.
      But there were shadows on the
year as well not all caused by the rain
clouds that seemed every so present
this past summer. We lost some good
friends. My best friend's wife of 50
years passed on in 2018 as did several
of my former media colleagues.
       Hellos and Goodbyes often run
together though we don't always
realize it as it's happening. As the
song by Roger Whittaker reminds
us "When they begin the overture
they start to end the show."
        Hope you'll have happy
memories of 2018, and love,
laughter and good NEWS in 2019!

https://youtu.be/7RPj8N0TKw0


   

BRING IT HOME!

   

     SUNDAY, DECEMBER 30TH.

          BRING IT HOME!

  This is one unofficial holiday that

could rival Christmas for a couple of

my grandkids!

   December 30th is "National Bacon

Day!" As much as most any child

would like every day to be Christmas

I've got at least two grand children

who would love to have bacon served

for and with any meal. In fact bacon

alone would be just fine with them.

   According to the world wide web

some friends from different ethnic

backgrounds were looking for

something to celebrate in

December. Most already observed

either Christmas/Chanukah/Solstice/

or Kwanzaa. They wanted something

all could celebrate together.

After careful consideration

they decided they all liked The

Simpsons and Homer Simpson's love

for  bacon. Hence, National Bacon Day!

Especially ironic since at least one of

the founders of this day is Jewish.

    You're encouraged to hold a party,

watch Kevin Bacon movies, and

consume as much bacon or bacon

based products as possible. I'm sure

those grandkids I mentioned would

love to attend!

     Hope you bring home the bacon

and that all your NEWS is good!

   

THEY WENT THAT-A-WAY!

    SATURDAY, DECEMBER 29TH., 2018
          THEY WENT THAT-A-WAY!

    I saw it with my own eyes. Could it have
been a Christmas miracle? Perhaps proof
positive of Global warming?
    My wife first heard their unmistakable
sound. But moments later I saw them! A
flock of Canadian geese flying low
overhead in the traditional V formation!
    I know. We've all seen them at one
time or another. But this "time" was
December 28th. And this flock was
flying North!
     We have enjoyed some warmer than
usual temperatures over the past few
days but I don't believe it's been warm
enough to make me think of Spring!
      Maybe these geese know something
the rest of us don't! Or perhaps they've
started using a GPS system. We all
know they aren't always the most
dependable path finders!
        I'd like to think, if only for a
moment, their built in senses have
detected a continuation of better than
expected weather!
          Hope Daffy wasn't in the lead
and that all your weather, and NEWS,
is good!

WE (STILL) NEED A LITTLE CHRISTMAS!

        FRIDAY, DECEMBER 28TH., 2018
WE (STILL) NEED A LITTLE CHRISTMAS!

   We start thinking about Christmas,

whether we want to or not, sometime

around Halloween. That's when the

first advance store decorations begin

showing up.

   But with all that long buildup, the

day comes and, hours later it's over.

At least it seems that way.

   Actually the Christmas celebration

seems to grow each year and, as that late

great philosopher Yogi Berra reminded

us, "It ain't over till it's over."

   Back in 1952 a small AM Radio

station in Lansford began the tradition

of broadcasting Christmas music from

Thanksgiving through "Russian Christmas"

on January 6th.

   I switched to my seldom used AM

option yesterday and, through the static,

heard the familiar strains of "Jingle Bells"

on the station's 1410 frequency.

  In Scranton the annual free performances

of "The Nutcracker Ballet" continues today

at Marywood University.

  The Christmas Displays will light up Nay

Aug Park in the Electric City through January

1st. In Columbia County Berwick's

traditional Christmas Boulevard will be

illuminated through New Year's Day too.

   And, throughout the area, homeowners

who rival "Holiday Vacation" will

undoubtedly be getting the most out of

their decorating efforts!

    There's plenty of Christmas left if you

just look for it!

     Hope you do....and that all of your

NEWS is good!

THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING!

     THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27TH., 2018
      THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING!

   It is probably the most maligned gift of
Christmas yet one of the most historical. It's
the Fruitcake! And December 27th is
National Fruitcake Day!
    For those who may not know it is a cake
made with dried fruit, nuts and spices. If that's
not enough, some are soaked with spirits and
we're not talking about the kind of spirits
Dickens wrote about in "A Christmas Carol!"
     The earliest receipt come from ancient
Rome and there are those who suggest some
of the Fruitcakes being sold or served today
were probably made about that time.
      My wife enjoys a good Fruitcake and I'll
usually have a slice or two myself after she's
cut the first slice. There's no hurry! They tend
to last a long time.
       If you don't like them they're prefect as
a re-gift to someone else or keep them long
enough and use the as a door stop! Keep
those options in mind Iris! (Iris is one of
my regular Blog readers who has expressed
a dislike for Fruitcakes!)
        Hope you'll enjoy the "holiday" one
way or another and that all your NEWS
is good!

CLUTURE SHOCK!

    WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 26TH., 2018
                    CULTURE SHOCK!

    This Christmas offered a unique opportunity
for our family. My daughter is hosting Roberta,
an exchange student from Italy.
     She, of course, is here to sample American
education and the culture here in the United
States. But it's a two way street. While she
learns from us, we learn from her!
      I was curious about Christmas in the
home of my ancestors.
      Roberta said festivities in Italy include
Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and the
Feast of Saint Stephens which is celebrated
on December 26th. I like an extra day of
celebration!
       I must admit, however, my next Italian
Christmas lesson came as a shock! Roberta
told us games are big on the holiday. She did
introduce us to an Italian card game but Ii
suspected the "big event" would be something
like Bocci!
        But "No." The big deal there (as in
Florida) is BINGO! Turns out they were
playing a game called "Il Giuoco del lotto
d'Italia" way back in 1530! It was a form of
what we now call BINGO!
        Mama Mia! Who would believe it?!
        Hope your card was filled with holiday
cheer and that all your NEWS is good!
     
       

CHRISTMAS RIDDLES!

      TUESDAY, DECEMBER 25TH., 2018
                CHRISTMAS RIDDLES!

    Merry Christmas everybody! After the

presents are open and the feast has been

consumed perhaps you can relax and take

a moment or two to help me answer some

questions about the holiday that have been

bothering me. I wonder if you ever wondered

too?

    Remember after all those ghosts set

Scrooge straight about Christmas? He ran

into the same two gentlemen he had turned

away the day before when they were looking

for donations for the poor.

    We whispered in their ears as he made

a pledge to donate. It was to be large since

it included "a lot of back payments.:

      But what did he tell them? How much

did he come up with? I've always wondered

about that!

       What about all that money Uncle Billy

left on the counter in "It's a Wonderful Life?"

Potter's guy stole it away but even with that

big happy ending we never know it Potter

was prosecuted for the theft!

        And even after everything turned out all

right we are never told if George and his wife

and kids ever got a vacation out of town!

        Then there's "A Christmas Story."  The

"Old Man" did eat a chunk of that turkey just

out of the oven. Did he get worms?

        I'm sure there are other questions if I'd

give it more thought. But I'm writing this

on Christmas Eve and I've been told Santa

doesn't come until you're asleep. I'm not

taking any chances asking about this one.

I'm going to bed!

        Merry Christmas! Hope all your NEWS

is good!

TIME TO CHECK YOUR TREE!

  SUNDAY, DECEMBER 23RD., 2018
     TIME TO CHECK YOUR TREE!

  It's December 23rd my friends and time to
check your tree! It's fun to have a look at all
the branches and find things you may never
have seen before!
   Oh! I don't mean your Christmas tree. I'm
talking about your Family tree! You see this
is "Roots Day!"
    It's the perfect time to celebrate your
heritage. Many of you are likely home or
headed home to be with family for the
holidays.
     I can trace my Mom's side of the family
back to the Revolutionary war. And the
Singlet family has been holding reunions
for over 100 years!
     While I don't know much of the actual
history my Dad's grandparents and great
grandparents all hail from the same town
in Italy!
       Genealogy is a big deal these days.
If you really get into it you can find out
a lot of things about your relatives. Of
course that could be a mixed blessing!
         My wife learned she has some ties
to a New York family that ran a "Family."
Now, every now and then, she makes me
an offer I can't refuse!
         So, while you're decorating or just
enjoying your Tannenbaum, give some
thought to those whose roots make your
family tree so sturdy!
          Hope you find some stars on those
branches and that all your NEWS is good! 

OH WHAT A RELIEF IT IS!

   SATURDAY, DECEMBER 22ND., 2018
         OF WHAT A RELIEF IT IS!

   I remember when December 24th was my
designated Christmas shopping day! It was
always a challenge to find everything on my
list, check out, and get home wrap all the
presents before Santa showed up around
midnight!
    Somehow I always made it. And, to some
extent, I enjoyed that pure last minute rush!
     Maybe it's my age but this year I didn't
look forward to that last day shopping blitz.
So this year I shopped early. Yesterday!
      I've always heard so much about the
craziness on Black Friday when shoppers
flock to the stores to begin their Christmas
buying. But it couldn't have been much
worse than Friday!
      The long lines of traffic were only
equaled by the long lines of people waiting
in the check out line!
      And God bless those clerks! My wife
found herself in one very long line headed
by a woman who asked the clerk to remove
a bottle of perfume from a locked cabinet
as she was checking out. The clerk obliged.
Then the woman asked for the price. A
perfectly common question. But when the
clerk came up with the answer the woman
got out her cell phone and started a
discussion with someone on the other end
of the call about whether she should buy the
item or, perhaps, get something else!
       All the while my wife, with one item. and
a growing line of others, stood there quietly
waiting. This wasn't a "big box store" with
numerous check out counters or self check
out options.
       I'm so very glad I didn't come across that
lady in any of my Christmas Eve shopping
experiences! Oh well, now I'm done.....almost!
       Hope your list is complete and that all
your NEWS is good!


 

SOME SHORT THOUGHTS!

   FRIDAY, DECEMBER 21ST., 2018
        SOME SHORT THOUGHTS!

        It's December 21st. The Winter Solstice.

The shortest day of the year! Or so they say!

        My wrist watch still ticks off 24 hours

before this day we call Friday draws to

a close. So, in that respect, it's exactly the

same length as any other day.

         It is, however, the shortest day in terms

of the amount of daylight we see. As a matter

of fact if you lived at the North Pole you'd

never see the sun at all today! Maybe that's

why Santa heads out of there about this time

each year.

        I don't know if it's got anything to do with

the lack of sunlight or not. But this is also

National Flashlight Day!

        But wait, there's more. December 21st is

Crossword Puzzle Day, Forefather's Day, and

Humbug Day. The latter is a Copyrighted

"Holiday."

        So rather than curse the darkness, grab

your flashlight and settle down with a good

Crossword puzzle about your Forefathers.

        Or, just stare out into the blackness and

yell "Bah Humbug!"

        On the brighter side (and this is also

Look On The Brightside Day) every day

from here on sees a little more daylight! And

that's something to look forward to!

         Hope all your NEWS is good!

THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING!

  THURSDAY, DECEMBER 20TH., 2018
  THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING!

   No. I am not referring to the "Jelly Of The
Month Club" from the movie "Holiday
Vacation."
   You see this is the day to rewrap that
ugly sweater, multi colored vest, or anything
else you got last Christmas that you didn't
really want to be given to someone else
this year!
    December 20th is "National Regifting
Day!"
    A survey reveled that 40% of the gifts
given at office parties are regifted!
    We've all received some unusual gifts
at one time or another. My late mother-
in-law was fond of giving rather bright
ties with unique designs. I'm pretty sure
a few of them became presents for somebody
other than the original recipient!
     I'd be willing to bet half of those
decorative candles given as presents to
your neighbor or Aunt Tilly are
regifted items! And there's no telling
how long some of those Fruit Cakes
have been making the rounds!
    Of course you had better make sure
you remember who gave you the gift in
the first place lest you return it to the
same person!
     We've all been told it's the thought
that counts so keep that in mind if one
of those presents you handed out makes
it back under your tree!
     Hope you get something nice you once
gave someone else, and that all your NEWS
is good!

PRE CHRISTMAS PRESENTS!

  WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 19TH., 2018

      PRE CHRISTMAS PRESENTS!

       Most of us enjoy the anticipation of

seeing that gift under the tree, appreciating

the colorful wrapping, and waiting for the

moment we can open it up to see what's

inside!

     Some folks, of course, do their best to

sneak a peak before the big day. And

sometimes it's just logical to present the

gift as soon as it arrives.

      That was the case this year when a

new all weather cover for my Miata

topped my wish list. The old one was

deteriorating at an alarming rate so the

new one was opened and pressed into

service as soon as the package arrived.

       There was another Christmas when

our package arrived early. But back then

we had to wait to see exactly what it was.

It was 1976 and my wife was expecting

our third child. Turns out the delivery

would come on December 19th. Both

UPS and the Postal Service made

deliveries back then. But we decided

to use our Doctor and a Hospital.

       Now back then we didn't have

"Revel Parties" and Ultra Sound, for the

most part, was used to make sure the

baby's heart would be healthy.

       So it wasn't until he actually showed

up that we knew we had a Son! Fortunately

we hadn't invested in more dresses (we

already had two daughters) or painted

the Nursery pink!

       D.J. came into the world at some

10lb, 10oz which may have lead to my

wife's announcement that he would be

our last.

      So while some of you celebrate

"Find An Evergreen Day" or "Oatmeal

Muffin Day," we are celebrating my

son's Birthday! The best early Christmas

present we ever received! Happy Birthday

D.J.

      Hope his day is great and that all his,

and your, NEWS is good!