WHAT'S AHREAD?

     MONDAY, JANUARY 1, 2024

          WHAT'S AHEAD?

   Well here we are friend, with a

brand new year on our hands. Sort

of like a blank slate on which we'll

fill in details for each new day. And

who knows what awaits us? Perhaps

fun and excitement. Certainly challenges.

We always have a few of those. And

what about miracles? They may very

well be on the calendar as well. For

many years my Dad, a movie

projectionist, had to work on New

Year's Eve. But just after the ball

dropped in Times Square our phone

would ring at home. It would be

Dad with his Happy New Year

greeting. My Dad passed away

just before Thanksgiving in 1994.

That New Year, just after the  ball

dropped in Times Square, our

telephone rang. I picked it up and

said "Hello" but heard nothing on

the other end. Out Caller ID read

"Out Of The Area" or something

like that. But I knew from whence 

the call was coming and who was

on the other end. It was undoubtedly

my Dad calling to say Happy New

Year and assure us that all was well.

Often we receive miracles like that

without stopping to see them for what

they are. Watch for them in this new

year and perhaps you'll recognize

them! Happy New Year and may all

your NEWS be good!

   

BACK TO THE FUTURE!

     SATURDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2022

          BACK TO THE FUTURE!

   Well friends, December is about to be

gone as is 2023. New Year's Eve is

traditionally a time for celebration,

parties, and fun. But it is also an

opportunity for Time Travel! Don't

laugh! I've done it! Here's the trick.

Just before the ball falls at Times

Square in New York, call someone

in Europe. Ask them what year it

is and you'll find out you've just 

called into the future! We have family

in California. If we call them right

after Midnight arrives here we'll

discover we're calling into the past!

Now that's something worth boasting

about! Of course when and where

ever you call, 2024 is bound to show

up so be prepared. Hope you have a

Happy New Year and that all your NEWS

is good! 

 

IT'S AN ARM AND HAMMER DAY!

  SATURDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2023

   IT'S AN ARM AND HAMMER DAY!

   There's an unofficial holiday today

you just may have missed. This is

"Bicarbonate of Soda Day!" If you'd

rather you can call it Baking Soda Day!

This common household product has

all kinds of uses! You can brush your

teeth with it, use it in your laundry,

remove odors from your refrigerator,

and bake with it (just to name a few.)

I'm not sure if there's any intended

connection, but bicarbonate of soda

is also closely associated with dealing

with indigestion problems that stem

from drinking a bit too much. Since

New Year's Eve is close at hand youN

may want to stock up on baking soda.

Just in case! If you don't need it after

celebrating you can always brush

yoru teeth! Hope you're well and

that all your NEWS is good! 

 

TEMPUS FUGIT!

   FRI DAY, DECEMBER 29TH. 2023

              TEMPUS FUGIT!

       For those who don't know "Tempus

Fugit" is Latin for "time flies!" And today

is Tick Tock Day!"
    Yep! Tick Tock Day. It comes around every
29th of December. Two days before the end of
the year!
    The day is celebrated by completing tasks on
hand, like ensuring all holiday gifts are delivered.
Better make sure UPS and FEDEX are aware of
this "holiday!"
     It's a day to complete unfinished business so
nothing that should have been done is carried
over into the new year. In my case I may have
to apply for an extension. My unfinished
business may well take me into February!
      But back to Tick Tock Day.
      It's a perfect day to take stock of yourself
and your situation and to come up with those
New Year's Resolutions to improve your lot in
2016. Maybe I'll resolve to finish my unfinished
business. Well, some of it anyway.
      The "Tick tock" of course, is the sound of
this year's time running out. So get to it while
there's time to get things done!
      Hope your clock is on time and that all your
NEWS is good!

YOUR DEAL!

      DECEMBER 28, 2023

          YOUR DEAL!

   This is one of those "unusual holidays"

specifically designed, I believe, to fall

between Christmas Day and Newgetear's

Day. December 28th is "Card Playing Day."

It's a time when many families get together

and supporters of this "holiday" believe

a good old fashioned game of cards is a

great recreational activity for everyone.

There is, in fact, a card game designed for

just about anyone. War, Old Maid, and 

Fish are just a few examples of card games

for the kids. Adults may find pleasure in a

game og Gin Rummy, Poker, or Bridge.

I'm not especially interested in any kind

of card game. Seems like everytime I try

to draw the high card I end up with the

Joker! Maybe somebody's trying to tell

me something? So, deal me out. But

enjoy your game and I hope all your NEWS

is good. 

A NUTTY HOLIDAY TRADITION!

    WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2023

          A NUTTY HOLIDAY TRADITION!

       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 known receipt comes 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. 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 them 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!

IT'S NOT OVER YET FRIENDS!

    TUESDAY, DECEMBER 26, 2023

     IT'S NOT OVER YET FRIENDS!

     These days Christmas comes early.

You begin seeing Christmas decorations

in many stores about the same time the

Halloween outfits are going on sale. And

by Thanksgiving the turkeys are being pushed

aside by bells and elves and Christmas trees.

       That said, by December 26th and 27th

some folks are looking at the 25th as the

ghost of Christmas past! I was disappointed

to tune into by XM radio channel and hear

an announcement from the channel I've been

listening to for holiday tunes that it's seasonal

programming has ended. Isn't the holiday

season that stretch of time generally between

Christmas eve and New Year's day? What 

about the "12 days of Christmas?" And how

about Orthodox Christmas in January? We're

too quick in some cases to ditch that Christmas

spirit that makes the world so much better.

I'm hanging on as long as possible. Hope you

do too and that all your NEWS is good!