Favorite Christmas’ – Charlie Brown Tree

I was maybe sixteen? fifteen? Either way, Chris and I went to San Diego to spend Christmas with Mom. Of course, that meant the added benefit of being with Grandma and Grandpa Pagliaro! Of course, that meant that spaghetti was waiting for us when we arrived :-)

We got there and it was very close to Christmas. Just a day or two maybe three. We needed a tree! Turns out, everyone was pretty much sold out. We ended up getting a Charlie Brown Tree! At least, it was brown!! It was maybe 3 feet tall with just a hint of green. We covered that thing with tinsel and ornaments and made it look like a Christmas Tree.  Best part was, it proved that being with family was way more important than the pomp of Christmas. Besides, we had a LOT of fun with it!

Favorite Christmas’ – Sizzlers!

Not exactly what we got, but close. This is on auction on eBay! How tempting is that?!
I think it was 1971. We had just moved to Oregon and lived in a rental home in the West Hills of Portland. Comus Street. A street with HUGE potholes! The place was way cool! Mostly because of the trees and the creek that ran through, or near, the back yard. We used to play army in the mud. It was AWESOME!Anyway, we moved there in November, I think. So, Christmas was coming. The hottest thing was Sizzlers! Chris and I already had Hot Wheels and had been playing with those for years. Most of my life, probably! After all, I was only 8 :-)

Sizzlers were Hot Wheels that you charged up for a minute and a half and they raced around a “Fat Track” for 5 minutes, or so. Way cool! It was all Chris and I wanted for Christmas.

So, Christmas morning we got up way early (of course).  It was at least 5am, maybe earlier. At 8, who knew it was your Mom and Dad who stayed up late to set up that stuff! So, I remember walking quietly on the hard wood floors. Chris was behind me as we peered around the corner into the living room. There it was. All set up. SIZZLERS FAT TRACK!!! Awesome!

I don’t remember if we got everyone up then or waited. But it wasn’t long before we were charging up our new cars and racing them around the track. Way too cool. Then, our “cousins” came down from Washington and they brought the Fat Track they got for Christmas! We combined ‘em for this elaborate course and raced and raced and raced. Cousin Tony got a great car. His seemed to run an extra two or three minutes after ours would give out. It was probably the best Christmas as far as getting exactly what I wanted. I realize now how much joy that must have given my Dad.

Luke 11:13
“If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?”

Matthew 7:11
“If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!

Feed a Cold

There’s a head cold going around. I have it around the edges. Not sick enough to miss work, but in the afternoon and evening I start to feel not as good. This morning my nose has been running a bit and my head hurts a little. I don’t want to whine since I don’t feel horrible. At the same time, it would be nice to feel all the way good.

Since it’s a cold and not the flu, I think I’ll have breakfast and wander in to work. There’s work to be done before I’m off through day after Christmas! I just hope I feel better this weekend, and don’t get too many others sick along the way.

Left over breakfast burrito is callin’ my name.

Update: I just ate and feel worse. So much for that theory!

Mt. Lemmon Snow – December 13, 2007

I took half day off and made the short drive (just 100 miles round trip from the apartment) to Mt. Lemmon to see the two feet of snow that fell from the last two storms. It was BEAUTIFUL! I took a ton of pictures. Here are my favorite 17.

Click on a pic for a 800×600 version.

Click on the pic for 1024×768 Wallpaper

Christmas iPod

’tis the season to put up the tree, string some lights, and load the iPod with your favorite Christmas songs! Looks like I’ll be skipping the tree again this year. I don’t think there is enough room in this little 642 square foot apartment! I may string the lights that usually go on the tree on the deck. That might be pretty :-) And then there’s loading the iPod with my favorite Christmas tunes. I went through my CD’s and found: Vince Guaraldi with the soundtrack to “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” Amy Grant with a CD of Christmas Hits, WOW Christmas!, a two CD set. I burned those into the iPod this morning.  In addition, I have purchased a few songs from the iPod store. I’m listening to “The Christmas Song,” by Nat King Cole even as I type. I also have The Kinks, “Father Christmas.” Funny song if you’ve ever heard it. Also, Steve Bell’s version of “Oh Holy Night.” All good stuff! Now I’m ready to drive around and look at Christmas lights with my favorite Christmas soundtrack going!

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