December

[Jeri_MS]

Tonight the roads in Atlanta are iced up & there have been over 200 wrecks. Some long lines of cars got stuck on the Freeway & couldn't move creating gridlock. My Hubby went to the airport to pick up his sister who is visiting from Lebanon & when he got home at 6:15 PM he said the roads were a sheet of ice & he had to go about 20 miles an hour once he reached the North side of town. I'm sending up prayers to all who had accidents & even got stuck in this mess. Hopefully it will warm up by in the morning & this stuff can melt. But they have closed the Atlanta schools. Yikes!

Harriet, That sounds so scary,,, with my sister having to travel for her GD tests and possible surgery. I hope they have a four wheel drive or whatever is needed to drive in snow or Ice. REMEMBER : Never use cruise control when it's raining or snowing . Not to scare you but just remind all, My friends lost control of their auto in rain w/cruise control on and spun out. They both were killed. this was a while back a few years, but I still make sure we don't use it in those situations.I don't trust us driving w/the possiblity of snow, so we skipped going to my son's @ Nashville and the new finished hotel, I am just scared driving in ice or snow, not being used to it..we are not well enough anyway & I need to stay inside. we can always go after the Holidays. Everyone have a safe and Happy Christmas! Harriet be safe driving & Everyone. I wish Terry, a very Merry Christmas and miss her terribly, Jean/AZ and Jean/B take care and enjoy your Holidays

[Canadiangirl]

Jeri what a fun memory of the snow.Glad
you were not hurt.
Harriet sorry your hubby had to be out on
those slippery roads.We have them every winter
so are use to them.
BHR glad your hubby to stay close to home
and not go out on those roads.
Our warm weather is gone this morning.We are
back to 20 this morning.
Elaine

[HariAJFan]

Overnight the 200 accidents turned into 2000 accidents & some places quit counting but today it warmed up to 50 & the ice melted & we had rain all day. I was able to get to Physical Therapy today & we had no problem driving at 11 AM. But there was a lot of traffic because a lot of people went in late to work.

[luvthataj]

HI FRIENDS, THEY SAY IT ISN'T EVEN WINTER YET!!!  WOW, WASN'T THAT COLLAPSE OF THE DOME ROOF AT THE VIKINGS STADIUM SOMETHING ELSE, KIND OF LIKE THE "COLLAPSE" OF THE WHOLE TEAM THIS SEASON! I JUST WONDER IF THEY WILL REALLY BE ABLE TO REPAIR THAT MESS.  THE ROOF..AND THE TEAM.  AS MANY OF YOU MAY ALREADY KNOW, THO I LOVE MY VIKES..I AM NOT AND NEVER HAVE BEEN A BRET FAVRE FAN.  AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED THEY GOT WHAT THE ASKED FOR THESE LAST TWO YEARS.  BUT I CAN HAPPILY SAY MY "BOYS OF SUMMER" THE MINN. TWINS ARE SAFE IN THEIR LOVELY NEW PARK.  CAN'T WAIT FOR THE CRACK OF THE BAT!
WE HAVE HAD SEVERAL DAYS IN A ROW OF RECORD HIGHS FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR, ALMOST REACHED 80, AND I WAS GETTING PRETTY HOSTILE ABOUT THAT, I WANT FALL TEMPS!  SWEATER WEATHER, COMFY SWEATSHIRTS, ETC.  WELL, YESTERDAY AND TODAY WE HAVE CLOUDY, A BIT OF RAIN SHOWERS NOW AND THEN, AND MUCH MORE SEASONABLE TEMPS.  I'M NOT COMPLAINING, MIND YOU, I WELL REMEMBER AND SHIVER IN SYMPATHY WITH WHAT THE NORTHERN AREAS ARE DEALING WITH, I'VE SHOVELED MY SHARE, BELIEVE ME.  BUT TODAY IS A COOKIE BAKING DAY, SO I AM GOING TO BAKE A BUNCH FOR AARON, MY GRANDSON WHO TURNS 17 TOMORROW!  HIS FAVORITE IS OATMEAL, AND SO I WILL BE BAKING WITH AN EXTRA DOSE OF LOVE.  HE'S A SWEETIE.  I FINALLY GOT MY LAST PACKAGES MAILED YESTERDAY, GETS A LITTLE HARDER EVERY YEAR, THO.  BUT THE KIDS DO SO MANY WONDERFUL AND THOUGHTFUL THINGS FOR ME ALL YEAR, I WANT THEM TO HAVE A LITTLE SOMETHING TO UNWRAP, JUST LIKE WHEN THEY WERE LITTLE!!  I PUT ON ALAN'S LET IT BE CHRISTMAS CD AGAIN THIS MORNING, IT MAKES EVERYTHING GO A BIT LIGHTER.
 
NOW ALL OF YOU, STAY SAFE AND WARM, DRIVE WITH CARE, AND TAKE TIME TO SMELL THE SEASON!! 

MERRY CHRISTMAS, AND A HAPPY AND HEALTHY NEW YEAR...

jean-az/allALANalways

P.S. STILL LEARNING THE WONDERS AND WAYS OF THIS NEW COMPUTER..AND WINDOWS 7...WHAT MINDS IT TAKES TO THINK UP ALL THIS WIZARDRY.  I STILL REMEMBER THE OLD TYPEWRITERS, CARBON PAPER, ALL THAT NONSENSE.

[BIGHUSKERSRED]

Jean-Az, I had a smile on my face reading your post and this most especially your nostalgic mention of the "old typewriters, carbon paper, all that nonsense." I happened to have just read an online news article about a typewriter event somewhere in Philadelphia named "Type-In: A Pleasant Afternoon of Manual Typewriting." It kind of brought out some feelings of nostalgia of the past technology for me and at the same token it also served as a reminder of just exactly how my husband and I met. . .I was taking typing class at the same business school he was taking courses for a degree in business administration. Thought you might enjoy reading it too. Here's the link:

http://www.komonews.com/news/offbeat/112082249.html?ref=guiltypleasures


BHR

[Jeri_MS]

Overnight the 200 accidents turned into 2000 accidents & some places quit counting but today it warmed up to 50 & the ice melted & we had rain all day. I was able to get to Physical Therapy today & we had no problem driving at 11 AM. But there was a lot of traffic because a lot of people went in late to work.

 Harriet,
Thank God you made it to therapy. That would have been a workout for me, holding on to the seat . I am so scary about driving on ice. ha! My Sister made it fine, going for her GD's appnt too!
Jean/az, Like BhR you just make me laugh the way you speak about the old days etc..I still remember the old Typewriters
carbon paper etc also ha! My friend who went to Oxford, MS- Ole Miss, could type mozarts symphony, to the beat with music on her old phonograph and not make one mistake. I forgot which symphony ha! She was a majorette in the band and hit her baton and knocked her front teeth up into her gums, they rushed her to Mayo Clinic in MN for surgery and later she was fine. It was in the newspaper in Memphis.
 I have lost touch with her since I got older.I never knew her married name.My Mother and I roomed there in their house while I had treatments for my ear & sinuses at Guyton Clinic.
Jean/az, I know you love that 17 yr old and cooking for him, grand children are the greatest, since they go home ha! I enjoy my family so much but miss the ones in Nashville. we will go after the holidays hopefully to see them. The GC here are so big now, they have so much to do, already planning for college.Tall too. tower over me and I'm 5'-8", Love em so!
Enjoy the Holidays to all of you, take care.Elaine that photo in the snow will forever be stuck in my mind ha! In PJ's lol
it's way out in the country, no one is around for miles. Merry Christmas! Jerrie-MS

[HariAJFan]

Good morning, AJ Friends. Our weather has improved- no more ice. Right now we are getting a lot of rain. Finally finished up my Christmas preparations by wrapping gifts yesterday. Our family Christmas party is tomorrow. It was supposed to be at my sisiter's who live a couple of miles from me but she hurt her back so my brother will host the party- he's the one that lives 80 miles away. I declined to go to his house for Thanksgiving but we are going to go for Christmas. I'm 4 weeks further along in my recovery so I hope I can tolerate making the trip- just can't miss Christmas with my family. But I am disappointed that we will have to make this long drive, a lot of it on country roads that are not well lighted & are only 2 lanes. But I'm trying to roll with the punches here.

JeanB- I'm hearing about heavy snowstorms in Europe- hope you & your family are OK.

Jean-AZ-Don't you think the Vikings deserve a new stadium at this point? That collapse of the Metrodme roof could have been a disaster if there had been a game going on there.

BHR- It was nice hearing how you met your hubby.

Jeri- My hubby has anti-lock brakes on his truck so that helps in driving in wintry conditions but really nobody can drive safely in ice. My car will drive in snow as it has front wheel drive.

Everyone stay safe & have a Merry Christmas.

[dizzydean]

Harriett this is the pits not being able to do the things you want to for Xmas Mazie and myself have invites out with our family and friends which makes it nice since
both of us have been under the weather....
So glad you will be able to be with your family...
Have  a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.....

[JeanB]

Anita, so sorry the German Christmas Festival wasn't good.
Congrats for your great seats on Alan's concert in your home town. Maybe you can invite him for the coffee? Would be nice ... Alan and the Strayhorns ringing on your frontdoor ... lol.
Jerrie, hope you are over the resp.inf. for Christmas. Good to hear hubby is better.
Elaine, isn't Alan coming to British Columbia?
BHR, hope you are fine for Christmas too.
Jean Az, the collopse of the Vikings Stadium was on the Belgian tv ... That was a lot of snow !!!
Harriet, the snowstorm in West-Europe are a problem for the traffic, not for people. We are oké, thanks.
Drive carefull on your Christmas trip.
Sounds everybody on this board have the same weather. Cold and snow. Well ... we go for a "White Christmas".

Merry Christmas to all my AJ buddys on this board !!!

Merry Christmas !!!Merry Christmas !!!Merry Christmas !!!Merry Christmas !!!

Jean

[luvthataj]

HI FRIENDS, I AM GOING TO TRY TO WRITE IN A REASONABLE SIZE THIS TIME... ALL THESE GADGETS GO TO MY HEAD!
BIGHUSKERED...I LOVED THE ARTICLE ON TYPEWRITERS, HOW TRUE THAT THEY LASTED FOR DECADES, AND NOW BEFORE YOU GET THE NEWEST GADGET OUT OF THE BOX...ITS OBSOLETE.  MY DAD HAD 3 DIFFERENT ONES AS I WAS GROWING UP, I PARTICULARLY REMEMBER A PORTABLE SMITH CORONA THAT I USED TO LOVE TO BANG AWAY ON.  BUT GEE, SPELL CHECK AND DELETE IS PRETTY NEAT NOW.  THE KEYBOARD ON MY NEW COMPUTER IS FLATTER AND FASTER THAN MY OLD ONE, IN FACT EVERYTHING ABOUT IT IS FASTER...WHILE I GET SLOWER.  I FEEL LIKE A FUMBLE FINGERS SO FAR.
 
HARRIET...I DON'T KNOW IF THE VIKINGS DESERVE A NEW STADIUM, BUT THE FANS SURE DO.(OK, SO I'M STILL SULKING OVER THEM SIGNING FAVRE)  I SEE HE VOWS TO "STAY WITH THE TEAM", AS BEER MAN, MAYBE?? MONDAY NIGHTS GAME AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA (OPEN AIR) STADIUM BETWEEN THE BEARS AND THE VIKES SHOULD BE FUN..THEY ARE STILL SHOVELING THE SNOW OUT THERE, WE'LL SEE IF MY VIKES CAN "MAN UP" AND PLAY OUTDOORS!  HOPEFULLY THEY WILL BE STARTING THE NEW KID ON THE BLOCK, NAME OF WEBB, LOVE TO SEE THE NEW KIDS GET A SHOT AT IT, KEEP YOUR FINGERS CROSSED!  BY BROTHER RUSS LIVED IN CHICAGO, AND WAS A BEARS FAN, AND HE USED TO TELL ME, WHEN THE BEARS AND VIKES MET, "JEANIE, WE CAN'T LOSE EITHER WAY".  HE HAD A KINDER HEART THAN I DO WHEN IT COMES TO FOOTBALL.

CHRISTMAS IS CLOSING IN ON US ISN'T IT.  JUST FOR ABOUT A DAY I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SNOW FALL AGAIN, ITS ALWAYS SO PRETTY...FOR THE FIRST DAY OR SO.  AS A KID I COULDN'T WAIT FOR WINTER AND SNOW, AND THE ICE RINK AT THE PARK ACROSS THE STREET IN MINNEAPOLIS.  I HOPE TO BE UP TO MY FAIR HOME TOWN AGAIN THIS SUMMER WITH MY BOYS FOR A "TWINS" WEEKEND.  WE ALWAYS HAVE A GRAND TIME, AND I MAKE SURE I GET TO EVERY GAME I CAN!

KEEP WELL, WARM, EAT LOTS, AND HUG EVERYONE YOU LOVE....OR LIKE.

jean-az/allALANalways

[Canadiangirl]

Harriet happy to see it has warmed up there.
Sorry to hear you have to travel so far for the
party I will be praying you will do ok.
Jean(AZ) I had to get a new computer and am
still getting use to windows 7.
BHR thanks for the link.It was interesting to read
how you met your hubby.I knew George from
when I was about 10.My dad was a baseball coach
and he played ball with my brother.Those boys would
be at the house all the time.At that time I thought he
was so old(LOL) as he was my brothers age.He
asked me out when I was sixteen.We were together
about four years before we got married.
Jeri enjoy your grand kids.They grow up so fast.
My youngest is now 12 and will be 13 in January.
Dizzy how nice you will be spending Christmas with
family.
Jean it would be closer to go see Alan in Calgary
or Edmonton then going to Dawson Creek.
Cold this afternoon.
Elaine

[BIGHUSKERSRED]

Yuletide Greetings, AJ Fans & Friends!

I'm mostly recovered from my cold, just the cough still hanging there. Thanks for the well wishes. We did a last minute shopping this afternoon and one more to do tomorrow and hopefully that's it. Seems every year this happens to us. . .we forget someone or someone unexpectedly sends us something and we always feel that we should reciprocate. And, by the way, it looked to me like the businesses are doing very well with their business this holiday season. All the stores we went to are pretty crowded and finding a parking spot is almost impossible. 

Harriet & Elaine, my hubby and I didn't exactly meet at the school I mentioned. We were both taking classes there but met at that school's Christmas party, the 12th of Dec. 1970, at the Holiday Inn in Charleston, SC. . .I was in the evening classes and he was in the morning classes. I went alone, per my older sister's urging, when my BF didn't show up at my sister's house. . .where I was living at that time. . .to be my "date" at the party. She loaned me her beautiful velvet red dress to wear along with her matching red high heeled shoes and clutch evening bag. My sister fixed my long flowing hair (it was almost touching my rear) in a half pony tail and placed a red rose, made of the same velvet fabric as my dress, on the top of the pony tail. When I arrived at the party the very first thing I noticed was a brass band set up across the dance room. I was delighted as I had always preferred live music at parties over having a DJ playing muisc CDs or tapes. Among the members of the band standing there holding their instruments was my soon-to-become hubby that gave me the thinking that he was a member of the band too. . .he wasn't. He kept looking at me and smiling while I was standing by the door. I spotted an empty table close to where the band was and took my seat. I glanced at the band and he smiled at me again so I thought, "Why don't you come over if you want to talk to me. I'm not gonna bite." LOL! He finally did, intoduced each other and struck up a conversation. That Christmas he gave me a boxed long stemmed, velvety American Red Rose that had a little card attached to it with a hand written note that said, "Just one rose for just one love." We were married 5 months later and soon will be celebrating our 40th anniversary. . .it doesn't seemed that long ago. He's been giving me long stemmed red roses (or anything that has red rose, artificial or otherwise, with it for my birthday, Valentines, our anniversary and Christmas ever since. I guess it's symbolic of how our romance started and blossomed. He joined the US Navy the year after we were married and retired in '93. Now you all know the whole story. Elaine. thanks for sharing yours.

Jean-Az, glad you enjoyed it. My sister that I mentioned above,worked as a secretary and an accountant for many years and from her early employment up until computers were first introduced in offices in the late '70s, early '80s, she used a typewriter, from manual to electric. She had a hard time with the transition from a typewriter to a computer. Even to this day, although she has become more adept with the use of a computer, she's still having problems with it every once in a while. Her basic complain is not as much as how but why they always come out with new system after the previous one has just come out that makes "everything else" obsolete. She always refers to the floppy drives and disks as examples and to a certain extent she have a good point. Remember the 51/2 and 31/2 disk drives and floppy disks. First they did away with the 51/2s and then the 31/2s are gone too. Then they introduced Zip and CD-Roms drives and then the DVD-Roms drive. Now they only have DVD-Roms drives that can also read or play CD disks. My sister is so meticulous in keeping tracks of all her important papers/documents that she made sure to copy and saved them then in the floppy disks, both 51/2s and 31/2s. When the computer programmers/designers did away with the floppy drives, the new system could no longer read what she had put a lot of time into copying and saving on floppy disks. She was mad as a dickens and refused to save anything on any disks anymore. My hubby and I introduced her to saving them in a back up hard drive. When Microsoft switched their system from Windows 98 to Windows XP, well, you can guess what happenned. Some, if not a lot, of files done with and saved on the 98 system became unreadable on the XP system. I think she has really sworn off now saving anything on the computer or computer data saving/backup devices. Can't blame her. The consequence of progress in the world of computers. What to do. Typewriters, indeed, are more reliable, consistent and sturdy. But. . . .

You all have a wonderful Christmas and New Year's celebrations with your loved ones and friends. Those of you who are traveling, have a safe one. Stay warm and keep warm, everyone. Love you all! Take care and HUGS.

BHR

[Canadiangirl]

BHR I always find it interesting the way people
meet. Hope your weather has warmed up.
It snow last night and snowing again today.
It is a light snow so it hasn't been enough
where I have to shovel for Georgie.
Elaine

[suem]

Hi to all AJ fans!
Let it Snow, let it snow, let it snow.........we are buried in white snow!
It's been quite some time since I've posted.  It's been a very difficult fall.  Lots of stress at work----we just added four more staff to my department.  Lots of extra work....Hopefully after the holidays, I'll be able to get back into a rhythm.
Hubby has been having a lot of stomach problems, been doctoring,  had to take him to the emergency room a few weeks ago.  Missed work Friday as he had more tests----waiting for the results of the biopsies they took.
Looking forward to Jana being home for two days for Christmas and then we travel back with her to Fort Lauderdale.  Hoping for some warm weather and beach time.   Ocean and the sun revives my body and mind.
My greatest joys continue to be my grandsons, Joel and Alex. Joel is so loving and active and quite the talker!  Love cuddling Alex and enjoying his giggles and big smiles.
Hope all is well with everyone and having a great holiday.

Sue

[nelle]

Hi everyone  I am so sorry I didn't do the card exchange but I had a relapse.  I am better now but it is oh so cold here. I hope I can do the cards next year.  You are all so good I feel so bad about this.  I wish ALAN'S ANGELS and FRIENDS a wonderful, joyful, BLESSED MERRY CHRISTMAS. Take Care  LOVE, HUGS and GOD BLESS      nelle