Of Blizzards and Christmas celebrations

Oh, the joys of winter!

A monster storm kept those who “were not there yet,” where they were for Christmas.
We celebrated Christmas with just the two of us. We enjoyed a special dinner, which we prepared together and ate together.

We saw the sun today! The day after Christmas, cold but sunny. I was afraid this storm might be like “The Day After,” but so far people are moving about and the temperature is tolerable, even to take the dog for her walks. Fortunately we did not have as much snow as they had at many other locations. As a matter of fact, we had rain before Christmas and above freezing temperatures, which allowed some of the snow of the previous blizzard to melt away.

Next year is now less than a week away! We are looking forward to a good time with our children and friends during our celebration of “old-and-new,” when we “pray in” the new year. All of which is coupled with traditions from both our old and new countries.

Madrigals at "the Glen"

In my previous blog I eluded to the upcoming Madrigals, to be held in the Great Hall of the Gen Eyrie Castle. We have been diligently working on the backdrops, which are completed and in place. We started back in the beginning of November to build the boxes. We made five 4x8 boxes with sides of one-by-fours. Using “bendie-wood” we constructed three half circle arches; two 4 foot wide, one 8 foot wide. The inside was painted semigloss white to prepare for light reflection.

This week just a few days before the first Madrigal Dinner, the replica stained glass windows, laminated to plexi-glass, came in and we were able to complete the backdrops. For lighting we strung about 180 soft white LED Christmas lights per box. The effect, as you can see, looks like a stained glass window backlit by the sun.


We are all looking forward to serving at the Madrigal dinner and performance. The focus is to celebrate the truth of Christmas, while enjoying a classic Madrigal event, including wassail, boars head, accompanied by period music and dance.

Just visit the Glen Eyrie web-site for more information. I will be working as a food-server on three of the performances. Corrie and I will also will be able to observe the totality of the experience from above, off the balcony of the Great Hall, during one of our nights off.


Our time here is winding down. We plan to travel back to our home in Johnston, Iowa, at the middle of the month.

Celebration Traditions (3)

Here we are, Christmas day has passed. Corrie and I watched the entire extended version of “the Lord of the Rings” on Christmas day. It was just the two of us. Traditionally we celebrate the gift exchange family gathering, commonly called “doing Christmas,” during the year end celebration. This leaves our children free to visit with their respective in-laws for Christmas.

We did attend Christmas eve services and were blessed with the real reason for the season.
The birth of the Son of God as the Son of Man.
The first step to the resurrection from the dead.
To provide propitiation. To be God in the Flesh, God with skin on...
Look at Rick's blog to get another view of the reality of Christmas.
Look at “Operation Christmas Child” to experience life changing gift sharing.
“God gave His one and only (only begotten) Son to be God with skin on, to be like us in every way, except sin; so that He could be propitiation.

Who is the Christmas Child?

In chemistry, he turned water to wine.
In biology, he was born without the normal conception;
In physics, he disproved the law of gravity when he ascended into heaven;

In economics, he disproved the law of diminishing return
by feeding 5000 men with two fishes & 5 loaves of bread;

In medicine, he cured the sick and the blind without administering a single dose of drugs,
In history, he is the beginning and the end;
In government, he was be called wonderful counselor, prince of peace;
In religion, he said that no one comes to God, the Father, except through him;
So, who is he?

He is Jesus,
Son of God,
Son of man.

Join me and let's celebrate Him; let’s celebrate CHRIST-MAS