Three Yuletime Stories

A gift of writing to share with my friends and family. No I am not the writer of these stories but please leave a comment for this talented writer. A Merry Christmas and Happy New Year for everyone.

Mercian Muse Thank you for sharing Sarah.

Rosemary's Garden

Good Friends are like Stars .....
You don't always see them,
but you know they are there .....


I remember the days when you used to show me around your garden, dig up a little bit of this and that to plant. Not one of those designer gardens with only 5 different varieties, Murrayas and more marrayas and lots of paving. No it was a surprise garden, you name it and you loved to plant it. Lots of bees and birds visited your bottlebrush trees in the driveway. The little green tree frogs lived just outside you dining room window in the golden cane palms next to the little pond. stepping stones around the side of the house inviting you to follow into a wonderland of plants. Old John was your righthand man, he stay at your Mom's Alice's house in his little room he made homely for himself. He was just about a member of the clan.

You would kick off you black bata's runners just outside your front door and we would have a cup of tea together, sometime Dawn would join us. The kids were all such good friends .....

Then thing changed, we moved away to another continent, we all experienced change of some kind but life goes on, and we learn to cope. We grow older and start having grandkids of our own, Little Nathan with his wide baby smile and Leigh who growing up faster than you would like. Each holding a very special place in your heart. You are one very special Lady My Friend Rosie. The bond of friendship between us stays strong, we will be friends forever.

Love ya
Rina

Rosie

This message Was sent to me by my very special friend Rosie on Facebook, and before it disappears for ever I wanted a special place to remember it by. It's really just meant for me but I am not the special one. My friend Rosie is, she nursed her very sick husband Roy to the end, and you can tell it was true love, even now. Love ya my friend.

My Dear Dear Friend, I thank you again for opening you home to Roy, William an myself, when we were last in Aus........ So Long ago now...... But;, the way you opened your heart and home to us when we needed it most; will never ever be forgotten. I still remember you cooking all Roy's favourite foods and sneaking ou...t to buy groceries, so that I could not insist on paying for them!!! You; my girl are one amazing friend!!! I am so blessed to be able to call you my dear friend. A friendship like that is so hard to come by. I am indeed, so extremely fortunate to have you touch my life!!!! I wish all of your Family a really wonderful Xmas, But to you my dear darling friend; I wish I could give you all your heart desires, because when you were made, the mould was definately broken, you are truly a really "special person!!!!".....And, even though you are so far away, you are always in my mind and heart. Lots of Hugs, Love and Thoughts my Darling XXXXXXX

See now you made me cry ... Rosie you will always be my friend ... we live far away but your never far from our thoughts and prayers. Best Wishes and hugs for the Boys, their Families and a special hug for you too. love Ya Rina

From my Garden

Could you have a better recycled flower pot than a old garbage can.

For all the cat lovers out there and holidays.

I just been browsing this morning and found a wonderful writer, so please go visit her blog, if only I could be so creative as this Lady.

http://www.wethreecats.blogspot.com/

Kiti, this one is for you my friend.

Let me tell you when you have as many cat as we do, (don't tell the landlord please, they stay right next door, and still havent worked it out, touch wood), you realise cats are very special creatures. We lost old Chester a while back from old age, so our tally is 6 atm. Most are getting older now, so they will go to cat heaven soon. Sad but it part of life.

I will be away at the farm for a full 5 weeks leaving 26th Dec, taking Daisy the Goat and 11 ewes and lambs with me. Ever heard of sheep going on holidays! It's all that lovely green grass we got there. The heavens have been good to us ... lots of rain and lots of feed for my animals.

I will be trying to post on Our Slice of Heaven www.pumpkinpatchgarden.blogspot.com which is going to be hard as is, cause were we going there is no power, no phone reception except for G3 mobiles and I don't have one of those. But I will need to drive to town for supplies a few times then I could use the internet cafe.

So unless you hear from me before that. I wish you and your familie a lovely Christmas and am even better New Year.

Until nexttime
Rina

Christmas Quiz

I borrowed this from another blogger

As you bask in the glow of your finely lit Christmas tree, gather the family for a bookish Christmas quiz. Each paragraph below is a quote from seven beloved Christmas books. Guess the title of the book that corresponds to the quote. Sounds easy peasey, right? Well, I'm not going to give you the titles that derive from contemporary, classic and children's books. Answers found at the link titled "Christmas Quiz Answers". May I suggest a plate of angel-shaped cookies and eggnog to accompany your brain activity?

A. "The Kranks are skipping Christmas! No party! No tree! Nothing but money in their pockets so they can blow it on a cruise.

"B. "I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons that they teach.

"C. Chapter title "My Old Man And The Lascivious Special Award That Heralded The Birth Of Pop Art

"D. "Maybe Christmas," he thought, "doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas… perhaps… means a little bit more.

"E. "You may be an undigested bit of beef, a blot of mustard, a crumb of cheese, a fragment of underdone potato. There's more of gravy than of grave about you, whatever you are!

"F. "The Herdmans were absolutely the worst kids in the history of the world. They lied and stole and smoked cigars (even the girls) and talked dirty and hit little kids and cussed their teachers and took the name of the Lord in vain and set fire…

"G. "His eyes-how they twinkled! His dimples how merry! His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!

"H. "On Christmas Eve, many years ago, I lay quietly in my bed. I did not rustle the sheets. I was listening for a sound—a sound a friend had told me I'd never hear—the ringing bells of Santa's sleigh.

"I. "…the Man, the Connection, Santa Claus himself"

J. "More rapid than eagles his coursers they came, and he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!

"K. "God bless us every one!"

Christmas Quiz (copy)
http://maggiereads.blogspot.com/2009/12/christmas-quiz-copy.html
at 9:18 AM
Tags: Booktalk

1 valued comments:

Sharon said...
A. Skipping Christmasb.
A Christmas Carolc. In god We Trust, All Others Pay Cashd.
How the Grinch Stole Christmase.
A Christmas Carolf.The Best Christmas Pageant Everg The Night Before christmash
The Polar Expressi.
In God We Trust, all others pay cashj.
The Night Before Christmask.
A Christmas CarolI think I got them all.
I read The Best Christmas Pageant ever last year. I watch A Christmas Story every year and have read the book once (In God We Trust...) this was fun!

The Boy's first Christmas

My grandson's very first Xmas stands out to be one I will always remember. My eldest son returned to africa a few years after we all moved here. There he meet DIL and the rest is history. Got this phone call oneday Mom we pregnant just 3 weeks before My other son announced they pregnant too. Needless to say the post man knew me by my first name.

Cobi was born in South Africa early Feb, except for photo's I had never held or cuddled him.We paid for their airfares to OZ for a 3 week holiday so we could spend a Christmas together. They arrived tried but in good spirit at the airport, while I was just about jumping out of my skin to see my boy again after 4 years. meet my DIL for the first time and got to cuddle my grandson. Poor DIL she must have not known what to think of this batty old woman and grumpy old man.

Anyway after we got home and had a little visit, Son wanted to go for a little drive to show DIL the nearby beach. I got to babysit this very tired baby, who had fallen asleep in my arms. To their amazement something he never did at home. We had a lovely Christmas ... the boys very first Christmas ... I bought a little teddy each that we hung on the tree with their first Xmas on it and gave each mom one.My other grandson was born on my Birthday in Sydney. They are both living in Brisbane now and go to the same school but not the same class. Best of friends.

Season's Greetings to all
Until nexttime
Rina

Aussie Christmas song

Check out this website http://www.mamalisa.com/?p=20&t=ec&c=19 for lots more Aussie Christmas songs including Six White Boomers . Boomers, by the way, are kangaroos –but I have never actually heard them called that other than this song)

AussieJingle Bells
Dashing through the bush
In a rusty Holden Ute
Kicking up the dust
Esky in the boot
Kelpie by my side
Singing Christmas songs
It's summer time and
I am in My singlet, shorts & thongs
CHORUS:OH, JINGLE BELLS, JINGLE BELLSJINGLE ALL THE WAY
CHRISTMAS IN AUSTRALIA ON A SCORCHING SUMMER'S DAY.
JINGLE BELLS, JINGLE BELLS CHRISTMAS TIME IS BEAUT OH WHAT FUN IT IS TO RIDE IN A RUSTY HOLDEN UTE
Engine's getting hot
Dodge the kangaroos
Swaggy climbs aboardHe is welcome too
All the family is there
Sitting by the pool Christmas day,
the Aussie way by the barbecue!
CHORUS
Come the afternoonGrandpa has a doze
the kids and uncle Bruce Are swimming in their clothes
The time comes round to go
We take a family snap
Then pack the car and all shoot through
Before the washing up
CHORUS

The Translation into real English, American and New Zealandish, as far as I am able.
Bush – forest, woods
Ute – Utility, two door vehicle with a trayback
Esky - cooler, icebox, chilly bin
Boot – car trunk, the storage bit at the back of the car.
Kelpie – breed of farm dog, like the one in footrot flats (I’m humming Dave Dobbyn’s Slice of Heaven as I type)
singlet – sleeveless undershirtthongs –
flip-flops, jandals, I don’t know what you call them in the US – but they are footwear,
not uncomfortable undies
Swaggie – a swagman – a legendary Australian figure who wanders the bush carrying a bed-roll(swag)
Shoot through – leave
I think I’ll shoot through myself.
Hoo roo (that means good bye).

Last edited by paula hewitt.

Betsy's Skilpad grappie

Geduld, o, geduld....

Ek kry die iewers en die trane loop al weer...van die lag....

So was daar die twee skilpaaie van Beaufort Wes wat eendag besluit het om bietjie Kaap toe te stap vir die vakansie want, soos hulle reken, almal behoort darem seker een keer die see te sien. Vir padkos vat hulle ‘n halfjack brandewyn en ‘n pakkie sigarette saam. Nouja, hulle val in die pad en hulle stap en hulle stap en hulle stap ‘n jaar lank. Toe stap en stap hulle en hulle stap twee jaar lank, maar hulle hou aan met stap en toe hulle al drie jaar aan’t stap was toe’s hulle net duskant Worcester en die twee reken dis nou ver genoeg en tyd vir ‘n smokebreak. Hulle stop toe en die pakkie skywe word uitgehaal maar o gonna, hulle het vergeet om vuurhoutjies te bring. Dit was omtrent ‘n slag en om die vakansie te red bied die een skilpad toe aan om terug te stap Beaufort Wes toe en te gaan vuurhoutjies haal. Die ander skilpad sê toe dat hy ses jaar sal wag en as ta dan nog nie opgedaag het met die vuurhoutjies nie, dan sal hy solank die brandewyn opdrink. Hulle kom ooreen dis billik en so aan en die eerste skillie val in die pad. Skilpad nommer twee parkeer homself solank onder ‘n bos en hy wag. Hy wag en wag ‘n jaar, hy wag twee jaar, hy wag drie jaar en hy dink by homself dat daai ander skilpad nou seker al op Beaufort Wes is. Toe wag hy verder, en hy wag vier jaar, toe wag en wag hy vyf jaar, en met die grootste spanning wag hy toe die sesde jaar ook deur. Van skilpad nommer een is daar egter geen teken nie en hy besluit om nog ses maande te wag, in welke geval dit tickets sal wees met die brandewyn. Die ses maande kruip verby en met geen teken van die stapper of die vuurhoutjies nie besluit hy om die brandewyn te drink. Hy het net die halfjack nadergetrek en aan die prop gevat, of hy hoor die stem van die eerste skilpad van onder ‘n bos hier agter hom: ‘Drink net aan daardie brandewyn dan gaan haal ek nie die vuurhoutjies nie.’_________________

Old Truck

Just another day in a vet's life ... Shane's world (Afrikaans)

Just another day in a vet's life ... found on the internet.

Ek het die mail vanoggend ontvang dit het my nogal geraak........ Omdat ek 'n veearts is, is ek geroep om die tien jaar oue Ierse wolfhond Belker te ondersoek. Die hond se eienaars, Ron en Lisa en hul seuntjie, Shane, was almal baie lief vir Belker en het op 'n wonderwerk gehoop.

Ek het Belker ondersoek en gevind hy is besig om dood te gaan. Ek het die familie gesê ek kan niks meer vir hom doen nie en het genadedood voorgestel. Ron en Lisa het gesê hulle dink dit sal goed wees as die sesjarige Shane ook die ondervinding kan meemaak en dat hy dalk iets daaruit sal leer.

Die volgende dag was ons bymekaar om die prosedure by hul huis te doen. Shane was kalm en het die ou hond vir die laaste keer gevryf. Ek het gewonder of hy verstaan wat aangaan. Binne 'n paar minute het Belker sag heengegaan. Die seuntjie het gelyk of hy Belker se heengaan sonder moeite of verwarring aanvaar.

Ons het almal 'n paar oomblikke bly sit en gedink hoe jammer dit is dat diere korter lewe as mense. Shane het skielik gesê 'Ek weet hoekom.' Ons het almal na hom gekyk. Wat uit sy mond gekom het, het my verstom. Ek het nog nooit 'n meer vertroostende verduideliking gehoor nie. Hy het gesê: 'Mense word gebore sodat hulle kan leer hoe om goed te lewe soos om almal altyd lief te hê, nê? Honde weet reeds hoe om dit te doen en daarom hoef hulle nie so lank hier te bly nie.'

Leef eenvoudig. Gee liefde vryelik.. Gee werklik om. Praat vriendelik. Onthou, as 'n hond jou leermeester was, sou jy dinge geleer het soos:
• As iemand wat jy liefhet tuiskom, hardloop om hulle te groet;
• Moet nooit nee sê vir 'n pretrit nie;
• Geniet die vars lug en die wind in jou gesig ekstaties;
• Neem af en toe 'n slapie;
• Strek voordat jy opstaan;
• Hardloop, baljaar en speel daagliks;
• Gedy op aandag en laat mense aan jou raak;
• Moenie byt as 'n grom genoeg is nie;
• Staan 'n oomblik stil op 'n warm dag en lê op jou rug op die gras;
• Drink op 'n snikhete dag baie water en lê onder 'n skaduweeboom;
• As jy gelukkig is, dans rond en swaai jou hele lyf;
• Geniet 'n eenvoudige, lang uitstappie;
• Eet met smaak en entoesiasme, hou op as jy genoeg gehad het;
• Wees lojaal, moet nooit iets voorgee wat jy nie is nie;
• As dit wat jy wil hê diep ingespit is, grawe tot jy dit vind; en
• As iemand 'n slegte dag het, wees stil, sit naby en leun saggies teen hul aan..._________________