The Sunday thread for Christmas Eve 2023

I can’t believe how fast this year has passed and I can’t believe how fast the last ten years have passed since I retired.

Today starts with our Christmas tradition of trimming the tree and then heading out for an early service at church. For twenty-five years we used to cut down a tree and bring it in the house on Christmas Eve with the family then trimming it, but, after dealing with bad knees and then cancer, we purchased one of those Balsam Hills nine foot tall trees a couple of years ago. It’s kind of a bummer that it’s a fake tree, but, the up side is that it’s always a perfect tree.

Hope all have a very Merry Christmas!

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas! Unlike Laker, I'm nrewly retired, so I get all the fun of people asking me for my time. :smile:

This morning I'm going to be a barrista at our church's coffee shop because we're giving the staff today and tomorrow off. I'm not really going to be doing the whole coffee-and-pastry thing, just making coffee and handing it out free to anyone who stops by. And then making sure we have coffee for the 10:00am service. It's an early start to the day.

I'll take the afternoon off, but I've been asked to do one of the readings (Luke 2:1-7) for the 5:00pm service, so I'll return after the abomination of desolation that will end the local football squad's season. I'm reminded of John McKay, the first coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (a team that went 0-14 their first season, and suffered 26 straight losses) who, when asked about his team's execution said, "I'm all for it."

Tomorrow, it's Sunday with my grandkids and their family. Gifts are all wrapped and I'm providing the dessert (a chocolate Yule Log, of course).

Glad tidings for the season!

Got called to play a show last minute.

So new rule: when you're on the Jumbotron, don't bend over to tie your shoelaces with your ass crack facing the camera.

"Why are they cheering?"

Chuck

Quote:

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Originally Posted by OldStrummer

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas! Unlike Laker, I'm nrewly retired, so I get all the fun of people asking me for my time. :smile:

This morning I'm going to be a barrista at our church's coffee shop because we're giving the staff today and tomorrow off. I'm not really going to be doing the whole coffee-and-pastry thing, just making coffee and handing it out free to anyone who stops by. And then making sure we have coffee for the 10:00am service. It's an early start to the day.

I'll take the afternoon off, but I've been asked to do one of the readings (Luke 2:1-7) for the 5:00pm service, so I'll return after the abomination of desolation that will end the local football squad's season. I'm reminded of John McKay, the first coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (a team that went 0-14 their first season, and suffered 26 straight losses) who, when asked about his team's execution said, "I'm all for it."

Tomorrow, it's Sunday with my grandkids and their family. Gifts are all wrapped and I'm providing the dessert (a chocolate Yule Log, of course).

Glad tidings for the season!

---

I lived in Tampa at that time. The chant was Into the Bay with McKay

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Offshore Angler

Got called to play a show last minute.

So new rule: when you're on the Jumbotron, don't bend over to tie your shoelaces with your ass crack facing the camera.

"Why are they cheering?"

Chuck

---

Words of wisdom

hope you all are having a merry Christmas Eve. My brother I live with tested positive for you know what on Wednesday, scuttling our plans for the weekend. He had been holding out hope he'd get a negative test in time to go see his girlfriend but this morning's test was still positive. Instead of her great cooking, we're going to have frozen lasagna for Christmas eve dinner. At least the weather isn't throwing any snow at us for the time being, tiny bit of slickness from last night's precipitation that iced over. Zero empathy for the skiers, they know where the mountains are. Not in any hurry to shovel snow. Just not ready yet so this is my Christmas present.

Football aka hand egg today, culminating with a rather dismal matchup tonight. Why didn't they just flex the Dallas-Miami game in lieu of the New England-Denver is beyond me and I'm a Pats fan since 1960.

Merry Christmas y'all.

It's nice to have a long weekend.

I almost joined a band but had second thoughts because of the practice distance. However it did give me a reason to learn the bass to "Miss You." No great shakes to pull it off technically, but Wyman makes some masterful choices, and he makes the song what it is. Listening to the 12" version of it now. So much more guitar. Most rocking disco song ever.

Christmas eve gift! (Southerners might know what I mean.)

Busy day here!

Good Sunday morning! Resting up for a few more minutes before the guests start arriving. Amazing how all the kids invited friends to OUR house for the evening ("Hey, we asked Bob and Laura and their kids to Christmas Eve - do you mind?"). They are all bringing something so it's not a big imposition and it feels good that the kids are all comfortable with our family dinners that they want to share them.

Before three years ago, Ann was always drunk on the holidays and our family dinners were always a nightmare, but now that she's sober we have an awesome time! We celebrate our Christmas on Christmas Eve because my daughter's birthday is on Christmas Day and we like her to have her own day.

I hope everyone has a great day and holiday!