Christmas Catalogs

Christmas catalogs have been arriving for a while.  Talked with a friend yesterday.  We agreed that LL Bean has sent the most catalogs so far.  Recently I received a catalog that made me pause.  The overlay cover stated that I had been pre-approved for a large line of credit from them. Order whatever you want!  It was a Montgomery Wards catalog.  Didn't they go out of business? 

First Frost

The frost is on the pumpkin this morning!  Case has the woodstove burning to warm the house.  Late Fall is officially here.  Raking leaves is the main activity.  Should be done in a few days.  It is a lovely and quiet time of year.  "Leaf peepers" have left.  (People who drive around looking at leaves.)  Hunters have yet to start to "sighting in" their guns before Deer Season on Nov. 17.  (Target practice to check the accuracy of their gun sight.)  All is well with the northwoods.

Christmas Boughs - October 9

I saw my first bough hunter on October 9.  These people earn money by harvesting (cutting) 18-24 inch balsam boughs and selling them to the local wreath-making places.  There are two of these places in Hayward.  These boughs are cut in federal, state or county lands.  They need a $20 permit to do so for the season.  You can also make money by making wreaths at these two places. 

I'll do the math...the boughs cut on October 9 will be in wreaths that will be sold in chain stores until December 25 - that's 77 days.  Balsams do hold their needles, but 77 days may be on the outer limit.

Also saw big white trumpeter swans resting in a pond before continuing south. 

Toys R Us

Just heard on the radio that there are less toys available on the shelves to buy this fall until Christmas.  Why?  Toys R Us is no longer in business.  What a shame.  I have fond memories of that store.  When both children were too young to know what was going on, we could shop there for their gifts with them with us.  Both of us  had a cart and a youngster.  We were older parents and were gleeful to shop there.  At that time Toys R Us had the cheapest diapers in town.  Many trips were made for diapers.  This was PW - pre-Walmart era.  Toys R Us was the only toy game around except for a few KB Toys. 

Those fond thoughts continued for years.  When children were in second grade, I worked as a temporary before Christmas.    The store in Schaumburg on Golf Road was my store and that was where I applied.  Afternoons and Saturday nights until midnight.  What an experience!  Because I had half a brain, I was put at customer service near the front door for returns and problems.  The feather in my cap was when corporate (New York) sent a mystery shopper to evaluate our store.  I waited on the mystery shopper who was unknown to me.  Customer service received a 100%.  It was all glory - no financial compensation.  I asked at a staff meeting.   

During the year the store had 4,000 customers a day.  During Christmas it had 12,000+ a day in 1992.  This was not a sit down job.  At peak times all hands were on the registers.  I was amazed at how many $1000 customers I had.  That was a lot of money to pay for toys. I was also amazed at how many customers there were on Dec. 26.  There was no special after Christmas sale so I guess they didn't get enough toys. 

During the Christmas season two semi's of toys would be unloaded every day. Employees didn't get a discount on merchandise, but we were able to buy hard-to-get toys just off the truck.  My daughter had a "Teacher Barbie" for Christmas that year when other girls didn't. 

This was when early hours were first used on Black Friday.  That day I was at customer service at 7 am with my blue pinny on.  I liked that pinny. 

This job was the only one in which I used a time card to clock in and out.  I used my earnings to buy Christmas for our family that year and to satisfy my Toys R Us longing.  

Final memory - Toys R Us stores had an odor - not good or bad - just distinctive.  It was soothing to me. 

Small Town Living on a Sunday

After church we go grocery shopping together before heading the twenty miles home.  We chat with several friends we see in the store.  Only four stoplights in town.  Little traffic except for Minnesotans on their way back to the "Cities."  Peak fall colors are within a few days so our drive home is pleasant and sunny.  Then root on the Packers to a win over the Bills at Lambeau Field.  This is small town living at its best.

Wedding Donuts

Case and I attended a wedding recently where the dessert was donuts!  Yeast glazed; cake-type with chocolate frosting; blueberry with sugar coating.  Blueberry was the best!  (So, does that mean that I tried all three? That is correct.  But only part of them.  Someone at our table brought the three kinds back to the table to sample.)  The extra fun was how they were displayed.  There was a huge peg board - the kind that you have in your workshop to hang tools.  The peg board had the hooks to hang tools but each hook had a donut. 

I was a behind-the-scenes assistant to the women's dressing room which included 2 two-year-olds.  (I brought toys.)  When I saw the groom had arrived, I asked him if he had breakfast yet.  (I just got done forcing half a bagel in the bride.  No one is fainting on my watch!) Groom replied that he had donuts for breakfast.  And he was having donuts at the reception as well.  My reply, "Is this a great country or what?"

My skill set now includes spanx adjuster.  The two mothers wore them and needed smoothing out to make their dresses look right.  Now I know the moms real well.  Before the special dances one of the moms came to my table and asked if I were "still on the clock."  I knew what she meant and off to the ladies' room we went for additional smoothing before dancing with her son.

All weddings are unique!

Crimes within the Catholic Church

I want to go on the record about this issue. 

All allegations should be investigated by civil authorities.  Those charged and found guilty would go to prison whether a priest, bishop, cardinal or pope.  No exceptions.  Those found guilty of coverups would go to prison as well.  No exceptions. 

These are crimes that defy understanding.

The Catholic Church still contains clergy doing the work of Jesus.  The church will prevail.