White Elephant Christmas Party

Yearly White Elephant Christmas Party

This is always fun...as you never know what you will get. There is always
much laughter. It starts off with an amazing pot luck meal and libations.
Then we draw numbers and take turns choosing gifts...never knowing
what we might choose. Once the gift is opened...someone else may choose
your gift when it is their turn. This allows for some hilarious moments!
If you get a really hideous gift, you can always recycle it next year!

Here Ned shows off his gift, photos of the
party host and hostess. Tree ornament?

Tim and Viv

Bill, Kathy, Dick and Mary

Patty and oinking pig gift!

Dick and Donna (chemo patient) compare bald heads!

Sally,Viv, Donna, Mary, Carolyn, Maggie,
Joey, Kathy, Patty, and Claudia

Sally, Viv, Donna, Mary and Carolyn

Bill, Dick and Tim

Ladies enjoy getting together.
Kathy, Joey, Donna, Claudia, Mary and Carolyn.
Just learning how to use my new camera. (Wait
a minute, I'm in that photo. Who took this one?)

Patty, Maggie and Joey

Cursed Claudia

December 11, 2008
OMG...I must have not forwarded a chain e-mail.
Not only did I loose my camera, but I broke my

expensive sunglasses! ~~Now I'll probably get

OLD and FAT and GRAY! Oh wait, that has already
happened!
Cursed Claudia

December 12, 2008
OK, OK....I'll forever forward every chain e-mail I get!
Newest problem...dead car battery!
What a week! I'm blaming the FULL MOON!

thought of the day (week): " If anything can go wrong, it will." Murphy's law

WEEKLY THEME: Favorite

Groucho Glasses

My favorite tree ornament
because it is unique and
Santa is wearing Groucho
Glasses.

Love to share them with my friends,
and I feel a lot more comfortable
having my photo taken if I can hide
behind them. Besides, they certainly,
give everyone a good laugh!

Weekly Theme: Breakfast

This is my usual breakfast:
I start with oatmeal, then I add
in some raw oat bran, flax seeds,
and cinnamon (which I forgot to
add to the photo) and cook it in
the microwave. Pull it out and
add almond slivers and soy milk.

Then there are those other mornings.

"Only God Can Make a Tree"

"Only God Can Make a Tree"
From Poem by James Joyce

Although I do agree, I did spend the entire day "making" my Christmas tree. Actually, this year it did go a little quicker, as I have learn from previous years the following lessons:
1) the tree branches must each be fluffed and carefully place in the correct spot,
2) this means...do the job in the daylight, as 'old' eyes do not match codes in the poor light,
3) do not attempt to assemble the tree while drinking the holiday drink of "egg nog and brandy".

Eureka, I did it!

WEEKLY THEME: METAL

I read metal and I thought of
MEDALS made of metal.

The two on the left belonged to my late father.
The first is a World War II Victory Medal, the second
was awared to my father for Honorable Service
While A Prisoner of War. The third medal
on the right had belonged to my late husband
for his Service in Viet Nam.

More Photo Hunters at:
http://tnchick.com

Sesame Street Live Musical

I took my niece Emma (5), nephew Billy (2 1/2) and their Mom.

We all had so much fun!

Emma totally enthralled!

Billy and Mom share a laugh!

Characters dance with a black light!

Intermission: Selling of $8 balloons!

The Youngest's Birthday
11-26-08

My son celebrated his 29th birthday today!

I had bought him tires for his truck...
two for his birthday and two for Christmas!

I brought him balloons at
his place of work.

He works as a bartender at Market Street
Steak House in Redding.

WEEKLY THEME: Reflection

Well, I'm still reflecting on why I was not able to come up with a photo this week.

WEEKLY THEME: Ruin(ed)

My favorite season, Autumn, will soon be ruined. Ruined by wind,
rain and freezing temperatures. Gone will be the clear blue skies,
the bright sunlight, the leaves of delicious colors of lime green,
lemon yellow, carmel brown and pomegranate red.

Soon bare branches will wait... in anticipation for new spring buds of rebirth.

The Theodora Foundation

THE THEODORA FOUNDATION

My girlfriend, of 46 years, has lived in Negril, Jamaica for the past seven years. She has had many different jobs while living there, (in the paradise that called her). Currently, she not only is a member of the local Rotary, she also is a teacher of English and computers at the Theodora Project and is the Centre Coordinator .

Earlier this year, students from Ball University in the U.S.A. came and spent time with the students. After building rapport , they worked together to write their stories. Each student told a personal story and the Ball students published them in a book , Our World, Our Stories -- Theodora Reader 2008 (which can be found on Amazon).



This is a school with very little funds that is teaching students to reach the goal of passing a ninth grade equivalent test that they may then go on to a trade school, in order to learn a trade where they will not be subject to a life of prostitution , drug dealing extreme poverty or even involved in rampant human trafficking .

When she recently visited friends in California, we heard of the struggle of the school to raise funds to purchase books for the students. We were moved to search through a used book store to gather books for the students. I was able to purchase about 20 books to send to the students.

Below are Dwayne, Nicola and Leon showing off the books they received!

If you are interested in contributing books to this project: You may contact Lynette (Lynch) White at:
lynchwhite@cwjamaica.com

thought of the day: "No one stands so tall as when they stoop to help a child".

WEEKLY THEME: Together

Nothing goes together better than
peanut butter and jelly.

Girlfriends since 9th grade, we
have been getting together once
a year for the past 42 years!

HALLOWEEN
"CUTIES AND CREEPIES"

My pirate twin nephews:
Cole and Kyle

Niece Princess Emma

Nephew Billy as Caesar

question of the day: "Are you a side effect of my medication?