Nightly Reflections – Sunday, December 30th, 2018

Well, this is a landmark day in the Brooks family.  We’ve waited ten years for this one.  And it has arrived.  The oldest of six kids, today, is officially the first 70-year old in the sibling group.  Yup.  The oldest brother turned 70 today.  It’s amazing, to be honest.  I remember when our grandmother, who lived with us, turned 70.  Dear God, I thought she was near death.  And now, one of us has reached that plateau.  The next one is two years from it come February.  I still have 7 years.  Phew!

Well, a very painful four months came to an end today, in a very painful manner.  The Packer season is finally over.  They’ve got a whole helluva lot to prove to their fans come September.  The worst season I can remember watching since becoming a fan back in the late 80s.  Man oh man, was today ugly.  Enough said there.  On another note, I never imagined I could enjoy a Bears or a Vikings game as much as I did today.  Absolutely delightful.  Absolutely.  😛

Last night, my spontaneous movie buddy stopped by around 9.  We decided we needed to see Aquaman.  From its inception, I kinda thought it might be tough to pull off an entire movie that, virtually, takes place under the water.  They did it, but sorta left me feeling “meh.” It was entertaining enough, but the other DC movie that was far better was Wonder Woman.  It didn’t take itself overly serious, however.  There were moments, however, that were simply painfully dumb and difficult to sit through.  I’m ok having seen it, though.  I wanted to see it and glad I did.  A movie I can tell you I won’t be seeing is Holmes and Watson.  Rotten Tomatoes gave it 8%.  Ya.  Reason enough to avoid it.

During the painstaking game today, I decided I needed to do stuff.  So, it began with slowly putting away Christmas for ten months.  As much as I hated doing it, I’d be doing it Tuesday anyhow, so I just did it a couple days early.  As you can tell by tonight’s pic, you can see the BEFORE and AFTER image of my fireplace.  Christmas is gone except for the tree.  That WILL stick around ’til Tuesday.  Otherwise, all the Christmas decor from the house is stored away til November 1st.

Then, I decided it was a good day to wash the bed linen.  Started with the mattress pad and then the sheets.  Crawling into bed tonight is going to be a real treat!  Then I figured it was a good day for soup, so I took a package of ready-to-go chicken noodle soup and went to town!  I actually added two shredded chicken breasts after boiling them.  Then I mixed them with the contents of the package and 8 cups of boiling water.  EZ PZ and very good. It will last a few days and that works great for me!

I got my column written, and it received the stamp of approval from my friend so the newpaper has it now, and I can start thinking of another topic as I’ll be writing the next one as this week progresses.  I wasn’t sure where this new column was going but before I knew it, I had it written and was sharing something I may end up regretting if I fail in achieving what it is I wrote about.  You’ll see what I’m talking about in this Thursday’s Weekly Column post.

So let’s recap my productive Sunday.  Laundry done, made soup, Christmas stored away, column written, and I think that about does it.  Not bad, eh?  I’m actually tired because it was nearly one when we got back from the movie and this morning, Willy insisted on a 7:00 feeding.  Ugh.  So I stayed up.  It’s almost pointless once I’m up doing something like that.  He’s been a pain lately in the morning.  Not sure what’s gotten into him.  He used to be pretty good about the mornings, but not any longer.

Tomorrow is New Year’s Eve.  The end of 2018.  These years sure go by quicker as one ages.  And each year, the feeling that I need to do something to mark the passing of a year like I did for so many years sort of becomes less of a need.  I look forward to simply watching, hopefully, good Bowl games.  Hoping you have a good day and I’ll return in the evening to tell you a little about how New Year’s Eve used to look to me as I grew up.  I sort of miss those years.

G’Night!

Nightly Reflections – Saturday, December 29th, 2018

Evening.  I forgot about telling you about a purchase I made Thursday.  Because I didn’t write that night, by last night’s Reflection, it totally left my thoughts.  But, since I just revisited the purchase, I thought I’d begin there tonight.  One of the candies you’d find in the Brooks household as we kids were growing up was a little thing known as Angel Food candy.  Otherwise known as Sponge candy.  Our mom loved the stuff.  Loved it.  I enjoyed it, I’ll admit.  The texture was half the fun.  Well, I rarely see it anywhere during the season.  I know I’d see it from time to time at Fleet Farm with the rest of their candy offering during the holidays, but I don’t get there often, unless I go with my sis.  Thursday, I was scooting by Abdallah Candies and not having stopped there for weeks, I thought maybe their Imperfection area might be a little more filled since the holidays had just passed.  And I was right!  Score!  I bought a bag of the Sponge candy.  I have NEVER had Sponge candy that tasted this good.  NEVER!  My mother would have gone loopy-doodles over this stuff.  Man, oh man, is it good!  I’m allowing myself two pieces a day.  I can justify that.  😛  Of course, where there’s one good candy purchase, there’s gotta be a second, right?  They had multiple bags of Butter Cashew Toffee.  I had hit the jackpot!  I bought one of those too.  I don’t know exactly how you muck up Sponge or Cashew Toffee that they’d end up in the Imperfection area but Thank you, Thank you, Thank you candy makers for being human!!!  Ok.  Now I’ve shared that with you. lol

How was your Saturday?  Mine was extremely uneventful.  It’s been primarily football.  I’ve been putting a few Christmas items away so it’s not all coming down on me on Tuesday.  I ran an errand or two as well.  Needed distilled water for my C Pap machine.  Also needed moisturizer.  Winter is horrible on my legs.  They begin to itch and I make the mistake of scratching them and I am so screwed.  Last night, case in point.  JUST before going to bed, they began to itch.  I scratched.  For the remainder of time I was awake, all I wanted to do was scratch more.  The moisturizer I have is so old I didn’t dare use it.  Now I’ve got the stuff.  Bring on the itchies!  One place I wanted to go to was Barnes and Noble since I haven’t been yet this week.  And do you suppose I remembered to do that while I was out?  No, I did not.  What is the matter with me???  Tomorrow, me thinkst.  I also did a pit stop at HyVee for one item.  Regretted that move.  The Saturday after Christmas and before New Year’s.  Dumb move, Brooks.

I DID manage to write the column.  However, I’m missing an ending.  I rarely have that problem but I have it now.  And I still need to read through it for revision purposes.  I hate that stage of my writing.  It has to be done, but I don’t have to like it.  I’ll get to it tomorrow.  Along with my conclusion.

There was one point today when a light snow was falling.  It was the prettiest scene outside my patio door.  I just sorta sat there, watching it and enjoying it.  And looking at my patio, I was whisked back to the memory of the joy I had sitting out there this past summer.  One of my best decisions was to pay for a patio.

The big Alabama/Oklahoma game remains tonight.  The first two games today haven’t amounted to exciting fourth quarters.  Last night’s final game, however, was a barn burner.  Iowa State vs. Washington State.  28-26.  I’m not sure Oklahoma is going to be a competitive team for the monster that is Alabama, but I, along with most people not from Alabama, would love to see them give the Bama fans a run for their money in this final game tonight.  We shall see.  If tonight’s game is a blowout soon, I’ll be watching a movie. Maybe two.  I have that neck/headache dealio going on again tonight.  I took ibuprofen, but have yet to pop the muscle relaxers.  If I must, I will.  I’ll wait til it gets closer to bedtime cuz those little suckers really kick my butt.  Might as well use them to help me sleep if nothing else.  Better than needing to use them at noon.  I’d be done for the day in that case!  Ha.

Tonight’s pic.  For those older folks in the reading crowd, it’s a Nintendo Switch.  My newest toy.  I turned on the game I’m playing to help you see it as well.  Mario Bros. Odyssey.  I also bought Wheel of Fortune/Jeopardy for it.  I played one Wheel round, but the competition is about as dumb as grass.  I hope I can manipulate the competition to be competitive and not guess “X” for their first letter.  Ugh!

Not tonight, not next week but two weeks from tonight, SNL returns.  One more reason to throw in a movie while I can.  I have Paddington 2 to watch.  It’s on just about every critic’s Top Ten list for 2018.  Those I know who saw it also really liked it.  I enjoyed the first one, so that may be my movie of choice.  Unless I’m in a spy/intrigue/action/sci fi mood.  Won’t know til it happens 🙂

Hope you had a good Saturday.  Just think of it.  Many of you are still looking at THREE DAYS of no work!  You lucky dogs.  However, come Wednesday, well…. you know.  I’ll probably be sitting in a movie theater while the rest of you are working.  But I’ll think of you.  Yes I will 🙂  See ya tomorrow night, boys and girls.  Stay warm.

G’Night!

Nightly Reflections – Friday, December 28th, 2018

Friday.  Or is it Tuesday?  Thursday?  This is that stretch of days between Christmas Eve and the day after New Year’s when trying to figure out what day of the week it is can be a challenging task.  Just part of the holidays, right?

It’s been an interesting day.  Certainly far more wintery than we’ve been experiencing.  Don’t know about you, but I HATE rain in the winter.  It’s depressing.  Give me snow any time from November through February.  Snow is pretty to look at.  Rain simply is ugly.  And when it’s cold and rainy.  Even worse.  Today’s wind definitely ramped up the winter weather.  And come Tuesday, the temps will be the first really cold day.  Usually, coming out of the holiday break, I remember that first week could always be the coldest stretch of time when we all hoped for school to be cancelled due to temps.

Well, I’m fairly over the post-Christmas blues now.  What I really dread at this stage is putting away the decorations within the house.  I still love sitting here looking at my tree.  I will miss it for ten months, but come November 1st, it’ll return in all its splendor.  Mom always took down our tree on January 1st and I sort of follow that path.  So, come Tuesday, during the games, I’ll be slowly returning the living room back to its normal state of affairs.  I may wait for my buddy to show up to help me rearrange the furniture.  I kind of like where things are at right now, but I think I’ll return things anyhow.

I got an email today I simply didn’t see coming.  I just didn’t expect it.  I need to fill you in a little bit however.  For six-plus years, you know I’ve been doing the column in the paper.  I asked to write it and the idea was accepted after submitting an example piece.  I have received a small stipend for writing it each week.  Very small.  It didn’t matter to me.  I didn’t write it for the money.  I wrote it because I wanted to write.  And I felt I had something to share with the Rosemount folks.  There.  You’re filled in.  Now for today’s email. The editor of the paper wrote me, indicating she felt it was time for a raise.  AND she sent me a contract, requesting I read it, sign it and return it.  I’ve never had a contract for these 6-plus years.  In the contract, it also talks about if I send an original pic along with the column, there’s an additional small bonus attached to that week’s column.  We’re still talking pittance, folks, but the point is, the paper feels what I do is worthy of such a move.  And that simply makes me feel good.  And gives me some affirmation, to be honest.  I know what readers have thought, but always wondered what the paper thought.  Now I know.  My favorite part of the editor’s email was “We appreciate what you do.”  It’s really nice to hear that.  From the “boss.”  And that’s my happy story for the day.  🙂

I returned to MN Wednesday.  I finally opened the Switch last night.  What a blast.  Downloaded Mario Bros Odyssey.  Way too fun.  Just thought I’d tell ya.  😛

As for tonight’s pic.  So, I told you I received a couple of books for Christmas from my nephew and sister-in-law.  The Koryta book…somehow I missed it when it came out last spring.  Love Michael Koryta’s stories.  So do most people I lend my books to.  So YAY for that book.  Then there’s the book I taught many times over in the 33 years.  And probably my favorite book to teach.  To Kill A Mockingbird.  However, if you’ll notice, this one is q graphic novel.  It received a really nice review and after paging through it at Barnes and Noble before Christmas, I knew I wanted it.  And now I have it 🙂

So begins the second and last longest holiday weekend of 2018.  Hoping you’re able to enjoy it all before returning to reality on Wednesday.  For now, I wish you a great Saturday and we’ll return tomorrow night with…well, hopefully news of a column written if not in the process.  Deadline coming in 48 hours.  So, until tomorrow night…

G’Night!

The Weekly Column – “2018: Stop. Reflect. Proceed.”

The View From My Room – Year Seven– #15

            Every December, you see articles with headings like “Top Ten Books For 2018,” or “Top Ten Movies” or “Top Ten Songs.”  You get the point.  Normally, each year I share my resolutions for the new year.  Not this year!  This year, I thought I’d focus on something more positive.  The “what was” versus “what could be.”  Join me as I reflect upon my Top Ten Moments/Events of 2018.

Number Ten:  This was THE baseball season for Brewers Country.  Fans went into the spring hoping for a competitive year, but we never expected to see the team competing in the playoffs.  We got so close to the World Series; some might think we were devastated when we didn’t make it, but we were so grateful for such a fun year we were happy to simply look forward to a promising 2019 season.  Go Brewers!

Number Nine:  In September, I shared with you I was writing my 300^thcolumn here in the paper.  I remember the day I pitched the idea to my connection to the paper.  After sending him a sample of my idea, he bought into it, and the rest, as they say, is history! And I’ve never looked back!

Number Eight:  I was able to announce both the Fourth of July parade as well as the Leprechaun parade once again.  I’ve been announcing Apple Valley’s parade for nearly 30 years.  It was the first time, during my tenure, that the parade was cancelled mid-parade due to the storms that day.  The Leprechaun parade experienced sunny skies on that final Saturday in July.  I am grateful to both organizations for allowing me to continue to pick up that microphone and do what I love.

Number Seven:  Oh, this was the year I became a recipient of Social Security rather than simply a contributor.  I turned 62 in 2017, and my first check showed up in my account in February of 2018.  Receiving a social security check can make one feel old! However, I’m JUST fine with that! I’ve been working since I was 15. It’s fun to finally receive back some of my money!

Number Six:  I was humbly flattered when the folks at Farmington High School asked me to emcee their Indoor Marching Band Concert this past October.  I became a fan of this group four years ago when we “connected” at the Rosemount High School Marching Band Festival.  In the three subsequent years, our relationship deepened.  I love this group, and I was grateful and honored to be their emcee for this one night. It was a fun night along with a few unexpected tears!

Number Five:  Speaking of marching bands, I emceed the 29^thRosemount High School Marching Band Show in September, and I’ve been there for all 29. It was another fun night with all the bands and the fans who come to support them.  I’m super duper excited for #30 this fall!

Number Four:  I recently turned 63.  Mom didn’t see 62.  I didn’t expect to either.  Don’t ask why.  I just thought I’d likely go Mom’s path.  However, I didn’t.  Having hit 63, I very much look forward to 64.  I’ll take another Christmas season any time it’s offered to me!

Number Three:  On March 5^th, I lost someone I’d known for 20 years.  Sadly, it wasn’t due to death.  Rather, it was as a result of life’s circumstances.  I apologize for being somewhat cryptic about this, but it’s a significant loss for me, and it has come with its share of pain.  It also comes with the hope that I’m able to focus on my life, finally, after eight years.  It was a significant move for me that had to be done.  I felt I had no other option.  It was the first time my heart made such a gut-wrenching decision.

Number Two:  Saying goodbye is painful, but saying hello to people I loved and hadn’t seen in 40 years was, by far, just about the best event in 2018.  The reunion for the 1979-1980 Resident Assistant staff from Towers at the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire was more wonderful than words could describe.  While aging 40 years, we were reminded quickly why we’d even want this reunion to happen.  We loved each other then and the love was still present.  These guys remain the best!

Number One:  I marvel sometimes at the fact all six of us Brooks kids are still alive and basically doing well.  The oldest turns 70 this weekend.  Then there’s the soon-to-be 68-year old.  Followed by me.  Then our sister at 57 come July 3^rd.  And the final two, the twin boys, who are 53.  We are fortunate to still be intact.  I know families who have not been as lucky. Hopefully, this will be my number one “moment” worth mentioning again next year.  We have extra help, I believe.  Mom and Dad are looking over us. 🙂

My wishes that 2019 be a great year for you all!  And we will walk through it together, one week at a time, starting next week.  Work for you?  Good!  It’s a date!  See ya then!

Nightly Reflections – Wednesday, December 26th, 2018

Well, as I’ve often said when traveling to and fro Wisconsin, I’ve returned to Reality B.  Two different worlds.  My hometown versus my life here.  Both have their plusses.  Both have their drawbacks.  But Christmas is over back home and now I’m in MY home here with the Willsters.  I needn’t tell you how happy he was to have me back.  I had to hold him and hold him and hold him some more.  Finally, after I moved everything in from the car, unpacked, made a pot of coffee, showered and made a sandwich, he realized I was here for the duration.  No more holding necessary, but if I went in the den, he went in the den.  If I went in the kitchen, he went in the kitchen…you get the idea.  Right now, he’s sound asleep on his blanket on the couch.  I was having some dinner there a moment ago and he settled in right next to me, but then fell victim to his exhaustion from his excitement this afternoon.  His world is back the way he likes it.

As always, I woke before 7.  Before 6:30.  Before 6.  Before 5;30.  I looked at the clock and couldn’t believe it.  I was NOT getting up and leaving at that point.  I was still tired.  I just stayed in bed, trying to sleep, but rather I ended up simply thinking about stuff.  Finally, 6:30 rolled around, I heard my brother-in-law up and about as he leaves for work around 7, so I got up, threw my stuff together, took it down to my car, said goodbye to him (my sister was already at work), and I was off to pick up a McDonald’s Egg White Delight McMuffin, no cheese, for the road.  Got some milk at Piggly Wiggly before.  I was good to go.  It was about 7:15 when I hit the highway.

I go the longer route to Madison because it’s all four-lane and before I have to enter Mad Town, I exit on to I-94.  I checked this once…the mileage is a bit longer, but the time was nearly the same as the rural route I use coming in to my hometown.  On the morning I return, I don’t want to mess with country driving.  At that point, I’m packed and just want to get back and settle in for the duration.  And so I did.

Stopped at Starbucks in the Dells as always.  Got a mocha for the road along with my final pound of their Christmas Blend beans.  They’ll disappear soon after the New Year.  I didn’t listen to Christmas music on the highway because I just can’t bring myself to enjoy it after Christmas.  My sister is really good at enjoying it, but I can’t.  SO, if I wasn’t listening to my Sirius 40s station, I was listening to CNN or MSNBC.  And before I knew it, I was coming up on Eau Claire.

Ok.  True confessions.  I mentioned last night that my nephew shared his Nintendo Switch with me yesterday.  My 38-year old nephew.  I’m telling you, the Brooks just don’t grow up!  I also told you I was certain I’d have one soon too.  Weeeeeeeelllllllll, all the way up, my obsessive/compulsive nature kept wanting to focus on the damn video game system.  And I knew there was a Target right off the interstate before going in to the heart of Eau Claire.  As I approached the first exit, my car and my inner child, in cahoots with one another against me, decided to take over the controls.  Before I knew it, I was in the parking lot of that Target!  What the heck?!  Well, I figured maybe I’d look at clearance items in the Christmas decorations department before they get out their Valentines merchandise.  I bought three rolls of paper and a big bag of Christmas MandM Peanuts.  Yum.  I also picked up a DVD that was on my list and had to wait to see if anyone got it for me.  Mission Impossible: Fallout.  Then, I was going to walk away from the Electronics department, but as I walked past, what do you suppose I saw?  Yup.  The Nintendo Switch! I paced back and forth.  I tossed the coin.  I tossed 2 out of 3.  I tossed 3 out of 5.  4 out of 9.  Dear God.  I was destined to buy it.  And I did.  My nephew told me about the Switch yesterday and I bought one for me today.  Go figure.  I was told to download the games when I’d buy one rather than buying the product in a store and losing, ultimately, the little game disk.  I plan to do that, but there was one game that was on sale.  I asked the clerk if that same game would be on sale when I looked at the Nintendo products via my Switch.  He said no.  So, I bought it.  It was only $20.  As opposed to the $300 for the Switch.  The game?  I am such a geek.  My game show persona took over and I had to buy the “Wheel of Fortune/Jeopardy” game.  I’ll likely play the Wheel far more.  I’m a lover of words.  Once again, go figure.

All the way home, I thought about this game that sat in the back of my car.  Yippee!  My Christmas present to ME!  And honestly, I have yet to open the box.  It’s 7:30 and it still sits on my dining room table.  I’ve simply enjoyed chilling once arriving today, so I likely will open it tomorrow and begin to play.  College bowl games are now the order of the day.  Congrats to Gophers and their fans.  They end their season on a victory.  Badgers are tomorrow afternoon.  If it truly rains all day, a good way to spend the afternoon.

Tonight’s pic…well, I had two options for awhile.  My first one was simply a pic of the highway that I took for tonight’s Reflection.  However, when I bought the Switch, I took a picture of it half in and half out of the Target bag in the back of my car.  I sent the pic to a few people who knew I was thinking about buying one.  That was my pic of choice until my nephew sent me the pic I’m using.  That’s my nephew’s little boy, playing with one of the two Christmas presents I gave him yesterday.  Too darn cute not to use.  And the other options couldn’t hold a candle to that one.  I’m glad to see he’s somewhat interested in the electricity ball.  Hopefully, it will continue to amaze him and who knows…maybe he’ll grow up a little more interested in science because of his brush with a fun toy he received when he was two.  Stranger things have happened.

I’m ready to sit with the Willsters now.  And I’ve gone verbose again, so I’ll stop here.  If you worked today, I’m sorry.  The shock had to be awful.  However, you only have two more days now 🙂  Then another long weekend.  Then another shocking return.  “And the music goes round and round…”

Tomorrow night is column night.  Instead of resolutions, I return to the year that was.  Tune in.

G’Night!

Nightly Reflections – Christmas Day, 2018

Only hours remain for this year’s Christmas holiday.  And just a few more for yet another stay in my hometown as I’ll be hitting the road first thing in the morning, returning to Minnesota and my little buddy, the Willsters.  Oh, what a five days it’s been.

I always say I need a vacation after being here.  The pace is usually faster than the pace back in Apple Valley.  And at Christmas, that’s an understatement.  But it’s all good.  So, let’s go back and recap the day.

This morning, an additional four people waited for the shower.  An additional four people were going to be hungry for something in the breakfast department.  However, that was already taken care of by my sister-in-law.  The morning started slowly enough.  We had stayed up last night and played “That’s What She Said.”  It’s a card game that produces a lot of laughs.  It’s along the lines of “Cards Against Humanity.”  This game was brought to us by the nephew’s new girlfriend.  She has quite a sense of humor and if ever there was someone out there who might nephew might have found to fit in with the Brookses, this one was the one.  She totally gets us.  And she fits like a square peg in a square hole.  We had fun but we were tired this morning.

Around 10:30, my nephew was off to pick up his 2-year old son from his former wife and my second oldest brother and I were off to the cemetery to pay our respects to Mom and Dad and a few other relatives who are buried there.  At one point on the drive over, (it’s about 20 miles), my brother asked me why the sudden need to go to the cemetery.  You see, I used to avoid the cemetery.  Took me four years to finally visit the gravesite of our mother.  I just couldn’t do it and the first time I did it, I wept uncontrollably.  I made sure I was alone.  Today, I couldn’t answer him.  I don’t know why I felt the need, but throughout this season, I thought of it more than I ever have so I guess I felt called there. And I’m glad I went.  I have to admit being 63 and knowing I’ll be there too some day right next to Mom and Dad, as will this brother, has sort of a quieting effect on one.  But I was glad we went and we were soon back on the road to the house.

By the time we arrived, our oldest brother, soon to be 70, was there with his wife and one son and his girlfriend.  My brother-in-law was also in the backroom with his adult daughter and her husband.  I chatted with the brother and his wife and their son and his girlfriend until my nephew arrived with his son, my great nephew.  This was what I was waiting for.  He’d be opening gifts today and he’d be, for the first time, fun to watch doing so.  Eventually my brother-in-law’s other two kids showed up.  Three friends of my sister’s showed up as well as they do each year.  The house was active for awhile.

Little by little, my nephew began to open his gifts.  It was fun to watch.  His dad, my nephew did as I had asked a few weeks ago.  He brought his Nintendo Switch game system.  I’ve wanted to be filled in on this toy and how it works.  MISTAKE.  Five gets you ten, I’ll have one before the weekend.  Almost certain of it.  I’d play his, put it down, play it, put it down, play it…I NEED A NEW TOY!  My Christmas present to me, right?!

By 4, all that remained was the second oldest brother and his wife, son, girlfriend, 2-year old son, sister, husband, and me.  We proceeded to open our adult gifts.  I think all were happy.  I received a couple of new books I had on my list, a DVD of a television series I wanted to see and didn’t, Starbucks and Applebees gift cards, and a set of plates lead the gift parade.  By the weekend, I’ll replace my old plates with the new 16-piece set.  I look forward to a new look in the cupboard 🙂

After the gifts were done, the little guy was getting tired and they wanted to hit the road for their hour drive or so.  Then the crash began.  My sister ran one errand to see some friends for a bit while the husband and I held down the fort in our recliners.  She’ll be back soon and I brought Mamma Mia 2 to watch with them tonight.  Neither has seen it but the loved the first, so a good way to end this day.

I hate that is’s ending.  I always hate that it ends.  If you look back to the December 25th Reflections for the past four years, I am sure you’ll find me saying the same thing.  I have to wait ten months now before it all begins again.  Now, all there is to do is hope to make it to spring.  Winter.  So boring.

I so hope you had a great day with the people important to you.  The only way today could have improved for us would have been to have our two other brothers here but they have their “other” families too.  So, maybe next year.  We’re all getting old.  We can’t rely on each year that we’ll all be still here.  Of course, we’re hoping like hell we are 🙂

Tonight’s pic is the end of the December Christmas pics.  It was a pic I took this morning once all the gifts had been brought in from the people in attendance.  Once upon a time, the tree was crazy with presents.  Not as much but then, we’re adults.  It probably shouldn’t look like it did 20 years ago.  (although I kinda wish it did).  Ho Ho Ho.

If you’re back to work tomorrow, my sympathies.  I’ll be heading back, stopping at Cub Foods to pick up some food and then heading home.  Willy will be ecstatic when I come in and that will be where I’ll remain cuz he won’t leave my side long enough for me to sneak out.  Thursday, however, I’ll need to run errands.  One of which, I’m tellin’ ya, will likely be to buy one of them thar Switch game consoles!  I never grow up, do I?

G’Night!

Nightly Reflections – Christmas Eve, 2018

It’s 9:15 on Christmas Eve.  I’ve just returned from what has become an annual tradition on this night.  Tonight, we were joined by two newbies.  I’ll get to that in a moment.

The day was a full day, as every year.  It was rather low-key until noon, but then it all ramped up a bit.  The morning was filled with cleaning and last minute preparations before the second oldest brother arrived with his wife, as well as their son and his girlfriend.  It wasn’t long before we were off for the same Christmas Eve ritual that we do each year.

You have to understand something about the Brooks family.  When Mom and Dad were alive, we did nothing on Christmas Eve until it grew closer to midnight.  Then Mom would get us all going so we’d be ready to head to midnight mass at St. Patrick’s.  This was what we did for years.  When we grew older and began lives of our own, that changed, obviously.  And midnight mass became 11:00 mass and then 10:30 mass.  Mom was stricken with cancer and midnight mass was no longer a tradition.  We’d go to mass on Christmas Day.  The whole Brooks clan, whenever the time, would march right into church.  I imagine it was a sight for others to see.  Six kids, two adults and sometimes our grandmother.

After Mom died, many things changed.  We didn’t get together as a family until Christmas Day with Dad.  He had a lady friend and the world looked different.  Christmas Eve was sort of empty.  I had played Santa for so many years I was even without that.  Once Mom died, I no longer had the desire to put on the outfit.

Then one year, the second oldest brother decided to bring his wife and stay the night of Christmas Eve because his son was doing his own thing that night with his girlfriend and eventual wife.  So the two of them, my sis and her husband and me began what we still do now.  Only this year, his son and his new girlfriend joined us.  It began with a visit to Cocktails.  After a couple of hours, we switched it up this year and visited our old neighbors who we’ve been visiting every Christmas Eve.  Their house if full of their eight kids, and all their families.  It’s nuts, frankly.  But it’s always great to see everyone because it was our world for so long growing up.  The mom and dad are alive.  They are, however, aging.  And this year, the mother was looking so frail.  However, a sweeter woman you’ll not find.  So, we got there before the crowd did.  Even though we miss seeing the clan, we had a nice opportunity to talk with the mom and dad.

From there we were off to Stooges.  Each year in the afternoon, they hold a raffle beginning at about 2.  They also have a buffet of food.  We got down there around 4ish.  I ran into a table of my old high school buds.  Greetings all around before joining my group at our table where we drank and bought raffle opportunities.  More friends from our past showed up and we had a good time.  I actually won twice.  The first time was a beer cooler that wraps itself around the beer can and a free beer.  I gave both to my nephew.  The second item, however, was a Stooges sweatshirt.  Now THAT I wasn’t giving to anyone!

Around 7 or so, when the bar wanted to shut down, we also needed to get going because we still had an evening ahead of us.  Drive around and check out people’s decorations on the front of homes.  After making everyone a hot chocolate for the road (mixed with some Tippy Cow Peppermint Bark…yum!), my brother, his son and girlfriend, my sister and I were off.  I’d say it was about a 1-hour tour.  And now here I am writing this.  Soon I’ll be engaged in some wacky game my nephew brought for us.  The funny thing these days?  Everyone gets tired quicker.  My nephew isn’t 40 yet, nor is his girlfriend.  They won’t be ready to go to bed soon.  However, I know two people who ALWAYS seem to want to go til the cows come home will, this year, be yawning by ten, if they aren’t already.  And so will end our Christmas Eve.

One thought…one of my high school friends came to say hi personally to me.  He’s a guy who had some girth in his high school days and continued to hang on to it for some time. Tonight, he was looking terribly gaunt.  Sickly, to be honest.  The topic came up and he was sharing his frustration with his doctors.  Apparently he’s been in the hospital a lot over the past years.  A heart issue.  They can’t seem to figure it out.  He seemed disheartened.  I felt bad for him.  I also thought to myself There but for the grace of God…  Life, as we know, can be so short.  I think of our neighbor, the mom of the family, and how she looked tonight.  She’s in her 80s.  She’s lived a good long life.  She’s been blessed with eight very faithful kids.  Then my high school friend who seems to be fighting day by day.  And how unlucky he’s been.  And here I am, enjoying my 63rd Christmas Eve and how I never lose sight of that.  “…if the fates allow…”  Words from Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas.  I thought of those words each year Mom battled cancer.  I thought of them again when Dad was ailing.  Every year when I hear those words, I still think in that direction, but now I think of me and my siblings.  Each year we get one more chance to enjoy the best season in the year.  I have no idea what it will be like when we leave this phase but I know what it’s like now.  Once again, I enjoyed each and every day of the season since I started reveling in it November 1st.  Tomorrow night, I’ll be bumming it’s over.  And hoping I make it to my 64th Christmas.  Hoping we all do.  Hoping you all do too.  🙂

And on those thoughts, I leave you this Christmas Eve.  Tonight’s pic is a piece of decor in my home and the only one that seemed appropriate for this Reflection.  It needs no explanation.  Merry Christmas to you all.  I hope you’re having or will have a great holiday and that tomorrow night, you stop for a moment to reflect for yourselves on what’s happened in your holiday season and acknowledge that you’ve been fortunate to have yet another Christmas to celebrate with loved ones.  Go to bed with that positive thought and maybe one prayer of thanks.  I know I will.

G’Night!

Nightly Reflections – Sunday, December 23rd, 2018

The clock is ticking.  Twenty-four hours from now, and Santa is riding through the sky, on his yearly mission to make children happy throughout the world.  Are YOU ready?

It was a good Sunday here in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin.  And it all began with an emergency trip to Madison my sister sent me on this morning.  Early.  If I were to arrive back in time to watch the start of the Packer game with all my hometown homies, I had to be up and at ’em early.  And so I was.  Showered and on the road by nine-ish.  My sister had hit a wall numerous times in trying to get a gift for this certain individual, so I offered to head to Madison to accomplish a mission.  I was kinda eager to do so because I could get a Starbucks’ mocha in the process.  If I found what she was sending me after, it would be a win-win.  And guess what?  I found it.  So, it was a win-win.  However, finding the item presented me with a few challenges, but I conquered them and accomplished my mission.  And sipped on my white peppermint mocha on the way home!

By 11:30, we were at Stooges and sitting in our spots to watch the game at noon.  Slowly, others moved in to watch as well.  Once the game started, nothing else quite mattered.  However, being a game with NO consequences except regaining some pride, it was still a game the fans wanted to win.  And the bar, at times, got loud.  There weren’t a ton of people but there were still enough to make it loud.  At the half, a small spread was available for a snack.  Hot dogs, barbecued weenies in a crock pot, and chips and other items made for something to eat prior to the third quarter.  The game was not the easiest to watch.  As a matter of fact, it turned out to be one of, if not the longest game any of us have ever watched.  Overtime didn’t help.  We came out on the winning end.  Thank the Lord.

In the process of the fourth quarter, an old friend showed up.  Our 90-year old neighbor, a woman I’ve talked about here before, showed up with her daughter and son-in-law, and eventually her son with his wife showed up too.  Her son was my best bud in my pre-teen years.  We’ve all stayed in touch all these years.  They lived directly next to us in my Santa years on Maple St.  I have nothing but fond memories of all those years.  Seeing the mother come in was just another Christmas bonus.  She likes her beer and as soon as possible, she was sipping away with the rest of the bar!

We’ll see them once again tomorrow at some point, we think.  But they left after the game.  And we continued to sit and banter with whoever would banter with us.  However, it was finally time to eat something so we came back to my sister’s house for a little spot of dinner 🙂  And it is there now where I write this evening’s Reflection.

It’s a little after eight and we’re about to settle in in the living room.  I think I will pull up Chappaquiddick from Netflix for them to watch.  My sister likes movies based on real-life events and having seen this one in the theaters, I know she’ll enjoy this.  As will her husband.  And that’s likely how this evening will end because they’ll both be sleeping ten minutes into the movie.  Welcome to my life 🙂

Tonight’s pic is of a candle centerpiece I use on my coffee table.  It was a gift I received years ago.  It comes out every November 1st.  It will be visible after Christmas as it is as much about winter as it is anything.  I like decorations like that 🙂

So, tomorrow is Christmas Eve, my favorite day in the season.  It’s what holds most of my memories.  By noon, one of my brothers, his wife, their son and his girlfriend will be joining us for a day you wouldn’t probably believe.  I’ll be back tomorrow night to fill you in on all the excitement that is Christmas Eve for these Brooks’ folk every year.  Until then, I hope you are enjoying a long weekend of holiday fun.  Make those memories.  They’re priceless and irreplaceable.

G’Night!

Nightly Reflections – Saturday, December 22nd, 2018

Well, here we are, 24 hours later or so.  Writing tonight will be far less challenging than it was last night.  I’ve said it before.  My first night back in my hometown tends to be overly fun.  And with the help of friends and total strangers, last night was no exception to that reoccurring…occurrence  🙂  I would like to revisit it briefly.

So, once again, the owner of this restaurant/bar tends the bar there as well.  Her husband sits on the other side of the bar, dealing with matters beyond the bar itself.  Primarily, the restaurant side of things.  He always has time to chat with us and his wife provides us with endless hours of entertainment.  So, we were having fun just sitting there…drinking.  I normally am a Captain and Diet Coke man, but when I go there, I sorta like the Southern Comfort Old Fashioned Sweet with fruit kinda guy.  That was where I went off the beaten path last night.  Then, along comes this wonderful woman who graduated with me back in 1974.  I don’t see her often when I’m in town.  Our paths simply do not cross much.  However, when they do, it’s a mutual admiration society kind of thing.  She’s awesome.  Absolutely love this woman.  Loved her in high school and love her still. Hers is a tough story as she lost the love of her life some years ago.  If you know this woman, you know she was deeply in love with him and still misses him something fierce.  She’s so sweet and it was a total Christmas bonus to see her last night.  Then there were the ten strangers.  Five couples.  Around 40 years of age.  Hartford High School classmates.  They were having a good time.  Enter me and my need to tell the one girl her price tag was still attached to the back of her blouse.  Instant bonding.  The group wanted to adopt me for their party.  And from there, the rest is history.  It was a mucho fun night, but I can assure you, it ain’t happening again.  Except maybe Christmas Eve.  I’ll be with family and I’ll be out and about all day seeing friends.  But let’s cross that bridge when it arrives.

Today was very mellow.  My sister had a little breakfast for us all before she and I ran out and began the errands to meet the demands of what the 24th and 25th would bring.  Running errands with my sister is exhausting.  I’ll just say that.  When we got back a couple hours later, she and her husband ran some errands.  When they got back, he and I ran some.  We picked up lunch at Cousin’s Subs.  I rarely do Cousin’s but I really like it.  We got back, ate our lunch, I showered and sorta just spent mellow time reading and watching some college football, waiting for when we’d be heading down to Stooges.

We didn’t head to Stooges til after 5.  That helps the “stay sober” cause a great deal!  Tomorrow is the Packer game at noon and any last minute things that have to take place before the Christmas Eve tradition begins the following day.  We were home before ten and little to no damage done to any of us 🙂  My sister had made a chicken noodle soup dish earlier and it was warming in the crock pot so when we got home, we all poured ourselves a bowl of soup.  Yummers!

Tonight’s pic is of three Christmas Albums that have been around for likely 50 years.  Andy Williams on the left and Perry Como on the right, two male voices who people associated with Christmas as they both had Christmas specials each year and they had individual hits in the Christmas vein.  Notice the one in the middle, however.  It’s a True Value Hardware album.  Mom would buy these every season as every season, they put out a different album.  I have several.  I would listen to all three of these hours on end, year after year.  Life didn’t get much better, lying on my bed, and just listening to the scratchy sound of the album playing its heart out.  So many fond memories.

Well, we’re within a little over a day before the Eve of the holiday and then, THE HOLIDAY!  I see they’re predicting a potential storm for Thursday and Friday.  That would mean there’s no question as to when I return.  Willy, I’m heading back Wednesday, buddy!  🙂  (sometimes he reads this when I’m gone…)  I was reading Paul Douglas’ report and he says the chances for a storm are increasingly looking good.  Maybe a foot will fall someplace in MN, he says.  Ok.  I’m ready to see snow on the ground and cover the ugliness that is winter.  Not in time for a white Christmas but certainly works for a white New Year’s Eve!

Hope you’re having a great holiday weekend.  May it continue all Sunday!  I’ll be back with more from the Dam.  Beaver Dam.  Clever.  Oh so clever am I.  😛

G’Night!

Nightly Reflections – Friday, December 21st, 2018

WARNING:  I should not be writing this tonight as in the morning, I will race to my laptop to make sure I didn’t write stupid stuff.  You can do the math.  I am in Wisconsin, and when one is in Wisconsin, one does as Wisconsinites do.  Enough said.

The day began with preparations to leave on my 280-mile trip.  Leaving Willy is always difficult for me.  I know he’s a cat.  I get it. But, he’s my cat.  And it’s just the two of us, so the bond that exists is a little different than it might be for someone who has a cat and a spouse and kids and blah, blah, blah.  He could have cared less that I was leaving, but I, as usual, was going to damn well make sure he allowed me to pick him up, riddle his face with kisses and then give him treats to distract him as I walked out the door.  And by 9, I was doing just that.

The trip was uneventful.  Clouds galore but uneventful.  Too many damn semis but still, uneventful.  I did my normal stop in Eau Claire for a Starbucks’ mocha and then headed south.  I pulled into Beaver Dam about 2:30.  Stopped at Applebee’s and picked up two different appetizers for my sister and I to enjoy as I would bring them home after paying for them.  Otherwise, I was working on a bowl of cereal that happened at 7 in the morning.

I pulled into my sister’s driveway shortly after the Applebee’s stop.  We enjoyed a late lunch and some bonding time and then, unbeknownst to me, they had access to Netflix.  I have an account, so I had her watch The Christmas Chronicles with me.  I had seen them, already, as I’ve been telling you, but this would be her first time.  And being the Christmas freak that she is, she too enjoyed it.  Kurt Russell is a fun Santa.  The holiday trip was off to a great start.

Her hubby came home and they got ready for our evening out, but unusually so, we didn’t move out of the house til nearly 6.  We headed to the Char House Restaurant.  I’ve told you about this place before.  Great food.  Even more fun people.  The husband and wife team who own the bar also are ever-present throughout the night.  The wife bartends (as does their son) and the husband deals with other matters but you’ll often find him at the bar so he’s available to his employees and others.  We often bond with the man and we definitely bond with the wife.  She’s one kooky person.

So, tonight, this group of about five couples, all about 40 years of age, were behind us (we were sitting at the bar) and they were there to have dinner.  These folks were the equivalent of college buddies.  We would later find out they were high school buddies who do this Christmas gathering once a year.  Tonight, they were doing it in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin.

I think it was the wife/owner who noticed that one of the ladies had the sales tag on the back of her blouse.  For all the world to see.  I was feeling “loose” enough to tell her.  Everyone else was telling me “NO!”  I did it anyhow.  Turns out her name is Dawn. And I think I’m now in her will.  An instant bond was created.  And for the remainder of the time we were there, it was instant friendship.  OMG.  We had more laughs.  They asked me to shoot a pic of the group.  My sister stepped in to take a second phone/camera.  Truthfully, it was awesome fun.  I applauded their ability to continue with this yearly tradition for their group and I told them so.  I think it’s awesome that these high school friends continue to do this around the holidays.  THIS , to me, is what the holidays speak to.  I kid you not…the friendship that seem to instantly bud from me telling the woman of her price tag on the back of her blouse was awesome.  The laughs that ensued were too many to describe.  It would be another of those “It Can Only Happen To Chuck” stories.  What a blast we all had!

Something I am just remembering I forgot to tell you from the ride down here.  I have thought a ton about Mary Poppins Returns since leaving the theater on Wednesday.  I told you about the music and how it moved me.  I thought about it today.  I found it on iTunes and played the track that moves me to happy tears.  It was then when I decided to buy the frigging soundtrack.  Ten bucks.  Why was it even a decision?!  So, I did.  You don’t know this about me, but all my life, I have been a soundtrack lover.  I own many soundtracks.  I have NOT bought a soundtrack, however, for many years.  Until today.  I downloaded the soundtrack and listened to tracks of it on the drive here.  It has only made me want to see the movie again more than ever.  I think I underestimated the effect of the music on me.  If you haven’t seen it, you won’t understand.  If you do see it, you might get my point.  In any case, it’s a wonderful present to me.  The soundtrack is awesome.

Ok.  I’ve finally reached the moment of tonight’s pic.  This is a pic of something that lasts past Christmas.  It speaks to winter but not specifically to Christmas.  There’s a spot inside for a votive candle.  The windows are fun with the snow and the snowmen.  I received this as a gift one year and it appears every November 1st someplace in my home.  Ho Ho Ho.

Ok.  It’s after 11 and I really need to go to bed.  My sister is now going to double check my work.  It’s not like she’s any more reliable than I am, but she’ll catch any glaring problems.  If she doesn’t, the gift beneath the tree returns to Minnesota with me.  😛

I am hoping your holiday weekend begins on a positive note tomorrow as mine has already done.  Until we chat tomorrow night, I bid you a fond adieu and may Saturday be a day of final preparations for Christmas!

G’Night!