Christmas.......December thru the Years

A few things that have happened in my life in December:

1941 My brother Bryan was born. I remember going to see my Mother at the
hospital with him.

1954 I got engaged on Christmas Eve.
First time we saw "White Christmas"

1956 Alan was cruising in the Mediterrean (courtesy of HM Queen) on HMT Dunera
my Dad and Bryan went to England for Christmas and I was home all
alone.

1959 Archie was born.

1962 First Christmas in America. I remember doing the same things I had in
Belfast, being tired as a result on Christmas Day, looking forward
to Boxing Day and getting up on the 26th to find Christmas was
over and some people's trees already in the curb for pickup.

1982 Timothy and Margie got married in the Jordan River Temple.



1985 Lilian and Cory got married in Salt Lake Temple.



1985 Lesley held first family Christmas Party.

1988 Ammanda born day after her Dad's birthday.



1989 Our Christopher passed away unexpectedly.
What a terrible Christmas.



1997 Went to York Minister on Christmas Eve. We were serving in the
Birmingham Mission at the time. Actually we were gone two Christmases.



1998 Jeffrey left to serve a mission in Seattle.



2010 I had cancer surgery.

Christmas.........

As a child growing up in War time Belfast and shortly thereafter, Christmas was very simple. There wasn't a lot of money, sweets were rationed. BUT..... what has that to do with anything?

I would hang up my stocking, an ankle sock and ultimately search everywhere for it next morning. It seems like I did always receive a new doll because I remember the smell of it, and while my Mother cooked a fine dinner my Dad took my two brothers and me for a walk. We always ate brussels sprouts for dinner so I associate this veggie with Christmas. The big shops had a Santa's Workshop and for a small charge we would get on a "sleigh" and ride through the toy department made to look like the North Pole. "It's a Small World" at D'land always "reminds" me of this activity. Anyway, at the end of the ride we met Santa, I guess made a request and received a gift. Thus the "small charge".

I remember when I was about 8 receiving a scooter. As I remember it was a BIG scooter but I realize my eight year old size made it seem big, but it did hold both of us kids. Anyway, the neighbour kids and my brother Joe and I would go to the end of the street where there was a "hill" and we would ride our various toys down this hill. What joy, what a grand time as my brother stood behind me and did the necessary work to mobilize the scooter and both of us "sailed" down the hill. :o)

My Mother was a great cook and laboured hard to fix a traditional Christmas dinner complete with Christmas pudding and even managed to set fire to it as you have seen in "A Christmas Carol" with Alistair Sim. We always went to the Pantomime, and sometimes the Circus. So for me there were not a lot of gifts maybe one or two small ones, but the excitement of "once a year" treats were to be anticipated.

We also went "round" the Christmas Tree at City Hall. I'm talking a LOT of years ago and lights were very minimal. But there were always crowds of people and Christmas music and it was wonderful.

When I was ten years old we moved to East Belfast and a nicer neighbourhood, I don't remember getting many gifts after turning about twelve. Maybe a pair of slippers and a box of chocolates. A small box.

As as teenager 14?15? I used to go to dance studios to learn ballroom dancing, my Mother encouraged this as she felt this was an important skill to have. So now Christmas took on a new additional form of entertainment.

My Mother died when I was 15 and Christmases didn't hold much joy for a few years.

But happier times did return, so watch this space.

What-A-Day x 10

Ashleigh would often lament "what a day" I have had a week of "what a days"

Nov. 3 Sander Michael Leger was born
Nov, 5 Jeffrey and Julee had birthdays, and Rebecca was baptised
Nov. 7 Chelsea turned 17 (yeah for pizza and birthday cake)
Nov. 8 Election Day and Katelyn Hawks (Nielsen) went to the Temple.
Nov. 9 Lunch Bunch and VT Meeting

Nov. 10 Tara came from California, and then "caught" the bouquet




Nov. 11 Alan and Katelyn were married



Nov. 12 Aubree was baptised.




I enjoyed all of these days, I really did not have to do anything, just be there. In the words of our favorite Lesley

"It is just a pleasure being nominated"

All love together. Started out with Dad, Mom, and Lesley and has now grown to encompass 54 of us. WOW!!!!!!!

Times "2"

Well, there was this Irishman that went to England to work and stayed in a boarding house. The first day his landlady made him a lunch of 2 slices of bread. He complained that was not enough so next day she made him 4 slices. It still was not enough so she made him 6 slices and so on until he was up to 10 slices. When he still complained, next day she thought I will fix him. She took the loaf of bread, cut into 2 halves made him one huge sandwich. She waited for his report when he returned.
Landlady: "How was your lunch today?"
Irishman: "I see you are back to 2 slices" :o)

So..... what has that to do with the price of tea in China?

Most of you know, Granpa loves Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. He has a good friend who occasionaly brings him some. Well, of course it is never enough so last night he brought him some and figuratively speaking he is back to 2 PBCs.

Hazy Lazy Days of Summer

As you know we went to San Clemente for a period of recuperation after my recent surgery. HAH!!!!!
Well. we did relax.
We sat several times, for several hours on the beach.
We did celebrate my birthday.
We did shop in Laguna Hills.
We did buy pastry in Laguna Beach.
We did go to Pick-UP-Stix.
We did go to check if someone was in our house
AND THERE WAS........HAH!!!!!!!


We did go to Rocklin and saw the California Marsdens
We did go and visit Uncle John and Auntie Bea.
We did go to the Treat Box in Truckee.
And finally to In-and Out in Reno.
We did come home exhausted!!!!!!!
But we had a great time.

NOW....as we say in Belfast.....
"it's back to porridge"

So today we bought corn on the cob....DELICIOUS
and froze it.
Dad is suffering quite severly with his sciatica
or whatever it is that causes him so much pain. BUT....
no slackers
he schucked the corn and then as per usual he had to have a pun. :o(
Any idea who he thinks he is??????
Bless Him!!!!




Captain Horatio "Corn"blower.

Memorial Day

10th May 1955

All those years ago my Alan began employment with Her Majesty the Queen. As did all 18 year old young men in England.
He began his National Service in York, England.


This handsome picture made my girlish heart flutter (it still does)

Which one of us was robbing the cradle? Probably Alan he was 7 months older than me. :o)



After a spell in Egypt and a Mediterrean "cruise" courtesy of Her Majesty, and his regiment being posted to Northern Ireland, he came out of the Army with 2 stripes. And we began our life together in Belfast. :o)



The rest is history.

A very interesting and eventful history.