Welcoming December

 

Hello December, my favorite month. Although, this year it will be very different (for obvious reasons; our sons passing and moving to Florida, nonetheless, it is the most wonderfulness of the season). So, let's get started, shall we?

Hi. Welcome to the continuation of Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4.  Just 4 questions to get you thinking, talking and visiting other bloggers.

This week it might be nice to focus on December and its traditions.

1.  The 7th is Pearl Harbor Day when a terrible sneak attack by Japan on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii destroyed many ships in the American fleet and convinced Congress to declare war.    

President Roosevelt said, "Yesterday, December 7, 1941—a date which will live in infamy—the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by the naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan."    Yes, it should be infamous forever.    How do you honor the memory of the men who died in this cowardly attack? Do you put out your flag on that day to remember the service men killed?

Our flag is always flying. My husband actually spent time the other day placing the flag out behind our gate coming into the driveway. Nope, haven't taken a photo yet, great idea though, stay tuned.

2. Many people begin baking, buying gifts, decorating for the upcoming holidays of Chanukah and Christmas.  Do you bake or buy? What cookies and cakes are your favorite this time of year?  Got a recipe to share?

I will prob. bake some cookies today and usually I bake from scratch, but the hubby found some box sugar and snickerdoodles from the store, so I will make those. 

3. December 15 is Bill of Rights day. The 18th begins Chanukah the Festival of Lights during which the light was rekindled in the desecrated temple in Jerusalem. The temple was cleansed, and the light reentered it.  The 21st is the Winter Solstice or first day of winter. What traditions, days, etc. have meaning for you in December?

Right now, we are sort of "stuck" on memories...next Sunday will be one year since our son passed away and technically his second Christmas not being here. AND ITS OK. We are getting fed up with the lack of empathy from both sides of the family. We are trying to be careful and not get caught up with "blahs".

How about advent does it hold meaning for you?

Of course, being a born-again Christian, this season means a lot to us etc. 

Jesus is the reason for the Season.

4. Christmas music is being played in stores during these December days. Does it play in your home? How excited are you for the upcoming holidays?

Actually, since I was somewhere other than my office since before Thanksgiving and a couple of days after since--someone has pilfered (lololol) the radio and has put it in the vault and is listening to Christmas music. At first, I was peeved, but, now its ok, she has turned it up so I can hear it. Speaking of work, the other 2 people in my office, and I found decorations in one of the storage closets and decorated our office and the vault yesterday, that other person and I talked, and I am ok with the radio---she didn't want to offend me and make me up upset with the "happiness" of the Season etc... Come to find out, she and I are both Christian and we both got to talk about God's word. ----In our home? No, not right now, but on my laptop, yes. I am always excited of the thought of Jesus being born, this year, it's just different.

P.S. we have a white board where we each of us have to sign in... anyway, so every day I have trivia questions (to break up the monotony of the day)--I have noticed our orderly's/inmates who clean our office(s), Majors, Captains and a certain Colonel are joining in...so, this month I am doing the 12 Days of Christmas. So far, they have been doing great and the majority of them are now singing openinly the 12 Days of Christmas, LOLOLOL. Yeah, you have to be a little nutty to work where we work, LOLOL.

The jails and prisons are full this time of the year...not that I am not full of apathy or empathy for such folks, I am. Working in this environment has def. taught me more about myself than I want to admit. I had an interview yesterday for another position that popped up out of the blue--surprising. Someone pulled my personnel file and called me up to the Administration building. We have a new warden and things are changing. I came highly recommended, and I jokingly told the person/the head supervisor who recommended me for this position a more than 24 hr. heads up might have been nice and his reply was, "No, I wanted you to go in there with a clear head and ace that interview and my understanding is you did. Because I know you can do that job, you are an excellent secretary and know your job well." We shall see...and no I cannot talk about it yet. THANKFULLY I knew the answers to the six questions that were asked (because said people have no idea what we do back in Classification/Identification). I don't know when I will be notified about that position, it was nice meeting the new warden and a little intimidating. I can't believe I have been there for 7 months now.