Tag: Christmas with the Sonnystoners

Posted in Christmas at Sonnystone 2019

Merry Christmas to All!

Posted on by Jo Mayne Casey

Merry Christmas, dear Readers!

I’ve been soo sick, marveling again at the mount of snot a body can manufacture all within one’s neck and eyes.  My rib cage is inflamed from coughing, my eyes are a puffy red that matches my nose, but I’m grateful to have the strength to spit this shit out.

I’ve had 67 Christmases, some Great, some okay, some I’d rather forget, but in my heart I still hold the message of the Angels when they Proclaimed Peace on Earth, Goodwill to All.  I’m no angel, but I pray for Peace Every Day.  And like the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. I Still have a Dream…

 

I have a dream that one day men will rise up and come to see that they are made to live together as brothers. I still have a dream this morning that one day every Negro in this country, every colored person in the world, will be judged on the basis of the content of his character rather than the color of his skin, and every man will respect the dignity and worth of human personality. I still have a dream that one day the idle industries of Appalachia will be revitalized, and the empty stomachs of Mississippi will be filled, and brotherhood will be more than a few words at the end of a prayer, but rather the first order of business on every legislative agenda. I still have a dream today that one day justice will roll down like water, and righteousness like a mighty stream. I still have a dream today that in all of our state houses and city halls men will be elected to go there who will do justly and love mercy and walk humbly with their God. I still have a dream today that one day war will come to an end, that men will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks, that nations will no longer rise up against nations, neither will they study war any more. I still have a dream today that one day the lamb and the lion will lie down together and every man will sit under his own vine and fig tree and none shall be afraid. I still have a dream today that one day every valley shall be exalted and every mountain and hill will be made low, the rough places will be made smooth and the crooked places straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together. I still have a dream that with this faith we will be able to adjourn the councils of despair and bring new light into the dark chambers of pessimism. With this faith we will be able to speed up the day when there will be peace on earth and good will toward men. It will be a glorious day, the morning stars will sing together, and the sons of God will shout for joy. —Dr. Martin Luther King.

Love is All you Need…

Peace

Posted in Christmas with the Sonnystoners

New York at Christmas

Posted on by Jo Mayne Casey

We had a Wonderful Trip to visit with the Jose’ Fam, arriving on Thursday, 12/12.  LaGuardia is a Mess while they’re completely renovating the buildings and roadways.  We had to take a bus to a taxi stand! The taxi ride was a creeper and set a record for highest fare I’ve ever paid for a taxi in New York.  But when we arrived we were met in the lobby by the Cutest, Sweetest, Smartest, and Best Irish Dancers Ever and the Fun was On.

Lots of time was spent talking, talking, catching up. We attended our 13th Annual Rockettes Christmas Spectacular on Saturday.  This year was the Most Spectacular of them all, too.

The weather was decent, so we could get some picures in front of The Tree…

After the show and some luncheon at Primi, Eliza and I went over to FAO and played on the Big piano.

Emma had a Big Surprise for me.  She had spotted a Pop-Up that would be some photo-ops and merchandise of a mystery person/group that she knew I really liked.  The girls and Eric kept the secret so well that they Seriously Fooled me into thinking it was Grateful Dead.  I was tickled pink when we pulled up and I saw it was The Beatles.

So much fun.  So much good food.  So much Love.

We arrived back at Sonnystone Tuesday on the smoothest flight I’ve had in a While.  Wink was all over me, begging for rubs and kisses and he slept with his head on my pillow that night.  The piano tuner was here yesterday,  so I’m ready for carols around the baby grand.

Samantha has her pre-school Christmas program today, where I’ll be infused with the Spirit of Christmas.  Just to top things off, my soul-sister, Kathy, is spending tonight with me before she returns to Iowa on Friday.  ‘

I’m chock-full of the Happies right now and sending you out Love.  Look for it…!

Peace

 

Posted in Christmas at Sonnystone 2019

Countdown to Christmas: 16 more days…

Posted on by Jo Mayne Casey

How’s your Christmas going?  I’ve got about 2/3 of my shopping done.  We’ve finished up (as much as I finish up anything) the decorating.  I haven’t even started on the cards, though…

Saturday we picked up the Jr. girls and drove up to New Harmony for a Christmas Parade. Our first stop is Always the Main Cafe, a family-owned diner that I used to haunt when I was a Visiting Nurse in Posey County (20+ years ago).  They make grilled cheese sandwiches just as they should be made…

We love this Super Smalltown Parade with golf carts and tractors all gussied up for the holidaze.  They throw out Tons, I mean it, Tons, of candy and even gave everybody a Big Candy Cane full of sugary stuff.  We filled Two Santa Hats with candy that the kids scrambled out into the street for…  O & S loved it!

Then we headed over to one of the Galleries to make a cool craft.

Mr. and Mrs. Claus were set up over in CandyLand, but we opted to skip the line.  There were other photo ops…

Now we’re cruising into our Christmas in NYC.  We’re leaving Thursday, returning the following Tuesday.  The Rockettes are waiting for us.  Until then, I’ve got nails and hair to update and packing my fetching frocks for the trip.

Peace

 

Posted in Christmas at Sonnystone 2019

And the Countdown Begins

Posted on by Jo Mayne Casey

We have changed up our Christmas decorations this year, using our small tree and old-school Toy Story bulbs.  Today Olivia and Samantha came by with their parents to add the ornaments.

There’s something so sweet about a tree that has most of the ornaments hanging eye-level of a 4-year-old.

This coming week’s calendar looks pretty free, so  I’m going to Try to get Casey’s Family Tree published.  It is a very complicated family tree, but it is well-documented.  Remember when I was suspicious that my Eaton family tree could so easily be put back to the Mayflower, so I checked and couldn’t verify the connection?  Well, I learned to always have Real Records to prove relationships.  This group not only has records, it has historical markers that tell their story, state parks that are named after them and his 8th-great grandfather even has his own entry in Wikipedia!  Can you beat that?  I have had to study up on history that has come alive for me as I’ve stalked these folks.  It can’t all be written in a week, but I’m going to get a lot of it out of my head and on paper so I can take a Christmas break.

I hope your Thanksgiving week-end was full of fun.

Peace