I was sitting at the brunch table today talking about soap operas. I have watched them since I was a little girl. I used to watch them with my Ma, my mom’s mom. Anyway, I was talking about them and my dad said I sounded just like her, my Ma.

Ma loved to talk to the characters on TV and even wrote a letter once to the network asking them to please get rid of John Dixon on As the World Turns. She and I would have great conversations about the soaps and the characters that make them up.

There was a big contrast in our ages. She was in her mid to late 70’s and I was a kid, in fact when I was 3 she was already 71. So by the time I was 8 or 9 she was pushing 80. Unfortunately, she didn’t reach 80, she died of a stroke at age 77.  Ma  was an incredible person and she and I had many a conversation about a variety of subjects. But, our talks about soaps are legendary and I take it as a compliment that my dad said I sounded like her.

We’ve all heard the old saying you can’t take it with it  referring to money and/or possessions when you die.  Frank Capra took this phrase You can’t take it with you, and  a play by  George S. Kaufman  and made an incredibly fun and cute movie starring Jimmy Stewart and Jean Arthur as two young people who fall in love.

Jimmy’s character, Tony,  comes from an upper crust family of bankers and Jean Arthur’s family is a lower middle class family of eccentrics. When the family’s meet everything pops…literally.

Tony’s family is a conventional rich family. The men work their 9-5 jobs at the bank, make lots of money and the women dabble in their little hobbies like spiritualism. Then at night they dress-up and go out to dinner, theater, ballet…whatever they’re preferred activity.

Alice’s family is a group very eccentric people who live totally by another code.  The family is headed up by a Grandpa affectionately portrayed by Lionel Barrymore. This grandpa has given up  the business world and does just what he wants to do whether it be collecting things or going to the zoo, Alice’s mother does her hand at writing through a typewriter that was accidently left on their doorstep and grandpa’s daughter dances and makes candy,

These two world are entirely different but they both get a lesson from each other.  First they lean tolerance and secondly the rich learn that you can’t take it with you.  You have to do things you like to do, take stock in each and everyday, make friends along the way, and notice the changing of the seasons.

It’s a mix that can’t  be beat and teaches us a philosophythat we all can use.  I mean how much do we really need to slave and make tons of money if it only brings us  too many possessions, and more money than we  can ever imagine  spending. Not that all of us have that problem.  But, most of  us have the problem of not taking stock in the everyday.

We should, breathe, relax, do things we enjoy doing and not rush so much like a pack a pack of hungry dogs they can’t get enough.

That’s the lesson behind You Can’t Take  It With You and everyone should enjoy it.

Today is a day we should remember all those that were loss during pearl harbor and those that survived the day.  Its a day to remember and not forget how lucky we are to live in this country where war does not happen on our shores everyday.

Yes, we are at war. War is a terrible thing and I hate that its often necessary but in a world where hate exists its often the only way.

Many people were loss that day at Pear Harbor, that terrible day were innocent people were killed and the landscape of our country was changed forever.  If you have a chance today you might want to catch a show on the history channel or some programming on the TCM channel to learn about the horror of World War 2. You might also catch a remembrance ceremony and if so moved pray for all the people that fought and died for our country.

 I love this movie for some odd reason that I never will know. Maybe its the New Orleans/Southern charm of it all. The ma’am and the honeys that are used un this movie are of an incredible amount. The manners shown  are quite classic .Mean are actually lightting a women’s cigarettes. .  Its reminicent of a 1940’s movie.

The movie’s topic is a bit sad but it makes it up for it in a sequence of events that lends itself to great charm.  Jiohn Travolta is a drunk ex-college professor and Gabriel Macht is Lawson Pines a former student of the drunken college professor.  Their New Orleans existence is forever changed when a girl by the name of Posy Will arrives at their doorstep.  Scarlett Johansson lovingly  portrays this girl who has had a rough road in life.

 This movie is a rich description of seasons and chage.  Its a painting of New Orleans with no details left out.  A great portrait of the holiday season is included so its appropriate for this time of year.

This movie lends itself to great thoughts of what might have been, of what it can be, and what is to be in the future.  Its a great story of lives intertwining and very moving.

Christmas is a time of year that brings to mind and mouth many foods.  Tonight, I had a taste of one of  these foods.

 My family and I went out to dinner tonight at Friendly’s. After dining on a delicious chicken pesto sandwich, I had a sundae.  This sundae wasn’t just any sundae.  It was a Christmas in a dish. Yummy peppermint ice cream  with peppermint pieces and a flavor that just spelled C-H-R-I-S-T-M-A-S.

You may enjoy ham, turkey, chicken, fruitcake, or fudge during the holiday season.  But, I urge you to try the peppermint ice cream at Friendly’s especially with hot fudge on it.

I had  resolved to have 25 days of blogging in honor of the holiday season but as it turns out I missed a day. So, here I present to you a blog that was inspired by a friend who said I do believe in Santa Claus.

I know as adults we often become cynical and unbelieving in imagination and thoughts of fancy. However, some things are worth believing in and there are just not flights of fancy but a bigger power that can drive us all to be more understanding and giving.

Several years ago my folks in their ultimate wisdom gave me a book entitled Yes, Virginia There is A Santa Claus. It was written by Francis Pharcellus Church. It was inspired by a letter written to a newspaper editor asking if there was indeed a Santa Claus.  It was written by a 8 year old child named  Virginia.

 He answered her in a way that couldn’t be rivaled.

“Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. Hew exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy.”

In fact he goes on to say that our lives wouldn’t be so bright  if they were no Santa Claus. 

“There would be no childlike faith then no poetry, no romance to make this world tolerable.”

These are very good points. What would the world be like if there was no magic, nothing to believe in that would make us smile and be a better human being.

In fact he says that things we really do believe in are often not seen. 

In my opinion, he is so true.  Its not something you see or hear, but something you believe. I like to think of it as a spirit of giving that’s unlike any other because “Yes Virginia , there is a Santa Claus’.

Note: All quotes taken from Yes Virginia there is a Santa Claus by Francis Pharcellus Church. The letter is real and was written in 1897. I encourage you to explore it further.

A year ago today I lost my best friend in the whole wide world. He wasn’t human but an animal. A dog to be more precise. His name was Chester and he was 13 yrs. old. He got sick suddenly and died the same day. A blessing.

Chester was a cheese eater, whip cream loving, and watermelon and cantaloupe sniffer outer and eater. He was a sofa buddy, a good listener and a comforter.

My toes on my left side of my body which was affected by my stroke are very thick.  My mom has to use a heavy duty nail clippers to trim them and when she would trim them Chester would sit beside me till the ordeal was over with.  He also comforted me over the phone. If I was having a bad day at college and called home my mom would put Chester on the line.  He may not have made a sound but he listened, which is an incredible gift.

I could go and on..but the main thing to remember today is that he was a very good, loving dog that we were blessed to have  him  for a really long time. Love you Chester!

This past weekend we had Halloween. Halloween has always had a pecial place in my heart. Its my favorite holiday next to Christmas and Easter. 

Over the years, I’ve done many things to celebrate this holiday.  Ive ‘dressed-up and went trick or treating, went to my elementary school’s halloween carnival which was incredible, and I’ve given out candy at my great aunt’s and grandma’s house where they had an overabunance  od trick or teaters.

My college years during halloween were special. I dressed up most years and even had a very special hallloween where I became a princess for a few months.  It was an incredible time for me.

Halloween is a very special holiday. I hope everyone had a good and safe one. I can’t wait till next year.

Ok, here’s the thing…nothing major just life changing..think of being a speck in the universe just a speck, nothing else. A piece of particle that floats around and never really lands.  That was me.  It still is in a lot of ways….

But, there was a time in my life when I was more than a speck of dirt. More like a piece  of candy, sweet and sour, and very safe and loved. Love, for a lack of a better word.  At least I wasn’t despised and if depressed I had help.

No mention of names will be given here because I think some of you out there know who you are. Anyway, this is my way of thanking you for all the things you said and did to help me survive one of the most tough years of my college life.

When I say loosing someone important I’m not talking about a family member here but a special friend and teacher.  

When I first had a class with this special person, Father John Oetgen, I was terrified and intimidated.  A few weeks later maybe even a few days later my opinion totally changed about this  man. He was considerate and kind to me at a very difficult time in my life. The first semester I had him as a teacher was the semester I came back to college after having a stroke.  Being back at school was a big adventure for me. One that I really wanted to do well on. 

I can’t remember the topic, but I think it was a world literature class of some kind. I have the book around her somewhere I think although I might have gotten rid of it when we moved.  But, anyway, in this class Fr. John wanted us to memorize some lines or something of that nature, I told him I would have trouble with this and that I would practice and study up on it either during fall break or thanksgiving. He said he didn’t want me to use my vacation for something like that and I think he gave me an alternate assignment. .  All that I know is that he was kind to me in a time when I really needed it.

I took that first class with  Father John and after that I had at least  2 more classes with him.  The first being Southern Literature. He became my pied piper of books and authors during that class. He gave me a whole new world of literature to explore and learn about.  I LOVED this class and I Loved  Father John for giving me this whole new piece of pie to eat.

I had always been an avid reader as a child but now I had this whole new set of things to read and explore. This exploration still continues today as I read more Flannery O’Connor  and about the Great South and the state of Georgia where I had the pleasure of living for 13 years.

Father John also taught me a thing or two about common courtesy. He always addressed me as Miss Ivey except maybe when we were in private conversation. Yes, I’d been called Miss Ivey before but I believe when he called me that I felt a real sense of finally being a grown-up.

He also inquired always about my family especially my mom who he  had the pleasure of meeting.  His concern for the well-being of others was great.  I remember this time when I needed a ride to the airport. He was at a basketball game  that I had come to searching for a ride.  I found a ride but when I returned to college after my long weekend there was a message from him saying  if  I still needed a ride to let him know and he would provide me with one.  I will always remember that.

I could tell you other things, like how patient and understanding he was., about his love for abbey sports …and the list could on and on. 

Father John’s great teaching, his common  class=”hiddenSpellError” pre=”common coutrsy and kindness to others will always be .missed, I think the real thing I will miss as someone reminded me today, his is voice.  He could read aloud to you and it was like lighting a candle, Nothing was the same. Someone else could read it but it would’t sound as good.

Father John you were a class act. God Bless You and thanks for being a part of my life as well as many other Abbey studen’t lives.