Christmas

Merry Christmas…Winter Solstice

w2bergen Leave a comment

Today is December 21, the Winter Solstice. So what is the Winter Solstice. It is the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, and the official start of winter. Tonight will also be the night for the “great conjunction”. That will happen when Jupiter and Saturn, the two biggest planets of our solar system, will look like one bright star, the “Christmas Star”. It is a rare celestial event that hasn’t happened for 400 years. So many people will be out watching tonight with their binoculars, telescopes or naked eye. We are now only 4 days from Christmas and our daylight will again begin to lengthen. Oh how we all love the longer days to be outside when spring and summer arrive.

So here is this cute little poem. It was written definitely with the year 2020 in mind.

T”was 3 weeks before Christmas, And all through the town…..People wore Masks, That covered their frown.

The frown had begun, Way back in the Spring,….When a Global Pandemic, Changed everything.

They called it Corona, But unlike the beer…..It didn’t bring good times, It didn’t bring cheer.

Airplanes were grounded, Travel was banned…..Borders were closed, Across air, sea and land.

As the world entered lockdown, To flatten the curve…..The economy halted, And folks lost their nerve

From March to July, We rode the first wave…..People stayed home, They tried to behave.

When summer emerged, The lockdown was lifted…..But away from caution, Many folks drifted.

Now it’s December, And cases are spiking…..Wave two has arrived, Much to our disliking.

It’s true that this year, Has had sadness a plenty…..We’ll never forget, The year 2020

And just “round the corner” The Holiday Season…..But why be merry? Is their even one Reason?

To decorate the house, And put up the tree…..Who will see it, No one but me.

But outside my window The snow gently falls…..And I think to myself, Let’s deck the halls!

So I gather the ribbons, The garland and bows…..As I play those old Carols, My happiness grows.

Christmas is not cancelled, And neither is hope…..If we can lean on each other, I know we can cope.

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Christmas is Coming At Eastgate

w2bergen 2 Comments

Christmas is on it’s way here at Eastgate.  We took all the Thanksgiving decorations down and set a date to decorate for Christmas.  Many of the girls showed up and in an hour the tree was up and the hall was decorated.

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The South Hall looks so nice especially with the new paint job this summer.  I’ve been busy planning lots of activities and trips for the rest of the season.  It going to be a grand year.  Our good friends Larry and Cici, have been looking at trailers.  They want to leave theirs here permanently and not pull it back and forth.  So we went shopping with them.

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They found a beautiful 39 foot 5th wheel, and also a golf cart.  They have the golf cart at home already and the trailer will be delivered Tue.  This picture was taken in the RV Sales lot.  They have this rickshaw to run customers around in.   Rather cool.  The salesmen drove the bike while Cici and I were in the seat.  Larry and Rich took the Golf Cart.  They are standing in front of their 5th wheel.  So Tuesday will be their day to switch their belongings to the new trailer.

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I would like you to meet Randy the Reindeer.  lol.  Now I have an Accomplice that came to me with this story and plan.  Randy hides Every nite.  My Accomplice texts me a Clue.  I put out the clue on FB and in both halls by 10 am every morning.  So this has been going on for just over a week.

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Here is Randy’s story.  Last week we almost lost him.  Someone dropped him in Nite Deposit.   Today he was found and went to Progresso Mexico.  I don’t know if he crossed over or stayed in the car in the parking lot.  But he returned.  So this little game is starting to take off.  It seems we are getting more and more participation, and lots more people are getting a kick out of it even if they don’t hunt.  The clues are supplied by my Accomplice.  Today the Clue was….1, 2, 3,  Strikes….Your out…..    So finally he was found by a yard statue of a baseball player.   So they aren’t really that hard.

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We have also started Crafts finally.  This is Alice and Cici with their Tomato Cage Christmas Trees.  These are so easy.  Turn your cage upside down.  Use a zip tie to tie the wire ends together.  Wind the lights around and tie them, then your garland.

Our next project is a 6 point star.  Our friends from Canada, Glen and Kathy found one at a garage sale back home and brought it.  Another friend Roberta got all the sticks from our trees that are trimmed and cut a whole box sticks all the same length.  So the only cost was zip ties and twine to join points and a set of 100 lights and decorations.   Another very easy and cheap project.

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Our Christmas Decorations ….My Tomato Cage Tree, Stick Star….and Toilet….lol

Now the other morning at Coffee and Donuts, another couple was with us.  The question was “Why is the toilet in front of your trailer”  lol.  Well, the reason is,  one of the trailers needs one replaced.  Rich found this one at Habitat for Humanity….So he brought it home and it will be installed next week.  But until then, its our conversation peace.  So I said wouldn’t it be funny to sit on it and put that picture in the Eastgate Video at the end of the year.  So later that day,  …..THIS IS WHAT I WAS TEXT….

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So So Funny,  I want you to meet Rob.  He even had to pull his pants down.  OMG……I told him,  Love the Pic, but sure can’t put this in the video,  Some of these people would have a heart attack……No sense of humor….But WE ALL LOVE IT…..HILARIOUS……

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Last nite we had our first Entertainment here in our South Hall.  Jeff Gordon was here.   NO, NOT the Race Car Driver…..The Singer….

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He did a great job,  Elvis, Tom Jones, Conway Twitty, Glenn Campbell,  Neil Diamond, Merle Haggard, and more.  He was originally from Bloomington Illinois.  His daughter lives in Washington Illinois.  Only  1 hour from my town.  He now travels the south in the winter and heads to the Mid West in the summer.  Today we had a Christmas Bazaar at the hall.

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Lots of neat crafts.  Crochet and knitting,  jewelry,  woodcarving, and even lights made out of liquor bottles.

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This past week was by Grandson Austin’s 6th Birthday….Also Dexter had his 2nd Birthday.  So the boys shared a birthday party

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Yes, Dexter is a Very important member of the family.   He is another son….lol…Dexter is a good boy and always poses for pictures.  But he doesn’t look to happy about his hat does he…..lol

 

 

 

 

Merry Christmas to All…….

w2bergen 3 Comments

 

 

Merry Christmas to ALL….Hope it was a Wonderful Holiday for Everyone…..This was the first Christmas away from the kids and family.  I think we all survived pretty good after all.   Thanks to Skype, we have been starting to talk to them and the kids love seeing us.   We talked to the kids some on Christmas Eve as they all got together at Tina’s house for Christmas.

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Tammy, Carly, Cassidy, Cameron………………………………….Ed, Austin, Tina, Miley

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Brandy, Scott, Staci………………………………………………Aunt Connie and Uncle Brian…lol

They seemed to change some of the traditions of Christmas.   Instead of the regular Christmas dinner of ham potatoes and all the fixings….They ordered out Pizza….Oh Well, a new tradition is born.  Easy that way.

 

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All the little kids opening their presents….

Aunt Connie plays Santa every year and hands out all the presents….She is Awesome…

Santa even Arrived…..lol…..Ahhhhhh, gees he looks familiar……Cameron?….lol…..

The kids had another Great Christmas.  Tammy bought a new computer for the family so they installed Skype.  We skyped with her and the kids on Christmas Day night, and then later with Tina and Ed and Austin….Miley already went to sleep…..lol…Too much Christmas…

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Tammys Living Room Christmas Eve….Isn’t it beautiful…She has our mantle shelf and displayed is the Mr and Mrs Santa from when they were kids…..So pretty…

Our Christmas was Celebrated at the Hall…..The Activity board usually co-ordinates all dinners and activities at the halls, but this year, they were all leaving for Christmas.

Nobody to cook dinner?      The park owner even supplied 7 spiral hams to cook….

Guess who opened up their mouth and offered…..ME….and Rich agreed….So Rich was in charge of cooking the hams.  One of the board members had the template for the help that we needed.  So she printed it before she left.  So the Organization began.   Before you know it, people were signing up to help and also to come to the Christmas Party.  Everyone was so happy their was going to be a party…..Now the one thing we noticed.  These people….. EAT and Run…..Now really, everytime their is an occasion in the hall, like breakfast or the ice cream social, these people come early….and leave as soon as they eat…..Ice cream can be served at 6 and by 6:30, the hall can be empty.   So I decided to have activities after….Try to keep them their….I decided to have An UGLY SWEATER CONTEST……also TABLE DECORATING CONTEST….It went so well…

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We had 5 people participate in the contest….the Lady second form the right won…..Hahaha….so much fun….

Here is some of the table decorations……some elegant…some more religious…some just fun…but everyone had so much fun.  You would see everyone  walking around after they ate, looking at everyone’s table so they could vote later.   Then I also compiled some interesting facts….Where do all the people come from….How many states are represented etc.  I could not include the Texan people as most of them are now permanent residents that have moved here from another state and change their address to Texas…..So other than Texas,    There are 24 states represented here.  Upper Midwest is the highest….Wisc, Minn, Mich, Iowa, Ill, and Ind,…..and also have one from Maine and one from California.  Many Canadians also…..4 provinces with Ontario being the highest.  We also found out their is someone from Brazil in South America.  Such a vast grouping of people…..We all had a wonderful time…..and guess what…..WE KEPT THEM FROM 2 till 3:30.….hahaha…..I consider that pretty Awesome…..I even had to microphone in hand….Now those of you who know me, you know I am not a public speaker….I FREEZE……but I managed…..I even brought the Bose and played Christmas Music…..Its just not Christmas without music…..and then the clean up crew went in gear and had the whole place cleaned up and ready to shut down before dark………..

PS….It is Rich’s 65th BIRTHDAY…..Christmas Baby…..I announced it at the dinner….The whole room sang Happy Birthday to him and then he stood up and took a bow….lol……Pretty cool….He is now a Ward of UNCLE SAM……He received his first Social Security check Wed….lol

Another Christmas has past…..

Merry Christmas to All…..Onward…..Happy New Year Next…..

Ho Ho HO