Established
in 1937
Bob's Corner
Engineer Bob has about given up keeping the Christmas train on the tracks, not to mention keeping the ornaments on the tree instead of all over the floor. Our four cats have discouraged me in those areas, but I’m still striving for the spirit of the season.
Our Attack Cats are like a band of fanatical bandits, so I’m letting them have their way with my choo-choo. It’s better for my heart. As for the ornaments, well, you know how kitties enjoy batting at dangling objects. We have more ornaments on the carpet than on the tree. Oh well.
This was going to be a column about happiness at this time of year, but after 61 Christmases it finally has sunk in that happiness doesn’t necessarily occur just because of the Yule celebration. Millions of words have been written and many movies made about the fact that joy comes from within. Gaining pleasure is not tied to a calendar; it’s an internal, heartfelt emotion, whether it’s Dec. 25, Jan. 20, March 17 or Nov. 14.
How did the editor get on this kick? Where’s all the amusing stuff? OK, so it’s not always that amusing. But hey, you try coming up with a good (or pretty good) Corner every week, not to mention working to ensure that the rest of the “Noose” has the photos and stories and other stuff necessary to make it readable enough to be invited into the valley’s homes and businesses every week. Whew!
Actually, the Christmas holidays have become hectic for many. Suicides and crimes of other passions escalate, not to mention the rampant packs of punks, thugs and thieves who steal anything not nailed to the floor. What’s with those people? No one ever taught them the Golden Rule? I’m sick of them, the way they take what’s not theirs, damage property (also not theirs) and generally cause messes and irritate the heck out of the rest of us.
Oh, about Christmas and that holiday spirit I’m working on. Not an easy task, especially with my Eeyore personality and our own hectic schedule.
Also, my Aunt Carrie died last week in El Paso. She was 98. I telephoned her sister, my Aunt Flo, who’s 96 and the last remaining member of seven siblings, including my mom. I have a lot of happy memories revolving around both aunts, and recall the time I turned a garden hose on Aunt Carrie in San Diego when I was around 7. She didn’t think it was funny. Geez, I never knew she could run that fast in slippers.
Memories. Maybe that’s the key to holiday happiness. I’m going to think about that while I fight off the cats and put the train back on the tracks.
And just to leave you with a bit of funniness, here’s a bit titled, Five Tips For a Woman:
- It is important that a man helps you around the house and has a job.
- It is important that a man makes you laugh.
- It is important to find a man you can count on and who doesn’t lie to you.
- It is important that a man loves you and spoils you.
- It is important that these four men don’t know each other.
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