December 21, 2005 - Msg 32318: Boo...I know that's a tough situation. Especially when kids are involved. But with adults it sometimes takes tough love when they don't want to help themselves. But again the kids suffer along with everyone.
One thing you said is so true though...."Jesus" can work things out. I pray that He give you wisdom to minister to this family in the way that HE would have it.
I pray for ya...
--Rev.
December 21, 2005 - Msg 32319: WOW a clean sweep...gosh guys and gals I have been so busy around here...gona read the archives..tomorrow morning its waffle house on the Rev!..hey boo,ro,ky,asa,..shucks all the porch..MDC ya just have to have 46 candles...goofy!..hope yopu all get better ..het smh and nate!...well im off to bed ..work in the morning....remember waffle house on Rev!..God Bless all ...SPOT
December 21, 2005 - Msg 32320: Good evening porchsters. Dont know bout ya'll but it's cold on my porch tonight. Already in the 20's. We may have to think about installing a hot tub on our porch so's we can stay warm. Thanks for the warm welcome back. My family has grown somewhat since I've last been here. My baby. "Little Bit" has made me a proud grandma of 6 puppies, three boys and three girls. They are all adorable and already spoiled rotten. Ro, tell "Auntie" Sugar Plum that she can come over and play anytime LOL.

So, when are we having our annual Christmas Party? I can make some Chicken Ala King. Without the wall paper paste flavor. Hazel, can you bring meatballs? I really have missed all the fun around here. Love you all--Salty Dog.
December 21, 2005 - Msg 32321: Hey DOG buddy!..I had a cat named little bit years ago...but congrats Salty...and yea thats a GREAT idea...HOT TUB on the porch...I will start the framing under the porch to support it...got to watch for those spiders!!...wow...ok let me go ....[where is my tool belt]...SPOT
December 21, 2005 - Msg 32322: The 20's, Salty Dog?! That would be considered warm where I am.

Hey Spot! I'll help ya'll with building the hot tub. Yep, that sounds like a plan. We'll have to do that sometime. ...maybe.
Yeah, it might take a while but heck, what's your hurry?. :)

-Sterling Holobyte

December 22, 2005 - Msg 32323: Boy the HOT TUB would feel good this morning here in ga...mid 20"s...will start the framing under the porch just after Christmas...thanks for the breakfast Rev..Sterling will take ya up on running the framing crew..lunch will be sub"s...loaded..chips and fanta grape soda...well let me get started here at work...SPOT
December 22, 2005 - Msg 32324: 'Morning, all. I just got home from working a 16-hr shift, and I'm pooped! My knee looks like a softball, and is doing some significant aching. Why I let them talk me into those four extra hours last evening, I don't know, and I'll bet I won't do it again. The unit was busy, but they'd have made it without me, and my knee wouldn't be hurting so much. Twelve hours is hard enough, but 16 is just ridiculous, especially when I'm on my feet most of the time. I just don't know how Olive over at the diner does it, working the breakfast crowd like she does, then right on through lunch and into dinner. I think we should all leave her an extra quarter tip next time we eat there.

Well, I'm headed for the bed for a couple of hours, then up and finish my shopping (almost done), come home and get it wrapped, then my daughter and grandson arrive this evening! Woohoo! Christmas is here, and I just love it!

Salty, congrats on the new babies. The Plum said she'll wait until they're past the crying stage, then will come play with them. Good to see you, and please keep coming back! We've missed you.

Sugarplum says ho, ho, ho! --Romeena
December 22, 2005 - Msg 32325: Good Morning Porch!! Leaving for Florida and Christmas vacation with the family in a few hours and the kids are bouncing off the walls. Just before I left I wanted to share this special poem with my dear Mayberry family. This is written by a gentleman that I work with and with his permission I give it to you as my Christmas present:

The Miracle
by Geoff Hawthorne



"Just ten more days 'till Christmas",
Was the tired shop assistant's plea,
Her customer said, "I can't wait 'till it's over",
She answered, "Boy! You're telling me.".
The season is always so busy,
Some people have just had enough of it,
What a terrible crime such a beautiful time,
Can be spoiled by the time leading up to it.

"Christmas", a time we give presents,
A time we need money to burn,
When just to provide and keep "Christmas" alive,
You could spend even more than you earn.
"Christmas", a time to be happy,
When we hope that the best in us shows,
But most, 'neath the cloak feel it's just a weak joke,
In the face of the world and it's woes,

"Christmas", a time for believing,
In the wonder of Santa's great sleigh,
In trips through the sky with reindeer that fly,
And Rudolph, who's leading the way.
They're fairytales we tell our children,
While reality so gently calls,
It's a much greater wonder to find we acknowledge,
The child in the manger at all.

We've really created a Christmas,
That tells us to buy and to spend,
'Till we're nervous and ready to drop in the name,
Of peace and good will to all men.
While the child in the manger was peaceful and still,
A miracle few understand,
The miraculous birth of a miracle child,
Who grew to a miracle man.

His life was filled with a power so great,
Most people can scarce comprehend,
For He healed the sick with a touch or a word,
While promising life without end.
He walked on the waves like he walked on the earth,
Gave sight to the blind, healed the deaf,
And claimed to be truth embodied to see,
Then proved it by rising from death.

With Christmas so full of distractions and stress,
We miss what the season should say,
That the miracle child, the miracle man,
The wonderful Lord lives today.
The life that He lived, so humble in love,
Split time as we know it in two,
And each time we write down the date with the year,
We suggest the whole story is true.

The fire of His rising from death can't be quenched,
Though two thousand years have near passed,
Declaring in love that He'll truly indwell,
Sincere willing souls who'll just ask.
To each soul that comes to accept God the Son,
He has promised what all can prove true,
In heart and in mind, through life and through time,
The miracle, living in you.

Merry Christmas and Happy Birthday Jesus we Love You!

I appreciate it and Good Night!

Smoky Mtn Hillbilly
December 22, 2005 - Msg 32326: Spot, I'll be glad to help with building that hot tub but don't ask me to go under there with those spiders! Nice poem, SMH.

This will be an especially merry Christmas as we will be announcing to our families that Mrs. Me-They and I are expecting a new blessing in July. It will be our third. The Lord has been so good to us. So, all you Porchsters are among the very first to hear our good news.

I usually post here at work, and I'll be off after today and for the next four days, so I want to wish everyone here on the porch the VERY MERRIEST OF CHRISTMASES. I pray you all have a joyous, safe holiday. Christ is born!

Me-They

December 22, 2005 - Msg 32327: Well, I'm back at homebase safe and sound. Will have about a week of downtime, which will be great. Roads were pretty decent this trip. Will have Christmas with my church family. You all get there to and as that beautiful poem above says: the miracle Child lives today in us! MERRY CHRISTMAS!
You new friend and hiway jockey,
Fred Goss
December 22, 2005 - Msg 32328: Romeena: Do you work at a hospital? I'm just curious. You said you usually work 12 hour shifts and referred to your "unit." My wife is an RN and works three 12 hour night shifts a week. It works out for us so we don't have to get childcare (I'm a regular 9 to 5er). Anyway, just curious. Get some sleep.

Me-They
December 22, 2005 - Msg 32329: good morning neighbors, as with most of you i'm real busy right now but wanted to check in. is it to late for me to be good so i get the loads of presents this year? smky mtn hillbilly- thanks for the wonderful reminder, there isn't nough reminders this day. yesterday i went christmas shopping for mamma bear, as usual i wanted a special card. i was horified as i went dtore to store to find omly a couple cards at each store saying merry christmas on them and they weren't anything to brag about. it reminded me of the shopw bea arther of the golden girls when she had a seiers called maude. she turned to her husband and would say god will get you for this and i'm afraid she was ahead of her time barely. they said on cnn today that evidence is surfacing that during katrina that some doctors just euthanized some of the really sick, elderly etc. also the fbi has been in some of the anti- iraq movement undercover photographing the demonstraters and in one case started a small riot to see who had violent tendencies. like maude said god will get us if we don't have a real rependence movement soon. soap box imploded. salty dog- WE'VE REALLY MISSED YOU AND PRAYED YOU'D BE ON THE PORCH SOON. WE WORRY ABOUT ALL OF YOU. can you make a batch using wall paper paste, i'd like to see the fun. rev- your words to boo are so true, have you ever said something to a younger person, trying to spare pain only to find planting a seed in the form of a question coated with honey how they usually work it out for themselves? where's asa, charlotte tucker and the rest. hey to mdc, spot, sterling,romeena, and the rest of the porch. MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPpy birthday to our lord and savior, jesus. pappa bear
December 22, 2005 - Msg 32330: Hi all, Sterling here. I found this on another board. Liked it, thought you might as well:

This story is about the W in Christmas.


Each December, I vowed to make Christmas a calm and peaceful experience.


I had cut back on nonessential obligations - extensive card writing,
endless baking, decorating and even overspending.

Yet, still, I found
myself
exhausted, unable to appreciate the precious family moments and of
course, the true meaning of Christmas.



My son, Sean, was in kindergarten that year.

It was an exciting season
for a six year old.

For weeks, he'd been memorizing songs for his
school's
"Winter Pageant".


I didn't have the heart to tell him I'd be working the night of the
production. Unwilling to miss his shining moment, I spoke with his
teacher.

She assured me there'd be a dress rehearsal the morning of the
presentation. All Parents unable to attend that evening were welcome to
come then.

Fortunately, Sean, seemed happy with the compromise.


So, the morning of the dress rehearsal, I filed in ten minutes early,
found a spot on the cafeteria floor and sat down.

Around the room, I saw
several other parents quietly scampering to their seats.

As I waited,
the students were led into the room. Each class, accompanied by their
teacher, sat cross-legged on the floor.

Then, each group, one by one,
rose to perform their song.

Because the public school system had long
stopped referring to the holiday as "Christmas", I didn't expect
anything other than fun
commercial entertainment songs of reindeer, Santa Claus, snowflakes and
good cheer.

So, when my son's class rose to sing, "Christmas Love," I
was
slightly taken aback by its bold ti-tle.

Sean was aglow, as were all of
his classmates, adorned in fuzzy mittens, red sweaters and bright
snowcaps upon their heads.

Those in the front row - center stage - held
up large letters, one by one, to spell out the ti-tle of the song. As the
class would sing "C is for Christmas," a child would hold up the letter
C. Then, "H is for Happy," and on and on, until each child holding up
his portion had presented the complete message, "Christmas Love."


The performance was going smoothly, until suddenly, we noticed her, a
small, quiet girl in the front row holding the letter "M" upside down -
totally unaware her letter "M" appeared as a "W".

The audience of the
1st through 6th graders snickered at this little one's mistake, but she
had no idea they were laughing at her, so she stood tall, proudly
holding her "W". Although many teachers tried to shush the children, the
laughter continued until the last letter was raised, and we all saw it
together.


A hush came over the audience and eyes began to widen.

In an instant, we
understood the reason we were there, why we celebrated the holiday in
the first place, why even in the chaos, there was a purpose for our
festivities.


For when the last letter was held high, the message read loud and clear:



"C H R I S T W A S L O V E"



And I believe, He still is.

Amazed in His presence...humbled by His
Love...Blessings for this Christmas time and for the New Year to Come!


December 22, 2005 - Msg 32331: Ok me-they...we will get the lumber next week for the deck extention and bracing....hey pappa,smh,fred,..where is the rest of the gang...?..tonight its beef tips and rice....SPOT
December 22, 2005 - Msg 32332: Thanks to whoever posted last. That was cool!
Pappa- good to see you, kidneys and all! How's mammabear doing there in frozen Lincoln? Hope you have the brown truck all ready and loaded up!
You got clearance from the FAA, so let's go! Yippie.
Homemaker, that candy may be ugly lookin' but it sure sounds good! mmmm
AFD - the dipper name is an old highschool basketball nickname. I am tallm and lanky and played some bball (at one time).
I listened to Andy Griffith's Christmas Guest CD last night! Such a beautiful story and an even greater rendition by ole Ange. Love his singing on the cd as well. Hope some of you other porchsters have it.
RO- take a well diserved rest. As ole Doc Andrews would say -soak it! A little epson salts will do the trick.
"...with the dawn of redeeming grace, Jesus,LORD at thy birth!" Amen, Alleluia!
Have a good one!

MDC

December 22, 2005 - Msg 32333: Oh, I think that was me, MDC. Sorry, I put my name at the top instead of at the bottom.
Unless you're thinking of Spot, since he did post last. :)
-Sterling Holobyte
December 22, 2005 - Msg 32334: Merry Christmas to everybody on the front porch.EARNEST T. BASS
December 22, 2005 - Msg 32335: Yes sterling, i meant yours, thanks.
Welcome earnest T!
Fred, glad you are back safely. have a great Christmas.
More later folks,
MDC
December 22, 2005 - Msg 32336:
A "Christmas" thought that could only come from a TAGS episode:
Opie: Pa, are we poor?
Andy:No, were not poor. We got a roof over our heads, Aunt Bee, the finest food you ever put in your mouth. Barney as a friend. In some ways, I'd say we are RICH.
Barney: Ya see Op, it aint only the materialistic things in this world that makes a person rich. Theres love and theres friendship.
THAT can make a person rich.
Andy: I dont believe Ive ever heard it said any better!

Have a good evening, back to my relatives, love and friendship! (:
MDC
December 22, 2005 - Msg 32337: Spot..Good seeing ya at the waffle house this morning. It was a pretty good crowd. Be sure to let me know when the lumber comes in for your hot tub.
Has everyone got all their shopping done? Two more days. Better be getting it done.
To all of you...BE BLESSED!!
--Rev.
December 22, 2005 - Msg 32338: Oh my, I have been so blessed by the posts tonight! What a beautiful outpouring of praise and love. You are all just the best. The poem the AMH posted really spoke to me, and the above story. I have been in such a busy rush that I needed to read them both.

Thanks for the advice and the prayers, Rev. I really do want to do things God's way.

MDC, I will email you after I step off the porch, thanks.

I wanted to tell you about a dream I had this week that was such a blessing to me. I dreamed that I was standing on a battlefield after a battle and I saw a young man, just a boy really, lying under an army blanket on the ground. He was badly hurt and looked terrible. There were others standing around me but they just stood there looking at the boy and then started to back away from him. I looked at him and just knew that he was Jesus, so I went to him and got down on the ground next to him and held him. He didn't look anything like one would picture Jesus to look but somehow in my heart I knew it was him and nothing was going to stop me from trying my best to comfort him in his suffering. The dream quickly changed and I found myself kneeling at the feet of Jesus in the form we normally think of him. He had dark hair and a beard and he was sitting down in front of me. I looked up at him and he was looking at me. He reached down and kissed me. I can remember what the kiss felt like in the dream and it was wonderful. I think maybe he was saying thank you. It was one of those dreams that feels so real you just can't forget it and it was a reminder to me that what we do for others, we do for him. Just wanted to share that with you and encourage you to "give" to Jesus this Christmas by helping someone in need. It would be a gift to Him on his birthday.

Love,
Boo
December 23, 2005 - Msg 32339: boo- thanks for the inspiration, if only we could stop and see the face of jesus in everyone what a great world it would be. often times people who look different, dress different, poor and folks look at them much like the rich man looked at lazarasus, again thanks. it bothers me that american chruches in several chruches cancelling christmas day services citing poor attendence forecast, what ever happened to the bibical approach where two or more are gathered in my name there i will be. well i thank god our chruch will have regular services at regular times. and i'm grateful for each of you, merry christmas and happy birthday lord jesus. pappa bear
December 23, 2005 - Msg 32340: to keep the two sets of toughts seperate i posted twice. rev- that waffle house breakfast with spot and the gang sure hit the spot,no pun intended. spot can you call me when the hot tub is completed? i thought i'd me a mr wheeler, spray a little roses and enjor life while you worked, i thought that episode was great cause poor andy worked himselve to a frazzel while the handyman sit. typical uncle joe, petticoat junction. ernest t. bass- great seeing you, sure hope you drop by more often. i hear mrs wiley is throwing a big christmas eveparty for you and romeena might dance once with you if you ask nice. mdc- the brown truck is loaded ready for delivery. i didn't file a fly plan with the faa cause it takes monthe to get anything done in washington. hello sterling, fred goss and others i might have missed. merry christmas, charlotte tucker, homemaker, mrs wily, asa, mayberry deputy, floyd, goober, quiet sam, ky girl, dixie, possum, plum, miss sherry, tom, auh20, mavis, emma, fun girl, to name a fe- have a great christmas, wherever you are, remember, your loved and your rocker awaits you. pappa bear
December 23, 2005 - Msg 32341: Morning Rev and MDC im tall and lanky also..I was a baseball player myself...hey pappa...slow here at work ....may leave early...tonight is dinner at my mom and dads...everyone welcome...SPOT
December 23, 2005 - Msg 32342: Hi gang. SPOT- then you "get it." (: Wilt Chamberlain was often called the Big Dipper. I got to be called the"Little Dipper" by teammates, then soon just "the dipper" and it has stuck. Even when we have reunions, etc. ,that's what they call me! haha
Pappa- I filed your flight plan last March, so all would be ok, Just got approved haha.
PAPPA- Since you cant get to the Rifleman site, I'll bring it to you for a moment. Abby (a wonderful teen and budding writer has done a really nice McCain Christmas story. (For any interested, she has thru several stories, "continued" the saga of Lucas and Mark McCain from where the show left off when it was cancelled.) The site is case sensitive, so hit each letter exactly to bring it up.
http://204.186.116.188/Abby-Xmastory.htm
Enjoy
More later if I can get to the keyboard!
Love and friendship to all! It's very "ther-a-pi-tic!" ha
MDC
December 23, 2005 - Msg 32343: Boo- what a wonderful dream, wish i had a few like that! So cool! Thanyk you Lord!
MDC
December 23, 2005 - Msg 32344: Very nice dream Boo.
Merry Christmas porch pals.

Asa
December 23, 2005 - Msg 32345: Hey to the PORCH! Hope everyone is ready to get all snuggled in their beds with visions...you know. Been a busy week getting ready for Christmas...but been remembering to be thankful and mindful of what the season is all about.

I hope everyone here has a Mayberry kind of Christmas...one filled with love, peace and grati-tude for the greatest gift of all!

Ya'll be good...and be sure to leave Santa goodies...it's a long night for the old guy!

Goober...
YO!!!
December 23, 2005 - Msg 32346: Hey to you goob, and all you fine porchsters!
I'll be away from keyboard for a few days now with all the relatives and festivities. Have a Merry Christmas, make that pastor open up on the 25th, haha, and the best of Jesus to you all!
Mr Darlin's Cuz
December 23, 2005 - Msg 32347: Pappa Bear...A great big AMEN to that (Msg.32339)

Spot...Tell your mom & dad thanks for dinner tonight.

Folks, when you come and sit a spell on the porch you feel like you've been to a church fellowship.

Just a little story...Every since my daughter was old enough to know anything we have always made Jesus a birthday cake for Christmas. Well this year she headed off to college. But when she came home this week for the holidays, the first thing she asked was what kind of cake are we going to bake for Jesus. I thank God that that's still in her heart no matter if she is in the "big world".
Bless you all
--Rev.

December 23, 2005 - Msg 32348: I just popped in for a minute and see rev and ASA! Hope ya all been ok. Asa, did the ice and snow knock out your isp?? Good to see ya all.
Ok, now. Merry Christmas
MDC

December 23, 2005 - Msg 32349: Thank you MDC. Been very nice here this week actually. Got up to 55 today. May get to go play a round of golf tomorrow believe it or not. Just been swamped at work trying to get some big projects wrapped up before years end. Now I get to enjoy 5 days off and boy do I need it.

Good to see Salty Dog back with us. Can't never have enough critters on the porch.

Asa
December 23, 2005 - Msg 32350: Hey guys and gals!...had a great time at mom and dads today for Christmas..going to miss sherrys tomorrow..kids and all....got plenty of left overs for all...got to be at work to keep the porch loghts on at 8 tomorrow night...miss sherry got me a home gym...very nice one ...hey goober,mdc,afd,boo,asa,ky,pappa.hazel,got it MDC,well got to wrap some more...I hop in the morning on pappa.....Great Season Is here....SPOT
December 23, 2005 - Msg 32351: Asa, you callin me a critter? Good to see you too. Hope you enjoy your day out on the links tee hee.

I braved the grocery store tonight. People are just crazy this time of year. I thought I was around a bunch of moody gypsies. Hope everyone has a good Christmas Eve. Love Salty Dog
December 24, 2005 - Msg 32352: Howdy, yesterday I forgot to congratulat Me-They on his wife's pregnancy. May God bless your family!

Guess what I've got howlin' in the back yard? That's right, another stray dog! My sister found him today. Someone dropped him at her church and he is the ugliest little dog. He is blond with the wirey hair that terriers get. He has yellow eyes and a hairlip. Poor baby is so lost. I feel sorry for him. We are going to take him to the shelter next week but its going to be hard to do. We have been calling him "Jingles".

Well, he is outside my bedroom window barking and its after midnight so I had better go put him in the garage for the night. Ya'll have a wonderful Christmas Eve tomorrow!

Love, Boo
December 24, 2005 - Msg 32353: Merry Christmas porch pals. Having a family party in a few so I'll be busy tonight. Hope your Christmas eve and day is wonderful.

Asa
December 24, 2005 - Msg 32354: HI ALL. MDC THANK YOU FOR THE CAR IT CAME TODAY.
MERRY CHRISTMA .
LOVE TOM.
December 24, 2005 - Msg 32355: Merry Christmas Tom and ASA!! Hope you are staying warm.

Guess what MDC did for me? He helped me locate my old friends in Phoenix and I heard from them today. What a wonderful Christmas gift. Thanks MDC!

Have to get ready for candlelight service tonight. Love to all!

Boo
December 24, 2005 - Msg 32356: Merry Christmas porch...congrats me-they!..here at work now till morning...all is quite...kids will be over at noon tomorrow....left overs from Mis Sherrys for all!...man had some kind of mash taters with sour cream and cheese in them ...good..honey baked ham and dressing ...got a gold cross for my neckles..veery nice..well let me get settled in here at the power company ...raining here in Ga....signed:SPOT the"got my red nose on" dog of your porch
December 24, 2005 - Msg 32357: Merry Christmas to all the Porchsters!
*****Ho Ho Ho*****
possum under a rock
December 24, 2005 - Msg 32358: Merry Christmas to all the porchters! Keeping you in thought and prayer,
~ Mrs. Wiley

In our local news: "Bring back Baby Jesus" signs surround a Nativity scene where someone stole the Child Jesus a week ago. Let's hope the thief decides to return Him.

December 24, 2005 - Msg 32359: Merry Christmas Eve to everyone on the porch. I had to work today for a few hours but it was not bad, I had candy and cookies brought to me lol.

On the down side, someone syphoned (sp) over a half a tank of diesel out of one of the Fire Departments Tankers today. Unreal the levels people stoop to. Just burns me up. The kicker of it was that the tanker was sitting out in broad daylight in the parking lot too.

Hope you all have a very blessed Christmas Day. Love and prayers to you all --Salty Dog
December 24, 2005 - Msg 32360: Hey salty thats terrible....hey possum,hm hope the nativity scene get back to norm...boo and ro where are yall?..mdc and Rev and goober hope yall have a blessed day tomorrow...well back to my movie ...lights are all on!...lets just have pop tarts and milk in the morning while kids play...we will have a good lunch and dinner...SPOT
December 25, 2005 - Msg 32361: Sounds good Spot
You all have a wonderful Christmas with your family and loved ones.
And I guess this would be a good time to say to all of you, thanks for allowing me to be a part of this Porch family!
--Rev.
December 25, 2005 - Msg 32362: I'm right here, SPOT, to wish you a Merry Christmas!

Dear Rev, it is our blessing to have you as part of our porch family. I hope you will always be.

I should be sleeping but it is so hard for me to go to sleep on Christmas Eve (since I was a kid). I am exhausted from all the prep of the holidays but my eyes are wide open. We had a nice Christmas eve service at church and then met with family and opened a few gifts. Sure am thankful to have them all together again. Thanks Lord.

"Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night..."

Boo
December 25, 2005 - Msg 32363: MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE
MAYBERRY DEPUTY
December 25, 2005 - Msg 32364: MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE AND MAY YOUR NEW YEAR BE THE BEST EVER. PAPPA& MAMMA BEAR
December 25, 2005 - Msg 32365: Thanks to you Mayberry Deputy and Papa and Mama Bear. It has been very nice on my porch.
I hope you all have a great Christmas. And Salty, try to keep fuel in them Fire engines, would you?:)

Asa
December 25, 2005 - Msg 32366: Boo, that is just grand!!!
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL YOU FINE FOLKS!!
AND A prayer goes up for all our military! god bless em all!
Peace!
MDC Love to you all
December 25, 2005 - Msg 32367: MERRY CHRISTMAS ALL....done for the day..headed to work not for the night ...kids and miss sherry and i had a blast ..lots of nice things..plenty of leftovers still...get a plate for later.....hey ro,MDC,Rev,possum,salty,pappa,asa,hm,TOM,goober...gosh seems like the regular porchsters group is getting smaller,sure hope not ..well God Bless all and i will holler at yall from work...SPOT
December 25, 2005 - Msg 32368: Merry christmas to all the porch !Sorry i haven't had a chance to stop by,been too busy.But,it has all settled down now,and,I'm getting supper ready,we are having spaghetti it will be done in about 45 minutes,you all come over and eat.Glad to hear you all are having a wonderful christmas.We are too,and,a friend brought me homemade peanut butter balls,pappa bear!I have eaten 4or5 already,I'll probably have 4or5 more by midnight!haha!As soon as I seen them ,I thought of you!There is some kind of show on tv ,analyzing jesus' birth,his earthly parents,etc.It's amazing how much time they took making this,trying to doubt everything in the bibles story of his birth.I'm changing to tv land!Gotta close for now,God Bless you ,all of your friendships are so dear to me!Take Care-ky girl
December 25, 2005 - Msg 32369: sprinkle some cheese on my spaghetti ky girl please and pass a roll...SPOT
December 25, 2005 - Msg 32370: MERRY CHRISTMAS, EVERYONE! (It's not quite midnight here, I just got in under the wire, I guess!)

I had a lovely Christmas weekend, and reading the posts, it sounds like everyone else did, too. There were big celebrations and small ones, and some who only celebrated in their hearts, but sometimes that can be the best kind. God bless you, each and every one.

Sugarplum says hey! --Romeena
December 25, 2005 - Msg 32371: ATTENTION Fellow Porchters!
VCR ALERT
At 1:54 am, on the 26th of December, the following re-broadcast will air.

Go back to what you were doing.
Merry Christmas!
jennieboone

Ceremony
Presidential Medal of Freedom
White House, East Room
Washington, District of Columbia (United States)

President Bush presented the nation's highest civilian award, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, to honor 14 individuals for an especially meritorious contribution to the security or national interests of the United States, to world peace, or to cultural or other significant public or private endeavors.

The recipients were Muhammad Ali, Carol Burnett, Aretha Franklin, Alan Greenspan, Vincent Cerf and Robert Kahn for designing the language that led to the Internet, Jack Nicklaus, Andy Griffith, Paul Rusesabagina for sheltering hundreds during the Rwandan genocide, Paul Harvey, former Rep. Sonny Montgomery (D-MS), Soviet historian Robert Conquest, retired Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Richard Myers, and Hall of Fame baseball player Frank Robinson.

December 25, 2005 - Msg 32372: Hope everyone is having a Merry Christmas!

You know, on the way to the car at my sister-in-law's house last night, I noticed that it was eerily quiet outside. I mean really quiet! I know that this is a small town and all but I have never "heard" it that quiet. Since it was Christmas Eve I stated to my wife and Kai, "wow, talk about Silent Night, Holy Night."
And that is just how I felt, too. It was as if the whole world was reflecting on the birth of Jesus, and all certainly was ...calm.

Have a calm, and bright, peaceful night everyone.
-Sterling Holobyte
December 25, 2005 - Msg 32373: Thanks for the heads-up, Jennieboone!
-Sterling Holobyte
December 25, 2005 - Msg 32374: Thanks, and hey jennie, sterling...and all late nightsters..calm here at work at about 12:40 am..watching john wayne movies..had the last of the GOOD Christmas food just a bit ago...guess im back to cooking!..lets all meet at the cracker barrell in the morning....I got a 50 dollar gift card for Christmas...we can blow it!...well I really do hope everyone had as good of Christmas as my family and I ...well back to the movies....lights are on!..SPOT
December 26, 2005 - Msg 32375: Well morning porch...almost quiting time for me ..dont have to be back till thu. at 8 am..got to get the house cleaned up from Christmas ...will see yall at the cracker barrel on me...hope you all have a mayberry kind of day!..will have a big pot of homemade veg. beef soup for supper...will some one cook some cornbread?..I will make the tea...signed:SPOT the"ready to get between the sheets" dog of your porch..
December 26, 2005 - Msg 32376: good morning porch pals. i hope you all survived christmas, we had a great one, and if your like me i'm to worn out to move, almost. spot- by the time i posted this one your snuggled in your dog house sawing logs. i'll be doing that off and on for the next couple of days. pappa bear almost an ex- mayor retired.
December 26, 2005 - Msg 32377: Thanks Spot. I love Cracker Barrel.
Hope everyone had a good Christmas. We sure did. Went to preaching in the morning for a wonderful program of music and word, then came home and opened presents, then went and did some visiting with some older relatives. Topped it off at home with everyone over to our house with a nice Christmas dinner. As Bob Cratchet would say "I made rather merry yesterday." Problem now is it's only Monday and trash day ain't till Friday, and my garbage can is already over flowing. Anyone else got that problem?

Asa
December 26, 2005 - Msg 32378: Hey Asa,no I'm happy to say I only had that problem for a day,my trash is picked up on Mondays.It was kind of funny this morning,our garbage man usually doesn't come until about 11am,so,I took the trash out and sat it on the side yard of my front porch,so all I would have to do in the morning was move it to the curb.My husband heard the garbage truck,at about 9am,so he ran outside and flagged them down before they got to the end of our street.all the neighbors came out and put thier garbage at the curb to be picked up,and,they were thanking him for stopping the garbage man!haha!He was serious about getting the garbage hauled away!Any of you getting tired of trying to get the toys out of the boxes,with all the twist ties and plastic holders they have holding them in?The worst ones i had to get open this year were Bratz dolls,and the dancing Dora doll.Talk to you all in a little while-ky girl
December 26, 2005 - Msg 32379: Hey Y'all! Happy Day after Christmas! Hope everybody had a wonderful holiday-mine was very nice.
Ky girl,my nieces all got those Bratz dolls(which are BEYOND ugly in my opinion!)and I helped get them out of the boxes-the toy makers sure don't make it easy,do they? Remember when we were little and used to get Barbie clothes that were held to the cardboard by threads? I used to think getting those out was a pain in the you-know-what,but this new way of doing things beats all! Don't forget the tape you have to pull off BEFORE you can even try to get the plastic things and twist ties off-geesh!
Well,gonna scoot down off the Porch for now.Just wanted to pop in and say "hey!" Have a good night y'all!
*****SMILES*****
possum under a rock

December 26, 2005 - Msg 32380: Glad to see so many porchsters had a Merry Christmas! We did here too. I finally got 2nd season DVD collection. Am enjoying it immensely. "So they're not worth a tiddly-boo?" --Frank Myers. Hope everyone is enjoying any time they have off from work. My kids sure are enjoying a break from school and a few days off from sports practices.
Charlotte Tucker
December 26, 2005 - Msg 32381: Good evening, everyone. Glad to hear everyone had such a lovely Christmas. I spent much of today dipping piles of huge leaves out of the fishpond. That's going to be a problem every year, I can tell. Will have to devise some method o keeping them out, but anything I think of sounds like a lot of trouble and very unsightly. Hmmm. Will have to work on that.

About difficult-to-liberate toys - I saw my son with a screwdriver, removing screws that were holding one of my grandson's toys anchored to the package. Now that's pretty bad!

Our trash men come tomorrow, and I'm glad. It's a pretty big pile of bags, and some are getting a bit rank. You'd think in December the garage would be like a refrigerator and there would not be a problem, but my garage stays at about 65 degrees, on average. It's well insulated, including the door, and even in the coldest weather it never gets colder than about 50, so trash can be a problem.

You know, I don't remember ever seeing Andy or Aunt Bee putting trash out. Wonder how they got rid of theirs? Some little towns allow burning, or at least they used to, but I never saw them do that, either.

Sugarplum says hey! --Romeena
December 26, 2005 - Msg 32382: Hi Ro, I don't think our town allows burning of trash but I have a redneck next door who was burning some today and probably sucking on a beer can while doing it (same guy with the dogs, pigs, and wandering goats).

Christmas is over and it is sad but kind of nice at the same time. The weather here has been amazing, just perfect for the kids to be outside playing with their new toys. We spent the day yesterday at my in-laws in their little town in the country. We enjoyed it, very relaxing, which is just what I needed. I didn't do much today but veg on the couch to try and recover from all the acticities of the past weeks.

Asa, very luckily our trash day was today. I don't know what we would do if we had to wait until Friday! Good luck with that.

Its funny you should mention how hard it is to get the toys out of the package. I have never seen it so bad. I mean you have to sit down with a trash bag, a knife, scissors, and a screwdriver to free the toys! Took me forever and I still have some to do. I don't get it. Why does a 10 dollar doll from the Dollar Store need to be more secure than a Brinks truck?!

To answer your question about Andy's trash, Ro. I'll just bet they had an imaginary alley behind the house where they kept the trash cans. Heehee

I think I will think about getting to bed early. Ya'll have a pleasant evening!

Boo
December 26, 2005 - Msg 32383: PS-we still have "Jingles" the dog with the cleft lip. Looks like he might stay. No way can I send this one to the shelter. He is the sweetest dog I ever met. Too bad.

Boo
December 26, 2005 - Msg 32384: Hello everyone. It was another great day that the Lord has made!

Well Boo...looks like Jingles has a good home now!! You look into that cute little face and it just steals your heart.

Spot....Hope you got caught up on your rest.

You all have a good nights sleep. Praying for you folks!!
--Rev.

December 27, 2005 - Msg 32385: Good morning porchsters, hope everyone had a good Christrmas. Mine was good, just too rushed. I feel like I never really had time to do anything with all the running around. Not to mention all the eating lol.

My trash guy came yesterday as well, he said he was swamped to put it lightly. Poss, I gotta agree with you on the bratz dolls those things are so ugly. What happened to the cute little dolls we used to get as kids?

Hope ya'll have a good day!--Salty Dog
December 27, 2005 - Msg 32386: i hope everyone is getting back up to speed, as we age it seems it takes us a few days to get our bodies hitting on all cylinders. i'm so happy to see you'll, hi charlotte tucker, salty dog,ky girl, rev, boo,asa we've kept the snow off your rockers praying you'd check in- we've missed you. sounds like we all had a great andSAFE CHRISTMAS . you were talking about how toys have changed over the years, just heard the most popular, toys being brought back as retro toys are atarie games pac- folks, mario, cabbage patch and board games of old. to name a few. i like the idea but wonder if they're trying to get us ready for a retirement homes? hopefully we can start a mayberry retirement home. wouldn't that be something? mdc- are you back in your groove yet? breakfast at cracker barreel or the blue bird diner on salty dog. tee- hee. have a great week. as always, your ole pappa bear