Monday, December 31, 2012Tonight's picture was taken in December of 2008. This was our last Christmas season with Mattie. That was a rough holiday, however, in comparison to now, it was much easier. Which is saying a lot, since in 2008 we were dealing with living in a hospital, no privacy, constant stress, fear, and instability. Several of Mattie's support team members gave him Christmas gifts, and as you can see he attached Santa to his wheelchair and put the Christmas stockings on his feet rather than hanging them up! Also featured was a 'Dunkin Donuts' Donut in Mattie's hand. That was one of his foods of choice while undergoing chemotherapy. Some of my faithful blog readers may recall our motto.... one donut a day and everything will be okay!
Quote of the day: My life is now divided into two periods: With June and After June. I can't wrap my mind around the idea of it. ~ Hannah Harrington
I spent the day helping my mom in various ways from putting away Christmas decorations to going with her to buy plants and mulch and then adding flowers to her garden. Such a thing would be IMPOSSIBLE to do in Washington, DC. It is too cold to plant anything. But this isn't true in Southern California. It is hard to believe while we are struggling with 30 degree weather and snow, there are parts of this country which are green and sunny. It is quite a reality check! Any case, on December 31, I was outside sitting on the grass and planting. I head back to the cold on Thursday and soon this warmer climate will be just a memory.
We went out to dinner tonight and on our way home we decided to drive through the town to check out Christmas lights. One of my parent's friends told us about an incredible display. WOW were they correct! I tried to capture this sight on camera, but it just doesn't do it justice. When you drive up to this house, there is a sign out front which tells you to tune into 88.7FM on your car radio. The lights are timed to the music. The show is three minutes long and it is absolutely fantastic. I never saw anything like it!
This is another picture of the timed light show. When I tell you that every part of this house lights up, I am NOT kidding. The lawn, the roof, the trees, the house, and the walkway. It is amazing and so beautifully timed to Christmas music. 
The last song in the show is Auld Lang Syne. It was a beautiful white light display to ring in the new year. To all our blog readers, thank you for checking in on us throughout 2012. You made the year more bearable for us. We wish you the best of health and happiness in 2013, and we thank you for continuing on our journey with us. I end tonight's posting with an article about Auld Lang Syne. We certainly hear these words EVERY year, but how many of us really know the translation of this Scottish tune? Here it is. The answer to a perennial question of what on earth does “Auld Lang Syne” mean? The confusion over the song is arguably almost as much of a tradition as the song itself. As revelers stumble and mumble through the verses–singing the “auld lang syne” part much louder than the rest of the song because it’s really the only part people know–someone always asks what the words mean. The title of the Scottish tune translates to “times gone by” and is about remembering friends from the past and not letting them be forgotten.
Despite its strong association with New Year’s Eve, “Auld Lang Syne,” written by Robert Burns in the 1700s, was never intended to be a holiday song. Guy Lombardo is credited with popularizing the song when his band used it as a segue between two radio programs during a live performance at the Roosevelt Hotel in New York in 1929. By coincidence, they played “Auld Lang Syne” just after the clock hit midnight, and a New Year’s tradition was born.
The song, and the confusion that comes with it, has been immortalized in countless movies and TV shows. In “When Harry Met Sally,” Billy Crystal’s baffled Harry wonders, “What does this song mean? My whole life, I don’t know what this song means. I mean, ‘Should old acquaintance be forgot?’ Does that mean that we should forget old acquaintances. Or does it mean that if we happened to forget them, we should remember them, which is not possible because we already forgot them?” “Well, maybe it just means that we should remember that we forgot them or something,” Sally reasons. “Anyway, it’s about old friends.”
So as you surround yourself with friends old and new tonight, sing on.
And if you really want to impress people, here are the lyrics to the English translated version of the song you’ll probably hear:
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind?
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and auld lang syne?
CHORUS:
For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
we’ll take a cup of kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.
And surely you’ll buy your pint cup
and surely I’ll buy mine!
And we’ll take a cup o’ kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.
CHORUS
We two have run about the slopes,
and picked the daisies fine ;
But we’ve wandered many a weary foot,
since auld lang syne.
CHORUS
We two have paddled in the stream,
from morning sun till dine;
But seas between us broad have roared
since auld lang syne.
CHORUS
And there’s a hand my trusty friend !
And give us a hand o’ thine !
And we’ll take a right good-will draught,
for auld lang syne.
No comments:
Post a Comment