A Cupful of Hodgepodge

 

Welcome back to 2023's last Hodgepodge! 

Joyce is taking a well-deserved holiday break, but what you say, we give her a hand of thanks.  Raise your glasses!

Did you do more talking or more listening yesterday?  Was it by choice or by necessity?

I don't recall Tom and I saying more than a few words to one another yesterday!
Not due to upset -- I think we were just spent from the company.

I do usually keep a running monologue with Macie and Grace.  They're polite enough to look like they understand.

Are you a tea drinker?  Hot, cold, or both?  Flavored?  What do you like in your tea?  Do you make Christmas tea this time of year?  What time of day do you like to sip your tea?

I've tried -- but I'm not especially fond of tea.
This may not make sense, but it doesn't have the 'oomph' (texture) of a strong cup of coffee, a glass of port.

What's an activity you won't try, an event you won't attend, or an athletic challenge you won't take part in -- not for 'all the tea in China'?

Anything aviation-related ...
and ya, that extends to hot air balloon rides.

What's something most people seem to love but is not 'your cup of tea'?

Starbucks ... Disney ... sushi

How does your family celebrate New Year's Eve?

Aside from warming a bowl of black-eyed peas (tradition!!!), we do well to stay awake!

I do, however, still have warm memories of attending the 'burning bowl' service at the Unity church I attended in Clearwater, Florida.  I did a post about that back in 2009 ... here's an excerpt:

In brief, two candles are lit – one that stands for the old year, another signifying the New Year. Everyone is given a piece of paper on which we write whatever it is that we want to release.
We were cautioned, "No names, please – God’s not a ‘hit man’.”

After a time of prayer, each row is invited to come up. We stand for a moment, touch our paper to the light and inwardly just feel, “I release you and let you go.” The paper is then placed it in the Burning Bowl. This is a universal sort of thing – placing in the fire and releasing – as a way of convincing our consciousness that we have let it go!

Author Gay Williamson-Grigas writes, “Fire is frequently used at the beginning of a new year for cleansing and transforming – like the mythical Phoenix, rising from the ashes.”

“When we make time to acknowledge our emotional life through ritual and ceremony, we free ourselves up to love more, to forgive more, to be full of more of God’s grace, which is really the healing balm.”

Insert your own random thought here.

Here's a clip from Sunday's Christmas concert/sing-along.

Clemency & Friends "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen"
(New Orleans style)

Tom's little breakout (on sax) comes at 1:51

   

Hugs, Myra