An Advent Calendar 2016

[Former Member]

Actually, now that I think about it, Red Herring in Running Shoes might be even more appropriate as the title.

[Slytherin]

I love my stuffed animals/stuffed toys and never get too old for them, I have them everywhere Don't hide your cute Teddy in the closet, Adi !

 

When I was about 14  my family  went to Paris to visit my sister who was in Paris as a au pair. One day we visited a big department store and in the toy section there where hundreds of different coloured teddy bears. Yellow, green, pink, turqouise etc.. I didn't have eyes for those colours though, my eyes and heart saw on a shelf in the middle one of the cutest teddy bears I have ever seen, he was small, blue and grumpy  I picked him up and hugged him and refused to let go, I told my parents that I would buy him with my "Christmas Money" and they finally agreed. They told med later that they and my sisters had plans to buy a Care Bear for my birthday a month later but they didn't know which one I wanted I got my Care Bear (since I refused to let go of him lol)  He is still with me, he lives in my bedroom and ever since then I use a Grumpy Bear as a avatar because Grumpy Bear rules !

 

Bring out your Teddy bear from the closet, Adi !

Edited December 15, 2016 by Slytherin

[Former Member]

My therapist seemed to find it interesting that I have a need to know exactly how my donations to charities are going to be used.

 

When I donate money, I give to groups that have a very specific goal. A couple years ago, I donated to the local Food Bank and to the local Fire Department's Toy Drive. I knew that the money would be used in ways that I could endorse.

 

Every holiday season, I donate particular items that I choose to the agency that I go to for (psych) therapy. They primarily serve the homeless and formerly homeless. In the past I've given them basic hygiene products, but have started to give more unusual items since others already contribute the most basic items. Some of the less unusual items I given have included generic chapstick and lotion – guys aren't usually given lotion, but guys would sometimes be asking for lotion for their ashy feet (an African-American equivalent of white people's 'dry, scaly skin').

 

The agency offers free showers on weekdays, but people keep stealing their towels. I ordered pretty much the cheapest towels I could find on Amazon and was shocked at how small the package of a dozen towels was. But as embarrassed as I was by the thinness, they were grateful for the donation and I found out that they were all stolen within a few months. (I suggested numbering the towels and checking them off the shower list as the showers were completed and the towel returned. A shelter I stayed at used to require leaving ID as a security deposit against towels – but not all homeless people have ID due to the cost.)

 

This year I donated men's boxer short underwear. Kind of in memory of a friend I met when I was homeless. He was an alcoholic and a recovered heroin- and methadone-user. While staying at a shelter he was hospitalized. While he was gone, other shelter residents stole his underwear. Even if they are available, I personally think it's too weird to wear someone else's used underwear! So I've made the request that the underwear I donated be only be given to people who actually need them.

 

If you think about all the things you "can't live without" you can start a list of all the things a homeless person might be missing right now. And if you ask a homeless person what things they "can't live without" you find out just how much you take for granted. It's very humbling.

[Aditus]

Door#16 is open.  I hope everything works, because I'm half asleep still.

[dughlas]

Thank you droughtquake. You've given me pause to rethink my giving. Namaste.

[Former Member]

Thank you droughtquake. You've given me pause to rethink my giving. Namaste.

 

Sorry, I ran out of likes while getting through Red Running Shoes and Lost & Found story topics.  ;-)

[Valkyrie]

TimM, this is a mistletoe ball:  

 

[Timothy M.]

TimM, this is a mistletoe ball:  

 

Ohh, very nice. I hadn't seen anything like that before. It's not a tradition in Denmark.

[Former Member]

Maybe you can make it international, Timothy M! Start a viral campaign to raise funds for homeless youth in Danmark…

 

Are you an equal opportunity kisser?  ;-)

[Former Member]

You know, I didn't think I'd read any of Valkyrie's stories before. And then I checked to see what she had written. I've read the Max and Elliot series, Lost and Found, and I started, but never finished The Hollow Hills (I think there was a gap in postings and I never restarted reading — let that be a lesson to slow writers like Timothy M and Aditus).

 

 

But where is Cole's Lost & Found story?

Edited December 16, 2016 by Former Member

[Valkyrie]

You know, I didn't think I'd read any of Valkyrie's stories before. And then I checked to see what she had written. I've read the Max and Elliot series and I started, but never finished The Hollow Hills (I think there was a gap in postings and I never restarted reading — let that be a lesson to slow writers like Timothy M and Aditus).

Yeah, there's been long delays in between posting chapters of "The Hollow Hills".  Now that the Special Antho stories are all completed, I have the time to focus on THH.  I'm hoping to get a large chunk of it written before the next antho is due.  I don't blame anyone for waiting until it's complete to start reading.  

[dughlas]

Mistletoe grows wild in the trees here in SC. You can see clumps of it clinging to the bare tree branches as you drive.

 

I believe the mistletoe tradition comes from England and the ancient druids.

Edited December 16, 2016 by dughlas

[Aditus]

Door#17 is almost open! Sorry, I'm late, but it's Saturday and I got to sleep in! Yay! 

[Timothy M.]

Maybe you can make it international, Timothy M! Start a viral campaign to raise funds for homeless youth in Danmark…

 

Are you an equal opportunity kisser?  ;-)

 

I am indeed   The campaign might be fun, but I'm not sure it would catch on here. Now, if it involved beer...

 

let that be a lesson to slow writers like Timothy M and Aditus.

 

Oh, I don't blame you if you want to wait until I've finished my stories, but you'll have to be patient. However, I hope to get some writing done over the Christmas holidays.

[Rndmrunner]

I know that this has been said many times, many ways, ...... This advent series is just wonderful.

 

For years we have had an advent calendar which gets refilled every year with chocolate or little plastic animals. My kid, now almost grown still checks daily with delight.

 

A lovely tradition and lovely memories

[Valkyrie]

Time for the big reveal!  Some stories were easier to guess this week than others, but Slytherin gets the gold star again, with Puppilull a close second.  Slytherin guessed all seven stories correctly, so WTG LBO!  Puppilull guessed six correctly, so well done to her also!   Can you believe there's only a week left?  

 

 

 

 

Door #10 - The First Noel by Valkyrie

 

I didn't fool anyone with my story about a man with aphasia.  It wasn't too hard to guess if you know that I'm a speech-language pathologist.  lol  There were four guesses for this story, all for me.  

 

Door #11 - Winter Garden by Cole Matthews

 

Cole didn't fool anyone with his wonderful tip about using dried flowers to create something very special.  It's not surprising given how much he loves his garden and his generous nature.  Only four guesses for this vignette also, all for Cole.  

 

Door #12 - The Gingerbread House by Valkyrie 

 

On December 12, 2008 (so eight years ago, not seven like I said in the story ) I signed the papers making me an official homeowner.  The six guesses for this memory were evenly split between me and Cole.  

 

Door #13 - Eternal Flame by Cole Matthews

 

This story had Cole's stamp all over it, and fooled none of the four guessers after they threw their damp tissues away.  

 

Door #14 - Star of Bethlehem by Valkyrie

 

Only three guesses for my Christmas haiku and rhyming couplet.  Two correct and one for Adi.

 

Door #15 - Cosi by Aditus

 

It was pretty obvious that our dear Adi is the owner of the precious Herr fan Tutte.    All six guesses were for our German friend.  

 

Door #16 - A Thousand Kisses by Aditus

 

I'm very honored that so many people thought I wrote this charming tale.  Four guesses for me and one correct guess for Adi.  Well spotted, LBO.    

 

 

 

[Puppilull]

Time for the big reveal!  Some stories were easier to guess this week than others, but Slytherin gets the gold star again, with Puppilull a close second.  Slytherin guessed all seven stories correctly, so WTG LBO!  Puppilull guessed six correctly, so well done to her also!   Can you believe there's only a week left?  

 

 

 

 

Door #10 - The First Noel by Valkyrie

 

I didn't fool anyone with my story about a man with aphasia.  It wasn't too hard to guess if you know that I'm a speech-language pathologist.  lol  There were four guesses for this story, all for me.  

 

Door #11 - Winter Garden by Cole Matthews

 

Cole didn't fool anyone with his wonderful tip about using dried flowers to create something very special.  It's not surprising given how much he loves his garden and his generous nature.  Only four guesses for this vignette also, all for Cole.

 

Door #12 - The Gingerbread House by Valkyrie 

 

On December 12, 2008 (so eight years ago, not seven like I said in the story ) I signed the papers making me an official homeowner.  The six guesses for this memory were evenly split between me and Cole.  

 

Door #13 - Eternal Flame by Cole Matthews

 

This story had Cole's stamp all over it, and fooled none of the four guessers after they threw their damp tissues away.  

 

Door #14 - Star of Bethlehem by Valkyrie

 

Only three guesses for my Christmas haiku and rhyming couplet.  Two correct and one for Adi.

 

Door #15 - Cosi by Aditus

 

It was pretty obvious that our dear Adi is the owner of the precious Herr fan Tutte.    All six guesses were for our German friend.  

 

Door #16 - A Thousand Kisses by Aditus

 

I'm very honored that so many people thought I wrote this charming tale.  Four guesses for me and one correct guess for Adi.  Well spotted, LBO.  

 

 

 

 

 

WOW! I'm actually really impressed by myself now. LOL 

 

Here in Sweden, we hang mistletoe and kiss, so it's a tradition here as well. Not in ball form, more twigs. 

[Emi GS]

TimM, this is a mistletoe ball:  

 

Gosh!!! I haven't seen a mistletoe up until now even though I had read stories here about it...

[Valkyrie]

I wanted to give a little background on the inspiration behind my story for Door #10 - The First Noel.  I've been a practicing speech-language pathologist for over twelve years now.  I began my career working in skilled nursing facilities, working with patients who had strokes, Parkinson's disease, traumatic brain injuries, dementia, and other neurogenic disorders.  I worked with an individual with symptoms much like Will's.  He had severe apraxia of speech, which meant that he knew exactly what he wanted to say, but wasn't able to get his muscles to form the right movements to produce intelligible speech.  He could get an occasional word out and could swear just fine, though.  He could also sing.  

 

I've done a lot of volunteer work advocating for my profession, and this past October I was in Albany for a meeting with other SLPs from across the state to discuss issues affecting our services.  The hotel's sales lady who rented us the meeting room stopped in to chat and told us about her father and his struggles after having a stroke.  He also had severe communication issues--aphasia in his case--but loved singing and Christmas carols in particular.  She relayed a story about how the recreational volunteers at the nursing home where he resided arranged a Christmas carol sing-along so he could participate.  

 

The same week as that meeting, I attended a conference where the presenter told us how she used to practice in a hospital setting, and one day her boss asked her to go to the ER to do an intake before she left to go home.  That intake turned out to be her husband, who had suffered a traumatic brain injury in a devastating car accident.  She told us about how her experience changed the way she practiced and dealt with her patients, knowing now what they were going through.  

 

I decided to combine all these experiences/memories into one story that conveyed how hope, determination, and love can help overcome adversity.  Thanks for reading and all the positive comments.  It really means a lot to me.   

[Slytherin]

Time for the big reveal!  Some stories were easier to guess this week than others, but Slytherin gets the gold star again, with Puppilull a close second.  Slytherin guessed all seven stories correctly, so WTG LBO!  Puppilull guessed six correctly, so well done to her also!   Can you believe there's only a week left?  

 

 

 

 

Door #10 - The First Noel by Valkyrie

 

I didn't fool anyone with my story about a man with aphasia.  It wasn't too hard to guess if you know that I'm a speech-language pathologist.  lol  There were four guesses for this story, all for me.  

 

Door #11 - Winter Garden by Cole Matthews

 

Cole didn't fool anyone with his wonderful tip about using dried flowers to create something very special.  It's not surprising given how much he loves his garden and his generous nature.  Only four guesses for this vignette also, all for Cole.

 

Door #12 - The Gingerbread House by Valkyrie 

 

On December 12, 2008 (so eight years ago, not seven like I said in the story ) I signed the papers making me an official homeowner.  The six guesses for this memory were evenly split between me and Cole.  

 

Door #13 - Eternal Flame by Cole Matthews

 

This story had Cole's stamp all over it, and fooled none of the four guessers after they threw their damp tissues away.  

 

Door #14 - Star of Bethlehem by Valkyrie

 

Only three guesses for my Christmas haiku and rhyming couplet.  Two correct and one for Adi.

 

Door #15 - Cosi by Aditus

 

It was pretty obvious that our dear Adi is the owner of the precious Herr fan Tutte.    All six guesses were for our German friend.  

 

Door #16 - A Thousand Kisses by Aditus

 

I'm very honored that so many people thought I wrote this charming tale.  Four guesses for me and one correct guess for Adi.  Well spotted, LBO.  

 

 

 

Wow ! Not so bad for this ordinary plain member, right  I love this idea of secret stories for each day in December counting down to Christmas

 

Next week I will probably have 0 right answers but today I am happy

 

 My Grumpy Teddy Bear waves to Adis Teddy

Edited December 17, 2016 by Slytherin

[Aditus]

And Addy's teddy waves back! 

 

Oh, yes! Door#18 is open!

[Puppilull]

I forgot to guess in my review, but I think this memory was from Cole.

[Slytherin]

My sister and her husband loved Christmas, we used to celebrate with them almost every year. He was so happy and everyone could see that he really enjoyed having a big Christmas party for all of us. He was alway behind the videocamera (this was a few years ago ) trying to capture every moment, when he didn't like anything he told us to do things over better "for the camera" and I used to tell him "enjoy now, put down the camera" He only laughed at me, silly LBO lol.

He died of leukemia five years ago. The disease came from nowhere and he died within a year. My sister is not a big fan of Christmas anymore, she usually travels abroad for a week or so just to get away from all the happy people.

 

The story the other day about the boy with leukemia made me think a lot of my brother in law, and todays story even more so. Thank you for sharing, secret author ( )

 

[Valkyrie]

My sister and her husband loved Christmas, we used to celebrate with them almost every year. He was so happy and everyone could see that he really enjoyed having a big Christmas party for all of us. He was alway behind the videocamera (this was a few years ago ) trying to capture every moment, when he didn't like anything he told us to do things over better "for the camera" and I used to tell him "enjoy now, put down the camera" He only laughed at me, silly LBO lol.

He died of leukemia five years ago. The disease came from nowhere and he died within a year. My sister is not a big fan of Christmas anymore, she usually travels abroad for a week or so just to get away from all the happy people.

 

The story the other day about the boy with leukemia made me think a lot of my brother in law, and todays story even more so. Thank you for sharing, secret author ( )

 

:hug:  

[Aditus]

Door#19 is open! Enjoy!