Bill W

And you may never encounter it again, @Daddydavek, unless you decide to travel to Wales.

Great photos in the second and third links.

The Welsh word hiraeth derives from a Proto-Celtic root meaning "longing" or "grief," and comes from the Proto-Brythonic word hiraɨθ. It is formed by the Welsh word hir ("long") and the abstract noun suffix -aeth. The word's earliest citations in Welsh poetry refer to a grief or longing for a person who has died or been lost. It is related to other Celtic languages, such as Cornish (hireth) and Breton (hiraezh). It is related to other Celtic languages, such as Cornish (hireth) and Breton (hiraezh). The word appears in early Welsh poetry, indicating a deep grief or longing for someone who is lost. This includes a longing for a home to which you cannot return, a lost past, or a place that may never have existed. While hiraeth originally meant "longing for someone who is gone," its meaning expanded to encompass a broader sense of nostalgia, homesickness, and yearning for a place or time. According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the first known use of "hiraeth" in English was in 1860 and appears in a text referencing Wales and Welsh culture. The OED lists its Welsh origin as the 13th century. Examples of "hiraeth" used in a sentence: *"After moving abroad, she often felt a sense of hiraeth for the simple joys of her childhood home." *"Prince Edmond John Kersey was consumed by hiraeth when thinking of the glory of England's feudal past." *"As she looked at the old photographs, a deep sense of hiraeth washed over her for the carefree days of her childhood, a home she knew she could never truly return to." *"The handwritten letters from her grandparents brought a bittersweet wave of hiraeth, connecting her to the generations before and their stories of the past." *"His \'empty chair\' resonated with homes all over Wales where there were other empty chairs and hiraeth for the young men who never returned from the trenches."

Thanks, Anton. Is that your Lottery card showing that you won $100,000 on a scratch off ticket?

Shakespeare used the word "welkin" in several of his plays: The Tempest: In Act 1, Scene 2, Miranda describes the violent storm by saying, "...the sea, mounting to the welkin's cheek, dashes the fire out". A Midsummer Night's Dream: In Act 3, Scene 2, Oberon tells Puck to "The starry welkin cover thou anon / With drooping fog". Richard III: In Act 5, Scene 3, Richard encourages his soldiers to "Amaze the welkin with your broken staves!". The Taming of the Shrew: In the induction, a lord refers to his hunting dogs, saying, "Thy hounds shall make the welkin answer them". Twelfth Night: In Act 2, Scene 3, Sir Toby Belch asks, "shall we make the welkin dance indeed?". King John: In Act 5, Scene 5, the Dauphin comments on the recent battle, saying the sun "stay'd and made the western welkin blush". Love's Labour's Lost: The word appears multiple times, including a line from Don Armado: "By thy favour, sweet welkin, I must sigh in thy face". Circa 1580-1613

The word "welkin" comes from the Old English word wolcen, meaning "cloud" or 'sky". It entered Middle English as welken (also meaning cloud, or the heavens). It is part of a larger Germanic family of words that have the same linguistic derivation with Dutch wolk and German Wolke, both meaning "cloud". The word is primarily poetic and archaic today, with the common phrase "to make the welkin ring" describing a very loud sound. According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the noun welkin first appeared in English during the Old English period, predating 1150, and is derived from Germanic languages. The OED's first documented use of the word is in the Old English period. Other sources say the earliest recorded use of welkin is before 900 CE. The word then evolved into Middle English welkne, and its first known use as welkin to mean the sky or heavens dates to the 12th century. Geoffrey Chaucer wrote, "Till on the welkin shone the starres bright" in The Canterbury Tales. Examples of the word "welkin" used in a sentence: "As the sun set, the welkin was painted with hues of orange and pink, a breathtaking sight." "Looking up at the endless welkin, the poet imagined stars as distant islands in a vast ocean." "The triumphant shouts of the crowd seemed to make the very welkin ring with joy." "As they drove through the night, the North Star arose in the darkened welkin, guiding them home."

The word "epitomize" comes from the Greek word epitemnein, meaning "to cut short" or "abridge". It is formed from the prefix epi- (meaning "upon" or "in addition to") and the root temnein (meaning "to cut"). The verb was formed in English by adding the suffix -ize to the noun epitome, which itself means a summary or abridgment. The meaning evolved from "to abridge" or "summarize" to "to embody or typify" something perfectly, as a person or thing can be the "epitome" of an idea. Early Meaning: The word initially meant to "shorten" or "condense" something. Later Meaning: By the 1620s, its meaning evolved to "typify" or "embody" a person or thing that serves as a perfect example. According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the verb "epitomize", was first used in English in 1599. The OED cites its earliest evidence from the writings of Edwin Sandys, a politician and colonial entrepreneur. The word was formed within English, derived from the noun epitome with the addition of the suffix -ize. The noun "epitome" is older, first recorded by the OED in 1529. Examples of "epitomize" in a sentence: "He epitomizes laziness" "This student's struggles epitomize the trouble with our schools." "Gifts that epitomize the religious beliefs of the family are often given at baptisms." "To really epitomize a movie star, you've got to focus on the accessories." "Hello Kitty belly rings epitomize this trend toward market focus on non-traditional age groups." "With this focus on renewal, Joanna appropriately chose the cherry blossom to epitomize her new business and its philosophy." "Most stagings of Sleeping Beauty continue to employ these costumes, which have come to epitomize the look of classical ballet." Examples of "epitome" used in a sentence: "I pictured her to be the epitome of Southern beauty." "The cartoon character Garfield is the epitome of the lazy, food-obsessed cat." "Coming to us from Greek through Latin, epitome refers to something that is the ultimate representative of its class." "Keisha always lends a hand when it's needed/ she is the epitome of helpfulness." "They have become the epitome of the little man made good." "The wacky has become the epitome of respectability and sanity."

The word "captivating" comes from the verb "captivate," which entered English in the late 16th century from the Late Latin "captivare" meaning "to take, to capture". This Latin term, in turn, derives from the past participle "captus" of the verb "capere" ("to take, seize") and the adjective "captivus" ("captive, prisoner"). The etymology of "captivating" shows a semantic shift from the literal meaning of physical capture to the metaphorical sense of holding someone's attention through charm or beauty. According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the adjective "captivating" was first used in English in 1675 by Henry More, the English philosopher, poet, and theologian. The word captivating is derived from the verb "captivate", which entered English much earlier, in the 1520s. Examples of "captivating" used in a sentence: "Talk about a story that's just captivating people's attention." "Van Meene's camera tends to linger on eccentric but captivating details." "In this exhibition, he seems more interested in captivating viewers rather than in shocking them." "There's something captivating about the desert." "Her voice was utterly and absolutely captivating." "The Secretary exudes a calm, yet captivating presence." "He has a charming laugh and captivating smile." "The story is a captivating fairy tale."

We can always hope, can't we.

Well said, drs.

Yes, Clint is persistent. And the boys also managed to win some money for Aaron, although it wasn't the jackpot, and then Aaron decided to use that money to treat everyone by offering to pay for the New Year's Eve celebration.

The term "philatelist" derives from the word "philately," which was coined in 1864 by French collector Georges Herpin from the Greek word philos ("loving") and ateleia ("exemtion from tax, duties, or payment"). Herpin chose ateleia because postage stamps represented a prepaid, tax-free carriage of mail, a contrast to earlier postal systems where the recipient paid the charges. A "philatelist" is therefore a person who "loves stamps" or is interested in the "love of tax-exempt" items, referring to these prepaid stamps. "Philatelic" is an adjective that refers to the collection, study, and enjoyment of postage stamps, postal story, and other related itemss like covers and postmarks. According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the earliest known use of the noun philatelist is from 1865, appearing in the Stamp-collector's Magazine. Before Herpin's innovation, the hobby of stamp collecting was sometimes called timbromanie in French, a term derived from the French word for stamp, timbre. Herpin disliked this term, which literally translates to "stamp mania". Therefore, philatelist was invented to replace the use of "stamp mania." According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the adjective philatelic was first used in English in 1865. The dictionary's earliest evidence for the word is found in the Stamp-collector's Magazine. Examples of "philatelist" used in a sentence: "He was a renowned philatelist, known for his vast collection of rare and historical stamps". "At the annual stamp exhibition, the young philatelist proudly displayed her newly acquired collection to fellow enthusiasts". "Her passion for history led her to become a philatelist, collecting stamps from different countries and eras". "He's acknowledged among philatelist as one of the pre-eminent experts in the area of old stamps, though he isn't a philatelist himself."

This is a cute short story where an older boy teaches two young boys who have a phobia about dogs that they don't have to be afraid of all dogs, especially his rather large dog. This would be a great story to read to a child that is afraid of dogs as well, because possibly the same logic will help them understand that they don't have to be afraid of ALL dogs either.

I had a golden retriever once and he liked to chase after Frisbees as well. It's just that my dog wasn't much of a retriever. He'd chase the Frisbee and even catch it out of the air, but then he would lay down and start chewing on the Frisbee, so someone had to go retrieve the Frisbee from my dog before it destroyed the Frisbee. We had all kinds of Frisbees at our house with the dog's teeth impressions in them. Great story, James, and I loved how Doug convinced Jimmy not to be afraid of Bonkers. By the way, was that Jimmy a younger you?

I'm glad you enjoyed this chapter, Johnny. Clint just knows what he wants and goes after it. Possibly the fact that he lost his mother at such a young age, hers when she died and his when he lost her, has taught him that it's best not to put things off, because there's no way of knowing what might happen in the meantime. I believe the old say goes: Never put off until tomorrow what you can do today. (Similar sentiments were expressed by both Benjamin Franklin and Mark Twain, although both used different wording, and there were probably others as well.) Clint seems to be of the same mindset. 😁

Chapter 23 – A Crowded Christmas Eve As we were chatting, I asked if anyone would like a drink. "Yes, that would be lovely," Ma responded first. After we took requests, Devin and I went out to get their drinks. Ma, Pa, and Lonny wanted coffee, so I quickly made a pot, and since Clint wanted a soda, Devin took that in to him while the coffee was brewing. Devin stayed in to chat with the others while I located a tray that Mom sometimes used. When I found it, I placed five mu

The adjective "alluring" comes from the Middle English word aluren, meaning "to attract" or "to entice." derived from the Anglo-French alurer, from Old French aleurer "to attract, captivate; train (a falcon to hunt)," from à "to" (see ad-) + loirre "falconer's lure," from a Frankish word (see lure), perhaps influenced by French allure "gait, way of walking.". This Old French term combined the preposition a (from Latin ad, meaning "to") with leurre (or loirre), which meant "bait" or "lure". The Germanic root of loirre also connected to the French word allure, referring to one's gait or way of walking. Therefore, "alluring" essentially means "full of or having the quality of luring". According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the noun "alluring" was first used in English in 1531, by Thomas Elyot, in The Boke Named the Gouernour. The adjective "alluring" was first attested in 1534, by John Heywood, in A Merry Play Between Johan the Husband, Tyb the Wife, and Sir Johan the Priest.. Examples of "alluring" first used in English: "Jane smiled at him with a newly found boldness that he found very alluring." "The alluring pool reflects the limestone walls of the house above." "But one of the most alluring things about her is her sense of humor." "The knot cutout dress puts an alluring twist on evening wear." "She appeared sweet and alluring in that vulnerable moment." "She wore no makeup but some alluring perfume made her smell like heaven." "He smelled of his own musk and darkness, an alluring mix that made her blood burn." "His somber gaze was alluring – probably because he was unaware of how attractive it was."

Damn, you are really old!

The word "sustenance" comes from Middle English "sustenaunce," which derived from the Old French "sostenance" or "sustenance," meaning "support" or "aid". The Old French word, in turn, comes from the Latin verb sustinere, meaning "to hold up" or "to endure". This Latin verb is formed from the prefix sub- ("up from below") and the verb tenere ("to hold"), ultimately stemming from the Proto-Indo-European root *ten-, meaning "to stretch". According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the word "sustenance" was first used in English around 1300, during the Middle English period (1150-1500). The OED cites a passage from a text about St. Francis as its earliest evidence. Examples of the word "sustenance" used in sentences: "People can and do draw sustenance from many sources." "The village depends on the sea for sustenance." "Tree bark provides deer with sustenance in periods of drought." "She draws spiritual sustenance from daily church attendance." "The birds get sustenance, and the berries get to disperse their seeds."

The adjective "chivalrous" originated in Middle English (1150-1500) around the 14th century from the Old French words chevalier, meaning "knight", and chevalereux, meaning "knightly", and chevalerie ("knighthood" or "horse soldiery"). it's ultimately from the Latin caballus (horse), reflecting the medieval knight's reliance on a horse. The word's meaning evolved from the literal "pertaining to knights" to the associated virtues of courage, courtesy, and honor, later revived by Romantic writers. According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the adjective "chivalrous" was first used in English around 1374 by Geoffrey Chaucer, author of "The Canterbury Tales". Examples of "chivalrous" used in a sentence: "That doesn't means you can't be brave, strong and chivalrous." "Henry was a chivalrous man at heart, and he loved the chance to save me." "Now that I know him and he's my husband, he's so chivalrous." "Oh, so now you're some sort of chivalrous guy again?" "You are such an enigma, one minute all cocky and brash, the next formal and chivalrous." "He was too chivalrous to abandon his opponent in an apparent extremity." "Since it's not very chivalrous to keep referring to him as an Idiot, ASK IDIOT ABOUT HIMSELF." "In 1799 Scott translated Goethe's play "Götz von Berlichingen mit der eisernen Hand", the tale of a chivalrous medieval German knight."

The word disingenuous is a 17th century English formation from the prefix dis- ("not") and the word ingenuous. Ingenuous, in turn, comes from the Latin ingenui, meaning "freeborn". The Romans linked "freeborn" to positive qualities like honesty and straightforwardness, so disingenuous literally means "not honest" or "dishonest," referring to someone who lacks candor or frankness. According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the adjective "disingenuous" was first used in 1648. The OED's earliest evidence comes from the writings of Joseph Beaumont, an English poet and college head. Examples of "disingenuous" used in a sentence: "I thought both men made some good points and both said some evasive, disingenuous things." "To single out Moore in an age of mind-numbing folksiness in politics is disingenuous." "So to say that we're disingenuous in standing behind the defense is absolutely wrong." "The press's coverage of health care and accessibility issues is disingenuous at best." "The governor's objections are disingenuous at best." "This is why we are urging stockholders to avoid being misled by what amounts to a contradictory and disingenuous ploy."

Thanks, Danilo, I appreciate your kind comments. Yes, there will be a large gathering for Christmas and an even larger gathering for the New Year. Let's hope it all goes as planned. 🤞 🙏

The etymology of "in memoriam" is rooted in Latin, which means "in memory of". It is a Latin phrase consisting of the preposition in ("in") and the accusative form of memoria ("memory"), which comes from the word memor meaning "mindful" or "remembering". It also gives us English words like memory, memorial, commemorate, and mourn. According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the phrase in memoriam was first used in English before 1654, in the writings of Independent minister William Strong. While used earlier, the phrase gained significant popularity in the 19th century, in part due to Alfred, Lord Tennyson's famous 1850 poem, In Memoriam A.H.H., written to mourn his friend Arthur Henry Hallam. Examples of "in memoriam" used in a sentence: "They held a concert in memoriam of the fallen soldiers." "The statue was erected in memoriam of the local hero." "The park was built in memoriam to honor the brave soldiers who sacrificed their lives for our country." "This scholarship is established in memoriam of Dr. Sarah Thompson, a renowned scientist who made significant contributions to her field." "After the event, a special broadcast was aired in memoriam of the television personality who had passed away." "School was closed today in memoriam of the President and will be closed tomorrow too, for his funeral."

Good for you @Laurentian90 and welcome back. If you start to get down and need someone to talk to, just reach out to one of the posters and authors on this site. I'm sure they'll be open to listening and seeing what they can do to help. We're a large and caring community.

Thanks you for your concern and your suggestions. Believe me, I'm considering all options.