DIANE'S CORNER ... Celebrate Roots Day
Many people are uninterested in where their ancestors came from…until they start researching the topic deeper. And then suddenly it turns out that their family history was a long and fascinating one, and they become obsessed with finding out everything possible about where their forefather come from that they talk the ear off of anyone even remotely interested. Maybe they were related to a famous person who made a significant discovery or took part in an important battle or other historical event?
People have been migrating to all different parts of the world for hundreds of years in search of a better place to live, worship and raise their families, motivated by everything from religious prosecution to hunger and poverty in their own countries, to taking part in great wars that made our world what it is today, so it stands to reason that everyone would find something interesting about their own family history.
Your parents, grandparents, etc. and their decisions are what made you who you are today, and had they made different decisions than they did, then it would not have only been their lives that would have ended up affected. Many times questions that have plagued us our entire lives can be answered with some solid family history research, and even spending just a few hours might reveal some valuable information.
The History of Roots Day
One of the most important aspects of Root Day is that it falls directly before Christmas, thus illustrating the importance and meaning of family during these times especially. Holidays are traditionally spent with any and all kinds of family, so it is only fitting that a holiday celebrating or ancestral heritage should fall during the same period. Roots Day has been celebrated by many for over 40 years.
Word of the Day
| |||
| Definition: | (noun) Personal independence. | ||
| Synonyms: | self-direction, self-sufficiency, autonomy | ||
| Usage: | I should have thought you had learned self-reliance on Berande, instead of needing to lean upon the moral support of every whisky-guzzling worthless South Sea vagabond. | ||
Idiom of the Day
the butt of the joke— Someone or something at whose expense an insulting or mocking joke is made. |
This Day in History
Festivus (1997)
The holiday of Festivus, celebrated on December 23, was popularized by an episode of the 1990s TV show Seinfeld. Unfulfilled by the year-end holidays, character Frank Costanza invents Festivus "for the rest of us." The centerpiece of Festivus is a plain, unadorned aluminum pole placed in a bucket of cement. One by one, attendees grab the pole and air their grievances, detailing how other people have disappointed them in the past year
Madam C.J. Walker (1867)
Thought to be America's first black female millionaire, this daughter of ex-slaves was orphaned at 7, working at 10, married at 14, and a widow with an infant at 20. She worked as a domestic and laundress and in her scant spare time developed a treatment to stop hair loss in African-American women and create smooth, shiny coiffures. She soon expanded her product line, and, by 1917, her cosmetics empire was the largest black-owned business in the US.
Japanese Emperor's Birthday
| This is a national holiday in Japan honoring the birth of Emperor Akihito (b. 1933). He and his family traditionally appeared on the Imperial Palace balcony to greet visitors invited to enter the grounds on the day. |
1788 - Maryland voted to cede a 100-square-mile area for the seat of the national government. About two-thirds of the area became the District of Columbia.
1834 - English architect Joseph Hansom patented his 'safety cab', better known as the Hansom cab.
1852 - The Theatre of Celestial John opened on Telegraph Hill in San Francisco, CA. It was the first Chinese theatre in the U.S.
1856 - Ralph Collier was issued a U.S. patent for the first rotary egg beater with rotating parts.
1888 - Following a quarrel with Paul Gauguin, Dutch painter Vincent Van Gogh cut off part of his own earlobe.
1919 - The first ship designed to be used as an ambulance for the transport patients was launched. The hospital ship was named USS Relief and had 515 beds.
1922 - The British Broadcasting Corporation began daily news broadcasts.
1930 - Ruth Elizabeth Davis, an unknown actress, arrived in Hollywood, under contract to Universal Studios. Universal changed her name to Bette Davis for the movies.
1942 - Bob Hope agreed to entertain U.S. airmen in Alaska. It was the first of the traditional Christmas shows.
1951 - A National Football League (NFL) championship game was televised nationally for the first time. The Los Angeles Rams beat the Cleveland Browns 24-17. The DuMont Network had paid $75,000 for the rights to the game.
1957 - Dan Blocker made his acting debut on television in the "Restless Gun."
1986 - The experimental airplane Voyager, piloted by Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager, completed the first non-stop, around-the-world flight without refueling as it landed safely at Edwards Air Force Base in California.
DAILY SQU-EEK
If You Were Born Today, December 23
This is one of the more charming birthdays of the year, although it can also be one that uses that charm for personal gain! This is natural to a degree, but some of you will take this too far, while others will keep it in check. Some of you will find ways to market your ability to gain others' confidence. You are a determined person with strong personal presence and magnetism. Your relationships and friendships tend to be unusual, or the people you attract into your life are an eclectic bunch. You are truly talented, creative, and mostly very considerate of others. Famous people born today:
1732 Richard Arkwright, English industrialist and inventor (created the spinning frame), born in Preston, England (d. 1792)
1805 Joseph Smith Jr, American founder of the Mormon Church, born in Sharon, Vermont (d. 1844)
1891 Cy Denneny, Canadian ice hockey hall of famer (Ottawa Senators, Boston Bruins), born in Farran's Point, Ontario (d. 1970)
READERS INFO
1.
1823 -
The poem "A Visit from St. Nicholas" by Clement C. Moore (" ‘Twas the night before Christmas…") was first published on this day.
2.
Omaha Holiday Lights Festival 2018
Nov 23, 2018 - Jan 1, 2019 | Omaha, NE
Downtown Omaha around Gene Leahy Mall|Douglas St & S 13th St
Tis the season to be jolly at the annual Omaha Holiday Lights Festival in Nebraska. Held over the course of six festive weeks and spanning 40 city blocks, the engagement features a Thanksgiving lighting ceremony, musical performances by brass brands and carolers, an ice skating rink, a family festival and a fireworks display on New Year's Eve.
further information: Omaha's Holiday Lights Festival
3.
Washington D.C. LDS Temple Festival of Lights 2018
Nov 29 - Dec 31, 2018 | Washington, DC
Washington D.C. LDS Temple|9900 Stoneybrook Dr
Get in the Christmas spirit with one of the D.C. area’s cherished community traditions. For the month of December, the state-of-the-art theater in the Washington D.C. Temple Visitors’ Center will showcase free nightly performances by bell ensembles, choirs, orchestras and more. The grounds around the temple glow with 600,000 lights and elaborately decorated Christmas trees. See you there!
further information: Festival of Lights. Washington, DC.
SUNDAY'S INTERESTING FACTS
PATTERN BOOK SUNDAY
Knit Today 2016 01
Pictures of the day
Seth Rollins is the ring name of Colby Daniel Lopez (born 1986), an American professional wrestler. He has been signed to WWE since 2010, having previously wrestled for Ring of Honor under the ring name Tyler Black. He debuted on WWE's main roster at the 2012 Survivor Series as part of a faction called The Shield, winning his first main roster championship while with the group, the WWE Tag Team Championship with Roman Reigns. This picture shows Rollins with the WWE Money in the Bank briefcase, which he won in 2014.
Mealtime at infantry boot camp
Last year, eighteen women went on to graduate, becoming the first female infantry soldiers in the Army.
knit, Christmas
thanks, Grace
Christmas Tree Embellishment pattern by taffylass knits
knit
thanks, Helen
knit
Stand-up Fur Collar
knit
Paul's Scarf pattern by LaDonna Maxwell
knit, 3 - 9 mths
Yellow Jacket pattern by Randi K Design
Two blondes decided that this Christmas they wanted to cut down their own Christmas tree.
So they drove two hours into the country and walked deep into the woods to find the perfect Christmas tree.
They had planned the trip well, especially considering that they were blond.
They were dressed warmly with boots, warm coats and hats. They had a chain saw, hatchet, a bag to protect the tree and rope to drag it back to their car. Every detail was covered.
They searched and searched. They had gone to all this trouble, nothing but the perfect tree would do.
They searched for hours through knee deep snow and biting wind.
Finally, five hours later with the sun beginning to go down.
One blonde says to the other, “I can’t take this anymore. I give up! There are hundreds of beautiful trees out here. Let’s just pick one whether it’s decorated or not!”
crochet, New Year's
thanks, June
crochet, Christmas
thanks, Phyllis
Eaten by a Shark
https://offthehookforyou.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/shark-pattern-offthehookforyou.pdf
crochet
Snowflake Dishcloth
crochet
RECIPE
thanks, Shelley
CROCKPOT RECIPE
thanks, Molly
thanks, Molly
SWEETS
thanks, Ruth
COOKBOOK SUNDAY
ADULT COLORING
CRAFTS ... Christmas
CHILDREN'S CORNER ... Christmas
thanks, Betty
PUZZLE
| analysis aroma beautiful better close coach cough cries | dismay drool formal groan halo horse housing | less lover malodorous mess more outside overhead | peace price quirky relax save shall smell smile sons | testify tide vise vision vista warmth well woman worse worth |
SUDOKU ... very hard
solution:
QUOTE ... Christmas
CLEVER ... Christmas
SPOT THE DEER!
solution:
EYE OPENER ... Christmas
14 Christmas Cookie Baking Hacks to Help You Win the Holiday Season
Between shopping for gifts and entertaining guests, the most wonderful time of the year can get pretty stressful. Save time and money on your Christmas cookie baking with these genius hacks, so you can focus on enjoying the holiday season.
Ran out of frosting? Don’t waste time and money running to the store. Marshmallows, if you have them handy, make a creative and easy icing fix. Dip one side of your marshmallows (mini ones work best) in water so they don’t slide off, then plop a few on each cookie when they have three to five minutes left to bake. Once they start to melt but aren’t too runny, take the cookies out and spread your “homemade” frosting with a spoon. Make sure the marshmallows don’t turn brown, or else they won’t spread easily.
Spice up pre-made dough
Using store-bought cookie dough to make Christmas cookies isn’t cheating if you add a personal touch. Take premade sugar cookie dough and let it soften. Then, sprinkle in any flavor you’re craving: cinnamon, orange zest, almond extract, vanilla extract, nuts, pure peppermint extract, white chocolate chips, butterscotch chips. Your guests will never know the difference.
Dip everything in chocolate
The easiest way to take an ordinary cookie and make it instantly more appealing? Dip it in chocolate. This hack works with any type of cookie you make because, well, it’s chocolate. Add a dash of peppermint extract to give your dip a hint of Christmas.
Cousin Nancy wants cookies; Aunt Lorraine wants pie, but you certainly don’t have time to make both. Making pie crust takes a lot of time and patience, so store-bought cookie dough can be swapped in for an easier alternative. Simply press the softened dough into a pie dish, bake it, then add your favorite no-bake fillings like cream or fruit.
Make a buttermilk or sour cream alternative
If your recipe calls for a cup of buttermilk or sour cream—but they’re nowhere to be found in your fridge—take 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice, then add enough milk to equal 1 cup. 14
No one likes a dry, hard cookie (especially not Santa Claus). To ensure maximum cookie freshness, store them in a container with a slice of white bread, half of an apple, or an orange peel. The cookies will absorb that moisture, keeping them softer longer. / 14
Wine and liquor bottles make great substitutes for rolling pins. Just wipe them down, dry them completely and cover them in flour like you would a normal rolling pin. You can also wrap the bottle in parchment paper to be extra sanitary.
Many Christmas cookie recipes call for ingredients like honey, syrup, or molasses. An easy fix to a sticky measurement mess is spraying the measuring cups with a non-stick spray first. You’ll get more accurate measurements, and cleaning up will be a breeze.
Scooping flour directly from a bag can leave you with inaccurate measurements. Instead, spoon your flour into a dry measuring cup and scrape any excess off with a knife.
Substitute chocolate with pantry ingredients
If you ever find yourself short on chocolate, try this alternative. For every 1 ounce you need, substitute 3 tablespoons of baking cocoa plus 1 tablespoon of shortening or vegetable oil./ 14
Here’s a little baking secret: room temperature butter makes your cookies chewier. Leave the amount you need out on a plate for about 30 minutes before you start baking. It will mix better with dry ingredients and help the cookie dough to hold its shape while it bakes. Forgot to pull the butter out of the fridge? Check out these ways to soften butter quickly.
When it comes to making cutout gingerbread or sugar cookies, the dough often sticks to the cutter and deforms what you’re trying to create. Talk about a cooking disaster. Flouring your cookie cutters before each use lets the dough slice easily and keep its shape once it’s placed on the cookie sheet.
Chilling your dough at least four hours before baking makes it easier to work with. This also enhances its flavor, especially the butter, because all of the ingredients have had time to meld together. Adding in this extra prep time can seem like a pain, but you’ll thank yourself when you have the most savory cookies.
Make a frosting pipette out of a sandwich bag
Decorating your cookies has never been easier, thanks to sandwich baggies. Fill the bag with icing, snip off the corner, and you have a homemade pipette. The bigger the hole, the thicker the frosting.
EXTRA ... HAVE A WONDERFUL NEW YEAR, FRIENDS
New Year's Eve Jokes DISTRACTIFY
Even though 2018 felt like January-January-January-January-May-August-September-Halloween-November-Christmas, it is somehow about to be January again. I know, every year, they go by faster, and the babies born around the turn of the millennium already turned legal this year — SOS.
But because we can't stop the clock, we might as well let the good times roll. And what better way to do that than with some funny jokes to make sure you start the new year off on the right foot?
Here are some New Year's Eve jokes that'll make for better conversation than going around the table sharing resolutions everyone knows you won't actually follow.
New Year's Eve Dad Jokes
1. My New Year's resolution is to be more optimistic by keeping my cup half-full with either rum, vodka, or whiskey.
2. Every year on New Year's Eve, when everyone's counting down the final ten seconds to ring in the new year, I get up off the couch and stand up. I stand up and raise my left leg and just leave it raised for a little while until the countdown finishes and midnight strikes, so that I always start the new year off on the right foot.
3. New Year? I just got used to this last one!
4. 
5. "I promise not to make any bad jokes for the rest of the year." — A dad on New Year's Eve
6. A New Year's resolution is something that goes in one year and out the other.
7. My New Year's resolution is 1080p.
New Year's Eve One-Liners
8. If 2018 was a person, I'd sue him for pain and suffering and lost wages.
9. 
10. This New Year's I resolve to be less awesome since that is really the only thing I do in excess.
10. This New Year's I resolve to be less awesome since that is really the only thing I do in excess.
11. My New Year's resolution is to break my New Year's resolutions. That way I succeed at something!
12. New Year's is just a holiday created by calendar companies who don't want you reusing last year's calendar.
13. My New Year's resolution is to help all my friends gain ten pounds so I look skinnier.
14. I was going to quit all my bad habits for the new year, but then I remembered that nobody likes a quitter.
15. I love when they drop the ball in Times Square. It's a nice reminder of what I did all year.
16. My resolution was to read more so I put the subtitles on my TV.
17. An optimist stays up until midnight to see the new year in. A pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves.
New Year's Eve Jokes for Adults
18. On New Year's Eve, Marilyn stood up in the local pub and said that it was time to get ready. At the stroke of midnight, she wanted every husband to be standing next to the one person who made his life worth living.
Well, as the clock struck, the bartender was almost crushed to death.
19. 
20. What happened to the Irish man who thought about the evils of drinking in the New Year? He gave up thinking.
21. Where can you find comedians on New Year's Eve? Waiting for the punchline.
22. A drunk man comes inside a bar and says, "Happy New Year, everybody." "It's June, you drunk," replies the waiter.
The drunk man looks at his watch and says, "Oh my god, my wife is going to kill me! I have never been so late in my life!"
23. 
24. My brother's New Year's resolution is to move out of my parents' house. You'd think after 49 years, he'd try another one.
24. My brother's New Year's resolution is to move out of my parents' house. You'd think after 49 years, he'd try another one.
25. An iPhone and a firework were arrested on New Year's Eve. One was charged and the other was let off.
26. What do you call always wanting a date for New Year's Eve? Social Security.
