Monday Morning Friends Report, December 8, 2008

We under the BIRCHES have been concerned about the health of a number of people lately.

Bad weather is in the works for the next couple of days. Most people are willing to sustain the onslaught as we approach the holidays because who doesn't love a White Christmas?

Let's all of us who have more than enough find ways to share with those who don't This year, the number of needy is very high. Give some food, or a coat, or toys for kids you don't know. Try not to lose that impulse in the rush of the holidays.
======


December Birthdays we know of among our Birchies

SANDY - Dec 7
CHRIS - Dec 9 (10?)
IRISH MIKE - Dec 14
JOE - Dec 23
TRASE - Dec 31

Travelers

IRENE - has arrived in Michigan from Australia for the holiday season. She and her husband have two small children who are seeing snow for the first time. The boy went out in the snow and built a fort. It's a male thing you know.

MARSHA - has gone to Cancun. She'll be traveling for Christmas to Ohio and Michigan, also. Her team, South Carolina will be going to a bowl game and she'll be traveling for that as well.

SUPERINTENDENT MIKE and his wife, SUE - are back from New York.

PAT C - will be traveling to Iowa and the Chicago this Christmas. Then it's on to Florida for much of the winter.
======

What's happening with some people we know:

MARGARET - is holding a family Christmas at her house this year.

TRASE - gets ever closer to that due date. December 18.

LINDA - says that she has an all-purpose year-round wreath and that she has hung an ornament from it, and now she's decorated for Christmas. She claims she won a tree and when it was sent to her, she plugged it in and the lights didn't come on, so she has a dark tree.

STEVE - knows where to get a free tree, but says he hasn't any ornaments. If you know him, you could chip in. Maybe you could trade for an elk burger.

MIKE almost from CARROLLTON - is demanding an explanation from lawmakers for why the price of natural gas is so high. Everyone watch your bills! Don't let them cheat you.

FELIX - reports that he and PILOT have been together for ten years now. December 6 is that anniversary.

PAT W - has been decorating for the holidays with a real enthusiasm this year.

SANDY - has gifted many friends with her homemade fruit cake. Despite all the jokes, lots of people like fruit cake, and especially hers, which she says is a traditional family recipe.
=======

What some folks are reading or talking about:

SPARTY recommends an article about Hillary Clinton that compares her with Eleanor Roosevelt. It's really very good. CLICK

ALICE - who has written before about the evils of the "Blackwater Group" sent a reference to this story about 5 of those guys getting indicted for murder: CLICK

DASHMANN - says: I wanna go somewhere warm!!!

JIM THILL - reports on his reading lately of Charles Dickens, an author he's come to like. Check out his blog for his comments, which we think are very well stated: CLICK

SCOT - is talking about the Michigan win over Duke. For basketball fans, it is well known. What it may mean is that the U. of Michigan is returning to a respectable basketball team. Letr's hope that means decent and fair play which hasn't -- unfortunately -- always been the case for this team.

meanwhile, SPARTY and IRISH MIKE and AMY - are gloating in the success of Michigan State's basketball team again this year. Their latest victim was Bradley. And their football team will be going to a New Year's Day bowl game against Georgia.

BRENDA - sends this picture which she calls "Born to the Cult":


MIKE almost from CARROLLTON - recommends this inspirational story of good deeds at Christmas: CLICK
======

a bit of humor from the readers:

JERRY - why you should send your good used clothes to Goodwill for recycling:


SCOT - "Truly we live in an age of wonder ..."
{YouTube site} CLICK

JOE - forwarded this list of things to do to maintain a proper level of insanity:

1. At Lunch Time, Sit In Your Parked Car With
Sunglasses on and point a Hair Dryer At Passing Cars.
See If They Slow Down.
2. Page Yourself Over The Intercom. Don't DisguiseYour Voice!
3. Every Time Someone Asks You To Do Something, ask If they want fries with that.
4. Put Decaf In The Coffee Maker For 3 Weeks . Once Everyone has Gotten Over Their Caffeine Addictions,
Switch to Espresso.
5. In the Memo Field Of All Your Checks, Write 'For Marijuana'
6. Skip down the hall Rather Than Walk and see how many looks you get.
7. Order a Diet Water whenever you go out to eat, with a serious face.
8. Specify That Your Drive-through Order Is 'To Go'.
9. Sing Along At The Opera.
10. Five Days In Advance, Tell Your Friends You Can' t Attend Their Party Because You have a headache .
11. When The Money Comes Out of The ATM, Scream 'I Won! I Won!'
12. When Leaving the Zoo, Start Running towards the Parking lot, Yelling'Run For Your Lives! They're Loose!'
13. Tell Your Children Over Dinner, 'Due To The Economy, We Are Going To Have To Let One Of You Go.

===