This is one of the photos we had taken of us while on our Alaskan cruise. We sailed on the Norwegian Star to Ketchikan, Juneau, and Skagway, AK and Prince Rupert, BC, leaving from and returning to Seattle, WA. We had an absolutely wonderful time, and I would recommend it to anyone. To see more of our vacation photos, visit either my Flickr account or Andy’s.
This morning, Andy asked me if I was making coffee (which I was), and I responded sarcastically, “No, I thought we’d have hot chocolate instead.” After saying that, I decided to have hot mocha instead of just coffee. I’ve never made that decision before. It was just a “wild hair.” I got the can of hot cocoa powder out of the pantry and used the remaining product to make my mocha. As I was about to throw out the container, guess what I saw on the bottom? “Best before April 19, 2007″! Well, did I get that wild hair just in time, or what?
Then Andy asked me to check the calendar and see whether it was his step-mother’s birthday tomorrow. Well, I found out that her birthday wasn’t until next Thursday, but it reminded me that today was my own dad’s birthday!
And what’s also really weird is that this morning the dogs were so excited they just couldn’t wait for us to get out of bed. I got up and said to Andy, “You’d think it was some kind of special doggie holiday we don’t know about!” Did they know it was their “grandfather’s” birthday? I don’t know. It’s been a freaky morning!
I find it challenging to do anything "religiously" (i.e. "consistently," pun intended), and remembering to take a photo of the chanukiah each night of Chanukah this year was no exception. It’s enough just to remember to light the candles (or, in this case, turn the light bulbs) each night at sundown, much less remember to take a photo of it after dark. So, forgive me for only offering the first and second nights, and the seventh (and if I remember tonight) the eighth nights.
I decided to take this one with my better camera, and I went for a different angle this time because I liked the way the lights were reflected not once but twice in the dual-pane window.
On another note, I have a comment to make about holiday wishes as this time of year. Most people say, "Merry Christmas," even in the middle of Chanukah. The few times I’ve tried saying, "Thank you! And a Happy Chanukah to you!" people have said, "Oh yes! And a happy Kwanzaa and all that." If people want to wish me a Merry Christmas, why shouldn’t I wish them a Happy Chanukah? I find it a bit insulting when people seem to compare my religious holiday (that predates Christmas) with one that was invented in 1966. I even find it a bit amusing and awkward when people wish me a "Happy Holiday" in the middle of Chanukah, and I see the looks on their faces when I say, "Thanks! I’m having one."
So, don’t be afraid to say Merry Christmas, but try being open to "Happy Chanukah" without throwing Kwanzaa into the mix to show how tired you are of being open to "diversity."
Our home’s chanukiah (the proper term for a Chanukah menorah) on the first night of Chanukah. It’s displayed prominently in the front kitchen window, facing the street.
The title of this photo is a reference to some Christian people’s response to secularism, in particular, a BBQ restaurant sign in Nashville, TN I photographed that said, "We’re not afraid to say it: Merry Christmas!"
By the way, those are multicolored LED Christmas lights reflecting off the chrome of the chanukiah. We are an "interfaith" couple; besides, I grew up celebrating Christmas in a secular or, let’s be honest about it, pagan way. What’s all the fuss about anyway, folks? Don’t know know why Christmas, Chanukah, and Ramadan are all around the same time? They are religious overlays to a pagan foundation of celebrating the winter solstice! If you ask me, we’re all just trying to cheer ourselves up by lighting candles, stringing lights, and giving gifts at this, the darkest and coldest time of the year.
