Thanks, all.

--- Diem <diem.RemoveThis@diemnothiszone.net> wrote:

> Thank you for the birthday wishes. I had a great
> day. All the family
> who could make it came for sunday dinner and the
> spouse surpassed
> himself in the way of presents.
>
> Have just come back from a futile attempt to see the
> grand-daughter's
> nativity play. I was ready. I had the camera, the
> batteries all
> charged up. I had the baby in the big buggy so she
> could fall asleep
> if she wished. I knew my little angel was going to
> be an Official
> Angel Standing Behind Mary and Joseph and I was
> going to be Proud
> Grandma With Big Head.
>
> My dozy idiot of a daughter (who is in the south for
> two days) gave me
> the wrong time, it was over before I got there. Poor
> angel had no
> family there to watch her. It's heartbreaking.
>
> --
> Soggy Depressed Diem preparing to be besieged by
> outraged and upset 6
> year-old.
>
>
Sympathy to the grand-daughter. Did she get to keep
the costume on long enough for you to get some photos?
I still remember my son getting to be the "Centurion"
because of the way his hair was cut. Later on, his
hair was voted "most authentic looking Beetle mop
cut". It's amazing what sticks in the brain, isn't
it?

Jackie



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--- Diem <diem.TakeThisOut@diemnothiszone.net> wrote:

> On Mon, 10 Dec 2007 16:51:23 +0000 (GMT),
> Jackie.TakeThisOut@Bookaholics.mbl
> wrote:
>
> >
> >--- Diem <diem.TakeThisOut@diemnothiszone.net> wrote:
> >
> >> Thank you for the birthday wishes. I had a great
> >> day. All the family
> >> who could make it came for sunday dinner and the
> >> spouse surpassed
> >> himself in the way of presents.
> >>
> >> Have just come back from a futile attempt to see
> the
> >> grand-daughter's
> >> nativity play. I was ready. I had the camera, the
> >> batteries all
> >> charged up. I had the baby in the big buggy so
> she
> >> could fall asleep
> >> if she wished. I knew my little angel was going
> to
> >> be an Official
> >> Angel Standing Behind Mary and Joseph and I was
> >> going to be Proud
> >> Grandma With Big Head.
> >>
> >> My dozy idiot of a daughter (who is in the south
> for
> >> two days) gave me
> >> the wrong time, it was over before I got there.
> Poor
> >> angel had no
> >> family there to watch her. It's heartbreaking.
> >>
> >> --
> >> Soggy Depressed Diem preparing to be besieged by
> >> outraged and upset 6
> >> year-old.
> >>
> >>
> >Sympathy to the grand-daughter. Did she get to
> keep
> >the costume on long enough for you to get some
> photos?
> > I still remember my son getting to be the
> "Centurion"
> >because of the way his hair was cut. Later on, his
> >hair was voted "most authentic looking Beetle mop
> >cut". It's amazing what sticks in the brain, isn't
> >it?
>
> Never saw her in her outfit. She's doing it all
> again tomorrow but
> they won't let babies in to that performance and I
> have no one to
> leave her little sister with (<pedant>with whom to
> leave her little
> sister</pedant>). Sigh.
>
> Have plied her with sweeties and told her it was all
> her mother's
> fault (she'll forgive her mother, after all).
>
> Don't think we ever get centurions. Lots of
> shepherds and a whole
> choir of equal opportunity angels.
>
> Could do with a few roman soldiers to liven it up a
> bit. Last year's
> was big on singing - lots of extremely short songs.
> No beatles though.
> come to think of it, little ones now probably think
> the Beatles are
> older than Mary and Joseph.
>
> --
> Diem, less fed up but more achey. Had forgotten how
> completely
> knackering 24hr childcare is.
>
That's why we have the kids when we're "young". I'm
wondering how I'll cope with grands, if/when they
arrive. Andrew's centurion stint was the at annual
children's Christmas eve mass at church. They
children act out the Gospel--so we get the centurion,
the innkeeper, the shepherds, everybody but the wise
men. They don't arrive until January. Same church
used to have a "dialogue style homily" between John
the Baptist, cue Hairry Jerry (as opposed to Holy
Jerry) to enter singing, "Prepare ye the way of the
Lord" and Santa Claus. And every year John the
Baptist would make Santa see the true meaning....

We haven't hit the children's specials in years--I
wonder if they're still doing those, scary thought.
Last year we did a nice quiet Christmas morning mass.
We may do the same again this year--unless I get the
desperate, "Can you help count the collection" phone
call (that used to entail going to the 8pm vigil mass
and then counting what had been collected). If they
ask and I'm not due anywhere, I'll always go---it's
amusing to see how many small denomination bills still
end up in the collection plate.

Jackie






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On Dec 11, 2007, at 6:04 AM, Diem wrote:

> It's a very long time since I attended any church but when I did they
> had an envelope scheme. The idea being - I was told - that you got a
> batch of nicely printed envelopes, personalized, one for each sunday
> of the year, date printed on each one, and if you didn't attend one
> sunday, you could just put a little aside in the appropriate envelope
> and take two along next time. Helped with continuity of donations, and
> kept the church in mind even when you couldn't attend.
>
> When I heard the treasurer talking about how long it took to count the
> collection, open all the envelopes, note down who gave what and on
> which day, I was rather shocked. I hadn't thought that was the point
> of the scheme at all. I thought it rather sordid, carefully noting
> who, and how much, and when.
>
> I was very young:)
>

Here, at least, the noting down isn't to castigate those who don't
give much, but to give a tax cert. at the end of the year to declare
on the tax form, so you don't have to pay income tax on that money.
Our church is pretty casual about most things, although our treasurer
could (IMO) use a tranquilizer dart (I am not getting close enough to
her to hear her).

We can also get cert. for donations of used stuff that is donated to
local charitable foundations, which seems to me and (I recently found
out) others whose opinion respect, a bit dodgy. I used the stuff, I
got some good out of it, and when the stuff is in good shape I donate
it for use by others.

> --
> Rapidly Ageing Diem, needing restoratives desperately, body wrecked by
> too much loving attention from eighteen-month old angel/demon (take
> your pick)

A large glass of TS? After the little angel is in bed, of course. I
wasn't suggesting giving it to her! Err, it is a her, isn't it? I
seem to recall...

Elizabeth
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--- Skywalker.TakeThisOut@Jedicouncil.org wrote:

>
> On Dec 11, 2007, at 6:04 AM, Diem wrote:
>
> > It's a very long time since I attended any church
> but when I did they
> > had an envelope scheme. The idea being - I was
> told - that you got a
> > batch of nicely printed envelopes, personalized,
> one for each sunday
> > of the year, date printed on each one, and if you
> didn't attend one
> > sunday, you could just put a little aside in the
> appropriate envelope
> > and take two along next time. Helped with
> continuity of donations, and
> > kept the church in mind even when you couldn't
> attend.
> >
> > When I heard the treasurer talking about how long
> it took to count the
> > collection, open all the envelopes, note down who
> gave what and on
> > which day, I was rather shocked. I hadn't thought
> that was the point
> > of the scheme at all. I thought it rather sordid,
> carefully noting
> > who, and how much, and when.
> >
> > I was very young:)
> >
>
> Here, at least, the noting down isn't to castigate
> those who don't
> give much, but to give a tax cert. at the end of the
> year to declare
> on the tax form, so you don't have to pay income tax
> on that money.
> Our church is pretty casual about most things,
> although our treasurer
> could (IMO) use a tranquilizer dart (I am not
> getting close enough to
> her to hear her).
>
> We can also get cert. for donations of used stuff
> that is donated to
> local charitable foundations, which seems to me and
> (I recently found
> out) others whose opinion respect, a bit dodgy. I
> used the stuff, I
> got some good out of it, and when the stuff is in
> good shape I donate
> it for use by others.
>
> > --
> > Rapidly Ageing Diem, needing restoratives
> desperately, body wrecked by
> > too much loving attention from eighteen-month old
> angel/demon (take
> > your pick)
>
> A large glass of TS? After the little angel is in
> bed, of course. I
> wasn't suggesting giving it to her! Err, it is a
> her, isn't it? I
> seem to recall...
>
>
Ah, yes, the tax receipts--keeping the books would be
a whole lot easier if it weren't for the Infernal
Revenue Service. Any donation over $200. must be
listed separately. For some reason, possibly to do
with verification of funds, loose checks are to be
photocopied. Envelopes are nice, particularly when a
check is used. Just verify the amount (and all other
data, date, signature, is the check made out to the
church...) and then add the check to the pile to be
stamped and deposited. But there are many who don't
do envelopes, or lost the little beasties. The
envelope plan does help the church plan its budget
more carefully. But there will always be cash,
particularly from the once or twice a year
vistors---I'm not complaining--come one, come all.
Just don't do origami with your offeratory donation:-)

Jackie



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