It's that time of year again, stringing lights outside, putting up a tree in the house. Going to the store and buying presents, and bringing them home to wrap. Yes that's right, it's Christmas.

The Holiday every kid loves, and believe it or not some adults love it to. I just happen to be one of those that Love Christmas. I Love hanging lights outside, and decorating the inside. I Love the cold, and the snow. But the best thing about Christmas is the Family getting together.

Every year for My Family Christmas, I dress up like Santa. (and yes Ken I do have to add extra padding) Yes I do own a Santa Clause suit. After everyone eats, I run over to the Neighbors, and I get into my Suit. 

I fill My bag with all the gifts everyone brought. By the time I get back all the kids are waiting for Santa. You should see the excitement on their faces. Young to Old, all the Kids sit on Santa's lap.

Some of the older Kids know Santa is really Uncle Matt. So they sit on my lap, and pull on my beard, and get their picture taken. Some Kids are to scared to sit on Santa's lap so they just stand there beside me. The ones that believe in Santa are the best.

They sit on my lap and ask questions about the reindeer, and about the North Pole. And I always have a good story for everything they ask. One time My Niece asked Santa about his workshop. I told her that with the Global warming that is going on all over the world, that all the snow

and ice melted at the North Pole. And I lost my workshop.

She looked at me all sad and said "then how are we going to get toys next year". Then I asked her if it would be ok to build a new workshop in her back yard. And of course she was ecstatic, thinking Santa is going to live at Her house.

There are 16 Nieces and Nephews so you can imagine all the questions I get asked. After I hand out all the Kids their presents, I tell them I have to get back to work making toys for other kids. So they all give Santa a big hug, and tell me good bye. I then go back to the Neighbors and get undressed, and come back to the party. 

I have alot of fun making the kids Smile. This year Our Family Christmas is on the 23rd. So maybe I'll have some more stories with all the questions they ask.

HO! HO! HO! MERRY CHRISTMAS!

 By Matt Wentling

was released.

I called her this afternoon and she is in good spirits and doing well. Welcome Home Mom, keep upi the good work.

My hospital stay......

Last week I went to the hospital  because my butt was killing me.  Well I guess I have some problems in my body that didn't want to co-operate with the rest of me....

I had C- scans to find out what was wrong...Well I won't go into details but it was a long week and everyone was so nice in the hospital....Of course I couldn't stay in bed cause I knew I would miss something.....

I walked around the halls and the nurses had to find me when it was time for meds...They sure were nice.    I had IV bags on a pole and had to drag that around with me....What fun....But then that was better than laying in bed all day..... 

My kids came up to see me every day and that was great....Also had alot of visitors and phone calls...That sure makes the days go faster......

Kelly brought food for all of the rest of the family ( not me)  on Thanksgiving and we all went in the sun room to eat..That was so nice...We could all be together on Thanksgiving after all........

Now at night I kept rolling on my tubes and cutting off the meds and it would beep and so the nurses started calling me "beeper"......I couldn't have anything to eat or drink for 5 days  and I wanted a cup of coffee so bad so I kept asking the nurses and they would ALWAYS say no....

What a bummer....Finally I got my coffee and a little food....  Now I am home and doing nearly nothing but glad to be home and hope I never go back but I know I have to in the near future..   

By Marie Boden

If it happens to be true that a person is so insensitive dumb, numb or what ever the fact maybe, isn’t it a fact there are different stokes for different folks. 

I remember school for instance, we are taught that everyone is different and those who are not like the majority get sent to special classes to help them become like those who are considered normal.  

Well it is no different when we grow up, we still have different strokes for different folks, and it doesn’t mean we have to accept it or ignore it.  But like in school we help those who need it or we clobber those who need it and move on.  

If this is true, and is it describing the way we use to be before we grew up, or possibly by chance is it describing a brother or a sister now or in the past?   I know we all make tons of mistakes as we grow up and some take longer than others, but because we love them we wait and we hope that someday we will see them grow up into a beautiful person.   

Some people need more experience than others, while we wait for this to happen.   What is sometimes good about people who are numb to feelings is the fact that sensitivity doesn’t get in their way, they are the ones who don’t feel the sword or simply don’t give a hoot either way, they don’t give it another thought after it comes out of their mouth.

But everyone else who is sensitive to others, feels the sword and is wounded and they may carry that wound for years and possibly a lifetime.  The one who did the jabbing can be or desires to be clueless if they really are that naive, dense, dumb, to the fact they hurt someone.  

Its just this, they have no pain because they chose to have no pain, and the ones that still hurt, has chosen to carry the pain and maybe even carry a grudge.   I say if this happens to you. Just speak out and say, “Hey that is rude and it’s not acceptable with me,” or

it’s uncalled for or you’re so rude or what ever it will take to get to the point.  

What if it’s, lets say one of my loved ones, because they are my loved ones, maybe I over look it simply because I see a lot of things that I love in them.  Well maybe it’s that case and I myself may need to know what they did.

You don’t want a loved one to suffer from an over sensitive reaction, that the person who is numb to it doesn’t even feel.   You don’t want to lose a loved one, don’t let it build up, if you can handle it yourself, in a loving way. 

If a loving way doesn’t work then you try harder, just like with children in Special-Ed.   

Now something I have not considered is, if someone is totally rude and plays ignorant because they want to feel great about themselves and feel superior, and just because they really do feel and believe they are so much better than everyone else.  I say have a talk with the husband, wife, friends or couple. Let them know what is going on and put a stop to it before the fire becomes so intense that it can’t be put out.  

We are here to love one another and also to help one another.  Sometimes we do need a baseball bat but most times we don’t.  Usually a person who needs to feel superior to others has deep issues of insecurity in themselves stemming from other deep issues.  

Now what I see are two choices, forgive and forget, or handle it at the time to prevent build up so you can keep in mind the real cost of loss.

By Christina Prater

Memory Lane was updated today:

Sherry King wrote and sent in a couple of memories she had. Thank you Sherry!

I want to know how I got a brother I never met.  When I was young my mom would often speak about the milkman.  Some of you may not know what a milkman is, but I remember, milk was delivered to the house in glass bottles, and it was left outside the door on regular basis.  

She would often say things like the milkman did it, but I was pretty young and I never heard her say these things like that until Ken and Kel were born.  

Then I was really puzzled because every other day the milkman (who was a lady, maybe in drag) came to the house and left fresh milk outside the door. 

Everytime something went haywire mom and dad would mumble grumble about things that I didn't know about, and end it with the milkman must of done it. 

Sometimes even say the mailman did it.  I am actually not sure if they really knew the truth.   Well now I am finally starting to put pieces together, with the more I read on this web sight. 

I was finally introduced to Matt my brother. hummmmmmm Thinking,  Maybe they were triplets.  I am really not clear on it.  However, I did meet Matt a couple times the last couple trips home but we really never chatted much about anything. 

I am learning more about him now, and I am getting really excited to know he is my brother.   For your benefit Matt, I just don't think mom and dad could afford triplets.    

But thinking back I would always say they didn't look like twins, I always said that I could tell them apart, so one day before I came home from

school, she dressed Ken as Kell and Kell as Ken.

  I came in the door and she asked me to please change Kelly. So I went in to change the one dressed in pink, she was so cute, too,  When I screamed, she laughed so hard,  because when I took the diaper off and found the extra plumbing that "Kell" had.

So now it all makes sense Matt ,she couldn't keep two of them straight either so she had to give you up.   Why she gave you up I am not sure unless you looked more like the milkman and she didn't want dad to know.  

But on the flip side I have another sister in law. Not sure I ever spoke to her.  Can't wait to meet the rest of the family I am learning about.  Make sure they know they have another aunt.  So they can be prepared to meet me next time.  

Well Matt, my "brother", nice to finally know the truth about you.  But since you were given up at birth, I will have to let you know more about that inheritance you seem to be moving in on.    But I will say one thing, if you are the nicest brother yet.   I can't wait to meet you, other then just seeing you from a distance, and maybe we will speak one day .   

Your long lost sister  in Oklahoma!!!!   Christina

By Christina Prater

What a hospital!

Congratulations to the fund raiser committee and to the wonderful men and women who donated! Has anyone realized that some of the people who donated have put in more that one million dollars. There is one name on the list that was in a 1 to 10 million dollar group. There are several who put in a cool mill and many put in hundreds of thousands.

Don't quote my figures, as there is a long list of donors, and together raised millions and millions so Findlay and Blanchard Valley Hospital could build such a nice facility.

The rooms are wonderful, and the equipment is way up to date and the best on the planet.

Every staff member was very nice, polite and professional and took good care of my mother. We were very comfortable while visiting, and the day rooms are heart warming and the view is nice. A lot of thought went into the build of the hospital and they did not miss a thing, no cost was overlooked to provide the best quality of all needs to the patients and to visitors.

We had fun too. One time, as I got off the elevator, I told some lady "good luck, the thing is bouncing pretty bad" and I wanted to have everyone lay on the floor so when the doors opened we could get up and say awesome ride, very fast, stops hard tho, but very fast.

It's funny how humor is the important thing in a hospital. I mean, you have to have laughter, and it seems to come easy. There are all kinds of things to make a joke of, even if in bad taste, like, why can't we smoke in the hospice rooms? It won't hurt anything!

There are thousands of them, but it is in bad taste and I will refrain from using them here because jokes like that are not for everyone and I don't think I need to offend by tasteless humor.

This hospital is the only place I have ever been that allowed the technicians to read the results before the doctor has read them. Think about where that could go if the tech read it wrong??

Mom's doctor, Dr. Kavorkian, not his real name, but he got that nickname because we could not pronounce his real name, needs to work on his people skills. He may very well be a good scientist and doctor, but he can not for the life of himself, tell anyone what is wrong.

We had to get another doctor for a second opinion well, really the first opinion so we knew what Kavorkian was doing! I think Kavorkian should pay the second doctor, after all the second doctor was doing Kavorkian's job.

The other weird thing that happened all the time there was the prognosis always changed. In the morning you might hear you will be hear another week or two and then the next thing you hear is you are going home now!

Or, in the next couple of days we will give you water to drink and wait for ever for that day to arrive and then hear in a few days you will get clear foods then the next thing is you are eating oatmeal. Nothing, not one thing was said that was accurate. You could not bank on anything they said. All you can do is wait and see if what was said was true. Very frustrating.

On the other hand maybe the doctors always had meetings and changed the plan of attack as they seen fit. If that is the case, then that should have been said as well, at least were would have known things would change.

But the good news is, Mom is doing wonderfully and will be getting back to her senses and calling Matt an ass hole again in no time. Wait till she reads the crap he wrote about me. She knows what Matt says about Kenny is true, but I am the good son, and the nurses even said Matt is jealous. Poor Laura, (Matt's girlfriend) she is so nice and pretty, how in the world did she ever get stuck with him?

by Scott Boden

There is really only one thing I like about winter, and that is a day like today. It is warm, breezy, cloudy and rainy.

That makes the day, anything you want it to be. You can have the doors open. You can sit on the porch.  You can have a cook out. You can be romantic.

You can work outdoors, and the air is clean, fresh, fragrant.

Hopefully there will be some steady rain falls so I can hear drops hit leaves and roofs. I want to watch little temporary rivers form and flow down my drive.

 I want to watch my dog get muddy from top to bottom while he plays in the yard and runs through the paths he has cut into the grass.

There is a classic car shop right behind where I am at today. The cars that that man builds are fantastic. Mike is the owners name. He will have his overhead doors open today while he works. The sound of the rain on his tin roof will be like music. The cars he builds have price tags exceeding $100,000 and no doubt, one or two will be outside and fired up today.

When there are days like today, something always happens. There will be a memory made. This day will always stand out from the rest. Something will occur that will trigger other memories too. All days like this have that in common. Through out this morning, and afternoon, little memories from other days like today will just appear as if it were happening again.

These kinds of days don't happen very often, but when they do, it is very warm and welcoming.

Marion, Ohio (BP)

Saturday Night Ballroom dancing. How splendid indeed. Thou art magnificent Sir Robert, Madam Robyn. Oh........it wasn't like that. There were some nicely dressed people attending the dance but there were no gowns or tuxes worn. Most were dressed comfortably, in better than jeans of course, and we were in the Grand Ballroom.

Wall mounted half moon lights, a marble floor, and plaster moulding and ceiling with recessed dimmed lighting  accented our formal tables. Not too formal or too drab, but comfortable.

I have not been to a dance lesson in my life, and there was an hour of lessons before the meal (buffet style) was served. More later on the meal. The instructor was quick with the lessons so some of us at our table just weren't getting it.

Counting is important. Natural rhythm is important and coordination is an requirement if you want to be popular on the dance floor. You have to have a certain degree of desire in order to achieve dancing as an art and not a handicap like some of the people portrayed. I however, looked as if I was in a Special Olympic battle where no one kept score. I did keep my head up off the table past nine thoough and I did learn a couple of dance steps.

The East Coast Swing was our theme dance, but there were also line dance and waltz lessons and I learned that these step are just the basics of many other dance steps.

Throughout the evening, they taught one lesson for advanced dancers and a couple of times threw in a line dance and something called a grapevine dance. That is the one I learned, at least at the time, while others were doing it too. I don't know if I know it now, but I did it then.

They played a variety of music from rock to country to cha cha and Bob was doing the two step to some of the music and taught it to Robyn. Robyn then stepped on me, I mean taught it to me sort of. It was good fun, nice people and there were some good dancers there. I would do it again.

The meal. Assortment of pies, spaghetti, chicken parm maybe, but not like I have had it before. I know this because it was good. Hard rolls and a vegetable medley with broccoli, which there is no reason at all to eat broccoli.

The dinning  room was elegant and formal. Again white table cloths and linen napkins with a fork for each dish. I was pleased, and you know that that means a lot. I will definitely do it again, if for nothing else but for the dinner.

Over all, a very nice evening, with very nice people of all ages. Next time I will take a candle for our table in the ballroom, and enjoy my bride without causing her toe pain.

by Scott Boden

Bob and Marie want to announce the birth of........No that's not it!

Mom is in the hospital. It is not life threatening and may require minor surgery.

If you would like to call her, here is the phone number. 423 4124. Please do not call after 7 pm as she will be very tired and for some reason one cannot get much rest in a hospital. Why is that I wonder?

Do not know visiting hours

There is no smoking at the hospital either. You would think with all the doctors and machines there, it would be the best place to smoke, but I am the only one who thinks that way.

The new hospital rooms are very nice. Mom is probably faking it. Private rooms with room service!

What do you think?