1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Both but definitely more gift bags each year. 2. Real tree or Artificial? Artificial for years. Real for about 10 years with DH, but I convinced him to get a prelit artificial one a couple of years ago after yet another bout of bronchitis (I swear it's an allergy to the real trees!) 3. When do you put your tree up? Usually Thanksgiving weekend. 4. When do you take the tree down? The first weekend in January. The Snow Village comes down in February after the Super Bowl. 5. Do you like eggnog? ahhhhhhhhhh that would be No! 6. Favorite gift received as a child? A plastic pretend hat box filled with plastic pretend makeup. It was definitely picked out by my mom. 7 Hardest person to buy for? DH...he buys for himself all year round. 8. Easiest person to buy for? Me!!! 9. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes, it goes up first every year. Mail or email Christmas cards? I donate to a charity in honor of friends/family now instead of sending cards. This year, however, I'm making an exception for by Support Sistahs! Worst Christmas gift you ever received? My mother-in-law bought me a trashy leopard nighty with fake fur across the top. I am not kidding...did not know what to think, as DH and I were only engaged and I was well into my 40's! LOL!!!! Favorite Christmas Movie? It's a Wonderful Life...I was named for Donna Reed. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Normally I'm finished before Thanksgiving. This year I have not purchased one thing and I'm not at all concerned. I'm in a great mood tho, so maybe I'll panic in a week or two! Have you ever regifted a Christmas present? Only for an annual, funny white elephant exchange I have with a professional group of friends...we are supposed to bring a gift we got but don't want. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? years ago? My mom's lasagna...the best I ever had. Nowadays, I really like spiral ham. Lights on the tree? Absolutely! Favorite Christmas song? Mariah's "Jesus, what a wonderful child"....followed by O Holy Night. Travel at Christmas or stay home? I love staying home. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Yes Angel on the tree top or a star? Beautiful Angel Open presents on Christmas Eve or morning? Christmas morning, after DH's daughters come over. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Political Correctness....it's CHRISTmas time. Get over it! Favorite Ornament theme or color? Don't have a special one, but I have lots of ornaments from our vacations and from my support friends. Favorite thing for Christmas dinner? see #15 What do you want for Christmas this year? I don't need anything besides good health!...I'm really blessed throughout the year. Thanks Patti!

My ex- went through Univ. on scholarship from her Dad's aircraft plant, that had closed down shortly after WWII. She achieved top marks, so may have merited other scholarships through some of her 4 years at Iowa State and Cornell. She, a canny Mid-westerner, graduated with some cash on hand. I had 3 yrs. at Univ. of Saskatchewan, provincial school, so low tuition, especially back in the late 40s, then 3 yrs. (liberal Protestant) seminary, minimal if any tuition. Dad agreed to cover my costs, but I knew that he was saving to put down payment on a farm, or, later, to pay off mortgage, so, after spending first summer at home, worked during the summers, two of them (required) as summer student minister in small churches (only open in summer) and two doing other work (that paid better). Had several money-raising tasks during the school year, including a stint of 3-students to a room (usually 2), managing the phone room, waiting tables, acting as agent for a laundry, cutting hair, etc. When I asked Dad for money, I always got it. He said that if we wanted to farm, we could farm with him, and have it when he retired, or if we wanted to go to school, he'd put us through as far as we wanted to go (as long as we played fair and kept our nose to the grindstone, implied). But that would be all that we'd get - the ones who stayed on the farm would get that. In the event, on his death, farmer brother got more land, but I and my dead brother's kids got one piece of land each, and the financial assets were split equally. As the ex- and I had split when our kids were small, we each contributed to their three/four years of Univ., about 1/3 by her, 1/3 by me and 1/3 by the kid involved, I think. Neither of them actually followed through on the field in which they were trained, son in journalism (he went into sales for a time, later entertainer), daughter in hotel management (getting B. Comm.) she worked as liaison between her school and potential employers, fundraiser for women's shelter, office manager for agency helping stop bedwetting (90% success rate, but co. went broke - a shame!). More recently a coach for disemployed/downsized/outplaced/redundant (i.e. fired) people. They have recently received a leg up financially in the world from their mother's estate - she was 9 years younger than I. Good wishes to all of you for effectively managing your money, not only currently, but as you deal with the lifelong needs of your family. Better that you boss your money than the only alternative that I know of ... having it boss you (spoken by someone with 20 years' or so experience as a personal financial advisor)! ole joyful

My favorite for the banquette shades is the leaf, but it's blue, not green like the chair fabric. I like how the browns tie in with the cabs and banquette, and I like the bolder pattern because it's more contemporary and fun. Are the cabs knotty alder? Very pretty. The leaf, being an organic motif, works good with the cabs IMO. So I'd look for something like it in the soft green. Or something with texture to hold its own against the wood. That medallion style one (the large sample) looks like a duvet cover or a 1930s cotton house dress. I just wouldn't use it for a window treatment. The new fabrics seem too formal for a family room and add a solid block of color to a room already dominated by the leather and wood furniture.

The everyday kindness of the back roads more than makes up for the acts of greed in the headlines. It does no harm just once in a while to acknowledge that the whole country isn't in flames, that there are people in the country besides politicians, entertainers, and criminals. How I miss Charles Kuralt.