Carmen’s Fourth Christmas 1912 (reposting)

Once upon a time there lived in the little village of Saranac, New York a dear little girl named Carmen whose papa and mama were very poor but happy as Christmas time drew near.

Carmen talked of Santa Claus and wondered if he would visit her. She had a dear good Auntie who was always thoughtful for her comfort and did many things for her that her mamma was unable to do because she was an invalid.

So when Auntie made her presents, she gave nice big gingham aprons or dresses, or stockings which made mama’s heart glad, for she knew they were the very things her girlie needed.

A short time before Christmas papa hired a pony and carriage and took Carmen and went to the stores to do their Saturday shopping. In one store, where they went, were beautiful dollies of all kinds and many pretty toys. Carmen selected a little cradle, a little white high chair for dollie and a cute little dollie in pink dress and bonnet. Mama got her candy also and some necessary articles of clothing.

Now these things were meant for her Christmas gifts but she had them so long before time that she forgot they were Christmas gifts.

One day a letter came from dear Auntie saying a box was on the way full of Christmas cheer – and when it was opened, the dear baby was delighted with the nice new aprons, bibs, slippers, etc. But she knew they were from Auntie – not Santa and her toys she knew were from papa and mama. And when anyone asked her what Santa brought her, she would say, “He didn’t bring me neny sing.” This made mama feel badly for she couldn’t do any more for her baby but would tell her that she had been well rewarded by others – but still she could not forget that Santa had forgotten her.

As mama was setting the table for tea on Christmas night, she took down a small glass dish for pickles – one she had not used for a long time and Carmen had forgotten she had. So she asked where it came from. Mama told her she found it one time in her stocking on Christmas morning. “Well, couldn’t I hang up my stocking?” asked Carmen. “It is too late my dear,” said Mama. Santa filled stockings last night. “Well… but maybe he would remember that he forgot me and will come tonight,” said Carmen. Mama told her to run along and not bother her – for she was nervous and sometimes a little cross, and Carmen annoyed her with so many questions.

When bedtime came, she got ready for bed and mama told her she might get into her own bed down stairs till papa went up – then she wouldn’t be up there all alone. No one noticed her undressing but a long time after she was asleep papa said, “I guess I’ll shave.”

He got things ready and as the fire was low, he went out to get wood – so thought he would prepare the kindling for the morning fire at the same time. While he was out, Mama happened to notice that on one the two posts of a chair were hung two little stockings – all baggy at the knee where some little girl had romped and played, and a tiny hole, which the garter made at the top.

The big tears started in mama’s eyes and a big stinging in her nose made more big tears. When papa came in she said, “Look! What faith the child has.” Papa’s eyes were a little misty too. He said, “Haven’t you any thing you could put in there?” But she had nothing that Carmen had not seen.
Money was scarce – for the farmers papa chopped wood for did not always have ready money to pay him. But by hunting around, they scared up forty cents and papa said, “I’ll not shave but will hurry down and the drug store will likely be open and I may be able to get something.” It was nine o’clock then – and it being Christmas – the drug store was closed but he found another store open and so did the best he could there.

He got mixed candy and peanuts, an orange and 2 picture books. Mama had some net candy bags, which she filled with candy and put in then the nuts and lastly the books rolled up and sticking out of the top.

When papa got ready for bed he picked Carmen up and carried her up the stairs and when she got up there she awoke and began to ask if he left the door unlocked for Santa, and if he left a light on for him, etc. She could hardly get to sleep again. She was so excited and mama and papa were glad they had discovered the little stockings.

When morning came, papa came down first to build the fire and Carmen called down, “Daddy! Is there neny sing in my stockings?” Daddy said, “Come and see” and there was a very happy little girl that morning.
She was more pleased with those few things than all the other things she got – for “Santa” had brought them. So mama resolved that next year – what ever came for her, something should be reserved and put in the stocking and it would be of greater value.

These are the facts as they happened on the Christmas of 1912.
Maude Wright
* *
Postscript: Maude Wright, my grandmother, was not able to directly keep her promise. She died a few months later from the effects of chronic TB and the birth of her second child.

Maude Wright mailed this story – handwritten in pencil – with a letter to her sister and Carmen’s auntie passed this story to her.

I did not see the story, or even know it existed, until one year after after my mother had died at age 86 on December 7, 1994.

A week before Christmas of 1995, my brother sent me a package of photos and papers my mother had kept. This story was folded up with no special appearance and included with the photos and other papers. I actually put it aside and looked through the photos first.

When I finally looked at the neatly folded sheet of paper of the type that is used by first grader’s to practice their “letters,” I discovered in the carefully written and penciled story why at each Christmas morning my brother and I would find under the Christmas tree a stocking with our name on it filled by Santa with mixed candy and peanuts in net candy bags, an orange and 2 picture books rolled up and sticking out of the top. My grandmother could not keep her vow but her daughter, my mother, kept it for her. Thanks, Grandma and Merry Christmas to all. Ned Hamson

Maude Wright – my grandmother – in 1912. Last photo of her.

The Tao of Cutting Meat

Prince Wen Hui’s cook was cutting up an ox …

The ox fell apart with a whisper.

The bright cleaver murmured like a gentle wind.

Rhythm!

Timing!

Like a sacred dance …

Prince Wen Hui said, “Good work! Your method is faultless!”

The Cook replied, “Method? What I follow is Tao beyond all methods!

When I first began to cut up oxen, I would see before me the whole ox all in one mass.

After three years, I no longer saw this mass. I saw the distinctions. But now I see nothing with the eye. My whole being apprehends. My senses are idle.

The spirit free to work without plan follows its own instinct guided by natural line, by the secret opening, the hidden space, my cleaver finds its own way…

Then I withdraw the blade, I stand still and let the joy of the work sink in. I clean the blade and put it away.”

Prince Wan Hui, said, “This is it! My cook has shown me how I ought to live my own life!”

(3:2, pp. 64-67). The Way of Chuang Tzu, Thomas Merton, Copyright 1965, New Directions Publishing Corporation, 80 Eighth Avenue, New York, NY 10011. ISBN 0-87773-676-6

Meditando…

Meditating is a way of thanking for so many blessings received, it is a way to connect with God, the universe, with our inner self, deepen, delving into what we feel and want to do, perceiving how the true nature that moves us to be who emerges. we really are and long to be, but perhaps we put stones in the way, to stumble our own destiny, to meditate is to clear the mind at once.

Hassentidoque.wordpress.com

La vida es buena, siempre con la actitud correcta, la vida es hermosa, cuando disfrutas cualquier cosa, la vida es interesante cuando haces cosas relevantes, la vida es del color que la queramos ver…

Sentada en mi pelota de pilates, descalza, con una taza de un delicioso y aromático ponche hecho en casa, mientras escucho Indian Background Flute (Music Instrumental Meditation) es hermosa, relajante, tengo prendida una pequeña fuente y al fondo se escucha también el sutil sonido del agua, encendí unas velas, el ambiente huele atomaterapia es una mezcla de cítricos que me encanta, lo cual va perfecto por lo que estoy escribiendo, suspiro, pensando en la importancia de dedicar unos minutos al día a reflexionar, en lo personal soy alguien que requiere de un tiempo a solas conmigo misma todos los días, tengo el hábito de iniciar el día con una meditación, disfruto hacer los retos de meditación…

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A Meaningful Story for Children and Adults – “Amazon Rainforest Magic The adventures of Namowë, a Yanomami boy” — Barbara Crane Navarro

illustration from “Amazon Rainforest Magic – The adventures of Namowë, a Yanomami boy” Amazon Rainforest Magic describes the journey of a Yanomami boy through the Amazon rainforest to find a cure for his sick baby sister. He encounters talking animals and plants who help him. The book is written in the vein of “The Jungle […]

A Meaningful Story for Children and Adults – “Amazon Rainforest Magic The adventures of Namowë, a Yanomami boy” — Barbara Crane Navarro

20 Travelers from UK Test Positive for COVID-19

Petchary's Blog

Well, many Jamaicans at home are none too pleased with the flight from the UK on Monday, bringing 302 passengers to our shores. A video circulating on social media showed some of the passengers trying to stage some kind of protest on board, when they were told that they would have to go into 48 hours’ state quarantine while awaiting the results of the COVID-19 – in St. Ann, on their arrival.

One passenger, sans mask, stood up yelling, “No St. Ann!” A number of other passengers were seen not wearing masks. The passengers’ behavior was, frankly, quite selfish and rather insulting to Jamaicans, who are naturally very anxious about COVID-19. The passengers calmed down quite a bit when they realized they were to be housed in a nice hotel in St. Ann for a couple of days. However, I do hope those who have tested negative will stay…

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Hospitals and Covid Mortality Rates

CRAIN'S COMMENTS

Overall, 2020 is the deadliest year in US history according the the CDC. We’ve had 400,000 more deaths this year than in 2019, representing the largest year-to-year increase since the flu epidemic of 1918. More than 75% of this spike in death were due to Covid-19.

“[T]he characteristic that is most associated with poor or worsening hospital outcomes is high or increasing community case rates,” write David A. Asch, MD, MBA, executive director of the Center for Health Care Innovation at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, and colleagues.”

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/943153?src=mkm_covid_update_201223_MSCPEDIT&uac=153634BV&impID=2756342&faf=1#vp_1

This analysis is based on 38,517 adults who were admitted with COVID-19 to 955 US hospitals between January 1 and June 30 of this year. Anonymous data was provided by a national health insurer.

Overall, 9.1% of the patients either died in the hospital or were referred to hospice care for eventual death. However, that figure varies from 5.7% among…

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