A Few Cards from the Game of Life

Best way to get rid of that horrid citrus zinc lozenge taste: a mint (one of their few uses).

Best way to kill your appetite the next day: eat a huge dinner in a hot room with nine other friends, stay up till 2 a.m. watching an exciting, sad, scary movie, then get up six hours later to drive a van in for realignment.

An overflowed toilet does constitute a family health and sanity crisis.

Till this crisis is properly dispensed with, you're probably better off wearing shoes around the house.

If you're drying off equivalent amounts of blood and water, you're washing your hands too often.

There is no limit to how much some little boys can complain.

Your classy new hair cut may well be the death of your gagging younger brother.

Upon discovering something that truly annoys an easy-going sister, write it down.

Reading for too long can make eye movement painful.

If you can feel the electric current through the wire, said wire may be getting old.

Rhythmically patting a little brother's back produces an interesting vibrating hum.

Write down those quotes. They'll be worth another laugh someday.

• "Do you flavor your coffee with lettuce?" (Derek)
• "Trust Ardith. She's watched enough TV to know." (obvious)

No, there isn't anyone else. If you don't do it, no one will. Now you know what a mom's life is like.

Keep reenforcing those traditional family values: "Life isn't fair. Get used to it."

HOPPP

Photos are on the sidebar. (For the unenlightened - HOPPP = Hoyts-Opening-Presents-Party Pictures)

One or two aren't perfectly clear. I am still refining the art of using a digital camera.

All presents sent from Texas-based associates are represented. Thank you for these unexpected and very welcome contributions!

I hope these pictures will let you share in our Christmas.

Even more importantly, keep Christmas in your hearts the year round, as the Ghost of Christmas Present counseled Scrooge.

Merry Christmas!

This has truly been the best Christmas ever. We were all together again!

A few calculations. . . Daddy hadn't been home for nine weeks, Mommy about the same time. Most of the kids hadn't seen either Daddy or Mommy since sometime in November (I think). Ardith and I visited over Thanksgiving. That was our last real face-to-face contact till today. Now just six more weeks to go! (Lord willing, with somewhat more frequent visits)

So much fun to open presents together! Our Christmas dinner turned out fairly well, only about half was burnt or undercooked or something else fairly easily remedied, and was eaten not too long after 2 p.m. We laughed so much! Enough to have lifted a hot-air balloon at least. Wouldn't have been a bad day for it, quite warm. . . but we had so much fun.


This is for Christmas and for my parents. It's Mommy's favorite Christmas carol.

Thou didst leave Thy throne and Thy kingly crown
When Thou camest to earth for me;
But in Bethlehem's home was there found no room
For Thy holy nativity.
O come to my heart Lord Jesus-
There is room in my heart for Thee!

Heaven's arches rang when the angels sang,
Proclaiming Thy royal degree;
But of lowly birth didst Thou come to earth
And in great humility.
O come to my heart, Lord Jesus-
There is room in my heart for Thee!

The foxes found rest and the birds their nest
In the shade of the forest tree;
But thy couch was the sod, O Thou Son of God,
In the deserts of Galilee.
O come to my heart, Lord Jesus-
There is room in my heart for Thee!

Thou camest, O Lord, with the living word
That should set Thy people free;
But with mocking scorn and with crown of thorn
They bore Thee to Calvary.
O come to my heart, Lord Jesus-
There is room in my heart for Thee!

When the heavens shall ring and the angels sing
At Thy coming to victory,
Let Thy voice call me home, saying "Yet there is room-
There is room at My side for thee."
My heart shall rejoice, Lord Jesus,
When Thou comest and callest for me!

Emily E. S. Elliott

Christmas Eve

Isaiah 9:6-7

"For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us;
And the government will rest on His shoulders;
And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace,
On the throne of David and over his kingdom,
To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness
From then on and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this."

Modifications

You may have noticed a few changes on this blog. If you didn't, that's all right - I will now inform you of the significant ones.

Ardith gave me a few HTML editing tips, so I have expanded the sidebar to include some links of interest to myself and hopefully to you also.

1. You can now access the (2) blogs of my family (and soon some of my friends, or perhaps blogs I deem worth visiting).

2. Well-educated includes educated on current events, therefore, I have provided several links to news sites, in different languages of course.

3. 'Sites of the Month' should be self-explanatory. In the interests of promoting knowledge, and especially knowledge in the context of languages and linguistics, I would like to post links on a general theme each month. This month's theme is French websites. I realize that very few French-speakers visit this blog, but you might want to visit the sites anyway. Some have interesting pictures or maps that you could track down (with a little guessing and perspiration).
For those who don't feel like following up on my hour+ of research. . . no guilt intended, unless of course you want to feel some. . . remember that December is fast closing the rather frigid doorways of 2004, and soon will come a new year, a new month, and a new topic.

I have carefully ordered these websites for optimal experience.

--Gymnastique Linguistique: tracing French to its root language, Latin, with a few activités;
--Le Figaro: similar to Le Monde, focus both French and international;
--Histoire en Ligne: French history, complete with geopolitical maps;
--A la lettre: All the info on French authors and their works that you could want;
--Glossaire linguistique: Explanations and diagrams for linguistic and typographic terminology
--Tolkiendil: dedicated to Tolkien, with essays, games, illustrations, etc.

I suppose some of these sites might be translatable, if you'd like.

Enjoy and become more cultured. And you can take that any way you want.

Singing Saturn

Johannes Kepler may have been right about the "music of the spheres".

"Kosmisches Konzert: Raumsonde hört Gesang des Saturns"

Yesterday Spiegel had an article on the space probe Cassini, a joint project of NASA and ESA, its European equivalent (I think). This probe has been visiting the gas giants Jupiter and Saturn. Apparently it has detected sounds or tones that result from solar wind particles meeting Saturn's electromagnetic field. In fact, astrophysics researcher Don Gurnett from the University of Iowa (n.b.!) has published Saturn's first tones. And he and his RPWS (Radio and Plasma Wave Science) buddies think the same may be true for Jupiter.

"Das All ist zwar luftleer, aber nicht stumm", proposes the article; "The universe is indeed a vacuum, but it is not silent." If true, this gives new meaning to Psalm 19:1 - "The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands." (NASB)

Yay! I'm so excited!

1) My computer's up and running! Jason set it up for me. Of course I could have done it myself, however, there were a few changes. Now I'm using one of Daddy's two monitors for his downstairs computer, a flatscreen! My monitor had taken to frequent fits of buzzing while at school. Personally, I think it was the little Word paper clip that looked like it would pass out every time I was typing out my French or German or Spanish homework.

Only disappointment is that AOL refuses to work, so far. Fortunately, I don't have a buddy list hundreds of people long like some people I could mention (but I kindly refrain from so doing).

And now I can finally access all the files saved to my harddrive, which means returning to the science fiction story contest with Jason and Derek which I don't mind humbly saying that I'm winning hands down, due to my four or five chapters already completed, despite a sabbatical of the entire fall semester. Oh yes, and my photos are also saved to my hard drive. I will get busy putting these at the public's disposal if Ardith will help me set up an online album which a specifically targeted general populace can access.


2) Ethan allowed me to keep the instructions from the watch he just received for his birthday. Did I mention that these instructions are in eight different language? I think I have identified all of them: English, French, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, two Asian languages which must be Chinese and Japanese, and lastly German. What a gold mine! Now I get all the fun of comparing them, not to mention acquiring a first-rate vocabulary pertaining to watches in the above languages (at least the ones I can read). Here are some translations of watch:

montre
Voi
Uhr
relógio
reloj

I've only changed the order of one, so you should have no difficulty classing them.

And now that Ardith has adjusted the connection for our home network, my screen name is free to again whiz over the cyberspace currents and connect me to the online population, or, should I quote my revered Grandpa and say my 'three friends'.

Now I will go obey Nolan's command to read him a Peanuts book 'when you're done with that.'

Who needs ovens, anyway!

Not the ever-resourceful Hoyt kids. Ardith and I have just planned Christmas Dinner over lunch, complete with pie and no oven. Ethan has postponed his birthday meal indefinitely since he just can't resign himself to anything of quality inferior to homemade pizza. As for the Christmas cookies. . . we'll make fudge. Everybody knows chocolate's good for you, everybody who's read my mom's blog, anyway.

I thought it might be helpful to have a list of names and ages for future reference. . .

Ardith - 21
Sharon - 19
Jason - 17 (Dec. 30th)
Kendra - 15 1/2
Derek - 13 1/2
Melinda - 12
Carolyn - 10
Ethan - 8
Nolan - 5 1/2
Trevor - 3 in February

About halfway down the list I forget, so I keep going and see if the last couple end up at the right ages. We all know my parents are timeless and ageless. Besides, I'm not sure about Daddy's age anymore since he's had three or four different birthdays.

Yesterday I drove the kids in for play practice, which somehow finished early. Tonight will be the gala performance. I've been under the impression that it was a 'normal' story-of-Mary-and-Joseph-and-baby-Jesus presentation, but Pastor John says there's a twist in it this year. It can't be too extreme - we don't have any Herdmans in our church.

Jason and Derek had to stay extra long to finish cleaning the WRC church last night, because somebody had eaten Oreos over a newly swept floor. Meanwhile, we watched our usual Saturday night music shows - Guy Lombardo and Lawrence Welk. Guy Lombardo is my favorite. Not so much for Ethan - "Oh, great, it's over!" - not said sarcastically.

And now you can all agree with him, 'cause this post is done and I'm off to take a nap.

The Gang's All Here

Time for the first nightly report. Yes, all the Hoyt siblings are home. We only had to wait till about 6 p.m. for Ardith to show up.

Today we went shopping, because Ethan's birthday was today and to be celebrated tomorrow, and he requested pizza. So we got out to the van and had to move the four mousetraps baited with peanut butter. I'm not sure mice are still living in there. . . the one I saw was the little guy that ran underneath the accelerator and Ardith's foot, when we went up to visit Daddy and Mommy over Thanksgiving.

Ethan wanted pizza for his birthday, and I planned to make spaghetti pie for Ardith's first supper home. Unfortunately, the oven wasn't working. I found this out when the second batch of cookies started smoking after about 4 minutes. Fortunately, Jason enjoys getting his daily dose of carbon from burnt cookies. So much for a baked supper. . . we just had spaghetti with cheese instead, and applesauce and beans. To round out this lovely Italian theme meal, I gave them all a Ghirardelli's Dark Chocolate (my college friends have figured out what to get me for Christmas). We ate supper out in the living room while watching Ethan's birthday movie, Robin Hood - the Disney animal version. During the exciting first climax scene of the post-shooting match ruckus, most of the kids were yelling in loud hoots at the ridiculous escapades, underscored by Trevor's steady drone of "ooww.... ooouwwiieeeee....", probably in sympathy for the rhinos that Lady Cluck was tackling.

I tried mopping the kitchen floor today. My conclusion: Swiffer mops aren't magical. Except in the commercials where dirt doesn't get slowly ground into the tile because the ever-vigilant mother whips out her handy Swiffer every afternoon (and apparently doesn't have to put ten chairs on the table first). It does look better, but I think hands + soap + hot water will be necessary for a deep clean.

That's all, folks. Two little girls are reading up in their double bed, waiting for me to pray with them. Everyone sleep well and think warm thoughts, especially if you're in slightly underheated bedrooms.

Made it!

Needless to say, it's great to be home. It only took me half an hour to check out of my room and say goodbyes. Weather driving home was clear and beautiful, and just imagine this - the house is now 75 degrees instead of 73! Compliments of Jason. And it's so easy to unload a vanful with six or seven extra pairs of hands.

I sat down on the couch to talk to Grandpa and Grandma for a while, and after a few minutes Carolyn came to claim her "pillow" (at least that's what she calls me), Nolan wanted to snuggle, Ethan and Melinda wanted to talk. I asked when Ardith was coming home, and Ethan remarked, "Oh yeah, she's bringing a whip." Make that a blacksnake whip! I'd like to know who started that idea.

I knew I'd been gone too long when I sat down to play Dutch Blitz with Carolyn (10), Ethan (8 tomorrow), and Nolan (5), and Nolan dutch blitzed in the first round. (!!!) Nothing makes you feel old like a precocious little brother. What I can't understand is how he watches everyone else's cards as well as his own, so he can tell them when to slap down another card.
It's Grandpa's doing - he's been training him. I realized again today how much Grandpa and Grandma have done just by sacrificing nearly a month of their time to be with the kids and keep things running smoothly. Thank the Lord for them.

And for one final happy note, I found that two of my final grades are in. Intermediate German and Intro to Sociology, both As. Two down, three to go. I'd like to break my past trend and avoid any A-'s this time round. We'll see. It seems like I spent very little time studying this semester. But I'm just glad to be done.

"Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good,
For His lovingkindness endures forever."

Psalm 136:1

Looking ahead

Three more days till home for Christmas, and then some. I'm staying home the spring semester to help run the homestead. Just so no one has any doubts - I want y'all to know that it was my choice to come home. I offered quite a while ago when I learned that Daddy would need to stay in Rochester for three months. But we didn't know when Daddy's transplant would be, so we couldn't plan.

I can't wait to come home! It took long enough to work up excitement for college, now after three semesters I feel very ready for a break. Not many people have that privilege. Fortunately, language credits through placement tests have moved me up a whole semester, so if I return to Grace in the fall I will still be graduating with my class in '07.

I just wish Ardith could take a break too, but she needs to graduate this spring. At least all of us kids will be together for Christmas. It will be a little different, but still very wonderful! It has been so comforting to know that Grandpa and Grandma Baker have been with the kids during these weeks.

Finals are humming along. . . French and Spanish down, only Sociology, Science, and German to go. And lots of packing, and cleaning, and goodbyes to say. I really don't see how all this can be crammed into two more days, but somehow it will.

By the way, I think everyone should read L'Etranger, or The Stranger, by Camus. It's good to confront the theory of absurdism at least once in your lifetime.

Picture Time!

Finally! It's only taken me about ten tries. Posting photos is a two-step process; first, loading them into an album from the hard drive on my computer; second, linking them on a lobby computer, because for some reason mine doesn't do links.

These are from the trip Ardith and I made to visit Daddy and Mommy.

My wonderful parents:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v603/SharonLHoyt/P1040357.jpg

My beautiful, popular sister Ardith:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v603/SharonLHoyt/P1040358.jpg

(you can tell I'm only justifiably biased)

And yes, they made me get a picture taken too:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v603/SharonLHoyt/P1040359.jpg

Now that I have a reliable site for hosting photos, there should be more in the future. And now I'm going to post this before I accidentally hit the odd combination of buttons that clears the window.

Weekend means entertainment

Yeah, I may get in trouble for this one, but it seems to me that new vocabulary requires practice.

So, to run back to Thanksgiving break, Tammie and I enjoyed a rather confabulatory ride home, especially since it took us three hours longer than usual. In fact, ten-hour trips in a small car with snow shutting you in produce conditions very favorable to confabulation. Once home, I enjoyed still more confabulation with my family, though a different degree of confabulation. The natural type that comes from years of knowing someone, till on a level so comfortable that it's hard to classify the conversation, because one doesn't even think about it. I think that's one thing that frustrates me about college. One has to always be thinking about what to say. It's all due to a social equation which says that one's number of friends (and perhaps even one's comfort level) is in direct proportion to one's ability to confabulate. But maybe it's better that way. Makes it easier to distinguish the real friends.

I'm afraid we're not a very deipnosophistic family, even over Thanksgiving Dinner. At least not in the usual sense of the word. Our conversation tended more towards the opposite extreme, somewhere in the wilderness beyond confabulation. That doesn't mean we aren't skilled in table talk, just not the fancy-restaurant variety. Actually, our variety of deipnosophism follows the unique theory that laughter aids digestion. If these two simultaneous actions hurt your stomach muscles, realize that they're in need of exercise. Especially if you're going to eat some of that ridiculously rich pecan pie.

Yesterday I gave a presentation on my 10-page French dissertation in class. I suppose, by an extreme stretch of the imagination, one could consider that a deipnosophistic exercise, minus the gastronomical aspect. In all seriousness, it went very well. I was nervous, felt like I was having trouble communicating all my logical developement, almost stopped a few times. But Prof. Schram said it was excellent. What a relief. I'm glad I went first. This next week, all I have to do for French class is read L'Etranger (Camus) one more time, and of course, prepare for the final. And listen to everyone else's presentations, which will be easy, since I won't be thinking about mine.

Hmm. . . I just discovered that this post was unconsciously inspired.

To whom it may concern: working on the pictures, i.e., the sites tried so far haven't been working, but I hope to have them linked by tonight.

Everyone stay warm and start thinking about Christmas. Never too early.