It's the Day Before the Night Before Christmas

Evidently i'm not the only kid growing up in the 70s on whom this song had an impact.  I put the above phrase into Google and came up with a number of entries of folks who remember this song and the album (although there seem to have been a couple of different albums released).  I found this post about the album.  I'm surprised that i remember quite a few of these now that i see a list.   


It's the Day Before the Night Before Christmas is about being good to get as much loot as possible (not my issue! but i like the remembrance and the phrase). Icicles, Holly, Red Berries and Snow was another i remember.  I've found a few of these at YouTube.  But the song i titled this post after is one that i remember the best, and i tend to sing it on the 23rd of December (finding that i'm joining a lot of other folks i never knew were out there).  The other i tend to sing (living in Southern California) is The Weatherman's Christmas Prayer:

I'm black and blue and my face is red and turning green and grey
'Cause i'm the weather man who said "Gonna snow on Christmas Day"
Only trouble is i'm here in Southern Californ-ee-aye
It hasn't snowed in 100 years or more on Christmas Day


So please Mister Santa Claus, fill up your bag this year
With snow, snow, beautiful snow
And drop it all right here!


I had this dream this crazy scheme to clean the smog away
Just paint it white and drop it right on top of old L.A.
Just like snow but why oh why did i go on radio and say
"Here's your happy weather man predicting snow on Christmas Day!"


So please Mister Santa Claus, fill up your bag this year
With snow, snow, beautiful snow
And drop it all right here!

Well, there's lots of fog and smog a-clogging the sky down this-away
That are coming low and kind of slow and easy in that sleigh
And i'll close my eyes while i disguise . . . (don't remember this part)
You'll start that lovely white stuff falling early Christmas Eve
And i won't feel bad i'll feel real glad i had a chance to say
Here's the only weather man who'll tell you snow is on the way
But if you don't show with a load of snow a filling up your sleigh
I'm packing up and leaving this old town come Christmas Day


So please Mister Santa Claus, fill up your bag this year
With snow, snow, beautiful snow
And drop it all right here!

I've been singing this one for years now, and everyone around me thinks i'm crazy! The song from that album Elsa remembers best is I Want an Elephant for Christmas.  I didn't really remember that one until she reminded me.  I'm rather surprised, now thinking back on it, because this album is about as secular as they come but my parents were very religious.

This past week or so have been insane. My friend's truck needed some major work - a new engine and radiator.  She was here for about 10 days i think.  I did so much during that time.  N and her kids stopped by Monday.  They helped decorate our tree.

I was very glad of having my friend here, but when it came time to take her down the hill, we had had a ton of rain dumped on us and two of the roads were closed.  (We have 3 roads on and off the mountain; the "front" way, the "back" way - both of these west/south-west, and the "back, back" way headed north/north-east.)  


Normally we drive the "back" way; on that road it is 44 miles (about 50 minutes) to where i needed to take her, but that road was closed due to a mud and rock slide.  So i took her the "back, back" way and around the mountain - 120 miles.  It took us over 2-1/2 hours, but the road was good.  I was dreading retracing that, however, and thankful that the "back" way reopened so i could go directly home.  They were making 2 wheel drive cars put on chains, and they made me show them that i was carrying chains (4 wheel drive cars rarely have to put them on but have to carry them).  


There was no justification for chains anywhere on that road the entire way.  It was bare and wet.  In a couple of places there was a tiny bit of slush, but never anything more.  I can only assume they were trying to slow the flatlanders down, which they did.  But they didn't inform them that they are suppose to pull over for faster moving traffic, so it was a frustrating drive.  


As with all of Southern California, we have been bombarded with a lot of rain (and snow for us).  This is what our weather service said:

Our strong low pressure system has finally moved through the area, bringing an end to our recent heavy rain and snow event. After all is said and done most of Big Bear picked up over 7 inches of rain with 6" or so of snow, more in the west end of town, lesser amounts east and up to 2-3 feet fell atop local resorts. One for the record books but not the worst we've ever seen.

Normal for us would be no rain, and possibly 2 feet of snow.  If all that rain had been turned into snow, we would have had 6 feet or more of the white stuff.  It has been an unusually warm December, resulting in rain rather than snow.

Duane shot this vid yesterday of the river running down a street when we were driving home from town.  They are releasing water from the dam for the first time since 1996.  The lake has more water than we (Duane or i) have ever seen in it.  A lot of damage has been done due to mud and rock slides, trees coming down, and flooding.  The "front" way down the mountain is going to be closed for a while.  Still, i don't think it has been as bad here as other parts of So Cal.


Hopefully all this will drain away.  It got down to 29F last night, so the roads are likely to be very treacherous today.  We are happy we don't have to be anywhere.  But we are hoping they are better by tomorrow because we are suppose to go to OC to spend Christmas Eve with Duane's family.  We won't go if the roads are too dangerous, but that would be sad.  


All my Christmas shopping is done and i have almost everything wrapped.  I still am working on my MIL's Christmas gift (part of it) - placemats.  That will keep me busy today.  I mailed off the kids cards (from the last post) yesterday.  I meant to get them out Monday, then planned to take them with me Tuesday (when my friend and i drove down) but i forgot.  So i got them to the post office yesterday, but we don't know when the mail trucks will be allowed up again - the roads are too bad right now - so they most certainly won't have them for Christmas.


I also have not done Christmas cards, tho that was my intent.  Maybe i can get them out for New Year's.  

Duane had a nice birthday Sunday and Monday.  (The day was Monday, but much of the celebrating was on Sunday.)  We had a time with his Christmas party.  (I think he had a good time, i think i was just passing time.)  It was interesting.  We were on a yacht in Newport Harbor, so we saw the Christmas parade and all the houses lit up. 

Last night was his SAR Christmas party.  I made this corn-tuna salsa and it was a big hit.  As one person said, knowing the ingredients in the salsa, you just wouldn't think they'd go together well (well, he said he thought it would be too many vegetables), but then you taste it and it is just great!  I made a double recipe last night, and there was none to bring home.  (The recipe blog is up, tho i've not posted much yet.)  The dessert i made was not as much of a success and i was disappointed. (The fault was my own, not the recipe.  I added something that the recipe didn't call for and it did not impart an improvement.  The flavor was off.)     


I can't seem to write short posts.  A lot has been happening and i'm trying to record it, but i use a lot of words!

 I've not yet taken pics today.  This is an old one (and we don't have this much snow), but looking at the neighbor's house now looks a lot like this.  White, with blue, blue sky behind it.

Merry Christmas everyone.  I'll probably write more before long.

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