"Elvis" sang for us at the Estates

Elvis [Lonnie Jay Freeman] came to The Estates to entertain us yesterday afternoon. I won a scarf for knowing the name of his first movie. . . Love me Tender.

Ginny (97) and I both got scarves. She was an M.K. born in India and went to a British run boarding school, went to college in Wheaton, IL and settled in the Cleveland area to raise her family. She still drives--never misses church or our local Bible class. We are 3rd floor neighbors.

I really didn't care much for Elvis when I was in High School but over the years and I've seen so many shows by reenactors he's grown on me. There are quite a few Christmas and holiday songs.

  

10 Best Elvis Christmas Songs of All Time, Ranked

No fake civility from Trump for Rob Reiner

 This was written by Carl and appeared on Facebook comment.

"Trump issued a statement that did two things at once, and that’s what broke people. He acknowledged the tragedy, and he told the truth about who Rob Reiner was and how he lived. He didn’t sugarcoat it. He didn’t play the fake civility game. He didn’t suddenly pretend the last ten years never happened. People on the right wanted Trump to give them a pause button. A soft moment. Something they could hold up to the media and say, “See, we’re better people.” Not because it mattered, but because they’re tired. Tired of defending. Tired of being attacked. Tired of living in a constant political war they never signed up for. That exhaustion is real. But it’s also part of how we got here. For decades, many of us trusted institutions that didn’t deserve it. We believed in a two-party system that wasn’t real. We believed wars were necessary because officials said so. We believed men like Romney and McCain were opposition when they were just controlled alternatives. We went along to get along, and the country paid the price. Trump didn’t create this mess. We did, by falling asleep at the wheel. He forced us to wake up and see it. And when he speaks plainly, especially in moments where polite fiction would be easier, it makes people nervous. Not because it’s wrong, but because it removes the comfort blanket. It reminds us that this fight never pauses just because tragedy happens."

And it's not even the first day of winter yet

Our Christmas programs at the Estates are coming fast. We had two! today. I think I know all the words now for Frosty and White Christmas. Earlier today it was a couple—baby boomers, I think—spreading holiday cheer, except it was billed as Hanukkah, which was sort of ironic considering the tragedy yesterday in Australia. This evening we enjoyed a 13 piece band in the lobby which has soaring ceilings. Bob took out his hearing aids because it’s dangerous to have them in when it’s so loud. The singer was really talented and cute as a button. She was a great MC and knew all the history and back ground of the songs. It really brings back memories of caroling in the snow and junior choir and singing at “the old folks home” in Mt. Morris. And who could forget those 4 cute Corbetts singing for the women's club in Forreston. 

Yesterday we had “Mrs. Oppenheimer’s Piano class” Christmas recital—each child had 2 songs plus a duet with the teacher, and then we all sang Christmas carols accompanied by the teacher. Last week we had a kindergarten class from a Christian school and also a men’s quartet, except the trumpet player may be permanently out of a career—I didn’t know that a trumpet can cause a retina problem from the pressure, and he was at the doctor as the rest played and sang.

Saturday there was a party for children—breakfast with Santa. Pancakes and presents. I’m not sure where the children came from—maybe from the staff? I did skip that one, but Bob went and had several photos taken with Santa, one on (her) lap. And of course, there have been some fund raisers, like bake sales and the money raised is used to buy presents for kids, and a present drive where someone takes new things to an organization.

Our snow over the week-end has kept us inside (5” of snow on top of the car) but by Wednesday it should be about 50 degrees and we’re just going to let it melt off. We’ve been seeing a lot of Christmas movies too. Yesterday it was "The Christmas Story," and although I’ve seen it many times, it’s the only time I saw it all the way through in one sitting because I was always leaving the room for something. We saw two really forgettable Dolly Parton Christmas special movies. We also saw Bing Crosby (and Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney and Vera Allen) in "White Christmas" (1945).

Getting my fall letter out early with address changes was a good idea because all the cards are coming to the right address, along with some long emails from those who probably wouldn’t have written before. Our apartment was on a “home tour” last week so people could see the decorations. Ours were somewhat limited since the space is small, but it looked cute and we have an unusual number of paintings—maybe 65.

Rogan interviews Jelly Roll again

 https://youtu.be/UWz6_CXt5T8?si=n9qLfNCCq-psBiRW

Several years ago, I had a subscription to a streaming service called Hulu and one night I watched a documentary about Jelly Roll, a rock n roll, CW, funky fat performer.  It was an engaging story--fat kid grows up to be a modestly good performer and along the way becomes a felon.  Fast forward, he became obese, but still quite popular.  He had periodically dieted but the first time he appeared on Joe Rogan's podcast he had lost about 120 lbs--now he's lost over 300 and so this interview is about how his life has changed and how he's controlled his addiction.   I'm not sure when it was recorded, but it aired around December 10.

I asked Co-pilot what his style is called: "Jelly Roll is a multifaceted performer known for his unique blend of country, rap, gospel, and Southern rock music. He has gained significant recognition in the country music scene, winning awards such as the CMT Music Awards for "Son of a Sinner" and "Need a Favor" and being nominated for a Grammy Award for his album "Beautifully Broken". Additionally, he has made appearances in WWE, showcasing his passion for the sport and performing at major events. Jelly Roll's music often reflects his personal experiences, resonating with fans who appreciate his authentic storytelling and soulful delivery.

Poor Michigan fans

Poor Michigan fans. Heads must be exploding. This coach Serrone Moore disaster is worse than the last scandal. What did the administration know and when did they know it? Her raises should have been a clue. How does this affect the athletes? And how crazy can this guy be to throw away a 30 million salary and an incredible wife and kids? Dump wife Kelli, who is also a soccer star athlete for another blonde? Was the girlfriend black mailing him? And the media? "Inappropriate relationship"-- Is that like the congress member who called an assassination of a national guardswoman "a tragic accident?" This guy was an unfaithful husband, making the other woman a slut, and he fires her when he's caught and she spills the beans and he's suicidal? Good heavens.

Sherrone Moore's Family: All About the Ex Football Coach's Wife and Kids

Today's Public Service Announcements from me

Here are my 2 PSA for the day.

1. If you have a Roadrunner account for your email, migrate now. Some people still have my old columbus.rr account because of group chats. At first (August) I could get it, but with some delay. Now, not at all. Don't use it. New Spectrum users don't get it at all, some older ones are spotty, but mine was probably from the old Time-Warner days and it's totally gone. Unfortunately, for some people my record of your email address is gone too because I can't get into my old archived e-mails.

2. Don't pay any attention to the on-line gossip about celebrities; especially Erika Kirk. And she should also stop defending herself online or on talk shows like Fox's Outnumbered. Not that she'll take my advice. It just fuels the fires under the folks who hated Charlie. And the mainstream media are probably as unbiased as the latest "influencer." 

You noticed I hope that TDS used to be BDS and anyone who supported W used to be a Nazi or racist. Now they love Bush.

That's different than

My email grammarian checked me today. I wrote "different than." It's OK, but not the best.

"The phrases "different from" and "different than" are often used interchangeably, but there are some distinctions:

"Different from" is the more widely accepted usage, especially in British English, and is preferred in formal writing.

 
"Different than" is commonly used in American English, particularly when introducing clauses, though it is less formal.

 
In general, "different from" is considered the standard form, while "different than" may sound awkward to some.

 
In summary, while both phrases can be used, "different from" is the safer choice in most contexts."

My bad.

Getting ready for Christmas 2025

Yesterday The Estates had a residents' apartment tour of Christmas decor. I was sort of grinchy in August when we were moving, so all the bulbs went to resale, but we kept the ornaments that had memories--like things my mom and sister had made, homemade crafts from the kids' first grade teachers, mementoes from our travels, and some table decor from the days we went to parties really dressed up. We even kept and put out our Lazzy Bear from 1986. In November we bought a really skinny tree to fit our small apartment. Our daughter strung the lights for us. About 15 people stopped by--we were so busy, we didn't get out to see the decor of the other 6 or 8 who had also decorated. We've put out some candy for the strollers on the floor. Our activities director, Connie, took a photo, but I haven't seen it yet.