Today we woke up to a cold bedroom.  We had run out of kerosene in our room for the second time in a row.  Neither Amy nor I wanted to get out from the blankets to go outside and fill the tank because it was just too cold.  Eventually we realized the tank was not going to fill itself no matter how much we willed it to be so.

We both got up and went out to the portable both freezing our assets off.  Neither of us has winter sleepwear and I have no long sleeve shirts.  As my gums were chattering, Amy went out to fill the kerosene tank so we could have a little heat while we got a fire started.  Well out on the front porch there was a rather large box.  Hmmm…I wasn’t expecting any deliveries.

She brought the box in and it was indeed addressed to us, and addressed from Santa.  Evidently Santa has been visiting in Missouri and sent the package from there.  Inside the package was some food products and pet treats and I think the cats knew those pet treats were in there.  They started to get really interested in this package.  We stacked up the food and pet goods, and there was more.  Bath and body goods and of course Amy had to smell that…she was excited and while she was sniffing out the bath/body good, I felt soft stuff…YES!  Some winter shirts and flannel PJ sets, just the right size and style!!

We will be warm and cozy in bed, and should we run out of kerosene again during the night we will both have something warm on our bodies to go outside and fill the tank and once we get the heater going and it’s time to get dressed and join life there is something warm to put on.

There were some staple food goods that will sure help us through those low budget days at the end of the month and there was no way of hiding the cat treats….they really did know there was something in there for them too.  Amy opened the package and before the treats even hit the feed table all the cats were piling up there.

I can’t tell you what a holiday this has been!  This past year has been a rough journey for my whole family, but the year ends on such a positive note that we are filled with such hope for the new year.  We hope for friendships to grow stronger, we hope to be able to pass on this feeling to others.

To all my friends, May you each have a safe, happy and blessed holiday!!

 TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS,
 HE LIVED ALL ALONE,
 IN A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE MADE OF
 PLASTER AND STONE.
 
 I HAD COME DOWN THE CHIMNEY
 WITH PRESENTS TO GIVE,
 AND TO SEE JUST WHO
 IN THIS HOME DID LIVE.
 
 I LOOKED ALL ABOUT,
 A STRANGE SIGHT I DID SEE,
 NO TINSEL, NO PRESENTS,
 NOT EVEN A TREE.
 
 NO STOCKING BY MANTLE,
 JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND,
 ON THE WALL HUNG PICTURES
 OF FAR DISTANT LANDS.
 
 WITH MEDALS AND BADGES,
 AWARDS OF ALL KINDS,
 A SOBER THOUGHT
 CAME THROUGH MY MIND.
 
 FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT,
 IT WAS DARK AND DREARY,
 I FOUND THE HOME OF A SOLDIER,
 ONCE I COULD SEE CLEARLY.
 
 THE SOLDIER LAY SLEEPING,
 SILENT, ALONE,
 CURLED UP ON THE FLOOR
 IN THIS ONE BEDROOM HOME.
 
 THE FACE WAS SO GENTLE,
 THE ROOM IN SUCH DISORDER,
 NOT HOW I PICTURED
 A UNITED STATES SOLDIER.
 
 WAS THIS THE HERO
 OF WHOM I’D JUST READ?
 CURLED UP ON A PONCHO,
 THE FLOOR FOR A BED?
 
 I REALIZED THE FAMILIES
 THAT I SAW THIS NIGHT,
 OWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE SOLDIERS
 WHO WERE WILLING TO FIGHT.
 
 SOON ROUND THE WORLD,
 THE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY,
 AND GROWNUPS WOULD CELEBRATE
 A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS DAY.
 
 THEY ALL ENJOYED FREEDOM
 EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR,
 BECAUSE OF THE SOLDIERS,
 LIKE THE ONE LYING HERE.
 
 I COULDN’T HELP WONDER
 HOW MANY LAY ALONE,
 ON A COLD CHRISTMAS EVE
 IN A LAND FAR FROM HOME.
 
 THE VERY THOUGHT
 BROUGHT A TEAR TO MY EYE,
 I DROPPED TO MY KNEES
 AND STARTED TO CRY.
 
 THE SOLDIER AWAKENED
 AND I HEARD A ROUGH VOICE,
 ’SANTA DON’T CRY,
 THIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE;
 
 I FIGHT FOR FREEDOM,
 I DON’T ASK FOR MORE,
 MY LIFE IS MY GOD,
 MY! COUNTRY, MY CORPS.’
 
 THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER
 AND DRIFTED TO SLEEP,
 I COULDN’T CONTROL IT,
 I CONTINUED TO WEEP.
 
 I WEPT FOR HOURS,
 SO SILENT AND STILL
 AND WE BOTH SHIVERED
 FROM THE COLD NIGHT’S CHILL.
 
 I DIDN’T WANT TO LEAVE
 ON THAT COLD, DARK, NIGHT,
 THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOR
 SO WILLING TO FIGHT.
 
 THEN THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER,
 WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE,
 WHISPERED, ‘CARRY ON SANTA,
 IT’S CHRISTMAS DAY, ALL IS SECURE.’
 
 ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH,
 AND I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT.
 ’MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND,!
 AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT.’
 
 This poem was written by a Marine.
 
 The following is his request. I think it is reasonable…..
 
 PLEASE. Would you do me the kind favor of sending
 this to as many people as you can? Christmas will be coming
 soon and some credit is due to our U.S. service men and
 women for our being able to celebrate these festivities.
 Let’s try in this small way to pay a tiny bit of what we
 owe. Make people stop and think of our heroes, living and
 dead, who sacrificed themselves for us. Please, do your
 small part to plant this small seed

I had been looking for a nice pair of slippers that would also function as shoes when going outside. I found a really cool pair, but they were expensive and I knew I wouldn’t be able to get them. I still kept drooling over them though. I put up a wish on Greedy or Needy saying how I wanted these slippers.

Well..that wish was granted! Someone ordered the slippers from the company and had them sent to me. They arrived today. I was like a little kid tearing into a holiday package.

Here is a pic of the slippers and a description of them. They can be found here: Sportsman Guide

His ‘n’ her Guide Gear® Lace Chukka Slippers, genuine wool!

These Slippers are cozy and indoor / outdoor tough! The uppers are supple suede leather, and a slip-resistant rubber outsole makes them outdoors-ready.

These slippers are going to be great for me, they are light enough so I can lift my feet, the rubber soles are grippy enough so I am not sliding around even when my foot drags.  They come just over my ankle and tie tightly so they will keep my ankles warm.  The wish granter got the size just right too, I will be able to wear them with socks, but they will stay on my feet even without socks.  They are simply perfect!

I have had help for things that were needed to help with disability issues or household needs, but this was something for just me, something that would look good when I went out of the house, be warm and comfortable.  Mine, just for me and I’m so totally thrilled!!!

Ok, just wanted to share that

To the Wish Granter…thank you so very kindly.  I appreciate your generosity and the kindness will not be forgotten.

Doing our part for the holidays. Amy and I are active members of Dixie Thunder of Aiken County South Carolina. Dixie Thunder is a motorcyclists rights organization politically aware and active on the County and state level. They are also decent folks who share the motorcyclist lifestyle.

A few times a year they do runs and events to help local folks. Twice a year they do a benefit run for the Helping Hands shelter for abused and neglected children. Those runs are the back to school run and a holiday toy run. I have gone on all of the annual runs except last years holiday run. My legs had worsened and I didn’t have a scooter or wheelchair at that time so knew I would not be able to attend. I sent my contribution along with someone who would be making the run. This year though, nothing was going to stop me! I attended the back to school run in August and couldn’t wait to be able to go on the Holiday run. Amy and I decorated my scooter with holiday garland and a stuffed holiday puppy hung from the front of the handlebars so I’d be all ready for the event.
 
We met at the Midland Valley Plaza in Clearwater SC

 It would have been too much trouble to haul out the scooter and get it all set up here so Amy went and let Rick (chapter leader) know we were there, get our patches and find out what position we would be in the line up of tactical support vehicles.  Tactical support vehicles are automobiles that ride along with motorcycle parades and help out at events.  We usually follow at the rear of the pack with our flashers on so that other drivers know there is something going on ahead and to not pass us.  We have also been trained to watch and listen for motorcycle communication like hand signals, revving of the engine to alert someone etc.  We also know what to do if a rider goes down.  For other events we carry items that can’t be carried on motorcycles.  So while Amy was off getting all the info we needed I was hanging out taking pictures

While I was sitting here on the car a lady parked next to me asked me what was going on.  She is new in SC.  We explained what the run was about and she wanted to know if she could drive with everyone. We said yeah…just follow us.  She went and got a toy for kids and Amy took her to get the patches for her and her daughter. 

We talked more and explained what Dixie Thunder is all about.  She really had no clue about why you need to fight for rights and road equality.  Well….in route we saw the wreck, a car ignored the road guard blocking traffic for the parade and knocked him over,  she also saw us nearly get hit by 2 cars while trying to help.  Finally we got through the intersection and decided to go ahead and try to catch someone or get one of you by cell.  She pulled alongside us and rolled her window down in shock at what had happened.  She said “did that car really just hit that biker??”  We said yep….sadly happens all the time, cars just don’t care about these guys on the road.  We rolled on and at the Helping Hands went on to explain that this is a big part of what you fight for.  Freedom and equality on the road, that also means awareness.  That rider did not have to go down like that, it was carelessness.

At the end of the run, She wanted to know how she could join, she saw first hand the importance of a motorcycle rights organization in our county and state.

So, after the guy went down, we did go on, we saw one of our bikers coming back to the accident scene so we knew word got ahead to the riders and someone would be on scene with the biker.  We got to helping hands in perfect time to catch video of the bikers rolling in.

The Aiken Standard news paper reporter was there and the run was in the paper today, here is that article:

Toy Run held for holidays
12/6/2008 11:40 PM

By RACHEL JOHNSON
Staff writer

Rumbling could be felt in the sidewalks of Aiken yesterday as well over 250 bikers joined forces to spread the spirit of giving.

The Dixie Thunder of Aiken ABATE of South Carolina association held its 24th Annual Toy Run to benefit Helping Hands Inc. on Saturday. Helping Hands is a nonprofit organization that provides shelter for abused and neglected children.

“It is an unmistakable sound,” said Carmen Landy, director of Helping Hands. “This motorcycle run has always marked the beginning of the Christmas season for us. The countdown begins once the motorcycles pull in; it’s an exciting event.”

A line of black leather chaps, jackets and vests streamed from the community building at Helping Hands as motorcyclists hand-delivered toys and made monetary donations. The group delivered a roomful of toys and donated $1,037.

“This is the best turnout I can remember,” said Rick Cooper, Dixie Thunder Chapter coordinator.

“We feel so honored they come here every year. They are so excited to be here and they have so much energy, we try and match that energy,” said Landy. “The kids love it when the motorcycles come. They ‘ooh’ and ‘ahh’ over the bikes, and they start asking every day until Christmas when they can open their presents.”

The highlight for many of the children was Santa Claus, who rode in at the end of the motorcycle parade. The Toy Run started with a police escort at the Midland Valley Plaza in Clearwater, looping along Richland Avenue through downtown Aiken and down Barnwell Avenue.

Despite all of the excitement and joy, the need for motorcycle awareness was made clear as one participant was run over by a motorist along the parade route.

“This is the first time we have had an accident during a Toy Run,” said Cooper.

Rick Rainwaters stopped his bike to act as a road guard at an intersection on Richland Avenue. The function of the road guard is to alert motorists a parade is en route and to prevent them from pulling out and hitting a motorcyclist.

The Toy Run had police escorts in the front and the rear of the procession; however, it is customary for road guards to place themselves along the parade route.

“I was blocking the intersection as the parade went by; it was toward the end, and a car tried pulling out to squeeze into the parade,” said Rainwaters. “When he did, he knocked me over and tore up my bike.”

Luckily, Rainwaters suffered no major injuries; however, the important issue of safety was highlighted.

“He told me he had was a surgeon technician and had an emergency call,” said Rainwaters, as he shook his head. “It’s three minutes of courtesy for someone’s life.” For more information about Dixie Thunder of Aiken ABATE, visit dixiethunder.com or call 642-4633.

Original artlice can be viewed at The Aiken Standard by clicking this link:  http://www.aikenstandard.com/Local/1207Bikes

If you didn’t check out the video above, let me leave you with these pictures and a plead for you to watch for Motorcycles on the road.  These guys have families, friends and lives like everyone else.