Today I will be reading a story published January 11, 2011, Reader's Digest - CANADA.
THE STORY OF RUDOLPH
Once Upon a time, there lived at the North Pole, a young reindeer named Rudolph. He was a lively, happy reindeer and loved playing in
the snow. But one day, the other reindeer noticed that he had a large, bright red
nose, and they teased him about it without mercy.
Rudolph was sad because it was Christmas Eve, and he was
afraid that he would never be chosen to pull Santa's
sleigh because of his shiny nose. He visited Santa and the elf, who were getting all the presents
ready. Santa and the Elf were always kind to Rudolph and never mentioned his funny nose.
At last, Santa boomed, elf, I must go. Let's load up the
presents.
When all was ready, Santa asked, where are my 8 reindeer? I
need Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, and Blitzen's strength to pull my sleigh. Then Santa looked around and noticed how
foggy the night had become. He worried that he would not be able to see his
way. Suddenly, he noticed Rudolph with his bright red nose, and then he had a
very bright idea! "Rudolph," he cried, I want YOU with your shiny nose to light
the way from my sleigh tonight!"
All the reindeer made way for Rudolph. Everybody loved him and said what a special reindeer he was from then on. They never teased Rudolph.
Rudolph would always be Santa's first
choice every Christmas Eve.
Let me end with this
quote – The magic of Christmas never ends, and the best gifts are Family and
Friends.
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Since the holidays are upon us, I will be reading Christmas Stories my mother read to me as a child.Let us spread the Holiday Cheer!
Here is a little history of the story I will read today. Enjoy!
Twas, the Night Before Christmas, was first published in 1823
as “Account of a Visit from St. Nicholas” in the Troy Sentinel, later attributed
to Clement C. Moore and renamed.
Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. The
stockings were hung by the chimney with care and hope that Saint Nicholas would soon be there. The children were nestled all snug in their beds while visions
of sugar plums danced in their heads. And Mama in her kerchief, and I in my cap had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap. Went out on the lawn there
arose such a clatter, I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter. Away to
the window, I flew like a flash, tore open the shutters, and threw up the sash. The
moon on the breast of the newly fallen snow gave a luster of mid-day two objects
below.
When what to my wondering eyes should appear, a miniature sleigh, and
eight tiny reindeer. With a little old driver, so lively and quick, I knew in a
moment it must be Saint Nick. More rapid than eagles his courses they came, And
he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name! Now Dasher! Now Dancer! Now,
Prancer and Vixen! To the top of the porch! To the top of the wall! Now dash
away! Dash away! Dash away all!
But I heard him exclaim, “Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night.”
It's the most wonderful time of the year!
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AsChristmas draws closer, so do thoughts of those we care about the most — family, friends, and loved ones who are no longer with us. I give thanks to the people who have made a difference in my life.
Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories and love of kindred, and we are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmas time.
- Laura Ingalls Wilder
I hope your holiday is filled with plenty of ho-ho-ho!
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While living in Paso Robles, I decided to buy a pig. It was a spring day, and I made a wire basket
for my piglet. I thought I did a great job. I went over
to the Templeton small animal auction. They were busy that day. The
piglets were running around the corral, and a few other fellows and I started
to bid on them. They were quite noisy because the corral guy was using a
paddle around them, and they would make a squeal. I won one
and requested a female. As I got closer to the loading chute, the wire
basket seemed too smaller. I was a bit worried my piglet would
not fit in it. The guy in front of me grabbed his piglet, and it slipped
out of his hands, and he and his kids started to chase it in the parking
lot. What a scene. I heard someone
say “next,” and there I was, picking up my piglet. I jumped out of
my truck, and the young man said, ‘you want that piglet in this basket?”
Well, of course, he laughed and said, “pigs in a basket.” The piglet
squealed and squealed as they put her into the basket, and they closed the
latch. I drove off with my piglet in the back of the truck. It
must have been quite scary for the little piglet. Being she was
taken from her mother then sold at auction. I promised I would treat
her like a queen.
On the way home, I heard a bunch of noise
coming from the back of the truck. I decided to pull over and find out
what was going on. Well, little did I know that piglet was quite smart?
It had somehow made its way out of the basket and was roaming around in the
back of my truck eating the Oat hay I had picked up earlier from Templeton Feed
and Grain. I looked and said, “Oh my” I need to get home ASAP! So,
I took the backroads home, just in case she decided to jump ship.
I arrived home, and luckily my piglet was
fine. I opened the middle animal pin and thought this would be a perfect place
for her. It was next to the chicken
coop. I dropped the truck's tailgate and put a plank board against it, then dropped a few morsels down the
plank board, and the piglet followed the food until she was in her new
home. I made sure she had plenty
of water and food in her new home before she arrived. Once she made it
into the small animal pin, she started to burrow around and seemed happy.
I got into the pin and tried to show her how to drink her water through the
spicket and raised the food bin. She figured out the food bin
immediately, but the water spicket took a while. I sat and watched her
play, and she was happy. She ran around in circles for me. I went into
the barn and grabbed a pitchfork of hay, and dropped it in the corner for her
nap. She looked at the hay and ran over, and started to fluff her
bed. It was quite funny. Hay was flying everywhere. It landed
on her head and back, and she stared at me. As I looked at my piglet, I
decided to call her Petunia. She was cute and inquisitive. Every
day I would go down and watch her play. When I entered her pin, I would
move slowly and talk and sing to her. Petunia would stop and stare at me
when I came in. As time progressed, she was getting big. I had to cut a
hole in the back of the small animal pen so she could run around on the lower
end of the property. Some days when I went down to feed, she was playing
with the cows. They would run near the fence line back and forth. Sometimes she would just bask in the
sun. Occasionally you could see her
sitting and watching the cars drive by the property. They would stop
and say hello to her. She loved the
attention.
I decided to sell my Petunia. I had a
few takers and decided on the young kids from the valley. They were going to mate her with a male and
have babies. She was a good breed and extremely healthy, plus she did
have a good demeanor. I told the boys to make sure to give her a mud bath
and feed her grapes when it gets hot. They laughed. I said my
goodbyes, and off she went to start a new life.
I
learned a lot about small animals from Frank. Thank you for teaching me and being a loving husband.
Let me leave you with this quote - Life itself is a privilege, but to live life to the fullest - well, that is your choice.
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