I heart you, November.

I don't know about you, but I am sort of glad that October's had its holiday way with us and handed the proverbial baton over to the able hands of November. 


I love how everything starts to liven up in Lexington once we go into the 11th month, with the Cats back at Rupp, the music we sing starts to have a little more Holiday flare, we prepare to break bread with loved ones.  The best thing about November, of course, is the four day weekend for Thanksgiving, which is nearly full fledged vacation for me. 

I don't mean to be hatin' on Halloween, because after all, it's the one day of the year I do get to put on the Goth act for a few hours and pretend I don't look ridiculous.  I also half-heartedly enjoy the decorations all over downtown, they're very charming, but it is November always gets me in the Holiday spirit, and my sister's birthday is next week, so yeah...love November.

Yesterday was the first indicator that my lovely November is here. It was All Saints Day, and my choir sang Lily of the Valley and Old Time Religion, we processed with bagpipe music by Malcolm MacGregor, Josh Santana sang There Will Be Peace in the Valley (*sniff*) -- oh my yes, it was a lovely Sunday as we remembered those who have claimed their Baptism, gone to their great reward, rest in the Eternal Light of God's Love.

Speaking of bagpipes, though -- I didn't know there were only nine notes on a bagpipe, did you?  No wonder they only play certain songs! God love the bagpipers.  Note to self:  I must put learning the bagpipes and ukelele on my bucket list, which is growing ever since I stared down the Grim Reaper last week.


Having cheated the Big Boo, I now have a renewed lease on life. I no longer am going to suffer fools gladly (or ungladly), I'm going to live every day as if it were my last, and I am going to try to keep my dishes and laundry done.  (yeah, right, that'll happen... :)

Truly, though, I am very eager to move on with The Season, sing happy birthday to my sister in my best Carol Channing voice (on the 10th), and start turning my kitchen upside down to make it easier to create the best roast beast feast possible. Oh yes I yam, my lil sweet potatoes!

I'm also ready for all the musical treats that November brings. The Lexington Singers are preparing their Fall works, the UK Fine Arts folks are wrapping up on all sorts of goodies, Betty Rhodes will sing Bless This House, my boss will be stepping up his involvement in God's Pantry.  I will ask my coworkers -- and you if you are so inclined - to donate gently used coats to donate to the Veterans Administration.  I'll play Come Ye Thankful People, Come for the nursing home worship service, make apple cobbler just to make the apartment smell yummy, hum It's Beginning to Look a Lot like Christmas if for no other reason to distress those who despise carols, and I shall spend every night with my practice CD in order to polish up my alto part for the Chancel Choir's Magnificat.  Soo I will do my part to clear the way for Advent. 

Another great thing that happens this time of year is that Ace Weekly puts together a wish list for charities.  Every year, Ace Weekly covers the Holidays like nobody's business, and I'm going to ferret out every event I can to make sure everyone knows: It's almost time for Christmas! 

Also, with October over, I'm really hoping people will clean up their Hallow-whatever mess and move on. Yes, I'm being a curmudgeon about it, and I am usually not a bah-humbuggaboo about any holiday, so please forgive me for being a fuddy-duddy, coz that's just not something that comes natural to me, I have to work at being that way.  And even some of my best friends are Girls of October, I'm always glad when it's over and done with -- and I don't want to single anyone out who live near me, but you know who you are, put your pumpkins away and get the ginkgo-biloba beans off the street, already...pew wee. (You ever smelled those?  Oh my. and Eww.)

Having said that,  I have to also admit that I come by this love of November naturally, as it is woven in the very fabric of my inner childlike being.  Since I grew up in the Cincinnati area, I have fond memories of Ruth Lyons on WLWT singing "50 [or however many] days 'til Christmas (repeat, etc.) ... and Santa will be here!" She'd open her noon television show every day with that ditty, backed up by Cliff Lash and his orchestra (live television was fabulous back then) and she would count down the days, every day until, indeed, it was Christmas Eve.

It was a great time of anticipation, my brothers and sisters and I would just about burst from the excitement that built up in us, and my sister Karen and I would rehearse our duet of Little Drummer Boy...(sigh).  What a wonderful memory...and now when I think back on that experience, I realize how fortunate I am to have that little nugget in my frame of reference, not only because of the joy and wonder and hope that it instilled, but because it set me on the path to be charitable.  My parents were tireless volunteers for every good cause known, they were United Way chairmen, United Fine Arts Fund fundraisers, involved in American Cancer Society efforts, Heart and Lung Association organizers - and they put all seven of us kids to work, going door to door asking neighbors to contribute.   

But back to Ruth Lyons and the reason she set such a great example: her Christmas Fund provided toys to children who had to spend their Holidays in the hospital...and what a great notion to put in kids' heads at Christmas: the true meaning of the Season.  

God bless Ruth, and Mom and Dad and everyone who gives their Love in selfless ways.  God bless us, one and all ;-)

pray for peace, people,
everywhere,
love,
Kimmy