Only Nine Shopping Months Left!!!

Today is Annunciation. I took the day off from work and went to Divine Litrgy at St Nicholas Orthodox Church with my youngest son, Basil. It was beautiful. Kathleen went with me to the Festal Vigil last night. So far, I'm on track to attend all the festal vigils this year. To celebrate the Feast today, the only fish day in all of lent, I fried catfish. Kathleen had never had catfish before and was surprised by how light and flakey it is.

So, as this is Annunciation and there are only 9 shopping months left between now and Christmas, it seems a decent respect for everyones schedules requires that I post my Christmas list a little bit early this year. (Last year, after more than a decade of begging, my cousin actually bought the lamp for me! It is beside my bed.) Here is the list:

1. Since I have become active in Boy Scouts again (just to work the council's BB gun and rifle ranges) it would be nice to have one of the red BSA jackets.

2. I no longer have any hope of forming a family band but back when I did harbor that longing I learned to play the recorder and the ukulele. The instruments I learned on were definitly starter models. I think I would like to step up now to someting better: A concert size ukulele from Lanikai or Cordoba.

3. I used to have a fountain pen for writing letters but during the remodel of the house it disappeared. Now I have been reduced to using disposable ball points, and the look of them on paper is not beautiful. I don't want one of those ghastly expensive Mont Blancs. I'm sure I would be very happy with the the Dryden Designs medium nib models.

4. It seems to me that for short overnight excursions, when I don't want to take the trailer-tent and camp kitchen but just want to take a wool blanket and a rifle in hopes of getting a dawn boar, it would still be nice to boil water for a cup of coffee. From what I can tell a Ghillie Kettle looks like the best solution to the problem.

5. I like bow ties. I especially like bow ties from Beau Ties of Vermont Ltd. I like stripes, and patterns, and prints. I like special bow ties for various holidays. I like them in slimline/standard and butterfly/jumbo. They have to be for 19" to 23" necks.

6. A copy of the Antiochian Archdiocese's Pocket Prayer Book. The helps for preparing for Confession are useful.

7. During the last several years I have on various occasions made cakes. But I do not have a cake dish to put cakes on. I think I need one. Regular dinner plates and serving platters are raised around the edges and distort the shape of the cake. A cake plate is totally flat. I don't want anything fancy. Functional is better than fancy. A covered cake plate would be okay as long as it doesnt have a raised lip. Second hand is fine and this link is merely for the purpose of illstration. Ceramic or glass is perfect as long as it works.

8. If such a thing exists, I think it would be nice to have a framed Saturday Evening Post cover but only if it is one of the covers painted by Norman Rockwell. (Please, do not get one that he signed. I just want the picture not the signature.)

9. A simple wool prayer rope in black. I think anywhere from 33 to 150 knots is fine. No facy beads, if possible. No tassels, if possible. Monastery made is preferred but if they are out, as they sometimes are, I guess, any will do.

10. A Jonathan Adler pipe match strike. I bet there are some good deals available on eBay.

11. A license plate frame from the old alma mater.