VOL 19, NO 25, JANUARY 2, 2007

Prologue | Katrina Refugees & Lone Muscovite Attend the Santa Breakfast | For the 2007 Holiday Season | Friday Potpourri | Entertainment for the Children & the BBRC | Web Fun

Prologue

Despite the weather-necessitated date change, BBRCers and their families filled the Glendale Country Club meeting room to capacity for the annual Santa Breakfast.

El Presidente Jimmy Zidar opened the meeting, and Bob Bowen gave the invocation. Bob, normally a man of the Cloth, put on his green eyeshade and became a counter of beans for a moment. He recounted how Provident National Bank, a few years ago, came up with the then-current costs to supply the catalogue of gifts from the song "The Twelve Days of Christmas." Here’s how it broke down:

A Partridge in a Pear Tree $27.48 for the partridge and $12.48 for the tree
2 Turtle Doves $50.00
3 French Hens $15.00
4 Calling Birds $280.00
5 Gold Rings $600.00
6 Geese a Laying $150.00
7 Swans a Swimming $7,000.00
8 Maids a Milking $30.40
9 Ladies Dancing $2,417.90
10 Lords a Leaping $7,686.56
11 Pipers Piping $947.70
12 Drummers Drumming $1,026.68

As more than one person observed, five gold rings at Alvin Goldfarb Jewelers would cost far more than $600.00, but even at that, the cost of the "Twelve Days of Christmas" would be $20,244.20. If your holiday budget seemed strained, be thankful that you didn’t have to buy all of this stuff!

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Katrina Refugees & Lone Muscovite Attend the Santa Breakfast

Kevin Jewell introduced BBRC special guests, the Caleb Williams Family. They are Katrina refugees from New Orleans who have decided to settle permanently in this area and are being sponsored in that process by Hopelink. Caleb is finishing up some new schooling, and we hope they enjoyed being with us as much as we enjoyed having them.

Another special visitor was John Mix, making his first appearance at the BBRC since his move to the steppes of Moscow, Idyho. It was really good to see Johnny and we hope that he will stop in often.

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Friday Potpourri

Sayoko Kuwahara provided gifts for nine of the Glendale staff members who make it possible for the BBRC to enjoy a tasty and efficient breakfast meeting each Friday morning. Kudos to the staff for their exemplary service!

Wendi Fischer, Tim Moriarty, Mike Ralph, Elena Howell, Andrew Face and their children recited quotations appropriate to the holiday season.

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Entertainment for the Children & the BBRC

Eric Ode, a children’s performer and former teacher, provided super entertainment, leading the kids in several songs, including "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer," "Nellie, the Penguin," "It’s Cold Outside," "Jingle Bells," and "Love Grows." After getting the children appropriately worked up, it was time for Santa’s annual visit. It was obvious that many of the children had been through this drill before as they raced to the window to watch for Santa’s arrival in his customary golf cart. Sure enough, he arrived, soon found the door, and proceeded to do what Santa does, namely, dispense gifts and good humor. Santa’s helpers had to beat back the crowd more than once, but it all worked out and every last child received a gift from Santa.

No doubt the collective experiences from the wind storm helped the overall glow of holiday cheer; the atmosphere was unusually warm and the greetings were genuine.

With that, President Zed adjourned the meeting, exhorting all to enjoy the holidays and families.

Special thanks to Jim Zidar for making the executive decision to go on with the show; Sayoko Kuwahara for overseeing; Wendi Fischer for organizing; and Tom Harrelson for getting Santa there.

Remember, the next meeting is this Friday, January 5, 2007.

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SANTA BREAKFAST SLIDESHOW

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Web Fun

Yes, this looks weird, but believe it or not, you can read it!

I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid Aoccdrnig to rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the
ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig huh?

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Q & A Time

Q. Half of all Americans live within 50 miles of what?
A. Their birthplace

Q. Most boat owners name their boats. What is the most popular boat name requested?
A. Obsession

Q. If you were to spell out numbers, how far would you have to go until you would find the letter "A"?
A. One thousand

Q. What do bulletproof vests, fire escapes, windshield wipers, and laser printers all have in common?
A. All were invented by women.

Q. What is the only food that doesn't spoil?
A. Honey

Q. Which day are there more collect calls than any other day of the year?
A. Father's Day

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