1. Did you watch The Charlie Brown Christmas special Monday night? Who's your favorite Peanuts character and why?
I didn't watch on Monday night, but I would have if I'd known it was on. Snoopy is my favorite Peanuts character. I just love his take on life.
Would you agree?
Definitely. Just being outdoors I find to be good therapy for a troubled mind. When I'm outdoors I can look on the beauty of God's creation, and that alone gives me a boost.
2. Describe a sound from your childhood. What does this sound bring to mind?
The fire whistle blew at noon every day. That's how I knew even as a small child that it was lunchtime!
3. You've won a trip to a winter wonderland...would that excite you? Which one of the following would you most want to experience (or which one would you dislike the least)-see the Aurora Borealis in Norway, stay in Sweden's Ice Hotel, go dogsledding in Lapland Finland, take a winter wildlife safari in Yellowstone or celebrate Winter Carnival in Quebec?
I'd be thrilled to win a trip to a winter wonderland! It would be really hard to settle on just one of these options, because I'd love to choose them all. If I absolutely had to pick just one, I think I'd like to go to the Winter Carnival in Quebec.
4. Who or what keeps you humble?
Life in general keeps me humble. Every time I even half way think I've got an aspect of it figured out, something happens to tell me otherwise. The older I get the more humble I'm forced to be!
5. What part of preparing for Christmas do you like the most? Explain.
I really like the season of Advent and observing it's traditions. Advent preparation keeps me focused on the coming of Christ and helps me from being caught up (thought doesn't entirely prevent it) in the secular hooplah. Also, Advent can be a very healing lead-up to Christmas if I'm feeling blue. It's about being ready for the coming of Christ, not displaying relentless good cheer. For more on Advent see http://benirwin.me/2015/12/01/why-we-need-a-little-advent/
6. Gingerbread-yay or nay? Is making a gingerbread house part of your family holiday tradition?
I'd have to say yay. I love to eat it. There is nothing that smells as good to me as gingerbread in the oven. My one grand attempt at a gingerbread house had mixed results. While it looked beautiful with all the candy and frosting decor, it collapsed because I had made the roof pieces too thick in heavy. Clearly I should have engaged the services of an architect!
7. What's one thing you want to start, do, or complete before the calendar rolls into a new year?
Oh dear. Lose some weight? That item is always on my "to do" list, alas.
8. Insert your own random thought here.
It's been a very mixed year with highs and lows. The high was the birth of granddaughter #2 in February. The low was the death of my mother in August.
