Happy Holidays!

Regardless of your religious beliefs, or non-beliefs, I want to extend a joyous holiday season to everyone out here in our family.

I'd begin mentioning those that I feel closest to, but I don't have enough room to add several hundred names, and don't want to accidentally slight anyone, because I lost their name while posting.

For me, this will be a special holiday. Last Wednesday, my wife was in a four car accident here in Rockford, and our car was totally destroyed along with three others. She was taken to the hospital by ambulance, but was released the same night, with only minor bruises.

According to the police, it was a miracle that nobody was killed in the accident, and nobody even spent the entire night in the hospital.

I'm going to accept that as our Christmas Miracle for this year, and be thankful that she's still with me to share an egg nog, and see the faces on our Grandkids as they open up their presents.

I am truly blessed by having the family I do, and I count you as part of my family.

Happy Holidays! I mean that sincerely!

Wolf

Happy Holidays to you Wolf and I am even happier to hear that you wife is ok. Fenders can be pounded out and repainted. Human limbs are not so easily repaired. Hope your wife is up and about and feeling better.

I too wish everyone a wonderful and safe Holiday Season. This Board is very dear to me and I too consider all of you my friends.

Felices Fiestas a todos los amigos en MadridMan!

Wolf, I am so happy for your Christmas Miracle!

Merry Christmas and Feliz Navidad to all!

Happy Holidays, One and All! Enjoy this time with family, friends, a warm blanket, and a good book.

I appreciate everyone's participation here on our little message board and consider many of you my friends. Hopefully, as the years go by, we'll have more of a chance to meet face-to-face, either in the USA or in Spain.

Very sincerely, MadridMan

Merry Christmas to all of you and great holidays to the fortunate the have them....

My best whishes for 2005

¡Feliz Navidad y Próspero Año Nuevo 2005!

and Mele Kalikimaka & Na Makahiki Ho to all ...

and may Santa be good to us all ... as in the Jan 6 lottery

MM - Thank You for this board and for fostering our love of Spain - and Thank You to all the members who help make it possible ....

Christmas....bah!

Doh! Have a Merry Christmas, all of you. And a Happy Holiday Season.

If any of you were wishing for a white Christmas, we have about 5" of white here in Michigan. You interested Desert Dweller?

Noooo thank you. It is clear as a bell here this morning, in the low 60s with a strong wind. The air is crisp and clean. I don't know where this bit about a white Christmas comes from. In Israel it seldom snows, legend has it that the weather was clear that night, how else would those three men been able to see a bright star? Anyway this desert is clear and predicted to be clear for the next couple of days. I realize most of you are not sympathic of me thinking the low 60s is cold. The wind is the real killer today.

Apparently we are due a white Christmas in Holmfirth on Saturday ... this has been forecast by the extra influx of Bewick swans apparently ??

Anyway, I hope everyone has a happy holiday time and best wishes to all for 2005.

Jo

Happy Holidays.

It's SNOWING in North Florida!!!!!

Happy Holidays to all!
May everyone prosper and be healthy and I hope everyone gets great presents!!!

Carmen,

It's NOT snowing over here!

Merry Christmas.

Cogito cogito ergo sum cogito

That's too bad, Pinguino! Is it because you're so close to the Beach area?
Weather channel said it snowed in Tallahassee, but it did not last. As soon as it fell it dissipated. But I live in hope that it will come my way!

Well, the swans were right and we did have a White Christmas

IN THE VILLAGE LAST NIGHT




OUTSIDE OUR HOUSE TODAY (the sky is nearly blue)



Jo

Had a great Christmas today at my parents' house in northern Ohio. LOTS of snow here and the drive took an extra hour with stopped highway traffic at several points. This afternoon we went to see the Leonardo DiCaprio movie "The Aviator" - not bad but about 3-hours long.

Once again, Happy Holidays, everyone!

Saludos, MadridMan

Here in Madrid we are having a cold Christmass due to a polar air wave with 3ºC. There are many places in Spain with a snow carpet

Merry Christmass to you all!

Fernando

Happy Christmas to you all from the south of Spain! Beautiful weather here, although a little colder than of late. Snow? I'll be in it too on Tuesday, with a quick stay in Granada.

Jo, can you believe Holmfirth was on Sky telly over here last night? Three people (Norah, Compo and Clegg?) were interviewed on the news while the white stuff was falling from the skies in your lovely village. There are some things in England I do miss ....

Wolf, I am so pleased that Mrs Wolf escaped serious injury. Following on from recent events it's not been the best finish to a year for your household. Let's all hope the coming one is full of happiness for you.

Roll on New Year's Eve!

Happy Holidays to everyone! We are having my brother's family over for a week, so yesterday was spent playing with little boys and their toys. Inside, because it was pouring rain here most of the day.

Wolf - glad your wife was ok from the car accident!

Joanne,

That second picture is really beautiful.

Anchovy,

I leave for Malaga on Thursday to welcome in the New Year with friends in Fuengirola. I was thinking of going to Granada and Las Alpujarras on Monday and Tuesday. Do you think there will be a lot of snow in Pampaneira, Bubion and Capileira?

Enjoy your quick trip to Granada....

Im am truely looking forward to 2005. 2004 was a horrific year for my family. My wife was hospitalized three times this year and my younger son. This past October she almost died. She has a superbug in her system, that is a staff infection that is immune to almost all types of antibiotics. The infection settled on her heart and there was talk of a possible heart transplant if there was any severe damage. We said our goodbyes because she was so sick, she could barely move or speak. But thankfully the doctors were able to save her, with a great big thanks to the MOST HIGH above! She's now recovering and getting her strength back and doing better. Wolf, when I read your post it really got to me because I know how you must have felt! Im very happy to know that your wife is fine and that she wasn't seriously injured or worse! Wishing your family a special New Year!

Everyone else, even though we argue and have our difference of opinions, we care for each other. And it's typical of friends to argue and bicker but they also share in each others joy, pain, laughter and sorrow.

HERE'S TO ALL OF US AND OUR FAMILIES AT MADRIDMAN'S MESSAGE BOARD...HAVE A HAPPY, SAFE AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR!!!

Thanks gazpacho - that's my daily view, aren't I lucky?

What about this one .. anyone else seen snow angels this year?



This was taken just behind my house.

Jo

Well Joanne,

The picture of your town was truly lovely. But as for snow, living her in the northern climes of Michigan, we have about 4 times more snow than that. So, while I appreciate the picture of your town, please don't post more pictures of snow.

Just kidding.

When and if I ever get back to England, I'd like to see more towns like yours, and much less of London, which I wasn't over impressed by. Got tired of fish and chips real early on. Cold toast, warm beer, beans for breakfast, no wonder we won the revolution...

Christmas was great here in Madrid, and as Fernando said it was very blustery and cold. We actually has a few snow showers in Majadahonda last night but very little accumulation(covered the top of my patio table). We were looking forward to going into the mountains north of Madrid to do some skiing today but from the news reports, they got so much snow, that the roads are not yet clear. Guess the kids are going to Xanadu to ski today! Anyway, hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas and hope 2005 is a great one for everyone!

It just takes one or two pictures like those above and news reports like those coming out of the upper midwest to remind myself why I stay and tough out those Arizona summers. I think about what Wolf, Gazpacho and MM are putting up with right now, and then say to myself "that 110F aint so bad after all."

Yes, Jo, you are lucky! Loved the second photo, it is right out of a Miss Read book, Winter in Fairacre!

Desert, I thoughtit snowed in parts of Arizona in the winter?

Desert Dweller,

110 degrees doesn't sound too bad to me right now either. Every winter I swear I'm not spending another winter in Michigan. But spring and fall are really great here. Eight and a half more years, and I can go south when I want to, and stay up here when I want to. Until then....brrrrrrr.

Have you tried to sell your snow that looks like an angel on E-Bay, Jo?

Arturo, there was a snowfall on Sunday, the night before we arrived and Granada city woke up to a white layer in the streets, so I suppose there must be a bit in the Alpujarras. Snow chains are needed once you have passed Pradollano, the ski resort.

The official levels given at Sierra Nevada were minimum 10 centimetres and maximum 70, so a lot of the resort is still closed, although they opened up another 9 pistes on Monday.

Enjoy your New Year's Eve!

Have been hearing from friends about massive snowfall between Vitoria and Madrid - I quote
"skis would be faster than and warmer than the cars frozen on the sides of the road" ...

AF - Am guessing that if you decide to ski the powder will be fantastic - have fun

Booklady: It does snow in Arizona, in the higher elevations. I have a five acre lot in Kingman, and that is the reason that I am not up there now working on building a house. There are shots on weatherunderground.com that show the snow in Kingman.

Gazpacho, I would not last one day in what you are going through now. It has been in the high 50s and low 60s for the last two weeks and you should hear the griping and moaning around Phoenix about how cold it is. I am sure you would not be sympathetic. Now to pour salt in our wounds, it is raining.

gazpacho

- that's my speciality, how did you know? A great way to start the day!

Anchovy! There you are! And what do you mean by ? It doesn't 'look' like an angel, it IS a snow angel ok?

Wishing all of you wherever you are, and whatever weather you are having a safe and happy holiday time.

Jo

Cheers Jo-Anne,

My type of woman. Now that I think about it, I'm kind of missing the fish and chips. Loved the steak and kidney pie.

Your town is truly lovely.

Desert Dweller,

You know you're from Michigan when it gets up over thirty degrees, like today, and you think spring is in the air. It's suppose to rain here, tomorrow or Friday. Still, Arizona sounds great.

Happy new Year to you all, prospero ano nuevo. We had a white Christmas in Liverpool, were all in the street having a snowball fight.