Day: December 25, 2006

Yeh, I really cannot boil this post down to a title.

Lovely Daughter surprised me with not one but two Dean Koontz books as Christmas presents (making very good use of her discount at Borders, where she has a very part time job on top of her full time work). Now, if you understood the esteem in which I hold Koontz for his craftsmanship, then you’d know what utter pleasure her gifts have already brought me, not only for the reading of them but for the consideration she put into their selection.

(Be it known that my delight in Jackie Chan’s craftsmanship in a completely different line of artistic expression was noted and acted upon by Son & Heir. :-))

So, two purposes for this post, at least: thanks, kiddos, for the thoughtfulness of your gifts. And all y’all out there, if you have not tasted of Dean Koontz’s wordsmithery, latch onto some of his best, soon. This year, Lovely Daughter satisfied my desire to read more about Odd Thomas with Forever Odd and Brother Odd. Both are replete with not only the masterful characterization, plotting, descriptive narrative and dialog that are typical of Koontz’s work, but also his characteristic nuanced throwaway lines that enhance all the above. Just pick up your own copy(ies) starting with Odd Thomas and see what I mean. Oh, almost any book by Koontz would be a good read (I particularly like

Odd Thomas

Forever Odd: A Novel

Brother Odd (Odd Thomas Novels)

Trackposted to Pirate’s Cove, Perri Nelson’s Website, The Bullwinkle Blog, The HILL Chronicles, Wake Up America, Don Surber, Adam’s Blog, and Pursuing Holiness, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

This just in via email from Hugh, a regular reader. (Yes, Hugh, it is a classic, but I’ve not seen it for a while, so thanks! :-)) Thinking on it, I just have to wonder: is the little angel’s name, “Carol”?

---

“Little Angel”
{A Classic}

One particular Christmas season a long time ago, Santa was getting ready for his annual trip, but there were problems everywhere.

Four of his elves got sick, and the trainee elves did not produce the toys as fast as the regular ones, so Santa was beginning to feel the pressure of being behind schedule.

Then Mrs. Claus told Santa that her Mom was coming to visit. This stressed Santa even more. When he went to harness the reindeer, he found that three of them were about to give birth and two had jumped the fence and were out, heaven knows where. More stress.

Then when he began to load the sleigh one of the boards cracked and the toy bag fell to the ground and scattered the toys. So, frustrated, Santa went into the house for a cup of coffee and a shot of whiskey.

When he went to the cupboard, he discovered that the elves had hid the liquor and there was nothing to drink. In his frustration, he accidentally dropped the coffee pot and it broke into hundreds of little pieces all over the kitchen floor. He went to get the broom and found that mice had eaten the straw from which it was made.

Just then the doorbell rang and Santa cussed on his way to the door. He opened the door and there was a Little Angel with a great big Christmas tree.

The angel said, very cheerfully, “Merry Christmas Santa. Isn’t it just a lovely day? I have a beautiful tree for you. Isn’t it just a lovely tree? Where would you like me to stick it?”

Thus began the tradition of the Little Angel on top of the Christmas tree.

---

Merry Christmas!

Trackposted to Blue Star Chronicles, The Pink Flamingo, and Woman Honor Thyself, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.