31 December 2025 It’s taken me the better part of two years, and it has been a better part, to be able to place Jolene du Près as a fully-fleshed hound in Pets, Real and Fictional .   The deficiency lay not in this sweet, loving, adorable beagle, but in myself.   She’s worked hard, very hard, to fit into my Pantheon of Pets since first she entered my real world in early September 2023.  She was in my dream-world before then, but the wise among us know how hard it can be to re

New Year’s Day 2026 Al di La Music by Carlo Donida with English lyrics by Ervin Drake La la la la   Al di la means   You're far above me   Very far   Al di la   As far as the lovely evening star   Where you walk, flowers bloom When you smile, all the gloom   Turns to sunshine   And my heart opens wide   When you're gone, It fades   And seems to have died.   Al di la,   I asked as I drifted Where you were   Al di la   And then the fog lifted   There you wеre   In the kiss that

New Year's Eve 2025 Queen of Denial by Pam Tillis, Bob DiPiero and Jan Buckingham; Changes by Debra Milligan Well,   I said he had a lot of potential.   He was just so misunderstood.   You know, he really didn’t mean to treat me so mean:   He wanted to be good.   And I swore,   One day I’d tame him, even though he loved to run hog wild. Just call me Cleopatra cause I’m the Queen of Denial.   I knew he didn’t have any money   That’s why he couldn’t buy me a ring.   Oh, and jus

28 December 2025 There’s no turning back for me now.   On the night of Boxing Day this year, I watched the always-delightful animated classic — 101 Dalmatians — by the Disney of Yore.  I thereafter decided to continue with my translation review of Chapter 59 of THE DAWN into L’AUBE.  The night was young — it was only 9:45!   For Debra, bed-time would be closing in on her sleepy eyes.  For her night-owl Muse, the nocturnal sack-time chimes at 2 a.m.  And then it’s at least an

End of December 2025 Bésame Mucho Music by   Consuelo Velázquez, with English lyrics by Sunny Skylar Bésame, bésame mucho   Each time I cling to your kiss, I hear music divine   Bésame, bésame mucho   Hold me, my darling, and say that you’ll always be mine   This joy is something new, my arms enfolding you   Never knew this thrill before   Whoever thought I'd be holding you close to me,   Whispering "It's you I adore" Dearest one, If you should leave me Each little dream woul

Boxing Day 2025 Around the World Music by Victor Young, with lyrics by Harold Adamson and Stella Unger; French translation by Debra Milligan Around the world I’ve searched for you I traveled on when hope was gone to keep a rendezvous.   I knew somewhere, sometime, somehow   You’d look at me and I would see the smile you’re smiling now.   It might have been in County Down, Or in New York, Or Gay Paree, Or even London Town. No more will I go all around the world For I have foun

23 December 2025 If a tree falls in the forest, does anyone hear it?   Jolene, the little beagle queen, did, the other night, at around 2 p.m.   She sat up in the master bed, looked warily around, and didn’t settle back down for a few minutes.   That morning, I came downstairs to the kitchen, looked out the window, and saw a massive pine tree blocking our road.   I called Dear Husband on his morning route, walking Jolene.   “Did you see that pine tree in the road?”  I queried

22 December 2025 To honor Mr. Balls, I decorated with Big Bells in my Guest Room.   I use bells in all of my decorating!   This American also uses bells to celebrate freedom.  Ringing them bells has been a concerted effort for me during the past decade, during all my life, but I’m persistent.  I possess secret bells within my heart, ones that I protect from the abusers of life, liberty, love and that self-indulgent pursuit of happiness (which may or may not be considered “lov

Happy Winter Solstice 2025 We’re on Day 3 of the December Deluge of 2025, the La Nina which shall end by . . . Boxing Day?   On Saturday, the RAINY COLD DARK WINTER SOLSTICE NEW MOON conditions took their toll on me.  I didn’t hit the wall; that wet wall hit me.   The weather continues to sabotage my Christmas meal planning, but, on Saturday morning, I decided to go all-out:  Cook a turkey, without stuffing, in honor of Our Elected Idiot Officials in California.  (In the summ

Merry Christmas 2025 Christmas 2024 whizzed by me.  I was adjusting to an America that had survived one of the worst assaults upon democracy in the recent history of our constitutional Republic.   Within the first six months of 2025, my more than decades-long haul of hunches, suspicions, infallible instincts, intuitive insights, and Scots second sights — were illuminated — informed by the damning details and the dogged light of truth:   Real news, actual facts, accurate figur

Christmas 2025 Peace on Earth Written by Bruce Monte, Sonny Burke, Peggy Lee   Silent Night Music by Franz Gruber, with lyrics by Father Joseph Mohr Silent as the snowflake in the night   Holy is the spirit of this night   All the world is calm and peaceful   All the world is bright and joyful   Spirit of love and child of peace Love unending that shall not cease Peace, my children of goodwill   Peace, my children, peace,   be still   Silent night   Holy Night   All is calm  

Christmas Eve 2025 Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer by Johnny Marks; Changes by Debra Milligan You’ve heard all about   Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen,   Comet and Cupid and Donner and Blitzen.   But do you recall   The Most Famous Reindeer   OF ALL . . . Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,   He had a very shiny nose   And if you ever saw it, You would even say it glows.   All of the other reindeer They used to laugh and call him names   They never let poor Rudy   Join in

Winter Solstice 2025 All I Want for Christmas is You by Troy Powers and Andy Stone Take back the holly and mistletoe   Silver bells on string   If I wrote a letter to Santa Claus   I would ask for just one thing   I don't need sleigh rides in the snow   Don't want a Christmas that's blue   Take back the tinsel, stockings,   and bows —-   'Cause all I want for Christmas is you.   I don't need expensive things   They don't matter to me   All that I want,   It can't be found   U

Mid-December 2025 So much trust had been placed by Guillaume de Vallon in this one Frenchwoman — to be who she’d claimed to be.   Anyone can make an error in judgement.  Guillaume de Vallon certainty did, more than once.  Regarding Yvonne Ferrant, however, the mistake was yet another colossal betrayal of his trust.   When the fullness of this mistake was seen in the full light of day, Yvonne was in the dark with her latest paramour among self-destructive revolutionaries.  Thi

10 December 2025 Decades ago, when I was witnessing illegal, unhealthy, sick and menacing-toward-violent behavior on the parts of certain In-Laws, I made it very clear to them that I wasn’t putting up with any of it.  I didn’t do so within my Family of Origin,  and this band of neurotics wasn’t going to get cut any slack, at least not by me.   I seemed to have been the only one voicing offense and outcry.  Besides, (or maybe because) I was pregnant with Dear Daughter at the t

7 December 2025 It is always a rousingly inspirational experience for me to encounter Chapter 54 of THE DAWN.  I call it The Roosevelt Chapter.   That sense of exhilaration helped me to rather quickly plow through my translation review of Volume II, Book 5, Pour La Victoire, of THE DAWN into L’AUBE.   During the several previous chapters of Book 5, How the Resistance-World Turns, Arthur Boucher Carmichael has returned to France from his U.S. Army mission-post in London.  The

Feast of St. Nicholas 6 December 2025 Domine Deus, Agnus Dei Composed by Antonio Vivaldi Domine Deus, Agnus Dei, Filius Patris,   Domine Deus, Domine Deus   Agnus Dei, Filius Patris   Qui tollis peccata   Domine Deus Rex coelestis   Qui tollis peccata   Domine Filli Unigenite   Qui tollis peccata Domine Deus Domine Deus Agnus Dei Filius Patris   Qui tollis peccata mundi   Miserere   Agnus Dei   Miserere   Filius Patris   Miserere nobis   Miserere Miserere   Miserere nobis.

4 December 2025 Insomnia has its uses.   Last night, I couldn’t get to sleep for about two hours after a late evening viewing of the 1946 Hollywood film noir, The Killers .  Directed by Robert Siodmak, and starring Burt Lancaster, in his film debut; along with Ava Gardner, Edmond O’Brien and Sam Levene, The Killers takes place in Brentwood, New Jersey.   Now, I, a NJ-native/refugee, never heard of Brentwood, New Jersey, but that oddity is of a piece with this movie, based on

4 December 2025 This morning, I opened yet another box of a slasher-sale purchase.  When the ballet flats are 71% on sale, online, how do I pass them up?  They’re lovely, and they fit!  My naked feet are much less naked nowadays.   A second pair from this brand was in order.  (And the company and seller are still making a tidy capitalist profit, even at 71% off of MSRP.)   The box is comical, New York City has always been a circus.  Having elected its first openly Socialist M

December 2025 When You Wish Upon A Star by Leigh Harline and Ned Washington When you wish upon a star Makes no difference who you are Anything your heart desires Will come to you   If your heart is in your dream No request is too extreme When you wish upon a star As dreamers do   Fate is kind She brings to those who love   The sweet fulfillment of their secret longing.   Like a bolt out of the blue Fate steps in and sees you through   When you wish upon a star   Your dreams c