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To live and enjoy every day to its fullest, use my gifts to help others, I travel to wherever passion finds me.

What Will She Paint?

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Monday, December 20, 2010

ONE OF THOSE MYSTERIES

 Please scroll through the bottom of the post to see Midweek Blues, Watery Wednesday and Weekend Reflections -thanks!

This one of those famous, or infamous eclectic posts of mine.
First of all, I can write my relatives in Holland "greetings from a very rainy California." They may mock me, and reply "it's nothing compared to the snow and cold we're having."
But it's not nothing - actually I'm glad it has been raining since last Thursday,
and the last two days it has been constantly raining.

So this flower is for Watery Wednesday, hosted by 2sweetnsaxy
http://waterywednesday.blogspot.com
Also temps have been going down at night to under 50 degr. F. - very unusual and earlier than normal in the "winter" time here.
Have you noticed, it seems like everywhere in the world it has been colder and earlier than normal. Kind of defies the notion of global warming. As I mentioned last year, maybe you know that more scientists do not believe in that phenomena than those who do (so I am really puzzled why Clinton got that prize!)

Since this is the week of Christmas I wanted Clytie to know that there is a heart ornament in my tree.  I'm not close to a computer after Wed. so here it is Clytie! And if you're posting this week, you have my "go ahead" on copying it for your blog.


And above the reindeer you see a close up of this little violinist in blue. I think one arm is missing:) For MidweekBlues hosted by Rebecca at http://thedustycellar.blogspot.com

And here below is my reflection in the ornament on the right side (a closeup of the pic above).
 Since I'm gone by Thursday I'll be very curious how many Christmas tree ornaments there will be in this weeks Weekend Reflections

hosted by James - please click on  http://dailynewtowndailyphoto.blogspot.com

The following is the mystery that I've been itching to solve, but have no idea how to go about it, and who knows, one of you may have an idea. I received this card.


I like "thank you" cards. It has been sent to my office. He or she may have the address from the directory of the alumni. There are more than 38 thousand psychologists in California. That's a very modest estimation. Maybe this person does not live in California?  It would be so easy to call and leave a message at my office, if they did live in California. I wonder if this person lives in another state....what do you think? Can't read the post office stamp.


Next question is, if this a man or a woman? When I started Rosemead I was one of the first two women in the history of the school who was married and had children. It was still mainly a man's profession. By the time I graduated, psychologists were 50% male and 50% female.
The front of the card looks "male" to me. What do you think?

My puzzle is why on earth didn't this person just sign with their name???
Especially when it is "a friend!"  I have no secret friends and I would be delighted to write this person back  or give him or her a phone call.
The way the sentence is worded, implies that he or she was also a student, like I was. But, it does not exclude that this was one of my profs. Because I was older, was married and had kids I had an easier time relating to most of them.

Now, there are several who would love to play a prank. But my guess is that that person would leave some clue as to who he or she is. If you would want to play a prank on someone, wouldn't you want to know the outcome of your prank...?

Any guesses? As if you are not busy enough the week of Christmas!





26 comments:

Rosie said...

It has certainly been colder earlier over here in the UK. What an intriguing mystery - I hope you are able to solve it. Best wishes to you and yours for Christmas and New Year:)

Stephanie V said...

Very strange greeting indeed. I hope there is someone out there who can help. This kind of mystery would drive me crazy.

VioletSky said...

ooh, I love these kinds of mysteries - especially for someone else (then again, I have never had a secret admirer send me a card of thanks or love.)
Maybe someone felt they had been mean to you or broke off a friendship with no explanation and wanted to make amends but is not ready to face you yet?
The card does look masculine, but the writing doesn't.

Pat Tillett said...

Just the kind of thing to get you thinking. I'm in socal also and you are so right about the rain. It is most certainly somthing. At my house, it is also crazy foggy!

Reader Wil said...

Now that is a real mystery! Hopefully you'll find out who has written to you. So you had a lot of rain, well today we had nice weather. The sun was shining and there was no wind. I really enjoyed my walk to the shops.
I wish you a very merry Christmas!

Ginnie Hart said...

While I'm not one of your relatives, Jeanette, I am from Holland as of a year now. I love it here and YES, we do have snow right now, though apparently unusual. If we still have snow on the 25th and 26th, it will be the 6th time in this past century that they'll have had snow on the 2 Christmas days. But we're supposed to start getting rain tomorrow with temps above freezing, so maybe it'll all be gone? I hope not...but what a mess that will be.

In the meantime, I see you're bound and determined to figure out your mystery friend. :) My guess is it's a female. Why? Because I used to do such things way back in my late teens and 20's when I was really enamored with someone but was too embarrassed to tell the truth. I was still trying to fit into my own skin. Not saying this is the same thing...just that I recognize it. I'm 65 now and know better. :)

Jeannette StG said...

Rosie,
Thank you, friend! In Holl. the weather forecast is rain, so I'm curious if the snow will still be there in W-Eur. on Christmas day!

Stepahnie,
Well, it drives me ALMOST crazy, that's why I'm calling on my bloggie friends!

Violetsky,
Hmmm, that sounds like a very plausible explanation! Everyone was soo busy at the end, scrambling to go through all the hoops that it would have been very inconspicuous if someone would have broken off the friendship without saying goodbye!

Patrick,
I'm okay with the rain, but if it would be fog, I would want it clear up asap!:)

Reader Wil,
Strange weather! someone from Nederland tells me that rain in the forecast! Hope the snow stays till Christmas day! Do you go to a church that has refreshments after the Christmas service?

Ginnie,
Thanks for visiting my blog:) So are you American or Dutch?

Interesting possibility, Ginnie:) I can imagine that someone in their teens or early 20ties would do this, but the "problem" is that I graduated 16 years ago (most people were in their 2nd half of their twenties back then -so that must mean it's likely to be someone who is around 40 years old! And these are all psychologists!

Zuzana said...

I have been having similar thoughts on the global warming sentiments, it has been unseasonably cold here in southern Scandinavia and we will most likely have a White Christmas again this year, for the second time in row, an all time record.
I would like to wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, dear Jeannette.;))
xoxo

crochet lady said...

I wonder why they didn't sign their name....odd. I hope some light gets shed on your mystery.

Jim said...

Hi Jeanette ~~ First comment on the blue angel. I think she has a missing wing! It sure is nice, I'm thinking it must be pretty old.

Global warming will produce violent swings in temperatures. Very cold winters and extrememly hot summers. Each year the swing will be hotter than the last and also colder than the last.

But the hot will be more extreme than the cold, thus an overall warming effect.
..

eileeninmd said...

Your rose is just lovely and I love the cute violinist. Neat mystery, I hope you are able to find out who your mystery friend is? Merry Christmas!

Anonymous said...

The violinist may be missing an arm, which might make playing the violin tricky, but it's a neat ornament with obvious sentimental value.

Good luck with the mystery!

Hootin Anni said...

I hope California dries out a bit. I keep following up on the news with the flooding there. Wow.

My link to my watery wednesday. Do stop by if you can....

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

4 Lettre Words said...

Such a lovely post, Jeannette! That little ornament is so sweet.

Have a fabulous Christmas, my friend!

Suburban Girl said...

My guess is they want to remain a mystery. Torture isn't it?

Cute little ornaments.

Vagabonde said...

We drove north to Nashville and thought it would be cooler than in Atlanta – wrong – it was 56 yesterday and only 50 in Atlanta. I see California is getting very damp. Strange card – I would be very curious too. If you find out who sent it, let us know – it looks like someone who knows you somehow.

cieldequimper said...

Just lovely tree decorations! Happy Christmas from snowy France!

Doowmée said...

Jeannette, I'm not sure I translated everything correctly but I understand that you want to know the origin of this letter. It may simply be an oversight, the stunned exist ... I am a good example.

I agree with you, front face is male but the graphics are rather feminine except j, undeniably masculine. He writes as if he was a student like you in that time.

Good luck with the deal, keep us updated if you get the answer.

In France too, rain and snow alternately as in Holland and at home, we are spoiled: we have both! And so scientists believe the planet is warming while we, we are freezing more and more: lol.

My puppies barking all their wishes and mine for the Christmas and New Year at you.
I kiss you
Doowmée

Dianne said...

a holiday mystery! :)

I love your ornaments
they have character

Jeannette StG said...

Zuzanna,
For you I hope this winter won't be as severe as the last one!
Although my relatives in Holl. told me, that "they" say that we would have an "old-fashioned" winter (as in the told times) again.
Wishing yo wonder celebrations (with your family, I take it?) at Christmas and New Year!

Jen,
Hope that your wish comes true, but I don't know if that will happen:)

Jim
Yes, I'm familiar with the postulations of global warming (since I'm a doctor I am interested in research). what is happening though is not adding up to that theory. In subtropical regions there was almost no summer (meaning cool temps), and the the winter seasons seem more severe, so if I would believe that we are heading to a colossal change, it would be another ice age.

Also, time is cyclical, does not go in a straight line. And what happened so many thousands or millions of years ago is more likely to happen than something that has never happened before.
so much for my personal opinion! in the end...we will see!
wishing you a merry Christmas to you and yours:)

Eileen,
Thank you, and hope you'll have a fabulous Christmas time as well as New Years celebrations!

Woody,
This is part of a set of musicians. And in my teens I played the violin. So much for keeping secrets from you!
so, since you are so observant, maybe I would like a suggestion towards the mystery from you:)

Anni,
Yes, while you watch the news, maybe you can say a prayer for California -we need it:) Wishing you a merry Christmas!

Dina,
Thank you! I'm sure you'll have a wonderful Christmas with your family!

Rebecca,
Ugh,you got that right....torture!
Yes you're right -too bad we get to see these cute things only once a year!

Vagabonde,
It's very interesting how the rocky economic times coincide with weird weather patterns! It almost looks like the whole universe is playing a trick on us.

Cieldequimper,
Have a lovely Christmas and New year, friend!
Can't believe you say "snowy France" - it doesn't sound "right" ("right" is here is meats as in "strange, unusual, etc.)

Doowmee,
Yes, most likely, he/she was also a student like I was.
I don't know if it was an oversight. Here in the USA, when you sign with "A friend" (not "YOUR friend), you like to be anonymous...
That's funny what you say about global warming and we are freezing:):)
Have a very merry Christmas -hope you also have some friends or relatives around you on the celebrations!

Doowmée said...

In France, too, much prefer the anonymity, I personally give my contact information easily: "Too trusting" said my companion, and it's true, I love humans, and authenticity, but it's more a question personality that country, I think ... Thank you for your wishes, I will spend Christmas with my son and his Dulcinea, the new year, as it should, with friends.
I hope his party will bring you joy and happiness and success for your beautiful works.
Kisses
Doowmée

Francisca said...

That's a pretty flower, all the more so with the rain drops. Sort of like the silver lining to every cloud (or nasty situation)... which I always look for. There really is beauty in [almost] everything. I'd be curious to know your source for saying there are MORE scientists that do NOT subscribe to the global warming theory; my reading has always been that the controversy is primarily about the ROLE of human impact, than of the fact itself, which is less disputed (I found this link to summarize the issue: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_warming_controversy).

The card mystery is odd, for sure, but if I were you, I'd be inclined to look at why I was letting (empowering) it to drive me to distraction. :-D

[The side bars on the banca/outrigger on my post are there to stabilize the boat. They work marvelously.)

Leovi said...

Thank you very much for sharing your wonderful compositions on his blog. Wish you Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Best wishes. Leovi.

NatureFootstep said...

lovely watery flower.

Clarissa said...

Lovely shot of the flower--gorgeous!

Merry Christmas to you and your family!^_^

Jeannette StG said...

Doowmee,
Since Wednesday I traveled to another part of California, so I had no computer closeby.
Hope you had a wonderful Christmas! And that next year will be the best year ever for you! hugs (that's what they do in the USA instead of kisses:)

Francisca,
Hope you had an enjoyable Christmas?
Hope it won't sound arrogant, because that's not my motive, but I don't think wikipedia is a reliable source for weighing scientific results of research - one has to have had all the necessary training in statistics and research design. "Everyone" interested in the subject can add to the body of knowledge in Wikipedia.
Since I have a doctorate, there are scientists in my circle of acquaintances and friends, so I hear it from the horses' mouth. Believe me, they can talk for hours on the subject (just for fun!)
Like I said to someone else: after all is said and done, at the end of the day...we will see:)

Leovi,
Thank you, Friend! Always a pleasure to visit your blog!

Naturefootstep,
For a good photographer like you, I take your comment as a compliment! Thank you:)

Clarissa,
That flower grows right outside my window! Hope you had a wonderful Christmas!