tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468223150447785936.post4376573771287629110..comments2023-11-05T03:56:08.325-08:00Comments on Murrmurrs: Christmas In PortlandMurr Brewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03422638986410813520noreply@blogger.comBlogger33125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468223150447785936.post-24296676358371516762017-12-25T13:14:22.332-08:002017-12-25T13:14:22.332-08:00Merry Christmas, Simon.Merry Christmas, Simon.Murr Brewsterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03422638986410813520noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468223150447785936.post-62504009820170894392017-12-25T13:06:29.562-08:002017-12-25T13:06:29.562-08:00"Hearts that can barely contain the joy"..."Hearts that can barely contain the joy" (sic) is a phrase I've been looking for all my life. And my favourite living wordsmith has gifted it to me in a most timely way.<br />Bless you and your keyboard Murr - but most of all for your worldview and your heart. xfaiprorthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18240756274359261877noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468223150447785936.post-60640150351959014562012-03-06T04:52:10.658-08:002012-03-06T04:52:10.658-08:00This is really interesting, You are a very skilled...This is really interesting, You are a very skilled blogger. I’ve joined your feed and look forward to seeking more of your wonderful post. Also, I have shared your website in my social networks! <br /><a href="http://www.carpetcleanerssydney.com.au/" rel="nofollow">carpet cleaners sydney</a>carpet cleaners sydneyhttp://www.carpetcleanerssydney.com.au/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468223150447785936.post-49078754990901240312011-04-05T15:31:16.752-07:002011-04-05T15:31:16.752-07:00Lovely, and loving. Thank you. Merry Christmas!Lovely, and loving. Thank you. Merry Christmas!Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07712412874073377368noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468223150447785936.post-3153114001206483492011-04-05T15:31:16.366-07:002011-04-05T15:31:16.366-07:00The best read I've enjoyed all week. Merry, M...The best read I've enjoyed all week. Merry, Merry Christmas, Murr. (My Dad played Tuba) ;)Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02040099513110890878noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468223150447785936.post-50444188868605106582011-04-05T15:31:16.095-07:002011-04-05T15:31:16.095-07:00Thank you, Murr. You always strike at the heart. ...Thank you, Murr. You always strike at the heart. Christmas is a lot like marriage. It may not live up to your expectations, but if you approach it right, there's nothing else to compare with it, and I wouldn't want to give it up.laytonwoman3rdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05614162024708881395noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468223150447785936.post-64390502690984026312011-04-05T15:31:15.692-07:002011-04-05T15:31:15.692-07:00You've done it again, Murr. This spoke to me o...You've done it again, Murr. This spoke to me on so many levels. Christmas is an extremely painful time of year for me. It is a reminder of what I lost forever, what I should've had for a few more years than I did, and the relentless Xmas hype of the perfect family celebrating the perfect Christmas together in their perfect home just rubs my nose in it even more. Next year I will think of Gabriellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15086855019663714453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468223150447785936.post-68030567967478297162011-01-02T12:09:31.641-08:002011-01-02T12:09:31.641-08:00" the one some child whose joy is gone tried ..." the one some child whose joy is gone tried to blow up a few weeks ago" I just have to add: with a lot of help from the fbi.<br />Wonderful post, as always. I never knew about the tuba christmas and I have lived here for over forty years! On the list for next year.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08112347934232298502noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468223150447785936.post-3322094373326592832010-12-29T20:16:20.862-08:002010-12-29T20:16:20.862-08:00You've done it again, Murr. This spoke to me o...You've done it again, Murr. This spoke to me on so many levels. Christmas is an extremely painful time of year for me. It is a reminder of what I lost forever, what I should've had for a few more years than I did, and the relentless Xmas hype of the perfect family celebrating the perfect Christmas together in their perfect home just rubs my nose in it even more. Next year I will think of Gabriellehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15086855019663714453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468223150447785936.post-41903425243195201272010-12-29T06:52:11.467-08:002010-12-29T06:52:11.467-08:00Beautiful prose, all of it - but I can't get p...Beautiful prose, all of it - but I can't get past the "200 tuba players." Really? That's beyond imagining.Suburban Correspondenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11488916572135296650noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468223150447785936.post-15934209493543861702010-12-27T23:19:47.242-08:002010-12-27T23:19:47.242-08:00Looks cold.Looks cold.magpiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08690258860393548951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468223150447785936.post-58997692242967704612010-12-27T10:24:44.756-08:002010-12-27T10:24:44.756-08:00You really hit the part of Christmas none of us wa...You really hit the part of Christmas none of us want to contemplate. Christmas is for children and the child part of us will always mourn the days of expectation and joy. When our own children are gone this space of time in the year is always imprinted with joy, side-by-side, with utter loneliness.Shattzienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468223150447785936.post-47358974468990124132010-12-27T10:07:45.385-08:002010-12-27T10:07:45.385-08:00Murr, Christmas isn't any material thing, is i...Murr, Christmas isn't any material thing, is it, but a spirit made up of wonderful essences like compassion and kindness, undefinable magics and hope. That spirit just wove itself all through your post and floated out into this reader's heart. Thank you.Tiffinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13778085151055551720noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468223150447785936.post-15415765856847473922010-12-27T06:07:31.315-08:002010-12-27T06:07:31.315-08:00Thank you, Murr. You always strike at the heart. ...Thank you, Murr. You always strike at the heart. Christmas is a lot like marriage. It may not live up to your expectations, but if you approach it right, there's nothing else to compare with it, and I wouldn't want to give it up.Linda Koonshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05614162024708881395noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468223150447785936.post-56721266860545067472010-12-26T18:51:33.987-08:002010-12-26T18:51:33.987-08:00The best read I've enjoyed all week. Merry, M...The best read I've enjoyed all week. Merry, Merry Christmas, Murr. (My Dad played Tuba) ;)Maryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02040099513110890878noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468223150447785936.post-9090893378796886652010-12-26T09:04:20.684-08:002010-12-26T09:04:20.684-08:00Beautiful, my friend. You absolutely touched the ...Beautiful, my friend. You absolutely touched the heart of the holiday. And yes, we do have to work at Christmas we we grow older, but it's so worth it. <br /><br />Love your tuba tradition. Portland seems to be a city still blessed with small-town values. This sounds like many of the events we hold here in my tiny rural community.Jayne Martinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01053366144206401836noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468223150447785936.post-36395501386015157242010-12-26T07:39:13.333-08:002010-12-26T07:39:13.333-08:00Your story over-filled my heart in that way of lon...Your story over-filled my heart in that way of long-ago childhood Christmases<br /> when the stars overhead were amazing, and if you could fall asleep you awoke to the smell of oranges and something only dreamt of under the tree.Eve Barbeauhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08572913012911430623noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468223150447785936.post-85795280642329692072010-12-25T22:51:43.785-08:002010-12-25T22:51:43.785-08:00Dr. John Richards, 92 years old, may he have a mer...Dr. John Richards, 92 years old, may he have a merry Christmas. And also all you Friends Of Pootie out there.Murr Brewsterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03422638986410813520noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468223150447785936.post-51341472834783179672010-12-25T22:39:10.142-08:002010-12-25T22:39:10.142-08:00Oh, my dear conductor friend, a fine and funny man...Oh, my dear conductor friend, a fine and funny man, top tuba player for many years with the Portland Symphony, collector of antique instruments, brilliant player of all, conductor of college and community bands, music and education prof. Times are harder for him now. I studied music history and how to play all the band instruments from him back in the you-don't-want-to know time. Or maybe I Rosemary Douglas Lombardnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468223150447785936.post-78031331827136413782010-12-25T20:06:15.927-08:002010-12-25T20:06:15.927-08:00What a Christmas treat. You are always in the thic...What a Christmas treat. You are always in the thick of it Murr, and bring the fun to us. Thank you, and I can't wait to see what craziness you stir up for us in 2011! I'll be along for the ride.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468223150447785936.post-49753206303701209492010-12-25T19:19:01.110-08:002010-12-25T19:19:01.110-08:00So much contained here, some of it barely containe...So much contained here, some of it barely contained. And thanks for the honesty. People who say they love Christmastime have always scared me a little. One nice thing about having kids around is being able (nay, obliged) to pour oneself into making it fabulous for *them,* and finding in the pouring that you get to skate along in their joy slipstream. Liam kept a countdown on the refrigerator Julie Zickefoosehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06654698829603424649noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468223150447785936.post-22586154036188024452010-12-25T16:26:04.913-08:002010-12-25T16:26:04.913-08:00Just absolutely lovely. The first part rings true ...Just absolutely lovely. The first part rings true for me - my mom was Mrs. Christmas herself. It was hard to match her joy for joy & most of the time I was left far behind.<br /><br />LOVE the Tuba Christmas! So tender & ludicrous - it's just great. <br /><br />We're getting a lot of snow here at my dad's house in NC - a Christmas miracle.The Bughttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07509037206264761261noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468223150447785936.post-29730726254984915452010-12-25T16:05:15.125-08:002010-12-25T16:05:15.125-08:00That's the most touching Christmas story I'...That's the most touching Christmas story I've read in many, many years.Nancehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15166865250789996825noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468223150447785936.post-16071162252386765022010-12-25T14:19:37.878-08:002010-12-25T14:19:37.878-08:00The voice and heart cracking really got me! Chris...The voice and heart cracking really got me! Christmas is never where you're looking for it. I got to play the piano in the lobby at our church this year between services. I practiced up on the carols and even some fun jazz versions, but somehow it didn't seem to make as much impact on the milling crowd as I wanted, everybody's too cool for that I guess. Then after the last serviceAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-468223150447785936.post-32742228353275505332010-12-25T13:16:23.880-08:002010-12-25T13:16:23.880-08:00Very sweet, Murr. But did you really have to inclu...Very sweet, Murr. But did you really have to include a scatalogical reference even here? It's Christmas, my dear, show some charity. ;-)<br /><br />"...hoonking away in the rear like a troupe of flatulent mastodons."MikeWJ at Too Many Morningshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05357719098554598893noreply@blogger.com