Carols

Every year we try to carol in the neighborhood. Here are the songs we sing.

AFOOP Carols 2012

AFOOP Carols 2012 – single

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We Wish You a Merry Christmas

We wish you a Merry Christmas 
We wish you a Merry Christmas 
We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. 
Good tidings we bring to you and your kin 
Good tidings for Christmas and a Happy New Year. 

Oh, bring us a figgy pudding 
Oh, bring us a figgy pudding 
Oh, bring us a figgy pudding and a cup of good cheer
We won’t go until we get some 
We won’t go until we get some 
We won’t go until we get some, so bring some out here

We wish you a Merry Christmas 
We wish you a Merry Christmas 
We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Jingle Bells

Dashing through the snow
In a one horse open sleigh
O’er the fields we go
Laughing all the way
Bells on bob tails ring
Making spirits bright
What fun it is to laugh and sing
A sleighing song tonight

Oh, jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way
Oh, what fun it is to ride
In a one horse open sleigh
Jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way
Oh, what fun it is to ride
In a one horse open sleigh

A day or two ago
I thought I’d take a ride
And soon Miss Fanny Bright
Was seated by my side
The horse was lean and lank
Misfortune seemed his lot
We got into a drifted bank
And then we got upsot

Santa Claus Is Coming To Town

You better watch out
You better not cry
Better not pout
I’m telling you why
Santa Claus is coming to town

He’s making a list
And checking it twice
Gonna find out Who’s naughty and nice
Santa Claus is coming to town
He sees you when you’re sleeping
He knows when you’re awake
He knows if you’ve been bad or good
So be good for goodness sake!

O! You better watch out!
You better not cry
Better not pout
I’m telling you why
Santa Claus is coming to town
Santa Claus is coming to town

The First Noel

The first Noel, the angel did say,
Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay
In fields where they lay keeping their sheep,
On a cold winter’s night that was so deep.

Noel, Noel,
Noel, Noel,
Born is the King of Israel.

They looked up and saw a Star,
Shining in the East, beyond them far
And to the earth, it gave great light,
And so it continued both day and night.

Noel, Noel,
Noel, Noel,
Born is the King of Israel.

The star drew nigh to the North-West,
O’er Bethlehem it took its rest,
And there it did, both stop and stay,
Right over the place where Jesus lay.

Noel, Noel,
Noel, Noel,
Born is the King of Israel.
(Last time) Noel, Noel,
Noel, Noel

Silent Night

Silent night, holy night
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon Virgin Mother and Child
Holy Infant so tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace
Sleep in heavenly peace

Silent night, holy night!
Shepherds quake at the sight
Glories stream from heaven afar
Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia!
Christ, the Saviour is born
Christ, the Saviour is born

Silent night, holy night
Son of God, love’s pure light
Radiant beams from Thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth

Deck the Halls

Deck the halls with boughs of holly, 
Fa la la la la, la la la la. 
Tis the season to be jolly, 
Fa la la la la, la la la la. 

Don we now our gay apparel, 
Fa la la, la la la, la la la. 
Troll the ancient Yule tide carol, 
Fa la la la la, la la la la. 

See the blazing Yule before us, 
Fa la la la la, la la la la. 
Strike the harp and join the chorus. 
Fa la la la la, la la la la. 

Follow me in merry measure, 
Fa la la la la, la la la la. 
While I tell of Yule tide treasure, 
Fa la la la la, la la la la. 

Fast away the old year passes, 
Fa la la la la, la la la la. 
Hail the new, ye lads and lasses, 
Fa la la la la, la la la la. 

Sing we joyous, all together, 
Fa la la la la, la la la la. 
Heedless of the wind and weather, 
Fa la la la la, la la la la

Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer

Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer 
had a very shiny nose. 
And if you ever saw him, 
you would even say it glows. 

All of the other reindeer 
used to laugh and call him names. 
They never let poor Rudolph 
join in any reindeer games. 

Then one foggy Christmas Eve 
Santa came to say: 
“Rudolph with your nose so bright, 
won’t you guide my sleigh tonight?” 

Then all the reindeer loved him 
as they shouted out with glee, 
Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer, 
you’ll go down in history!

Hark The Herald Angels Sing

Hark the herald angels sing
“Glory to the newborn King!
Peace on earth and mercy mild
God and sinners reconciled”
Joyful, all ye nations rise
Join the triumph of the skies
With the angelic host proclaim:
“Christ is born in Bethlehem”
Hark! The herald angels sing
“Glory to the newborn King!”

Christ by highest heav’n adored
Christ the everlasting Lord!
Late in time behold Him come
Offspring of a Virgin’s womb
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see
Hail the incarnate Deity
Pleased as man with man to dwell
Jesus, our Emmanuel
Hark! The herald angels sing
“Glory to the newborn King!”

Hail the heav’n-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Son of Righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings
Ris’n with healing in His wings
Mild He lays His glory by
Born that man no more may die
Born to raise the sons of earth
Born to give them second birth
Hark! The herald angels sing
“Glory to the newborn King!”

Frosty the Snowman

Frosty the Snowman
Was a jolly happy soul
With a corncob pipe and a button nose
And two eyes made out of coal

Frosty the Snowman
Is a fairytale they say
He was made of snow
But the children know
How he came to life one day

There must have been some magic
In that old silk hat they found
For when they placed it on his head
He began to dance around

Frosty the Snowman
Was alive as he could be 
And the children say 
He could laugh and play
Just the same as you and me

Frosty the Snowman
Knew the sun was hot that day
So he said let’s run
And we’ll have some fun
Now before I melt away

Down to the village
With a broomstick in his hand
Running here and there all around the square
Saying catch me if you can

He led them down the streets of town
Right to the traffic cop
And he only paused a moment when
He heard him holler stop

Frosty the Snowman
Had to hurry on his way
But he waved goodbye
Saying don’t you cry 
I’ll be back again some day

Thumpety thump thump
Thumpety thump thump
Look at Frosty go
Thumpety thump thump
Thumpety thump thump
Over the hills of snow

This Little Light Of Mine

This little light of mine
I’m gonna let it shine
This little light of mine
I’m gonna let it shine
This little light of mine
I’m gonna let it shine
Let it shine
Let it shine
Let it shine.

Hide it under a bushel? No!
I’m gonna let it shine
Hide it under a bushel? No!
I’m gonna let it shine
Hide it under a bushel? No!
I’m gonna let it shine
Let it shine
Let it shine

Yellow Submarine

In the town where I was born
Lived a man who sailed to sea
And he told us of his life
In the land of submarines

So we sailed up to the sun
Till we found a sea of green
And we lived beneath the waves
In our yellow submarine

We all live in a yellow submarine,
Yellow submarine, yellow submarine
We all live in a yellow submarine,
Yellow submarine, yellow submarine

And our friends are all aboard
Many more of them live next door
And the band begins to play

We all live in a yellow submarine,
Yellow submarine, yellow submarine
We all live in a yellow submarine,
Yellow submarine, yellow submarine

As we live a life of ease
Everyone of us has all we need (has all we need)
Sky of blue (sky of blue) and sea of green (sea of green)
In our yellow (in our yellow) submarine (submarine. Blaha)

We all live in a yellow submarine,
Yellow submarine, yellow submarine
We all live in a yellow submarine,
Yellow submarine, yellow submarine

We all live in a yellow submarine,
Yellow submarine, yellow submarine

Red River Valley

From this valley they say you are going
We will miss your bright eyes and sweet smile
For they say you are taking the sunshine
That has brightened our pathways awhile

Come and sit by my side, if you love me
Do not hasten to bid me adieu
Just remember the Red River Valley
And the cowboy who loved you so true

I’ve been thinking a long time, my darling
Of the sweet words you never would say
Now, alas, must my fond hopes all vanish
For they say you are gong away

Do you think of the valley you’re leaving
O how lonely and how dreary it will be
And do you think of the kind hearts you’re breaking
And the pain you are causing to me

They will bury me where you have wandered
Near the hills where the daffodils grow
When you’re gone from the Red River Valley
For I can’t live without you I know

All Will Be Dancing

One, two, three
One, two, three

Come to my party
Today if you please
Roses and lilies
Will dance in the breeze
Bright yellow candles
Will bow to the blue
All will be dancing
And I’ll dance with you
All will be dancing
And I’ll dance with you

Winter for dancing,
Nice shiny floors
Summer is better
To dance out of doors
Birds will make music
In every green tree
All will be dancing
And you’ll dance with me
All will be dancing
And you’ll dance with me

La la la
La la la
La la la la

La la la
La la la
La la la la

Save Our Sand

Working with natural sand and sand toys allows for creative, active, healthy play for children and fosters their development in many ways.

With minimum legal notice and no posted signs in the park, the Albany Park & Recreation Commission (P&R) voted to remove over 2/3rds of the sand and cover most of the Dartmouth Tot Lot with black rubber. They also instructed the maintenance team to regularly discard any toys left in the park. This decision will fundamentally change the nature of this heavily used and much loved park. The stated purpose of the plan is to improve Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance and decrease required maintenance.

After the vote, Albany city staff worked closely with concerned users of the park to prepare an alternative plan to address all concerns. This new plan is ADA compliant, reduces maintenance issues, retains most of the sand and preserves the character of the park.

At the request of two City Council members, P&R reviewed this new plan at their last meeting. All public comment at the meeting and a letter signed by over 40 people supported the new plan. All but one Commissioner debated if it was even appropriate to consider the alternative plan. One Commissioner stated: “we have already made our decision.”

P&R makes recommendations to City Council. City Council has never been presented with, nor voted on, the community supported alternative plan.

Work to pave over the park is slated to begin June 6. Please help us save this jewel of Albany. Contact your city council member now and ask them to vote for the new community plan that takes care of ALL children.

You can call the city and leave a message for council members at (510) 528-5710. You can email cityhall@albanyca.org

Your City Council:
Farid Javandel, Mayor
Marge Atkinson, Vice Mayor
Joanne Wile
Robert Lieber
Peggy Thompson

Your call or email matters. You can make a difference. A few, very vocal people got this decision made; let the City Council hear from the rest of us.

-Max, Margaret and Ulan McKnight
margaret@yvod.com

Hail 03-18-11

Wow! A bunch of hail came down the night of 03-18-11. Here are some pix.

I ‘like’ living in Albany

This comment is in response to a letter written by Allan Maris in Albany.Patch.com.

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Thank you Allan for your thoughts on this matter. While I disagree with your opinion, I think you presented your ideas with authenticity and respect. I learned a lot from your comments and would like to counter with my own experience in this matter.

My family has lived in Albany since 1964 when my mother moved with my brother and I to Albany Village. I remember well my mother lamenting the conservative politics of the day as she saw one failed idea after another forwarded by those who claimed to know what was best for Albany residents but always seemed to think in terms of dollars instead of our greater welfare.
Continue reading I ‘like’ living in Albany

Neighbors Paint and Plant Tot Lot, Though Not All Love New Look

Here is a link to a nice article about the Tot Lot on Albany.Patch.com.

Albany Streets Photos

We had a great time at the Albany Streets.


Continue reading Albany Streets Photos

Albany Streets – 10-09-10

On Saturday, October 9th from 11am to 2pm, Dartmouth Street will be closed to traffic from Stannage to Masonic for ALBANY STREETS. I know what you’re thinking: “Do these people EVER stop?” The answer to that, dear friends, is NO, we just PUMP UP THE VOLUME!

Albany Streets

Along with the fun the City of Albany has planned, we will be featuring live rhythm and blues from The Lost Band featuring Felton. If you missed our last block party (and the ones previous), then you can’t pass up this chance to get your groove on to some really fabulous music! Bring your bikes/skateboards/whatever else you have around the house that is wheeled to enjoy a street free of cars, at least for the afternoon, and:

  • Albany Strollers & Rollers: Fruit smoothies created with bike power, minor bike repair
  • 4-Square East Bay – That’s right, game on!
  • Hoop dancing class with Marria Grace of Athletic Playground
  • Tai Chi demonstration and lesson with City of Albany InstructorStarfire
  • Country Line Dancing Lesson with Ron Points
  • Street Hockey
  • Dodge Ball
  • Neighborhood-wide Water Balloon Toss
  • Giant Hop Scotch
  • DIY Sidewalk Art Gallery
  • Wiffle Ball
  • Block Party Musical Chairs
  • Razor Scooter Races

… or just bring a lawn chair, some snacks, and beverages and just hang out with us for awhile…

Tell your family and friends! The more the merrier!

PS: The block between Cornell and Talbot is puting on a huge Plants vs. Zombies show for Halloween. Please help us paper mache our props and costumes.

East Bay Mini Maker Faire – 10-24-10

The East Bay Mini Maker Faire Is Oct 24. A bunch of go to the annual big one in San Mateo . The one at park Day School promises to be a smaller and more local one. Yeah!

Dartmouth Tot Lot Meeting – Thursday, October 14, 2010 at 7pm

The City of Albany has asked for a community meeting to talk about the painting of the Tot Lot. This email includes the official letter along with some added history by me =)

Joanna Manqueros approached me a while back about making the Tot Lot look a bit nicer. She was upset that the front area was filled with sand, the fence looked bleak, garbage was strewn about and much of the park had been tagged with spray paint. I volunteered to help dig and water and she set about gathering plants.

Continue reading Dartmouth Tot Lot Meeting – Thursday, October 14, 2010 at 7pm

Full Belly Farm Hoes Down – Oct 2, 2010

The Full Belly Farm’s 23nd Annual Hoes Down Festival is happening Saturday October 2, 2010. This is an extremely kid-friendly event 1.5 hours north of Albany.

A bunch of us are going and some of us are planning to camp Saturday night. Please join us.