JimH wrote:
..........all the guys must be out finally getting that Christmas gift for
their wives.

You guys give the rest of us a bad name!

Anyway, the turkey is stuffed and has been cooking for about an hour.
Guests arrive after 1.

Merry Christmas folks.

Not I.

My shopping is done.

My personal shopping coach flew in from New York to steer me through
the proper series of department stores and point out just the styles,
colors, and sizes that would be perfect for my wife. (Personal shopping
coach is my adult daughter, who will be visiting until NYD). Personal
shopping coach managed to "hint" that she really personally liked a
bottle of a certain cologne, so it found its way to the cash register
along with one of the groups of baubles and bangles for the Mrs. You
think gas is expensive? I don't know what fraction of an ounce, or so,
you get for $80- but you know that stuff has to be selling somewhere on
the upper side of $1000 a gallon. It would be cheaper if my Personal
shopping coach/adult daughter simply daubed gasoline or diesel behind
her ears- but on second thought that would only attract a powerboater
(like her dad) or a NASCAR fan, so the cologne is a wise investment.

Still today:

Football game with son.
Drive out to little farm town tonight, visit my inlaws. Drive back.

Tomorrow:

up at 0600, go downtown and prepare breakfast for 200 homeless
1000, will go to neighborhood church
1100, go home to rejoin wife and kids. My parents will show up before
1200 to spend the afternoon and dine on holiday beast.

Some "holiday", I'm running my arse off. Much prefer more spontaneuos
and more natural
celebrations, but solstice is just past and light is reentering the
world on as many levels as one cares to consider it (even if the
Christians have the date screwed up- big grin and a friendly wink).

Interesting to note that in the earliest years, the Christian New Years
was at the spring solsitice, in the month we now call March.

http://www.bibletime.com/jesus/birth/


Merry Christmas, Happy Holdiays, etc etc etc to everybody in the NG.