Snow Storms
We all enjoyed a white Christmas, here in Tennessee. In fact about every state East of the Mississippi had the promise of snow on Christmas Day. For us, it was the first white Christmas in 17 years.
But now the northeast is having a terrible blizzard. The airports have been canceling flights and there are tens of thousands of holiday travelers who are stranded in cities experiencing heavy snowfall, with no other way home.
On the other hand, I commend the airlines for taking every precaution to ensure the safety of their passengers and crews in bad weather. This is a huge inconvenience for travelers, but there are lessons to be learned, as well.
Santa
Growing up in a white, suburban neighborhood, when my parents took me to the department store to see Santa, he was always white.
Now I am seeing pictures on the news of Santas who are black and asian. That is a big change from when I was a kid. I wonder if the kids of today think this is normal and OK? Or have they noticed that most of the Santas in the storybooks are white?
Putting Up Lights
I was not going to put up any Christmas lights, but I found some really good bargains at K-Mart on the new LED lights. They were already half off the regular price, so I decided to get a few boxes. I put them on the Dogwood tree in my front yard and they look very colorful and bright.
Gingerbread
Found a new recipe for gingerbread cookies. The recipe I used last year did not turn out like I wanted. They cookies were too fluffy and soft, so they did not keep their shape after baking. They were so soft that the big ones fell apart when you picked them up. I hope this new recipe is more like the traditional gingerbread men that you can handle and even hang on the tree for decorations. We’ll soon find out.
Need a Hug
My parents were not all that big on hugging and kissing family. We pretty much did not touch each other. But as I spent more time with my friends and their families, I saw how they always hugged and kissed. So I adopted their way and now I hug a lot of people, even family.
Cooked Chicken
When I need cooked chicken for a recipe, I like to buy the rotisserie cooked chicken from the grocery store or Sam’s Club. The whole chicken is only about $5 or $6 and it tastes delicious! There is no way for me to duplicate that taste at home. When you consider that a whole, uncooked chicken can cost about $4 or $5, there is little you can do to chicken in preparation and cooking at home that will not add significantly to that price. So the rotisserie chicken is actually a bargain.
Hobo Jack
Recently I discovered a cool show on the History Channel about these two guys who call themselves “pickers.” They drive around in a van and pick through people’s junk, they buy what they like and then re-sell it.
Today they met up with a guy called “Hobo Jack” who had some sheds with all kinds of stuff. I couldn’t believe all the stuff that was dusty, rusty and mildewed. If he had just taken care of some of that stuff, it would be extremely valuable. But he let it all rot and deteriorate and was hardly worth anything.
Dentist Appt
Months ago I made an appointment to go to the dentist. Then I forgot all about it. I guess that happens a lot for my dentist. He has his secretary call everyone and remind them of their appointment a week before they are supposed to come in. That was a surprise and I’m glad that she called or I would have missed it.
Never Forget This Date
Nine years ago, we were attacked. Here in America, on the mainland. By chickenshit muslims who decided they hate America and it must be their god’s message to kill innocent people on suicide missions. I will never forget that day and will have a hard time forgiving those cowards for killing so many Americans.