Let the greed begin!!

That time of year again. Thanksgiving is over, the relatives gone, the turkey mostly eaten, and Black Friday behind us. Yep, it is the start of Greedmas, with the door trampler sales in the wee hours on the Friday after T-Day, the barrage of commercials for high tech gadgets developed to make a demand rather than meet one and store shelves filled with what will hopefully (for them) be the next "Tickle me Elmo."

Many have written and will write on the lost meaning of Christmas, but it doesn't bother me as much as it used to. The reason? It is s synthetic holiday developed by a bullying church trying to suborn a pagan holiday. Been a long time since I cracked a bible, but I don't recall any mention of Christ's birth date. Even the location is a bit fuzzy from what I gather. Having been born in the Middle East, snow wouldn't have played a part in his birth, unless he was born in the mountains of Afghanistan. Boy that'd really piss the Taliban off, wouldn't it? Anyway the December 25th scenario is a huge wagon-load of horse apples. So all you money changers and merchants have at, and good luck to you.

Thanksgiving was great. No hitting the stores at 3AM or any of that nonsense, just family, food, and a quiet thankfulness for how good we really have it. The grand kids brought joy to my heart, all the dogs did their best to entertain us, or at least distract us enough they could snitch a little unguarded food from time to time. The pups adore my grand daughter as she sits in the magic high-chair and rains food down upon them. Food she is supposed to be eating, but it is funny to watch the dogs grab it. She laughs more than she eats.

Smoked some boneless turkey roasts, whipped some potatoes, and simmered up some wild rice. My son-in-law, an accomplished baker in his own right, baked some of the best pumpkin pies I ever had -- almost a shame to hide them under whipped cream, really.

I was kind of amazed and very saddened when everyone had to leave. The house is now way too quiet, and has an empty feel about it. No worries, however as the feelings saved up over the past few days still resonate and warm my tired old heart and will for days to come. In the end that is what the holiday season is all about, the stretch from T-Day to X-Mas -- family and love.