We celebrated our 42nd wedding anniversary tonight by gorging ourselves at a the C&H Steak House. I must say, it was the best tasting steak I've had in many a moon. If I remember correctly, anniversary dinners are supposed to be long, drawn out, romantic affairs but the years are beginning to tell on us. We got there early, ate our food, and skeedadled for home. Now Ellie's watching TV and I'm sitting here trying to decide whether or not to take an Alka-Seltzer.

What am I thankful for in this season? That I'm still free to attend the church of my choice even though there are forces in this country that are trying mightly to defeat that freedom.

What am I thankful for in this season? That our country can produce minds bright enough to write these words:

Finally, on this Thanksgiving let us remember that, for all their snarls and snipes, the now-freed peoples of France, Germany, Japan, Eastern Europe, Korea, the Balkans, Panama, Grenada, Afghanistan, and Iraq owe a great deal to thousands of dead Americans, too often forgotten, who in awful places like the Hürtgen Forest, Tarawa, Monte Casino, Chosun, Hue, Panama City, Mazar-e-Sharif ? and Fallujah ? battled and defeated Nazis, militarists, Fascists, Communists, and Dark-Age Islamists so that millions of others might have the freedom that the rest of us lesser folk too often take for granted as our birthright.

And the internet will let millions of people worldwide read it all.

What am I thankful for in this season?


This beautiful creature, my youngest granddaughter.

What am I thankful for in this season?


My camera shy daughter-in-law.

What am I thankful for in this season?


My daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter.

What am I thankful for in this season?

The beauty of nature.

What am I thankful for in this season? That this monster is no longer loose in the world.
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What am I thankful for in this season?


My wife, son, and grandson.

What am I thankful for in this season? That I can sit warm and secure in front of my computer while a turkey cooks outside in the smoker and pumpkin pie bakes in the oven.

Update: Don't know about the turkey but I've already sampled the pumpkin pie. Delicious!

What am I thankful for in this season? The fact that our country has men of this caliber. And this.

We've endured summer-like temps all during this Fall but looks like that's over. After a week of rain and flooding in this part of Texas, a cold front roared through last night, turning over all the pots on the patio but even worse, generating tornadoes in east Texas and Louisiana. It's still very blustery and getting colder by the minute. I usually cook a turkey outside in the water smoker on the day before Thanksgiving but the strong wind will make it hard to keep the cooker temperature high enough. I'm going to wait a few hours and see if the wind lays before starting.

He's on the chopping block and the ax has fallen. Will Mapes and Heyward be next?

Update: Rathergate.com thinks it's a big insult to the public. Fax CBS here on their web site if you think the same way.

A $28,000 grilled cheese sandwich? The price and the claim are both beyond belief. Why not start with just giving the money to a bonafide charity rather than enriching someone who's living in la-la land.