Weekend Update

Last year on Thanksgiving my family had a redneck meltdown, complete with screaming on the front porch. My contribution was saying over and over, “Does it look like we live in a trailer park? Then just stop.”

This year was nice and peaceful. Lots of food, including the absolute best stuffing and pumpkin pie I’ve ever eaten. After dinner, we played a couple of board games and watched what I consider to be the greatest Christmas program of all time, Christmas Eve on Sesame Street. Pre-Elmo, this Christmas classic stars such greats as Grover, Kermit the Frog, Mr. Hooper (remember him?), Bob, David, Linda and Maria (before she got married to Luis), Olivia, Gordon and Susan. Oscar the Grouch tells Big Bird that if Santa can’t get down the chimney there will be no Christmas. Big Bird starts an investigation of how Santa can fit down chimneys....featuring the great songs: True Blue Miracle, I Hate Christmas, and my favorite, Keep Christmas With You... complete with sign language by Linda! Then I forced my family to watch Touching the Void which was airing on PBS.

Yes, I definitely have a lot to be thankful for this year.

Saturday, my newest little nephew, Erki, was blessed. In the LDS church this consists of giving the baby a name which he’ll be known by in life and in the records of the church and a blessing. I would liken it to a Christening. Generally this is done during the Sunday church service, but L&N got special permission to do it on a Saturday since N’s parents were in town from Minnesota. After the blessing both families ate, talked and had a good time. After everyone else had left a couple of us went to L&N’s house to hang out, watch a movie etc. My brother purchased a video game that is basically the old Atari games (River Raid, Boxing, Pitfall, Ice Hockey, Frogger etc.). You get a joy stick box-thing that plugs directly into the TV. All my nieces and nephews were fascinated by the low-tech look and only being able to move up, down or right. It took them quite a while to figure it out. Very amusing for the adults....

Tomorrow I have an interview with the City. I’m supposed to give a 3 minute presentation and then Q&A for 5-7 minutes. I know I’ll be very nervous, but right now I’m kind of...ehhh....wish me luck!

Oh, we got our first real snow of the season. I really, really hate driving in ice and snow. I live out in the country and we don’t get a lot of snowplows near my house. Not so much looking forward to that part.