TO HILLDALE

Yesterday, from around 3:00 until about 8:30 we were in Hilldale. All went quite well even though I can't handle crowds. I have to watch what I write on my blog because now I know they pay attention to this stuff. My cousin, the Ronald, a twenty year navy veteran, wrote & recorded a song about the armed forces & gave each of us a copy complete with sheet music. I've been trying to give it a lot of publicity on my blogs. Matt explained his Ph.D. thesis to us. Mary Anne & family left today at around 11:45. Michael is a little disappointed about his having gotten such an especially short haircut. I gave him my book about the evils of liberalism & he has promised to read it. Jennifer & Java have been keeping us informed of the progress of her pregnancy.

HAPPY FRIDAY TURKEY TROT

Thanksgiving went quite well yesterday. Mary Anne, Steve & the kids showed up late in the morning. Uncle Frankie, Fran & Lisa got here early in the afternoon. I've been getting a very bad headache each day lately, unfortunately. There was entirely too much food & the coffee pot stopped working. Fortunately we managed to dig up another pot. Today we shall be going to Hilldale to see the kinfolk. The Ronald & the Linda, along with Brianne, Matt & family will be there. Bridget & Sam are just as colorful a couple of characters as ever. Michael, of course, is still interested in philosophy & physics & has been delving into Marxist theory. He & I most certainly disagree about quite a whole lot. That vinyl cover for my windshield most certainly makes quite a difference. Last night I never bothered to put it on & my windshield was an absolute sheet of ice this morning. Steve has car trouble so he spent a while this morning looking through the phone books for someplace that might have a part he needs.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

Yesterday I gave blood at the Polish American Legion Post on Oak Street in Plains. As usual the phlebotomist I got mixed up with was quite a talkative woman. My appointmet was for 1:15. It lasted only a little while compared to most donations. I got a coupon for a McDonald's Egg McMuffin with my coffee & junk food. I followed my parents to the place & they took advantage of the trip, from then on, as an excuse to go shopping. Uncle Frankie was there for a little while until we left. The weather has been an absolute nightmare lately with bitter cold, rain & snow for the past few days. I got a call yesterday from Bob from the Holy Name Society. He wants me to return the two contest tickets I got in the mail a while ago. Tomorrow will be, as always, crowded & fattening. I just hope it's a reasonably nice day.

THANKSGIVING APPROACHES

Thanksgiving & Michelle's birthday are only three days away. Mary Anne, Steve & the kids will be here for a while. Fran has to work but she'll be available as much as possible. The weather's been so cold lately that Uncle Frankie hasn't been bothering with those games on Friday nights anymore. He came over for a while on Saturday & yesterday. I used to go to Buffalo for Thanksgiving but that was quite a long time ago. Unfortunately the weather over here is just as bitter cold & it's mountainous too. On England's Telegraph website, & Yoko Ono's site, I just read that the Vatican has recently forgiven Beatle John for his March 1966 boast that the Fabs were more popular than Jesus. This morning I read some more of "Much Ado About Nothing". I got a very seriously annoying headache yesterday. It may have been a sinus headache because my normal headache pills didn't get rid of it but the sinus pill I took did.