MERRY RUSSIAN CHRISTMAS

The snow started fairly early yesterday afternoon. It stopped after a short time but must have started again somewhere over the course of the night. When I got up to go to 8:00 Mass at St. John's it was raining & everything was icy. I still don't have such a whole lot of experience with driving around here in bad weather unfortunately so it really bothered me, especially because it was so dark at that time & the roads are steep. I heard on the radio this morning that today is Russian Orthodox Christmas. Lately I've been taking advantage of the lulls among my Facebook connections to join some of the many groups they have, especially for us fans of classic literature & sixties music. My parents called Uncle Frankie. He hasn't come over in the past week. He's still feeling ill. That really stinks at times like this.

GAS PRICES UP AGAIN

This morning, on my way home from 8:00 Mass at St. John the Evangelist in Pittston, I couldn't help noticing that all the local gas prices have been going up again. It's the first time this has happened in the past many months. Mary Anne called yesterday with all the latest news from New York. Steve, Sam, Mike & I are on each other's Facebook friends lists anyway so I can always keep up with them that way too. Uncle Frankie has been ill lately so we haven't seen him but my parents have been in touch with him on the phone. Amazingly, the W era will very soon be over. As of right now, we are only two weeks away from a new administration in the White House. I've been trying to cut down on junk food now that the Christmas & New Year's pig out time is over with. It's kind of a bit of a New Year's resolution. Usually I can be counted on to do quite a reasonably good job of avoiding going out of my way to get any food that isn't readily available. It's only when it's always there & I can't possibly avoid it, that I'm in big trouble. According to cousin Gary's daughter, Tina, today is La Befana, the very last day of the Christmas season. That's the name of the Italian celebration.

COLD BUT NICE

The weekend worked out well. I lectored at 10:00 Mass yesterday & went to the Holy Hour at 4:00. Amazingly I just got my second hit, on Wheresgeorge, from California. Usually I get stuck with only nearby states. My Facebook account has really been getting quite seriously hyperactive these days. Cousin Mark just joined. So far it's still full of mostly kin & St. Gabriel's people. This month, unfortunately, I shall have to get my car inspected. I made sure, over the weekend, that I opened my glove compartment to see if my registration & insurance cards are both still there. Without them I'd be in extremely seriously big trouble because they're both mandatory. Car troubles have always gotten me crazy. They make you stay in those places all day long surrounded by boring TV shows & periodicals, all about sports, which I've never enjoyed. Yesterday I made sure I read more of Shakespeare's "Cymbeline". It's extremely hard to figure out.

QUIET WEEKEND

Nothing much has been happening so far this weekend. I have to lector tomorrow at 10:00 Mass. Of course that may change by the time I get home. Lately there always seems to be someone trying to get me to cover at another Mass. My Facebook account has still been getting lots of mileage, especially from my Queens crowd. Ruthie just accepted my friends invitation. My parents are still quite busily cleaning up all the mess from the Christmas decorations. It's an extremely annoying chore because of all the boxes, decorations & other things that have to be put away again until next year. Lately I've been trying to see as many James Bond movies as possible. Yesterday I started watching "Die Another Day". It features Halle Berry as 007's love interest, Judy Dench as M, & Madonna sings the title song. The weather, so far, hasn't been so bad lately. Today, even early in the morning, it was quite clear & only as cold as it should be expected to be anyway. Yesterday was very cold but there wasn't any more rain or snow.

HAPPY 2009!

New Year's Eve & Day went quite well though they were both entirely too fattening. There was a really nice snowfall New Year's Eve but it didn't amount to anything bad. I didn't bother to do any partying this year. I just pigged out on a meal with my parents & Uncle Frankie. Of course, he showed up with quite a whole lot of candy & cookies. The next morning, before 10:00 Mass at O.L. Sorrows, as I was getting gas & the paper at the Shoemaker Ave. Unimart, I ran into him at the gas pumps. He seems to be recuperating quite well, so far, from his cold. Over the course of both days, unlike many people I didn't bother to watch any sports. I spent the time watching reruns of "The Twilight Zone" & "The Honeymooners". They've always been two of my very favorite shows. Of course, many of the inevitable phone calls. Aunt Lauren, Mary Anne, Fran, & Rose, among others called. Today we get to do the very first ever Friday dance of the new year.