To read the tribute to SFC Marcus Muralles, please click here
Saturday, November 13, 2004
aaaahhhh.... Peace and Quiet
... otherwise known as The Calm Before the Holiday Storm.
Halloween is over... the Election is over... my birthday has passed (both of them)... Football season (for my kids) is over (except for the banquet)...Thanksgiving is 2 weeks away... Christmas is exactly 6 weeks away... aaahhhh... it's now that wonderful, restful, quiet time of year. Let us all sit back, sip a cup of warm cider, and relax a moment.... I said "RELAX!" dangit! That's better...
"What's up?" you ask. Not one darn thing. And that's the great thing. All the professional political pundits, for the most part, are taking well-deserved vacations after that roller-coaster ride of a campaign season. FNC has had nothing much to talk about the last couple of days except the Scott Peterson trial and Arafat's death. Since the football season is over, I've no more complaining about football parents (ok... not entirely true... it's not MY fault that the banquet isn't until after Thanksgiving- whining to me will NOT help things. There. I feel better now.)
We have entered that wonderful void that naturally occurs between Halloween and Thanksgiving. If you're a traditionalist (like me), you can start thinking about Christmas around now, but no major purchases/organization/decorations until the day after Thanksgiving. (yes, R, I know you're probably finished with your Christmas shopping. I haven't even started THINKING about it.) Now is the time for puttering around the house- getting out the winter clothes (ok, Fall clothes- we don't need "winter" clothes here much), cleaning out closets and getting bags and boxes ready to take to Goodwill (I think this is a great time to do it- we have some good stuff that we just don't need anymore- let it bless someone else!), getting the calendar worked out for the next 6 weeks (things get crazy- you know they do), and trying to get a little organized around the house before insanity sets in (I love Flylady, just not the e-mails- that's too much, even for me! I try to follow the "Daily Missions", but I'm not always successful. My goal is to them all for the next 5 weeks.). Thanksgiving week, I'll get out all the Christmas decorations and see what I've got and what I need (I feel a "Honey Do" list coming on!!!)
What's my deal? I'm cruising through the blogs this morning, and I realized that the weight has been lifted, the tension has subsided, the clouds have parted. So many people in the blogosphere were so stressed out over the election, and now it's over. Yes, the LLL will still annoy us, the MSM will still get it wrong, and the pajamahadeen will ride to the rescue time and time again. But the "crisis" ramp-up for Nov. 2nd is over... it's time to chill for a bit.
Am I quitting? In a word, NO!!!!!! I'm still cruising the news sites and the blogs. Just don't be surprised if there isn't anything overly exciting in the news for the next few weeks. But this will be fun. I'll hit the serious stuff when it happens. And I'll talk about the fun stuff, too. (and, R, the company Christmas party will talked about, so God help us all if there's kareoke this year! I may have to hurt someone.)
So, consider this your warning. I am a Holiday Nut™ , so, amid any potential political banter, you will find commentary on this Scrooge or that Scrooge, photos of family and friends, and maybe even a recipe or two.
Which bring me one final point: if you want a Christmas card from Castle Whatever™, e-mail me your name and address. (Don't put it in the comments- that would be silly.) I will send out cards to everyone who gives me an address. Really. I promise. Deadline is... the Sunday after Thanksgiving.
So , Happy Respite! Here's a hint of things to come:
Halloween is over... the Election is over... my birthday has passed (both of them)... Football season (for my kids) is over (except for the banquet)...Thanksgiving is 2 weeks away... Christmas is exactly 6 weeks away... aaahhhh... it's now that wonderful, restful, quiet time of year. Let us all sit back, sip a cup of warm cider, and relax a moment.... I said "RELAX!" dangit! That's better...
"What's up?" you ask. Not one darn thing. And that's the great thing. All the professional political pundits, for the most part, are taking well-deserved vacations after that roller-coaster ride of a campaign season. FNC has had nothing much to talk about the last couple of days except the Scott Peterson trial and Arafat's death. Since the football season is over, I've no more complaining about football parents (ok... not entirely true... it's not MY fault that the banquet isn't until after Thanksgiving- whining to me will NOT help things. There. I feel better now.)
We have entered that wonderful void that naturally occurs between Halloween and Thanksgiving. If you're a traditionalist (like me), you can start thinking about Christmas around now, but no major purchases/organization/decorations until the day after Thanksgiving. (yes, R, I know you're probably finished with your Christmas shopping. I haven't even started THINKING about it.) Now is the time for puttering around the house- getting out the winter clothes (ok, Fall clothes- we don't need "winter" clothes here much), cleaning out closets and getting bags and boxes ready to take to Goodwill (I think this is a great time to do it- we have some good stuff that we just don't need anymore- let it bless someone else!), getting the calendar worked out for the next 6 weeks (things get crazy- you know they do), and trying to get a little organized around the house before insanity sets in (I love Flylady, just not the e-mails- that's too much, even for me! I try to follow the "Daily Missions", but I'm not always successful. My goal is to them all for the next 5 weeks.). Thanksgiving week, I'll get out all the Christmas decorations and see what I've got and what I need (I feel a "Honey Do" list coming on!!!)
What's my deal? I'm cruising through the blogs this morning, and I realized that the weight has been lifted, the tension has subsided, the clouds have parted. So many people in the blogosphere were so stressed out over the election, and now it's over. Yes, the LLL will still annoy us, the MSM will still get it wrong, and the pajamahadeen will ride to the rescue time and time again. But the "crisis" ramp-up for Nov. 2nd is over... it's time to chill for a bit.
Am I quitting? In a word, NO!!!!!! I'm still cruising the news sites and the blogs. Just don't be surprised if there isn't anything overly exciting in the news for the next few weeks. But this will be fun. I'll hit the serious stuff when it happens. And I'll talk about the fun stuff, too. (and, R, the company Christmas party will talked about, so God help us all if there's kareoke this year! I may have to hurt someone.)
So, consider this your warning. I am a Holiday Nut™ , so, amid any potential political banter, you will find commentary on this Scrooge or that Scrooge, photos of family and friends, and maybe even a recipe or two.
Which bring me one final point: if you want a Christmas card from Castle Whatever™, e-mail me your name and address. (Don't put it in the comments- that would be silly.) I will send out cards to everyone who gives me an address. Really. I promise. Deadline is... the Sunday after Thanksgiving.
So , Happy Respite! Here's a hint of things to come:
