December 24, 2006 2:34 PM
On the night before Christmas
It's a country Christmas for us..
Our family is together for the holidays, surviving travel out of Denver to visit my parents in a small town in Indiana and looking forward to an after-church gathering tonight at a picturesque farmhouse in the country hosted by a couple I've known since grade school.
The pastor of the little Lutheran church in my hometown will say the blessing then we'll attack the buffet with gusto and renew acquaintances with some of my oldest friends. My sister and her husband are due in on Christmas morning. They bailed us out by picking up our son at the airport in Chicago when our travel plans were snow-altered.
The boys are sprawled on couches in the back room watching the Broncos. Their laughter warms the house. Cheryl ties up every loose end. We all try to avoid tripping over Barney, a deaf, blind cocker spaniel who is my dad's valued and loyal companion. Come Christmas morning and we'll exchange gifts to the musical backdrop of the country Christmas CDs dad will open first.
Hope your family is together and safe for the holidays. Hope your stocking is filled with just what you wanted whether you've been naughty, nice or, like most of us, you've steered some acceptable middle ground.
Share your Christmas experience with us. Are you a hero Santa or did you forget the batteries again? Did last week's weather nightmare settle into a pleasant white Christmas or rachet up the stress level because you lost two days of last-minute shopping? Did you spend quality time with your family or at DIA?
December 25, 2006
5:20 AM
Alexia writes:
A big Thank -You to Denver`s postal workers.
I sent a huge parcel from Florida, and due to the snowstorm it was held up en route,much to my surprise it was delievered Sunday the 24th!
Again thank you to all at post office in Lakewood for being my Santa..
Merry Christmas to all,
Regards,
Alexia .
December 25, 2006
6:13 AM
Anonymous writes:
Somehow, someway, the moonbats will blame this on Dubya.
They always do.
December 25, 2006
6:46 AM
Anonymous writes:
I live in a republican fascist neighborhood full of Go git em Gw Bush supporters. It was really bizaare watching them do x mas shopping. 3 people beating each other up over a parking space just vacated. 2 people returning broken toys they just destroyed.
i heard the Bush family is out shopping for a Conscience. when asked if he thought about the many Americans who died in his war, he didn't have an answer.
December 25, 2006
8:02 PM
Anonymous writes:
Yesterday (the 24th) our family went to watch " The Nativity Story", after having lunch at a German restaurant. It was a great, and had a traditional American feel, so these type activities will become tradition, again, for our family.
December 26, 2006
7:08 AM
gr8fuldude writes:
Spent both Eve and day with the gf, who made an amazing dinner. Exchanged gifts on Xmas eve, and spent the rest being lazy and staying inside away from the $^#@ing snow.
December 26, 2006
8:53 AM
Tree writes:
8dude-
Glad u r enjoying the snow. I drove a GM car to Ford field and watched the best 2-12 team , the Lions lose to the Bears. Caged animals under the direction of officials blowing whistles, just like the zoo. It's rained here in Detroit at least 5 days in a row, 45 degrees. It all blends together after a while and you really forget about the sun until April 1st.
And hot rod Hogar note- I just drove a Chevy Impala SS and smoked the tires up and down Woodward ave, just like the old days except it's now a V8 engine with front wheel drive. The traction control put the brakes on me as it's still wet outside. I also drove a supercharged Cadillac with 500 ungodly ponies under the hood, rear wheel drive and was smoking those tires too. Let's recap, for about $30K you can drive an impala with leather and keep up to a $80K Cadillac supercharged. I'll take the Impala and 401K the remainder or in your case, give it to the church, right?
All this tire smoke and my lungs are jealous. And Mark- I made the Seger show the other night after all, and guess #%^$$ what- I'm going back to see him again in 2 nights with comp tickets. Never changes, it's who you know when it comes to freebies. Party on guys.
December 26, 2006
9:27 AM
gr8fuldude writes:
TH - Glad you're enjoying some time off. Enjoy the free tix, they're usually the best.
Hopefully you didn't fly there, apparently there's still a backlog at DIA, and the problem du jour as of today is missing and unclaimed baggage.
Don't ya just love mama nature?
December 26, 2006
10:14 AM
ML writes:
And speaking of Seger, I got the new CD from my secret Santa at work. It is really outstanding! A nice mix of old sounds and new. Enjoy the show, Tree!
December 26, 2006
10:23 AM
jay writes:
On vacation on the Jersey shore. Hope all are having a great holiday season.
December 26, 2006
10:54 AM
Tree writes:
8dude-
I don't fly. I take my black lab wherever I go and the airlines don't like dogs. 2 day drive is nothin' for me. I have a shoebox of Dead shows to jam on down the road with and Motel Hell (6) takes dogs in every room. Right in the middle of Nebraska out of nowhere, big sign in the median of the HWY, Check Point ahead, Drug Dog. I got a chuckle, you'll never believe me......I wasn't carrying anything, not even a joint. I'm free and clear on this trip. And, there wasn't a check point, all in the scare tactics. I believe it would be an illegal search. Hell, the check point should be for illegal aliens and not mother nature. Another topic.
December 26, 2006
10:59 AM
Tree writes:
Jay- What is Point Pleasant, NJ like in the winter? I take it you can at least drive around without stop and go traffic.
December 26, 2006
2:07 PM
jay writes:
Tree,
Our family has a place on Long Beach Island. The summer population is something like 400K...the population off-season is less than 30K. It is quite literally a different town during the fall and winter. We just took the dog and our 5 year old niece for a walk and saw one vehicle the entire time. The weather has been wonderful...60's for the last few days...50's today. We haven't put the boat in the water yet, but the fishing is supposed to be decent...we'll see. We're heading into NYC over the next couple of days...it'll be quite a change of pace.
My nuts shrink to the size of raisins just thinking about a check point with a drug dog on a long rode trip. I never go on a lengthy trip without a little something to help pass the time.
December 26, 2006
3:28 PM
gr8fuldude writes:
Jay -
I seem to remember at some point, you mentioned that you liked Japanese. If you need a place in Manhattan, check out Iroha. Midtown, right off the theatre district. Full menu, reasonable prices, and the best sushi I've seen outside of Asia.
The only two things I miss about life in the northeast is access to NYC and real fall foliage. Life in CO still rocks tho. Enjoy the trip.
December 26, 2006
5:59 PM
Tbone writes:
Hey Tree-
Those checkpoints are not just scare tactics. What they do is post a big sign saying checkpoint ahead. Then, they have cops sitting at all the rest stops between the sign and the checkpoint. If the cop sees anyone throwing away suspicious material at the rest stop, they pull 'em over. I've had friends been busted that way. Dude, how you can make that drive without some schlerb is beyond me.
December 27, 2006
5:11 AM
Tree writes:
Tbone-
Yeah, that makes sense. There was an exit about 1/2 mile past that sign to nowhere. I could see someone exiting and dumping their stash. Great way for catch 22 law enforcement to stock up on their own supply too! I'll never forget freshman year at college when my dorm room cell mate lit up a fatty and said this came compliments my brother, the classic small town high school football star turned local Johnny Law taking free liberties all over town including confiscating bags of weed here and there.
December 27, 2006
5:28 AM
Anonymous writes:
8dude-
Speaking of Asian food, I had take out Thai last night from some mom and pop store in Grosse Pointe, MI. 2 words. God and Awful.
I can't wait to get back to Thai Basil at Alameda and Pearl. However, I heard another snow storm is headed your way so I'm in no hurry. I'm not going to get into my wagon and drive west into a storm. I think Jeffrey Domner did that scene already. Since I'm self employed, it doesn't matter when I get back. Enjoy the music scene in Denver for new years....I think kimock is playing Cervantes sometime soon. Let me tell you, Detroit is a dying town and there is nothing.......notta' going on with the music scene.
December 27, 2006
12:26 PM
gr8fuldude writes:
Tree - Bad asian is like bad sex...not even worth the bother.
Kimock was at Cervantes last week. I was set to go before the storm. I had to ditch at Thornton P&R and bus it from there. We're expecting another 12" of slop for tomorrow. Enjoy the road trip.
Ditto on Detroit dying. It was a mess when I passed through ten years ago. When the domestic auto industry finally gasps its last in ten years, it will be Motown's deathknell.
December 27, 2006
6:45 PM
David Hakala writes:
Where in Hell is Mark? I cannot believe there's no "how are you preparing for this week's coming blizzard" thread!
December 27, 2006
8:02 PM
Anonymous writes:
That last blog by Hakala was pretty good. I think that was actually Mark playing Hakala.
December 28, 2006
8:16 AM
Tree writes:
Mark-
Where is the new Blizzard Blog? Is Hicky going to do a photo op with himself driving a plow truck? I bet the parking lot and the streets in front of Cherry Cricket get plowed first and the Wynkoop second. Alcohol for everyone, it's SAFER, ask Government.
December 28, 2006
10:46 AM
jay writes:
Gr8tfuldude-
We ate there last Thanksgiving after seeing a show on Broadway. Absolutely fantastic sushi...truly the best I've had in the States.
I hope we make it back to Denver on time...we're supposed to arrive at noon on Saturday...sounds like that new storm might change our plans a bit. We have reservations in Winter Park for new year's eve....might not be making it....which sucks because I'm jonesing for a powder stash and a session in the trees.
December 28, 2006
11:09 AM
gr8fuldude writes:
jay - Sorry to report this, but you guys may be in for some change. It just started snowing, and it is supposed to drop 5-8" tonight, and another 12-15" tomorrow into Saturday. I am sure delays, etc will result. As always, the local stations cannot agree, but they're all saying to prepare for some disruption.
Best of luck to all.
December 28, 2006
12:13 PM
Anonymous writes:
How about a blog on Sandy Bugrlar and the documents he stole from the National Archives? The liberals can do no wrong, when will the Democraps Culture of Corruption meet the press?
December 28, 2006
3:55 PM
jay writes:
We just switched our flights from Saturday morning to Sunday morning. Best case scenario we can switch back if the storm allows and worst case scenario we fly out Sunday and forego the several day wait to get back to DIA. Wish us luck.
December 29, 2006
7:44 AM
David Hakala writes:
Yesterday around 11:30 a.m., I saw a sure sign that the end of the world is upon us.
ALL 18 checkout stations at the Evans/Downing Safeway store were STAFFED!
Still, every line stretched halfway down the store's length. I went to Walgreen's across the street for my last-minute munchies and mixers. One cashier, three other customers.