Back to School Issue

Never got around to starting the snowmobiles -- the family got me busy making dinner. They wanted steaks on the grill -- I guess it's been a long time since they had a home-cooked meal. Like since Thursday, when we had turkey, roast beast, dressing, potaters, ad nauseum... the traditional Thanksgetting dinner.

So we had some of Jewel's finest on-sale, thin-cut-for-your-convenience NY Strip steaks. Good value, but you'd never mistake them for a nice restaurant piece of beef. The red potaters made it a palatable selection, followed by the Blackhawks game on WGN. They battled back to tie it, then lost in a over-overtime shootout. Oh well... they're pretty good this year. Last year was a panic watching them in the playoffs. This year may be better (stated at the risk of sounding like a Cubs fan...)

Raining today -- thank God. I was afraid we might go three days in a row without it. It feels like we're living in Louisiana, only colder.

Despite the wondermost weather, the kids are headed back to school. My youngest son is a senior at University of Illinois. And no, he didn't get in by virtue of my being a meddling Blago donor, he got in on his own grades. And my daughter is a grad student at ISU. They've spent the past few hours in a frenzy of Christmas decorating... the tree was done last night, but they insist on icicles on the rooftop eves and twinkly lights around the windows. As typical, they got about half way done, then called me for backup. So I begrudgingly helped them out. It's a lot easier now that I'm not a practicing alchoholic any more.

Well, the Bears are about to start up... the Bears were just one bus-crash away from having a chance today, but it looks like the Minnesota Vikings got to the stadium intact, so let's let the ass-whuppin' begin!