Happy Saturday, gang!!!! Another week in the books, as it were. The year is coming to a close in a rather "expediant" fashion, I think. The Princess was forced to bow out of her work with the Justin Timberlake charity event here in Vegas. So sad. Her pain was simply unbearable and so she reluctantly asked to be excused. Such a shame , too. She was really enjoying her time there.

On a lighter note, the house is beginning to take shape for the holidays!! She went to the store and got some decorations that cover both Halloween and Thanksgiving so we are good for a couple months! Won't be long before she has me break out the Christmas gear! HA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I truly love decorating for the holidays. Well.....not so much doing it as having it. Love the decorations and the feel of another holiday season around the ol' homestead. There was a time when I was much more like JD in that I hated the holidays. As I have grown older, I have learned to appreciate the spirit of happiness and tradition that it brings and less the bad part (and YES, there IS a bad part) I know now that it is not all about gifts and blowing hundreds or even thousands of dollars. It is about the time we spend together and the memories we make and those we share from long ago. It is a time to remember. A time to re-live those moments in my youth that mean so much more to me now. A time to recall those that are no longer here with us. A time to smile.

I honestly hope each of you are ready to enjoy another holiday season. Take a smile from the little things...maybe watch "Its the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" or the always enjoyable "Charlie Brown Christmas". I never miss either of those and I have seen them both over and over for nearly fifty years! Maybe I will go buy some egg nog and just sit by the fire with the Princess. No matter what it is that you do during this time of year, I encourage you to make certain you do it...especially THIS year. I am certain it will mean more to you that many years gone by. We all need it this time around. We really do!