Head Cold

It started subtly Thursday night. Like a tropical depression out in the Atlantic, it started spinning (in my head, thank you very much) and gathering strength on Friday and today, it hit me full on - my head cold. And I'm over it. Not a big fan of taking medication and what little I've taken isn't helping. I did do the chicken route cure tonight but it wasn't chicken soup made by your favorite local yenta:

(How AWESOME was Mike Myers as Linda Richman?!)

Instead, I made General Tso's chicken, even adding some extra red pepper (both cayenne and more flakes) and that did nothing. My eyes are watering, no, sweating like a corpulent Finn after a particularly long go in the sauna. I'm a mess. I'm glad I have the day off on Monday. I just hope I can get through a big ol'day of religion tomorrow.

Karma

Given what's happening in Illinois right now, I have to recognize karma and her stunning return to the forefront.

Frankly, once "My Name Is Earl" started to jump the shark (Oh Joy, where did your trailer park sting go?), I thought karma had fallen asleep at the wheel.

Well, starting last week, karma began a quiet comeback. First, O.J. Simpson finally got sentenced to jail for an act of stupidity and hubris. It took long enough and it wasn't for the hideous murders that we all know he committed, but off to the clink he goes for stealing his own collectibles. Genius! And then, karma got a tad more bold when the two frat boy spastics who, through sheer stupidity, made it to the final three of "The Amazing Race" did NOT win or place second. And now, karma declares herself back with a vengence! Through more hubris and stupidity and AWESOME delusional behavior that makes Elliot Spitzer look like a choirboy, Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich is arrested for essentially selling the Obama's Senate seat and that's only one of the charges on a 76 page long indictment. 76 PAGES! Incredible, simply incredible. And the best part is that he honestly believes he's done nothing wrong. Seriously, what color is the sky in that world?

Great job, Governor! Really. You've done Illinois proud.

Feasting

In chapels across the peculiar world that is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints today, member after member stood and bore witness of their individual faith. For those unfamiliar with Mormon culture, the first Sunday of every month is reserved as a day of testimony as well as fasting and today was no different here in Chicagoland.

Our service today was, and I don't want to be crass using a sports analogy for a religious event, a home run. Those who bore their testimonies today knocked it out of the park. We truly feasted today, listening to the testimonies and feeling the Spirit so strongly. You could feel people drawing close together and frankly, from my perch on the pulpit, you could see it happening. Nothing unites like the spirit of God - may it keep happening for us, because it was really cool today.

Heck if every testimony meeting were like this, it would kill the need for "Testimony Bingo." If you have to ask, you don't play and I'm not going to spill the details.

We'll shortly be feasting in a more temporal way - dinner. Sweet potato fries and pork loin. All good. You have no idea how much I love the humble sweet potato!

And I could KICK myself for refusing to eat one until I was in my late thirties. Another stupid decision. When piled up in the grocery store in the produce section, they aren't much to look at, but man, what you can do! Cut them up lengthwise, fire up the oven, drizzle them in olive oil and kosher salt, and toss them in and in no time - you've got awesome fries. And don't get me started on what happens when you mash them and mix in some maple syrup, some brown sugar...fantastic.

Thanksgiving Recap

I worry sometimes that reading a post can give you that same kind of feeling you got when you had to sit through a hideous night of slides from some stupid vacation and not your vacation. It was usually the vacation of someone you hardly knew. You know what I mean...remember when your dad dragged out the screen (the one that felt like sandpaper) and out came the slide projector and the carousel of slides. You just KNEW no good was coming from that night...but I digress.

With that preamble, I ask you to indulge me just a little. It's not very often that your parents celebrate a 50th wedding anniversary, but that's why we fled to Phoenix last week, with Our Lady of BYU joining us, to celebrate my parents 50th. Technically their anniversary is 23 December, but given trying to coordinate calendars around that date, it made sense to celebrate at Thanksgiving. In order to spare you the pain/utter agony of an hour-by-hour recap, I'll be sparing in words and use a few pictures to tell the story:

Wednesday, 26 November
Dinner with my brother and his wife, my sister and her children, and my parents at my sister's house in Scottsdale. My brother made a really good paella. We had a good time talking - it's been years since we'd all been together.

Thursday, 27 November
Up at the crack of down in order to drive halfway to Los Angeles (OK to Peoria, AZ) in order to run a 5K, sponsored by the Arizona Roadracers. My brother-in-law, Wes, joined PTL in this race - this was PTL's first.


PTL put forth a great effort. He struggled during the first mile and I have to admit, so did my patience. But karma got me back for just as I was about to lose my patience, I tripped on my shoelace and went down hard. Tore up my right leg below the knee, but I hopped right back up, sufficiently humbled. If I hadn't calmed down, I would have missed the opportunity to cross the finish line with my son. Crossing the finish line with him was the highlight of the day.


Later in the day it was off to my brother's in the New Mexico-adjacent city of Queen Creek for Thanksgiving dinner. Again, my brother's chef skills were on display. He and his wife did a great job with dinner. Once again, good to be with family.


Friday, 28 November

Lunch in Mesa with my parents - Mexican food. Friday night it was back to my brother's (another endless drive) to do something my dad hasn't done in an estimated eighteen years. He watched a movie from start to finish. We watched "It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" and it was a kick. My dad laughed and laughed. That was one of the highlights of this whole trip. This movie was made a few years after my parents were first married and this was a wonderful way for them to relive memories. It was a little painful for my kids - it's a long movie and awfully different from movies today but there's no beating the horror that is the late Ethel Merman in this movie.

Saturday, 29 November
Hang on - we're almost done. Spent some time hanging with my sister-in-law and her family, as well as my inlaws who had just flown in from Hawaii. It was great to see them too. Saturday afternoon it was time for the event we were least looking forward to (OK, the event I was least looking forward to) and that was family pictures. We trundled off to Gilbert to take said pictures. There were two other families at the same spot when we got there and we are all dressed the same - blue jeans and black shirts. Ridiculous.

My sister and her three children

My parents - the reason we all got together

After the photo fiesta, we had one more family dinner and then it was back to my parents for a night of memories and honoring my mom and dad. It was an amazing night.

Sunday, 30 November
Not much to report - up at 330AM in order to make a 6AM flight on stupid Ted, again, back to Chicago. We were off on time and with only one dog this time. We got to O'Hare about 45 minutes before the snow started to fall. And fall it dead. It didn't stop until around 1PM today. Five inches of snow on the ground. More to come this week. Umm...winter is here. Funny though, even though it was gorgeous weather in Phoenix and we came back to snow, it wasn't enough to make me want to move back to AZ anytime soon.