Advent

Advent is here. Our wreath is ready. Since we are in church this year, we've decided to celebrate each evening with smaller scripture readings instead of one big emphasis on Sunday. I found a great resource from King of Peace Episcopal Church in Kingsland, Georgia, that we will use. Additionally, the Boar's Head Tavern advent site, Go To Bethlehem and See, opens this weekend. The tavernistas do a great job with diverse advent posts.

As advent begins, God bless us, every one.

Thanksgiving 2007

The second annual "Central Florida Thanksgiving Cookfest and Effenpalooza" has concluded at Adam and April's. We decided to follow up last year's Indian feast with a contemporary traditional menu. See Joan's account for pics and details. Here are some random impressions:

• Is the buzzard Florida's state bird? It should be.
• If there is a worse stretch of interstate highway than I-75 between Lake City and the Florida Turnpike, I'd hate to see it.
• We passed two big college football venues Saturday and I was concerned about traffic. I thought our delay south of Gainesville was Florida/FSU related until traffic cleared after a big pile of laundry in the road. Somebody got to their destination last night with just the clothes on their back. All the Iron Bowl-ers were on campus already when we blew past Auburn. It was dead as usual.
  
• Cracker Barrel has added chicken livers to their regular menu. Oh, yeah.
• It is comforting to know that broadcast radio sucks all the way to central Florida and not just in Birmingham. Thank Marconi for the scan button.
  
• Classic rock is good for passing time if the car stereo will handle the bass and someone is quick on the volume control to shield little ears from questionable lyrics. Thanks, Mick. Thanks, Bryan. Thanks, Prince. Thanks, John.
  
• Is there a sanitary convenience-store restroom in the southeast? Are paper towels and soap rationed in Georgia/Florida? Ever heard of a mop?
  
• There is something otherworldly and impressive about big bales of cotton waiting to be ginned.
• Babies that can walk and talk add so much to a home. Especially if someone else has diaper detail.
• If you eat at a fast food restaurant attached to a gas station, you deserve whatever gastrointestinal discomfort you experience.
  
• Hiking in sand is quite a workout. Doubters should give the Lake Louisa trails a try.
• T-shirt, shorts, and barefoot feels under-dressed for roasting marshmallows around a campfire.
  
• Cool Whip on homemade pumpkin pie is like wearing a wide polka-dot tie with a tuxedo.
• I've tried to be cool and like wine but it tastes too much like cough medicine. I give up.
• Why does everyone respond to "I don't like deer meat" with "You've never had it prepared the right way"? My point: how come no one can prepare it the right way so I can like it?
• If a small town bills itself as historic, and you've never heard of the town, how historic can it really be?
• Is finding gas for "only" $2.91 really a victory to be celebrated?
  
• What were the town fathers thinking when they named Ty Ty, Georgia? Is there an official pronunciation that doesn't sound, umm, less than manly?
• What does it say about your family when your objective is to get home from vacation in time to see what color Mrs. Slocombe's hair is this week?