It's Snowing for Christmas

As I write this, the clock has just passed midnight, making it officially Christmas Day, and for the first time in 17 years, snow is falling on December 25th in Nashville. As my protag Greg McKenzie pointed out in the new book, A Sporting Murder, if you're looking for a white Christmas, this isn't the place to look. But here it is!

For the first time since I can't remember when, we won't be having a big crowd for Christmas dinner. Our brood has outgrown our house. Sarah and I joined two families when we married 11 years ago, and both of them have been busily expanding. Jointly, we now have 6 children, 11 grandchildren, and 7 great-grandchildren. Add 7 spouses to the mix and that totals 33 people, including us.

We split up for Thanksgiving, with Sarah's crowd gathering at one of her granddaughters and my crew dining here. For Christmas, my older son is staying in Pennsylvania, where he'll have his two sons and two grandchildlren for dinner. And my younger daughter stopped by Christmas eve on her way home to Oak Ridge with her four kids, for their first Christmas at home in years.

With snow on the ground, and in the streets, we plan to have a small dinner here with two of my kids and Sarah's grandson. We may miss all the usual hubbub, but it will be a time of relaxing and reminiscing. At our age, that's a good thing.

I'll close with my best wishes for all to have a merry and joyous Christmas, and may your best dreams come true in the New Year.

Adages for the Ages

A few weeks ago, I listed ten "thoughts for the day" taken from a long list I had received titled "A Great Holiday Recipe." In response to popular demand (well, at least two), here are another ten that we'll call "Adages for the Ages." Your age, of course. To follow the theme of my blog, the mystery is why we have to keep reminding ourselves to use good common sense.


1. Take a 10-30 minute walk every day. Smile while you walk. It is the ultimate anti-depressant.

2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day. Talk to God about what is going on in your life.

3. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is processed.

4. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires, issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead, invest your energy in the positive present moment.

5. Make peace with your past so it will not spoil the present.

6. Don't compare your life to others because you have no idea about their journey.

7. No one is in charge of your happiness except you. Will this matter in five years?

8. Your job will not take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and family will. Stay in touch!!!

9. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

10. Each night befo0re you go to bed, complete the following statements: I am thankful for ______________. Today I accomplished ______________.

Okay, here's a bonus:

11. Remember that you are "too blessed to be stressed."

HAVE A GREAT WEEK!