Merry Christmas Eve!

Merry Christmas Eve! 

We did our family Christmas thing last weekend so the present thing is all done for the most part here.  The Teenager has already received his big gift but will have some little things on Christmas morning and, of course, a stuffed stocking to explore.  We'll be lazy and spend time together and enjoy the holiday.  I, of course, will be watching the 24 hour marathon of A Christmas Story which is my tradition.

I've spent the past two or three days on the couch, horizontal, reading books and recovering from the crud which brings violent coughing spells.  I've now finished Laura Hillenbrand's Unbroken, which I was reading on my last post, and I do recommend it.  She fills in details that Louie Zamperini could not have told in his Devil at My Heels.  Both are well worth your time.

Coincidentally, I saw Zamperini on a Fox News segment last night.  He scoffs at people who look at him as a hero or an inspiration.  He says just go to Walter Reed and see those boys that have lost limbs and made real sacrifices; those are the heroes.  Louis, that may be true, but you're without a doubt an inspirational man, like it or not! 

I've just finished John Grisham's The Confession.  Not one of his better ones, I didn't think.   Preachy.  Very anti-death-penalty.  The story was good for a while then got predictable.  Wait for the paperback and read it on the beach this summer.  Light fare.

Up next on my shelf?  Justice Denied by Jim Brown.  Brown was the popular Insurance Commissioner of Louisiana who was charged in 1999 with insurance fraud.   The prevailing opinion is that the charges were fabricated, he was railroaded in typical Louisiana political fashion and ultimately over 90% of the charges against him were cleared.  His is a fascinating story.

For the rest of my day I'm off to make preparations for tomorrow's Christmas dinner.  And my mother wants to go to the grocery store.  This should be an adventure.  Christmas Eve.  Grocery store.  Mom on a walker with barely enough strength to get from one room of her house to the other.  She wants to go walk through Albertsons.  Thank goodness she doesn't want to go to WalMart.

If I don't pop back in before the big day, Merry Christmas to all.