it's cold; town is empty; the walks, the streets, the building, the parking lot, all is empty. i'm working on my calendar (below); have also been working on the index of my wife's book, which is about victims and the way people see them. it's kept us busy- that, and two kids who around, literally every minute.

here's the christmas paradox. it's a small town; they have to ship supplies in; the stores don't want to get too much in the way of christmas decoration, or crafts, because they'll be stuck with it for a year if they don't sell it. so they get less than they need; just slightly less, but less never-the-less. in any case, shortage breeds panic; people buy it earlier and earlier every year. so that, this year, if you want any christmas stuff, you'd better get it quick.

this is why town is half decorated already, and it's not even thanksgiving. that, and the weather, which, as i've told you, you have to take it when you can get it. the city, and about half my neighbors, have lights up already. guess they figured, if they had to buy any, they might as well get on with it, 'cause if they're late, the stores will run out.

with the trees, what this means is, by christmas day, there isn't a tree in town that has been dead less than a month. that makes for a huge fire hazard.

but we live dangerously. we'd rather get our trees in mid-november (saw a couple of trucks with them today)- let 'em dry up and die out, we don't smoke like we used to anyway. it's a town full of over-decorators. valentine's stuff will be coming out any day now. why not? the christmas stuff is long gone.

oh that reminds me- tomorrow is thanksgiving. football? shopping? i've forgotten what this one was about. i'm thankful, yeah, sure. actually i'm very thankful. every minute, every day, every dinner, every time i see one of my kids. they're all around, and they're all getting by. there's not a single one of us that doesn't have some kind of human frailty, disorder, whatever you call them, except for one, and he's got his own baggage, being adopted and all. but we've been taking care of each other ok, i think; when the chips are down, we're a family, and that's good; i am truly thankful. we may be late with the deco; that seems to be par for the course, we being academics, chin deep in the semester, with this book hanging over us. i'm behind on the book; behind on the calendars, behind on everything. and the town, as i've mentioned, is way ahead; bad combination. so that's ok, don't mind, it'll pass. the winter descends; we're off to peoria, and then me to iowa briefly; that will be saturday, but tomorrow, it's a day at home with the family, small version. and that's ok, i can handle it; it's one deep breath, before the madness starts for sure.