Don't Let It Snow, Don't Let It Snow, Don't Let It Snow

What we're getting is the old "Let It Snow" three times song. And plenty of it. I've already been out twice to clear the snow off the driveway and sidewalk. The first time it was four inches and five more inches the second time. That was a couple hours ago and it hasn't stopped snowing yet. So much for the 1 to 3 inches forecast.

The only nice thing was that the snow was light and coming down fairly straight without any wind. I shoveled the whole first time while listening to WDRV playing classic rock.

I shoveled about half the second time and then got the snow blower out.

It could have been much worse, however. It rained the last two days and had that been snow, we really would have been up to our...in snow. I understand that the midsection of the country is really getting clobbered worse.

This is the third straight really bad December as far as weather is concerned.

Just Can't Take Much More of All This Global Warming, Al. --RoadDog

And a Merry Christmas

IT'S A TREE THING

Yesterday's Chicago Tribune had an interesting graphic on Christmas trees.

I didn't know that McHenry County in Illinois, where we live is the top county in the state for Christmas tree farming with 15,117 harvested in 2007. We have one farm about a mile away from us.

It is not in the top five, though, when it comes to Christmas tree farms. Madison County has the most with 15.

Interesting Christmas Tree Facts:

1850-- the year in which Christmas trees were first sold commercially.

291-- number of Christmas tree farms in Illinois.

17 million-- number of Christmas trees harvested in 2997.

$385 million-- the value of those trees.

50-- the number of states in which Christmas trees are grown (even Hawaii?)

#1-- Oregon leads all states with 1,852 Christmas tree farms. Illinois is #17.


THE CHRISTMAS SONG

"The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)" is 65 years old now. It was written during a sweltering Los Angeles during the summer of 1944 by Mel Torme (Judge Harry would be so proud) and Bob Wells.

It has been performed by over 100 artists and is one of the top-selling Christmas songs of all time.


THREE

I've now seen all three of my favorite Christmas movies at least twice now this season.

Last night, I saw "It's a Wonderful Life" on NBC. I also saw "A Christmas Story" on TBS last night and just watched "Christmas Vacation" on AMC.

Rocking Around the Christmas Tree. --RoadDog

Getting in the Christmas Spirit

I am getting into the Christmas spirit even if 144 years ago a Union fleet was commencing one of the biggest bombardments ever in history up until that time on Fort Fisher, guarding Wilmington, North Carolina.

Earlier today, General "Beast" Butler had exploded a ship loaded with powder in an effort to knock the earthen walls of the fort down, but had not succeeded in much more than waking the garrison up.

The date, December 24, 1864.


"A CHRISTMAS STORY"

I'm getting set to watch this movie a couple times on TBS. I have been writing a lot about the house featured in the story in my travel blog:

http://roaddogsroadlog.blogspot.com

I see that AMC is running a "Christmas Vacation" marathon this year. No doubt cashing in on the success of TBS. I'll see that one at least once as well. Go squirrel, Go little squirrel!!!


FESTIVUS

According to the Chicago Tribune, we missed it. It was Wednesday. Was it George or Kramer's family holiday on that Seinfeld episode?

You can get a 6-foot Festivus tree at festivuspoles.com out of Milwaukee for $39. Such a deal.

Happy Festivus to You and Yours. Let us now have the airing of grievances.

Desperately Seeking Egg Nog, But Will Settle for Irish Cream. --RoadDog


Military Humor: You might be a Taliban if you wipe your butt with your hand but consider bacon unclean.

Movie Scratches: Demons-- Smithsonian-- Trekin' Again-- Fallen

A Dog's Eye Take on the Movies.


DEMONS AND ANGELS-- 5-20-- Fox Lake $4-- Some humor amid a lot of gross. Tom Hanks battling the Illuminati or did they really do it?


NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM: BATTLE OF THE SMITHSONIAN-- 5-28-- Fox Lake $5.50-- Larry, Abe, Amelia and NY guys battle Pharaoh, Napoleon and henchman for the world.


STAR TREK-- 5-29-- Fox Lake Free-- Worth seeing second time. I understand the time aspect better.


TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN-- 7-10-- Fox Lake Free-- More action than you can ever hope for. Who knew Transformers could be funny? Love that new Camaro.


Yuck! Gum Under Arm Rests. --RoadDog

Military Humor: You might be a Taliban if you refine heroin for a living, but have a moral objection to beer.

Doing Our Wassailing, Er, Irish Creaming

Last Friday, we went over to friend Pam's and joined Ed and Sue for a good old time making batches of Irish Cream from scratch. For years, we have been getting a bottle of Pam's famous Irish Cream and for years I've been asking if we could help her make it. We finally got the opportunity.

I'm not sure if we liked the making or testing/tasting better. Plus, we had plenty of snacks and later pizza and home made split pea soup. Good drinkin' and good eatin'.

To make Pam's Famous Irish Cream (I can't reveal amounts which are a closely guarded secret), you start with Seagram's 7, then add eggs, light and heavy cream, chocolate syrup, vanilla extract, and evaporated milk.

That evaporated milk is nasty stuff and I'm not volunteering to open or pour those cans anymore. Talk about sticky. Another "fun" job is corking the bottle. Those corks were mostly too big. We'll need to get more easy twist offs next year.

We ended up making thirty batches and drinking a batch or two or three.

On the way home, we went out looking at Christmas lights, another fun thing to do. Saw some mighty impressive displays.

A Very Pleasant Way to Spend an Evening. --RoadDog


Military Humor: You might be a Taliban if you have more wives than teeth.

Some Really Good Christmas Music-- Part 2

Now, for Side 2 of "Ultimate Christmas #1."


BOOGIE WOOGIE SANTA CLAUS-- Band of Oz
ROCKIN' AROUND THE CHRISTMAS TREE-- Entertainers

WINTER WONDERLAND-- Breeze Band
RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER-- Band of Oz

GOD REST YOU MERRY GENTLEMEN-- Garth Brooks
THE OLD MAN'S BACK IN TOWN-- Garth Brooks

SANTA LOOKED A LOT LIKE DADDY-- Garth Brooks
CHRISTMAS ISLAND-- Jimmy Buffett

JINGLE BELLS-- Jimmy Buffett
HAPPY X-MAS (WAR IS OVER)-- Jimmy Buffett

BACK DOOR SANTA-- Clarence Carter
SANTA WANTS SOME LOVIN'-- Tinsley Ellis

BOOGIE WOOGIE SANTA CLAUS-- Charles Brown
CHRISTMAS ON THE BAYOU-- Lonnie Brooks

JOY TO THE WORLD-- Jambalaya Cajun Band
JINGLE BELLS-- Harry Fontenot

Personally compiled by myself of my favorites. The first four are by Beach Bands.

Gettin' in the Spirit. --RoadDog

Military Humor: You might be a Taliban if you own a $3,000 machine gun and a $5,000 grenade launcher but can't afford shoes.

These Might be a Taliban are compliments of pal J.C.

Some Really Good Christmas Music-- Part 1

I am sitting here right now listening to the Surf radio station out of North Myrtle Beach, SC, 94.9 FM and also listening to a cassette tape I made a few years back that I call "ULTIMATE CHRISTMAS #1."

It is my own compilation of my absolute favorite Christmas songs.

SIDE ONE

WHITE CHRISTMAS-- Drifters
THIS CHRISTMAS-- Donnie Hathaway

GEE WHIZ, IT'S CHRISTMAS-- Carla Thomas
MERRY, MERRY CHRISTMAS-- Koko Taylor

I'M YOUR SANTA-- Lil Ed & the Blues Imperials
DECK THE HALLS WITH BOOGIE WOOGIE-- Katie Webster

PLEASE COME HOME FOR CHRISTMAS-- Aaron Neville
LET IT SNOW-- Aaron Neville

CHRISTMAS BAYOU-- Beausoleil
IT CAME UPON A MIDNIGHT CLEAR-- Beausoleil

LOUISIANA CHRISTMAS DAY-- Aaron Neville
MERRY CHRISTMAS BABY-- Charles Brown

CHRISTMAS COMES ONCE A YEAR-- Amos Milburn
SANTA CLAUS IS COMING-- Hank Ballard

And, Even better, It IS On Cassette Tape!!! --RoadDog

A backward poet writes inverse.