Christmas in Tejas or I hear swords a-rattlin' under the mistletoe

All the leaves are brown and the sky is gray. I've not shaved in several days and I wear a newsboy style hat. Sometimes I chase a cat around the house, clenching my teeth and affectionately shouting Here kitty kitty! But Saphire (sic) usually runs away, misinterpreting my gregarious approach as menace. Yesterday we outran a tornado on the prowl through Houston.

My uncle Moe showed up from Arkansas at my dad's house a few days ago. I warned John that my uncle might have a few things to say about the Chinese, nuclear warfare, faux Christians, and the end of the world. And sure enough... but it was all very reasonable sounding. That night, my dad cooked up some T-bone steaks and cornbread, and then we sat around the cowboy fire and told stories of the trail.

Later on, the nightlife of Houston was explored. An interesting phenomenon was come across: the hipster coffee/wine bar. We did some intelligence gathering there and found our way to Rice village nearby Rice University. There we found a bunch of packed pubs and we encountered some Sam Houston State alumni who were visiting the area for Christmas. Strangely enough, we saw one at the Woodlands Mall the next day. Rumor has it she is Santa's little helper there.

On the Christmas list of stuff I should buy for others was the following: a CD of the Rolling Stones, another of the Hollies, a dish drying rack, a set of wooden drink coasters, and a book about the end of the world. Right now, my sister is in the process of making a gift pillow while I consider walking the dog (Thumper IV). This takes much consideration as the dog can be horrendously unruly, lurching this way and that, bedraggling me through thick and fetid Texas mud. Diane and John have left for the store to buy food for tomorrow's bacchanalia. We expect some friends to come over and celebrate the imminent holiday.

Christmas is about peace, love, harmony, and swords: two-edged ones which divide bone from marrow, wheat from chaff, and good from evil. Have a good holiday.