Boo

I've been listening to James McMurtry's "The Horses and the Hounds" a lot recently. One of my favorite albums of 2021. James is the son of legendary author Larry McMurtry. One thing leads to another and I've decided to re-read the Lonesome Dove series in chronological order. I'm about halfway through "Dead Man's Walk" and I remember why I liked those books so much in the first place.

It was cool and rainy here. We didn't have anything pressing. So, just hung out at the house all day. The most excitement we had was letting our one-year old daughter paint a wooden Christmas ornament. Exciting in that giving a toddler access to paint always involves a level of risk. She painted Santa Claus. Didn't go with the traditional red suit. She had eight colors and used them all. Now we have a tie-dye Santa...he looks like he used to follow the Grateful Dead. Lazy days are good from time-to-time.

Best wishes for a Merry Christmas going out to all who ride the Train.

Great job Gus. Congratulations.

And speaking of the ladies...Special dedication going out to Sugar Britches, this is one of her favorites.

My mom and dad bought Maddie a snowman that plays "Frosty the Snowman" when you squeeze his belly. So...this song was played on a consecutive loop last night at the Casa de Boo.

Welcome back Kenzie. A successful quit is all about commitment. Keep your determination strong and continue moving forward.

Once we allow ourselves to get hooked on nicotine, we have two choices. Choice A: Confront the addiction head on by quitting and deal with temporary cravings for a little while. Choice B: Continue smoking and living in a constant state of fluctuating withdrawal and resign ourselves to a lifetime of addiction. Choice A is an exercise in delayed gratification that will reward you for the rest of your life. Choice B is a life sentence that will take everything and offers nothing in return. The choice is obvious.

I've watched every episode of The Andy Griffith Show...multiple times. I've lost count of how many times I've seen that episode with Jimmy the dynamite eating goat. That being said, I feel like I need to go back and re-watch those shows. I have a son on the way and watching Andy raise Opie is like a masterclass in father-son relations. Said in my best Andy Griffith voice: that was a fine show, a fiiine show.

Find your "why" and the "how" will work itself out.

With all due respect to Alvin and the Chipmunks, I think Norah did it much better.

And so long as I'm giving practical gifts...I'm a simple man with simple needs, I appreciate a good pair of wool socks in the Winter months. To: All Quit Train Members From: Boo

In doing the decorating of the house for Christmas, I have found that you always need one more extension cord. To: All Quit Train Members From: Boo

Sugar Britches has accepted the fact that she married a man who geeks out at Christmastime. Maddie loves the new penguin. Her eyes lit up when she saw our new addition right there alongside Santa Claus and Rudolph. Or as she calls them: Gwen, Ho-Ho, and Deke.

Congratulations Katgirl.

Congratulations DD. Your hard work is paying off.

The two incontrovertible rules of quitting have never changed. RULE #1: DON'T SMOKE! RULE #2: If you have any further questions refer back to RULE #1. It's a simple process yet it works 100% of the time.

A double-shot of Gene Autry.

It's easier to ask for forgiveness than it is to ask for permission. So me and Sugar Britches had reached an agreement, no more Christmas decorations...particularly nothing large that goes out in the yard. Admittedly, we do have more than enough. However, one of the guys at work knows about my daughter's affinity for penguins and told me about something he saw for sale at Home Depot. Long story short, we are now the proud owners of a ten-foot tall inflatable penguin that lights up. I'll just have to explain to the better-half how it would have been a shame to not get this penguin for our little princess. I know we don't need it, but we had to have it.