Twas the night of the night of the night of the night before Christmas....

   I don't know about your inboxes.....but we've been inundated with "50% OFF!!!", "OPEN ROUND THE CLOCK!!!!", "ONLY ____ DAYS LEFT FOR SHOPPING!!!", "ORDER BY _____FOR CHRISTMAS DELIVERY!!!!!"......*ugh*....thank goodness for the delete key. We would much rather have our mailbox (that thing outside, in the ground, with the little red flag) filled with Christmas greetings that anything that the Internet could send our way.....
   The holidays are a funny time, we seem to get farther and farther away from what the end of the year is about. Having a birthday of a significant mile marker coming up, adds to everything as well. Most people hate birthdays, we've always looked at them and this time of the year as a, "Well, we made it through another year, for better or worse. So we had the stay in the hospital, the insurance paid for it and it was only for a day, a lot worse could have happened. We had food on the table every night, a roof over our heads and a bed to lay our heads on. We have a job to go to every day, which helps pay for all the previous. It may not be glamourous, but it pays the bills and most people can't say that. We have a loving family and friends. So, we don't see them as often as we like, they'll always be there when we call. The year may not have been exactly what we wanted or thought it would be, but here's to hoping that the next year will be somewhat smoother."
 So, wherever you happen to be; Happy Holidays, Peace on Earth and Goodwill towards all.....