Random Ramblings

With all the brouha over the TSA's abusive screening process at airports, I am glad that I have chosen train travel over air travel. I flew my daughter to NYC over the summer, and for weeks and weeks I kept waiting for the prices to come down to something reasonable, like when I last flew (ok, so that was pre-9/11 prices, and yup, I haven't been on a plane since 9/11), but it still blew me away that the cheapest flight I could get her on that was direct (no one wants to really take off and land and take off and land a few times just to get to NYC), cost me $489.00 round trip, inclusive of taxes and fees, but exclusive of baggage charges! I think she paid $50 each way, so that is close to $600! Yeah, the train takes longer, and is more expensive, but it is so relaxing, and when you factor in your own sleeper room, I just cannot fathom having to sit in a crowded box, no leg room, subject to everyone's germs and whatnot, no free meal, free movie or free anything and rude people! The train is on slow motion when compared to a plane.

I'm going to have Thanksgiving dinner at my house this year. I haven't had the pleasure for the past few years because my daughter and her son have been going to her father's place is San Diego. That stopped, though, after the last gathering (a few weeks ago) when her father's crazy (literally, not figuratively) wife got too drunk and out of control, and started with her conspiracy theories and her dad was to the point that he said the "d" word to everyone. Naturally, my daughter told me about it and I gave her some tips to give to her father so he would be prepared, like this is a community property state (he has his house in his name, and like most idiots, thinks it would be his if he got a divorce), they have been married for over 15 years, so she'd obviously get spousal support. And given the fact she is literally crazy, she can't work, and he makes six figures, so his support would huge. After I gave her a list of the cons of divorcing at this stage, apparently he has concluded that his wife is the love of his life, and comes first over everyone else in his family, including his daughter and her son. So, she says she's done with that crap, having already went through it when she turned 18, and he didn't speak to her for the next ten years.

Pulled out all my Christmas stuff, rearranged the furniture in the dining area to accommodate where the tree will be going, and re-set the dining table and put out the Christmas dishes. The new Grundig piece I recently acquired was perfect in size for my ever growing Christmas village collection!

I purchased a Thanksgiving meal from Whole Foods (this old broad is not going to even TRY to make a turkey meal with all the trimmings!). It was damn expensive, and did not even include a pie or vegetables, just a turkey, potatoes, gravy, stuffing and cranberries. Granted, all the food is organic and healthy, with no bad ingredients, but at $89.00 it should at least have a vegetable and a pie, damn it! The turkey meals from Ralphs last time I bought one (maybe three or four years ago) was only $39.99, and included vegetables and a pie), but then again, I could not vouch for the treatment of the bird before it came to my table, nor if there are any preservatives in the other ingredients. And, I am the pie maker in the family anyway, so I would rather make my own pumpkin, apple or pecan pies.

This year went by fast.