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I hope you had a chance to spend Christmas with your family over the weekend.  We had three Christmas celebrations with various versions of the family.  This was by far the most relaxing Christmas I can remember.  I  had shopping done a month ago, we had our meals all planned out and the prep went smoothly, all there was to do was relax and enjoy family.  Maybe I am getting old and sentimental, but the food absolutely stood out this year.  My wife Cheryl made some of the most mouthwatering food I have ever tasted, as well as my baby brother made incredible pizzas on their new outdoor pizza oven.   With all that eating and relaxing, my pants fit a bit tighter than before, but it was worth it.  I still have a few days until New Year’s and my yearly “I’m going to lose 100 pounds” preposterous statement —so I’m going to enjoy the leftovers.

I will just keep on with my old man theme and talk about the weather... what on earth is going on...  We spent Christmas eve eve (Sat.) at my brother’s house in Roseville and spent about five to six hours outside, playing with his four-year-old (my nephew) and grilling.  Then the last two days we have had a deluge of rain which has now basically opened up the lakes that once had ice shacks on them a few weeks ago. Heck, the lakes opened up so much that Brad Nye and his skiing buds decided to go water skiing Tuesday afternoon on South Center Lake. Not sure I would be up for waterskiing, but hey, more power to them...  What would all of this rain have looked like if we were 20 degrees cooler?  It would have been the blizzard that shut Christmas down in Minnesota.

This is the last paper before New Year’s, so I hope you and your family have a great New Year first weekend. I heard on the radio a few days ago about a tradition that some region has (I can’t remember where - remember I am old) where when the clock strikes midnight, they open their front doors of their homes to let the bad mojo from last year out and the good mojo from the new year in.  I love it.  In fact, you may drive by my house in Center City and see a front door that has been permanently removed.

If you are up in Harris, make a point to stop by Country Mercantile along old Highway 61.  Cathy Gervais has sold the business and is retiring.  I have known Cathy for over 20 years and she is the kindest person in the world.   Many of you may remember her from her time at the Lindstrom Post Office.  We wish nothing but the best for Cathy and her next chapter of life.

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