up next - TGiving!

Finally, my favorite holiday of the year is coming! Thanksgiving! No, it is not the food nor the football, although those things are great. I love Thanksgiving because it is all about family and not about GIFTS! I don't have to buy anything except the food! I hate it when folks minimized and degrade this wonderful holiday by calling it "turkey day"! Man, how ignorant a phrase. I'll bet some folks don't even eat turkey on that day! Ha!

Anyway, one of the TorTr's gave me a small pamphlet when they came to the door last night. It was produced by "Lakewood Baptist church" near us and explains Halloween. I was right, it is originally a pagan holiday dating back about 2000-2500 yrs ago. Apparently, the Druids felt that on an evening in the Fall, the barriers between the natural and supernatural world was removed and the dead could join us here on earth! It was a celebration, actually, of the Celtic New Year and associated with the harvest. Later, the Catholics invaded the Celts and spread Christianity. A pope moved the holiday to Nov 1 and called it All Saint's Day in honor of Christians who had passed. Of course, the night before was "All Hallow's Eve", which somehow retained some of the Druid influence and became associated with witches. The costumes and door to door stuff came in later based on a British Isle tradition, where masked players would go door to door and perform in return for food. Trick or Treat custom was added in the US, when Irish, Scottish immigrants brought their traditions over and pranks and mischief became part of the All Hallow's Eve tradition. Kids would go door to door and ask for candy. I still think it is dumb to have kids filling up on candy when they are already overweight and largely sedentary, but that is just me!

Day two of diet: 4 egg whites for brkfst, this time with some spice and a dollop of fat free ranch added (taste much better then dry).... time to eat my midmorning snack (4 oz baked chicken, 2 cups lettuce + dollop dressing)...

Later,
Good day