A Toast (Toasty Fire...) To The Year That Was

 There's only a few hours (for us...) left in 2022. Too early to begin a countdown, too late to do finish all those resolutions made a year ago. No, it's time to sit and wait, play some games, listen to music...

And watch a fire burn in the backyard.

I think we've started a new tradition--weather willing.

There's a lot to say about any singular complete journey around the sun. Friends/family members got married, some deaths, some new babies, people bought homes, changed jobs...any possible change has happened to someone.

Last week, before the storms hit, I brought in some firewood into the garage. I also assembled several boxes from Christmas and from cleaning out the basement. I hauled it all outside this afternoon and started a fire. If the storm that's coming had hit earlier, we'd not have a fire.

I watched it burn and thought about life. Something about fires can do that to a person. That basic elemental action--a fire--allows philosophical thoughts to swirl. Maybe it's because a fire can erase, rather effectively, something that needs to be destroyed. It's a cleansing function. That's a good thing to do from time to time.

Good-bye 2022. It's been a year. 2023 is almost here. I pray we may all face it and the challenges/blessings that accompany it with courage, grace, and humility.

2023--bring it on!

The First Annual Columbus Day Cook-Out...I Call It A Success

 I was one of the few workers in the country that had the day off. I don't know if there was a time when most Americans were given Columbus Day off, but now, there's not many of us...mostly government workers.

We took advantage of the day to run some errands, finish some projects around the house that needed doing, and other odds and ends. As the afternoon drew to a close, we decided to have a cook-out. We haven't fired up the fire pit in months. My wife agreed the idea had merit so we went to the store, bought some supplies, came home, and got cooking.

It took a while to get everything ready. Fire started and built--check. tiki torches set up and lit--check. Food and condiments prepared--check.

As the fire built, I sat and just watched the fire. I've missed having a fire in the pit, as you can see the weeds have had their way. We brought out the pre-cooked hot dogs, warmed them up with flame and coals, then chowed down. As we sat around the fire eating and enjoying dusk, we made the decision to make our Columbus Day Cook-Out an annual event, weather-permitting.

This particular holiday had has a tough time of late, warranted or not. As I sat in our backyard watching the dog run around, I thought about how things work out. Would I be sitting in my yard had Columbus not did what he did? That's the thing about history--it can't be changed so it can be endlessly argued of its impact. All I know is, I had the day off, we had a wonderful time tonight, and I'm proclaiming the First Annual Columbus Day Cook-Out a success.

See you next year.