I've started mixing the new wood in with the seasoned. The general guideline is that you should have half of your wood supply left by the end of January. We're far ahead of that pace and will use up our seasoned wood before the winter is done. It's ok to mix some green wood when you've got a hot fire. Most days, with Sandra's parents around, the fire is going nearly around the clock. I'll start it in the morning, but there are usually still a few glowing embers in the stove.

The cable company finally got around to completing the installation at my father's house. He's still not convinced that it's a good deal. More to the point, he's convinced that it's not a good deal. We'll see. One of the major reasons for arranging for cable is that the Celtics games are shown only on cable. The Celtics are playing decent basketball. Their losses have been just by a few points, particularly on a rough West Coast trip. They're one game out of first place (in a division where no one has a winning percentage).

It's a given, and should surprise no one, that shoppers during the week before Christmas are, without a doubt, off-the-road, wheels-in-the-sand, and heading-for-a-cliff bonkers. That said, they weren't that bad yesterday. I went shopping, mostly for groceries, but also a couple of gifts while I was at it. I expected the unexpected and had a pretty good time. I was the only white guy in the rap section of Newbury Comics and the only person over 50 in the whole store.

My shopping trip was part of the preparation for our Christmas family gathering. My father has opted out. I don't blame him. We'll have about 30 for dinner. In a previous life I worked as a short-order cook for nearly five years. As a result, I have some experience preparing food on a large scale. Unlike brother-in-law Scott, however, the food that I prepare is strictly utilitarian - simple meats and vegetables. Sandra saw our next-door neighbor yesterday; he gave her more detailed instructions on how to prepare the top-round roast that we'd ordered from his shop. The day will be fun. We have lots of people on our side.