Hope all of you enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends. It is my favorite holiday because there are no expectations except to show up at the dinner table and gorge myself! We traveled from Michigan to St. Louis to spend the Holiday with our daughter and four grandchildren. In fact, our grandson Zach celebrated his Bar Mitzvah and it was a special event.
While we were there we took a side trip to St. Charles, Missouri. It is a historic town with a one-of-a-kind Christmas festival. Storybook characters, Victorian carolers and Santas from around the world wander the cobble stone streets. And there is always a chestnut roaster standing on the corner with a kettle of chestnuts popping in a kettle. And while we were there it starting snowing which made it look like a Currier and Ives scene! If you get a chance during this Holiday Season take a side trip to St. Charles. It will brighten your day!
Mary and I then traveled to that Toddling Town of Chicago for a couple of days. Chicagoans really know how to decorate their town – it was resplendent in lights and festive trees. The streets were jammed with Holiday shoppers and of course the restaurants and stores were teaming with people. Guess no one in Chicago is aware that we are in the midst of a recession!

And while on that subject, have you noticed that gas is selling below $2 a gallon in most parts of the country but there has not been a similar reduction in supermarket prices or airline pillows, beverages or baggage fees? The airlines are still charging for checked baggage and making every effort to discourage carry-ons by lowering size requirements. One might suggest that there is some lag time between fuel reductions and the resulting reduction in price in other commodities but I would rather attribute it to bold-faced greed! Whatdaya think?

Seems as a result of the economic morass people are turning to garage sales to implement their income. And as a result, especially here in Michigan, where we lead the nation in unemployment there always seems to be a garage sale going on in our subdivision. Pity the people in Elkhart, Indiana though where a new law has just passed limiting residents to one garage sale per month. It seems for some in this town a garage sale has become their sole source of income much to the annoyance of some other residents. Well, there goes my chance to look for some original Tinker Toys or Erector Sets!

When football season started I know you in Texas had high hopes for your Cowboys just as we did with our Detroit Lions. But those hopes for us Lion’s fans were quickly dashed as our beloved team went winless more than half way through the season. The team is owned by William Clay Ford and it has become the Edsel of NFL football teams. Well, at least we have our Pistons and Red Wings – the Stanley Cup Champions!

I mentioned last month that we attended our 47th high school reunion. Yes, 47th because the planning committee surmised that most of us would not make it to our 50th. Well, guess what? Those who attended that wondrous event were in such good shape that the planning committee just announced that we would in fact have a 50th reunion, which will be in July of 2011. Mary is already planning her wardrobe! Maybe she can borrow some of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin’s wardrobe since she won’t be needing it anymore!

Aren’t you delighted that the annoying political commercials have finally stopped? Some of them were so irritating and grating that I wrote to the candidates and informed them that my vote would be going to their competition. Sure it is a shallow way to choose a candidate but I became so angry with some of the incessant complaining and badmouthing that I voted with my emotions and not my intellect. And then of course there were the commercials that had the children of the candidates singing about their parent. Those for sure did not get my vote! How about you?

And why does the media spend so much time interviewing the so-called “undecided” voters? These are classic procrastinators whose whole life must be a series of choices never fulfilled! Can you imagine trying to watch TV with these people? By the time they make a decision on which program to watch the episode has concluded. Instead of referring to them as “undecided” let’s just call them “people who lack the wisdom and common sense to make a decision”! Do you agree?

As senior citizens on social security and Medicare, both Mary and I are looking forward to the 5.6% increase in benefits that will take effect the first of the year. In the corporate world a pay increase of 3% is pretty much the norm. And the best part of our increase? We won’t have to submit to one of those worthless performance reviews!

Well, until next month hope your upcoming Holidays are filled with laughter, family, friends and good times. Remember that family and Holidays always go best together!

Be sure to write me if you have any reaction to my column. I welcome all comments and will respond in kind. Write to jheuvers@matureadvisor.com