Monday Stuff On the Way to Other Stuff: Looking Forward

...to Thanksgiving, and the holidays. 
     I have to keep reminding myself there's work to do before I can play. Paperwork is progressing -- it needs to be done by Thanksgiving.
     We'll spend part of Thursday with Daughter #1 and her partner Dre at his restaurant, Interstate Cafe: turkey, dressing, gravy, mashed potatoes, and of course, pumpkin and 'pay-kan' pies, made by yours truly. Son #1 and Daughter #2 are coming, too. Should be fun.
     Meanwhile:

Outlaw King, the story of Robert the Bruce -- here mentioned by yours truly, a descendant of John Comyn, the man he murdered! Actually, the movie is quite good -- lots of great costumes, fights and swashes. If you're Scottish, this is a more realistic version than Braveheart. No kilts -- they weren't popular until at least a few hundred years later..
    NONETHELESS-- the Cummings clan motto (actually, one 'm' in my family) has always helped me. It reads simply

    'COURAGE'

A brave family, known for its courage (see above) and skill in fighting. Unfortunately, the sides the Cummings took often tended to be the losers.

A retreat report from Australia -- almost as good as being there. (From one of my Australian tour buds, News from Jude)

Twelve habits of intelligent people. Got any of these? (My desk has papers stacked high...does that count?)

An interesting blog on frugal living -- the Non-Consumer Advocate's 'Five Frugal Things' are a regular feature I really enjoy.

A camel...in a snowstorm? Yep...only in Pennsylvania.

A hunter bags a two-headed buck. (Happens more than you'd think.)

Marie Antoinette's pearl and diamond pendant sells for MORE THAN $36 MILLION -- far more than it was appraised for. Just goes to show what strong provenance and high quality will get you.
      (Shame on the appraiser who set the price -- but I can understand it. How many other royal pendants did he/she have to compare it to?)

Loving the snow -- 20 ways to do it different!

Like this!

Holiday austerity -- ways to come up with wrappings, gifts and other stuff, even when you're flat stony broke.  (From Practical Parsimony)

 What demonizing Trump produces...in your heart and your attitude. A classic from yours truly,
    Lest you scoff that this doesn't happen -- did you know that Trump not only is "the Devil," but caused the California wildfires? That's what Marlon Wayans thinks.

Eleven secrets travel booking companies don't want you to know.

Twelve frugal challenges you can start today -- and save.  (From The Simple Dollar)

21 tiny changes that changed the world.  (From Cracked)

"The Fabric of India"... from the Cincinnati Art Museum. A fascinating look at fabric history.

A day at Poopy Cat Office:

"Old Mike." One of the stranger Arkansas mysteries, on display for decades.

It was all a scam. The 'kind' homeless vet who gave up his last $20 to pay for a lady's gas -- it was all a story to get people to contribute to a GoFundMe account. After the couple sponsoring it spent most of the $360,000 gained on themselves, the vet wanted his share...but it was all gone. Authorities now say the threesome would have gotten away with it, had they not started fighting among themselves. Pathetic.

The Thanksgiving tree. An interesting way to celebrate from Diary of A Stay-At-Home Mom.

British recipes for the holidays; Schichttorte (a German-style torte made on, of all places, the grill!)  Plus Madeira cake.  From the BBC and Lindy's Cakes.

New York cops find an elephant wandering along the road late at night. Only in New York...

'What was a meal you loved as a child...but didn't find out until later that your parents made it because you were poor?' 
     An interesting question, plus more than a hundred answers, from Quora.

Snappy comebacks by famous people... 31 of them. Including several by my buddy Winston, plus this:
Rev. Edward Everett Hale was asked if he ever prayed for senators. His response: "No, I look at the senators -- and pray for the country."

Financial independence -- even when just making $40,000 in Manhattan, NY.  (From Financial Samurai)

RealtyShares shuts its doors.  (From Retire by 40)

Michigan's college football is doing good.. but they've had to work for it. They just beat Indiana -- but barely. Ohio State is Saturday...if Michigan wins, they win the title.





And CU football?  I don't want to talk about it. 

Have a great week.

"You know, sometimes all you need is twenty seconds of insane courage. Just literally twenty seconds of just embarrassing bravery. And I promise you, something great will come of it. -     Benjamin Mee"

Read more at Search Quotes.

A Cumings ancestor on the hunt, no doubt, for turkey.