Monday Stuff On the Way to Other Stuff: Back in the Saddle Again

 ...or on the computer. You never realize how much you miss access to videos, music, etc -- until you can't. 

    We've had some snow, but lots of cold and wind. The mountains wear heavy topknots, but our ground only has a dusting of snow, here in the Valley. (Actually, up in the foothills.) After three-plus weeks here, we've seen lots of deer down on the paved road. Then this morning, the Brick was getting the truck out when Ruby started barking. I turned to see an absolutely magnificent 5-point buck (10 points to you Easterners) staring at me from the sagebrush. 

    Wow. We do have deer up here, after all. I was starting to wonder. 

Meanwhile, the fighting and bombing in Israel and Gaza continue. Some horrific stories are coming out of that area. Makes sillier stuff like these links not that important:

A life-sized gingerbread display at the Hotel Broadmoor in Colorado Springs. This one's a boat... no, I am not making this up. In keeping with that...

Taste of Home's best Christmas cookie recipes.

And vintage Christmas recipes. (Invite me over...unless you're serving those weird 'stained-glass' cookies or jello.)

Snow dogs!

Sandra Day O'Connor died.  I greatly admired this former Supreme Court Justice. (She was 93.) Henry Kissinger also died, age 100.

A guy's grandma gives him a suitcase, and tells him not to look until he gets home. Instant trouble from TSA at the airport when he says he doesn't know what's inside! 

Nepal is looking to get some of its monastery treasures back. (I told you about this developing scandal some weeks back -- the Denver Art Museum, sadly, is hip-deep in some of the trouble, because one of its chief donors was involved.) More on Douglas Latchford, one of the chief participants.

'The cult of breastfeeding.'  Granted, Kristy at Milllenial Revolution is still in the "what the heck am I doing" learning process... it's certainly not easy. 

Tax loss harvesting -- and how it can help you save money at taxtime. 

Dance, dance, dance. Wonderful -- and encouraging. 

A very interesting session arguing about gun control -- and where the worst "firearm death rates" are -- depending, of course, on whether you're Republican or a Democrat!  (This session features one of my favorite common-sense speakers: Senator Kennedy. What a guy.)

Forbes' 'Hall of Shame:' ten people awarded a spot on its '30 under 30' list -- that turned out to be stinkers. Makes you wonder how many more have yet to be revealed...

A Phoenix Cardinals player's car blows a tire on the way to the stadium, so he approaches a family in Cardinals gear: 'You headed to the stadium? Can I get a ride with you?' (They did!)

"Have you ever wondered, 'This person can't be human.'"...Quora holds forth. I love these odd questions.

Funny neighbors -- courtesy of Bored Panda. (Hey, Ruby would vote for Lily Belle in a flash.)

Authors who hated the movie adaptations of their books. And Mary Poppins (er, Travers) leads the way.

A very odd trial for Monsieur Pallot, a furniture expert accused of selling reproductions as the real thing. (He said he was just 'testing' to see if people would notice!)

Did Edward Hopper's minister steal a bunch of his work? 

Have a great week. As for me, I intend to get the Christmas tree up -- and a bunch of reports kicked out, now we have internet. Whoo hoo!