The "November This & That" Story

Forward:  Earlier this week my son-in-law, Dave Mencarini, coach of the Quince Orchard High School football team, defeated the Westminster Owls to earn a spot in the 4A Maryland football championship which will be played at the Baltimore Ravens Stadium on November 30.  A story will follow after I attend the game.  

It was an ordinary day.  Saw a few things recently that made me think about the coming holidays.  I'll share them with you and I'm sure you will remember when .........

1. November is National Caregivers Month.  Wow, do I have respect for all the caregivers in the world.  But, even though there are thousands and thousands of paid caregivers, there are still the family members who care for their relatives and receive no pay or acknowledgment for what they do.  I know they do it out of love, but they still deserve to be honored for their duty and loyalty and that is why this month there are many more articles and stories about them in the press and on TV.  So, for all of the caregivers in the world, I want to thank you for your tireless efforts.  God Bless You!
2. Don't forget that the season is fast approaching when you can watch all your favorite Christmas animation shows on TV.  It's been nearly a half-century since "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" first hit the TV screen.  And how about "The Little Drummer Boy," "Santa Claus is Comin' To Town," and "The Year Without a Santa Claus."  Remember them?  But, I think my favorite has to be "Frosty the Snowman."  My wife still gets teary-eyed when she sees Frosty start to melt.  
3. Then there is the lady that I read about in the local paper who told her story about being in elementary school and her teacher had her and her classmates write down every book they read that year in a composition notebook.  Seems she never gave up that idea and continued to add every book with a small note about each one.  She has added a few composition notebooks to her collection, but how cool that is that she can look back at all the books she has read in her lifetime.  I wish I had done that since elementary school.  Too late to start now?
4. And one final note about the recent election. Seems that in my home Lancaster County there were some pretty neat write-in votes for president.  The usual vote-getters were Jesus, Willie Nelson, Mickey Mouse, Goofy and a host of celebrities and movie characters.  Believe it or not, Mickey Mouse beat Donald Trump 7-4 in the balloting.  Then there were some dead people who got votes such as Lincoln, Washington, Teddy Roosevelt and Nixon.  One voter voted for Mark Twain for not only president, but for every office.  But the most interesting vote went to none other than Chase Utley from the Phillies.  Now why didn't I think of that!

OK, there you have my "This and That" notes for November.  Hope you enjoyed them.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.