Song in my Head: Let's stuff Ann Coulter in a box.................................Kamikaze Kumquat

In Season: pointsettias, Grumpy Elvis movie, Barbies


The holiday season is quite a bit different without the excitement of wide eyed little kids, anticipating the arrival of Santa and armfuls of gifts. Now that my boys are older, the holidays take a different form. When my children were youngsters we lived in Corvallis, Oregon, where Christmas was busy with 2 young, active boys. A nice small university town; an ideal place to raise kids, veggies, and animals. Living on a small farm, I had room for a few 4 legged critters. One dog, 2 mules and a donkey, plus some chickens, geese and a pair of Muscovy ducks.

It was a tradition for my donkey to participate in a local, live, outdoor Christmas nativity scene a local church put on as free entertainment. Zack, my donkey, would get led by me to the church grounds. There he would be warmly greeted by church volunteers and tethered out for 2 weeks to be a prop in this drive thru Christmas play.

I fondly remember making hot chocolate and taking the boys in my old Subaru and driving through the live nativity scene on a cold December night and laughing, quite happily, at Zack, our animal celebrity as he stood by the manger eating hay.


Alter-Abled News

Federal authorities balk at order to return medical marijuana

Federal authorities say they don't want to return marijuana to a Colorado man who said he needs it to ease symptoms of cancer and other ailments, despite a state judge's order that they do so.

A Routt County judge this week ordered authorities to return 2 ounces of the drug to Don Nord, whose Hayden home was raided by federal officials in October. (link)


Analysis shows Medicare bill will hurt states

The $400 billion Medicare prescription drug bill that President Bush signed into law Monday could end up costing Montana and other states money as the federal government reaches out to states to help subsidize the new program. (link)