This was a weekend of old family traditions, snowed out traditions, and new ones.  We spent it in the Berkshires.  There were about twenty of us, young and old.  It has been a number of years since the extended group (almost) all assembled in Lenox.  

About Thanksgiving..celery and olives were considered standard appetizers for over 100 years.

As an alternative to this Season's usual profusion of expressions of Thanks I would like to publish a "No Thanks Given", if not worse, list of inappropriate everyday conduct and things which I hate.  "Hate" is a very strong word and has a highly negative connotation so maybe I should say "greatly dislike", but you get my drift. Here we go:1) The Cross Bronx Expressway (no thanks to Robert Moses)2) People who get in my face aggresively and make unreasonable requests (demands) aka "Takers". 3) People who promise, but rarely deliver (liars)

I'm a traditionalist and one of the things I like most about Thanksgiving are the traditions. One of our traditions is a football game before dinner. Given the rain and wet field conditions, this tradition may be in jeopardy this year.

The verdict is out and the protests and rioting have begun.  Any objective opinion understands that not only is it right not to charge Darren Wllson with a crime, but that he actually acted appropriately under the circumstances.    

Sometimes I think our blogs are a selfish exercise. How lucky we are to have your attention every week where we can write about anything, anything at all. My selfish exercise this week is to tell the story of my Saturday evening.