WHAT WE DON'T NEED WE ARE PROBABLY BETTER OFF WITHOUT

IT IS WINTER

Friday,  9:00 AM.  22 degrees F, wind WNW, calm to very light.  The sky is mostly cloudy but the sun is breaking through.  The humidity is 85% and the barometer is steady, at 30.58". It has stopped snowing, with a total accumulation of about 6".  It looks like I will spend most of the morning shoveling snow.
   The Northland is now in winter's grip, with half-a-foot or more of snow on the ground in many places  (but after all, that's the way it's supposed to be). The roads were very slick yesterday in the Bayfield area and it was a good day not to venture out.  Joan cooked, I shoveled, split firewood and fed the fire.  We were alone except for welcome calls from the kids.  Our Thanksgiving Chicken was great with stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, sweet potatoes,  cauliflower and peas and fresh baked bread.    Desert was pumpkin pie with real whipped cream, and an after-dinner brandy for myself.
  Buddy had mostly the same dinner, except for the pumpkin pie and the brandy.  He didn't get to sit at the table either, although he would have liked to.
  So it was a quiet, rather thoughtful and very thankful holiday for us. We have everything we need  that is worthwhile, and what we may desire that we don't have we probably don't need, and are better off without.  Now if only I could get that big buck in the cross-hairs!