Pumpkin Pie, front yard football and Little Bunny Foo Foo

By Joe McAdory

I’m back from a Thanksgiving trip to Daytona Beach. Here are a few observations:

* Three large pieces of pumpkin pie can send your blood sugar threw the roof. I found out the hard way. But you know ... that really was good pumpkin pie. I’d do it again.

* Playing football in the front yard is far more difficult when your 40 than when you’re 14.

* Perhaps it’s time the free world joined our fight against terrorist organizations. What happened in India the other day was nothing short of disgusting and I expect we’ll see more.

* The cheapest spot for unleaded gasoline between Auburn-Opelika and Daytona Beach was ... drumroll ... Opelika. Saw gas for $1.60. Gas in Tifton, Ga., was in the upper $1.60s. Gas in Florida ranged from $1.70 to $1.95 in Daytona.

* Pelican Bay Golf Club in Daytona Beach offers an incredible deal ($21 for 18 holes) at a very nice facility, but that place continues to destroy any confidence I have in my game. There’s water on 15 holes.

* I don’t see the result of Saturday’s Iron Bowl to be surprising at all considering how both teams have played this season. I predicted 27-0 to someone the other day. Auburn must make major changes if it wants to be competitive next season.

* Found out there wasn’t a dead cat in my well after all. It was a dead rabbit. Thanks, Little Bunny Foo Foo. Now I have no water.

Time to move forward

By Joe McAdory

Much has been written about the presidential election either for or against president-elect Barack Obama through letters to the editor published by this newspaper.

I must admit after two weeks of letters one way or the other, seeing the same arguments back and forth is getting old. This election brought out many emotions in people and inspired people to write. People want their voices heard and I respect that. This is why newspapers have letters to the editor. It gives the public a forum to express their views.

However, the debate lingers inside the newsroom, should we cease running election-oriented letters and publish those with other issues to discuss? After all, we cannot discuss the night of Nov. 4 for the rest of our lives. I’m not going to say we’re cutting off all election letters at this point, but there’s going to come a time real soon when we probably will.

If people want to support Obama’s actions or slam Obama’s actions as president this winter and spring, go right ahead. Let’s not dredge Nov. 4 up again. Let’s move ahead and not backward.

Here, kitty kitty

By Joe McAdory

If anyone is missing a grey cat, approximately one foot in length, please come to my house and remove it from the bottom of my well. It’s beginning to smell.

Thank you. Have a nice day.

Mood song for the day: Cat Scratch Fever

Thanksgiving Parade has local flavor

By Joe McAdory

Nearly one-quarter of all high school bands performing in next week’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on the streets of Philadelphia are from right here in sweet home east central Alabama. Bands from Auburn High, Smiths Station, Reeltown and Tallassee are part of the 17-band extravaganza. That’s a feather in our cap.

We take pride in our football, but we’ve got some of the best musical talent around. It will be neat to watch them Thursday, beginning at 11 a.m. on ABC.

Other high school bands marching include: DuPont, Del.; Bainbridge, Ga.; Centennial, Tenn.; Christopher Newport, Va.; Lake Weir, Fla.; Maryville, Tenn.; North Augusta, S.C.; Ocoee, Fla.; Peachtree, Ga.; Pennsbury, Penn.; Petal, Miss.; St. Mary’s, Ohio; Tippecanoe, Ohio; and Trinity Valley, Texas.

The parade’s official Web site is http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/feature?section=resources/lifestyle_community/community/events&id=6477119

Mood song for today: Toy Soldiers by Martyka

Dry floors and big green walls

By Joe McAdory

After a month of walking on water, soggy carpet and concrete throughout my house, things are almost getting back to normal.

Remember the great flood? The one that spewed from beneath my water water (though it was previously believed to be a washing machine issue)? The one that sent waves of floodwaters crashing into the corners of my house? The one that kept me up all night mopping like an idiot? The one that wrecked my living room and a month of my life? Yes, that one.

Well, it’s all dry now. In fact, I’ve got carpet installed in two rooms and laminate floors ready to be placed in others. I even tried my hand at painting. See my living room below? Big green walls. My paint job was so bad I had to call in the pros from TNT. The great thing about my living room is despite the great flood, I still had my TV and recliner. You know, the important things in life.

Things are almost normal now. I better not say that. Don’t want to jinx myself. I couldn’t have made it through this without sushi.