Troy - Black Friday already? I don’t think there is much good about this day. I’m a local shopper, so the mall, WalMart and other behemoths are not on my holiday shopping radar. This year I am buying all of my gifts from locally owned businesses. Infinite Designs has my favorite locally-made jam, handmade chocolates from Sweet Treats, art from local artists at the Arts Council and North Valley Art League holiday shows. I can’t mention the rest for obvious reasons.

Adam -Secrets, huh. I’ll have to rummage through the closet and shake boxes in a few weeks. I’ve never been good at waiting to be surprised by what’s under the tree. I always wanted immediate gratification. Where did Black Friday get its name anyway? How depressing. But I’m with you. I have never needed anything bad enough to sleep in a tent in a parking lot overnight. How many televisions does one family need? If you take nothing else away from the Dish Rag, readers, shop locally. Cooler stuff and you’ll support your friends and neighbors. Want one more reason not to head out on Black Friday? Check out this link: peopleofwalmart.com. I didn’t know mullets were back.

Troy - That website is side-splittingly funny. Caution: This site is not for children or those with weak stomachs.
Adam - I think we need to get back to basics a bit. No eye rolling. Every time I go to buy something, I’m going to ask myself, “Would Laura Ingalls have needed this?” Really. I think we should all live in a yurt, cook on wood stoves and do our business in a composting toilet for awhile to figure out what’s important.
Troy - Laura Ingalls? The man who had to have sterling silver bedside lamps is touting the simple life of Laura Ingalls? I know you’ve made strides in curing your conspicuous consumption, but you’d last about eight minutes with a composting toilet.
Adam - OK, then home remedies. Like ear candling. Cured your ear ache right up, didn’t it? And you look so good with that head wrap and plate over your ear.

Troy - I am so getting even. And speaking of holidays, we’re on the downward slide to Christmas. All I want this Christmas is to see our daughter. I love Christmas and having Corina here actually makes Christmas, Christmas. I love the traditions and laughter around our Christmas Eve fondue table, the smell of monkey bread on Christmas morning and the giggles brought on by the silly, gag gifts we always exchange.

Adam - Here’s a picture of our little monkey. She’s the short one.

She’s coming in a few weeks. Why do we cry on cue every time she comes down the tarmac? Talk about eye rolls. Two grown men sobbing in an airport waiting area. She gets so embarrassed. In Corina’s honor, I think we need to share the Hawkins Christmas monkey bread recipe. And the name fits. You literally pull it apart in a frenzy, like a bunch of baboons. It’s good. But before we get to that, you have a 16-show run as Santa Claus! Cascade Christmas will never be the same again.

Hawkins Monkey Bread: 3 cans refrigerated biscuits. Cut each biscuit into quarters. Roll each quarter in sugar and cinnamon.  Stack sugared quarters into a bundt pan. Sprinkle with melted butter and more sugar and cinnamon.  Bake at 350 for 30 min.  To avoid eye rolls fron Doni, make your own biscuit dough.

Troy - Yes, I’m playing Santa in this year’s Cascade Christmas. Second warning: I am not a dancer. I literally go deaf when I walk out on stage. Totally deaf. All I hear is my heart trying to escape my chest. I am totally outside of my comfort zone. Even though I’m scared and nervous at each performance, I love it. The cast and crew are so professional and extremely nice. One huge family. I’d like to say thank you to director James Santos for giving me this opportunity. Thank you, Cindy, Leah, Janna, Jeremy, Scott, Brian, Max and the rest of the cast for helping me and making me feel so welcome.

Adam - I’m looking forward to some of the other North State holiday going’s-on’s. There’s the bridge lighting in Lewiston, parades and more parades. Old fashioned holiday celebrations, light shows. Check out News Café’s “Get Outta Town” feature for stuff to do in our area this weekend. And next week, Viva Downtown Redding’s “Winterfest” begins - two solid weekends of holiday downtown cheer, beginning with the tree lighting on Dec 4. Check out the Dec. Enjoy Magazine for a Winterfest schedule. Wow. That was one big commercial. But it all beats ear candling.

Troy - If we are doing commercials here is mine: I’m now doing the “Question of the Day” here at anewscafe.com. Please take a look and answer the question each day. If you have a good question you can send your ideas to troyh.anewscafe@gmail.com.

Adam - My food coma has faded. Looooosiiiiiinnnnggg Eeeennnneeerrgggyyyy. I need to make a turkey sandwich, stat. Pass the stuffing and the potatoes and the …. Share your favorite leftover recipe with us. Happy holidays everyone!

 

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