Yesterday we traveled to Mary Janes for Brunch. Not Mary Jane Brooks Ristorante…but Mary Janes in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. You see…it is the high days of celebration of…Aaron’s Birthday. The food is fabulous and the Old Fashioneds are to ‘Die For.’ Aaron and I prefer the Traditional Old Fashioned with rye whisky…but we have sampled several of their variations…and they are all first-rate. This morning we erected and decorated the Christmas Tree. It is a splendid tree…’Full of Sap…!’ The Christmas Season has begun…and it is not too early for the Brooks.

Aaron shares my affection for scary movies. When I see that a new horror movie is arriving in theatres or on satellite television…I tell him and we make our plans to see the chilling flick. When he and Jonathon were quite young we had cable television installed in our little house in Elkville. The Disney Channel was one of our favorites with Micky Mouse and Goofy and Pluto and Donald Duck. One evening when MJ was gone to a meeting…I noticed that a movie that was for children called, Mr. Boogedy’ was playing and we three Brooks men…decided to watch it. I thought that it was somewhat creepy…and when I looked at Aaron’s eyes…they were as round as saucers. He told me recently that the movie scared him and that he still finds it frightening today…

Thanksgiving is but a few days away. MJ and I have a trip to St. Louis, Missouri this week and another sojourn to the Gateway to the West…next week on the Friday after Thanksgiving. We will tour the Lemp Brewery and have dinner in the Lemp house…both purported to be haunted. Also…we will stay the night…if our courage holds out… So no shopping…unless it is for Casper The Friendly Ghost…

Aaron shares my love of dark stories…also. We enjoy the Scandinavian variety. I took every Speech class that was offered at Eldorado High School. I graduated in 1975. One of the classes that I took had several senior girls…and they liked my speeches. One of them said of me when I was working on a class project with them…that although I seemed quiet until I was giving a speech…’Still Waters Run Deep…’

Like Father Like Son