Holiday in North America and Liberia
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Christmas shows on a SaturdayFirst, a look at the events of the day.Then, Lux Radio Theater, originally broadcast December 20, 1948, 77 years ago, Miracle on 34th Street starring Edmund Gwenn. An adaptation of the 1947 motion picture with Edmund Gwinn reprising his role as Kris Kringle, who changes a lot of lives between Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. Followed by Truth or Consequences starring Ralph Edwards, originally broadcast December 20, 1947, 78 years ago, Soldier in Hospital. A heartwarming Christmas show with a wounded soldier in a veterans hospital. Then, The Harold Peary Show, originally broadcast December 20, 1950, 75 years ago, Children's Christmas Party. A heartwarming Christmas show as Honest Harold trusts an old bank robber with the job of playing Santa Claus for the kids. Finally, Fibber McGee and Molly, originally broadcast December 20, 1954, 71 years ago, Babes in Toyland. Fibber and Molly visit a new toy store to buy a Christmas present for Teeny. Thanks to Debbie B. for supporting our podcast by using the Buy Me a Coffee function at http://classicradio.streamCheck out Professor Bees Digestive Aid at profbees.com and use my promo code WYATT to save 10% when you order! If you like what we do here, visit our friend Jay at http://radio.macinmind.com for great old-time radio shows 24 hours a day
Legendary director Mira Nair and Cannes-winner Ritesh Batra made two very different hit films about very different sides of India's fabled food delivery system. Batra tells Rico about the romance of dabbawallas, while Nair remembers the mean streets of Mumbai's chaiwallas (and what she serves her son Zohran Mamdani at home).Just in time for holiday eat-a-thons, the award-winning MUBI Podcast is back and celebrating its tenth season with a four-course serving of stories about food on film. Titled "A Feast For The Eyes," the season digs into the ways filmmakers use food to provoke hunger, thought, nausea, political action...and sometimes all the above.Joining host Rico Gagliano is a sampler platter of luminaries from the film and culinary world, including directors Brad Bird (RATATOUILLE), Mira Nair (MONSOON WEDDING), and David Gelb (JIRO DREAMS OF SUSHI), former New York Times food writer Alison Roman, and more. Gluttons for great cinema stories can start chowing down on episodes weekly, starting Thanksgiving Day.Let's Eat! Food and Film collection is now streaming on MUBI globally.THE LUNCHBOX is now streaming on MUBI in the UK, Ireland, Australia, Latin America and Netherlands. To stream some of the films we've covered on the podcast, check out the collection Featured on the MUBI Podcast. Availability of films varies depending on your country.MUBI is a global streaming service, production company and film distributor dedicated to elevating great cinema. MUBI makes, acquires, curates, and champions extraordinary films, connecting them to audiences all over the world. A place to discover ambitious new films and singular voices, from iconic directors to emerging auteurs. Each carefully chosen by MUBI's curators.
Michigan Weather and Women: Part 2 Dancing, and other forms of sentimentality. Based on a post by CleverGenericName, in 4 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Connected. As we finished the prep work, I asked Wilma about her day with Mary. "She is a good kid but is carrying a lot of anger and shame. We spent most of the day getting in touch with that anger. It takes some people years before they can express their emotions through art; it took her about five minutes. But we had to take some breaks to clean up the paint splatters afterward before they stained." "Oh shit! Sorry about that. I can pay to replace anything that;" "Nothing to apologize for; I asked her to express how she felt, and she did it in the way that felt right to her." "Well, I appreciate your taking the time. I am just her big brother; I feel so lost when it comes to parenting." "Being a parent doesn't mean that you know any more than anyone else, and it certainly doesn't mean that you know any better. For what it's worth, I think you are doing a fine job with your family. I know that you don't have your parents around to say it, but this old woman is mighty proud of who you are and of how you have stepped up for your brother and sisters. They are very lucky to have you." I turned away so that Wilma wouldn't see me getting choked up. I couldn't remember the last time that someone had said they were proud of me. Soon enough, though, it was dinner time, and Erin came into the kitchen with that same look of amusement on her face. "Sorry to bother the chef, but Lane needs some help that only a big brother can provide." When I gave her a quizzical look, she blushed. "It seems like he is going through puberty, which can pose; some new challenges. When I was assessing his ankle, he; well, indicated his interest in me in a way that can be difficult to hide, particularly while wearing sweatpants. It's natural for his body to react that way at that age, and it's nothing for him to feel badly about, but he was mortified. I think he could use a bit of brotherly guidance and understanding." I went to the living room and saw that Lane was curled up on the couch and looked like he was fighting back tears. "How are you doing, Buddy?" He couldn't even look at me he was so embarrassed. "I am so sorry; I just couldn't help it. I don't know why it started to get bigger, and I wanted it to stop, and it wouldn't and then she saw me, and;" he continued as he fought back a sob. "Can we just go home?" "Erin is a doctor. She knows how the human body works and has seen that kind of thing a hundred times. She isn't mad at you or embarrassed. She just feels bad that you feel so bad. This is just part of getting older and growing up. "Did I ever tell you about what happened in Miss Iron's class when I was a freshman? Miss Iron was a bit of a legend among the male students at our local high school. She was the youngest and prettiest teacher, by far, and even though she always dressed professionally, the clothing style had yet to be invented that could fully conceal her bountiful natural endowment. "Well, I liked Miss Irons a lot. She was one of the few teachers who looked past my difficulty with reading and writing. So, I developed a little crush on her, which was fine until the inevitable; hmm, physical demonstration of my crush; happened in class one day, just before she asked me to collect everyone's quizzes. I tried to delay, I tried to ask a friend to do it instead, but eventually, I had to stand up. It took me until my junior year to live that one down." As Lane listened to my story, he turned to face me and his second-hand embarrassment for me helped to push his embarrassment to the side. "So, what happened?" "Miss Irons was lovely and kind like she always was, but I wanted the floor to open up and swallow me or to get hit by a bolt of lightning. Things would have been fine if she hadn't mentioned what happened to the principal, who called Mom. She didn't find the story funny at all." I hadn't thought of the aftermath when I started telling Lane this particular story, but as they say, might as well put it in four-wheel drive and keep going. "Mom was mad?" "By then, Mom was pretty much always angry. I did my best to keep her away from you and the girls when she got that way, but yeah; she was mad." "Are you mad at me?" "No, Bud, I'm not. In a few years, once your embarrassment has died down a little, I will tease you mercilessly about this because that's what brothers do; and maybe threaten to tell your girlfriend, if you fall behind on your chores or homework. But I will never get mad at you for something that you can't control. And I promise that Erin isn't mad at you either." Just then, Mary poked her head in to tell us that dinner was on the table. "Are you safe now, or do you need a few more minutes." "I'm good. Thanks, Dad." After I helped Lane hobble into the dining room, we got down to the business of eating and teasing each other, but not necessarily in that order. It felt good; almost like what I imagined a real family would feel like. Eventually, the conversation turned to more serious matters, though, and Erin led off the questions. "So, how do you know Gran, and why are you wearing Grampy's favorite sweater? And, for what it's worth, I don't remember him filling it out in quite the way that you do." I blushed a bit as Wilma jumped in. "If Phillip had filled out that sweater like young Davis here, it wouldn't have stayed on him for very long, I can tell you that." "Gran!" Erin exclaimed, laughing while sounding scandalized. "I didn't need that mental image. Heck, none of us needed that mental image." "Oh, don't you worry, Dear. He still filled it out well enough, and it looked equally good on our bedroom floor." We were pretty much all blushing at that point, which I think was Wilma's objective, so I quickly changed the topic. "I am just your mother's plumber. I came out to fix her boiler and then finished the job earlier this week when a couple of parts came in that I needed." Wilma jumped in at that point and added her two cents to my story. "He also brought me my groceries and we had a lovely conversation. He is a real Renaissance gentleman, a rarity these days." Erin looked grateful but concerned. "Did you have enough money to cover the bill, Gran? You know I can help if you need;" I tried to jump in before Wilma could reply. "No need to worry, the bill was paid in full;" "Hogwash," Wilma exclaimed as I tried to finish, turning to Mary before she continued. "Your brother wouldn't let me pay him a cent for the work that he did. Not even for the parts that needed to be replaced! He is a very nice boy but a terrible businessman." I turned to Erin for support. "I figured your Gran has enough going on right now with her health and all. It was the least I could do to help her out." Erin looked at me with a strange expression on her face. I didn't have much experience with women, so I figured I must have made her angry somehow. Most of my interactions with women, including my sisters, seemed to end with them being upset with me for one reason or another, but she didn't sound angry when she spoke. "Thank you, Davis, that was very sweet of you." "Yeah, well; you see, it's just; pass the fish, please." "That still doesn't explain why you're wearing Grampy's favorite sweater. When I was a little girl, I used to curl up in Grampy's lap and snuggle into that sweater as he read to me. He was wearing it when I danced my first dance with him in front of the fireplace. Do you remember that old record player, Gran? You used to bring it out and we would waltz around the living room to Moon River." "I still have that record player here somewhere, let me go see if I can find it." Erin started to protest, but it was too late. "To finish answering your question, Erin, we were here today because your Gran offered to mentor Mary. I tried to politely decline, but your Gran is pretty persistent when she wants to be." "That sounds like Gran. Most of the time when she makes a suggestion, it is really a command." "While we are asking questions, how is Lane's ankle?" "It's pretty badly sprained, and he will need to use crutches to walk for the next couple of weeks. You should bring him to the hospital to get some X-rays done as well, to make sure that he doesn't have any fractures." I could feel myself deflate as she mentioned X-rays. "I'm not trying to be cheap, but are the X-rays absolutely necessary? We don't have the best insurance; we got it through the exchange. I guess it's better than nothing, but the deductible is pretty high, and my other sister, Alison, her college tuition is due soon. But if you say it's important, I will put in some extra hours to make it work." It didn't usually bother me that we were poor. Heck, most everyone we knew, except the McDougals, was poor. But it hit home when you had to tell a beautiful doctor with bright amber eyes that you couldn't afford an X-ray for your little brother unless it was urgent. "Tell you what. I will be working at the hospital in Petoskey tomorrow, so why don't you bring Lane by, and I will take care of him? I will make sure that he gets a pair of loaner crutches for as long as he needs them." "You don't need to do that for us." Erin gave me another one of her looks, this one I was more familiar with; I was pretty sure it was annoyance. "So, just to be clear, you can look after my Gran, fix her boiler for free, and bring her groceries whenever you feel like it, but I can't look after your brother and make sure that his ankle is treated properly?" "Well, when you put it that way, I sound like a bit of a jackass. I'm sorry." "Apology accepted. Come by the hospital at 11 AM tomorrow." Before we could continue, the sound of a 45 playing on an old record player filled the house. You could hear the hisses and pops before Ella Fitzgerald's voice began to sing "Dream a Little Dream of Me." Chapter 3. We got up from the table and followed the music back to the living room. I helped Lane out of his chair while he half-hobbled and half-hopped along beside me. Wilma had set her ancient record player up in the corner beside a stack of old 45s, and she had a faraway look in her eyes as she looked out the picture window toward the lake. "I think it's time for me to ask the prettiest girl in the place to dance," I said, as my eyes swept across the room. "But unfortunately, it's a three-way tie. So, will you do me the honor?" I said as I held out my hand to Wilma. "I haven't danced since Phillip passed. You know, we used to dance together every Friday night. It didn't matter where we were or what we were doing, we would always make time to dance at least one song together, even if the music was only in our heads." "I imagine I will be a pretty poor partner compared to Phillip, but I will try not to step on your toes." Wilma and I ended up dancing a slow foxtrot to "Unforgettable" by Nat King Cole. She smiled at me as we slowly circled the living room. "You're a very good dancer, young man." "Our mother taught me when I was very young." Before she began with the drugs and men, our mother had been a showgirl in New York and then Las Vegas. When she got pregnant with me, she moved back to Mackinaw City and started teaching ballroom dancing at a local studio. By the time I was five, I was her practice partner of choice, and she always insisted that I lead, despite being only half her size. "The man always leads, Darling, that's just the way of the world." I was hardly a man at the time, but I never disagreed with my mother when she was in a good mood, because I knew it could shift in an instant. So, I learned to dance, and I learned to lead. The memories came flooding back as I guided Wilma into a soft over-sway, and she smiled with delight. "Oh my, you do know how to dance!" I couldn't help but smile back. "I can't take all the credit. I think Phillip must have infused this sweater with his fancy footwork." As the song ended, I took a step back and did my best to give Wilma a gracious bow. "It was a pleasure dancing with you, my lady." "The pleasure was all mine, good sir." I turned toward Mary and held out my hand. She hesitated before Wilma declared, "There are no wallflowers in this house." Mary slowly stood but looked anxious as I took her hand. "Davis, I don't know how to dance. Mom was; she was too far gone to teach me by the time I was old enough to learn." "That's okay," I reassured her. "If there is anything that Mom made sure of, it's that I know how to lead. Just relax, and I will guide you through it." Wilma helped Lane, who had taken over as DJ, to choose a slower song so that Mary would feel more comfortable, and I heard the opening bars of "What a Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong. I started to lead Mary through a slow rumba, and she picked up the steps very quickly. She was a natural. I felt a sudden stab of regret as we moved together across the floor. "I'm sorry. I should have made time to teach you to dance. But the last few years, it has just taken everything I have to keep us;" "It's alright. You've had other things on your mind. And look; you are teaching me how to dance, now." As Mary grew more confident, I guided her through a simple underarm turn, and we ended with a dip, which made her giggle and earned a round of applause from the others. Finally, I turned to Erin, who was sitting on the couch beside Lane. I suddenly felt very shy and, for the first time that evening, she looked nervous as well. "Would you dance with me, Erin?" She didn't reply but stood and took my hand. We waited for a moment while Wilma and Lane chose a new 45 and then listened to the pop and hiss as it started to play. Soon, an alto saxophone introduced the Henri Mancini version of "Moon River," and we started a slow waltz. Although there was space between us, it was bridged by an electric charge that connected and drew us together. Even though I spent most of the dance looking over Erin's shoulder, every detail of her beauty was etched in my memory, and I felt a warm breeze pass between us, raising goosebumps on my skin. We barely noticed the pause as the song ended, and a new one began until Etta James began to sing. At last, my love has come along My lonely days are over And life is like a song The song was in 4/4 time, so I switched to a foxtrot and Erin followed as we glided across the smooth wood of the living room floor. I was so caught up in the moment, and in Erin, that I led her through a turn that transitioned into an over sway, before I stepped backward, allowing her to gently pivot into me. Our eyes met and I was lost in them again. Before we could break the spell, a heavy gust of wind shook the house, and the power flickered out. The room went dark, which sharpened my remaining senses. Suddenly, the warmth of Erin's breath on my neck felt like wildfire across my skin. We were motionless for a three-heartbeat eternity before the lights flickered and came back on. I let go of Erin and felt all of my longing and awkwardness rush back in. "Thank you, Erin. That was;" I couldn't finish; words didn't seem enough to express how I felt. "I should check the breakers and make sure that everything is alright, and then we should go. Why don't I wash these clothes and drop them back for you later." Wilma just smiled and shook her head. "If you like them, please keep them. Otherwise, they will just grow old and musty like me." A little while later, we said our goodbyes, but I promised to bring Lane to the hospital the next morning. Wilma told Mary that she would see her on Wednesday after school and again the next Sunday. I was expecting Mary to protest, but she just gave a meek, "Yes, Wilma." I was nervous when I took Lane to the hospital the next day. The deductible on our insurance was high enough that we paid for pretty much anything less serious than a severed limb out of pocket. Erin, however, was as good as her word. After the X-ray confirmed that there were no breaks or fractures in the bones around his ankle, she re-wrapped it and arranged for a pair of loaner crutches that he could use for as long as he needed them. Before we left, Erin asked me if I wanted to grab a coffee in the cafeteria, to which I readily agreed. I gave my phone to Lane so he could amuse himself while Erin and I talked. "I just wanted to say how much I appreciate what you did for Gran. I do what I can, but I spend half my time at the Children's Hospital down in Grand Rapids right now and I am often on call while I am here. I just don't have the time to give her the help that she needs." "Honestly, it's no big deal. I do a lot of work around Good Hart since the bigger plumbing companies don't like to travel that far, so I don't mind looking in on her while I am there. And she seems to have taken a real interest in Mary, so the least I can do is to bring her some groceries and help around the place a bit." Erin pursed her lips and looked like she had just bitten into a lemon. "The 'least you can do' is more than the rest of our family can be bothered to do put together, so thank you." "I meant to ask you about that. What did your Gran do to end up so isolated from the rest of your family?" "The rest of my family is; there is no nice way to put it, they're snobs. None of them have any interest in spending time 'up north' as they call it, and they can't wait for Gran to move into a retirement home and die so they can get their money and forget about this place. That's why no one comes to visit Gran anymore, even for Thanksgiving; it's part of their campaign to convince her to sell her land to the McDougals. Before you came along, I thought they were going to succeed." "Well, excuse my language, but fuck them. I don't know Wilma that well, but I will do what I can to make sure that she gets to spend her remaining days in the place that she loves." "That's easy to say, but harder to do once the McDougals and their minions start coming by your place, offering you money and making threats unless you back off." "Well, if they do, they will find out what every teacher who ever taught me learned the hard way. I am bad at taking orders and even worse at following instructions. I am not afraid of the McDougal boys." My exclamation brought a smile to Erin's pretty face. I decided that I would be willing to do quite a lot to see that smile on her face again. But there was one thing I still didn't understand. "Why aren't you on board with the rest of your family? You must be under a lot of pressure to abandon your Gran like the rest of them." "My father, Gran's youngest son, Max, died shortly after I was born, and my mother moved the family to California where she remarried into a family that had a little money but a great deal of pretension and ambition. My mother picked up that insatiable need for money and status like it was a virus. "When I was a child, my mother and stepfather spent summers and holidays traveling the world, staying in places where children weren't welcome. Although they wanted nothing to do with Gran and Grampy and their 'vermin-filled shack in the middle of nowhere', they were more than happy to leave me with them while they were away. "They would put me on a plane to Grand Rapids while they jetted off to their spas and their fine dining. Gran and Grampy were the only people who cared for me, and they became my whole world. "When I was 14, I was staying with Gran and Grampy, and I caught a fever that was so bad that I nearly died. It was a pretty grim time. My parents even thought about flying home from Monaco to be with me. They didn't, but it was the only time in my entire childhood that they considered it. But I will always remember how kind the doctors and nurses were to me when I was sick. That's why I became a pediatrician and moved home." "Isn't California home?" "Home is where the people that you love are, and so this will always be my home. Or it will be until Gran passes on, anyway." We sat in silence for a while, sipping our coffee. Before long, it was time for me to go. "This might sound crazy, but since the rest of your family aren't going to be here to celebrate Thanksgiving with your Gran, how about you and I try to give her one more Thanksgiving to remember." Erin brightened at the idea, and the smile returned to her face. "That would be amazing! Why don't I give you my number, and we can figure out how to make it happen!" Chapter 4. For the next few weeks, Mary continued to meet with Wilma on Wednesdays and Sundays. I would often take the opportunity to bring her groceries or other supplies while I dropped Mary off and, if the weather was agreeable, do some fishing. Once he could walk without crutches, Lane came along as well, in quest of another monster steelhead. Unfortunately, all he caught was some yellow perch and rock bass, but it was nice to spend the day with him down on the dock. I saw Erin a few times at Wilma's as we made plans for Thanksgiving. She seemed to particularly enjoy talking with me while I split firewood out by the shed. It was hard work, and I was often drenched with sweat by the time I was done, but she didn't seem to mind. And she worked while we talked, helping to stack the larger pieces and collecting the smaller ones for kindling. The one point of contention in our plan was how Erin would get to Wilma's on Thanksgiving Day. She was slated to work a 12-hour shift the evening before, ending at seven in the morning, and she worried that if she went home to rest, she would sleep through the entire day. Her solution was to drive out to Wilma's after her shift and catch a few hours of sleep when she got there. I thought that driving that far after working all night seemed like a terrible idea, so I offered to give her a ride instead. She did not like that one bit. "I don't want you to make an extra trip when I am perfectly capable of driving myself." It sounded like she was digging in for a fight, so I tried a different tactic to convince her. "I need to stop at the hospital anyway, to return Lane's crutches. I can kill two birds with one stone and pick you up at the same time." She didn't buy that rationale either so, reluctantly, I resorted to the truth. "I am sure you're a great driver, but if you drive yourself, I will be up that morning anyway, worrying that you are safe. I know it doesn't make sense, but I have been looking after my siblings for so long its second nature for me to worry, and I can't seem to turn it off. So please, let me pick you up. But for me, not for you. And do you know how rarely I get to be gallant these days? I will feel like your knight in shining armor." That finally got a laugh from Erin. "Alright, you win. Why don't you pick me up at 7:15 at the hospital? You can sweep me up onto your trusty steed and carry me away to Gran's house." "If by trusty steed you mean rusty old GMC truck, then it's a deal." The morning of Thanksgiving dawned chilly and gray, with a cold wind blowing in off the lake. I was up early to make sure that I made it to the hospital on time, and I was listening to the local AM country station as I drove when the DJ started his break. "A happy Thanksgiving to all our listeners. If you're on the roads today, be aware that there is a severe weather warning in effect for the area north of Cadillac and into the upper peninsula. We're expecting a combination of high winds and lake-effect snow to make driving hazardous, and you should be prepared for possible power interruptions and outages." I was relieved that Erin had agreed to let me pick her up and that I had invested in good snow tires for my pickup. The snow had already started by the time I reached the hospital, and I pulled my jacket tightly around me as I went inside. I dropped Lane's crutches with the duty nurse and waited for several minutes before Erin arrived. She looked exhausted, and the gentle smile that I loved was nowhere in evidence. "Hey, Erin. Are you okay?" "I'm fine. I just had a long shift, but I am ready to head out." She came up to me and gave me a hesitant look. "Actually, I could really use a hug if that's alright." Without a word, I wrapped my arms around her, and she buried her face in my sweater. Hidden from the world by the folds of my jacket, I felt her body start to shake. The tremors lasted for a minute before they gentled and then finally stopped. I looked out the window at the falling snow to give her a moment to compose herself. "Let's head to Gran's house. This weather isn't going to get better any time soon." With that, we got in my truck and started the drive up to Good Hart. Erin sat in silence and looked out the window. "If you want to talk, I probably can't help with doctor problems; but I am a good listener." It took Erin a minute before she opened up. "Most of the time, I love being a pediatrician. Kids come to me scared and in pain, and I help them to get better. But sometimes, it's just too much. Around midnight last night, an ambulance brought in a mother and daughter. Her boyfriend had been drinking; and he got violent. The little girl tried to protect her mother and; and; "It's one thing to treat a grown woman, you know. I mean it's still pretty bad, but; that little girl. Fuck. One thing I've learned from this job is that monsters are real." I wanted to give Erin another hug, but since I was driving, I just reached over to take her hand. "I'm sorry." My words seemed so incredibly inadequate; considering what she had just dealt with; but she squeezed my hand. "Thanks for listening." We drove on in silence, and by the time we pulled into Wilma's laneway, Erin was gently snoring with her head against the window. I stopped as close as I could to the house before lifting her out of the cab. She tucked her head into my shoulder, and I carried her inside, where Wilma was already busy in the kitchen. She came out to greet us, and I spoke to her in a low voice. "Erin had a very tough night. I think some rest will do her a world of good." Wilma helped Erin out of her boots and coat and then showed us through to the guest bedroom, where I laid Erin on the bed. The room was filled with pictures of Erin from when she was younger; standing on the dock with an older but handsome man who I guessed must be Phillip, curled up in a ball on the sofa, book in hand, and smiling in her cap and gown as she graduated. In each picture, I could see hints of the beautiful woman she would become. By the time I returned with the rest of my family, the storm had begun to pick up. Snow drifts were accumulating against the house and shed, so we brought everything with us into the house that we might need for the evening. It took some convincing, but Sharon and I took over in the kitchen while Wilma, Alison, Mary, and Lane started a game of Scrabble in the living room. Once the preparations were well underway, I laid in as much wood for the fireplace as I could. With the high winds and heavy snow, I was worried that we might lose power, and I wanted to make sure that we prepared, just in case. The radiators and boiler would provide almost no heat if there was a prolonged power outage, but the fireplace had a high-efficiency insert that would keep the house warm, as long as we built up a good bed of coals. Lane insisted on helping me with the firewood, and after a half dozen trips to the woodshed and back, we both looked like live-action versions of the abominable snowman. Wilma showed some sympathy for our plight, while our sisters had a good-natured laugh at our expense. By the early afternoon, dinner was almost ready, and Wilma sent me to wake Erin. She had barely moved since I had tucked her in and seemed so peaceful in her sleep. I leaned over and spoke softly to her until she opened her eyes. After a moment of confusion, she broke into a shy smile. "I guess we made it to Gran's." "That we did, we got here close to six hours ago." Her eyes flew open, and she tried to get up until I reassured her. "We've got things under control. Dinner will be ready in about twenty minutes. Take your time; and maybe give yourself a few minutes for that pillow line on your cheek to fade." I turned to leave, so she could have some privacy, but she reached out and took my hand. "I just wanted to say thank you again for earlier. I am not used to having someone I can talk to; someone I can trust. It's only been Gran and Grampy, and me for so long, and I didn't want to burden them. But I shouldn't have dumped my troubles on you like that, we barely know each other." "I was just glad that you felt comfortable enough to share how you felt with me. Today was probably the worst day of that little girl's life. I am sure she was terrified, confused, and in a lot of pain. But what she'll remember is the angel who comforted her and treated her with kindness and love. "I need to get back to the kitchen, or I will burn something. Fair warning, this is my first time cooking a Thanksgiving turkey, so you may want to load your plate up with fixings and sides, just in case." As it turned out, the turkey wasn't perfect, but it wasn't that bad, and the gravy was tasty as heck (probably because Wilma made it.) We had mashed potatoes, stuffing, corn, and peas as sides, with the obligatory cranberry sauce (from a can). The conversation at dinner was a chaotic mixture of laughter, stories, and the kind of teasing that you only get when you bring five siblings together over a hearty meal. It didn't take Erin long to choose a side in the battle of the siblings, and soon, it was the four girls against Lane and me, with Wilma as our impartial referee. I don't know how Lane felt, but for me, it was worth being ganged up on just to see Erin and my sisters smiling and laughing. Although he tried to hide it, it was clear that Lane still had a bit of a crush on Erin, so I imagined that he was just fine with making her smile as well. For dessert, Erin brought pumpkin and apple pies that she had bought at the bakery in Petoskey, which we ate with some vanilla ice cream from the local creamery. I was sure there would be some dessert left over, given the amount that we all ate for dinner, but somehow, we finished it all. Everyone pitched in with the dishes and then we moved to the living room where we played cards and some more board games. As we played, Mary asked Wilma about some of her more memorable Thanksgivings, and she got a faraway smile. For the next hour, she regaled us with stories of humble times with the kids by the lake and, in later days, fancier celebrations with some of the families that Phillip befriended while they sat for portraits. As our last game of Scrabble ended, Sharon looked at Wilma with a mischievous grin. "Mary was telling me about the dance party that you had a few weeks ago here in your living room. Rumor has it that my big brother can dance! I was hoping, if you asked him nicely, that we could all see him in action." Wilma got up from her chair and started to move toward the hall closet. "Lane, come along and help, please. I am far too old to be carting around a heavy record player." Lane hopped up and went to help Wilma, while the rest of us began to move the furniture out of the way. As Lane set up, Wilma admonished the rest of us. "Remember, there is only one rule about dancing in my house: no wallflowers." With that, Lane started the first song, and I asked Wilma to dance. Alison followed suit, asking Lane to dance, and soon she was teaching him how to lead. Finally, Erin stood as well and gave a deep bow to Mary. "It would be my honor, enchanting lady, if I could have this dance." With a laugh, Mary stood, and soon we were all moving around the room, trying not to bump into each other or step on each other's toes. For the next hour, we danced, laughed, and pretty much forgot about the world outside. Lane even got up the courage to dance with Erin, although he stayed so far away from her that you would have thought she was radioactive. I took a couple of turns with Erin and was amazed at the way she melted into my arms. When we danced, there was a wave of knowing smirks from my sisters and a pleased smile from Wilma, but I didn't care. I could have danced with her all night. Unfortunately, during my third dance with Erin, the real world decided to interrupt our festivities. Erin and I had just started a turn when the power went out. I instinctively pulled Erin into my arms to protect her, and then I leaned in through the darkness and kissed her. She returned the kiss, ran her hand through my hair, and let out a small moan. "Do you think the power will come back on?" Lane's question cut through the fog of my lust and longing. "Probably not until sometime after the storm has passed. So, we should all plan on spending the night here and then figuring things out in the morning." With Wilma's agreement, we got settled in for the evening. After some protest, Wilma agreed to sleep in the guest room since it had a direct line of sight to the thermoelectric stove fan that helped circulate the heat from the fireplace. My three sisters slept in Wilma's bed, both to share body heat and because it was the larger of the two beds in the house. Lane slept on the couch, while Erin and I slept on the floor in front of the fireplace. Erin laid out an older sleeping bag, for comfort, with some bedding and blankets on top. In deference to Lane, she waited until she was under the blankets before she shimmied off her pants, while I stoked the fireplace. I made one more pass through the house, to check on Wilma and my sisters, but it seemed they had already fallen asleep. Even Lane had passed right out, despite his proximity to the pants-less Erin. I set a quiet alarm on my phone for two-hour intervals so that I could get up and add wood to the fire, ensuring that it would last all night. Looking down at the makeshift bed where Erin was watching me, I suddenly felt incredibly shy and anxious. I took my sweater and pants off as quickly as I could and set them on a chair before crawling under the blankets next to her. I didn't want to be presumptuous, so I stayed as far over to one side as I could. I had just settled in when I heard Erin's soft voice from behind me. "You can come a little closer. I won't bite, you know." My brain froze with indecision, but my heart knew the score and it started beating at a furious rate. I heard her shifting behind me, and I felt an arm wrap itself around my chest. My senses were on fire. The faint scent of lavender from her hair washed over me like a field of wildflowers. "Was everyone safe when you made your patrol?" I slowly rolled over so that my forehead was lightly touching hers, and I could see the flickering of the fire reflected in her eyes. "I know it's silly, but I can't sleep until I know that everyone I love is safe. Even when she is away at college, Alison texts me each night to let me know she is okay. I will make another round later after I stoke the fire." "It's not silly at all; I feel safe when I'm with you too. Why don't you tell me your story, Davis Crawford." She must have felt me stiffen, and she started to lightly brush her fingertips through the hair on the back of my neck. "You don't have to if you're not comfortable with me yet, but I would like to hear it someday when you're ready." We sat in silence for another few minutes, while the tension slowly drained from my body. It had been over 15 years; since before the drugs and alcohol got too bad with my mother; since someone had touched me with kindness and love, and I was helpless before the gentle onslaught of Erin's fingers. Eventually, I started talking. "Things weren't always bad with Mom; I remember there being more laughter than anger when I was little. She was very beautiful, and there was a procession of men in her life, even back then, but most of them treated me well. I guess they wanted to make a good impression on her. When I was four or five, though, she took up with a man from a rougher crowd. She started in with the drinking and drugs, and they never really stopped. She got pregnant with that man, and Alison was born. From there, it was like a rock sliding down the side of a hill. It starts slowly, but soon it's rolling downhill in leaps and bounds. "After Sharon was born, fewer men came around. My mom was still beautiful, but how many guys are interested in a single mother who has three kids from three different men? I had just turned ten when she left me in charge for the weekend and flew down to Vegas with some friends from the club where she waitressed and danced. A bit more than nine months later, she had Mary. "The one thing I can say for my mom is that she mostly managed to stay clean while she was pregnant. But once Mary arrived, the hill got steeper, and the rock started plummeting downwards. As fewer men showed an interest in her, Mom had to blame someone, and we kids were handy targets. That's when the hitting started. I learned pretty quickly that she didn't much care who she hit, so I made sure that I was always close at hand, to try and spare the little ones. If she was going to throw plates at someone, I figured it had better be me. "By the time I was 12, I was the only one caring for my siblings. When Mom came home drunk or stoned after her shift at the bar, I would steal enough of her tip money to buy food for my sisters' lunches. That was the worst of it, and I didn't think that we would make it through. I am not sure we would have without our landlord, Mr. Johnson. "He lived in the apartment below us and would take us in on the weekends when my mother was out with her boyfriends, feed us dinner, and let us watch a little television. I never found out why he lived such a lonely life, but he helped me keep our family together until I was old enough to handle things myself, so I will always be grateful to him." I could see tears starting to pool in the corner of Erin's eyes. "You don't need to hear the rest of this;" Erin stopped me mid-sentence by kissing my lips. "You never got to be a kid, Davis. My whole life I felt sorry for myself because my parents didn't want or care for me, but at least I had Gran and Grampy. You had no one." Even though we were lying on an old lumpy sleeping bag on a rough hardwood floor with only a fireplace for heat, I had never felt safer in my life than I did with her right then. To be continued in part 3. Based on a post by CleverGenericName, in 4 parts, for Literotica.
Michigan Weather and Women: Part 2 Dancing, and other forms of sentimentality. Based on a post by CleverGenericName, in 4 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Connected. As we finished the prep work, I asked Wilma about her day with Mary. "She is a good kid but is carrying a lot of anger and shame. We spent most of the day getting in touch with that anger. It takes some people years before they can express their emotions through art; it took her about five minutes. But we had to take some breaks to clean up the paint splatters afterward before they stained." "Oh shit! Sorry about that. I can pay to replace anything that;" "Nothing to apologize for; I asked her to express how she felt, and she did it in the way that felt right to her." "Well, I appreciate your taking the time. I am just her big brother; I feel so lost when it comes to parenting." "Being a parent doesn't mean that you know any more than anyone else, and it certainly doesn't mean that you know any better. For what it's worth, I think you are doing a fine job with your family. I know that you don't have your parents around to say it, but this old woman is mighty proud of who you are and of how you have stepped up for your brother and sisters. They are very lucky to have you." I turned away so that Wilma wouldn't see me getting choked up. I couldn't remember the last time that someone had said they were proud of me. Soon enough, though, it was dinner time, and Erin came into the kitchen with that same look of amusement on her face. "Sorry to bother the chef, but Lane needs some help that only a big brother can provide." When I gave her a quizzical look, she blushed. "It seems like he is going through puberty, which can pose; some new challenges. When I was assessing his ankle, he; well, indicated his interest in me in a way that can be difficult to hide, particularly while wearing sweatpants. It's natural for his body to react that way at that age, and it's nothing for him to feel badly about, but he was mortified. I think he could use a bit of brotherly guidance and understanding." I went to the living room and saw that Lane was curled up on the couch and looked like he was fighting back tears. "How are you doing, Buddy?" He couldn't even look at me he was so embarrassed. "I am so sorry; I just couldn't help it. I don't know why it started to get bigger, and I wanted it to stop, and it wouldn't and then she saw me, and;" he continued as he fought back a sob. "Can we just go home?" "Erin is a doctor. She knows how the human body works and has seen that kind of thing a hundred times. She isn't mad at you or embarrassed. She just feels bad that you feel so bad. This is just part of getting older and growing up. "Did I ever tell you about what happened in Miss Iron's class when I was a freshman? Miss Iron was a bit of a legend among the male students at our local high school. She was the youngest and prettiest teacher, by far, and even though she always dressed professionally, the clothing style had yet to be invented that could fully conceal her bountiful natural endowment. "Well, I liked Miss Irons a lot. She was one of the few teachers who looked past my difficulty with reading and writing. So, I developed a little crush on her, which was fine until the inevitable; hmm, physical demonstration of my crush; happened in class one day, just before she asked me to collect everyone's quizzes. I tried to delay, I tried to ask a friend to do it instead, but eventually, I had to stand up. It took me until my junior year to live that one down." As Lane listened to my story, he turned to face me and his second-hand embarrassment for me helped to push his embarrassment to the side. "So, what happened?" "Miss Irons was lovely and kind like she always was, but I wanted the floor to open up and swallow me or to get hit by a bolt of lightning. Things would have been fine if she hadn't mentioned what happened to the principal, who called Mom. She didn't find the story funny at all." I hadn't thought of the aftermath when I started telling Lane this particular story, but as they say, might as well put it in four-wheel drive and keep going. "Mom was mad?" "By then, Mom was pretty much always angry. I did my best to keep her away from you and the girls when she got that way, but yeah; she was mad." "Are you mad at me?" "No, Bud, I'm not. In a few years, once your embarrassment has died down a little, I will tease you mercilessly about this because that's what brothers do; and maybe threaten to tell your girlfriend, if you fall behind on your chores or homework. But I will never get mad at you for something that you can't control. And I promise that Erin isn't mad at you either." Just then, Mary poked her head in to tell us that dinner was on the table. "Are you safe now, or do you need a few more minutes." "I'm good. Thanks, Dad." After I helped Lane hobble into the dining room, we got down to the business of eating and teasing each other, but not necessarily in that order. It felt good; almost like what I imagined a real family would feel like. Eventually, the conversation turned to more serious matters, though, and Erin led off the questions. "So, how do you know Gran, and why are you wearing Grampy's favorite sweater? And, for what it's worth, I don't remember him filling it out in quite the way that you do." I blushed a bit as Wilma jumped in. "If Phillip had filled out that sweater like young Davis here, it wouldn't have stayed on him for very long, I can tell you that." "Gran!" Erin exclaimed, laughing while sounding scandalized. "I didn't need that mental image. Heck, none of us needed that mental image." "Oh, don't you worry, Dear. He still filled it out well enough, and it looked equally good on our bedroom floor." We were pretty much all blushing at that point, which I think was Wilma's objective, so I quickly changed the topic. "I am just your mother's plumber. I came out to fix her boiler and then finished the job earlier this week when a couple of parts came in that I needed." Wilma jumped in at that point and added her two cents to my story. "He also brought me my groceries and we had a lovely conversation. He is a real Renaissance gentleman, a rarity these days." Erin looked grateful but concerned. "Did you have enough money to cover the bill, Gran? You know I can help if you need;" I tried to jump in before Wilma could reply. "No need to worry, the bill was paid in full;" "Hogwash," Wilma exclaimed as I tried to finish, turning to Mary before she continued. "Your brother wouldn't let me pay him a cent for the work that he did. Not even for the parts that needed to be replaced! He is a very nice boy but a terrible businessman." I turned to Erin for support. "I figured your Gran has enough going on right now with her health and all. It was the least I could do to help her out." Erin looked at me with a strange expression on her face. I didn't have much experience with women, so I figured I must have made her angry somehow. Most of my interactions with women, including my sisters, seemed to end with them being upset with me for one reason or another, but she didn't sound angry when she spoke. "Thank you, Davis, that was very sweet of you." "Yeah, well; you see, it's just; pass the fish, please." "That still doesn't explain why you're wearing Grampy's favorite sweater. When I was a little girl, I used to curl up in Grampy's lap and snuggle into that sweater as he read to me. He was wearing it when I danced my first dance with him in front of the fireplace. Do you remember that old record player, Gran? You used to bring it out and we would waltz around the living room to Moon River." "I still have that record player here somewhere, let me go see if I can find it." Erin started to protest, but it was too late. "To finish answering your question, Erin, we were here today because your Gran offered to mentor Mary. I tried to politely decline, but your Gran is pretty persistent when she wants to be." "That sounds like Gran. Most of the time when she makes a suggestion, it is really a command." "While we are asking questions, how is Lane's ankle?" "It's pretty badly sprained, and he will need to use crutches to walk for the next couple of weeks. You should bring him to the hospital to get some X-rays done as well, to make sure that he doesn't have any fractures." I could feel myself deflate as she mentioned X-rays. "I'm not trying to be cheap, but are the X-rays absolutely necessary? We don't have the best insurance; we got it through the exchange. I guess it's better than nothing, but the deductible is pretty high, and my other sister, Alison, her college tuition is due soon. But if you say it's important, I will put in some extra hours to make it work." It didn't usually bother me that we were poor. Heck, most everyone we knew, except the McDougals, was poor. But it hit home when you had to tell a beautiful doctor with bright amber eyes that you couldn't afford an X-ray for your little brother unless it was urgent. "Tell you what. I will be working at the hospital in Petoskey tomorrow, so why don't you bring Lane by, and I will take care of him? I will make sure that he gets a pair of loaner crutches for as long as he needs them." "You don't need to do that for us." Erin gave me another one of her looks, this one I was more familiar with; I was pretty sure it was annoyance. "So, just to be clear, you can look after my Gran, fix her boiler for free, and bring her groceries whenever you feel like it, but I can't look after your brother and make sure that his ankle is treated properly?" "Well, when you put it that way, I sound like a bit of a jackass. I'm sorry." "Apology accepted. Come by the hospital at 11 AM tomorrow." Before we could continue, the sound of a 45 playing on an old record player filled the house. You could hear the hisses and pops before Ella Fitzgerald's voice began to sing "Dream a Little Dream of Me." Chapter 3. We got up from the table and followed the music back to the living room. I helped Lane out of his chair while he half-hobbled and half-hopped along beside me. Wilma had set her ancient record player up in the corner beside a stack of old 45s, and she had a faraway look in her eyes as she looked out the picture window toward the lake. "I think it's time for me to ask the prettiest girl in the place to dance," I said, as my eyes swept across the room. "But unfortunately, it's a three-way tie. So, will you do me the honor?" I said as I held out my hand to Wilma. "I haven't danced since Phillip passed. You know, we used to dance together every Friday night. It didn't matter where we were or what we were doing, we would always make time to dance at least one song together, even if the music was only in our heads." "I imagine I will be a pretty poor partner compared to Phillip, but I will try not to step on your toes." Wilma and I ended up dancing a slow foxtrot to "Unforgettable" by Nat King Cole. She smiled at me as we slowly circled the living room. "You're a very good dancer, young man." "Our mother taught me when I was very young." Before she began with the drugs and men, our mother had been a showgirl in New York and then Las Vegas. When she got pregnant with me, she moved back to Mackinaw City and started teaching ballroom dancing at a local studio. By the time I was five, I was her practice partner of choice, and she always insisted that I lead, despite being only half her size. "The man always leads, Darling, that's just the way of the world." I was hardly a man at the time, but I never disagreed with my mother when she was in a good mood, because I knew it could shift in an instant. So, I learned to dance, and I learned to lead. The memories came flooding back as I guided Wilma into a soft over-sway, and she smiled with delight. "Oh my, you do know how to dance!" I couldn't help but smile back. "I can't take all the credit. I think Phillip must have infused this sweater with his fancy footwork." As the song ended, I took a step back and did my best to give Wilma a gracious bow. "It was a pleasure dancing with you, my lady." "The pleasure was all mine, good sir." I turned toward Mary and held out my hand. She hesitated before Wilma declared, "There are no wallflowers in this house." Mary slowly stood but looked anxious as I took her hand. "Davis, I don't know how to dance. Mom was; she was too far gone to teach me by the time I was old enough to learn." "That's okay," I reassured her. "If there is anything that Mom made sure of, it's that I know how to lead. Just relax, and I will guide you through it." Wilma helped Lane, who had taken over as DJ, to choose a slower song so that Mary would feel more comfortable, and I heard the opening bars of "What a Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong. I started to lead Mary through a slow rumba, and she picked up the steps very quickly. She was a natural. I felt a sudden stab of regret as we moved together across the floor. "I'm sorry. I should have made time to teach you to dance. But the last few years, it has just taken everything I have to keep us;" "It's alright. You've had other things on your mind. And look; you are teaching me how to dance, now." As Mary grew more confident, I guided her through a simple underarm turn, and we ended with a dip, which made her giggle and earned a round of applause from the others. Finally, I turned to Erin, who was sitting on the couch beside Lane. I suddenly felt very shy and, for the first time that evening, she looked nervous as well. "Would you dance with me, Erin?" She didn't reply but stood and took my hand. We waited for a moment while Wilma and Lane chose a new 45 and then listened to the pop and hiss as it started to play. Soon, an alto saxophone introduced the Henri Mancini version of "Moon River," and we started a slow waltz. Although there was space between us, it was bridged by an electric charge that connected and drew us together. Even though I spent most of the dance looking over Erin's shoulder, every detail of her beauty was etched in my memory, and I felt a warm breeze pass between us, raising goosebumps on my skin. We barely noticed the pause as the song ended, and a new one began until Etta James began to sing. At last, my love has come along My lonely days are over And life is like a song The song was in 4/4 time, so I switched to a foxtrot and Erin followed as we glided across the smooth wood of the living room floor. I was so caught up in the moment, and in Erin, that I led her through a turn that transitioned into an over sway, before I stepped backward, allowing her to gently pivot into me. Our eyes met and I was lost in them again. Before we could break the spell, a heavy gust of wind shook the house, and the power flickered out. The room went dark, which sharpened my remaining senses. Suddenly, the warmth of Erin's breath on my neck felt like wildfire across my skin. We were motionless for a three-heartbeat eternity before the lights flickered and came back on. I let go of Erin and felt all of my longing and awkwardness rush back in. "Thank you, Erin. That was;" I couldn't finish; words didn't seem enough to express how I felt. "I should check the breakers and make sure that everything is alright, and then we should go. Why don't I wash these clothes and drop them back for you later." Wilma just smiled and shook her head. "If you like them, please keep them. Otherwise, they will just grow old and musty like me." A little while later, we said our goodbyes, but I promised to bring Lane to the hospital the next morning. Wilma told Mary that she would see her on Wednesday after school and again the next Sunday. I was expecting Mary to protest, but she just gave a meek, "Yes, Wilma." I was nervous when I took Lane to the hospital the next day. The deductible on our insurance was high enough that we paid for pretty much anything less serious than a severed limb out of pocket. Erin, however, was as good as her word. After the X-ray confirmed that there were no breaks or fractures in the bones around his ankle, she re-wrapped it and arranged for a pair of loaner crutches that he could use for as long as he needed them. Before we left, Erin asked me if I wanted to grab a coffee in the cafeteria, to which I readily agreed. I gave my phone to Lane so he could amuse himself while Erin and I talked. "I just wanted to say how much I appreciate what you did for Gran. I do what I can, but I spend half my time at the Children's Hospital down in Grand Rapids right now and I am often on call while I am here. I just don't have the time to give her the help that she needs." "Honestly, it's no big deal. I do a lot of work around Good Hart since the bigger plumbing companies don't like to travel that far, so I don't mind looking in on her while I am there. And she seems to have taken a real interest in Mary, so the least I can do is to bring her some groceries and help around the place a bit." Erin pursed her lips and looked like she had just bitten into a lemon. "The 'least you can do' is more than the rest of our family can be bothered to do put together, so thank you." "I meant to ask you about that. What did your Gran do to end up so isolated from the rest of your family?" "The rest of my family is; there is no nice way to put it, they're snobs. None of them have any interest in spending time 'up north' as they call it, and they can't wait for Gran to move into a retirement home and die so they can get their money and forget about this place. That's why no one comes to visit Gran anymore, even for Thanksgiving; it's part of their campaign to convince her to sell her land to the McDougals. Before you came along, I thought they were going to succeed." "Well, excuse my language, but fuck them. I don't know Wilma that well, but I will do what I can to make sure that she gets to spend her remaining days in the place that she loves." "That's easy to say, but harder to do once the McDougals and their minions start coming by your place, offering you money and making threats unless you back off." "Well, if they do, they will find out what every teacher who ever taught me learned the hard way. I am bad at taking orders and even worse at following instructions. I am not afraid of the McDougal boys." My exclamation brought a smile to Erin's pretty face. I decided that I would be willing to do quite a lot to see that smile on her face again. But there was one thing I still didn't understand. "Why aren't you on board with the rest of your family? You must be under a lot of pressure to abandon your Gran like the rest of them." "My father, Gran's youngest son, Max, died shortly after I was born, and my mother moved the family to California where she remarried into a family that had a little money but a great deal of pretension and ambition. My mother picked up that insatiable need for money and status like it was a virus. "When I was a child, my mother and stepfather spent summers and holidays traveling the world, staying in places where children weren't welcome. Although they wanted nothing to do with Gran and Grampy and their 'vermin-filled shack in the middle of nowhere', they were more than happy to leave me with them while they were away. "They would put me on a plane to Grand Rapids while they jetted off to their spas and their fine dining. Gran and Grampy were the only people who cared for me, and they became my whole world. "When I was 14, I was staying with Gran and Grampy, and I caught a fever that was so bad that I nearly died. It was a pretty grim time. My parents even thought about flying home from Monaco to be with me. They didn't, but it was the only time in my entire childhood that they considered it. But I will always remember how kind the doctors and nurses were to me when I was sick. That's why I became a pediatrician and moved home." "Isn't California home?" "Home is where the people that you love are, and so this will always be my home. Or it will be until Gran passes on, anyway." We sat in silence for a while, sipping our coffee. Before long, it was time for me to go. "This might sound crazy, but since the rest of your family aren't going to be here to celebrate Thanksgiving with your Gran, how about you and I try to give her one more Thanksgiving to remember." Erin brightened at the idea, and the smile returned to her face. "That would be amazing! Why don't I give you my number, and we can figure out how to make it happen!" Chapter 4. For the next few weeks, Mary continued to meet with Wilma on Wednesdays and Sundays. I would often take the opportunity to bring her groceries or other supplies while I dropped Mary off and, if the weather was agreeable, do some fishing. Once he could walk without crutches, Lane came along as well, in quest of another monster steelhead. Unfortunately, all he caught was some yellow perch and rock bass, but it was nice to spend the day with him down on the dock. I saw Erin a few times at Wilma's as we made plans for Thanksgiving. She seemed to particularly enjoy talking with me while I split firewood out by the shed. It was hard work, and I was often drenched with sweat by the time I was done, but she didn't seem to mind. And she worked while we talked, helping to stack the larger pieces and collecting the smaller ones for kindling. The one point of contention in our plan was how Erin would get to Wilma's on Thanksgiving Day. She was slated to work a 12-hour shift the evening before, ending at seven in the morning, and she worried that if she went home to rest, she would sleep through the entire day. Her solution was to drive out to Wilma's after her shift and catch a few hours of sleep when she got there. I thought that driving that far after working all night seemed like a terrible idea, so I offered to give her a ride instead. She did not like that one bit. "I don't want you to make an extra trip when I am perfectly capable of driving myself." It sounded like she was digging in for a fight, so I tried a different tactic to convince her. "I need to stop at the hospital anyway, to return Lane's crutches. I can kill two birds with one stone and pick you up at the same time." She didn't buy that rationale either so, reluctantly, I resorted to the truth. "I am sure you're a great driver, but if you drive yourself, I will be up that morning anyway, worrying that you are safe. I know it doesn't make sense, but I have been looking after my siblings for so long its second nature for me to worry, and I can't seem to turn it off. So please, let me pick you up. But for me, not for you. And do you know how rarely I get to be gallant these days? I will feel like your knight in shining armor." That finally got a laugh from Erin. "Alright, you win. Why don't you pick me up at 7:15 at the hospital? You can sweep me up onto your trusty steed and carry me away to Gran's house." "If by trusty steed you mean rusty old GMC truck, then it's a deal." The morning of Thanksgiving dawned chilly and gray, with a cold wind blowing in off the lake. I was up early to make sure that I made it to the hospital on time, and I was listening to the local AM country station as I drove when the DJ started his break. "A happy Thanksgiving to all our listeners. If you're on the roads today, be aware that there is a severe weather warning in effect for the area north of Cadillac and into the upper peninsula. We're expecting a combination of high winds and lake-effect snow to make driving hazardous, and you should be prepared for possible power interruptions and outages." I was relieved that Erin had agreed to let me pick her up and that I had invested in good snow tires for my pickup. The snow had already started by the time I reached the hospital, and I pulled my jacket tightly around me as I went inside. I dropped Lane's crutches with the duty nurse and waited for several minutes before Erin arrived. She looked exhausted, and the gentle smile that I loved was nowhere in evidence. "Hey, Erin. Are you okay?" "I'm fine. I just had a long shift, but I am ready to head out." She came up to me and gave me a hesitant look. "Actually, I could really use a hug if that's alright." Without a word, I wrapped my arms around her, and she buried her face in my sweater. Hidden from the world by the folds of my jacket, I felt her body start to shake. The tremors lasted for a minute before they gentled and then finally stopped. I looked out the window at the falling snow to give her a moment to compose herself. "Let's head to Gran's house. This weather isn't going to get better any time soon." With that, we got in my truck and started the drive up to Good Hart. Erin sat in silence and looked out the window. "If you want to talk, I probably can't help with doctor problems; but I am a good listener." It took Erin a minute before she opened up. "Most of the time, I love being a pediatrician. Kids come to me scared and in pain, and I help them to get better. But sometimes, it's just too much. Around midnight last night, an ambulance brought in a mother and daughter. Her boyfriend had been drinking; and he got violent. The little girl tried to protect her mother and; and; "It's one thing to treat a grown woman, you know. I mean it's still pretty bad, but; that little girl. Fuck. One thing I've learned from this job is that monsters are real." I wanted to give Erin another hug, but since I was driving, I just reached over to take her hand. "I'm sorry." My words seemed so incredibly inadequate; considering what she had just dealt with; but she squeezed my hand. "Thanks for listening." We drove on in silence, and by the time we pulled into Wilma's laneway, Erin was gently snoring with her head against the window. I stopped as close as I could to the house before lifting her out of the cab. She tucked her head into my shoulder, and I carried her inside, where Wilma was already busy in the kitchen. She came out to greet us, and I spoke to her in a low voice. "Erin had a very tough night. I think some rest will do her a world of good." Wilma helped Erin out of her boots and coat and then showed us through to the guest bedroom, where I laid Erin on the bed. The room was filled with pictures of Erin from when she was younger; standing on the dock with an older but handsome man who I guessed must be Phillip, curled up in a ball on the sofa, book in hand, and smiling in her cap and gown as she graduated. In each picture, I could see hints of the beautiful woman she would become. By the time I returned with the rest of my family, the storm had begun to pick up. Snow drifts were accumulating against the house and shed, so we brought everything with us into the house that we might need for the evening. It took some convincing, but Sharon and I took over in the kitchen while Wilma, Alison, Mary, and Lane started a game of Scrabble in the living room. Once the preparations were well underway, I laid in as much wood for the fireplace as I could. With the high winds and heavy snow, I was worried that we might lose power, and I wanted to make sure that we prepared, just in case. The radiators and boiler would provide almost no heat if there was a prolonged power outage, but the fireplace had a high-efficiency insert that would keep the house warm, as long as we built up a good bed of coals. Lane insisted on helping me with the firewood, and after a half dozen trips to the woodshed and back, we both looked like live-action versions of the abominable snowman. Wilma showed some sympathy for our plight, while our sisters had a good-natured laugh at our expense. By the early afternoon, dinner was almost ready, and Wilma sent me to wake Erin. She had barely moved since I had tucked her in and seemed so peaceful in her sleep. I leaned over and spoke softly to her until she opened her eyes. After a moment of confusion, she broke into a shy smile. "I guess we made it to Gran's." "That we did, we got here close to six hours ago." Her eyes flew open, and she tried to get up until I reassured her. "We've got things under control. Dinner will be ready in about twenty minutes. Take your time; and maybe give yourself a few minutes for that pillow line on your cheek to fade." I turned to leave, so she could have some privacy, but she reached out and took my hand. "I just wanted to say thank you again for earlier. I am not used to having someone I can talk to; someone I can trust. It's only been Gran and Grampy, and me for so long, and I didn't want to burden them. But I shouldn't have dumped my troubles on you like that, we barely know each other." "I was just glad that you felt comfortable enough to share how you felt with me. Today was probably the worst day of that little girl's life. I am sure she was terrified, confused, and in a lot of pain. But what she'll remember is the angel who comforted her and treated her with kindness and love. "I need to get back to the kitchen, or I will burn something. Fair warning, this is my first time cooking a Thanksgiving turkey, so you may want to load your plate up with fixings and sides, just in case." As it turned out, the turkey wasn't perfect, but it wasn't that bad, and the gravy was tasty as heck (probably because Wilma made it.) We had mashed potatoes, stuffing, corn, and peas as sides, with the obligatory cranberry sauce (from a can). The conversation at dinner was a chaotic mixture of laughter, stories, and the kind of teasing that you only get when you bring five siblings together over a hearty meal. It didn't take Erin long to choose a side in the battle of the siblings, and soon, it was the four girls against Lane and me, with Wilma as our impartial referee. I don't know how Lane felt, but for me, it was worth being ganged up on just to see Erin and my sisters smiling and laughing. Although he tried to hide it, it was clear that Lane still had a bit of a crush on Erin, so I imagined that he was just fine with making her smile as well. For dessert, Erin brought pumpkin and apple pies that she had bought at the bakery in Petoskey, which we ate with some vanilla ice cream from the local creamery. I was sure there would be some dessert left over, given the amount that we all ate for dinner, but somehow, we finished it all. Everyone pitched in with the dishes and then we moved to the living room where we played cards and some more board games. As we played, Mary asked Wilma about some of her more memorable Thanksgivings, and she got a faraway smile. For the next hour, she regaled us with stories of humble times with the kids by the lake and, in later days, fancier celebrations with some of the families that Phillip befriended while they sat for portraits. As our last game of Scrabble ended, Sharon looked at Wilma with a mischievous grin. "Mary was telling me about the dance party that you had a few weeks ago here in your living room. Rumor has it that my big brother can dance! I was hoping, if you asked him nicely, that we could all see him in action." Wilma got up from her chair and started to move toward the hall closet. "Lane, come along and help, please. I am far too old to be carting around a heavy record player." Lane hopped up and went to help Wilma, while the rest of us began to move the furniture out of the way. As Lane set up, Wilma admonished the rest of us. "Remember, there is only one rule about dancing in my house: no wallflowers." With that, Lane started the first song, and I asked Wilma to dance. Alison followed suit, asking Lane to dance, and soon she was teaching him how to lead. Finally, Erin stood as well and gave a deep bow to Mary. "It would be my honor, enchanting lady, if I could have this dance." With a laugh, Mary stood, and soon we were all moving around the room, trying not to bump into each other or step on each other's toes. For the next hour, we danced, laughed, and pretty much forgot about the world outside. Lane even got up the courage to dance with Erin, although he stayed so far away from her that you would have thought she was radioactive. I took a couple of turns with Erin and was amazed at the way she melted into my arms. When we danced, there was a wave of knowing smirks from my sisters and a pleased smile from Wilma, but I didn't care. I could have danced with her all night. Unfortunately, during my third dance with Erin, the real world decided to interrupt our festivities. Erin and I had just started a turn when the power went out. I instinctively pulled Erin into my arms to protect her, and then I leaned in through the darkness and kissed her. She returned the kiss, ran her hand through my hair, and let out a small moan. "Do you think the power will come back on?" Lane's question cut through the fog of my lust and longing. "Probably not until sometime after the storm has passed. So, we should all plan on spending the night here and then figuring things out in the morning." With Wilma's agreement, we got settled in for the evening. After some protest, Wilma agreed to sleep in the guest room since it had a direct line of sight to the thermoelectric stove fan that helped circulate the heat from the fireplace. My three sisters slept in Wilma's bed, both to share body heat and because it was the larger of the two beds in the house. Lane slept on the couch, while Erin and I slept on the floor in front of the fireplace. Erin laid out an older sleeping bag, for comfort, with some bedding and blankets on top. In deference to Lane, she waited until she was under the blankets before she shimmied off her pants, while I stoked the fireplace. I made one more pass through the house, to check on Wilma and my sisters, but it seemed they had already fallen asleep. Even Lane had passed right out, despite his proximity to the pants-less Erin. I set a quiet alarm on my phone for two-hour intervals so that I could get up and add wood to the fire, ensuring that it would last all night. Looking down at the makeshift bed where Erin was watching me, I suddenly felt incredibly shy and anxious. I took my sweater and pants off as quickly as I could and set them on a chair before crawling under the blankets next to her. I didn't want to be presumptuous, so I stayed as far over to one side as I could. I had just settled in when I heard Erin's soft voice from behind me. "You can come a little closer. I won't bite, you know." My brain froze with indecision, but my heart knew the score and it started beating at a furious rate. I heard her shifting behind me, and I felt an arm wrap itself around my chest. My senses were on fire. The faint scent of lavender from her hair washed over me like a field of wildflowers. "Was everyone safe when you made your patrol?" I slowly rolled over so that my forehead was lightly touching hers, and I could see the flickering of the fire reflected in her eyes. "I know it's silly, but I can't sleep until I know that everyone I love is safe. Even when she is away at college, Alison texts me each night to let me know she is okay. I will make another round later after I stoke the fire." "It's not silly at all; I feel safe when I'm with you too. Why don't you tell me your story, Davis Crawford." She must have felt me stiffen, and she started to lightly brush her fingertips through the hair on the back of my neck. "You don't have to if you're not comfortable with me yet, but I would like to hear it someday when you're ready." We sat in silence for another few minutes, while the tension slowly drained from my body. It had been over 15 years; since before the drugs and alcohol got too bad with my mother; since someone had touched me with kindness and love, and I was helpless before the gentle onslaught of Erin's fingers. Eventually, I started talking. "Things weren't always bad with Mom; I remember there being more laughter than anger when I was little. She was very beautiful, and there was a procession of men in her life, even back then, but most of them treated me well. I guess they wanted to make a good impression on her. When I was four or five, though, she took up with a man from a rougher crowd. She started in with the drinking and drugs, and they never really stopped. She got pregnant with that man, and Alison was born. From there, it was like a rock sliding down the side of a hill. It starts slowly, but soon it's rolling downhill in leaps and bounds. "After Sharon was born, fewer men came around. My mom was still beautiful, but how many guys are interested in a single mother who has three kids from three different men? I had just turned ten when she left me in charge for the weekend and flew down to Vegas with some friends from the club where she waitressed and danced. A bit more than nine months later, she had Mary. "The one thing I can say for my mom is that she mostly managed to stay clean while she was pregnant. But once Mary arrived, the hill got steeper, and the rock started plummeting downwards. As fewer men showed an interest in her, Mom had to blame someone, and we kids were handy targets. That's when the hitting started. I learned pretty quickly that she didn't much care who she hit, so I made sure that I was always close at hand, to try and spare the little ones. If she was going to throw plates at someone, I figured it had better be me. "By the time I was 12, I was the only one caring for my siblings. When Mom came home drunk or stoned after her shift at the bar, I would steal enough of her tip money to buy food for my sisters' lunches. That was the worst of it, and I didn't think that we would make it through. I am not sure we would have without our landlord, Mr. Johnson. "He lived in the apartment below us and would take us in on the weekends when my mother was out with her boyfriends, feed us dinner, and let us watch a little television. I never found out why he lived such a lonely life, but he helped me keep our family together until I was old enough to handle things myself, so I will always be grateful to him." I could see tears starting to pool in the corner of Erin's eyes. "You don't need to hear the rest of this;" Erin stopped me mid-sentence by kissing my lips. "You never got to be a kid, Davis. My whole life I felt sorry for myself because my parents didn't want or care for me, but at least I had Gran and Grampy. You had no one." Even though we were lying on an old lumpy sleeping bag on a rough hardwood floor with only a fireplace for heat, I had never felt safer in my life than I did with her right then. To be continued in part 3. Based on a post by CleverGenericName, in 4 parts, for Literotica.
A Big Mess in Texas: The Miraculous, Disastrous 1952 Dallas Texans and the Craziest Untold Story in NFL History by David Fleming https://www.amazon.com/Big-Mess-Texas-Miraculous-Disastrous/dp/1250374308 Flemfile.com The incredible, untold true story of the 1952 Dallas Texans―the most dysfunctional team in the craziest season in NFL history. Rattlesnakes on the practice field, barroom brawls between teammates, bounced checks, paternity suits, house bombings by the Ku Klux Klan, stadium fields covered in circus-elephant dung, one-legged trainers, humiliating defeats, miraculous wins, All-Pro quarterbacks getting drunk at halftime, strip poker with groupies, and even a future Hall of Fame coach stealing a cab. Nearly lost to history, this singular season in the most football-mad region of the world is a kaleidoscope of every larger-than-life, fictionalized Texas football folktale ever written or filmed, with one incredible twist: it’s all true. Over a fascinating, ten-month rollercoaster ride in 1952, in the waning Wild West days of the NFL, before television turned the game into a corporation, the forgotten Dallas Texans would go down in history as one of the worst (and, wildest) teams of all time and the last NFL team to fail. But not before defying the Jim Crow South, pulling off a Thanksgiving Day miracle against George Halas's famed Chicago Bears and then celebrating with an even more infamous bender that would make Jimmy Johnson's Dallas Cowboys blush. A year later, the NFL buried all traces of the most loveable, dysfunctional, entertaining team in history by secretly rebranding the train wreck Texans as the wholesome, all-American Baltimore Colts, the team that would go on to save pro football. A Big Mess in Texas tells the Texans' tale with all the humor, drama, game action, colorful characters, villains, world-class athletes, civil rights trailblazers, and incredible plot twists of that legendary season.
Our first responsibility is to say “thank you.” The highest and greatest way that we do this is by celebrating the Eucharist.
This week Mike sits down with entrepreneur Chuck Cuda—a man who transformed a life-altering setback into a multimillion-dollar comeback. Chuck's journey begins with a single decision that landed him in prison after he refused to testify against friends in an illegal sports-betting case. But it was in a prison cell on Thanksgiving Day where he experienced the wake-up call that reshaped his entire life. From that moment, accountability became his superpower. Chuck rebuilt everything from the ground up. He went on to close over $200 million in commercial real estate deals, mastering the fundamentals of discipline, prospecting, and relationship-driven success. His ambition then carried him into the fast-evolving cannabis industry, where he expanded an operation from 5 to 22 licenses across three states—turning major financial challenges into profitability. Driven by purpose, Chuck also shares his passion for philanthropy, inspired by his father's battle with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Through the OPES Charitable Foundation, he has helped raise more than $3 million for cancer research. His daily affirmations, leadership philosophy, and belief in limitless potential offer a blueprint for anyone looking to rebuild their life or elevate their mindset. IN THIS EPISODE:
courtneyg@pixietravelco.comKelsey's family of five, her sister's family of four, and their parents spent the week of Thanksgiving in Orlando in November 2025 with kids ages 4–13, all sharing a gorgeous house at Evermore Resort as their home base. In Part 1, Kelsey recapped Epic Universe, Universal Studios & Islands of Adventure. In Part 2, she's recapping Magic Kingdom, and Epcot — plus their off day / resort day on Thanksgiving, complete with an amazing holiday meal at Evermore. She shares Lightning Lane tips, favorite food and drink finds from Epcot's Festival of the Holidays, the entire group's first Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party, and all the reasons Disney World at Christmastime felt absolutely magical (including a few tears of the joy over her love of family travel).If you'd like to share about your trip on the podcast, email me at: kelsey@triptalespodcast.comBuy Me A Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/kelseygravesFollow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kelsey_gravesFollow me on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mskelseygravesJoin us in the Trip Tales Podcast Community Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1323687329158879Mentioned in this episode: - Kelsey's COMFRT Hoodie 15% off discount link: https://comfrt.com/KELSEY279- Disney Planner: Courtney Gibson (courtneyg@pixietravelco.com) and on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pixietravelbycourtney/- Magic Kingdom: Fantasyland, Dumbo, Barnstormer, Peter Pan, Mirabel from Encanto, Storybook Circus, The Little Mermaid, It's a Small World, HIGHLIGHT: Enchanted Tales with Belle, Sword and the Stone, Pinocchio Village Haus, Haunter Mansion, Tiana's Bayou, Tony's Town Square- Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party: Free Christmas cookies, ornament keepsake, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Tron, Tomorrowland Speedway, Minnie's Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks- Thanksgiving Day at Evermore Resort: Thanksgiving Meal at Evermore's Boat House, pool, waterslide, rope swing, hair braiding, trivia, flag football, stand up paddle boards, kayaks- Epcot: Joffrey's coffee, La Crêperie de Paris, Remy's Ratatouille Adventure, Frozen Ever After, Space 220, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, Journey of Water (Inspired by Moana), Soarin, Test Track, Living with the Land, Figmemt, World Showcase: China, Mexico, Germany (Bavarian Food Stand), ItalyTrip Tales is a travel podcast sharing real vacation stories and trip itineraries for family travel, couples getaways, cruises, and all-inclusive resorts. Popular episodes feature destinations like Marco Island Florida, Costa Rica with kids, Disney Cruise Line, Disney Aulani in Hawaii, Beaches Turks & Caicos, Park City ski trips, Aruba, Italy, Ireland, Portugal's Azores, New York City, Alaska cruises, and U.S. National Parks. Listeners get real travel tips, itinerary recommendations, hotel reviews, restaurant recommendations, and inspiration for planning their next vacation, especially when traveling with kids.
Nelson and Alexandra wrap up Season 3 with a look back at the wonderful conversations they've had this year.LISTEN AGAIN TO ~The Amazon Prime release of Ship of Dreams: Titanic Movie Diaries The release of Nelson's book Kindred Spirits: A Titanic TaleTitanic exhibition organizer, Joe GoldAuthor of The Six, Steven SchwankertSpecial Round table episode on The Queen Mary for the 113th AnniversaryTitanic actress Fannie Brett Brittany Butler and Zach Douglas musing on Rose's life post Jack/Titanic and before she met Brock in an episode called 'Rose's Heart Will Go On'The recovery of bodies with death care expert, Clinton BonelliDavid Scott-Beddard of the British Titanic Society Kelly Skwarkan on the failed of leadership of the captain of the CalifornianDan E Parkes author. The Captain, The Daughter & the SpyAlex 0wens-Sarno - Cora in TitanicWe took time to remember one of our Titanic family who passed away on Thanksgiving Day. Ellen Mower O'Brien is the frozen Mother with Baby in James Cameron's film. Here's a link to her Go Fund MeSHIP OF DREAMS: TITANIC MOVIE DIARIES is on Amazon Prime, Apple TV etc DVD available on Amazon LINKS ~shipofdreamsfilm.com Facebook TikTok @titanic_talk_podcastYouTube...
Director David Gelb's documentary about a tiny, austere sushi joint and its perfectionist chef defined a food-film style... and set off an international omakase craze. Gelb tells Rico the story, and also how he gets his kids to eat escargot (or at least try it).Just in time for holiday eat-a-thons, the award-winning MUBI Podcast is back and celebrating its tenth season with a four-course serving of stories about food on film. Titled "A Feast For The Eyes," the season digs into the ways filmmakers use food to provoke hunger, thought, nausea, political action...and sometimes all the above.Joining host Rico Gagliano is a sampler platter of luminaries from the film and culinary world, including directors Brad Bird (RATATOUILLE), Mira Nair (MONSOON WEDDING), and David Gelb (JIRO DREAMS OF SUSHI), former New York Times food writer Alison Roman, and more. Gluttons for great cinema stories can start chowing down on episodes weekly, starting Thanksgiving Day.Let's Eat! Food and Film collection is now streaming on MUBI globally.JIRO DREAMS OF SUSHI is now streaming on MUBI in the Netherlands. WINTER IN SOKCHO is now streaming on MUBI in the US, UK, Canada, Ireland, Latin America, India. and Turkey. To stream some of the films we've covered on the podcast, check out the collection Featured on the MUBI Podcast. Availability of films varies depending on your country.MUBI is a global streaming service, production company and film distributor dedicated to elevating great cinema. MUBI makes, acquires, curates, and champions extraordinary films, connecting them to audiences all over the world. A place to discover ambitious new films and singular voices, from iconic directors to emerging auteurs. Each carefully chosen by MUBI's curators.
This week we're discussing a case that took place on Thanksgiving Day in 2009. The story centers around a beautiful family who had no idea that a black sheep relative would show up and turn their wholesome celebration into a deadly nightmare. Call the Hotline: 747-322-0273 Buy my book: prh.com/obitchuary Come see me on tour: obitchuarypodcast.com Write me: spencer@cultliter.com Follow along online: instagram.com/cultliterpodcastinstagram.com/spencerhenry Join our patreon: Patreon.com/cultliter Check out my other show OBITCHUARY wherever you're listening now! Sources:https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/news/two-years-after-the-jupiter-thanksgiving-massacre/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/thanksgiving-massacre-witness-paul-merhige-ate-dinner-sang-songs-then-executed-family/https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna34227244https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/massacre-takes-sweet-makayla/18/https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/news/court-parents-not-negligent-in-thanksgiving-massacre/https://www.gainesville.com/story/news/state/2009/12/03/suspect-in-jupiter-thanksgiving-killings-still-at-large/31733085007/https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/news/thanksgiving-massacre-plea-deal-expected/https://www.palmbeachpost.com/story/news/crime/2011/09/15/lawsuit-merhige-s-parents-did/7486766007/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Send us a textWe have a jammed packed episode! First we open with the news of Netflix winning the bid to buy Warner Brothers and what this could mean for movie theaters. We share our thoughts on the new season of Stranger Things. We both have found a new show on Apple TV to binge, Pluribus. Then we play a new game on which we both pick 5 characters from movies that came out this year to put in the Thanksgiving Day parade. We move to our movie review for this year's Thanksgiving movie, Eternity. And we also review Disney's Zootopia 2. Lastly we finish the episode with a recap of actors who had the most block buster movies.
Carolina struggled on Thanksgiving Day vs. Michigan State but clearly learned some lessons that helped them to a big win against Kentucky this past week. The Heels are now 7-1 on the season with two big wins over fellow blue bloods, and now look ahead to a 1982 Natty rematch with Georgetown in Chapel Hill on Sunday. We break down all of these games, talk lineups, stat trends, and wish Jonathan a happy birthday while doing so.Follow @PointPasserPod on YouTube for new episode drops, score predictions, live game analysis, recruiting updates and more.
Keith stayed on with Richard for another hour and they were joined by some special guests for more baseball talk. They took even more of your phone calls. A great show.
Richard Neer filled in for Boomer & Gio on Thanksgiving Day and had his neighbor in for a chat. That neighbor being Keith Hernandez. They talked all things about his career and baseball and the Mets and everything you could want. They also took a bunch of your phone calls. A great conversation.
Season 9 continues with a brand-new six-part series, Social Media and You, and Izzy Baker kicks it off on Thanksgiving Day with a conversation that hits home for anyone navigating digital life in 2025. From therapy misconceptions to doomscrolling addiction, Izzy opens the series with licensed professional counselor William Sharp, known online as With the Therapist, to explore the real link between social media and mental health. This one isn't just about apps — it's about attention, identity, and the hidden ways the online world is shaping how we think, feel, and believe. Izzy begins with humor and honesty, setting the tone for a Thanksgiving special that's as relatable as it is revealing.The meme of the week reads: “After being on social media… how's your mental health?” That question drives the episode as Izzy and Will unpack why therapy isn't just “paid advice,” why so many people — especially Black men — still resist counseling, and how misunderstanding therapy keeps communities stuck in cycles of burnout and emotional isolation. Drawing from Angel Reese and Monaleo's viral conversation about therapy, Izzy challenges the myth that “therapists tell you what you want to hear,” and instead highlights how real therapy forces us to confront the truths we've been avoiding.The discussion quickly widens into the bigger picture — how the digital world has become both a tool and a trap. Izzy and Will take a hard look at the rise of AI therapy tools like ChatGPT, the increasing dependence on digital validation, and how men are using online spaces to process pain in unhealthy ways. Will offers professional insight into why comparison culture hits men differently, explaining how purpose, work, and emotional restraint collide under the pressure of social media. Together, they explore what it means to live authentically when your highlight reel becomes your identity — and why so many “high-functioning” men are thriving online while quietly unraveling offline. In the Happy Hour segment, Izzy addresses one of the most controversial trends of the year — using chatbots as substitutes for therapy — and asks the hard question:At what point are we replacing God with technology? Drawing from Matthew 6:22 and Psalm 101:3, he warns listeners about guarding their eye gates and ear gates, breaking down how overstimulation, gossip algorithms, and endless “self-help” content can distort spiritual and emotional clarity. Will adds balance with practical strategies, from setting social media cut-off times to fasting from digital noise to refocus on purpose. The conversation turns deeply personal as the two men share how they've had to guard their peace as both content creators and counselors. Izzy opens up about his own struggles with distraction, comparison, and the temptation to overwork in the name of “purpose.”Will responds with a message on fasting, boundaries, and the freedom that comes from stepping away — even temporarily — to reclaim your mind. They both challenge listeners to examine how much control their phones really have, and to ask: Do you own your feed, or does it own you? By the time the Weekly Sabbatical arrives, the tone turns spiritual. Izzy reads from a reflection on Proverbs 4:20–22, reminding listeners that “what you watch, hear, and meditate on becomes either life or poison to your body.”He connects the scripture to modern habits — the endless scrolling, the comparison traps, and the way entertainment can quietly erode discipline and joy. The challenge of the week is simple but piercing: Do you need a social media fast — and if so, when's the last time you took one? As Thanksgiving unfolds, Izzy leaves the audience with a reminder that gratitude and presence matter more than performance. You don't have to post your plate to prove you're enjoying your blessings. You just have to live them.Listen. Reflect. And don't be afraid to join the conversation.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/p-s-a-the-mental-health-podcast--5520511/support.TrustBuilder Package
In this episode of the Live Wild Podcast, Remi Warren shares his experiences and insights from the hunting season, focusing on Thanksgiving Day traditions and the importance of archery mechanics. He discusses the significance of practice and repetition in bow hunting, emphasizing five key tactics that can lead to success in various hunting scenarios. The episode also highlights the role of essential gear from Mountain Tough and Yeti in preparing for hunting adventures.
How many people do you think tuned into watch any of the three NFL games on Thanksgiving Day?
In Hour 3, Suke and Nemec debate why a university out there needs to hire Jon Gruden as a head coach, react to the huge TV ratings for the NFL on Thanksgiving Day, and more.
Today's Sports Daily covers the record shattering ratings the NFL did on Thanksgiving Day, how bad was the Circa Survivor blood bath last Thursday & Friday, & previews of Cowboys/Lions tonight.Music written by Bill Conti & Allee Willis (Casablanca Records/Universal Music Group) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Join us for an enlightening session featuring renowned futuristic researcher Sadiki Bakari! Brother Sadiki will delve deep into the complexities of motherboard technology, highlighting the critical issues of unhealed memory and metadata. Before his presentation, we’ll welcome the inspiring Dr. Kokayi Patterson, a prominent DC activist, who will add further depth to our discussion. We’re also excited to have Detroit historian Michael Imhotep with us. He will challenge us to reconsider Thanksgiving Day, proposing it be renamed Misgiving Day as he reveals the truth about how the Pilgrims misled Native Americans. *Originally aired on 11.26.25*See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Ex-NYTimes columnist and bestselling cookbook writer Alison Roman (SOMETHING FROM NOTHING) talks with Rico about the tropes of fictional film chefs, and how the dreamy Cannes-winner THE TASTE OF THINGS quietly roasts them over a spit.Just in time for holiday eat-a-thons, the award-winning MUBI Podcast is back and celebrating its tenth season with a four-course serving of stories about food on film. Titled "A Feast For The Eyes," the season digs into the ways filmmakers use food to provoke hunger, thought, nausea, political action...and sometimes all the above.Joining host Rico Gagliano is a sampler platter of luminaries from the film and culinary world, including directors Brad Bird (RATATOUILLE), Mira Nair (MONSOON WEDDING), and David Gelb (JIRO DREAMS OF SUSHI), former New York Times food writer Alison Roman, and more. Gluttons for great cinema stories can start chowing down on episodes weekly, starting Thanksgiving Day.Let's Eat! Food and Film collection is now streaming on MUBI globally.PHANTOM THREAD is now streaming on MUBI in the UK, Ireland, Germany, Italy, France, Netherlands, Latin America, India and Turkey. THE TASTE OF THINGS is now streaming on MUBI in AustraliaTo stream some of the films we've covered on the podcast, check out the collection Featured on the MUBI Podcast. Availability of films varies depending on your country.MUBI is a global streaming service, production company and film distributor dedicated to elevating great cinema. MUBI makes, acquires, curates, and champions extraordinary films, connecting them to audiences all over the world. A place to discover ambitious new films and singular voices, from iconic directors to emerging auteurs. Each carefully chosen by MUBI's curators.
This episode was originally released on 11/1/2020. While new episodes of Breaking Walls are on hiatus I'll be going back and posting the older episodes. ____________ In Breaking Walls episode 109 we continue our mini-series on the 1948-49 radio season by focusing on news and programming from Thanksgiving Day, 1948. —————————— Highlights: • Tex and Jinx for WNBC with photographer Robert Capa • John Nesbitt's Passing Parade for WOR while CBS broadcasts the Macy's parade • Cornell vs. Penn in the Turkey Bowl Game • Norma Young's Happy Homes for KHJ in Los Angeles • Let's Get Married with Bride and Groom on KECA • The Elgin Thanksgiving Special with Don Ameche • Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis with Vera Vague • Jack Benny Gets a Turkey on the Cheap — Signs A Big Contract with CBS • David Sarnoff Overplays his Hand • Fulton Lewis Jr. with the News from Mutual Broadcasting • Henry Aldrich's Turkey Run • Burns and Allen Loose a Wedding Ring • Pre-teen Margaret O'Brien Stars on Suspense • Casey, Crime Photographer's Holiday • James Hilton Hosts The Hallmark Playhouse with Free Land • Virginia Gregg and Willard Waterman Guest-Star on The First Nighter Program • Thanksgiving Leftovers and Looking Ahead to Christmas —————————— The WallBreakers: http://thewallbreakers.com Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts. To support the show: http://patreon.com/TheWallBreakers —————————— The reading material used in today's episode was: • On the Air — By John Dunning • Network Radio Ratings, 1932-53 — By Jim Ramsburg • The fantastic work by Doctor Joseph Webb on Suspense — https://sites.google.com/view/suspense-collectors-companion?fbclid=IwAR1L18Vl___MNGzqrDnJQd9fMgoyzxFboroMVC2akJBkfhDe5DHJHXgrYsE) Casey Crime Photographer — https://sites.google.com/view/ethelbertsarchives/home?fbclid=IwAR1MRDebzXn8uVYd36uaJBcwIcKV-PEu_IFMKOqOo12S38ka3UXlT39wAmo As well as articles from the archives of • Broadcasting Magazine • Radio Daily • The New York Times I'd also like to thank Mark Greenspan for supplying the audio from Penn vs. Cornell. —————————— On the interview front: • Virginia Gregg, Barbara Luddy, Margaret O'Brien, Olan Soule, Ezra Stone, Willard Waterman, and Don Wilson, were with Chuck Schaden. Hear their full chats at http://www.speakingofradio.com/ • Don Ameche, Hans Conried, Staats Cotsworth, John Gibson, Jan Miner, and Vincent Price were with Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC's The Golden Age of Radio. Hear these at https://goldenage-wtic.org/ • Cedric Adams spoke with Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin in 1952. • Jack Poppele spoke with Westinghouse in 1970. • Jack Benny was interviewed for a 1972 PBS Documentary on Great Radio Comedians. • Barbara Walters spoke with George Burns in 1979. • Virginia Gregg spoke with SPERDVAC on August 14th, 1982. For more information, go to https://www.sperdvac.com/ —————————— Selected music featured in today's episode was: • Sleigh Ride and Jingle Bells — By Al Caiola, Riz Ortolani & Jimmy McGriff • Thanksgiving — By Michael Silverman • Greensleeves — By Steve Erquiaga • Night Pt. 1 - Snow — By George Winston • Deck The Halls — By J.P. Torres ——————————
50 Cent's “Sean Combs: The Reckoning” dropped, WATP Karl joins us with Howard Stern's Ladyboy obsession, Kim Kardashian's Masterclass, Drew Crime, and Corey Feldman v. The World. Don't forget to grab your Drew Lane Show merch right here just in time for the holiday! Congratulations to Jim Bentley for winning the coveted David Hall Bobblehead for the 2nd month in a row. Diddy's documentary “Sean Combs: The Reckoning” is out now on Netflix. The Shuffle is on HBO now and it follows making of the epic Super Bowl Shuffle. Luigi Mangione has so many female fans, but where are all the gay guys? The National Guard were attacked in Washington D.C. There is more information on fugitive Virginia High School football coach Travis Turner. Karl from WATP joins us to chat some Thanksgiving Day football, rip apart a flirty Stuttering John Melendez, dive into the latest with The Howard Stern Show, and much more. Miley Cyrus is engaged again. Katy Perry and Justin Trudeau are hanging in Tokyo. There are rumors that Hoda Kotb may be replacing Gayle King at CBS. Jada Pinkett Smith is accused of threatening Bilaal Salaam. Faith Kates has decided to retire from her high profile gig after ties with Jeffrey Epstein. Meghan Markle's website is a joke just like her. Akaash Singh is YouTube gold. Kim Kardashian has a MasterClass in business. We roll through her ‘Ten Kimmandments'. Drew Crime: Teen sexual exploitation is out of control. The US is leading the world in crypto-kidnapping. Former Google CEO, Eric Schmidt, brags about snooping around. Spin instructor murder in California. La Toya Jackson is sparking concern with her super thin frame. Waymo gives zero f**ks about police standoffs. New York Giants Younghoe Koo had the worst kick in NFL history. Matt Riley dropped by ML Soul of Detroit today. Sports: ML Elrick isn't as high on Pat Fitzgerald being hired as the next MSU football coach as everybody else. Adam Thielen (white receiver) moves to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Terrion Arnold lands on the IR. College degrees have lost their luster. There is a new documentary coming out on Apple TV+ on Corey Feldman and we're all for it. If you'd like to help support the show… consider subscribing to our YouTube Channel, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter (Drew Lane, Marc Fellhauer, Trudi Daniels, Jim Bentley and BranDon).
Rich reacts to the massive viewership ratings for the Cowboys vs Chiefs on Thanksgiving Day, weighs in on the Eagles' chances to right the ship in Week 14 against a banged-up Chargers squad, and reveals his brand-new NFL Power Rankings with three new entries and a new team at #1. Thursday Night Football analyst Andrew Whitworth and Rich preview the pivotal Dallas Cowboys vs Detroit Lions TNF showdown and its massive playoff implications, weighs in on the Rams and Seahawks in the highly-competitive NFC West, which dark horse teams could make a surprise Super Bowl run, the Kansas City Chiefs' uncertain playoff chances, if the Chicago Bears or Green Bay Packers are the best team in the NFC North, Joe Burrow's odds to lead the Cincinnati Bengals to the postseason, and Lane Kiffin's hiring by his alma mater LSU. Rich reacts to the latest press conference by Giants GM Joe Schoen amid New York's woeful 2-win season. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Michael Bisping and Paul Felder discuss all the big fights dropped on Thanksgiving Day by Dana White including Justin Gaethje vs Paddy Pimblett for the interim LW title, Amanda Nunes and Kayla Harrison fighting for the bantamweight title at UFC 324, Alexander Volkanovski and Diego Lopes for the FW title at UFC 325 and more plus a full preview of UFC 323 this weekend with Merab rematching Petr Yan for the BW title, Alexandre Pantoja taking on Joshua Van for the flyweight title and so much more! #Bisping #Felder #UFC323 Support Our Sponsors Vandy Crisps/MASA Chips - Ready to give MASA or Vandy a try? Get 25% off your first order by going to http://masachips.com/BELIEVE and using code BELIEVE. My Bookie - https://www.mybookie.ag/ Use promo code BELIEVE on your first deposit of $50 or more, and receive up to $200 in cash instantly! Follow the show on social media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/BYMPod Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3drq6ps Follow the hosts on social: Michael Bisping Twitter https://twitter.com/bisping Michael Bisping Instagram https://www.instagram.com/mikebisping/ Michael Bisping YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDrG2_1TcVkXKXXsD6Kjwig Paul Felder Twitter: https://twitter.com/felderpaul Paul Felder Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/felderpaul/ Paul Felder YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Ironlungfelder Follow the team on social: Brian MacKay Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bmackayisright Brian MacKay Twitter: https://twitter.com/bmackayisright Mike Harrington Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheMHarrington Mike Harrington Instagram https://www.instagram.com/themharrington Mike Harrington YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@themharrington Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jase looks fondly back on Phil's last hunt, and Al shares breaking news about the upcoming movie telling his and Lisa's full redemption story. Al's daughter Alex joins the guys to talk about revisiting painful family history, healing through transparency, and how to face and talk about generational trauma with honesty and grace. The guys wrap with a deep dive into John 19 and 20 and the meaning behind the water, blood, and renewal found in Jesus' death and resurrection. In this episode: Romans 1, verse 21; John 3; John 10; Psalm 22; Exodus 12, verse 46; Numbers 9, verse 12; John 19; John 20, verse 1; First John 5; Acts 1–2; Genesis 1 “Unashamed” Episode 1219 is sponsored by: Stand firm for values that matter. Join the fight today at https://www.frc.org/unashamed https://netsuite.com/unashamed — Download the free business guide, Demystifying AI today! https://on.auraframes.com/UNASHAMED — Get exclusive offer of $35 off Carver Mat with Promo Code UNASHAMED https://myphdweightloss.com — Find out how Al is finally losing weight! Schedule your one-on-one consultation today by visiting the website or calling 864-644-1900. https://cozyearth.com/unashamed — Get 40% off at Cozy Earth dot com and use code UNASHAMED from Thanksgiving Day through Cyber Monday. http://unashamedforhillsdale.com/ — Sign up now for free, and join the Unashamed hosts every Friday for Unashamed Academy Powered by Hillsdale College Check out At Home with Phil Robertson, nearly 800 episodes of Phil's unfiltered wisdom, humor, and biblical truth, available for free for the first time! Get it on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, and anywhere you listen to podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/at-home-with-phil-robertson/id1835224621 Listen to Not Yet Now with Zach Dasher on Apple, Spotify, iHeart, or anywhere you get podcasts. Chapters: 00:00-06:56 Willie's ADHD & Zach's MIA 06:57-14:14 Announcing a new project 14:15-20:34 The nitty gritty of infidelity20:35-29:11 Why telling your story matters 29:12-33:32 Al must repent for being a hypocrite 33:33-42:00 Teaching kids to embrace thankfulness 42:01-51:07 The brutality of being crucified 51:08-57:00 Heavenly death = earthly life — Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Packers coming off the win of a thrilling matchup on Thanksgiving Day over the Detroit Lions are poised with another huge game, this time against the Chicago Bears. The Bears and new coach Ben Johnson sit a top the division with momentum. Green Bay is coming off one of its best games of the year! How will Jordan Love and Micah Parsons respond to the challenge? Dive right in - Welcome back to the IKE Packers Podcast!Help the show by telling another Packers fan! Other ways to contribute are by leaving a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts and subscribing wherever you get your podcasts.@IKE_Packers on X
What went wrong for the Lions against the Packers on Thanksgiving Day? Valenti and Costa dissect it on this episode of The Football Show. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Americans have a glum view of the economy, but that is not expected to affect their consumer spending as holiday shopping kicks off. According to a recent Fox News survey, 76% of Americans have a negative view of the economy. At the end of President Joe Biden's term, this number was 70%. Yet while Americans appear to be losing faith in the vitality of the U.S. economy, they don't plan on slowing their own holiday shopping habits. The International Council of Shopping Centers reports that between Thanksgiving Day and Cyber Monday, 235 million American adults are expected to spend $127 billion, for an average of $542 a person—a $13 increase from the average spent over the long holiday weekend last year. Millennials are projected to be the biggest spenders, with the International Council of Shopping Center estimating the generation born between 1981 and 1996 will drop an average of $764 a person during the five-day shopping period. So what's the disconnect? Why do the same Americans who feel the economy is flooding appear to feel good enough about their personal bank account to go out and drop several hundred dollars in just a few days? Nicole Huyer, a senior research associate in The Heritage Foundation's Thomas A. Roe Institute for Economic Policy Studies, joins this week's edition of “Problematic Women” to discuss. Also on today's show, we discuss spending differences between men and women. Plus, will New York City-Mayor elect Zohran Mamdani actually be able to implement his socialist wish list in the Big Apple? And if he can, what will that mean not only for New York City's economy, but the economic health of the nation. Catch the conversation on this week's edition of “Problematic Women.” 00:00 Welcome! 02:16 Generational Shopping Habit 11:20 Trump and Elon are Back? 19:02 Economic Long Game vs. Short Term Gains 20:28 Zohran Mamdani and NYC's Affordability Crisis 28:50 Christmas Season Begins 34:13 Final Thoughts and Farewell Connect with our hosts on socials! Elise McCue X: https://x.com/intent/user?screen_name=EliseMcCue Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elisemccueofficial/ Virginia Allen: X: https://x.com/intent/user?screen_name=Virginia_Allen5 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/virginiaallenofficial/ Morgonn McMichael: X: https://x.com/intent/user?screen_name=morgonnm Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/morgonnm/ Keep Up With The Daily Signal Sign up for our email newsletters: https://www.dailysignal.com/email Subscribe to our other shows: The Tony Kinnett Cast: https://megaphone.link/THEDAILYSIGNAL2284199939 The Signal Sitdown: https://megaphone.link/THEDAILYSIGNAL2026390376 Problematic Women: https://megaphone.link/THEDAILYSIGNAL7765680741 Victor Davis Hanson: https://megaphone.link/THEDAILYSIGNAL9809784327 Follow The Daily Signal: X: https://x.com/intent/user?screen_name=DailySignal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedailysignal/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheDailySignalNews/ Truth Social: https://truthsocial.com/@DailySignal YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/dailysignal?sub_confirmation=1 Subscribe on your favorite podcast platform and never miss an episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week, MJ shares life updates after returning from BravoCon and her recent trip to Lake Tahoe with Shams—where no one warned her it was too early for skiing, and there was barely any snow. Recorded on Thanksgiving Day, the episode is a candid check-in on everything she's been navigating lately. MJ opens up about the challenges she's facing, her fears about the future, and what Shams may be feeling during the separation. She reflects on how she's been numbing her emotions, how everything is rising to the surface, and what healing might actually look like. She talks about Tommy's best friend being in town, her Thanksgiving plans, and finding small moments of grounding amid all the chaos. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On Thursday's Mark Levin Show, we bring you the best of on Thanksgiving Day! The 9/11 families still lack answers from Saudi Arabia's involvement in September 11th. Mohammed bin Salman's claim that Osama bin Laden used Saudis to destroy U.S.-Saudi relations is crap. MBS says he wants a two state solution with Israel and Palestine but he won't take in one Palestinian from Gaza. Later, NY Post's Miranda Devine criticizes the FBI and Secret Service for mishandling the investigation into Thomas Crooks' attempted assassination of Donald Trump at a 2024 Butler, Pennsylvania rally. An independent source uncovered Crooks' 17 online accounts revealing his ideological shift from pro-Trump supporter in 2019—issuing threats against Democrats—to anti-Trump critic by 2020, with increasingly violent rhetoric advocating terrorism, assassination, and interactions with a neo-Nazi. The Crooks files need to be released. Also, Qatar is pumping tens of billions of dollars into American universities to help the Muslim Brotherhood weaken America and destroy democracy. It's stunning to the extent we are blind to what Qatar is doing. We ignore this at our own peril. Later, CAIR is suing Texas over Gov Greg Abbott's ‘terrorist' designation. Abbott should use this lawsuit to get to the bottom of CAIR's funding. He should counter claim or conduct discovery on all of their contacts, emails, etc. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Holidays, Dirty Texts, & Getting Drafted. Listen. Leave a Review. Get Patreon. Enjoy!! Check out The Cover to Cover Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/franjola ------------------------------ COVER TO COVER MERCH!!! CLICK HERE!! ----------------------------------- VISIT OUR SPONSORS!! ----------------------------------- Eat Healthy AND Convenient with FACTOR! Get 50% Off with Code: covertocover50off Visit factormeals.com/covertocover50off ------------------------------ Get Lifted, But Not Too High, with LUMI! Get 30% Off Your Order Visit lumigummies.com and use Code COVER ------------------------------ Shave Your Parts with MANSCAPED! Get 20% Off + Free Shipping Code: COVER Visit https://www.manscaped.com/ ------------------------------ Conquer your wellness with THRIVE! $30 Off Your First Order + A FREE $60 gift. Visit thrivemarket.com/cover ------------------------------ CASH-MERE Outside, How Bout Dat? With QUINCE! Get Free Shipping + 365 Days Return Visit www.quince.com/cover ------------------------------ Take a Mental Health Break with BETTERHELP! This episode is Sponsored by Betterhelp, get 10% off your first month, Visit BetterHelp.com/c2c ------------------------------ Shop Healthy, Eat Healthy with HUNGRYROOT! Get 40% off and A Free Gift FOR LIFE Visit hungryroot.com/cover Code: COVER ------------------------------ Bake Better Bread with WILDGRAIN! Get $30 off and Free Croissants FOR LIFE Visit wildgrain.com/cover Code: COVER ------------------------------ Feel Good AND Mean It with HEADSPACE! Get 2 Months Free Visit headspace.com/franjola ------------------------------ Make Your House a Home with WAYFAIR! $30 Off Your First Order + A FREE $60 gift. Visit Wayfair.com ------------------------------ Better Mobile at a Better Price with MINT MOBILE! Get 3 Months for $15/Month + Free Shipping Visit MintMobile.com/cover ------------------------------ Find Proper Healthcare with ZOCDOC! Visit zocdoc.com/cover to find the perfect doctor. ------------------------------ Follow Chris: http://www.franjola.fun/ https://www.instagram.com/chrisfranjola/ Follow Alex: https://www.instagram.com/conn.tv/ https://linktr.ee/Conn.TV Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
We hope you had a great Thanksgiving Day! Today we want to help you start Black Friday with an extra special episode. Will there be big brawls today to get that super deal? Will you go shopping for Small Business Saturday?Will you do your shopping on Cyber Monday?We breakdown our strategies and ways to find the deals.Follow The Rizzuto Show @rizzshow on social media for more from your favorite daily comedy show. Connect with The Rizzuto Show online at 1057thepoint.com/RizzShow. Heard daily on the radio at 105.7 The Point in St. Louis, MO.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Three young brothers vanish from their father's backyard on Thanksgiving Day, a hijacker parachutes into the night with $200,000 and is never seen again, and a grandfather's ghost story leads to the discovery of a 200-year-old mass murder — these are just some of the chilling mysteries that have turned America's day of gratitude into something far more sinister. From unsolved killings and baffling disappearances to haunted hotels and tragic shipwrecks, this episode explores the dark side of Thanksgiving that most families never discuss at the dinner table.IN THIS EPISODE: While the rest of Americans are at home with their families, eating turkey and enjoying annual celebrations-- Thanksgiving has a darker side. We may often overlook this truth because it is rarely discussed at the Thanksgiving table. Every Thanksgiving Day there are some tragic and mysterious incidents. Many of these unfathomably awful things are never explained. Whether it is murders, gory accidents or strange vanishings during the night–these true-life unexplained mysteries and horrendous crimes might make excellent dinner-table conversation… assuming you're dining with other Weirdos like yourself. *** We'll talk about the year we had two Thanksgivings in the United States. (The Year With Two Thanksgivings) *** A Weirdo family member shares a freaky true Thanksgiving story with an explosive ending! (Thanksgiving Explosion) *** Two brothers solve an almost 200-year-old murder mystery thanks to a Thanksgiving ghost story that was told to them by their grandfather. (Grandpa's Thanksgiving Ghost Story) *** I'll share a horrific Thanksgiving tale from the latter part of the nineteenth century. (Feast of Terror) *** The Hotel Del Coronado in San Diego is one of the most beautiful hotels in the world – and some say the most haunted. (A Thanksgiving Ghost Story) *** On November 19, 1924, Hollywood movie producer Thomas Ince died after celebrating his 42nd birthday aboard a yacht belonging to infamous newspaper publisher William Randolph Hearst, but to this day, the exact circumstances of his death remain a mystery. Could this be why his ghost still wanders the movie studio that he founded? *** On the night of November 20, 1901, a young North Carolina woman named Nell Cropsey vanished from her family's home in Elizabeth City. After a frantic search that lasted more than a month, Nell's body was discovered floating in a nearby river. She had been brutally murdered – but by who? *** On November 23, 1910, American-born homeopathic physician and salesman Hawley Harvey Crippen (usually known simply as Dr. Crippen in crime annals) was hanged at Pentonville Prison in London for the murder of his wife, Cora. But was he really a murderer? *** While the holidays are usually a time of cheer and happiness, the people of Chicago learned of a Christmas-related tragedy on November 22, 1912 when the famed "Christmas Tree Ship" went down in a storm on Lake Michigan. The tragedy changed the face of the holidays for the people of Chicago in a very unexpected way. ***Plus the original short horror story “Black Friday” by horror master, Jason R. Davis!CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…00:00:00.000 = Lead-In00:01:25.429 = Show OpenTHANKSGIVING CRIMES & UNSOLVED MYSTERIES…00:05:07.769 = D.B. Cooper00:09:02.880 = Kelsey Berreth00:10:57.900 = Paul Knockel 00:12:06.532 = Nancy Bergeson00:14:28.168 = Maria Elizalde00:17:51.287 = Shane Montgomery00:22:36.826 = Murders In Miramar00:24:59.113 = Beth Barr00:28:03.928 = Cynthia Alonzo00:29:55.853 = The Blount Family00:32:26.710 = Tacoma's Thanksgiving Shooting00:34:32.282 = Rapper Soulja Slim00:37:00.446 = Neshaminy Creek John Doe00:38:47.336 = Karen Marie Mitchell00:40:15.343 = The Game Warden Murder00:42:19.407 = The Skelton Brothers00:44:09.525 = Owens and HawleyMORE THANKSGIVING…00:46:45.294 = The Year With Two Thanksgivings00:54:24.306 = Thanksgiving Explosion01:00:49.426 = Grandpa's Thanksgiving Story01:05:02.537 = Feast of Terror01:15:23.117 = A Thanksgiving Ghost Story01:21:28.418 = The Mysterious Death of Thomas Ince and the Haunting of Culver Studios01:36:45.101 = The Lingering Ghost of Nell Cropsey01:45:21.921 = The Strange Case of Dr. Crippen01:57:47.054 = The Christmas Tree Ship TragedyA FICTIONAL SCARE FOR THE DAY AFTER THANKSGIVING…02:05:33.347 = “Black Friday” by Jason R. Davis (short fictional holiday horror story)WRAPPING UP THIS TURKEY OF AN EPISODE…02:37:24.291 = A Special Thanks02:39:07.066 = Show CloseSOURCES and RESOURCES: https://weirddarkness.com/thanksgiving=====(Over time links may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.)= = = = ="I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46= = = = =WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2025, Weird Darkness.=====Originally aired: November 2021, November 2022, November 2024ABOUT WEIRD DARKNESS: Weird Darkness is a true crime and paranormal podcast narrated by professional award-winning voice actor, Darren Marlar. Seven days per week, Weird Darkness focuses on all thing strange and macabre such as haunted locations, unsolved mysteries, true ghost stories, supernatural manifestations, urban legends, unsolved or cold case murders, conspiracy theories, and more. On Thursdays, this scary stories podcast features horror fiction along with the occasional creepypasta. Weird Darkness has been named one of the “Best 20 Storytellers in Podcasting” by Podcast Business Journal. Listeners have described the show as a cross between “Coast to Coast” with Art Bell, “The Twilight Zone” with Rod Serling, “Unsolved Mysteries” with Robert Stack, and “In Search Of” with Leonard Nimoy.DISCLAIMER: Ads heard during the podcast that are not in my voice are placed by third party agencies outside of my control and should not imply an endorsement by Weird Darkness or myself. *** Stories and content in Weird Darkness can be disturbing for some listeners and intended for mature audiences only. Parental discretion is strongly advised.#WeirdDarkness #ThanksgivingMysteries #UnsolvedMysteries #TrueCrime #DBCooper #ColdCases #GhostStories #MissingPersons #HolidayHorror #ParanormalPodcast
MeidasTouch host Ben Meiselas reports on Donald Trump's disastrous Thanksgiving so far and it's not even time for Turkey yet!!! Right now, MEIDAS listeners can save 30% on their first order! Just head to https://cornbreadhemp.com/MEIDAS and use code MEIDAS at checkout. Visit https://meidasplus.com for more! Remember to subscribe to ALL the MeidasTouch Network Podcasts: MeidasTouch: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/meidastouch-podcast Legal AF: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/legal-af MissTrial: https://meidasnews.com/tag/miss-trial The PoliticsGirl Podcast: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-politicsgirl-podcast Cult Conversations: The Influence Continuum with Dr. Steve Hassan: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-influence-continuum-with-dr-steven-hassan Mea Culpa with Michael Cohen: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/mea-culpa-with-michael-cohen The Weekend Show: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-weekend-show Burn the Boats: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/burn-the-boats Majority 54: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/majority-54 Political Beatdown: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/political-beatdown On Democracy with FP Wellman: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/on-democracy-with-fpwellman Uncovered: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/maga-uncovered Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
For a Thanksgiving Day treat, Jolenta is doing a roundup of some of the latest reality TV hot topics and giving her hot takes. She covers everything from Kandi Burruss's divorce to Kody Brown's multiple divorces. Please note: Topics other than divorce will be discussed, such as The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, The Real Housewives of Orange County, and more. Hot Mess-terpiece Insta SOURCES: Bravo Shows - Peacock The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives - Hulu Sister Wives - TLC @StaceyRuschQVC Tiktok account Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
BEST OF GL: Thanksgiving Day edition See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Fittingly published on Thanksgiving Day, Fr. Sean and Fr. John delve into the modern culture of health and well-being. Starting from the perspective of the natural good, they then assess the secular and ideological character of the health and wellness culture, before offering ideas around the Christian vision of it. And don't miss the spicy excursus on botox!
Extra long PMT taking you into Thanksgiving. We start with some MNF talk, and Brock Purdy throwing the ball everywhere (00:00:00-00:18:01). CFB talk and are there some 2 loss teams in trouble (00:18:01-00:34:37). Hot Seat/Cool Throne and we have a new way for listeners to meet women. We preview the 3 Thanksgiving Day games plus Max vs Big Cat on Black Friday (00:34:37-01:27:43). Stavros Halkias joins the show to talk Ravens, becoming a Hollywood star, and where he thinks the season will go from here (01:27:43-01:48:45). A-Rod joins the show to talk about his new documentary out now on HBO Alex vs A-Rod, what was the hardest part about filming the documentary, steroids, Timberwolves and tons more (01:48:45-02:20:09). We finish with a preview of Week 13's Sunday card, best bets and Jerry's fantasy minute (02:20:09-03:18:25).You can find every episode of this show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or YouTube. Prime Members can listen ad-free on Amazon Music. For more, visit barstool.link/pardon-my-take
On Thanksgiving Day 2010, Marine Gabe Martinez's life changed forever. After a series of IED explosions in Afghanistan, he lost both legs and suffered a traumatic brain injury. In this episode, Gabe recounts the moments after the blast, the harrowing rescue that followed, and the long road to recovery. Get the facts first with Morning Wire. - - - Wake up with new Morning Wire merch: https://bit.ly/4lIubt3 - - - Today's Sponsors: Beam - Go to https://shopbeam.com/WIRE use code WIRE, and get up to 50% off during Beam's Cyber Sale. Shopify - Go to https://Shopify.com/morningwire to sign up for your $1-per-month trial period and upgrade your selling today. - - - Privacy Policy: https://www.dailywire.com/privacy morning wire,morning wire podcast,the morning wire podcast,Georgia Howe,John Bickley,daily wire podcast,podcast,news podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
On today's show, Pat, AQ Shipley, AJ Hawk, and the boys preview tomorrow's Thanksgiving NFL slate, as well as rivalry weekend in college football. Joining the progrum is future Hall of Famer. 3x DPOY, Walter Payton Man of the Year, and color commentator for the NFL on CBS, JJ Watt to preview the Thanksgiving slate and give his biggest takeaway's from week 12 of the NFL season. Later, 7x National Champion, College GameDay panelist, the GOAT, Nick Saban joins the show to preview this weekend's college football rivalry slate, discuss why he thinks Brian Daboll would be a good fit for the Penn State job, how Ole Miss doesn't let the Lane Kiffin situation become a distraction before the Egg Bowl, chat about the Ohio State/Michigan game and why he thinks Ohio State fans should relax a little bit, and discuss some of his former players who will be playing on Thanksgiving Day. Make sure to subscribe to youtube.com/thepatmcafeeshow or watch on ESPN (12-2 EDT), ESPN's Youtube (12-3 EDT), or ESPN+. We appreciate the hell out of all of you, we'll see you on Overreaction Monday. Have the best Thanksgiving of all-time, and be safe. Cheers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Welcome back to The Locker Room with Clay Matthews, Delanie Walker, Will Compton, & Taylor Lewan! This week, we dive into the exciting matchups of Packers VS. Lions, Chiefs VS. Cowboys, Bengals VS. Ravens, Texans VS. Colts, Bills VS. Steelers, Rams VS. Panthers, Broncos VS. Commanders, Giants VS. Patriots, and Bears VS. Eagles. New episodes every Thursday at 6:00 AM CT. Timestamps: 0:00 Open 2:40 Pass The Leg Parlay 4:00 Packers VS. Lions 4:40 Chiefs VS. Cowboys 5:00 Bengals VS. Ravens 6:00 Clay’s Undefeated 17:27 Texans VS. Colts 21:23 Bills VS. Steelers 24:33 Rams VS. Panthers 32:52 Broncos VS. Commanders 35:22 Giants VS. Patriots 40:05 Bears VS. Eagles 45:00 Taylor & Clay Get HEATED See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! It's a Coca Wednesday! Big games coming up in the NFL, why aren't the NBA games on Friday happening all day? College football final weekend! Can Miami get enough style points to matter? College basketball has an age problem! And Coca (me) walks everyone through his first time watching the Star Wars movies, it's happening right now! I've watched the first three movies, and they sure are something.... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Comic Dave Landau joins us, missing Virginia football coach was facing charges, Taryn Manning turning into Britney Spears, Nicki Minaj forced to sell house, Paulina Porizkova wants attention, Fred Goldman getting OJ's money, RIP Normal World, and Sinbad is everywhere today. Dave Landau is back! Go see him on tour at a city near you. He'll also be on the No BS Newshour with Charlie LeDuff tomorrow. It's Thanksgiving Day weekend, so we run through the best Thanksgiving themed movies. We get Dave's take on fellow comic Akaash Singh's situation with his wife. She is singlehandedly ruining his career. Sydney Sweeney is sending temperatures soaring, but her choice in men is ruining boners. The guy that was photographed with fat Britney Spears wants the world to know he's not dating that slob. John Travolta's daughter is trying to look hot by taking off her shirt. Some people are saying that it's not working. Pauling Porizkova really needs and wants your attention. Taryn Manning's crazy dancing is making penises soft. What is the state of stand up comedy today? Besides the fact that too many influencers are doing stand up. Jeremy Piven is still doing stand up. Dave tells us about the time Dave was asked to open for Jeremy and Mr. Piven wasn't too happy. Star Search is back and coming to Netflix. Anthony Anderson has successfully survived some serious MeToo allegations. Some people are saying it's because he takes his "mama" everywhere. Some people are saying that the video of My 600lb Life Stephen sliding off the golf cart is one of the greatest videos of all time. The missing Virginia High School football coach is also wanted on child pornography charges. Tara Reid's story of being drugged just isn't adding up. A new Bonerline full of complaints. We fondly remember Shucky Ducky. Nicki Minaj is being forced to sell her house to make good on a judgement where she owes a security guard a half a million bucks. Fred Goldman finally is getting OJ's money. Normal World is no more. We honor them by watching the trailer to Fallen Oats. We're big fans of Space Ice's Steven Segal videos. Do yourself a favor and watch them now. The Killer Cares fundraiser is one week away. Make sure to join us in Keego Harbor Friday December 5th. PLUS! Black Friday/Small Business Saturday is Giving Weekend at Kimball Appliance. This year's beneficiary is The Tom Kowalski Foundation which is dedicated to helping children in need. Everything store-wide will be at the lowest prices of the year: pillows, sheet sets, appliances, electronics, Kitchen Aid mixers, smokers, Opal ice makers, blenders, toasters, Purple mattresses, lift chairs, furniture, and so much more. Don't forget to grab your Drew Lane Show merch right here! If you'd like to help support the show… consider subscribing to our YouTube Channel, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter (Drew Lane, Marc Fellhauer, Trudi Daniels, Jim Bentley and BranDon).
It's time for our final book club episode of 2025! We're discussing a book we've been seeing everywhere, The Correspondent by Virginia Evans. We talk about why we think this book has become so popular, if we've read epistolary novels before, our thoughts on the novelty of the mother/daughter relationship, how it brought up feelings about retirement for us both, and more! Also, the Wall Street Journal's profile of Virginia Evans is a great read. Obsession: Becca - Leset Pointelle Boxer Pants Reading: Olivia - The Fox Hunt by Caitlin Breeze (Out February 16, 2026) Becca - Daddy Issues by Kate Goldbeck, Between Two Kings by Lindsay Straube This Month's Book Club Pick - No December book club, but now's the perfect time to catch up on past book club picks! Sponsors Cozy Earth - from Thanksgiving Day through Cyber Monday, get 40% off at cozyearth.com with code BOP. Caraway - Visit Carawayhome.com/BOP to take advantage of this limited-time offer for up to 25% off your next purchase. Join our Facebook group for amazing book recs & more! Buy our Merch! Join our BFF Group! Preorder Olivia's Book, Little One, and order Such a Bad Influence! Subscribe to Olivia's Newsletter! Order Becca's Book, The Christmas Orphans Club! Subscribe to Becca's Newsletter! Follow us on Instagram @badonpaperpodcast. Follow Olivia on Instagram @oliviamuenter and Becca @beccamfreeman.
Comedian Brad Williams joins the show to bridge us from NFL Week 12 to Thanksgiving. He goes all in on the Jerk List and weighs the merits of such ESPN worthy hot takes like: Caleb Williams is the best Chicago Bears Quarterback in history; the Indianapolis Colts are frauds; the Packers and Cowboys tie is the reason both will make the playoffs. Dave Dameshek and the gang get you from here to Turkey Day on this episode of Football America! (Photo by Kamil Krzaczynski/AP) Timestamps: (00:00) Thanksgiving Day is the Best (03:27) Best 28 in NFL History (10:45) Jerk List with Brad Williams (46:06) Final Thoughts on Shadeur AUDIO Football America! is available wherever you listen to podcasts. Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/football-america/id1831757512 Follow us: Dave Dameshek: https://x.com/dameshek Brad Williams: https://x.com/funnybrad Host: Dave Dameshek Guests: Brad Williams Team: Gino Fuentes, Mike Fuentes, Bradley Campbell Director: Danny Benitez Senior Producers: Gino Fuentes, Mike Fuentes Executive Producer: Bradley Campbell Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Kansas City Chiefs, Las Vegas Raiders, Los Angeles Chargers, Los Angeles Rams, Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings, New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints, New York Giants, New York Jets, Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tennessee Titans, Washington Commanders Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
On Thanksgiving Day 2018, 29-year-old mother Kelsey Berreth vanished from her Woodland Park, Colorado home, leaving behind her 1-year-old daughter and a batch of unbaked cinnamon rolls. The last trace of her was a bizarre series of texts and a phone pinging 800 miles away in Idaho. Her fiancé, Patrick Frazee, claimed they had broken up and that she had left voluntarily. But Kelsey's family knew the devoted mother would never abandon her child. As investigators dug deeper, they uncovered a story far more sinister than a simple disappearance. The investigation led them to Krystal Lee Kenney, a nurse from Idaho with a secret, decade-long relationship with Patrick. Her chilling confession revealed a gruesome murder plot, a brutal crime scene cleanup, and a calculated cover-up. Patrick had bludgeoned Kelsey to death with a baseball bat while their infant daughter was in the next room, all because she refused to give him full custody. This is the story of a holiday turned horrific, a secret affair that ended in murder, and the relentless pursuit of justice for Kelsey. New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday! Follow us on Instagram: @momsandmysteries Join our Patreon: patreon.com/momsandmysteries Visit our website: momsandmysteries.com #TrueCrime #Podcast #KelseyBerreth #PatrickFrazee #ColoradoCrime #ThanksgivingMurder #KrystalLeeKenney #DomesticViolence #JusticeForKelsey
[video available on spotify] welcome back to advice session, a series here on anything goes where you send in your current dilemmas, or anything you want advice on, and i give you my unprofessional advice. today's topic is about work life and career paths. Save Your WayTM from Hotels.com. Learn more at hotels.com/product/save-your-way/ Watch Sidelined 2: Intercepted free on Tubi, Thanksgiving Day. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices