Travel and Elvis

Bright sunshine this morning, but a cold front moves through St. Louis tomorrow and will leave us in the low teens to single-digits. Some friends suggested that we all get out of town right after Christmas, around the 28th, and head to... someplace warm. I checked the Caribbean, Bahamas, Mexico... and there are no flights available. Period.

So the next idea was to drive somewhere warm. I looked into Destin, but the highs during that time are supposed to be only in the low 50's... so the cold weather is headed way south that week. No part of Florida will be warm except Miami, but flights are 3 times normal rate.

I checked into New Orleans, but weather there will be 50s daytime, 20s at night. There are Caribbean cruises available, but Rick's not a big fan of boats... and again the problem is, the cost of a flight to the port is twice the cost of the cruise itself.

So we may be destined to stay here and rough it out. Did I mention I hate cold weather?

I was reading the news about the sale of Elvis Presley Enterprises. It includes movie and music rights, rights to his image and likeness, the land across the street from Graceland, the planes... basically the business and all his professional accomplishments. It was all sold by his daughter Lisa Marie for a mere 100 million dollars! A pittance, considering it's a cash generator - 45 million EACH YEAR. What was she thinking? Gosh, I hope Elvis really is dead. I'd hate to know he was witnessing the selling off of his accomplishments and fame for the basic equivalent of beer and cigarette money. At least she's retained a place to drink and smoke them away - she keeps Graceland and the 13 acres it sits on.

Hey, maybe we'll go to Memphis! Gambling and ribs can go a long way toward feeling warm.

I still haven't set the tree up, but it's happening today, no excuses. Then, tonight I'll finish my Christmas shopping. We have hell-week coming, Monday night Tawnya is hosting a bunko party. Twenty giggling, dice rolling, gossiping women will take over my living room and disrupt my spiritual "center." Thursday we host another holiday party with friends and family at 5 that evening. (the entire week I be busy in the recording studio, and I'm doing the morning show on the Bull Monday thru Thursday) Friday we'll celebrate Christmas with Tawnya's family, then drive the kids to their "other" parents' houses. (two hours in opposite directions) Finally, Christmas day we'll get a break.

God REST ye merry gentlemen.

Yeah, right.