Post Christmas and pre-2005 musings

Well - the tree will be coming down soon. My wife is in her post-Christmas cleaning frenzy and the kids are doing their post-Christmas thing (playing with games, catching up on homework etc.). Me? I've been trying to catch up with old friends and just generally staying out of the way as much as possible.
Recent news events have proven that Mother Nature is a force not to be trifled with. As of the most recent CNN reports - almost 120,000 people are dead just in Asia - most in Indonesia. Despite what other countries have stated, the US has contributed as much as it can. There are some talking heads in the media that rail that we have not. They are wrong, but since we do have a Bill of Rights, they have a right to their opinion.
There was a bit of a break in this blog due to having to run the vacuum cleaner in the bathroom for my wife to clean the kid's bathroom.
I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season. All the best to everyone for a blessed, fruitful, and wonderful 2005.