Xmas dinner, under construction

Being Salvadorean, Cris follows family tradition and always does the whole Christmas thing on the evening of Dec. 24. We gather with her sisters at one sister's house, to which assorted friends are also invited.

This year we had / are having both Txg and Xmas at our house. So far we've had three of ten guests cancel, added another, put the frozen-hard goose in the shower for four hours, had six conversations about dying relatives, busted one lightbulb, and unpacked three dozen tamales.

Now Cris is filling stockings (it's a good thing we didn't put everyone's names on them the other night, since the final roster around the table looks like it's going to be at least 50% different than expected) with little presents. She spent four hours making the stockings by hand a week ago. This makes her sound like some kind of Martha Stewart freak, but actually it's very unusual. She's just having some kind of Christmas crafts spasm, with the creche and all. Maybe it's all those dying relatives.

Can you possibly bear this AP story about the "first faith-based prison" in the U.S., just being opened in Florida?

Gov. Jeb Bush dedicated what is being called the nation's first faith-based prison Wednesday, telling its nearly 800 inmates that religion can help keep them from landing in jail again.

In addition to regular prayer sessions, the Lawtey Correctional Institution will offer religious studies, choir practice, religious counseling and other spiritual activities seven days a week. Participation is voluntary and inmates are free to transfer out.

Bush lauded the inmates from 26 faiths for committing themselves "to a higher authority."

"This is not just fluffy policy, this is serious policy," he told the crowd. "For the people who are skeptical about this initiative, I am proud that Florida is the home to the first faith-based prison in the United States... I can't think of a better place to reflect on the awesome love of our lord Jesus than to be here at Lawtey Correctional."

Me either. I hope some day he had a nice long opportunity to do so.