A Carbon-izer Christmas Eve

The Christmas Eve I had 12 years ago was a memorable but happy one. My first Burger King Crossian'wich (I also got a BK Kids Club "newsletter", by that time the Gang had pretty much disappeared). Said newsletter had Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring stuff with 12 collectible toys. I'd love to scan it and show it to you, but unfortunately, despite storage, it was found by my cat who significantly damaged it. Regardless, it was a bit strange to see some toys and rather simple puzzles contrasted with a somewhat violent PG-13 film. It was great going to Baton Rouge, playing Rockin' Kats, and all that, but this year was marked with a breakdown, news that my younger cousins got swine flu, and the time when Die Hard was outvoted by Scrabble and Kung Fu Panda.

Regardless, it was still enjoyable, though I was still saddened by continuing changes along State Highway 6. Calvert had recently demolished this old building, even though it had been lacking a roof for more than a decade. I never was able to find its address, even today, and a Sanborn Fire Insurance map only shows that it was a pool hall and shooting gallery a century ago.

I also tried some more head cheese this morning, which I bought the other day. For those that don't know, it is a cold cut that involves cooking various undesirable ham byproducts (snouts, tongues) with spices and letting them congeal together. While obviously not a "delicacy" (there's some soft cartilidge-y stuff to go through), it is interesting, though I've had trouble convincing others to try it ("Pork snouts" being the first ingredient). Hopefully Santa will come tonight.