Crunch time for Christmas consumers

Made it to Meridian. Long trip with family in confined spaces. I was ready to leave the country before the holidays and I certainly will be ready to after this. Anyways, I am glad to make it to Mississippi and get out of the car. We stopped at a state park for our picnic lunch, warm and sunny, got some touches on a soccer ball for the first time in a while which felt great. I am excited to be around football all the time in South America. My grandparents are over ninety, seem a little more frail than last year, but still going and as sweet and funny as ever. My grandfather still gets out on the golf course a few times a week despite not being able to see much and my grandmother is still quite sharp and bright eyed despite not being able to hear much.

Christmas Eve eve in the south, many backed up exits to huge malls off the highway. I can't imagine what it was like in one of those malls...a madhouse of Christmas consumers feeling the crunch.