Christm- er, New Years Day - in Clare

Hey folks,

So today is officially the first day of 2026; in the past we've celebrated this by lying around the house in pajamas, recovering from the night before (which is always rough.) This year, however, my parents decided to try for a do-over for the extended Hough Family Christmas, seeing how our decades-long tradition of doing it the day after Christmas was torpedoed by a hellish ice storm that crippled all of central Michigan. We reluctantly agreed to drive up to Clare in order to meet up with all of our siblings and families, because - as stated before - we were all in pretty rough shape.

We ended up rolling in around 2:30pm, after Jeff and Chris' kids had finished tearing into their gifts from Dad and Cindy, and Alayna and Abby were finally able to open up theirs. Following that, everyone tore into the now-expected Qdoba spread, caught up with Bryan and Chelsey via Facetime (or whatever similar app was used, I wasn't paying attention), swapped gifts in the usual White Elephant gift exchange, and hung out with extended fam until evening.

The folks' charcuterie spread. . .

All in all, a quieter affair than normal (you can tell 'cause there's only like a third of the amount of pics I usually take), but it was a good time. Definitely did not feel like Christmas, but that's to be expected considering that crap was, like, a week or so ago. Hopefully next year things will return to form and we'll be able to celebrate the Holidays when it actually feels like the Holidays.

Here you go, folks - the smaller-than-usual, delayed, Extended Hough Family Christmas. 

Enjoy. . .

. . . featuring the infamous Meat Flower.

Alayna and Abby, opening up their gifts from the parents. . .

Alayna wanted one of those trendy Owala water bottles (that's the in-style brand right now, kinda like how Stanleys were a couple years ago), and some mug for Abby (didn't catch the story behind that.)

Alayna has been taking Watson's passing pretty hard, so she had asked for things that would remind her of him for Christmas this year, so the parents got her this frame and a couple other keepsakes along those lines. Abby had this random photo printer that connects to her phone on her list, which makes sense because she's about as obsessed with taking pics as I am.

That's a tiny printer.

This necklace features a locket that you can fill with your dead pet's ashes.

Cindy had margaritas out and ready to roll when we showed up, which paired nicely with the giant Mexican spread we grazed on all afternoon.

Dad and Cindy at the Kids' Table with some grandkids.

Jill, Chris and Kris (stuffing her damn face.)

Assorted Houghs finishing up Qdoba in the dining room.

Bryan phoned in from Nashville as folks were finishing up with food, seeing how him and Chelsey weren't able to fly up this year.

After we had the video call with Bryan up and running, we kicked off this year's White Elephant gift exchange. I handed out numbers for folks to draw out of a hat, and we selected gifts in that order. Kept the rules this year similar to what we used at the Sheahan's Christmas party, just scaled down a bit since we had fewer people (gifts could only be stolen twice instead of three times, etc.)

Bryan and Chelsey watch the opening of gifts from Tennessee.

There wasn't a whole lot of stealing this year - folks were either content or didn't really want any of the other gifts, who knows. I went next to last, so ended up with this Lego-ish flower set, which I gifted to my kids (who love that sort of thing.)

We got home around 6:30pm or so, and the girls set to work putting together their plastic bouquet while Kris and I resumed our movie-watching and lounging about the living room.

Another milkshake stout to close out the end of an unusual, but enjoyable, New Years Day.

- Brian

The Great Christmas Record Odyssey, Ep. CXLV

Hey sport, you mind if I sit down next to you on this here couch and sing a couple'a Christmas songs for ya? 

Album Title:  Christmas Greetings From

Album Artist:  Jerry Vale

We can thank Radio Wasteland's Dollar Bin for this score, and I picked it up because while the name rung some bells, I didn't know anything about this guy. Based on the album sleeve, I anticipated some sort of Johnny Mathis-ish crooner from the '50s or '60s, so that right there would give one a rough idea of what you're about to immerse yourself in. Nevertheless, I'm a sucker for Christmas albums comprised of only one artist, because unlike compilations or the like, you can get a better idea of of their range over the span of several songs. So Jerry has a dozen or so songs to convince me he can deliver on a Christmas album.

Going into this album, I should reiterate that I didn't know anything about Jerry Vale at all. Upon dropping the needle on Side A, he's definitely a crooner in the same vein as Mathis, or Perry Como, etc. Unlike those two, however, Jerry sounds like a sitcom dad singing. Like, the dude's voice just sounds like it's wrapped in a sweater vest and khakis, and isn't above having a heartfelt conversation with you on a floral couch after finding a pack of cigarettes in your sock drawer.

The song choices found in this album's track-list are all safe picks, with no left-field inclusions to be found anywhere. No original Christmas jams, thank God (smart move, Jerry.) If I had to take a quiz and hand-pick songs that I'd expect a crooner like this to cover for his Christmas album, I probably would have guessed correctly about 3/4 of the songs on this track-list  (and C's get degrees, folks.)

The production, mix and arrangements are all top-notch for the era (again, guessing '50s or early '60s), which tracks because I imagine this guy was a big deal back in the day, and probably sold a butt-load of albums to the same circles that were devouring Mathis and Como's works. This gives the album a few points, putting it on par (sonically) with albums like those Great Songs of Christmas compilations - the backing music is in the same vein.

Honestly, this album is far from horrible, but Jerry doesn't give any memorable performances here. At. All. None of these songs are Holiday classics. Using Como as a comparison, we can site several of that guy's Christmas songs as Seasonal standards in media and popular culture, but Jerry - while competent enough - just comes across as 'someone else doing more of the same.' He sings just like all those other '50s and '60s crooners, the music's just about the same too (he was probably featured on several of those Great Songs of Christmas compilations, come to think of it), but it just doesn't connect. 

It might be the tone of his voice, it's too 'nice' and almost gives the impression that this dude's idea of 'cutting loose' involves a nice slice of pie instead of a bourbon, neat.

If Perry Como is Jonathan Stamos on Full House, then Jerry Vale is Bob Saget. They're both male, father figures to the same girls, sure enough, but one of them has charisma in spades (hence you being able to identify several of Como's Christmas songs on the radio), while the other is incredibly disappointed he found your cigarettes. 

Not mad, just disappointed.

VERDICT:  4/10 - Borophyll (Another collection of '50s/'60s crooner-music, Christmas-style, this time from a guy who would probably refer to you as 'sport' in conversation.)

- SHELVED -

- Brian

A 100th Birthday and an Ugly Loss

What's up, guys.

As far as Sundays go, this one was pretty busy. Far busier than I prefer considering I have to wake up at 5:30am the next morning.

Things kicked off right out of the gate, as the Hough Family had to scramble around in order to get ready for Church. Usually, Kris is the only that goes to Church on Sundays, and even then it's like an every-other-week sorta thing. Abby goes with her about half the time, while Alayna and I opt not to, but since Abby's been fairly active in Kris' two church Youth Groups over the years (they bounce back and forth between churches these days), and so consequently she sometimes gets roped into participating in regular Sunday services.

Just look at how much fun I'm having sitting at Church this morning. . . 

This was just such a Sunday, where Abby would be doing a bunch of readings from the pulpit, and, as she found out upon arrival, would have to undertake a lot more she wasn't prepared for. Aside from the call-and-response and prayer stuff, she had to ad-lib a bunch of dialogue on the spot, which she totally nailed (so well in fact no one knew she was making it up as she went along.) Girl's gonna excel at public speaking later in life, that's for damn sure. 

Jill, Bryan (who had flown up for the party), with Grandma Jones. . .

After church, we went home and quickly got our crap together in order to head to Clare for our next stop on this Sunday's insane itinerary: Grandma Jones' 100th Birthday Party. Cindy had planned a get-together at Grandma's retirement home from like 2 to 4pm, and had asked family to show up around 1pm in order to get some quality visitation in before all the other guests - mostly fellow old people - showed up. She also asked Yours Truly to bring up my SLR so I could take a bunch of candid pics of the family visiting, along with portraits with Grandma to celebrate her milestone.

Most of us Houghs - at least us, my siblings and their respective families - hung out at the 'party' until 3pm, then quietly Irish Goodbye'd, where some of us rendezvoused at the Whites' house in order to watch the Lions play the Packers.

I'll let the pictures do the rest of the talking, though - there's a bunch this time. Check it out. . .

Grandma Jones and her three daughters (Sue, Charlene, and Cindy)

Jill talking with Blake and his girlfriend, Gracie.

Rob (Cindy's sister Sue's oldest, who's like two years older than I) and Bryan.

Chris and Dad

Charlene and Grandma Jones

Gracie, Jax and Blake checking out this banner with a bunch of facts about the United States in the year Grandma was born.

Kris, Cindy and Jill (making some dumbass face.)

The Borthers and Dad

Cindy and her mom.

Nicole, Jill and Kris

These two, clearly, were big fans of me walking around with a big-ass camera all afternoon.

Jeff and Carissa

(I didn't eat any of this, but Cindy did a good job making it.)

Grandma sat in this chair most of the time, with empty chairs on either side of her so a never-ending stream of well-wishers could sit and visit with her.

Bryan packed a bunch of his Lions gear for the trip up to Michigan. Not that it helped much this Sunday. . .

Cindy talking with Kevin (Sue's second-oldest, whose my age) and his wife (forget her name.)

Gracie and Blake

Abby

The Cannonball

The girls posing with Grandma Jones.

Singing 'Happy Birthday' to Grandma Jones on her 100th Birthday. . .

Gracie and Blake with Gigi

In lieu of individual gifts and cards, Cindy had everyone sign this giant card instead.

The girls, updating Nana on all their teenage-ness.

Charlene, Kyle (Sue's third son, whose Bryan's age), and Sue

Kevin's wife, Andy (Sue's fourth son, who I believe is Jill's age), and his wife (again, forget her name.)

Chris (mid-sneeze) and Brian

Andy and Blake

Dad and Kyle

Kevin and his wife, and Bryan

Cindy and Sue

My roommates

Rob and Brian (by the looks of things, discussing golf.)

Dad requested we get a non-Funeral siblings picture, so we squared up in formation (as always, oldest to youngest.)

Checking out Jeff's Grindr profile (I assume.)

Jill signs the card.

Jonas and Lola (Kevin's kids), Kevin and Kyle

Brian and Jeff

Nicole, rockin' out at the kid's table (with Nora and Sam.)

Grandma Jones and her three daughters (and some lady someone said was a. . . . cousin?)

Dad, Chuck (Sue's husband), and some guy.

Chuck and Sue, their kids, and Grandma Jones

Kay (an old family friend), Bryan, and Aunt Lucy

While we were hanging out indoors, we spotted a flock (herd?) of wild turkeys moseying around the sidewalk outdoors. Ton of those dudes out there (this was about half of 'em.)

We even managed to get a family pic with her before we made our Irish Goodbye, around 3pm.

Eventually everyone reconvened at Brian and Jill's in order to eat some snacks (and later pizza), drink some beers, and watch the Lions' first game of the season.

Our girls only hung out for a bit, having to return home by 4:30pm so Alayna could change and get ready for her 5pm shift at Taco Bell.

Their cat was PISSED he couldn't come inside.

Blake helps Jax string something-or-other on his new fishing. . . pole. . . thing.

Three Brians, watching the Lions totally eat shit this Sunday afternoon. This game was NOT fun to watch. At. All.

It was like watching a completely different team from last year. Utterly depressing.

After watching the Lions lose to the Packers by, like, twenty points, we tossed in the towel and headed back to Midland, where we wound down and prepared for another week of work, school, and adulting.

- Brian