Hello! Welcome to the tenth exciting installment of Son of Thunder!

Well, it has been a hectic time here, all right.

Just days before heading out to California, we finally got the call we had been dreading since summer - Bill Deehan Sr. was dead.

Bill had worked with my father way, way back in Syracuse, NY, back before I had taken my first steps. By the time I was in second grade he and Dad had changed jobs, and it was not until many, many years later that he came back into the family when my sister Erin married his son.

Bill was one of those people you just couldn't dislike, even though he seemed to give you reason to :) . His terrible old jokes, his constantly asking innocuous questions, were outweighed by his genial spirit and just plain good humor.

I drove out on a Wednesday - it's about a twelve-hour drive - and made the night-time wake... as did my parents, my brothers and sisters from four states, aunts and uncles and cousins I hadn't seen in years, and dozens more. We were all touched by this man.

It really was an Irish funeral - St. Patrick's Church and a walk down to Coleman's Irish Bar for a reception (Coleman's came into the family through Bill's son marrying Beth Coleman, by the way). It was actually... well, not quite "fun", but an enjoyable time to say goodbye. More than once the comment was made that we really have to get together sometime other than at funerals.

Then it was back into the car to drive home overnight, because the next day I had to fly to San Diego to Aaron Storck's wedding reception!

It was great to see Aaron again and to meet the lovely Jeni and I think most of his relatives! I got to stay with Russ and Mike got to stay with Tony and all in all we had a great time just hanging out together. Russ is moving in thwo weeks so it was the last time we'd probably all be together.

Of course, there have already been several "last times". :)

Saw The Pirate Queen, the big new musical, before it heads off to Broadway. I don't know... there was just... something missing, I think. Good, but not spectacular.

Went to Las Vegas last week for our big trade show - and ended up wotking from 5 AM to 10 PM for four days in a row. Not like I really had anything else planned but I really have sore legs from standing all that time!

If you haven't seen Vegas recently, it's dropped the "family entertainment" nonsense (there are a lot of places to take the kids other than Vegas!) and grown into a monster. I mean, hotels with 7,000 rooms? Complexes taking up the better part of two city blocks? Holy cow, it was.... almost overwhelming. And I'm from Chicago.

Went to my parents in California for Thanksgiving. Caught "Christmas Dreamland" in San Jose - pleasant enough but not really recommended. And we saw two movies - "Happy Feet" with the kids (did anyone out there LIKE this movie?) and the much better "Casino Royale" - excellent Bond movie!

This year I'm spending Christmas in Chicago along with Maggie. We just saw the Rockettes show - it's changed around a little but still a great show. We did see the Christams Trees of the World at the Museum of Science and Industry yesterday - taking a day off from work was the smartest thing. We even got on a tour of the U-505, the only German submarine ever captured, and I've tried several times before only to have the tours sold out!

We're going to see 500 Clowns (497 of which are stuck in Canada - their joke, not mine) and the lights at the zoo, and generally just hang out together and with her family. Sounds like a good time.

Well, on to the Times.

I have been pretty busy writing Americana stories, haven't I? Well, consider these my holiday gift to you!

First, Americana finally gets Rebecca Kane to give some "Answers - and Questions". Then, she finds herself asking just what is the secret of "The Paradox Machine".

Then, the big Seventy-Fifth Issue story that takes Americana to "The End of Time".

Next Americana faces the "Mad Rooks' Gambit", then finds herself on "The Quest for Home".

Oh, and there's more artwork scanned for Americana's Art Gallery #11!

And a very Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

K.C.