What else do you have to do?

 

Sunrise over Mudsock

 

You gotta dig it

 

Getting with the Program

We have a busy day before us. The granddaughters have a dance recital this afternoon. We are off right after to celebrate Christmas with the wife’s family. 

This morning I have to make a salad and desert to take with us tonight. 

So that insightful, well reasoned, occasionally humorous blog entry you have come to rely on will be absent this morning. 

Well, okay, every morning. But less so today. 

Here’s a little Bing to cheer you up (and not that despicable duet with David Bowie). At this point it looks like the chances of a white Christmas are about zero, so we will have to dream:

Getting close

 Events are ramping up for the holiday season. Wrapped gifts are appearing under the tree. 

We have Christmas with the wife’s family Saturday evening. Monday the wife is heading to the daughter’s to make cookies. Tuesday night we will do our traditional viewing of the Christmas lights. 

Christmas Day everyone will be at my house for dinner. 

I’m putting in a half day at work and then I’m off next week. 

Don’t Know Where I Read This

 “Be yourself. Everyone else is taken.”

         -Oscar Wilde

Maybe I got it from Mr. B in his Wednesday Words of Wisdom? Maybe from some book. In any case I think it is great advice. 

Future Landmark

 

I offer up a rare double post today. Here is a view of the old homestead all dressed up for the holiday taken before the big snow melt today .  

For those of a curious bent, this time waster  blog and my literary efforts in general, are created up there behind the darkened windows on the upstairs left. I am certain you will be able to tour it in the future when my genius is recognized and the entire house is preserved as a museum. Be advised parking is limited. 

Perhaps future curators will purchase the property next door and erect a gift shop and additional parking space to handle the crowds. 

I’m pretty sure that is the plan. 

Humping it on hump day

 I have been remarkably busy at work this week. Hopefully that ends starting today and I can begin coasting towards the holiday. Friday afternoon is the company office Christmas party and if they aren’t working, neither am I. I’m on vacation next week. 

The weather is also on a weird ride. From heavy snow and sub-zero temps we will hit the 50sF tomorrow and might even push 60F by Christmas! All depends on the weather predictions being accurate, a tall task indeed. 

One of my favorite Christmas tunes. 

Do Better

 Sorry, Trump dissing on Rob Reiner’s murder - almost gloating that a man with whom he disagreed politically was dead — seems not a lot different than the lefties crowing over the murder of Charlie Kirk. 

As President we should expect more. 

Weekend Recap

It won’t sound like much, but we sure were busy this weekend. Friday night we watched the youngest granddaughter for a few hours. As usual she kicked our butts in Candyland. Then we played some Uno, where I fared a bit better, winning one of the games. We had a great time. 

Saturday we went to watch the oldest granddaughter compete in a robotics competition. After, the wife and I grabbed a late lunch then motored around the area doing Christmas shopping in the be blowing snow. We finally got home around 8:00 PM. I then shoveled the 6” of snow out the driveway and front walk. Tired, I plopped on the couch and fell asleep before we could even turn on a movie. 

Sunday we went to dinner for the oldest granddaughter’s birthday (Tuesday). After, I read, channel surfed and perused some work emails. 

I thought I would be able to coast through this work week, but it looks like everyone wants to get stuff wrapped up before the holidays. I have four conference calls/on-line meetings today, two more tomorrow, and the monthly sales meeting on Thursday. 

Stay warm my friends

 

Sublime. 

We got about 6” of fluffy snow yesterday. Today a cold front has dropped the frigid hammer. It is a chilly 1F as I hunt and peck these letters. Not wind chill, real outside temperature. 

I’m glad I went out late and shoveled the drive before it got really cold. 

I’m trying to believe it

 

Going Postal

 Before Thanksgiving my work told me they were sending a Walmart gift card. Great, I’ll take it. 

It never arrived. I did not speak up, it wasn’t a big deal and I was good. I am not going to insist somebody go out and get me a replacement card. 

The card finally arrived yesterday. It was postmarked November 20. Ponder that. Twenty-plus days to travel 210 miles. I could have literally (and I am using that word correctly) walked there and back in that same time frame. 

Well I could if I was in better shape. And if it wasn’t winter. Shuddup, you get my point. 

The Pony Express took about 10 days to travel between St Joseph, MO and Sacramento - about 1,900 miles. Compare and contrast. 

It is okay, I’ll buy a Christmas turkey instead. 

Just a thought

If gun manufacturers can be sued because some criminal shoots down a bunch of innocent people, why can’t victim’s families sue the lenient judges and prosecutors who let criminals off with a slap on the wrist time after time? 

I’m looking at that woman in Rhode Island who had been arrested 100 times before she drove over a poor guy walking his dogs or the guy in Chicago who had 70+ arrests or the murderer in Charlotte who was arrested dozens of times. 

Sue them and make them pay for the crimes they allowed to happen. 

I’m glad I have a desk job today

 Today the weather may try even the most intrepid of mail carriers. The forecast calls for wind and rain and sleet and snow. I like winter, but yech. And more snow and very cold air are set to follow over the weekend. I don’t blame my SUV nor the natural gas furnace that keeps my house warm.  Put me squarely in the climate denier box. If I relied on solar to provide electricity I’d be screwed, it’s been cloudy all week. *

* seems like it anyway. 

Free falling

Maybe I told this story previously. 

Never mind, I did — back in 2005.  It was the tale of how I came to jump out of an airplane the first time I was ever in one. 

I suppose I have nothing left to write about around here.  You know all the stories I choose to reveal. What topic interests you? 

So what else is new? Not much. A customer set up an online meeting for yesterday and then failed to show up. 

He has done this multiple times so I wasn’t surprised. 

Sixty-three days until spring training. ⚾️ 

And this made me laugh:

Probably not politically correct. Get over it. 

There is no argument

 

One of the greatest Christmas songs ever. 

December 7

 

Let's take the road before us and sing a chorus or two

 

Way back in the last century I play a trombone in the high school band. The top couple of chairs also played with the orchestra. I enjoyed that far more than the marching band or pep band. The best part was every year the orchestra went to each elementary school (5) in town to put on a Christmas concert convocation.

The kids loved it and it made the whole thing fun. One of the most enjoyable songs to play was this one   Every time I hear it I have to smile. 

Friday Freebies

 

Friday morning came early today. I limped down to the kitchen to make a Yeti of coffee around 4:30 aye-em. Outside the snow glowed a faint blue from the full moon. The air, according to my phone, was a frigid 10F. I am glad I was inside. 

I don’t know why I’m up early. If you do, please let me know. 

That image is the tree in the family room. The big nine-footer is in the living room by the front window. The wife always makes the house beautiful and elegant. I dig it. Your mileage may vary. That’s okay, we don’t have to like the same stuff. 

Me? I’d be that guy with so many tacky decorations outside you need to follow a path to the front door. I suppose that is a metaphor for our lives. The wife always is polite and classy. I’m a tacky, uncouth, redneck at heart. 

RIP Mr Cropper

 

Curious Courtesy

Culture is a funny thing. The first time I was in China comes to mind. My Chinese colleague and I were riding the subway in Shanghai, returning from a late dinner. Like everywhere in China, the car was crowded, but somehow we managed to get seats. At each stop more and more people pushed their way in. A little old wizened Chinese lady boarded carrying a couple of shopping bags. She stood near me and I instinctively stood and offered her my seat. I rode the next 25 minutes or so standing in the crowded car. 

As we finally disembarked at the stop for my hotel, my friend asked me why in the world I gave up my seat? I tried to explain, but he was so confused. “You had to stand the whole trip when you had a good seat!”

Never was I more aware that what passes for politeness and courtesy in my culture may not be true everywhere. 

I thought he was dead

Huh, I thought Robert Blake died years ago. Apparently he passed over the weekend. 

Ma Nature dumped another 4” or so of snow last night. I will head out when it gets light to shovel it away. It looks beautiful right now. 

I noticed some rabbit tracks in the snow on the patio. I have a bag of old stale peanuts, maybe I’ll throw them out there for him and his buddy the squirrel to munch on later. Or maybe not. 

Ba-boomp

I’ve been married 41 years and I don’t regret a single day of it.

And that single day was August 23, 1985 — she was visiting her mother that day…