I wager you all determined I grew tire of blogging. Au contrere, mon frer (a little French lingo).

Christmas is now complete, having celebrated His birth in grand (as is "daughter") style. What a joy to have a small child present for presents! And ours did not disappoint. As usual, she stole the show!

Both immediately before and after, I had the displeasure of witnessing first-hand the carnage of the Christmas shopping season. I am overjoyed that the world is in a depression, as some would have us believe, otherwise, the stores, parking lots and roadways may have been crowded.

Thank goodness we have global warming. Fifty degrees for two days straight. This allowed me to skip raking the snow from my roof to prevent icedams and possible damage. The fog was a little unsettling, however. Let's keep 'er comin' anyways!

Well, the Pack ended their less-than-stellar season on a high note by beating the lowly Lions. Another step for Detroit into the NFL record books with Green Bay as a footnote. The Lions became the first ever 0-16 team. The perfect season. I was overjoyed that the Pack helped them reach this precious milestone. It did appear that the Pack was attempting to keep the Lions from this record, but cooler heads prevailed.

There is a -35F bleeping wind chill here today! Guess who had to go out in it to shovel the driveway? Again, I'm glad we have global warming. And, this is truly temperature change - twenty-eight Saturday morning, -35 Sunday. That's "Change you can believe in"! We also have 36 inches of snow, for those of you Obamakins (because of the lack of insite of the "typical" Obamakin), that's three feet for the month. We had over 100 inches all last season and only 25 inches at this time last year. Those of you who had private school educations, we're on our way to anther possible record-breaking snow season. Oh, yippee.

My thoughtful wife just brought me a nice warming device. I spend my leisure time in a basement family room with my computer, digital cable and a fridge full of beer, but it does tend to be on the "cool" side temperature-wise. The device was a gift from a student. It is a bag of cloth filled with corn kernels that is heated in a microwave for two minutes and provides about forty minutes of warmth. It works great. My extremities were slightly chilled. They're fine now. Use your own definition for "extremities" you sex maniacs!

The Packers cannot lose today. They don't play. They play the last team they beat, da Bears, on Monday night. It's a battle for dominance of Lake Michigan. Again, for those of you without private school edjamakaishcans, Green Bay is tributary to (flows into) Lake Michigan. I'm at the point where I route for a high draft choice, especially with Favre in NYC.

Stay warm and informed.

(revised 9:03am 12/22/08)

Redundancy. Another autumn day, another snow storm. this one is a doozie!. We have eight new inches! I measured it in the driveway. I've just com in from using the aging Armstrong Power Shovel (I took my one earned sick day). The snow had to be thrown quite a distance as more is expected tomorrow, Tuesday, etc. At least by Tuesday, though, it will be winter!

That being said, imagine how much worse it would be if the globe hadn't warmed so over the last 100 years. We might have had ten inches instead.

My dad is suffering from Parkinson's. He's recently switched doctors. My mother has decided, in that week, that he has gone from a near death prognosis to a near cure one. I pray Sherri and I do not have to suffer this type of existence in our really old age. Maybe Barack will cure all diseases after he take over health care. Anyway, I hope this allows her to relax a little for Christmas because last week she was concerned dad was on his last legs. We'll see.

My younger daughter and son-in-law are spending this week, their belated honeymoon, in Jamaica, mon. I believe they may be oblivious to the weather here. Their car is parked at a suburban Chicago hotel where, I am certain, they will have to dig it out upon their return. Nathan will have to unbury his truck at their apartment also. The prices one pays for all-inclusive vacations to warmer climates at this time of year.

And, today is my precious, beautiful, smart granddaughter's second birthday. Even though she's been with us only three months, I cannot barely remember our lives without her. In this short amount of time, she has learned to recognize a dozen people, a new language and scores of words and many sentences. Her personality has blossomed and she has grown two clothes sizes. She has a huge amount of compassion and unlimited hugs which she gives freely after becoming familiar with you. I especially enjoy the lap time I get. I am quite aware that it won't last long as time flies by. God has truly answered our prayers.

Long time no write...We just completed another great weekend with our granddaughter, and her parents, of course. The other daughter and spouse were also present and adding to the frivolity and to the birthday celebrations.



Also, another Sunday, another Packer loss. It appears as though both sides of the ball are failing this game, and, of course, playing to the level of their inferior competition. I had to turn this game off as well, as they are snatching defeat from the jaws of victory yet again. This has NOTHING to do with the change in quarterback. Aaron Rodgers is more than adequate. It's the team as an entirety that's letting us all down. Oh well, there is always next year, and a higher draft choice is in the works. This might be a decent off season as the Jets could make the playoffs, giving the Packers another high choice. They did it, the Pack lost again.

The inauguration of our President-elect, who, by the way has an office, a placard says so, is about one month away. I am happy to report that a "green" celebration is also planned. It will consist of energy-reducing lights and fixtures, composting of waste organic food and carbon offsets. At least that is way the Washington Times described it. Does anyone else see the hypocrisy?

1. Why is a celebration claiming to be environmentally friendly being held INdoors at all? Shouldn't this be held outdoors, during the day, or at least by candlelight to prevent using any of our precious resources?


2. Why is only organic food considered environmentally friendly? Even vegetarian and vegan lifestyles are considered better environmentally. Shouldn't we meat-eaters be the best stewards of the environment as we intend on eating every methane-producing, carbon dioxide-emitting carcass on the planet?


3. Isn't a landfill a large compost heap?


4. I guess spending exorbitant amounts of money on useless paper, namely, carbon offsets, ecologists feel better about their philosophy so I do not intend on standing in their way. I may even ask my IRA advisor to invest in some carbon offset firms. Maybe that will save me from the newly-developed "green" economy. I will, however, specify NOT to include Algore's company as he has made his millions already, and, hopefully, will be part of the collateral damage of this economy.

My current employer has generously allotted me thirty-four hours of vacation time in my first three months of employment and told me that if I do not use it, I "lose" it. So, to that end, I have arranged to leave the office two hours early on Christmas Eve day, then not return until January 2, 2009. Not to worry, my wife is rapidly filling my newly-found leisure time!

TTFN

Hi. y'all! We got it, the snow, that is. We're guesstimating 10" here in Watertown. My teacher spouse had a snow day. So did I, but I went to work in it. Home was clear sailing. One has to hand it to the highway maintenance people.

For the Illinois readers, congratulations on your Governor. At least ours hasn't been stupid enough to get caught, yet, nor is he an FOB (Friend Of Barack), though he likes to pretend so.

We recently received a bill for our house rental on St. George Island (see previous entry). With our current weather streak, it sure was a welcomed memory and anticipation of warmer times to come. I am really excited about taking my granddaughter into the Gulf of Mexico and having the waves splash us.

The Christmas season is in full swing. The tree is up, as are the outdoor decorations (see earlier post), the women of the house are busy cleaning, planning and arranging and rearranging. We also have three birthdays BEFORE Christmas, My 16-year-old niece, her father and our soon-to-be two-year-old granddaughter, thus the planning, etc.

We have a birthday tradition of a "goody box" my mother-in-law chooses specifically for each person and wraps for the adults. I believe it began with me as the Guinea pig. Twenty items are individually wrapped and placed in a print-paper box which is also wrapped.. This will be the niece's first official box. I also began an additional twist to this by guessing what each item is as mine are very similar year to year. This is good because I count on these items every year.

Regarding Christmas, it IS the celebration of the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ, God incarnate. So please, do NOT wish me "Happy Holiday", "Season's Greetings" or the like. I am not offended with a salutation of "Merry Christmas"!

Well, now I have the pleasure of waiting for the remainder of an impending doozie of a winter storm. There was a 1/2 coating of ice on my car when I left the office this afternoon. It took an extra 20 minutes to get home. Madison drivers, AGAIN. Wish me luck for tomorrow as 7" is expected. Oh well, autumn in Wisconsin.

Good afternoon dear reader. It is Saturday and there is more snow on the ground and lots of great college football on TV. I'm keeping track of the Army/Navy game. Army is down 17-0 at halftime. Army has a new wrinkle to their unifroms, comoflage. The helmets, pants and numerals all have it. It looks pretty cool. The helmets resemble those worn in the field.

The president (NOT the president-elect) visited both lockerrooms before the game.

I imagine the first visit of the next Commander-In-Chief going something like this:

"Ya know, uh, uh, uh, now men, I, uh, um, the ah, um, policy of my administration, ah, um, as you may know, is that, uh, we uh, um, are not to be aggressors. We must, ah, um, be, ah aware that ah, um, ah the other side has um, ah, feelings, too and ah, um, we cannot, ah, um force our views on others, so, ah, um we will retreat whenever, ah, we are forced to uh use ah....force. So, again, if uh, um, you find yourselves, ah in the uh in a um position of ah in a better um, ah position, um, ah, remember, ah men to um, allow ah the other side to um, ah attain a ah similar, uh position. Uh, good luck to all of you."

What is it with the word"cute"? I believe it is way overused toady, especially when refering to old people, like me.

Meriam-Webster dictionary says: "1 a: clever or shrewd often in an underhanded manner b: impertinent , smart-alecky 2: attractive or pretty especially in a childish, youthful, or delicate way 3: obviously straining for effect.

That's right, I actually looked it up! So, be wary of how "cute" is used when applied to you.

It was so cold today...It led me to think of my favorite vacation spot, St. George Island, Florida. It is a 30-mile long, 1/2 mile wide island in the Gulf of Mexico five mules from the southern tip of the panhandle. We are headed there again this June. I checked out the house we rented on line and looked at the Gulf on a live beach camera. I felt warmer for a moment.

How about an abortion for Christmas? That's what Planned Parenthood is "selling" for Christmas. Actually, they're pushing gift certificates, but you get the picture. I guess we need to get used to this, after all, it IS change.

Did you know that if WAL-MART was unionized the tragic trampling of last weekend would not have occured? It was news to me too. If this is the case, why aren't all employees unionized, instead of 15%, most of whom are public employees?

I've had an opportunity to surf the web at work for training materials for the new drafting software I am learning here at my latest new job and found some irony as well. I spotted another tip for making the process easier and at the top of this particular article, dated September 29, 2008 (the very day I began my latest new job), my name appeared in bold letters. A tip for the other drafting software I use, that I submitted last summer, before I was "laid off", was published. It is actually my fourth published entry in this industry magazine. Go figure.

Another day, another snow squall, another 2"to 4". This time the "white death" came all work/school day, just in time to mess up the afternoon commute. In the mere two months of my commute to Madison I have decided that Madison drivers are the worst. They poke along on the Beltline as if it were University Avenue after a Badger football game, in all three lanes, even on clear, dry pavement. So, imagine what it is like with snow!

It is nearly 7:30 am. I made the drive to work in just over an hour. Needless to say, the "experts" were right. We have 4" or so of snow on the ground in Watertown. Madison has less than 2". Some people were driving as if Madison had 8". Just drive, you idiots! More later...

It's later.
After an uneventful drive home (praise God), another driveway shoveling and a decent meal, it was off to church for one of our congregational quarterly Voters' Assemblies. We spent 20 minutes hearing about handicap parking stalls and another 1/2 hour from a Pastor on a five-year-old youth Bible study program of which we're all aware. The usual. We all also got admonished for not having someone step up to be congregation President (I was asked and declined as I've had enough headaches in the past 25 years) and for not giving enough money. Again, the usual. We also got a reminder that the sun sets early now and we don't broadcast our nighttime church services because the local radio station powers down to , what, 4 watts? Maybe Barry's fairness doctrine for the FCC will fix it. I won't hold my breath.

The Pack fired their punter today. Hooooooray! The high school season is over. Maybe Aschwabanon's punter could use the NFL minimum. Now all they need are some defensive backs and a kickoff cover team and another win may be in the future (at this point even Detroit worries me!).