In the midst of My Winter Season

Sunrise between the stones at
Stonehenge on the
Winter Solstice in the mid 1980s.

So I've been right all along, winter begins December 1st. Well it may not be according to the calendar as printed which identifies December 21st as the first day of winter, the Winter Solstice in particular. Not for me though on which I've proclaim in a previous blog post. I heard this from the Meteorologist on FOX News last Sunday morning: December first is the first day of Meteorological Winter. Not that I saw a single weatherman dancing in the street. Winter is often defined by meteorologists to be the three calendar months with the lowest average temperatures. This corresponds to the months of December, January and February in the Northern Hemisphere, and June, July and August in the Southern Hemisphere (Wikipedia). With the wacky weather we've been experiencing over the last 2 or 3 weeks, multi-layered clothing and frozen fingers to light jackets and the car windows rolled down I'd say that climate change can be interesting.

Winter teaser

Received almost an inch of snow last night followed today by 28 degrees, high winds and close to zero wind chill factor - priceless. I'm ready for winter... as much as I ever am.

Snug as a bug

The fairground was open for winter storage business at 9am and I rolled in just about then, Nice to be one of the many that have dibs on a space. Generally all the spots are taken by us regulars with a waiting list for those hoping for dropouts. The fees for six months of storage are reasonable based on length. We're in for $275.00 at 31ft. I consider it a bargain to sheltering the rig from the perils of winter in the open. Just not cost effective to build a structure to house it in the yard.

Home alone...

...because I took the day off. The department I'm part of at the office is low on project work and the powers that be expect the professional/technical staff to be at least 75% utilized or there will be "consequences". That being layoffs or furlongs. Most of my work comes from marketing/proposal efforts that I provide graphic design support to while also providing the same for projects/clients where I actually am "utilized" and earn direct income for the company. During the best of times I may average around 15 to 20% utilization. Between the two I'm usually crazy busy which generally suits me fine until several deadlines want to occupy a particular point of time simultaneously thereby producing a fair amount of stress, happens often enough. Point being the staff that are required to meet the 75% are working 32 hours a week until enough work arrives to support 40 hours. I've been informed by my manager that I'm not included in that edict as my worth is in helping bringing in work but anything I can do to help the department that carries me would be appreciated. What that boils down to is to take a day off per week - something I've been wanting to do anyway. I'm sitting on about three weeks vacation with no immediate plans for an extended vacation so I have my day home payed yet it doesn't count against the department utilization and I get a chance to catch up on some household and yard tasks. We've had a wonderful spell of autumn weather so this is really is great time to be home alone.

Another sign of the season

So part of the recent weekend was spent winterizing the camper. Goes into storage for the winter in one of the buildings at a fairground a couple of towns away. Looking forward a few years when "winterizing" means pulling the camper to a warmer location for the winter months.

Turning of the season

Can't blame this big old Tom for easy foraging under the bird-feeder during a few quiet minutes around the backyard. I saw him from the kitchen window approaching the seed littered ground where usually the morning doves take their meals. I grabbed my camera and went out a door on the opposite side of the house then from around the corner held the camera out enough to get a dozen shots off before a noise spooked him along his way. Turkey hunting season is coming soon.

Slacker's Holiday

Seems I can not managed to put together two typed words much less a blog here and there. So life in general keeps me pretty busy  and  in the the midst of busy I think of subjects to blog about which melts away from memory like a hailstone on dark pavement. I could of course catchup up on the remainder of my recent vacation then followup up with the more recent Labor Day Weekend camping trip. Both of these I hope to accomplish though for tonight -- a little more slacking.

Vacation Time

Let the vacation begin. Much anticipated and as always feels I’m escaping from the insane asylum that is my job, which I’m generally happy about though yearly the manner that my workload expands leading up to walking out of my cubical seems to be a conspiracy of the cosmos to push me to the limits of patience. This year was no exception – I left the office Friday at 8:30pm.

This year it’s a man and his dog excursion. With sunny skies Patches and I had a good trip up to the Lake with a truck load of gear that I hope to put to good use. Bike, kayak, even a pair of walking poles. As the morning mist made way for a calm breeze and clear sky my first morning I opened the door to the sound of nearby machinery – the neighbor, semi-retired I believe, was operating a wood-splitter for apparently an all-day project. I visited a bit to get a scope for what his plans were for the week, stay tuned, it may be an abbreviated stay. Later in the day I ventured south retracing my Sunday drive to pick up my mother-in-law, Margaret, who was shuttled up from a hospital further south by Carol for her to return home after a short stay in a hospital. Presently Margaret is staying at the camp with Patches and I.

Besides purposeful relaxation and recreation is beginning a recent book by Neal Asher, Zero Point the second of a trilogy following The Departure, which I read early this year. I'm well into the story now and is building up nicely in classic Asher fashion.

Relatively continued

This time a marriage, an up event after attending a cousin's funeral Thursday. Congratulations to our nephew Jim and his new wife Kelly on their marriage Saturday. He is the son of my sister Kathy. Nice ceremony and reception. Ian had come home for the weekend to attend which was terrific for Carol and I in of its self. Saturday was the end of a hot and muggy stretch of weather and with a brief period of scattered thunderstorms none of which amounted to anything the temperatures and humidity dropped making today ideal to catch up on the general yard work leaving time for reading and napping on the deck. I guess I'm ready to get back to work without anything to complain about.

Relatively lost

In life there is death. Yeah, that's not profound, probably a quote from somewhere. At the very least it's an obvious reflection. Today with other family members I attended the funeral of one of my many cousins. He was 9 years younger than I and it was an illness that laid him to rest. He was someone I never got to know and remember him more from childhood. Looking around at his surviving siblings and their families and other cousins plus aunts and uncles I have a passive detachment with their lives that plagues me when wishing to connect with them. Repeated several times today as at previous funerals "it's too bad that we only seem to get together at a time like this." Too true, time and distance is probably the main reason and the lack of time and energy to make it otherwise.

BTW, if that wasn't someone's quote... put me down for it.

Water time with the ladies

Finally dragged out the kayaks for the season so Carol and I headed to Crescent Lake where we met up with her sister Elaine for a paddle on Tenney River to Panther Pond. Sunny and muggy - didn't matter, just nice to meander along and be on the water. Some regular traffic share the river with us, canoes, other kayaks and motor boats at traveling at less then wake speed.

Carol and Elaine enjoying some drifting.

Hitchhikers welcome.

Family day on the shore of Panther Pond.

Another family we passed on the return trip which I believe were Common Mergansers. There may have been 8 or more duckings but before I got a good bead on them with the camera they spooked and left the scene like their tails were on fire.

 

Blogger at rest.

True summertime in Aroostook County

Another 4th of July has rolled around and Carol and I have hauled the camper up to the lake. There are other family members here at the camp so like pass years we’ve brought up our rig as have Lois and Jim. Ours is parked overlooking the lake while Lois and Jim’s is up the by the roadway with a sight through the trees toward the lake. Hard to do better at most campgrounds we stay at. The weather has been terrific, on the muggy side but being at the lake makes up for it. So, as family gathered lakeside in the evening of Wednesday the 3rd the preliminary firework displays began from several camps along the shore, many more than previous years since its now legal statewide for private individuals to buy and use them within local community’s ordinances. Thursday, the 4th began with the Swedish Pancake Breakfast at and benefiting the Christen Boys Brigade Lodge. Later in the morning was the Town of Stockholm 4th of July Parade then back to the camp for lunch, reading, napping, game playing, whatever. I grilled up some chicken for supper then it was back lakeside for the actual holiday’s fireworks and a campfire. Today everyone is going in different directions, other than a quick trip to gas up the truck hanging around the camp has been the order of the day foe me and will be the evening as well. Tomorrow, looks like we might leave about mid-day. A lot to get done Sunday before going back to work Monday.

 Sunsets are a little more to the right than I take during my August vacation.

 One of the "I have fireworks but can't wait until tomorrow" displays.

 Prime campsite as taken from the lakeshore.

Let the parade begin.

 Some of the Swedish clan with 1st class front row seating.

Yep, that's my brother-in-law Greg enjoying the Parade from within.

Here's myself, Ian and his cousin Lena and her husband Jim L. playing a game of Forbidden Island. The island sank - we lost.

 Various boaters passing by.

 Lois  and Jim heading out to pay a visit to some family friends.

 Greg back from an afternoon run. Patches keeping him company.

 Pre-fireworks sunset.

Patriotic passerbys.

The Maine Monsoon season has arrived

Crazy weather abounds at the compound with some amount of rain, thunder and lightening daily for the last couple of weeks or so it seems. In spite of that we managed to get the lawns mowed, Car, truck and RV washed, a couple of minor additions installed within the camper. That was after starting the weekend making a shopping run mid-day Saturday plus were able to grill and eat supper on the deck yesterday and this evening. Dodging the wet weather has become a game with Mother Nature.

Of slime and spores

Slugs and mushrooms, so much rain and lingering cloudy weather as this was a somewhat drier day while walking the backyard I see the mushrooms making a much earlier appearance then in years past. The slugs have been out in force since before the snow left. Apparently snakes don't eat slugs not that I can blame them, damn things are so slimy I won't even try to squish them.

Rising from the ashes of blogging purgatory

Nothing like seeing winter in the rear-view mirror while several of it's traits seem to cling to the bumper on the road to spring, in the meantime blogging again has fallen off my must do list. Hence I find myself now on the second of the first two campground excursions of the year both of which provided cool temperatures and more rain than we deserved. Still the novelty of the camper we bought last year remains and this weekend's trip to the central Maine community of Farmington satisfies putting it to purpose as often as we can get away. Carol's choice of campground and region was a strategic destination to make genealogy ties this time locating the resting places of ancestors on my mother's side of the family. Beginning with my great grandfather's grave at the first of four cemeteries on a loop Carol had mapped out as we pursued and located several other relations at each stop. Of course along the route we stopped for lunch a at "cafe" for a BBQ chicken sandwich to sustain us through the remainder of the day's hunt.

The campground itself was I'd say a little "rustic" which in this day and age means poor or no internet and over the air television while the general appearance supported that perception. Seems the main feature of the campground was it's side business of running a disk (Frisbee) golf course and this was a weekend that a tournament was being held. That in itself didn't trouble us as did the constant playing of pop/rock tunes from central course area which premeditated the campground.

Unlike the last trip we brought the dogs along with us much to their happiness and dismay in as they seem to want to go if they could stay home at the same time. Dogs so it seems can struggle with voyeurism vs. complacency as much as their owners.

 

Boston Marathon Bombing

What are you going to do? Tragic destruction today at the Boston Marathon, hundreds of thousands of people gathered for the race and a general good time supporting family and/or friends. Cheering on those who train so hard to run and finish 26 miles of running - then someone with or without others decides this is how they'll make a statement about whatever it is on their agenda. With only the rehashed statements from politicians and talking heads I'm of a mind that this was done by a "local" element, not the standard boogieman terrorists. Will this be the beginning of the end of American society - that eventually we won't be able to gather without a shakedown of what we carry with us and not being allowed to gather in groups of 3 or more "for our own safety"? I hope not. In spite of what happen on 9/11 I still climb eagerly onto an airplane to take me away, join with a crowd at a hockey game, wander through festive city streets. Maybe I'm daffy but I want to get around and not worry that some great tragic event will befall me and should have just stayed home and watched the sky fall from my window.

Right the ship

All hands on deck, I've arrived at my destination -- 175lbs, the weekend past is when I reached my goal weight. The journey will continue as maintenance which actually with the Lose It app is giving me an additional 500 calories per day though so far I still find myself greedy about using all of them so my weight may continue to decrease. I don't feel there's much of a need to weight less but I do have a physical later in the month so I'll see what the doctor thinks about it. I have a couple of ways of looking at this, one is to be able to eat out occasionally without looking for grilled chicken and salads on the menu. The other is looking into what may be smarter foods to eat that I don't already. Add nutritional value type foods, learn about carbs, proteins, more vegetables, something like that. Maybe there's some bok choy in my future.

The odd moment

A long time ago in a company far away - well, not really though if in context a long time ago means about 27 plus years ago. I worked about 5 years for a fledgling engineering company as a draftsman and transitman (surveyor team person who looks through the scope). As the company started up I was the second person the owner hired. It was a good job, good people to work with and a good man the boss/owner was. I left after 5 years because I'd decided I didn't want to be a 50 year old drafter someday. By then there were about 25 employees, eventually there were up 60. Drafting on a computer wasn't yet common practice. I'd given proper notice and left to work for a general contractor as an estimator/designer. As predicted by my former boss I was laid off after a couple years, contracting being a rather volatile line of work during economic downturns especially in the housing market. Not that the engineering business was exempt from the same situations. Shortly after I was hired by my present employer be it four or five buyouts ago. Bringing this tale up to recent times and the latest buyout now almost 2 years ago part of which was combining two other businesses in the area into my office's location one of which was the old company I'd left. The company had bought them out about two years earlier than us. The deal had included giving my former boss a contract to provide business development, etc. So last week as I was walking down an aisle former boss comes along puts out his hand and says "I'll be saying goodbye, they've had enough of me". I was taken by surprise of course, though he was of a good age to retire I figured he'd call his shot in his own good time. It all gave me a weird feeling how things were long ago, then though circumstances I'd been reacquainted with someone I never expected to be associated with again, then have that person shown the door. I don't feel bad for him, he's made his money from the buyout and his former business. Some of the people that came over to our location I'd worked with, My manager is one of those - I interviewed him for a entry position as a draftsman back then now he's the manager of our CADD department where I administratively reside. This whole situation I still find a little surreal. Not that any of it matters, I have more work to do than ever, plenty to keep the mind occupied and one less person to say good morning to in passing.

Gray matter weather

A heavy fog rolled in this morning - not outside, too cold and dry for that. It was in my head. Yesterday Carol prepared and cooked a righteous corned beef and Guinness St. Patrick's Day eve dinner. Served up with carrots, onions, parsnips and cabbage. So I accompanied that with a glass of Guinness, seemed only right. All well and good at that point, later in the evening as we settled down on the couch to watch the James Bond movie "Skyfall" dvd I pored a glass of red wine and throughout the course of the movie and beyond I drained the bottle. A little after midnight I crawled into bed and slept like the dead until daybreak when nature called, first me then one of the dogs. It was about time I should get up but there it was, the fog had set thick right between the ears. Pretty much stayed there through breakfast until lunch when I administered a shot of espresso. Not like I haven't drank a full bottle in an evening before - just thinking maybe factoring in the Guinness pushed the envelope a bit, no that couldn't be it!

Up and down the weather is right for the season

With spring approaching March is providing us everything it's capable of, snow, rain, warmth and cold. The actual astronomical first day of spring sounds nice but doesn't really mean much in real life. Most of Carol and my weather concerns are keeping up with what Ian and Ali have been dealing with on the Appalachian Trail. A lot of damp cloudy days, some wicked snow storms in the mountains with whiteout conditions and times where to make any progress means following in post hole steps through deep snow from a previous hikers. They seem to be in good spirits though as in this technological age staying in contact somewhat regularly is easier then ever with texts and calling so we can track their progress and mindset. Despite some minor setbacks they are making great progress and tonight will be staying in the Cherry Gap Shelter just inside of Tennessee. They'll be coming into more level terrain soon which extends up to New England expecting to do 17 to 20 miles a day - still a lot of miles to cover.

This picture was taken at a hostel

near the AT early on in the hike.

10 down, 3 to go.

Still on the calorie counting program and so far, so good. I've reached a milestone of sorts, lost 10 lbs since I started on January 19th at 188 lbs I finally read 178 this morning on the scale. Three more to go, the target was 175 by the end of March I may make it early. The Lose It app that both Carol and I are using has been the biggest help. As you add foods that you eat and exercises and other intensive activities you do it stores that data for the next time you eat or do them then they're easy to find and enter into the daily log. The app determines how many calories you can eat per day to meet your goal and you always know how many you have left each day...in case you want that glass of wine and snack before bed. Right now I'm quite in the black for the week so with calories to spare I could have something extra but I do get a bit greedy and don't use up all my calories. Exercise is the key. My daily budget is 1,943 calories - with 60 minutes of brisk walking I get an additional 281 calories, 30 minutes on the elliptical 298, weightlifting for 45 minutes 128. Heck, I even get 130 for an hour behind the snowthrower. Close to making it easy to like snow... not quite.

Out and abouts

Three inches of fluffy snow greeted me this morning, above freezing temperatures today with a little sunshine most of it didn't last much into the afternoon but I cleaned off the drive anyway. Less sloppy that way. By late morning Carol and I took a ride into Windham to pick up a few items and we also stopped in at the local RV dealership who were having their yearly open house. We wanted to chat with someone in the service department since if we have problems with our new camper that I can't handle myself we'd be familiar with their operation. We had purchased our rig from a dealer almost two hours drive from home but this local dealer also sells and supports the same manufacturer's products so it was good to establish that face to face contact.We talked with the service manager and discussed a accessory installation which we hope to have done before Memorial Day weekend. Caught up with Carol's sister Lois and her husband Jim who were checking out the new campers. I think they may be buying one in the next year or two... maybe three. We'll be picking ours up from winter storage in 7 or 8 weeks from now.

Making a house call

Picked up my mother today for a trip to the nursing home where her sister Dot is staying after having fallen and broken her hip. Aunt Dot is weathering a difficult time as it wasn't long ago that her husband died and she had to move in with her son. That adjustment was hard enough as her health hasn't been good for the pass several years, then taking the fall that put her in the present situation. Previously to all this she and her husband Jack lived about a 10 - 15 minute drive from my mother and they would see each other frequently. Living with my cousin then put her about an hours drive away as is the nursing home, more than Mom is comfortable driving for both time, familiarity with the route and traffic. She last visited with Dot a month or so ago when one of my sister's had reason to be in the area. Under the circumstances I offered to take Mom to the nursing home. I've always liked Dot and this was a way to both visit with her and spend time with Mom on the drive down and back, Not surprisingly the time flew by as we talk about all kinds of things, before arriving in what seems no time at our destination. Given her situation Dot will not be leaving the nursing home - the repaired hip will not heal sufficiently enough to support her. Currently she is without her glasses (lost?) and a greater problem is her hearing is bad so communicating takes a lot of effort hindering both sides of any conversation. Of course she is under a lot of medication and though necessary the effects contribute to maintaining such an effort. I believe the trip was worth the time and provided some comfort for Aunt Dot during these troubled times. I'm glad we were able to do it.

Slipping into Friday

A wicked nice evening outside tonight, starless with a dusting of snow falling. The air is still and quiet enough to hear the traffic on the turnpike a little more than a couple of miles away. Wasn't even thinking of the snow piled up around me and what it took to put it there. Working my way through a bottle of Malbec to get to tonight's episode of Fashion Police with Joan Rivers. Can't wait to hear their take on what the "stars" were wearing at the Oscars.

18 of one, half a dozen of another

Our overnight snowstorm didn't leave us with as much snow as the forecast claimed, 6 inches at least, maybe a bit more but this was snow with a high moisture content, dense and almost soggy on the bottom. The snowthrower struggles to send snow 5 to 10 ft so I end up throwing snow that's already been thrown, heavier now. In the mere two and half hours it took to clean up the estate I mulled over what might be a fair exchange for conditions I'd prefer. I concluded I'd rather have 18 inches of "dry" snow and a 15 mph wind then what I was working with this morning with no wind. Equal effort in half the time? Maybe. The Noble Prize in Physics... questionable at this point.

Funny what a little walking will get you

Plenty of snow coming down, maybe followed by rain but it's getting harder to write about when I've used up all the snow cliches I know. At least yesterday we were sun drenched for a change. I had walked across intown Portland to have lunch at The Crooked Mile Cafe, a terrifically eclectic sandwich-salad shop in the Old Port. Lately my favorite has been the Buffalo Chicken Wrap with crumbled blue cheese, carrots and tomato with mixed greens and balsamic vinaigrette. Comes with a small bag of chips and I added a large black dark roast coffee. Always worth the stroll, under $10. With a happy belly I retrace my steps back to the office and cross paths with one of the young engineers I work with, Ken, a husky built guy with a face reminiscent of a 14 year old, who tells me he'd taken a sick day to take his 3 year old asthmatic son to the doctor for a check up. In response to my questions about how a 3 year old deals with asthma he tells me about the medicinal routine he and his wife go through to deliver relief to someone so young and susceptible to pneumonia. Still, the little guy is like any kid that age and just wants to play, watch kids movies and be with Mom and Dad. If there is one thing I've learn through stories like this, kids are very resilient.

More than enough, and all I wanted was a little

After moving snow last night, this morning and finishing up tonight what do I hear on the forecast? More snow, Wednesday into Thursday, about a foot. Good thing I did some maintenance on the snowthrower Saturday morning. Carol was up earlier then usual for a work morning to meet up at Lois' so they and their sister Elaine could ride up north together for their Aunt Carolyn's funeral. They are returning tonight, over five hours up then back again. Fortunately the storm that just blew through was mostly in this region and had tailed off the further north you went. At least the forecast for the weekend looks to be quiet.

More than enough to go around

So here I am at the tail end of a "norlun instability trough" - a snowstorm formed between two low pressure systems. In this case once all is said and done there will probably be 10 inches of norlun trough. Three weekends, three snowstorms - it is winter, move it and wait for more.

In the week since I last posted, Carol's Aunt Carolyn passed away Friday, more than a week after suffering the stroke. The funeral is being held tomorrow. Additionally two of my aunts aren't doing to well themselves.

Meantime Ian and Ali are progressing nicely along in their Appalachian Trail hike and have reached Newfound Gap in Gatlinburg, TN where they'll spend a night or two. Find out for sure shortly as we're expecting a call tonight from Ian.

Nothing has changed about work, still busy. I think I may be reaching the end of my tolerance for winter. I'll keep you posted.

where did I leave off

Back to work today and I'm still out of my mind. The tasks/work itself is fine - still that problem of overlapping deadlines/expectations. The expectation that I nurture is that things will settle out any day now, maybe tomorrow. For now a glass of red, a few pages to be read then off to bed.

Looking for normal

Returned from the long weekend up north this afternoon, tired but none the worst for the wear. An inch or so of snow had fallen yesterday which ordinarily wouldn't been worth bothering with but strong winds overnight and today swept it around in places it could gather and pile up enough to gain attention. 10 minutes of snowblowing took care of that before I needed to retrieve the dogs from their sabbatical at the kennel. All's almost back to normal though a couple of days with the "normal" routine would be welcomed.

a Blogger’s bullet list

There I go again, letting just a little is enough sit idle while my life goes on its merry way. Not intentionally mind you, just that life as it is pretty well taps me out most days and by the time there are moments to reflect and write I go into veg mode. So let’s have at it and see what I throw into the virtual void.

• The main thing on my mind is that Ian and Ali are presently hiking the Appalachian Trail, south to north. They began almost two weeks ago and last Sunday Ian checked in with a phone call from where they came off the trail to restock, clean up and rest for a couple of nights. All seems to be going well as they are gradually getting into shape to push along as they increase their daily mileage. We expect them to reach Mount Katahdin by July. Next check-in may be Monday.

• I've written before in this space, work is getting busier and more complex than ever before. Hard for me to comprehend but true none the less. More tasks overlapping as I commit to several deadlines and more comes in that need to be done in the same time frame. Hard to pass off to graphic designers in other offices as either some of the requesters are in my office which mandates that I take care of them and others who want done the way I do certain things. Not surprising that I feel mentally spent by the time I get home and barely recovered by the end of a weekend. I admit to a bit of hyperbole about it all but it does come with feeling overwhelmed at times.

• One of the early topics of this blog was a successful diet plan I had implemented and adhered to for a couple of years – well as often happens with this type of thing I've been backsliding and gradually put back on 13 of the 25 pounds that I had loss and no discipline to do what was necessary to turn it around. Among a variety of reasons for putting on weight the biggest was lack of portion control at dinner and too often poor snack choices. A few weeks ago I came across an app for my tablet called “Lose It!”. It allows me to easily track what I’m eating, totals the calories which are compared to daily calorie goals set to meet the weight I want to be at by a particular  date. So far in 4 weeks I’ve lost 7 pounds on my way to reaching 175 lbs by the end of March. Once there I’ll reset the goal for maintaining that weight.

• With weight loss goes exercise, duh. I've had and use a basic membership at the Planet Fitness nearby where I live for about four years now. The company I work for with the new ownership includes among the benefits yearly reimbursements for health club memberships. One thing I haven’t been happy about was the direction I had to take to get there from work. Lots of congested intersections just getting out of the general vicinity of the city. I realized that I could upgrade and transfer my membership to a PF a few blocks from the office. The upgrade allows me to utilize other PF locations up to 10 times a month, helpful for weekends at the former location while still being fully reimbursed the cost. No brainer once I warmed up the gray cells on that train of thought.

• That seems to cover some of the main items that occupy my mind – Family and pets are doing well. One of Carol’s aunts had a stroke a couple of weeks ago which she will not recover from and sadly will soon leave us. We are in the area for the weekend as Carol’s mother has her 85th birthday and there will be a church dinner in her honor tomorrow after church services. One of my aunts recently fell and broke her hip, wishing her a speedy recovery. Meantime an acquaintance of ours from our days with the Boy Scouts is being treated for pancreatic cancer. His battle with this deadly disease is epic in the making as he has cheerfully kept his family and friend's spirits up with his sense of humor and love of God and family while enduring radiation and chemo therapy treatments. All my best to each of them.

More subjects to cover, sooner than later? you’ll have to wait and see.