Clubhouse Grille (*** NO LIV DISCUSSIONS ***) (*** NO POLITICS/RELIGION ***)

[scomac2002]

We are home! A neighbour picked us up at the airport. Got home and cleared the 14 phone messages only tow of which were important. Also found some of the holiday graft had begun to arrive while we were away, including a gift from the kids -- coffee from Pilot Coffee Roasters in Vancouver. It will be like we have never left...

 

One hour layovers suck! WE didn't get a chance to get anything to eat until we got home because the flight didn't have food as it was less than 4 hours duration. I tell ya, these days of discounted air travel leave a lot to be desired. Makes one pine for the good old days of luxury transcontinental trains and luxury ocean liners!

 

I've also found that my online banking privileges have been suspended. I guess they didn't like me trying to access my account information from the airport. So, we will be credit card only until I can get this business sorted... How's that line go: Once the machines started thinking for humans... :rolleyes:

[SixtySomePing]

 

It's been raining all day, temp in the mid 40s; windy. Not that I had golf plans for the day

and I knew this rain was coming............but.......I went outside and yelled....CAVU! CAVU!

I was thinking about that old cartoon character yelling.....VAVOOM! VAVOOM!......and the

ground would shake and things come a tumbling down.

 

pl

Played in plaid :taunt:

[Fellaheen51]

So........did Bill and the granddaughter have a fun round today? :) :)

 

Yes we sure did. , It was cold....but really,i was dressed for it,so it wasn't that terrible. Wind stayed down for the most part,and that helped.

I hit a couple good drives...They must not have been very long because I saw them hit ! Was a fun day. Hit some good shots,and even hit

a couple that she accused me of "posing". Ended up with a very respectable 48.good for me it this weather.. She didn't seem bothered by the

chilly temps...I remember when I was young,the cold didn't bother me either. Natasha threw a 41 at her poor old Gramps. Its kinda difficult

to act like you're upset for losing when your heart is swelled with pride ! She did really well. I hope she stays with it and tries the high school

and then the college golf. I think she'd do well. but,thats HER choice. She still wants to be a Nuclear Medicine Biologist , whatever that is.

A great day for this old man !

 

Indeed, a great day Bill. And excellent scoring by the two of you given the conditions. (The granddaughter got game.) But that's minor compared to the joy realized by the time spent together. Surmising the warmth in your heart more than compensated for the chill in the air. By the sounds of it, Natasha needs to begin giving Gramps some strokes. Just to keep things.......sporting.

[Wriggles]

Wriggs-- When I saw you mentioned about playing I thought why not? it was not supposed to rain until noon here. I said well maybe hit balls at the range or they will let me walk the back with my minimum bag. Went outside CRAP!!!! the rain has already started----- Oh well looks like a sitting around and shop piddling day for me. If I go out it will not be too far due to the time of the season and the combo of rain--- All the idiots will be out on the roads---- gotta figure out what I can get into in the shop today of course I will find SOMETHING. May throw on the rain suit and walk 9 anyhow since it is 50* right now

 

Don't feel too bad, Stu. Yesterday didn't get much past 30 degrees. I walked outside around noon, and it was COLD and the light dusting of snow was still on the ground. NO GOLF. Supposed to be 37 today and sunny.

 

Maybe.

 

Keep warm, guys.

[BIG STU]

Wriggs-- When I saw you mentioned about playing I thought why not? it was not supposed to rain until noon here. I said well maybe hit balls at the range or they will let me walk the back with my minimum bag. Went outside CRAP!!!! the rain has already started----- Oh well looks like a sitting around and shop piddling day for me. If I go out it will not be too far due to the time of the season and the combo of rain--- All the idiots will be out on the roads---- gotta figure out what I can get into in the shop today of course I will find SOMETHING. May throw on the rain suit and walk 9 anyhow since it is 50* right now

 

Don't feel too bad, Stu. Yesterday didn't get much past 30 degrees. I walked outside around noon, and it was COLD and the light dusting of snow was still on the ground. NO GOLF. Supposed to be 37 today and sunny.

 

Maybe.

 

Keep warm, guys.

I ended up not playing--- We fixed breakfast and time that was over with the temp had dropped to 40 it was raining with a Coastal wind blowing. It was what we call raw here. Piddled out in the shop some storing some sets , cleaning up the shop some and putting some bags of sets together. Hung around the house until last night. To celebrate my wife's birthday ( it was Wed) and her retirement ( when the union papers go through) she had picked Carabbas Italian Restaurant right down the road. We had a wonderful time. Man it is raining and nasty this morning I may not go to church today. I am not obligated to be there every week since I changed churches last year and I am not involved with any church work at this one.

[BIG STU]

So........did Bill and the granddaughter have a fun round today? :) :)

 

Yes we sure did. , It was cold....but really,i was dressed for it,so it wasn't that terrible. Wind stayed down for the most part,and that helped.

I hit a couple good drives...They must not have been very long because I saw them hit ! Was a fun day. Hit some good shots,and even hit

a couple that she accused me of "posing". Ended up with a very respectable 48.good for me it this weather.. She didn't seem bothered by the

chilly temps...I remember when I was young,the cold didn't bother me either. Natasha threw a 41 at her poor old Gramps. Its kinda difficult

to act like you're upset for losing when your heart is swelled with pride ! She did really well. I hope she stays with it and tries the high school

and then the college golf. I think she'd do well. but,thats HER choice. She still wants to be a Nuclear Medicine Biologist , whatever that is.

A great day for this old man !

 

Indeed, a great day Bill. And excellent scoring by the two of you given the conditions. (The granddaughter got game.) But that's minor compared to the joy realized by the time spent together. Surmising the warmth in your heart more than compensated for the chill in the air. By the sounds of it, Natasha needs to begin giving Gramps some strokes. Just to keep things.......sporting.

You know that reminds me of something golden and I can sorta relate. My late son never played golf period so I did not get that experience. My lifelong friend 2 of his 3 daughters play. Now I describe he and I on the golf course as a "dream team". We never got beat as a team. He never played professional as I did but ran his family business. Actually I always felt he was a better player than I was as in him being more stable. He hit lots of GIRS and FIRS and made lots of pars. Me I was more explosive and made lots of birdies but lots of bogies and doubles too. That combo was a "dream team". The first time we ever got beat his 2 daughters beat us right here at the beach about 10 years ago now. His oldest daughter went on to have quite a good college career at a smaller school and this past year qualified for the Symetra Tour. He took it hard because he absolutely does not like to lose. I took it tongue in cheek and chucked it up to it had to happen some time. I told him I would rather have his daughters beat us than someone else. I told him at least it was not some of those "pud knockers" around Charlotte. In fact we were playing for $1. His oldest has the dollar I gave her and she had me sign and notate it as the first dollar anyone took off us. It sounds funny but I relish that

[scomac2002]

Penticton is a different place in winter than summer or at least this part of winter which is more like shoulder season. Even the kids have started to refer to summer months as tourist season which lead me to reflect on many of the the stories that STU has regaled us with. The tone is exactly the same too with a sort of derisive take on tourists and their demands. As we have gotten to know the area more thoroughly they are beginning to take us in as one of their own as you get to know shop keepers, the local coffee shop and the local brew house. There's probably a lot in common with this place and STU's part of the Carolinas even though the geography couldn't be more different.

[Conrad1953]

Happy belated birthday to Mrs. Sco!

 

Got home yesterday. Woke up this morning to my first day of retirement.....the air feels

different; better; my feet feel more firmly planted on the ground, yet light. A new and

welcome dichotomy.

 

Laid there in bed for short spell before getting up; just soaking it all in.....then up, coffee

made and figuring out what to do first. I am a creature of habit and like order in life. I have

a need to feel organized; a base from which a whimsical spontaneity can grow forth, if

that makes sense. Ha, I guess I said that already in the first paragraph; grounded light

feet.

 

Those of you that are and have been retired for awhile, have told us, no worries, there

will be lots of things to do...........and not enough hours in the day. I have not doubted that

at all. I have lots of things to do; perhaps too many, lol.

 

The difference I am feeling right now is that the urgency is gone. No doubt things will come

up that demand urgency from time to time. Apart from those, I am not feeling in a hurry to

do anything. This is different for me as I have always had limited time and had to get things

done quickly; things only made urgent by limited time and not in and of themselves.

 

It's too cold out right now, for me, to play any golf. Highs in high 40s, low 50s....lows in the

30s and a few nights, 20s. I don't enjoy golf in those temps; BTDT and a few holes in, wishing

I had not come. I don't play unless the temp is above 50 for most of the day. We get plenty of

days during the winter that meet my criteria. I'll wait for those "warm spells" to venture out

on the course.

 

As it is, I have a lot to catch up on at home; most of it outdoors. Once I get those things done

and am feeling more organized, I will turn my attention to golf.......and a few other of life's

luxuries. Weird as it may sound, I play better when I'm feeling organized at home. Golf has

never been an "escape" for me. Whatever my mindset is, I bring that mindset to the course

and it will affect how I play, good or bad. It's just the way I'm wired I suppose.

 

I wasn't an early riser on the road (unless I had to)but here I am, drinking my morning coffee,

up early and typing a post. Cobi is still sleeping.

Good for you Rad. I'm very happy for you! I've got 99 calendar days, or 77 work days left. I know they will fly, so I will be looking forward to your reports as I am on the launch pad. Being a flyer, I was so taken by the story as told by former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney about him and former President George H.W. Bush at his eulogy yesterday:

 

Former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney gave the next eulogy, and recounted a conversation the men had over Labor Day weekend 2001. Mulroney said he told Bush that he had noted a shift in his mood "over the last eight years from a series of frustrations and moments of despondency in 1993 to ... high enthusiasm" as his family continued to achieve successes. Bush ultimately replied, "Brian, you've got us pegged just right," and took him to a plaque on the Walker's Point, Maine, property that read: "CAVU." Bush explained: "Brian, this stands for ceiling and visibility unlimited. When I was a terrified 18- to 19-year-old pilot in the Pacific, those, those were the words we hoped to hear before takeoff. It meant perfect flying. And that's the way I feel about our life today, CAVU. Everything is perfect. Barbara and I could not have asked for better lives. We are truly happy and truly at peace."

 

 

So, CAVU to you Rad, and all others here at the Grille who have retired so far. I think when you get away from work, it sounds like you get the opportunity you deserve to start living. In more modern terms, CAVU means Clear, and visibility unrestricted. That's good, so now you have everything before you, and you can make it what you wish. Take advantage of it for once, you can see everywhere, the open sky is the limit- enjoy!

 

It's been raining all day, temp in the mid 40s; windy. Not that I had golf plans for the day

and I knew this rain was coming............but.......I went outside and yelled....CAVU! CAVU!

I was thinking about that old cartoon character yelling.....VAVOOM! VAVOOM!......and the

ground would shake and things come a tumbling down.

 

pl

[SixtySomePing]

Tomorrow for me is 75 working days left until I retire. It's also the day I turn over my employees to my replacement, and my office too as I move to a cubbie. I am very excited about this because it's one more step toward the launch pad to that final day. We get along great, and I will retain my title until then. So I told him I will support him completely and encourage others to do the same. It's starting to become such a reality now, and I'm sure the 75 days will be a flash in the pan. They've already had me write a farewell article which will come out in the quarterly company news magazine in January...guess I can't change my mind now :rolleyes:

[scotee]

So........did Bill and the granddaughter have a fun round today? :) :)

 

Yes we sure did. , It was cold....but really,i was dressed for it,so it wasn't that terrible. Wind stayed down for the most part,and that helped.

I hit a couple good drives...They must not have been very long because I saw them hit ! Was a fun day. Hit some good shots,and even hit

a couple that she accused me of "posing". Ended up with a very respectable 48.good for me it this weather.. She didn't seem bothered by the

chilly temps...I remember when I was young,the cold didn't bother me either. Natasha threw a 41 at her poor old Gramps. Its kinda difficult

to act like you're upset for losing when your heart is swelled with pride ! She did really well. I hope she stays with it and tries the high school

and then the college golf. I think she'd do well. but,thats HER choice. She still wants to be a Nuclear Medicine Biologist , whatever that is.

A great day for this old man !

 

Indeed, a great day Bill. And excellent scoring by the two of you given the conditions. (The granddaughter got game.) But that's minor compared to the joy realized by the time spent together. Surmising the warmth in your heart more than compensated for the chill in the air. By the sounds of it, Natasha needs to begin giving Gramps some strokes. Just to keep things.......sporting.

You know that reminds me of something golden and I can sorta relate. My late son never played golf period so I did not get that experience. My lifelong friend 2 of his 3 daughters play. Now I describe he and I on the golf course as a "dream team". We never got beat as a team. He never played professional as I did but ran his family business. Actually I always felt he was a better player than I was as in him being more stable. He hit lots of GIRS and FIRS and made lots of pars. Me I was more explosive and made lots of birdies but lots of bogies and doubles too. That combo was a "dream team". The first time we ever got beat his 2 daughters beat us right here at the beach about 10 years ago now. His oldest daughter went on to have quite a good college career at a smaller school and this past year qualified for the Symetra Tour. He took it hard because he absolutely does not like to lose. I took it tongue in cheek and chucked it up to it had to happen some time. I told him I would rather have his daughters beat us than someone else. I told him at least it was not some of those "pud knockers" around Charlotte. In fact we were playing for $1. His oldest has the dollar I gave her and she had me sign and notate it as the first dollar anyone took off us. It sounds funny but I relish that

 

Great story Stu. You don't mind losing to someone you know and respect and it's fun to see young kids develop their game. Oh and Happy BD and congrats to Mrs. Stu on her retirement.

[billh17]

I can see my Gr. daughter is becoming like most teens. Golf takes up too much time. Her attention starts going to the incoming

texts and tweets. She is very serious about the Medical dreams,so we'll see. She has one of the better lady players at the course

that is giving her advice on her game,and it has helped her a lot. She loves her wedges,but putting is a waste of time.

went to the range this morning...turned the heaters on,and had a pleasant time hitting a bucket of wedges,9's and 7's.

No goal,just happened to be driving past,and stopped in. Had a good time,tho i dont like hitting off the mats.

Winter is upon us,and the warmth is 3 months away !

[BIG STU]

I can see my Gr. daughter is becoming like most teens. Golf takes up too much time. Her attention starts going to the incoming

texts and tweets. She is very serious about the Medical dreams,so we'll see. She has one of the better lady players at the course

that is giving her advice on her game,and it has helped her a lot. She loves her wedges,but putting is a waste of time.

went to the range this morning...turned the heaters on,and had a pleasant time hitting a bucket of wedges,9's and 7's.

No goal,just happened to be driving past,and stopped in. Had a good time,tho i dont like hitting off the mats.

Winter is upon us,and the warmth is 3 months away !

I absolutely will not hit off mats at these ranges. The ranges here that have mats have them mounted on concrete. That is bad on one's hands and wrists plus bad on clubs. One of the reasons I put my hitting net up here. My mat is mounted on sand so no shock factor. If it gets uneven which it does from time to time I slide it back and rake the sand back level. I am set up to pull a tarp over the thing when it rains but it has been too cold and windy plus rain blowing sideways to mess with the rudimentary tarp set up this weekend

[SixtySomePing]

I can see my Gr. daughter is becoming like most teens. Golf takes up too much time. Her attention starts going to the incoming

texts and tweets. She is very serious about the Medical dreams,so we'll see. She has one of the better lady players at the course

that is giving her advice on her game,and it has helped her a lot. She loves her wedges,but putting is a waste of time.

went to the range this morning...turned the heaters on,and had a pleasant time hitting a bucket of wedges,9's and 7's.

No goal,just happened to be driving past,and stopped in. Had a good time,tho i dont like hitting off the mats.

Winter is upon us,and the warmth is 3 months away !

I absolutely will not hit off mats at these ranges. The ranges here that have mats have them mounted on concrete. That is bad on one's hands and wrists plus bad on clubs. One of the reasons I put my hitting net up here. My mat is mounted on sand so no shock factor. If it gets uneven which it does from time to time I slide it back and rake the sand back level. I am set up to pull a tarp over the thing when it rains but it has been too cold and windy plus rain blowing sideways to mess with the rudimentary tarp set up this weekend

Good for you, that concrete thing makes no sense, plus I think some golfers get a false sense of good ball striking from mat/concrete as well. Add range balls to the mixture and they come away with something totally different than they will face at the course. Some will thing they can 'set' their iron distances there and wonder why they can't rely on a whole jumbo buckets worth of work it took to master what each clubs distance in range should be, only to decide later that their clubs weren't right for them because their buddies were getting different distances than them, hahaha

[Conrad1953]

No thanks for me on mats as well. No good for me or my clubs. At least not the

typical mats you would find at most public courses.

 

Now, they do make much better mats these days but courses are not going to

pay the price for good ones; that are almost like hitting off real grass.

 

I think I remember Lobstah saying he bought one of the high end mats. I think

for a few hundred dollars; maybe more. They're probably worth the price if you're

going to hit off one a lot at home.

 

I think the Judge also mentioned he has one too.

 

I think for most of us when we think of mats, we think of those thin indoor/outdoor

carpet mats that have no give to them at all when laid on a hard surface; like concrete.

Like anything else in life, I guess, if you want the best stuff you gotta pay the price for it;

and those good mats are not cheap.

[BIG STU]

I can see my Gr. daughter is becoming like most teens. Golf takes up too much time. Her attention starts going to the incoming

texts and tweets. She is very serious about the Medical dreams,so we'll see. She has one of the better lady players at the course

that is giving her advice on her game,and it has helped her a lot. She loves her wedges,but putting is a waste of time.

went to the range this morning...turned the heaters on,and had a pleasant time hitting a bucket of wedges,9's and 7's.

No goal,just happened to be driving past,and stopped in. Had a good time,tho i dont like hitting off the mats.

Winter is upon us,and the warmth is 3 months away !

I absolutely will not hit off mats at these ranges. The ranges here that have mats have them mounted on concrete. That is bad on one's hands and wrists plus bad on clubs. One of the reasons I put my hitting net up here. My mat is mounted on sand so no shock factor. If it gets uneven which it does from time to time I slide it back and rake the sand back level. I am set up to pull a tarp over the thing when it rains but it has been too cold and windy plus rain blowing sideways to mess with the rudimentary tarp set up this weekend

Good for you, that concrete thing makes no sense, plus I think some golfers get a false sense of good ball striking from mat/concrete as well. Add range balls to the mixture and they come away with something totally different than they will face at the course. Some will thing they can 'set' their iron distances there and wonder why they can't rely on a whole jumbo buckets worth of work it took to master what each clubs distance in range should be, only to decide later that their clubs weren't right for them because their buddies were getting different distances than them, hahaha

The only reason I hit off my mat is to stay loose and in shape. Being strictly a feel player I can get feedback from the feel. I also do it for the solitude if I am seriously working on something. The range sometimes can be a distraction since I know so many people. Someone always coming up wondering what I am hitting this week etc. Most of the time I am on the range I am screwing around with some of my vintage stuff or like the week before dialing in distances on the KZG irons I am experimenting with

[billh17]

I am glad that weather system stayed south of us ! It dumped some snow in Ky and W.VA..i see lots of rain down Stu's way.

Dodged at least one for this season !

[Conrad1953]

I am glad that weather system stayed south of us ! It dumped some snow in Ky and W.VA..i see lots of rain down Stu's way.

Dodged at least one for this season !

 

We have friends near Richmond, VA and they texted us a pic of all the snow they got

in this storm. Looks like N. Carolina and Virginia got hammered pretty good!

[SixtySomePing]

I am glad that weather system stayed south of us ! It dumped some snow in Ky and W.VA..i see lots of rain down Stu's way.

Dodged at least one for this season !

 

We have friends near Richmond, VA and they texted us a pic of all the snow they got

in this storm. Looks like N. Carolina and Virginia got hammered pretty good!

Yeah, I feel really bad for all of those areas, having been through the hurricane earlier this year was bad enough, now some heavy snow that they don't normally get is another whammy. I see there's some electric out again.

 

We are going to have some temps in the 40's this week. Actually on Friday it's going to be 49*, and cloudy, but that's not bad. My DW and I are taking the day off for our 45th wedding anniversary. We have a new couch coming in the AM, then we will go out for a nice lunch. Our company Christmas dinner is Saturday night, looks like there are 450 signed up for that, then she has a race on Sunday AM in her Run Run Reindeer 5K ha. I think there's only one more after that until spring. I think I told y'all she will represent Ohio in the nationals for winning the state championship in triathlons for her age group. Well she found out yesterday if she wins that next August in her age group, she will get to go to the world championship from there in Edmonton, I believe it's some time in August 2020.

[Wriggles]

Around noon, it was 32 degrees, so I decided to get gas for my ATS, no golf. I drive to a place called Getgo, run by the grocery chain, Giant Eagle. Discounts are "earned" by buying groceries. Sixty and Bill probably have Giant Eagles in Ohio, where they live. The place was a zoo, cars zipping about. There are eight pumps total, with four pumps to an island, two pumps on each side of the island.

 

The geniuses who design cars, with fillers on both the right and left sides of the cars just adds to the confusion. Cars are facing each other, hemming others in, and lines in back. I get to a pump, and gas the ATS. I go in to pay, and the ONLY clerk is making coffee. I wait five minutes, talking to the guy behind me, commenting on the insanity. I pay, and find myself hemmed in by a line of cars in back of me, and a well dressed lady in her Lincoln far from the island making my passing next to impossible. I attempt to pull out, and God took over. He stopped me, before I'd have wrecked the car. I opened the passenger window, and asked the lady if I could get out. She wasn't happy, didn't answer me, but got in her car to get closer to the island, so I could pass.

 

Thank you, ma'am. I feel very fortunate to get out of that place unscathed.

 

Getgo, in the future, will be visited very early in the morning, when it isn't crowded.

[tolmij]

Around noon, it was 32 degrees, so I decided to get gas for my ATS, no golf. I drive to a place called Getgo, run by the grocery chain, Giant Eagle. Discounts are "earned" by buying groceries. Sixty and Bill probably have Giant Eagles in Ohio, where they live. The place was a zoo, cars zipping about. There are eight pumps total, with four pumps to an island, two pumps on each side of the island.

 

The geniuses who design cars, with fillers on both the right and left sides of the cars just adds to the confusion. Cars are facing each other, hemming others in, and lines in back. I get to a pump, and gas the ATS. I go in to pay, and the ONLY clerk is making coffee. I wait five minutes, talking to the guy behind me, commenting on the insanity. I pay, and find myself hemmed in by a line of cars in back of me, and a well dressed lady in her Lincoln far from the island making my passing next to impossible. I attempt to pull out, and God took over. He stopped me, before I'd have wrecked the car. I opened the passenger window, and asked the lady if I could get out. She wasn't happy, didn't answer me, but got in her car to get closer to the island, so I could pass.

 

Thank you, ma'am. I feel very fortunate to get out of that place unscathed.

 

Getgo, in the future, will be visited very early in the morning, when it isn't crowded.

 

We only use our local Costco for fuel, one way in one way out, so all you have to do is line up to pump gas on the correct side. Cheapest fuel by a long way also.

[tolmij]

I was talking to DW about the other patients in her ward during the recent ablation and it reminded me of an incident when I hurt my hand.

 

I caught my hand in the machine around 4pm was in the hospital by 5pm after being transferred from a regional to a main, operation 11 pm wake next day around 7am. So I am lying there when another man is admitted, he is about 45/50 a little rough and quite a loud person. He spent the first 2 hours hitting on the nurses, being very suggestive and not at all respectful. Later in the morning he had a visitor from the hospital social services administrator, who was very loudly telling him to get his act together, there was nothing wrong with him, find yourself a job and better housing and stop using the hospital as a halfway house. After that he was quiet, it was obvious the meeting had gotten to him.

 

Late morning my bosses wife visited and gave me fruit and goodies to eat, after she was gone I started talking to the other patient who was in the next bed to me, he brightened up a little and I shared my fruit with him and we sat talking for a longtime, about nothing in particular but he was looking better when we finished.

 

Forward to 1am, I was awoken by him making groaning noises, I listened to him for a short time, it was obvious he was not well so I rang the nurse, within 5 minutes they had a full medical team around him with defibrillators and the whole works unfortunately after about one hour he passed away.

 

It made me realise how fragile life was, here was a person being told there is nothing wrong by some one who was supposed to be there to help him and he the tragically passes away. It took me a long time to recover from the trauma of being next to him when he died and thinking that my accident had the potential to do the same to me. I was happy I shared with him and gave him some small comfort.

 

After watching his initial behaviour and the outcome I have been much more accepting and less prone to criticise, it is so easy to be judgmental without knowing the facts. He was troubled, those whose responsibility it was did not notice and did not seem to care

 

There are many reasons I stay in here and don’t wander outside, acceptance, patience, friendship and many other words come to mind. I quite often sit and ruminate about life, it’s frailty and how easy it is taken away. I think of how lucky I have been meeting the love of my life, and how so many people have nothing, how many lives are empty and only require understanding from the rest of us.

 

Good night Grillers you are my refuge.

[billh17]

This beautiful,sunny,late winter day,little wisps of snow here and there,trees all grey...19* outside,little breezy,feels like 13.

But ,it is only the 2nd week of December. Winter is still 2 weeks away. This does not give a very good outlook for the next 90 days guys.

We are 10 below our average low and will only get to 11 below our average high.

I may have to binge on a "West Wing" collection and add the Sophranos along with Longmire ! Those should get me thru !

And on the 45 degree days i will be in the yard chipping...sounds like a winner !

[Conrad1953]

We were predicted to have a colder and wetter Dec, Jan and Feb this season. It's holding

true so far. We've had a lot of rain and the ground is saturated and squishy under foot in the

low spots. Cloudy out and 44 degrees.

 

I'm not complaining though. Life is good.

 

We bought Cobi a new smart TV for her lair downstairs. Bought it on Ebay from Best Buy.

It got here fast! Just got delivered while I was typing this post........so now I have to hook

it up for her. Honey do do, lol. When she's happy I'm happy.

[tolmij]

One of our Siamese cats likes to climb, this is him balancing on a very narrow window ledge looking out at something he would like to catch and eat. No matter how many times we tell him off he is back again. At present he is not too bad as he has his very special toy, the Christmas tree.

 

 

[Conrad1953]

Tol,, you brought back an old memory......more than 30 years ago.......when, in a former

life, we had cats. Came home with a Christmas tree we had cut down from a farm. We

brought the tree into the house and the cats got into it right away and we heard a lot of

ruckus as they climbed around inside the tree in a big hurry.

 

It turned out there were field mice in the tree. Somehow they decided to stay in the tree

and rode in it all the way home with us.....maybe too scared to move, lol. Well, the cats

caught 2 of them and a few more came bolting out looking for a place to hide. After a

flash, peace and order were restored but it was a crazy few seconds as cats and mice

came scurrying out of that tree.

[Qqq123xx]

One of our Siamese cats likes to climb, this is him balancing on a very narrow window ledge looking out at something he would like to catch and eat. No matter how many times we tell him off he is back again. At present he is not too bad as he has his very special toy, the Christmas tree.

 

 

Hopefully he won't have to much interest in the North Star.....

[SixtySomePing]

One of our Siamese cats likes to climb, this is him balancing on a very narrow window ledge looking out at something he would like to catch and eat. No matter how many times we tell him off he is back again. At present he is not too bad as he has his very special toy, the Christmas tree.

 

 

haha, Siamese cats... hmmmm

[scomac2002]

Tol,, you brought back an old memory......more than 30 years ago.......when, in a former

life, we had cats. Came home with a Christmas tree we had cut down from a farm. We

brought the tree into the house and the cats got into it right away and we heard a lot of

ruckus as they climbed around inside the tree in a big hurry.

 

It turned out there were field mice in the tree. Somehow they decided to stay in the tree

and rode in it all the way home with us.....maybe too scared to move, lol. Well, the cats

caught 2 of them and a few more came bolting out looking for a place to hide. After a

flash, peace and order were restored but it was a crazy few seconds as cats and mice

came scurrying out of that tree.

 

I think I may have mentioned that when we were out west we went up into the hills and cut down a tree. Brought it home and set it up in the insulated porch to allow the boughs to fall as it warmed up. It didn't take long before the kids' new cat -- Rain -- was up in that tree! That evening the tree fell over probably three times from the cat climbing it. No mice though thankfully! That was Wednesday. By the weekend the cat had decided to leave the tree alone, but it hadn't been decorated yet with shiny bits, so I expect there has been more chaos since...

 

We bought a cut tree for our own use yesterday. It's still standing outside leaning up against the porch. We were going to bring it in today and set it up, but with a showing booked for tomorrow that has since been put on hold. Maybe I'll get to it Wednesday so that DW can decorate Thursday on her day off.

[tolmij]

One of our Siamese cats likes to climb, this is him balancing on a very narrow window ledge looking out at something he would like to catch and eat. No matter how many times we tell him off he is back again. At present he is not too bad as he has his very special toy, the Christmas tree.

 

 

haha, Siamese cats... hmmmm

 

 

That is a real life representation of owning two Siamese cats, ours have not started colluding as yet, that’s to come. The main difference in our house is the dogs are scared of them, if they get to close they end up with a bloody nose, they are attacked for just being too close.

 

The saying goes.

 

Cats rule, dogs drool.

[tolmij]

One of our Siamese cats likes to climb, this is him balancing on a very narrow window ledge looking out at something he would like to catch and eat. No matter how many times we tell him off he is back again. At present he is not too bad as he has his very special toy, the Christmas tree.

 

 

haha, Siamese cats... hmmmm

 

 

That is a real life representation of owning two Siamese cats, ours have not started colluding as yet, that’s to come. The main difference in our house is the dogs are scared of them, if they get to close they end up with a bloody nose, they are attacked for just being too close.

 

The saying goes.

 

Cats rule, dogs drool.

 

 

Just watched the video and after there came up others to watch. One I found interesting as a cultural history, banned loony tunes, watch it it’s interesting how it used to be before the correctness set in.

 

I know we now say there is too much correctness, but in reality when you look back we were not very sympathetic to many cultures. As with everything, over time it will settle down to a good level where we are sensitive without being overboard.