Saturday, December 14, 2024

Santa's Not The Only One...


...flying experimental aircraft in the December skies. 

He and his team have lots of company lately - obviously drones - but no one in an official capacity is willing to say <what they are or who's responsible>.

White House Nat'l Insecurity non-Communications Dope John Kirby...


...speculates they're probably just kittens who've lost their mittens and can't tell where to find them.

Either that or traditional manned aircraft...you know, Cessna 152's that have somehow developed amazing flight maneuverability since the last time anyone checked.

In further enlightening palaver, Kirby mumbled...

"Why don't we know? I wish I could tell you exactly why we don't have an answer for you here in the afternoon on the 13th of December, but I can tell you that we are working on it very, very hard to know..." 

His voice trailed off as he slowly evaporated like an inconsequential mist under a noon time sun.

It's stunning to realize just how stupid these people really are.

Incredibly, they're even dumber than they think we are.

History is going to look back at this time frame in wonder that so many pointless idiots...


...managed to seize power, and all at the same time.



In less stressful news, I golfed in the snow for the first time:


Ok, it was just starting so maybe doesn't count, but it was actually snowing a little which was kinda fun.

Due to a stiff west wind, I over shot the first green...


...and definitely landed in the rough.

Made a dandy recovery shot with my lofting iron however, up the hill and back toward the green...


...and almost birdied the first hole.

The rest was about what I expect when I walk 9 on Ryan's course...

one putt for par

...only a lot colder.  Even so, a good time was had by all...er, me.

Can it be spring time now?


I touched on the subject of Christmas cards recently...


...which transported me back to my innocent youth, watching my mother work through a long list of typewritten names and addresses.

Each of these received a card with a handwritten note - in perfect cursive - of seasonal greetings.


Though happening during a festive season, she seemed far from happy with this Christmas task.

After sealing up yet another envelope and affixing a 5 cent stamp to her handiwork, I ventured a question.

"Do we know all these people?"

"Not really," she sighed, reaching for another card.


"They're business associates of your father."

"Does he know all of them?" I marveled.

"Go play now," she replied, dismissing me and my childish curiosity.

Based on my mom's attitude toward this clearly unpleasant task, as the years clicked on by I eventually decided Christmas cards, like fruitcakes...


...were one of those holiday land mines to be avoided at all costs.

This belief was reinforced by the occasional Christmas letter we received.

These usually arrived enclosed in a Christmas card - a kind of year end double whammy brag fest, enumerating in mind foggingly dull minutia the perfection achieved by the Farkenheimer's or Gallywagger's or Brunhoffers...

"...and Bif and Muffy were both accepted to Harvard at the same time Elwood was voted Grand High Poobah of the Polar Bear lodge and I won Secretary of the Year at the "Super Duper Diapers" Divisional Headquarters..."

And to think the only thing of note I did that year was master the art of making unpleasant noises by placing a hand in my armpit and flapping my wing like a chicken.

So given my understandable childhood bias, how is it I'm now sending out both Christmas cards and a letter to a handful of friends and acquaintances?

This is easily explained in one word.

And no, that word is not "retribution".

It's "attitude".

Far from an obligation, I now realize it's a serendipitous opportunity during a truly blessed time of year when we celebrate the birth of our Savior, to share heartfelt wishes for a Happy Christmas season and a prosperous new year.

And as far as the letter goes, at my age I've been slapped around by life enough to know I've got nothing to brag about.

As Paul wrote in I Corinthians 4:7:

"...what hast thou that thou didst not receive?  now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received it?" 

All we are, all we have, all we achieve in life are gifts from God; our attitude should reflect gratitude, not pride.

And truly, after all these years, what have I got to be proud about?

I can't even make those unpleasant noises with my armpit anymore.

(Ok admit it; you just tried, didn't you?)

Just another in a continuing series of humiliations visited on me by the scourge of advancing years.

And don't laugh, or I'll add you to my Christmas card list next year.

You've been warned.


Enough already!  I say we 23 Skidoo while we still have what's left of our wits about us.

Let's start with some comic strip wisdom:

looks like Santa's been knocking back some of Grandpa's Cough Medicine again


for us normal mortals, it's a horse


"crazy" is prima facie evidence; cop the plea and hope for mercy


it's one of life's cruelest ironies that we cannot truly appreciate the magic elixir of youth until it's gone


he's been the real leader ever since Butler, Pa

...and segue into real life vignettes...

last sunrise of the year at Larry's cottage...he and his dad are closing it for the winter today


Loki lurking...glad I'm not a mouse


quintessential mcm Christmas...


...and the Grinch up to his old tricks


just because I miss him (the Model T, not the photobomber)




Less than 2 weeks, folks.

You probably have 4 or 5 more days of frantic anxiety-fueled mayhem before you're finally flattened by unreasonable Christmas expectations.


Who knows?

Maybe once you let go of the externals and the chaos and the frills of the season, you'll find the peace that Elijah the prophet did in I Kings chapter 19:


God calls to each of us, but rarely in the tumult and the shouting.

'Tis the season, mcm fans...


Tuesday, December 10, 2024

This May Be...

 
...as close as we get to a white Christmas this year.  

Digging out from the first real snowstorm of the winter, but temps are headed into the 40's next week, and possibly right through Christmas.


When I was a kid this would have been cause for weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth, but now that I'm an old duffer...

this...

...beats this any day of the week

...I'll take every chance I get to swing my hickories.

It won't be quite as warm and sunny as I'd like...


...but I can dream, can't I?


And speaking of dreaming...


...I'm old enough to remember when the internet was only available to the military and some universities, and was all text based.

30 years ago I had no internet connection at my home, though I did occasionally work from home via a dial up modem.

But in today's world high speed internet is pretty much taken for granted...


...unless there's a snowstorm, and someone crashes into one of the AT&T substations that provides said internet to your neighborhood.

In that case, you're back to the stone age...


...while waiting patiently for the highly trained technicians from AT&T...


...to save the day.

5 days and counting, and due to issues with my iPhone hot spot as well, I'm still dreaming of a decent internet connection.


There's just about 2 weeks left until Christmas, so if you haven't sent out Christmas cards yet, here's one you can steal:


I may use that one myself next year.

Not the most meaningful message on it, but it has kind of a Dickensian feel to it...


...and you could supply the heartfelt Christmas wish on the inside yourself.

Hey, I found the card, didn't I?  I can't do everything for you...



...but I can do that 23 Skidoo thing, to wit:

here's something you don't see every day: Amish snow skiing


the snow gnome Larry made after the recent storm...


...and what's left of the little fella.  adding insult to injury, looks like someone stole his beer.


Kitty ginning up some Christmas spirit.  that's one happy looking cat.


but the Biden crime family gets to sidestep it


I'm sorry but you'll never convince me a horse drew that carriage


the bald eagles that frequent a nearby tree at Larry's cottage
 

santa's new digs...3 recent storms with 50+ mph winds convinced me he and his team are safer on the ground this year.



A little more than 2 weeks until the big day; you should make a note to self to begin the panicking process soon...


...so you don't miss out.

It may help to remember why we celebrate:


later, mcm fans...