Boxing Day, December 26th

[Cornflake]

Good morning. It's just starting to get light here. We'll have two more days in the 70s before we get a week of showers and much cooler temperatures.

I'm still under restrictions from my dental surgery that pretty much keep me from doing anything outside that's fun or useful. I'm not sure how I'll fill the week up.

Have a good day, one and all.

Wordle 555 4/6*

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[Deleted]

Up and awake. It's been a good few days with the kids all home. Claire's boyfriend, Tom, is across from the UK and is fitting right into the madness that is us.

On the work front, I received a call from Jade alarm at 2:49 PM Christmas Eve that they were, "monitoring water flow through the fire extinguisher system in Mellon Building." Fawk. We had a high pressure water line rupture in the attic of our language and music building on Wornall Campus. It's amazing how much water those things can discharge when nobody is on campus to shut off the main valve. It was Christmas Eve, you see, and I allowed security to cut out early. Ugh. We're awaiting results from the state's asbestos tester before we allow the contractor or teachers back in. Fun, fun, fun!!

That said, my Boss' only reaction was, "Paul, I'm sorry you and your team had to come in on Christmas Eve. We'll figure this all out."

[PaulKay]

My sister arrives in a couple hours for a week long visit.
Should be a fun week.

[howard lee]

The pear upside-down cake is really good! Not under-cooked, not dry—just right.

And I got to sleep in! Wahoo! I didn't get out of bed until 8:00 am. And off from work all week. A guy could get accustomed to this.

Happy Boxing Day

[majorminor]

Morning all. Hope it was a good holiday for everyone.

Our arctic front has turned to rain on top of sheet ice so pretty nasty out. The shop is technically closed this week but I have a few guys that want/need to work so I'm here to open up so door stuff is going to happen.

[Hobson]

It was a low key Christmas for us, but very nice. Had Thanksgiving leftovers, a freshly made pumpkin pie, and a bottle of Malbec that was adequate. Temperature on our patio got up to 66F and it's in the shade all day this time of year. So we had a very pleasant walk. Lots of people out doing the same thing. Today I'll rake up another bag or two of leaves before the rains hit in a couple of days. Then to Fry's to pick up prescriptions and a few groceries. Tomorrow it's the post office and the bank, which are both closed today. And a Zoom social call that we have not been able to attend for more than a few minutes the past 3 weeks due to medical appointments. This time we'll be able to stick around for the usual 2 hours.

[Marty]

Good morning.

-1F - 11F sunny.

Love having all our girls over here but when they left last night the change in noise level in the house was amazing.  When they left you could hear the Doppler Effect as they pulled away.    I think they want to see Avatar today, they will be quiet at a movie.

Riley and I secluded ourselves away in my office and took a nap in my new desk chair, Riley approved it as a good napping chair. 

Tomorrow we get up at 4:30 so we can be at the hospital by 6:00, no food or drink and certain meds cannot be taken. Since I don't take meds until 8:00 I'll just bring them along and give them to the staff.

84 Days until Spring.

[drlj]

The weather is moderating a bit so it won’t hurt to go outside.
We have had nonstop visitors since Saturday with another group arriving today, then, tomorrow should start to slowly get things back to a relaxing normal. I certainly hope so.
It is snowing a little, so who knows?

[epaul]

The Swifter Duster-Upper was a real dumb idea.

[Dan McLaughlin]

Have good ones.

[epaul]

Charlene did like the Old Spice deodorant I got her, however.

[howard lee]

Dec 26, 2022 10:45:31 GMT -5 epaul said:

The Swifter Duster-Upper was a real dumb idea.

One lesson life has taught me: NEVER give your wife a gift that is not absolutely personal. Swiffers and vacuum cleaners? Uh-uh. You didn't really give her a Swiffer Duster-Upper, did you, Paul?

Deodorant might be too personal...

[Cosmic Wonder]

Ice has pretty much melted here. Went to dinner last night at Mac’s (son in law) Mom’s place. They lived in England when Mac was little and have a Christmas tradition of making Indian food. Butter chicken, lamb vindaloo, scratch made nan, were all quite enjoyable, Mac’s 92 yr old grandmother was there, she has a cattle ranch in Eastern OR. But she sold all her cattle a few years back as it was getting to be too much for her to take care of them. She heats her house with wood, and at age 90 had to stop felling trees and splitting wood. She was a hoot!

This morning yep the kids and Nita’s folks are coming for brunch and our little gift exchange, experimenting with a Ree Drumund tater tot casarole. That’s it, it’s been a pretty nice Christmas.

Mike
Wordle 555 4/6

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[epaul]

I didn't actually give her the Swifter. I did, however, re-gift her with a nice set of free scissors Menards gave me for my birthmonth that had been lying around the house for the last two weeks. Seems to have worked.

[billhammond]

Dec 26, 2022 11:05:24 GMT -5 Cosmic Wonder said:

This morning yep the kids and Nita’s folks are coming for brunch and our little gift exchange, experimenting with a Ree Drummond tater tot casarole. That’s it, it’s been a pretty nice Christmas.

Looks good!

[epaul]

A gift just needs to bring a smile. And I got two great smiles for only $2.19.

(I average 4 gag gifts for every non-gag gift. (and the gags have to bring a smile, not shock or disgust. I learned that pretty early on (no more plastic vomit or fake dog turds, or real dog turds, nope, lesson learned)

[TKennedy]

We had a nice Christmas with the Chicago crew who arrived safely in the early evening. Two are in far flung colleges in Vermont and North Carolina and the third a senior in Evanston HS in Chicago. I got some designer boutique tea leaves and a strainer shaped like a dog that hangs on the edge of your cup.

It was kind of a shock realizing that with their busy lives and COVID it had been almost a year since we had seen them. Seemed like just yesterday though.

I envy those that have kids and grandkids close to home.

[Deleted]

[Marty]

Dec 26, 2022 11:16:59 GMT -5 epaul said:

I didn't actually give her the Swifter. I did, however, re-gift her with a nice set of free scissors Menards gave me for my birth month that had been lying around the house for the last two weeks. Seems to have worked.

You reminded me of a story one of our old drummers told.

One year as a joke his sister, of which he has many, gave her sibling the most horrid green plaid coat for Christman. Well the next year she got it back and the tradition was started. So every year one of the female members of the family will get that damn butt ugly coat to pass on to whomever she chooses. Also with that is coming up with a way of wrapping it so it is not obvious of the content of that gift and there are no rules other than the coat must remain intact.

[Rob Hanesworth]

Dec 26, 2022 11:27:40 GMT -5 epaul said:

A gift just needs to bring a smile. And I got two great smiles for only $2.19.

(I average 4 gag gifts for every non-gag gift. (and the gags have to bring a smile, not shock or disgust. I learned that pretty early on (no more plastic vomit or fake dog turds, or real dog turds, nope, lesson learned)

I have a small box, probably from Spencer Gifts years ago, that says on the outside "I couldn't decide what to get you so I made you something."

Inside, sitting on a bed of plastic grass, is a very realistic looking (but fake) turd. I have given it to a few people over the years but it always comes back.