It Seems So Long Ago

After walking out into 20 mile per hour winds and 16 degrees this morning, this seems a bit like ancient history, even though we just got back last Wednesday.

The red "X" marks the spot. Boy it was sure a nice place (we were only the second renters after its gutting and renovation) and it makes me feel a little warmer just looking at it.

Thank you, Google Earth.

And, thank you Fort Myers Beach. We'll come back and see you sometime, hopefully soon.

Ahhhhhh ... the feet are warming up just looking at that sand.

In the interim, I'll just have to enjoy the comfort of a warm kitty (Elwood) who is purring to beat the band while sitting on my lap as I write this.

If only I could teach him to sit on my cold feet. LOL

Addendum: I just got up to go into the kitchen, and both Jake and Elwood had climbed into my chair here in the office and were all cozied up, to grab some of the warmth. LOL I think they're telling me "Hey, it's cold!" I'm hoping they've found and enjoyed their heated bed during the day in our absence.

And Some Other Thoughts ...

While many of you like to watch "Tony Stewart and His Bumper Car Racing" on whatever channel you get, I would like to remind you that REAL RACING (aka Formula 1) begins on March 12th, with the Gran Prix of Bahrain. Follow the Speed Channel for details.

We've seen many strange things during the 2006 Winter Olympics. Bode Miller, for one. Johnny Weir for another. While the results may have been disappointing for the US (and why not, since this iteration of the Games were not held in the US), who can forget some of our best? That historic "quad" in pairs figure skating and the out-of-their minds bronze result in the men's short-track speed-skating relay last night? I do vote that we change some of the Olympic sports, however.

• The one woman commentator for NBC should have her DNA tested. I swear she is a man.
• I think we should have "Tank Driving and Firing Accuracy" rather than the Biathlon, where men and women ski cross-country while packing a rifle and shooting at targets. Everyone knows that tanks with the appropriately-wide tracks are much more suited to winter warfare than a single person on skis with a rifle. Everyone also knows that a 120 mm HE round does a hell of a lot more damage than a .22 ... but hey that's just me.
• Is it just me, and while I don't "not applaud" her efforts and results, or did Sasha Cohen really deserve a Silver Medal for falling twice during her free-skate program? OK ... they've changed the scoring, and maybe I don't fully understand it ... but it used to be that if you fell, you were "out". I hereby vote for "skater-derby" as a new sport.
• Is it just me, or was the segment on the WWII veteran who helped liberate Torino from the Nazis in WWII one of the most poignant interviews of the entire two weeks? God bless Vernon Baker and his comrades. I hereby vote for "Liberation Actions" as a new sport.
• At the same time, doesn't Chicagoan Shani Davis's speed-skating medal seem so tainted, when he decided to focus on an individual medal and to not participate in a team medal effort as he was scheduled to do? Can anyone say "Terrell Owens"? I hereby do NOT vote for an "Individualism" medal.
• Is it just me, or does the fact that we have been promised during the Closing Ceremony that everyone will be wearing a clown nose seem as if Federico Fellini has come back to film production? I hereby vote for a "Surrealism Award" to be given to the most bizarre ceremonies for the host countries.

In the very least, Andrea Bocelli will be worth watching.

Catching Up On The Lawrence County News

Condolences to the Salukis this past Friday. And good riddance to the Indians.

When I saw the headline "Consolidation feasibility study raised at Unit 10 board meeting" on this week's Sumner Distress's web page, I must say I rejoiced. For at least one school board to be forward-thinking is a refreshing thing.

Of course, this was overshadowed by the headline news on the web page's front page: "Girl Scout Cookies have arrived! ". I then realized that the arrival of 13,104 boxes of Girl Scout cookies for Lawrence County was bigger news than fiscal responsibility in the county. Does this mean that there were 2 boxes ordered, per citizen?

Then, much to my chagrin, I read in Roscoe's "Lawrence County" segment, that "Of Edward Williams, his complaint was specific that the Press emphasizes RHHS sports to the neglect of LHS. "Latter wins more games." It was resolved that the Press will strengthen his LHS coverage." From reading Roscoe's cheerings, I wasn't under the impression that he understood there was a second school district in Lawrence County. I also was appalled that he didn't realize he is not publishing a newspaper in Lawrenceville.

Dear God, Allah, or Jahweh (or in his case, "whoever"). The man is clearly addled.

Also of note: " It's time to get tough with the Muslims. Shoot the Mullahs."

Also of note: "Disgusting number of holidays in the U.S.A. If workers live for the days off, they should seek other occupation." Clearly Roscoe has never truly dealt with an international workforce, specifically European workers who by contract, get six weeks of "holiday" by rote.

However, there is a bright side to this story, as that I think I've decided how I can retire. I can offer Roscoe the obligatory $1.50 to buy The Sumner Press, publish it from either Fort Myers Beach, FL or from somewhere on The Outer Banks and offer a much more balance piece of crap than it is right now.

I count on your support and continued subscriptions to a new and improved "Press".

PS #1: Eric, you are in trouble. I have begun a beard. I hereby place a wager with you that mine will be the sparsest, whitest and perhaps shortest-lived between us. Ante: $1, anyone?

PS #2: After review of the latest pick for the lead role in the next film of the 007 series, I hereby volunteer my services for the lead role in the upcoming Bond film "Live And Let Age Not-S0-Gracefully". I will be playing the legendary secret agent in his later years, when he is renamed Agent 0070 1/2.

The Next Best Thing ...

... to having your favorite team IN the Super Bowl is to have some good fortune while watching it.

Each year, all over America, football fans and non-football fans participate in what is called the "Super Bowl Squares". At work, we always have this kind of pool. This year, each square cost 2 "units" - a euphemism for "dollars". For those of you who don't know how this works, people put their names in squares. Once all squares have been filled in, numbers from 0-9 are drawn from a hat. These numbers are then put into the four rows of boxes for both teams.

At the end of each quarter, the person whose name occupies a square that corresponds to the ending digits of the scores for each team wins. In our case we decided that winnings would be 50 "units" per quarter.

As you can see, I enjoyed the game. :-)

In other news, tomorrow I will be travelling up to our plant in Ossipee, NH, where we are starting another implementation. Ugh ... it's a three-and-a-half hour drive. Fortunately, our mileage rate is now 48.5 cents per mile.

Saturday, we have some fun planned. We're going down to Mohegan Sun to spend the night, and maybe do a little time at either the slots or the blackjack tables. We have celebratory dinner reservations at Michael Jordan's Steakhouse - that should be really good. Maybe my good fortune might continue? Hmmm ... doubtful. Wish you were going with us, Jane and Marion ... I'm sure you would enjoy it.