Yuletide Feeling

There is always something that has to kick start my holiday feeling. It seems I usually start December just cruising along like a regular month. Thanksgiving is past, now here comes winter, Uh Christmas, what is that?

So that was happening this year. I didn't feel like putting up lights and going for the "cut your own" tree just didn't seem like fun. But yesterday we had scheduled the yearly trip to Tridelphia to cut our tree. The morning dawned at 22 degrees and each of our experience has been different out at Tridelphia. One year it was a little rainy, another very snowy, wind has been present a lot too. The nastiness of the weather usually was reflected in the care of selecting a tree with mixed results.

This year, it was beautiful. Sunny, but cool, around 40 degrees. There were a lot of people out to get a tree and this year we ventured across the road to an area that had been maturing the past few years. I was determined to find a decent tree this year as last year's had the crookedest trunk ever in the history of my tree picking. We worked our way through some huge scotch pines into some firs and white pines and nothing was jumping out at us. We decided to cross the road and look over there, but saw an area we hadn't checked on our way down the hill. After some looking around, Shauni pointed out a likely candidate and after a quick family vote, we choose that one, which Shauni later named Gilbert. (?) :)

We cut him down and headed to the shaker, baler. In my research of local tree farms a came across something that probably isn't new, but was something I hadn't seen before. A post stand. They drill a hole in the bottom of the trunk and a piece of the stand goes into that hole. Legs go on the piece and the whole thing sits in a bowl of water. We purchased one of these and had the guys drill the trunk and I have to say, this was the easiest tree erecting I have ever experienced.

This positive experience along with the mandatory (according to Shauni) Christmas music on the radio during the trip seemed to do the trick. We came home and moved the furniture and set up the tree. I applied the lights (my job) and the girls will do the ornaments (their job). I headed outside to finish the outside lights which I had halfheartedly started before heading out for the tree and I actually was feeling in the holiday mood.

Now, I'm not wearing red and green and humming Xmas songs, but I definitely am feeling more Christmasy now. For me this is really more of a seasonal thing. The coming of winter and the turning of the season from continuously darker to lighter. The days will start to get longer and soon it will be spring.

I love all the seasons, but like when the next one has arrived.

Now we need some snow. Today looks like rain though.

Weight for me...

It is that time of year again to re-confirm that I need to constantly work out to not only lose weight, but to maintain. Twice a year I must weigh-in for work and twice a year I have "challenging times" when my weight creeps. Lately, I have been keeping the creep low, but it still goes up and I have to work it off. I don't mind, it's just that sometimes I get lazy and don't change my eating and drinking habits (actually they get worse), and my weight goes up to a place I am not comfortable with. So, the winter holidays are one of my "bad times" and I re-affirmed during cycle class today, to keep it up and watch the snacking. And to keep the minimum workouts going... Let's see how I do.

A State of being

Just like I like and accept the four seasons of where I live, I also don't mind being hot, cold, hungry, tired, etc. I see them all as just states of being. I enjoy each. Some less then others, but I accept them all. It tells me I'm alive...

On the Road and Acid Reflux

This week myself and one of my co-RFMCs went to St Louis to talk to all the senior enlisted that were attending a conference. We met with them in a nice conference room and just talked about issues. It was good getting all the silver badges within the C4IT community (ESUs) in one room.

The day before I left, my dear wife said her chest hurt after an intense spin class. My questions were hard for her to answer. Where exactly does it hurt? How bad? What kind of pain is it?

She was a little worried, but assured me I could still travel. After I got there we talked and she was still hurting. I recommended she go to the ER just to get checked out as that is what the on-call Tricare people told her to do. Her sister told her the same thing and she is a paramedic, but she didn't decide to go until our teenager told her to go.

Of course they made her stay the night and most of the next day while they took a bunch of blood and tests and decided that there was nothing wrong with her heart. Their diagnosis was possibly acid reflux. She always says she doesn't know what heartburn is because she has never had it. Maybe that is no longer the case. So now she has some Prilosec OTC to try out.

Next Monday I head out again to CA for the whole week.

It is quite a helpless feeling when something is going on far away and you can't get back quickly enough to lend a hand or "fix it" or whatever.

Man Cave

Lately I have been hearing the term "Man Cave" all over the place. In commercials, on line, it just seems like everyone is using it.

I think I want a Man Cave. It would be a cool place to hang out. I think my dad's MC was his tool room in the basement and the Garage over at the other house. I cool place to hang out.

What is the woman's equivalent to the MC? The "Girl Palace"? IDK.

Anyway, I have been hearing this term so much, it got me thinking about if I had one, what would be in it? I'm still making my mental list, but it would need a comfy chair, a TV and most likely a game console of some sort. Of course a close by frig and probably some type of cooking apparatus. Nothing too fancy. A microwave or a gas grill or both.

Let's see; the decor has to be dark and wood paneling may be involved. A huge bear rug in the middle of the room would have to be included in any MC worth its salt.

Well, there you have it. A Man Cave in the making... Now to get Lisa to agree...

Play Misty for Me

I enjoy the change in seasons. Just as I really like the warm spring breeze after a long winter, I also get into a day with temperatures in the 40s and a steady misty rain falling. It reminds me that the seasons are changing and I like living in a place that has four seasons. Each has its good and bad points, but I enjoy them all.

My Dear Wife would be happy with one season... Warm...

Me, I will take the hot, humid summer day, the windy spring day, the snowy evening with temperatures below freezing and the misty cold autumn day what heralds the approach of winter.

Call me crazy...

Lots of Stars in the Room

A bunch of us Master Chiefs went over to the other building and had a "sit down" with one of our Admirals. He is a good guy, who was able to bring us up to speed on a lot of the current issues and listen to our concerns. I think the Commandant picked a good guy for this job. He says he wants to continue to meet with us regularly and even bring in other Flags to pow wow with us.

There were over 50 stars in that room if you counted every collar. It was a good experience.