Day: December 26, 2009

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Christmas Presents: Ah! Somebody Knows Me Well

Perhaps too well. *heh* In the mail today, addressed to me: FM 21-76, Department of the Army Field Manual: Survival.

Though it was addressed to me, I didn’t order it. I can only assume it to be a gift from someone who knows me well. Now, who could that be…

Whoever it is/was, thanks! 🙂 (Was Lovely Daughter)

(Of course, apropos of the Senate vote to enslave generations of Americans, the first thing my eye fell on when I opened the books was… a focus on escaping capture by the enemy. Of course.)

  • Size up the situation
  • Undue haste makes waste
  • Remember where you are
  • Vanquish fear and panic
  • Improvise
  • Value living
  • Act like the natives
  • Learn basic skills

Hmm, looks like a rubric for post-Obama Americans seeking to escape the enemy and survive as free Americans…

Micro-mini-update: Because of weather/road conditions, Lovely Daughter (why did I typo that as “Lobely Daughter”? :-))and SiL-to-Be did not spend Xmas Eve with us as planned. So, last night was our “make up Xmas Eve”. Re-read Random Yak’s “Lest We Forget”, shared Xmas Chili, Xmas music, etc., and then went on the Xmas Plunder from the Kids Down South. SiL-to-Be demonstrated his awareness of relationship between Sil-to-Be and FiL-to-Be with a wise gift: a Bodum French press coffee maker. Wise beyond your years, Grasshopper.

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A White Christmas

Merry Second Day of Christmas, folks!

Yesterday was our first “White Christmas” since moving to America’s Third World County some years ago (we’re well into our second decade here), and old timers tell me such things haven’t been all that common for some time, now.

White Januarys? Yes, that’s a common occurrence. White Christmases, notsomuch.

4″ of snow descended the evening of the 24th and morning of the 25th. As this is America’s Third World County, getting up the hill and out of our lil neighborhood here in town was… not quite possible earlier this a.m. Sheet ice from packed snow resulting from folks leaving very early in the a.m., a little sun, some more cold, etc. No scraping, sanding or salting, of course. The only scraped and sanded areas of town are: the two highways going through town (State responsibility) and the area leading out of the AM/PM clinic that also houses the ambulance service (paid for by the ambulance service, of course). I bought a 40# bag of road salt, after leaving by the only other route out of the neighborhood, and salted the short hill and intersection leading out (and in) on the most direct route to our street. The kids are coming in (and leaving in the a.m. for either work or other activities), and I wanted them at least to have better traction. That others may benefit is incidental. 😉

Only one dog, now, to see to in inclement weather. The 13-year-old “youngster” (a Lab/Shepherd mix) passed away some months ago, so only one “outdoor” dog–the old guy, a 17(?)-year-old medium sized Heinz 57. For the first time since he’s been with us–about 14 years, now–he’s slept inside every night since cold weather hit. *heh* In fact, he seems to want to stay inside most of the time, now. Can’t blame him. Need to find his harness and take him for some walks, though.