(This was begun 2 weeks ago, but I'm just getting around to finishing it) -

O Lordy! I yam in dire staits now!!!

I fully deserved that, Jeri - although I hate to tell you, that after 5 1/2 years as a New Hampshire State Trooper, I've been called a lot worse! };^{D~

About my only plea is that I really don't watch much TV; pretty much just the news and once in a while the Discovery or History channel at night while I'm noodling around the internet at some of my other cyber-haunts.

Actually Domestic Management was ameinable to the idea... up until about noon when she decided she'd rather stay put and play solitare on the computer.

Driving myself down would have cost around $40 in gas and tolls I figure, not to mention potential domestic consequences, and I'd just started a new medication via the VA which was making me feel a bit dodgy, so wasn't keen on driving for about an hour and a half each way.

I actually considered calling Charlie N. about a ride down, but had forgot his phone no. and lost his E-mail addy about 3 crashes ago. So I finally threw in the towel and called it a miss.

The following week I was in the middle of writing this when she pops in and demands that I rush out and walk the dogs before we rush off to go Christmas shopping, while she settles back down to "bonk" (My term for playing innane computer games).

Now when I gets a bit tissed, I usually don't holler, rant, rave, or otherwise fuss; I just takes my hat and get some air.... which for the next hour or so the dogs and I did.   
Needless to say, Her Majesty was not amused, but about 2 weeks later we seem to be back on speaking terms... and I've quit taking that new stuff the VA had me on, after noticing some fine tremors...
That medication (Zyprexa - Jerri knows what that's all about) can cause parkensonian symptoms in higher doses, and since I was still on a very low dosage, and the Parkenson's can be irreversable, we got clear of that.
Pity too; I got to feeling fairly OK about hanging around above ground for a while there... Wed. we go back in to Portland to see what else they can dig out of their bag of tricks.

The holiday season around here tends to be hectic, despite having carved our giving exchange down to immediate Family and our only Daughter having grown up and on her own.   Holidays mean a lot more to Management than they do for me, and she delights in getting all wound up tighter than a 9-day clock over 'em, and flusters to no end if I don't play along.

At times I can see why more people blow their brains out between Thanksgiving and New Year's than at any other time of year.

I still can't seem to log back on to Mudcat, so guess I'll just lurk about as a perpetual "guest" off and on.

Gotta get back into the music, methinks; it's good for the Soul.

How's Kendall doing, BTW?