yes, very quiet. I didn't have any indication anybody was out there... no comments on the links or anything, so i figgered people either weren't about, so i drifted. sorry.

it was a rough christmas. on the whole it was wonderful, but as with every christmas there are always the less savory aspects. It is a very bad time to receive a dispersement from daddy bill's death. It was small, which is fine, but i thought it was a card from Marion, and I was so excited, and then it was just a brief note and a check, no merry xmas. felt like a multi-dimensional ten-ton door slammed on my nose. merry xmas indeed.

and then i find that instead of the gift i sent step-Dad Chuck, he received a very tardy gift certificate from Amazon. Grrr! How tacky is that!

overall a bad time to be my dad!

but elsewise it was Wonderful!!!! as it should be... except without maya, the actual christmas day was indistinguishable from any other day off! except the feast had a couple more courses...

thank you all for the feedback on my haiku is falling. It means a lot to me. I hope they all reached their destinations. We siblings are not communicating very well.

i know it's just stupid to get your feelings hurt about stuff like that. Especially at my age. but i keep thinking that we are setting such bad examples for our kids...

well, i am recovering from a fall on my bum. much better today. that clear ice is treacherous and being overweight is a reeaally bad idea! getting the pounds off doesn't sound like such a hobby anymore. it is stupid to fall down and not be able to get back up without help in the middle of a parking lot. not so stupid to fall, that happens. but so stupid to have impacted the ground carrying a sack of grain around your gut, putting exponential stress on flesh and bone. stupid, at my age, to take those chances.

and just stop with the "extra padding" comments. It is not true, believe me. Don't try it at home...

here is an educational link you all might find interesting: http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/index.htm
and a really funny obituary: http://www.nytimes.com/packages/html/obituaries/BUCHWALD_FEATURE/blocker.html

well, maya, you and hank just come-on down, y'all! mighty pleased, mighty pleased...

good news about my guitar: Martin has offered to repair it for free, and to provide a proper case. they didn't really have to: all parties were aware that the proof required to establish culpability did not exist. So Martin really went over and above on this one, and for that I am eternally grateful. I love my guild, but the wider neck is hurting my hand and muffling the G chord. Not exactly the chord you want to lose, if lose you must. so it will be nice to get the martin back, get back in comission. literally, hehe.

love you all, breakfast under nose, gots to go!