Wait a Minute? January is Over?

I just got used to the idea that the holidays were over. Now I realize that for all intents and purposes, January of 2014 is in the books. Over. Fini. Finished...

I know it wasn't a short month. 31 days. While in the midst of it, it did not seem to be going by all that fast. But it's over. Where the heck did it go?

Ah well. C'est la vie.

The photo (from c w's Friday Open Road, of course) was, based on certain clues, taken somewhere in Poland. Seems to be part of an advertisement. You can see the whole thing over at c w's.

Now I love this photo. I think I've mentioned (once or twice) my love of the four seasons we get up here in New England. New fallen snow is something I love seeing. Provided there isn't too much of it, I don't have to go anywhere in it, I don't have to shovel it and the power stays on. That last bit is very important to me. Went without power and heat for three days last February. Sucked it did. But that was a very rare occurrence. (Knock on wood. As for that, picture me tapping myself on the head...)

Another comment I wanted to make about the photo concerns the "Polishness" of it. My hometown had a lot of Poles when I was growing up there. One of my good friends parents I think actually came over from the old country as kids. Still had a lot of relatives there. And remember this was in the "bad old days" when Poland was part of the Warsaw Pact. An unwilling member I must add, for the Poles have always loved freedom. (Hell, these guys fought Nazi tanks from horseback, sort of. A story I'll regale you with someday. For Polish cavalry has a long and distinguished history.)

At any rate, my buddy Justin once invited me to a family gathering for some relatives visiting from the old country. He warned me that most of them spoke no English at all. Then he told me that all I needed to know was one word: piwo. Which is Polish for "beer".

Well, I was somewhat hesitant. For these were the days before I became a world traveler and had lots of experience rubbing shoulders with folks from cultures other than my own.

Nevertheless, I went to the gathering. As soon as I trotted out my one word in Polish, the party began.

For in addition to being a land of brave men and beautiful women, the Poles know how to party. Oh boy, do they know how to party!