Sunday, December 23, 2018

Christmas Open Thread

(Source)
Talk quietly amongst yourselves, behave, be nice, and don't break anything. Yeah, I know, too many rules.

Virgil has the key to the liquor cabinet, and no, I don't know how that happened.

I've asked Suz to keep an eye on all of you. Yes, that might be a mistake.

Juvat, Beans, and Tuna may or may not post, 'tis up to them.

If LUSH posts, that would qualify as a Christmas miracle.

I might stop by, depends on the Internet and The Missus Herself. Don't hold your breath, I'm on vacation.

To all, a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

See you soon, probably.



31 comments:

  1. Well, officially, I made it through my first day as a ROF (retired old fart). But it was Saturday, so that doesn't count. Monday is Christmas Eve, so that's not really a test either. Nor is Christmas, so maybe Wednesday. Nope, Boxing Day. Thursday? Definitely Thursday. That will be the day.

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    1. Once you're a ROF the only day that really counts is the day before the garbage truck comes... IF the truck arrives before you get up the next day!

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    2. We have a dumpster that services the 4 houses in our neck of the woods, so I don't even have to worry about that. My pillbox may be the only way to tell what day it is.

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    3. I failed retirement once and worked part-time (which morphed to full-time) at the behest of a friend who needed the help. Didn't enjoy it.
      Now retired again, had nothing to do yesterday and almost finished it. I'll try to catch up today.

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    4. Yup. Pillbox and tracking favorite TV shows, which are getting fewer and fewer as stupidity encroaches. Even NCIS has gotten bitten by the SJW bug and is starting to sound as preachy as "Law and Order" so it may soon get tossed on the dustbin of history. And tracking the days by the programs means that it gets confusing during holidays, sweeps, and 'off-season' times.

      So... Pillbox.

      Real retirement won't set in until the first day of retirement that would have been a workday with teachers, students and administrators, so January 4th, 2019 is going to be the real 'test' date of your ROFness.

      We do expect a full report of the actual H-Hour, M-Minute of the retirement extraction last Friday, December 21st, 2018. Blow by blow, play by play, how you dodged last minute whines and requests while skipping merrily out the door...

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  2. Aha, the ranks of ROFs swell slightly, congrats Juvat! A Merry Christmas to all and to all a Healthy and Happy New Year!

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  3. I think there is a sort of slow change from RROF (Recently Retired Old Fart, and would that be Faht for the Northeasterers) to ROF, I'm not sure what comes after ROF, but I'm looking forward to figuring it out.

    I thought I might want to go back to working a couple of days a week when I got bored, and it's been over five years without boredom ever showing up on the event horizon.

    NOAA predicted there would be no appreciable accumulation of snow today in the Philly area, and that means I'll be heading for the shed later this morning to test run the snowthrower again, and check the gas can levels.

    And the joy of mentioning, "I'm retired" still hasn't faded.




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    1. Well....If NOAA predicted no snow, well then......You're doomed. Doomed I say. Snow-pocalipse is upon you. Drive immediately to the supermarket and buy everything you see. Doesn't matter what it is. The only way to prevent this disaster is for the store shelves to be completely barren of everything!

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    2. When I read this my mad scientist voice took over and insisted on adding a cackle of laughter at the end.

      Oddly for city folk, we've always resisted the temptation to rush to the stores at the fall of the first snowflake. If we feel the need for a french toast breakfast, we can defrost some bread, mix up some powdered milk and there are always eggs in the fridge.
      I did go out to fill one of the five gallon gas cans, and then spent some time looking for my glove. As expected, they were sitting on top of the big mower in shed #1 where I laid them to add gas stabilizer to the can.


      Retirement.
      When I wrapped up my last shift in Immigration Primary at the airport, a coworker surprised my by having my shift coworkers line up like sideboys and I walked between the two lines as I left. I had a face cracking smile, and needed to blow my nose at the same time.

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  4. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all!
    Congratulations Juvat!

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    1. Thank you, Ma'am! Merry Christmas to you also.

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  5. The joys of retirement are seemingly endless. I have graduated from ROF to AOF (Ancient Old Fart) status but there always seems to be things that must be done. I still revel in the joy of waking in the morning and realizing that I don't have to fight commute traffic. Suits and ties? Piffel! Who needs them? Need to make an appointment? Anytime between 10 and 2 so I don't have to fight traffic.

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    1. OOOOH, a chance for further promotion! Something to look forward to. Is there a uniform change? Polo's and slacks to T-Shirts and Levi's, then what? Ancient sweaters and pajama bottoms?

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    2. The official uniform of the AOFs is polo shirts and 501 Livis. Of course, by that standard, I have been an OAF for the past 35 years.

      A happy and safe Christmas to all, and to all, a good day.

      Thanks for the post.
      Paul L. Quandt

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    3. Whatever shirts are on sale at the PX and/or t-shirts, plaid Bermudas or cargo shorts pulled up to under your moobs (suspenders and/or white belt,) white calf length socks with sandals, and really huge and atrocious (read here, cheap) sunglasses that make BCG military frames look sexy.

      Hmmmm. (Holds up mirror) T-shirt, cargo pants pulled up over bellybutton with web-belt(that came with shors)(almost as bad as white belt) and I need suspenders, no socks (not yet freezing) and Dewalt safety sunglasses (hey, they're cheap ($10.00) and semi-stylish and safety at the same time.) (Assembles punch cards, shoves punch cards into the punch-card slot on the side of the laptop, oh, yeah, that's a drinkholder…) (Enters information into the analyzer (aka: Asks Wife)) (Results) (Hey, Mrs. Andrew, stop laughing and pointing your finger. You're turning blue. Stop it..) Analysis: Oh, Carp, I'm 2/3rds of the way there! Let me just go outside after putting my boonie cap on... Stop Laughing.... Stop.... (slams door, runs away in shame...)

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  6. Hey AFSarge;

    Merry Christmas to you and yours from me and mine and enjoy the eggnog and have a happy New Year!

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    1. Eggnog hasn't been on the allowed list for many years now. More's the pity. I believe the recipe was one ounce eggnog, 3 ounces rum. Or something like that.

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  7. Hmmm__ while the cat's away...

    Christmas miracles have happened.

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  8. Aha! And when you start to get tired of eating in, you become a Romeo. A retired old man eating out. Just dontd take that too far, says the better half.

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  9. I have not yet achieved the "A" promotion yet (well, at least I don't think so). I was recently engaged in a historical discussion of some past events about which I could honestly say "Hell, I was there!".

    My wife and I braved the local mall yesterday only because that's where the Hickory Farms kiosk is. Our search skills were weak (or maybe it was because we were attempting this in the middle of a slow moving stampede) so we wound up texting our daughter as to where she had found it the day before. In the meantime, we had inquired of three different members of the current generation where said kiosk might be. One of them was mall security. Deer in the headlights from all. One remarked "Hickory Farms. Isn't that the chocolate place?". We're doomed I tell you. All doomed.

    A very Merry Christmas to all. And beef sticks and cheese balls too.

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    1. Hickory Farms still exists? Spent many a childhood year drooling on their catalogs... And looking for the item in the photo that told you exactly how big things really were.

      It's not Christmas without overly processed meats and cheeses.

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    2. I didn't realize that Hickory Farms was still around either, although to be honest I try very hard to stay away from malls. Don't think I have been in one since moving to western Michigan. The nearest one is 25 miles away, and Amazon is so much closer. Besides, I have been run off my feet busy at work, so, no, no malls.

      Although I did brave the Meijer's yesterday. That is a major grocery store/big box store in this area. Man, I knew from having to park out in west Oshkosh it would be busy, and it was. Needed to grab some chocolate candy to send to Dad for Christmas. Usually I make some pecan bark, however, when I went to the pantry to get the pecans...there were none there! :(
      So, instead, I went and bought some very fancy chocolates (Lundt?) and threw them in the box and took it to UPS, who can't get it to upstate NY until Friday...so I am in deep weeds with the parents. Or will be. Sigh.

      As an example of how nuts crazy it has been around here, I checked my paycheck that hit the back account on Thursday. It was double what I usually get. Then I looked at the hours worked. Now, remember, I am a "part-time per diem", which means all the salary folks get their schedules filled before anyone even calls me to say "We Need You". In that last check, they wound up paying me for 5 hours of overtime! No wonder I feel so wore out! However, the money will go to a good cause. After all, taxes are due soon.

      Anyway, I was wandering around the store, found the candy, and some other stuff, and went to stand in line to check out.
      Got in behind a gal with a full large cart, who was all apologetic about have so much stuff. There was a nattily dressed dad with 2 cute kids behind me. I just told the gal it was all good. I had no place to be other than right there, and that having a warm roof over my head, clothes on my back, good food in my basket and the money to pay for it were all blessings I was grateful to have. Merry Christmas. She stopped, smiled, and said "Um, you are right. Merry Christmas".
      The dad behind me heard me too, and said I was right. I told him to enjoy his kiddos, they would grow up way faster then he really would want. Everybody smiled, he wished me a Merry Christmas, and I left. Everyone was smiling. My job here was done. Everyone remembers the peace, and the presents, it is the good-will to man that lots of folks forget about in the hustle and hurry.

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    3. Good point, Suz. Merry Christmas!

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  10. Hey Merry Christ-filled Christmas to everyone’s! My iPad has mysteriously began to let me post here without the chasing of traffic signals routine (someone may know what I mean). Beans, I have had to wear long pants now everyday here in Santa Cruz. I have forgotten what my knees look like! Jeanie and I hope you-all (or more authentically y’all) have a great week or so of family and friends. And Mr. Juvat, retirement DOES start the first day you should have been there but didn’t have to be.

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    1. OK, That would be Monday, Jan 7. Hey.....Monday! In addition to not having to go to work, I don't have to come up with a subject....Thanks 4D!

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  11. Well, I see you've all been getting along famously, Juvat's retirement is definitely something to celebrate.

    I am safely in place at The Nuke's house in Alexandria, sitting in front of a fireplace, Christmas lights on, enjoying time with family and granddogs. Life is good.

    Had a fine brunch, Italian eggs Benedict, prosciutto and bruschetta are key elements. Yummy! At Lena's Wood-Fired Pizza & Tap on East Braddock Rd in Alexandria, try it when you visit here, most excellent.

    Carry on, some really good comments.

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  12. Forgot to mention--

    We live just a few miles from Meacham Airport. So, we get to listen to this old war horse rumble overhead a few times an hour after dark during the holidays.

    http://www.gga1.org/

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  13. Merry Christmas, everyone, from The Badger's Burrow!

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