And That's a Wrap ...

OAFS Photo

Or perhaps it was the Postmaster General (Wilfred Brimley) from an old Seinfeld episode who was seen wandering about the West Wing on the evening of the 27th of December in the year of our Lord Two Thousand and Twenty Three.

At any rate, two things: Yes, I have grown a mustache (at the behest of grandson Roberto) and yes, I was afforded the opportunity to visit the Eisenhower Executive Office Building and the West Wing of the White House. Pretty nice Christmas gift from The Nuke to her humble parental units.

As to the first thing ...

What is that on your face, Grandpa?
That's Finnegan, by the way.
OAFS Photo

Back at Thanksgiving, The Nuke's oldest (Roberto) had learned a new word, "moustache." In jest I asked him if he'd like to see Grandpa with one of those things, to which he answered, "Yes."

So I began that project in early December, arriving in Maryland on the 22nd of December with that growth issuing from below my nose. At first Roberto found it somewhat off-putting, but gradually he learned to like it. I asked him if I should shave it off, he said, "No, I like it."

So for the time being, I shall be sporting that Bismarck/Wilford Brimley thing on my face. For the record, Finnegan, The Nuke's youngest, is still not used to it. He pulled away from me, closed his eyes and shook his head "No" when he first encountered it. Now he seems to like pulling on it, though his facial expressions do express some misgivings about his grandfather looking like he belongs in an 1860s daguerreotype.

Speaking of Otto von Bismarck ...

(Source)

Who wore it better? (I like my hat better ...)

As to the second thing, as The Nuke's new job puts her in the EEOB, she was able to show us the building where she works and the building she occasionally gets to perform duties in, yup, the West Wing.

Okay, I'm kinda smiling in this photo.
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Apparently, I've just been asked to field a really dumb question from the White House Press Corps.
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Wow, I'm actually smiling.
(Though my hair, or what's left of it, is a fright - 'twas a wet windy night in DC on the 27th.)
OAFS Photo

It was interesting to walk in a place where history is made every day. Got to see the Oval  Office and the Cabinet meeting room. (On an earlier tour Roberto was told by his Mom that he couldn't go inside the office. So he promptly slid one foot under the barrier and grinned. That's my boy.)

Seeing the old offices of the Secretary of War in the EEOB was also interesting. The EEOB is a pretty cool example of French Second Empire architecture, though y'all know I prefer the First Empire ...

DC was very quiet on the 27th, the wind and rain kept most of the whack jobs off the streets, for which I was grateful.

Walking the places where history was made, it's my thing.

Well, 2023 is nearly in the books. Speaking personally it was a mix of mostly good things and a cuppla "rather wish that had gone differently" things, but all in all it was a good year. After all, Finnegan came into the world in January and he is a charmer, he's also, as we say in New England, wicked smaaht¹. No doubt we'll be heading down Maryland-way again for his first birthday.

The staff in the Situation Room.
(Actually The Nuke's living room - 
L to R, Kodi, Finnegan, Roberto, and Bear.)
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Best wishes for a Happy, Prosperous, and Peaceful New Year.

And here's a little something from our own John Blackshoe ...

A message to all:

A U.S. Navy recruiting poster used circa 1966-1974
(Source)

Amen.

¹ Phonetic spelling, obviously.