DLand - The Winter Years

This is just a jiffy update as time is cramped these days.We went to New York this past weekend and it was very nice. I don't know that the four of us need to spend that much time all together. But I had a grand time overall. The evening partying with Shrewsbury Hose Company No. 1 was one of many highlights.

The time off was, as always, never long enough. But Christmas is soon. I came home to find out that Ms. Bea had died the night before. Her liver had failed and we guess that at this point she just gave up. Dad says that in elderly couples when one dies the other rarely lives three more years. I wonder if they would put "loneliness" on her death certificate as cause of death. I know that Daddy Byron's passing really hurt her. So maybe she's happy now. Maybe they can have a happy Christmas together wherever they are. It's overwhelming to me that she's gone. They were my grandparents for all practical purposes. Just makes me want to squeeze those that I love dearly all the more. I promise a cheerier update soon. But for now, much love to you all.

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I've been spending a lot of the past few days making sure everyone around the office has what they need from me. I'll be on vacation starting tomorrow until Tuesday morning. I am even considering not bringing a laptop. Wonders never cease. So we were at the office until 9:30 last night. That kinda sucked. But overall we got a lot done ... well, those of us that stayed around. But that's another story.

I'm spending more and more time managing my flock of workers and less and less doing "real work". This is not necessarily a bad thing, but it's a totallly different line of work than what I've done in the past. It's not all pointy-haired boss days from Dilbert cartoons.

John had a great analogy last night that I'm the guy from the Godfather who makes sure that the gun is in the bathroom toilet of the restaurant. So that none of my employees have to come outta that toilet with just his laptop in his hands.

DLand - Turkey Day Recap

Another holiday come and gone and another one close on its heels. I've got a busy month planned ahead of me. Client release, trip to New York, cosmetic changes to the house and a lot of video games.Rich and I have been playing a D&D game on the XBox and it may be the most I've spent in front of a video game console since I was 12. I'm playing an elf wizard and he's a fighter dude. We must be the world's most polite gaming duo. “No, you take that potion, Baby, I have plenty.” “Oh, I couldn't, I took all that mithral plate on the last level. Here let me carry that for you and when we get back to the Castle Shoppe I'll give it to you to sell.” The hockey game was great. Cavorting with Kevin and Jake was grand. Seeing Mike and Sue's new place was a treat. And Susie's hair looks awesome. All in all a fantastic holiday. And now it's back to the grind as it were. The silver lining is that our new pinball machine arrives later this week.