Realm of the Shadow Redux

My health issues are progressing nicely, my son Mike and my daughter Nikki both seem to be doing well, my wife appears to be happy with me (which is always a bonus!), even my dogs seem happy too! Now I ask you, what more could a man want than that to end the year with? This last year has not been bad, we’ve found a house to live in that Jean and I both love (the view and proximity of the timber is one of it’s best features), I’ve been busy with work almost all year. The cars both appear to be doing well (have to do a brake job on the cavalier). School has been hectic but bearable. Overall, a good year. No major health issues, no major financial issues, no major issues period, overall a good year.

Now on to next year, got to figure out if we’ll do new years resolutions or not. Stay tuned to find out more…..

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Went to the surgeon today and he’s given me a clean bill of health. I have to restrain from going to work or lifting more than 100 pounds at a time for at least another week but other than that I have no real restrictions. I just have to be mindful of what I lift and how I lift to be certain to not re-injure myself. It was really a good surgery and recovery period. After that we went to All About Eyes in Bloomington, IL. This is where I got my last pair(s) of glasses and I must say that I’ve been impressed with the service I received there. I have already gotten all of my immediate family to go there for their eye exams and if you use me as a reference (you have to TELL them that I referred you and they have to note it in the records), then after I have three people who purchase their glasses there I will receive a $250 credit.

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Hey I’m excited! After much searching I’ve finally found a book that I read a long time ago that I’ve been looking for. It’s “Time for the Stars” by Robert Heinlein. Of course, my memories of it are a bit different from the exact book though and I think that in my mind I’ve actually combined a few books together but I’ll sort that out later as I read it. Now I need to find a copy of it in the library or maybe on the local Freecycle^TM network affiliate (McFreecycle). If you are not familiar with McFreecycle or the Freecycle^TM Network please feel free to click in it’s name in this post to find out more (this will take you to the site in a new window). It is a worthwhile recycling effort and well worth the time to check into for your own area. But I digress….. on with todays ramblings.

Yesterday was a wonderful time of family and food. Everyone seemed to be happy with their reception of various gifts and with the love shown to each other. This does not mean that we did not have a certain amount of “friction” through the day. Many gifts were exchanged, Mike got his usual present that he is present when it is purchased (and he even carries it out to the vehicle as well). This he does every year and every year my wife convinces him that it will not happen again. Jean received various Blues Hockey items, bath stuff, hummingbird feeder and money. I got a new corn snake and enclosure from Jean and Mike, a nice shirt from Jean, a book from Nikki and Timmy and money. The book is “Weird Illinois” by Troy Taylor and looks quite interesting. To be continued……

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An awesome video of a talented artist. I might like to see this guy in person sometime.

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Merry Christmas one and all. Once again it is the season of giving, the season of receiving, the season of in-laws coming over (or maybe of you going to visit in-laws), of out-laws coming home (anyone else have any of these in their families?), of charitable gifts and some not so charitable, of living life to the fullest by maxing out the credit cards because our economy is not quite what the “government” says it is, etc., etc., etc…….

Does this sound a bit down to you? Well in all honesty, these holidays which are supposed to be full of good cheer and happiness, quite often are just the opposite. Yes, it is a well-known but also well-hidden fact of life that these stressful times called the Christmas holidays are chocked full of anger, angst, frustration, animosity and just plain unhappiness. Don’t worry though, I think that this story will in fact have a happy ending. Please read on to find out for yourself…..

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