A Message For Good Times

Finding myself in Russell, NY on this day two days in front of Christmas is not the most pleasant experience I've ever had. To be sure I love my house here. I love spending time at the fire hall where I am an EMT. I love my 36 acres, the wood stove and looking outside at the misery inflicted on us all by the snow and cold. But therein lies the rub. I hate being inside.

It is only another week that I'm going to be here and then we'll be on our way back to Myrtle Beach. And so far I've enjoyed the Christmas time. Tricia gave me an ipod shuffle, tickets to a John Edwards ("Crossing Over") lecture, new pajamas and 3 months of the New York Times Weekender. Matt and Meghan gave us a house protection system wherein if the house in Russell gets colder than 45 degrees it will call us. Pretty cool.

We had a very good year financially and we celebrated by spending two weeks in China and plan on going to visit Tricia's parents in south Florida this winter. We also presented each of our kid's families with a nice check that should help each of them.

We now have 6 grandchildren and we have two more enroute next year. Christmas eve we plan on driving over to Plattsburgh to spend the holiday with Sandi and her family. Looking forward to that.

If we stay here long enough we may spend New Year's with Kate, Jerry, Matt and Meghan. Then on the way back to our southern home we will stop in and visit with Angie and family.

I answered a survey yesterday that wondered if I would celebrate the season with any religious observances. My response was that there were already too many contradictions in life and I didn't need another one that I adopted voluntarily. Jesus lovers and their smug certainty about the meaning of life piss me off in general and infuriate me at other times.

I've had my moments this year, but in essence I feel comfortable with my life. I have had for the last 36 years the best spouse anyone could ask for. We have worked hard, saved and struggled so that now we can travel, splurge and relax. Next stop, we hope, is England, maybe next year.

Our children are all doing fairly well, obviously some better than others, and they all have the greatest kids. We visit as much as we're comfortable with and it is always rewarding.

I've been trying to (half seriously) to talk to Tricia about moving to France but she feels sure that I am kidding. South Carolina is of course totally fucked up politically but there are some really neat progressives living there so I guess the US is home for now.

We don't know what next year will bring but probably no moss will grow under our feet. We live and breathe to learn, to strive and and to be of use. We are not perfect, nor wish to be. But we are perfectly aware that we can do more. That's enough. To expect more would be conceited. To do less is unacceptable. "Cowards might ask for more, heroes have died for less."