Twas the Week before Christmas...

The first picture is of our family room dressed up for the holiday and a fire that saw us through the football games today as it slowly fades away. The others are pictures of my staff at work during our staff party this past Tuesday. We enjoyed food and beverage prepared by each other and had a white elephant style gift giving. We limited our gifts to $25 and I ended up with a package with Baileys, coffee and a coffee press that I stole from Peter when he was out of the room. I'll give the coffee and coffee press to David as I don't drink regular caffeinated coffee and the press is a bit too in vogue for my tastes. I just want a cup of coffee, not a science experiment. The days are growing shorter and a good number of my staff are on holidays this week. I gave each of the staff $50 gift certificates to the Elephant Bar Restaurant for Christmas. The fog has come into the valley and been sticking with us until well after noon. It is wet and cold. Alas, a storm is brewing off the course and destined to bring us rain this week.

I did get out on Saturday and knock the golf ball around a bit. Boyd, Bob, Darren and I braved the cold and wet conditions and hammed it up on the course. I shot 44+45=89 and the ball was not travelling. I usually hit an 8 iron about 155 yards and it was lucky to go 135 in the fog. It took me a few holes to figure out the distances and then I spent the rest of the round trying to shake off the rust. I didn't play last weekend and it doesn't take long to get out of a groove in your golf game. Bob shot 83, Boyd 77 (he plays four days a week), and Darren shot 93. We played at Woodcreek this week which was a challenge as I hadn't played out there in about two months. I have a qualifier coming up next month and can use the help on my handicap.

The Insurance Group of which I am on the board is having another retreat in January at Silverado Resort in Napa and it just so happens to fall on the same weekend that Alicia's wedding is in Napa. The good news is that the retreat is on Friday with an overnight stay so it works out perfectly. We will play golf and Darla will have her spa treatment, we will have a big dinner and then up Saturday and over to the wedding venue. We will likely stay over Saturday night as well since Darla's brother, Steve and his wife Kirstin will be here from Hawaii.

Darla and I also set up tickets to Las Vegas for February 5th - 8th. United had some flights for $99 round trip out of San Francisco. it is a little bit of a hassle as we leave out of SF at 10:30 on Friday night, but worth the savings as it is about $240 RT out of Sacramento. We get back about 8:30 on Monday night. Samantha turns 2 tomorrow and she is talking up a storm. We talked to her and Jennifer on Friday night and she opened one of her birthday gifts, a "Birthday Girl" shirt and outfit. Jennifer had her saying "Thank You, Papa, Thank you, Gramma!" She seemed to enjoy the box and wrapping quite a bit as the sounds of tearing paper came through the phone. We are so looking forward to spending the weekend with them. Jennifer will be available as her job on the City Center Casino will come to an end on Tuesday. The casino is open and Jennifer and some girlfriends shared a room in the casino on Saturday night. She is not sure when she will get on another project, but is well liked by the GC she worked with, so here's hoping.

Darla and I will also travel to Canada the week of Dad's birthday in march. We fly in on Saturday March 6th and stay until Wednesday March 10th. Darla and I have been so busy that we haven't made it back to Canada much over the last few years and want to spend some time with Dad and Shirley. We will rent a car and drive up and have Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and a half day Wednesday to visit. Right now the first quarter of the year 2010 will see us in Mexico and Napa in January, Vegas in February and Canada in March. This sounds like Dad and Shirley's schedule. We also have a family reunion in July with Darla's family as we celebrate Earl and Frances' 50th wedding anniversary up in Lake Almanor. Hopefully Jennifer and Samantha can come and join in the fun again this year.

It was good to see the Cowboys win a big road game in December against the Saints. I was hoping the Niners could beat the Eagles, but their offense is pathetic. The boys have tried to tell me how much Alex Smith, the Niner's qb has improved this year, but he looks just as uncomfortable as he ever has and throws some terrible balls. It's amazing that the two Bay Area teams have first round draft choice quarterbacks that are so terrible. Tony Romo was a free agent and sometimes you have to get a qb on the cheap and let them learn on the bench. When you roll the dice and millions on a 22 year old kid, you end up with Jamarcus Russell and Alex Smith, both poster boys for the wasted draft choice in the NFL. Dallas controls their own destiny and will win the NFC East if they win out against the Redskins and Eagles, two tough division games that will get them ready for playoff football. By the way, the Niners lost again with Smith throwing for a paltry 177 yards and three interceptions. If this is THE GUY in SF, it will be a party every time they finish 8-8, which, in truth, is pretty great in the world of Bay Area professional football. Last word, if Mike Singletary wants to see his job eliminated in 2010, he will keep Alex Smith as his starter.

I ran across a couple of good random thoughts and as this is the name of my blog, here you go:

1. I think part of a best friend's job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die.

2. Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong.

3.Was learning cursive really necessary?

4. Map Quest really needs to start their directions on #5. I'm pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.

5. Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died.
6. You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you know that you just aren't going to do anything productive for the rest of the day.

7. Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after Blue Ray? I don't want to have to restart my collection...again.

8. "Do not machine wash or tumble dry" means I will never wash this --ever.

9. I hate when I just miss a call by the last ring (Hello? Hello?), but when I immediately call back, it rings nine times and goes to voicemail. What'd you do after I didn't answer? Drop the phone and run away?

10. I hate leaving my house confident and looking good and then not seeing anyone of importance the entire day. What a waste.

11. I keep some people's phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call.

12 I think the freezer deserves a light as well.

13. I disagree with Kay Jewelers. I would bet on any given Friday or Saturday night more kisses begin with Miller Lites than Kay.

I wish each of you a Happy and Healthy Holiday Season. Merry Christ-mas, Saviour's Greetings and Happy Holy Days! Ciao.