Christmas at the Skinner Compound

It is a great feeling to know you can make friends, and that they actually think enough of you to invite you over for Christmas dinner. I was honored that Frank and Lynn invited me to share both their dinner and their time with me. They are good folk - and quite fun to hang with, too.

I got to refresh my memory on computer support and help Frank get Lynn’s new mini laptop working with the wireless router. He finally found the perfect toy for her apparently! Of course I now know all their secret passwords and will be draining their bank accounts soon, but that is what good friends are for. And of course we ate - turkey(Lynn’s first), mashed taters, yams, stuffin’, black olives, cranberry whatch-a-macallit, etc. The old bird was cooked to perfection, not dry at all.



Later, we had to go out and visit the ponies in the garage. Frank has practically finished his latest S2 and it is a beaut. We fired it up and also warmed up the XB. Here are a couple of pics of the S2:

Solstice

Solstice...'O Glorious Solstice!

Today is the shortest day of the year, with the least sunlight of the year. It also marks the beginning of winter. So why be excited? Because the days only get longer for the next six months so each day is just a little brighter, filled with just a little more joy.

Let Mr. Wikipedia explain it: link

For my location the following:

        Sunday  
       21 December 2008      Mountain Standard Time        

                        SUN
       Begin civil twilight       6:45 a.m.                
       Sunrise                    7:15 a.m.                
       Sun transit               11:59 a.m.                
       Sunset                     4:44 p.m.                
       End civil twilight         5:14 p.m.                

                        MOON
       Moonset                   12:17 p.m. on preceding day
       Moonrise                   1:59 a.m.                
       Moon transit               7:25 a.m.                
       Moonset                   12:43 p.m.                
       Moonrise                   3:01 a.m. on following day

I shall light a candle after the sun sets and keep it burning all through the night. A touch of spruce oil vapor will fill the air. There is much to let go of and much to welcome in the coming year.

In Memory of Bettie Page

Did you know Bettie Page was from Nashville, Tennessee? I didn't, but she sure seemed familiar to me. I wonder how many girls I've met who are related to her? Hmmm, in a practical way most girls today have a lot of Bettie in them. She gave form, literally, to the feminine culture of the American girl we know and love today, for better or worse.

I got to hand it to this gal, even if some of you may find it offensive. Really, her recorded material here seems very tame. Kudo's to the person who compiled this video footage with this song, too. Remember, don't look if you may be squeemish.

Naughty Bettie

Return, return

I just got back from a six day visit in Knoxville, TN where my parents and some siblings live. This was the first trip back there from my new home in Colorado. Of course I enjoyed the time I had with my parents and additional family members, but it was also a bit gloomy there, thanks mostly to the weather. I took my camera but did not take any pictures because I felt so little inspiration to do so. I suppose the most exciting part of the trip was my dinner invitation from an old friend from high school. Kim Trail-Hughes invited me over to meet her hubby Bob and to also visit with her sister Karen who was a few years younger than us. It was great to hang out with them in their kitchen and talk about other friends, old times, new times, and in between times. Bob cooks a mean steak and chicken so I hope I behaved well enough to get invited back!

As far as my feelings about the trip I can only say I feel a bit mixed and sad. I'm not sure why, but I am glad to be back in my Colorado home. For now I will chalk it up to the stereotypical dreary weather of East Tennessee in the winter.