Monday Musings...

Here we are, into the home stretch of Christmas and a rather mild time can be had.
This time next week, we will be celebrating Christmas day and all that's included.
I told you it was coming like a runaway freight train. And now, we're almost there.
I've got to play catch up ALL this week, as I've yet to really get started with the usual holiday things.
Hectic will be the watch word for the next 6 days.
Our Hoosierland weather for today brings us very mild conditions with mostly cloudy skies, temps reaching to around 46 degrees, and some drizzle hanging around just to make things feel a bit less than "Christmasey". Plan on similar stuff tomorrow.

Now, let's get something refreshing (hot or cold) to help us feel more in the holiday spirit, as we see what's been going on elsewhere...
*** First out of the washing machine is our "What the hell happens today, Bob?" feature:
DECEMBER 18 -
---It's Answer the Telephone Like Buddy The Elf Day

(sorry, not that big a fan of the movie)
---It's National Roast Suckling Pig Day

(one great way to enjoy that other white meat)
*** Next up, I wanted to post a link to a good editorial column by one of our city councilman, and apparently (Michael Barranda) the ONLY one who enjoys something we call a CLEAR CONSCIENCE.

But I cannot find any online link.
All I have is the printed version, but let's say it was a good read and when the link becomes available, I'll post it. It can be found on the News-Sentinel "page" of today's Journal Gazette printed edition.
Sorry about that one.
*** Next up, yesterday just GETTING the damn paper was a chore, because our new carrier (Jasmine) thought it would be okay to deliver the Sunday edition LONG after it was supposed to get here (by 8 A.M.).

Bet'cha THIS guy is more on time!

We seem to change carriers like most people change underwear.
I had to wait to call into the J-G to light a damn fire under someone to have it delivered. She finally brought it by after 9 A.M., but that wasn't the end of it.
Another person come by to deliver a SECOND paper (twice late is STILL late), but I intercepted him and returned the paper saying the carrier came by a half hour before,
He thanked me and THAT was the end of it.
*** Next...yes, yesterday was one of THOSE mornings...

And THESE were the good points.

One of the cats missed the paper (and litter pan) in the back room and instead hit the wood floor.
Nice mess to clean up there.
Then while shaving, I managed to somehow cut myself right under my lower lip. Had to use an alum stick to stop the damn bleeding (lousy taste, too). Add that to the late paper and some wonderfully miserable weather outside, and I had all the trappings on a craptastic day, so I didn't do anything to promote the Christmas spirit yesterday. Just lost whatever motivation I had up to that moment, so I watched Star Wars repeats.
Perhaps today, things will iron out better and we can get started...maybe.
*** Next, local gas prices have gone up 8 cents over the last week (just in time for the holidays),
Here's the link:
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20171218/WEB/171219881

((Nationally, prices fell 3.3 cents a gallon in the last week, to $2.41, GasBuddy.com said in a statement.))
Well, that's not doing any of us here in the Heartland any damn good...is it? I know we paid $2.52 per gallon Saturday.
If demand drops, fuel inventories will rise and THAT will eventually lead back to LOWER prices...it's that simple.
Nice knowing how things operate.
*** Next up...along those (gas) lines, there this little gem about the OTHER gas:
http://www.journalgazette.net/opinion/columns/20171218/investing-inindianas-future

This article was penned by the executive vice-president and president of NIPSCO, one Violet Sisnovaris.
((NIPSCO hike designedto keep state energy innovator))
Yeah, and I'm SURE that with HER salary, she'd not mind such an exorbitant rate hike ONE...SINGLE...BIT, right?
((In fact, we're proud to have served as the lowest-cost provider in Indiana and among the lowest-cost providers nationally.))
It's that "lowest cost" thing that bothers me, because after looking at one's bill, it doesn't seem ALL that low, compared to other costs for other utilities (with the possible exception of solid waste collection).
Well, I also read where NIPSCO is trying to raise rates out around the South Bend area by 12+%, so we're certainly not alone.
We're all in the same boat...just at different oars (praying that the emperor down't want to go water-skiing).
*** Next, time to stop on by our "Kitten Corner"...

I haz a new snoozin' spot.

Other than the back room litter pan miss, the cats didn't do that bad over the weekend.
In fact, Violet is into the "follow Daddy around" the house thing (when she's not napping).
Gallifrey prefers finding his own spot and napping a few hours away.

My snoozin' spot is...EVERYWHERE!

Can't say I blame him (after Sunday's fiasco of blood letting on my part).
They both spend decent time with both Wifey and myself. That's not bad at all.
*** Next up, let's take a moment to check in with "Midnight and Company"...
Our outdoor furry twosome never missed a step over the weekend when it came to eats.

I iz making up for missing snacktime.

I think Whiskers missed one midday snack, but that was it.
And yesterday was "Soggy food Sunday", so you KNOW they were around, especially when it comes to them on a warmed plate...lol.
I was calling Midnight Saturday, and he came tearing up the lawn to the patio. It was like someone shot him out of a damn cannon...! That boy can move when he has to, and that's a good thing around here.

I'm here now...let's eat.

Well, guess he has to run off some of all those meals we provide one way or another.
Whiskers prefers the shelter, as we see her exit all the time when we take food out.
*** Last back to the dryer...have you ever noticed that, as time passes, you manage to accumulate Christmas decorations by the box-load? You can't help it.

LOTS of decorations...

I know My mother had decades of decoration boxes back in Philly, and Wifey and I now have several storage bins FULL on specified items like lights, manger scene, bric-a-brac, our tree, and two bins of ornaments alone.

LOTS and LOTS of decorations...

Yes, it ALL adds up (and this was over 20 years for us).

Heavier when FULL!

With two young cats, it makes sense NOT to put up as much decorations as you did in years past (and when you had older cats). You just don't want to run the risk of having stuff broken.
Getting the window lights up should be a task and a half by itself...and then there's the tree.
Have to make sure ornaments are high enough and that the cats don't take to "climbing" up to reach them.
Plus, I am getting older, and that means no more of those 20+ runs up and down basement stairs to bring bins up and take bins down...time to "pick and choose".
And, we've officially run out of furniture to put ALL our Christmas bears on, so we have to decide WHICH bears will grace our couch and chairs each year (we either need smaller bears or a bigger house...lol).
Still, getting the house to look like Christmas is (and always will be) part of the fun of the holiday.

Be well, make a difference to someone, and...
Stay SAFE out there, America.