OFF THEY GO....AGAIN!

Ron and Penny are planning another great trip after the holidays.

Ron said, "In March we fly to Paris for three days and take the train to Brussels Belgium where we will spend a few days before boarding our boat in Antwerp for a 14 day river cruise, visiting Belgium, Holland, Germany, France and ending in Basel Switzerland."

Bon Voyage!  I know they'll have lots of pictures when they get home.

DONNIE AND LINDA'S HOUSE LOOKS FESTIVE FOR THE HOLIDAYS

DONNIE IS FULL OF GOOD STUFF THIS MORNING

In 1955 about 50 Norwegian-language newspapers were still being published in North Dakota.

Today, none are left.

A NOTE FROM DONNIE

In the latest New Yorker magazine, notice of an auction that includes this original poster from the 1954 release of "Creature from the Black Lagoon", the first film I really remember seeing.

Estimated sale price - $15,000 to $20,000. Oh, if only Dad and Gret had somehow collected the trash from the Armour and Marion theaters in the 1950s!

A NOTE FROM DOROTHY

"Hey Doug!  Thanks for the "Happy Birthday" wish for Paul.  He has been in South Korea, for work, all week and will be home today just in time to celebrate his birthday!"

WHERE CAN YOU SEE THE BIGGEST NEW YEAR FIREWORKS DISPLAY IN THE WORLD?

It's a long trip but if you want to see the new year in with the biggest celebration in the world, forget Times Square.

RIO IS WHERE YOU WANT TO BE!   Up to 2 million people congregate on Copacabana Beach to watch 24 tons of fireworks explode over Brazil's most colorful city.

LIGHTS, ACTION, CAMERA

You're going to see the BLACK HILLS on the silver screen, again, in about a year.  A film crew was recently in Rapid City filming scenes for the PARAMOUNT PICTURES MOVIE, "NEBRASKA" which will be released in 2013.

CLICK HERE TO CATCH A VIDEO REPORT FROM FOX NEWS IN RAPID CITY.

WHY THE HELL DID I BUY THIS?

CHECK OUT THIS BuzzFeed report  on 17 of the dumbest gadgets you can buy.  Most of these are really silly except, maybe, the electronic grocery list thingy.  I could, possibly, be stupid enough to buy one of those in a weak moment.

Like most of this kind of stuff, I'd bring it home, use it a time or two and then go back to the old pen and note pad only to find the electronic grocery list thingy in the back of a drawer a couple of years later and wonder why the hell I ever bought it in the first place.

ANOTHER BIRTHDAY TODAY!

Logo Design by FlamingText.com

SANTA DOESN'T HO HO HO IN EVERY COUNTRY!

If you think you know everything there is to know about Christmas tradition, you'd better think again.

For instance, if you found yourself in the NETHERLANDS for Christmas you wouldn't recognize the DUTCH SANTA.  He's not jolly or fat and he doesn't wear red.

There are some other things that might surprise you about Christmas such as the fact that some Christians wouldn't even think about having a CHRISTMAS TREE in their home.

Read about more Christmas traditions debunked RIGHT HERE. THIS IS AN INTERESTING ARTICLE.

DON'T LEAVE ANYBODY OUT IN THE COLD

Know anybody going to the PACKERS /LIONS GAME ON SUNDAY?  If you do, remind them that the WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM will be accepting donations of gloves and other warm clothing for those in need at their booth on the fan walkway, east side of the stadium. 

WHERE'S THE MISTLETOE?

Another tradition down the drain.

I didn't know that Texas was a big supplier of mistletoe.  It seems they are and because of the drought in Texas this years small supply is faded and puny looking.  And, since there's such a small supply, what there is costs a fortune.

It's, apparently, no big deal however.  Florists say that sales of mistletoe have been falling off in recent years.  That old tradition has fallen by the wayside.  Does that mean kissing is dieing out too?

COLD BEAUTY

DONNIE AND LINDA aare the only people I know who have actually been in ICELAND but if this short clip is any indication, it would be worth suffering the cold to see the beauty in that place.
Iceland: An Iceland Venture from AnIcelandVenture on Vimeo.

HAPPY 25TH TO THE GIF

The world would be a lot less fun and colorful without the gif.  That little code has brightened up a lot of web pages (including mine) in the past 25 years!

FUNNY STUFF

Ole died. So Lena went to the local paper to put a notice in the obituaries. The gentleman at the counter, after offering his condolences, asked Lena what she would like to say about Ole.

  Lena replied, "You yust put 'Ole died."

The gentleman, somewhat perplexed, said, "That's it? Just 'Ole died'? Surely, there must be something more you'd like to say about Ole. If it's money you're concerned about, the first five words are free. We must say something more."

So Lena pondered for a few minutes and finally said, "OK. You put 'Ole died. Boat for sale.'"

COOKING A TURKEY BREAST

They had some really beautiful, small, turkey breasts, all trussed up, at the Co-op yesterday.  It looked so good I had to bring one home.  Then I got a few tears in my eyes.  THUNDER LOVED TURKEY.

I've never done one before so wish me luck!

AND, SO IT GOES......

NOVEMBER 2012 STATISTICS ON AIRPORT SCREENING FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY  

Terrorists Discovered                  0

Hernias                                      1,485

Hemorrhoid Cases                       3,172

Enlarged Prostates                      8,249

Breast Implants                        59,350

Natural Blondes                         3

Logo Design by FlamingText.com

AMERICA'S BEST MOVIE CRITIC

GET WELL SOON

ROGER EBERT

BEEN THERE. DONE THAT.

WOW!

The latest satellite image taken of the USA at night.

HERE'S AN E-MAIL BEING PASSED AROUND THESE DAYS

SOCIAL SECURITY NOW CALLED 'FEDERAL BENEFIT'

PAYMENT'/ENTITLEMENT!

Have you noticed, your Social Security check

is now referred to as a "Federal Benefit Payment"?

I'll be part of the one percent to forward this.

I am forwarding it because it touches a nerve

in me, and I hope it will in you.

Please keep passing it on until everyone in

our country has read it.

The government is now referring to our Social

Security checks as a “Federal Benefit Payment.”

This isn’t a benefit – its earned income!

Not only did we all contribute to Social

Security but our employers did too.

It totaled 15% of our income before taxes.

If you averaged $30K per year over your

working life, that's close to $180,000 invested in Social Security.

If you calculate the future value of your

monthly investment in social security ($375/month, including both

your and your employer’s contributions) at a

meager 1% interest rate compounded monthly, after 40 years of

working you'd have more than $1.3+ million

dollars saved! This is your personal investment.

Upon retirement, if you took out only 3% per

year, you'd receive $39,318 per year, or $3,277 per month.

That’s almost three times more than today’s

average Social Security benefit of $1,230 per month, according to the

Social Security Administration (Google it -

it’s a fact).

And your retirement fund would last more than

33 years (until you're 98 if you retire at age 65)!

I can only imagine how much better most

average-income people could live in retirement if our government had

just invested our money in low-risk

interest-earning accounts.

Instead, the folks in Washington pulled off a

bigger Ponzi scheme than Bernie Madoff ever did.

They took our money and used it elsewhere.

They “forgot” that it was OUR money they were taking.

They didn’t have a referendum to ask us if we

wanted to lend the money to them.

And they didn’t pay interest on the debt they

assumed.

And recently, they’ve told us that the money

won’t support us for very much longer.

But is it our fault they misused our investments?

And now, to add insult to injury, they’re

calling it a “benefit,” as if we never worked to earn every penny of

it.

Just because they “borrowed” the money,

doesn't mean that our investments were a charity!

Let’s take a stand.

We have earned our right to Social Security

and Medicare.

Demand that our legislators bring some sense

into our government –

Find a way to keep Social Security and

Medicare going, for the sake of that 92% of our population who need

it.

Then call it what it is:

Our Earned Retirement Income.

WILLARD WATCHED AN INTERESTING SHOW THIS MORNING

"I wish you could have seen a cat trying to catch a squirrel on the patio this morning.

 

The cat suddenly appeared on the fence and jumped on a tree trunk across from the squirrel on the other tree.  Eying each other, intently, the squirrel would tease the cat, wagging his tail back and forth.  The squirrel, finally, retreated up the tree.  The cat followed but, I think, he gave up.

 

Buddy was taking all of this in.  He whined, wanting to get out and join the fun."

YUMMY

WHO WANTS TO MAKE SOME CANDY CANE COOKIES FOR ME?



HERE'S A PICTURE I DON'T REMEMBER

DONNIE AND DOROTHY

at Sullivans

50% CHANCE FOR RAIN TODAY

60% CHANCE FOR SNOW SUNDAY

FOR THE HUNGRY KITTYS

Rita, Roger and I dropped off the cans of cat food, I had left in the cupboard, at the Humane Society yesterday.  They were happy to get it.

It was a good thing it was Wednesday.  That's the day that the public is not allowed in the back to view the cats and dogs that are available for adoption.  If it had been open, I may have been tempted to pay a visit back there.

It's too soon for that.

THE ORIGINAL SANTA

Today is the feast day of the man who was the inspiration for our modern day Santa Claus.

Born in 280 A.D., St. Nicholas came from a wealthy family and he spent his life using his money to help others in need.  He was known to leave sacks of gold on the doorsteps of the poor in the middle of the night.  He is recognized as a saint by the Catholic and other Christian churches.

ON THE TOWN

I went out to eat chicken and dumplings with Rita, Roger, Carl and Kathy at the Onalaska Legion last night.  I have never seen so many wrinkles, blue hair and old people in one place since my last visit to the "home".

Those old folks sure know how to party!  We may have stayed a little too long at the bar but it was great fun.

I've never seen dumplings that big.  They were about the size of basketballs.

A GOOD ONE FROM CARL

Ole won a fishing boat in a raffle drawing in a small upstate Minnesota town.

He brought it home and Lena looks at him and says, "Vot da heck you gonna do vit dat. Dere ain't no water deep enough ta float a boat widin 50 miles uv here."

Ole says, "I vun it and I'ma gonna keep it."

Sven came over to visit several days later. He sees Lena and asks where Ole is.

She says, "He's out dere in his fishin boat," pointing to the field behind the house.

Sven heads out behind the house and sees his brother sitting in a fishing boat with a fishing rod in his hand down in the middle of a big field.

He yells out to him, "Vot da heck are you doing out dere?"

Ole replies, "I'ma fishin'. Vot da heck duz it look like I'ma doing?"

Sven yells back, "It'sa people lika you that give people from Norvay a bad name; make everybody tink we are stoopid. If I cud svim, I'd come out dere and kick yor ass."

ANOTHER OPENING, ANOTHER SHOW

RITA AND ROGER ARE HITTING THE ROAD AGAIN. This time it's Des Moines and another bird show.  A big one with thousands of birds.  They'll depart early tomorrow morning and will be back on Sunday.

GLAD I GOT MY FLU SHOT!

WOW! 133 cases of flu in Wisconsin already!  This is very early to have that much flu around.  GET YOUR SHOT if you haven't done it yet!

BIRTHDAY

Happy birthday to the Humane Society of Wisconsin which was founded on this date in 1879.  We thank them for the great work they do for our four legged friends.

NATIONAL CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING

Save this site to WATCH THE NATIONAL CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING tomorrow afternoon at 3:30 CST.  Let the holidays begin!  By the way, the first National Christmas tree was lit by President Calvin Coolidge in 1923.

HOLIDAY FUN

Here's a neat little site the kids will like.  You might have fun with it too.  Move your mouse around the picture and find some fun games to play and save the site to track Santa on Christmas Eve.  IT'S FROM NORAD

As far as the games go, the kids will probably solve the problems with ease but I gave up rather quickly.

ONE MORE NICE DAY

We're going to luck out with another sunny morning and then the clouds will roll in with a high near 40 this afternoon.  After today it will be a slow slide into more winter-like weather.

According to the National Weather Service, a weak weather system will move into the area tonight and bring a chance for rain, sleet or even some light snow north of I-90 after midnight.

WELL RESTED

I slept like a log, again, last night.  I think I'm getting caught up after the sleepless nights last weekend.

DOCTOR DAY

I have an appointment with the dermatologist this afternoon which reminds me of a good pun.

"I saw a dermatologist about a nasty red patch on my skin.  I asked him if it would get better.  He said he didn't want to make any rash promises."

ANYBODY GOT ANY NEWS?

As far as I can tell, there ain't nothin' going on today.  I haven't heard from a soul.  There's not even junk mail to clean out.  Did the world end without me?

I SUPPOSE IT'S OK TO SEND A FAMILY PICTURE WITH YOUR CHRISTMAS CARD BUT THIS IS SICK

HERE WE GO AGAIN

I guess this just isn't my month.  Did you ever have one of those streaks where it's one bad thing after the other?

My latest bad thing is that, for who knows why, I can no longer upload pictures.  I haven't changed any settings that I can think of.  I'm doing everything like I've always done it.  No matter.  It just won't work.

Without pictures, I might as well throw the computer out the window..which I've threatened to do many times.  Pictures are the best part of the computer as far as I'm concerned.

I've tried everything I can think of.  It stopped working all by itself.  Maybe it will start working, again, all by itself....or maybe not.

ANOTHER ONE ON THE WAY

It's official.  Prince William and Kate Middleton are going to have a baby.  Brace yourself for nine months of non-stop baby talk in the tabloids.

WELL RESTED

I was so exhausted, I went to bed at 4:30 yesterday afternoon and got a good, full, 8 hours of sleep.  That was the first time, since Thunder died, that I was able to sleep more than a couple hours at a time here and there.  Maybe the world will look a little brighter today.

WEATHER

RITA called yesterday afternoon and said she couldn't take another minute of the gloomy, dark, depressing day.  That it was.  Good for nothing more than putting your head under the covers and going back to sleep.

But, there was one good thing about yesterday.  It was warm!  So warm that we had a RECORD HIGH OF 64 DEGREES.  Walking around wearing a light jacket in December is a real treat.

Of course, we still have a long stretch of winter ahead and it looks like a lot colder weather is on the way in a few days so I'll keep the parka by the door.

The best news is that the sun will return today with high temperatures in the middle 40's.

THE LATEST FROM TEXAS

DONNIE LIKES HOUSTON!
"Excellent trip to Houston.  Great concert.  I had empty seats on both sides of me and an empty aisle in front of me so I could stretch out comfortably with no distractions from snoozing elderlies.

I discovered a Latin Bistro that serves Colombian food just three blocks from the concert hall.  Unfortunately, I had already spiked my morning appetite with Swedish pancakes and lingonberry jam at IKEA.

After two trips in the past two weeks, I have a new appreciation of Houston and will not hesitate to go again."

WATTS NEW?

PLASTIC LIGHT BULBS!

 

We'll start to see them in the coming year.  No more cleaning up shattered bulbs...and they say it's a brighter, more pleasant light.

 

What will they think of next?

FOGGY MORNING

Dense fog will reduce visibility to a quarter mile or less this morning.  I'm glad Rita doesn't have to drive to work in that stuff anymore.

Once the fog lifts, the drizzle will move in this afternoon.  At least, we won't have to worry about icy roads as the temperature rises to near 60.  Sunshine will return tomorrow and the temperatures will fall to more seasonal normals.

STILL MISSING HIM

I thought losing Thunder would get easier as the days passed.  So far, that's not working out so good.

I did see a story, however, that made me feel a bit better.  It's great news that the Coulee Region Humane Society has seen a 13% increase in adoptions this year. More people are choosing a pet that really needs a home and love rather going to a professional breeder for their 4 legged companions.

WKBT has a great look at this story.

SNOW OR NO SNOW?

The poll in the La Crosse Tribune asked, "Will the La Crosse area have a white Christmas this year?"  I clicked the "NO" button and just about everybody else did too.  Time will tell.

ANOTHER DOG FUNNY FROM CARL

My laugh for the day: Whether you own a dog or not, you must appreciate the efforts of this owner to sell her dog.

Look at the picture and then read the sales pitch below.



Dog For Sale . Free to good home. Excellent guard dog.

Owner cannot afford to feed Jethro anymore, as there are no more drug pushers, thieves, murderers, or molesters left in the neighborhood for him to eat. Most of them knew Jethro only by his Chinese street name, Ho Lee Schitt.

I DON'T DO TEXT

According to the WALL STREET JOURNAL almost 72% of Americans who are 50 to 64 use their cell phones for texting.  Well, 50 to 64 is still in the kid category.  At my age of 72, I'm lucky if I can dial the right number.  I'll wait for the next life to start texting.

Besides, what the hell would a 64 year old man have to text about?  It's an amazing world.

SOME SNOW IN OUR FORECAST

WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY



TEXAS CALLING

Donnie called from downtown Houston.  He was there for a concert and he was killing time before it starts.  He'll drive back to Austin tonight.

LOTS OF PHONE CALLS YESTERDAY

Cousin Janie called to express her sympathy yesterday.  She's getting ready to head to Florida for a while.  I don't know why when we're having weather like this!

We'll get together, for lunch, after Christmas when things quiet down in the dead of winter.

WEATHER NOTES

I still can't believe this is Wisconsin in December.  Sunny and 50 today, mostly cloudy and 60 tomorrow.

AM I COMPLAINING?  ARE YOU KIDDING?

There are two means of rufuge from the miseries of life:

MUSIC AND CATS

~Albert Schweitzer~

HOT DAMN!

DONNIE NAMED THIS

TEXAS TABLE



CAR TALK

I WONDER IF RITA AND ROGER REMEMBER THEY GOT THEIR NEW VAN A YEAR AGO TODAY


UPDATE
RITA SAYS IT WAS TWO YEARS AGO THEY GOT THE VAN.
PICKY, PICKY, PICKY

NO FOOL LIKE AN OLD FOOL

Hugh Hefner is 86 and engaged again.  His intended is 26.  I know what he wants and I know what she wants and it ain't "this thing called love".

NATIONAL MUTT DAY

PLEASE TAKE 20 SECONDS TO WATCH THIS



MORE THUNDER THOUGHTS

BERT SAYS: 
"We are so sorry to hear the news about Thunder. We can relate to the emptyness you are going through with the loss of our dog Sasha a couple of weeks ago.

We rescued her from a family that had beaten and mistreated her so bad. We loved her to death and thought we had her headed in the right direction till she decided to take a bite out of a jogger, the wife of a state patrol officer!

We had to put her down too. It sounded like Thunder was suffering from the same stuff that ended our first cat Winkie's life. It was Aarons cat and it died when he was like 9 or 10 years of age.

Animals are so close to us and there is nothing worse than losing them. But God will always have them there waiting for us when we get up there to see him. Our thoughts are with you."

PHOTO BY DONNIE

Love this photo of the flower and butterfly.

AIN'T THAT THE TRUTH!

SUCH NICE WORDS FROM DUANE

"SO VERY SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS OF THUNDER. YOU GAVE HIM A WONDERFUL LIFE. I KNOW HOW HARD IT WILL BE NOW. I CRIED AND CRIED WHEN I LOST ALL MY PETS, THE DOGS AND CATS TOO.

YOU GAVE HIM LOTS OF WONDERFUL EXPERIENCES, LOTS OF CATNIP, TOYS, TUNA, SPECIAL FOODS.

THINKING OF YOU AND YOUR LITTLE FURRY FRIEND AND THE GOOD MEMORIES OF HIM."

GUESS WHO CALLED?

Uncle Bob called yesterday to offer his condolences and he had some big news.   Guess where Paul is?  You'll never guess in a million years.  He's in Korea!!  I don't know if the company sent him there to air condition the whole country or just a few buildings....or, maybe, they just wanted to get him out of the office for a week.  Whatever.  He's there on business and I hope he gets in a bit of sightseeing too.

FROM THE GOOFY HATS DEPARTMENT

I know it's as goofy as it gets but, you know what?  This really helps an old man see.

It's a tiny LED light that you clip on the cap and it shines a bright light on what your reading.  I've found that once you hit a certain age, you need a lot of light to read.

Roger gave this to me and I probably won't wear it in public but I'll sure use it at home!

Now that I look at it again, it really is goofy, isn't it.  By the way, the jacket is Roger's too.

I've got this new thing.  I don't buy new clothes anymore.  When I go visiting I just borrow stuff from the host.  You'd be surprised how many say, "Gee, that jacket looks like something I'd wear".

WHAT'S UP?

BIG WEEK AHEAD:

Monday is Senior Citizens Day at Walgreens and FREE BUS DAY.  Ride anywhere in the city for nothing.

Wednesday I have an appointment with the skin doctor.

Thursday is Aarons birthday.

Friday is Bob Blairs birthday.

Saturday is Pauls birthday.

A LOT OF CAKE. A LOT OF CANDLES.