Hello on Thursday Morning

Dear Friends,



Hope that you had a great Wednesday. Linda and I had an enjoyable one but today is “Separation” day.



I am going ice-fishing by myself, but today it will be at Pontoosuc Lake. I will be using my Pike ready tip ups.



I picked up bait yesterday afternoon so that I can leave the house as early as I want to. Since my bait is medium size, I should be able to get multiple flags.

If I do catch fish(s), I will take a picture of them unless it is a world record. Yeah Right! At this point of the season, just getting a flag will be exciting.



I am also psyched because Linda made me a hat from wool from the Sheep & Wool Festival which we attended in the fall. It is the first hat that I own that can fit over my wild hair without popping off of my head when I move around. It matches my Irish knit sweaters. My only fear is getting fish blood on it! When I wear a new article of clothing, I have a habit of getting it dirty the first time that I wear it.

The temperature for today will hit at least 32 degrees, and it will be sunny. I feel a sun tan coming on.



Linda is really psyched because I will be gone for the whole day.

She is also happy because her car is in good working order. She finally has heat. Two brand new tires were put on the car because one had a bubble in it, and the other was worn a bit. The new tires were put on the rear, and the rear tires were transferred to the front. Her electronics problem of all the gauges working sporadically was also fixed. The couple of hundred dollars to repair the car sure beats car payments.

The heat problem was the thermostat. The repair guy said that the old thermostat came apart in three pieces.



We did have pulled pork sandwiches for lunch yesterday from Tuesday’s left over pork. Supper was not a crock pot one. Some three cheese raviolis from a place at the eastern end of the State are what we had for supper.

Linda is going to make either a soup or beef stew in the crock pot today.



Politics – The Scott Brown victory in Massachusetts dominated the news locally and nationally. He is the first Republican in Ted Kennedy’s spot since 1972. Berkshire County did vote by a 2 to 1 margin for Martha Coakley. She needed a 3 to 1 margin throughout the State if she had any chance of winning.



Observation -- I did get a couple of comments from yesterday’s “Observation” about the age at which I retired. My auto mechanic’s friend described yesterday was only 58 years old when he passed away. On June 30 2010, it will be 6 full years of retirement for the Curley Lad. Have I beaten the odds so far?

So let me think of my friends who didn’t have a long retirement if they had one at all: Math Teacher –retired at 64, died at 68, Auto Mechanics died at 58 and never had one day of retirement. Math Teacher – Retired at 57, died at 58, Science Teacher – died while still teaching of a brain tumor at age 58. Phys Ed teacher – Retired for a couple years, died at 63.

When I first started teaching, some old time teachers told me retire as soon as you can financially do so. I am so glad that I took their advice!

If I died on the ice today (which I don’t plan on doing), I would have a smile on my face.



Have a great day at work or play.

I will be having fun while playing. Linda will be enjoying her day as long as the opening and closing of the garage door doesn’t wake her up.

Talk to you soon. The Curley Lad