Hello on Wednesday Morning

Dear Friends,



Another day went as planned for Linda and me.



Linda’s Tuesday Mah Jongg session went very well. Yesterday’s, session took place at a home of a friend who lives at the water’s edge on Cheshire Lake. All six players attended this session. Next week they are having a “going away party” for one player who leaves the Berkshires for several months, and heads off to warmer climates.



I did my errands including an unplanned appointment to pick up a new sleep apnea device. My other one was getting tired. The new one worked okay last evening as I used it for the first time.



After dropping my Subaru off at the repair shop near 5 PM on Tuesday, Linda and I headed off to Matt Reilly’s for an early bird (4 PM to 6 PM) special of fish and chips. We had to eat early because of that 6 PM Irish Sister City Meeting. The early bird special was buy one meal at the original price, and get the second meal 50 % off. It turned out that we couldn’t afford to purchase a piece of fish at the grocery store, and cook it ourselves.



At this time yesterday, I was at Retro Fitness. I decided to change the time which I go to the gym. I am going to go to the gym when Linda wakes up so that she can have her cup of coffee, and read the local newspaper in total peace and quiet. This won’t happen every day. Thursday, I will be heading out the door for an ice-fishing adventure at 6:30 AM. I will be going alone to Laurel Lake in Lee. I am guessing that the lake will have a good deal of ice-fishermen since the temperature will be 32 degrees or above.



We have one more of cool weather before we go above freezing. It is a balmy 8 degrees right now, and we are in for another day in the 20’s. The Northeast will be one of the cooler spots today in the nation as the other parts of the country start to get out of their unusual deep freeze. The local weather guy is predicting a week of weather in the mid thirties.

Speaking of the deep freeze, a friend of a friend went to Key West for two weeks during the Holiday season. She had two days of beach weather. She should have stayed right here in the Berkshires.



The Irish Sister City meeting went well. It was over in less than an hour. Clerk / Recording Secretary Curley has already sent out the minutes of the meeting.



Every time that we go to a meeting, we (mostly me) pick up more dates to fill up our social calendar. My UNICO brothers and Sisters will be working three pasta dinners, and two polenta dinners as fundraisers for other organizations. The community knows that we Italians can put on the best fund raising meals in the city.



After the Irish Sister meeting, we added even more events to our social calendar. The Irish events tend to be more Pub like (drinking), and music oriented except for a couple of corned beef and cabbage dinners during St. Patrick’s Day time frame. We also have at least one Irish Sister City guest coming from Ballina, Ireland to Pittsfield from March 8, 2010 through March 15, 2010. If anyone wants to march with her on March 13, 2010 in Albany, New York St. Patrick’s Day Parade, we are looking for marchers.

On St. Patrick’s Day, which falls on a Wednesday, Linda and I will be attending the second annual corned beef and cabbage dinner at the Italian American Club. Last year, the Curley’s reserved two tables—one was for our friends, and the other was for Linda’s Tuesday Mah Jongg ladies and their significant others. You know that Italians don’t just cook corned beef and cabbage. Last year they had chicken and pasta as well as a whole loaf Irish Soda Bread at each table. This dinner is a buffet which means you can go back for seconds.

Of course, I am torn between another St. Patrick’s Day Dinner at St. Mark’s Parish Hall which is being put on by the Parish Priest who was a former student of mine, and who is member of UNICO.

Don’t you just love conflicts when they are the Approach / Approach type?



Social Calendar – Today we attack the Christmas Decorations inside the house.

Also, Linda has already mentally planned to go to a matinee. If any girlfriends are free to go with her, please volunteer to accompany her. It is a semi chick flick. If Linda had her way, she would go to the movies every single day of the week.



News / Politics– I see that the Magician, David Copperfield, was performing a little magic with a woman who is charging him with sexual assault. This little magic trick didn’t work out as planned.

I also see where Sarah Palin will have her own segment on the Fox News Channel. She is such a hot item, that she is going to be the Keynote Speaker at the Wine and Liquor Wholesaler Convention in Las Vegas. Do you think that her exposure will make her a prime Republican candidate for the next Presidential election?

Speaking of Sarah Palin, the lady at Retro Fitness with the Sarah Palin hairdo was there yesterday. I always do a double take when I see this woman because she could be Sarah Palin’s double. What scares me is that she uses the heavy weight devices at Retro Fitness. She weighs about 115 pounds compared to the overweight Curley Lad, not that I have been looking.



I watched the Today Show for a while before doing my errands on Tuesday. The host was attacking the bankers and their bonuses. I thought that it was kind of ironic, when the host is making millions of dollars per year for what he does on a daily basis. Maybe the host should be attacking the high paid athletes, and entertainers instead of people who have a more positive influence on our economy.



Well, I have to read the local newspaper, and select my gym clothes.

When the Queen wakes up, I am out the door to Retro Fitness.

Have a great Wednesday.

Talk to you soon. The Curley Lad