Hello on Wednesday

Dear Friends,

Hope that all of you had a pleasant Tuesday.

Linda accompanied me to my eye doctor appointment on Tuesday. I have what is known as a “Droopy Eye”. If you go on Web MD, you can find out what it is, and what I am going to go through to get it fixed. The optometrist put me through the multiple usual tests because he has to prove that it is a medical issue so that our Health Insurance will cover the delicate surgery.

When we arrived home, after multiple hours at the optometrist, there was a message on our answering machine. My orthopedic doctor wants to see me since I dealt with a Physicians’ Assistant when I went for an appointment a month ago. I am booked in for an 11 AM appointment on Thursday.

Linda doesn’t like the fact that my body is falling apart faster than hers, but she said that she is willing to fulfill her wedding vows for a little while longer.

On a positive note, our Pittsfield Irish Sister City Christmas Party / Unofficial Meeting went very well. There was much food, fun, and merriment. Every one brought a dish of some sort without telling the host what they were bringing. There were no duplicates. From appetizers to the main meal, and into the desserts, everything was so good.
When a majority of us decided to go home, a few diehards were still there. After sending this e-mail, I have to write up the minutes of the meeting.

My UNICO brothers and sisters, who will be doing the bell ringing at Walmart for the Salvation Army, better dress warm. The temperatures will be hovering around 20 degrees for the high of the day with a wind, and snow showers. When I do my shift tomorrow, it will be a high of 24 degrees. When our crew starts our shift, the sun should give us the illusion of warmth. It will be quite cold when our shift ends at 5 PM.

Social Calendar -- Linda doesn’t have to leave the house until her Book Club Christmas Dinner at an Italian Restaurant. She spent so much time with me yesterday that she didn’t have a chance to go shopping and use some coupons. She will be doing so today.
I will be leaving the house a little before 3 PM today to help out with the UNICO sponsored Big Brothers and Big Sisters pizza party at the Italian American Club. As I said in yesterday’s e-mail, we will be preparing and serving the pizza for the event. It shouldn’t be a late night for me.

News – Every news station is broadcasting the video of the lone Florida gunman who went to a school board meeting to protest his wife’s firing. He whips out a hand gun. He fired 16 shots, got into a fire fight with a security guard, before killing himself. Luckily no one was killed except for the gunman.

Politics – It looks like the compromise that the President wants with respect to the tax issue might be a hard sell in the House. The American voters want to see a compromise take place, but I am not sure if it is going to happen.

We got invited to another party while at last night’s party. The host of yesterday’s party invited us, which will include our grandson Max since we will be baby sitting him, to brunch on January 1, 2011. She said that her friends are welcome to come to the house any time after 11 AM on New Year’s Day. Of course, this is after we go to a house party on New Year’s Eve. I will have to start a diet very soon after New Year’s.

The fundraiser for the 2 year old diagnosed with leukemia, which will be held on December 19 at Patrick’s Pub from 12 Pm until 6 PM, is coming together. A couple of the Irish Sister City females have been soliciting donations at a frenzied pace. The raffles include some wonderful items. There is even a pair of Celtic Tickets. Linda and I are going to leave our third party of that day early so that we can purchase raffle tickets.

Our son and his wife have been sending daily pictures of their two children. Linda and I can’t believe how fast that these two cherubs are growing since we last saw them in mid July. We haven’t purchased tickets to Kansas yet because Michael is waiting to get official word that his one week military trip to Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas during mid January is still on. The trip depends on the Federal budget issues. We want to visit when both adults are home.

Observation – Two of our Irish Sister City members work for an agency which distributes food, and fuel vouchers, pet food, basic supplies like toilet paper, etc. to needy people. They do have the right to ask their clients for proof of need like tax returns, pay check stubs, etc., before helping these needy people. I always ask my friends how things are going at work when I see them. Their stories are absolutely heart wrenching. One man came in the other day hoping to get some dog food and or food for himself. He told our friend that the dog eats when he eats. Another female client came into our friend’s office, and saw a roll of toilet paper in her office. The toilet paper was for the worker’s personal use, but she gave it to her client. With the weather being so cold lately, people are running out of oil to heat their homes, or can’t pay for Natural gas bills, or electric bills. Our friends said that their clients line up each day seeking some kind of assistance.
As all this is going on, sports’ teams are paying ball players millions of dollars to play a game. We spend millions of dollars to keep wars going each month as we have people in the United States who need our help more than ever. Is there anything wrong with this picture?

Well, I have to end this e-mail, read the local news paper, and get to the minutes of last nights meeting.
Have a great Wednesday.
Talk to you soon. The Curley Lad