Hello on Monday

Dear Friends,

It is a balmy 4 degrees below zero as I start this email, but it is going to warm up to 29 degrees for us in the Berkshires. A wintry mix is on tap for later this evening and into tomorrow as the temperatures rise on Tuesday. The morning commute on Tuesday might start off as ice before changing over to all rain. Oh Darn! I have an 8 AM therapy session on Tuesday so I have to be on the roads. Another Oh Darn!

Neither Linda nor I left the house at all yesterday. I finished savoring another book while watching both football games on Sunday. I did so while in my Man Cave. It took over two hundred pages of the Robin Cook book for someone to be murdered before the main players solved the murder. I prefer books where death comes early, and there are many twists and turns before the killer gets caught!

Football -- Even though the conference championships take place next Sunday, I am guessing the Super Bowl Participants might be the New York Giants vs the New England Patriots. The New York Giants are peaking like they did in 2007. The New England Patriots are finally getting most of their injured players back to playing status. If you remember, the New York Giants in 2007 won the game against the Patriots with a miraculous catch with very little time left in the game. I am guessing the New England Patriots, especially Tom Brady and Coach Belichick, might want a little revenge for losing the Super Bowl that year!
I am pretty sure that the Giants can beat San Francisco, and that the Patriots should be able to beat the Ravens. The Ravens vs the Patriots is another revenge game because if you remember, a few years ago, the Ravens knocked out the Patriots in the first round at Gillette Stadium. The long term forecast for next Sunday is for 40 degree temperatures with a possibility or rain. I hope that rain holds off to the following day.

Who wants to go on a cruise? When I first heard that a cruise ship ran aground in Tuscany, I thought no big deal. As I watched the ship roll over on the video, my first thought it was similar to the Titanic disaster.

Politics -- My conservative friends in the Berkshires won't be happy about John Huntsman giving up the race to win the Republican nomination for President. My conservative friends thought that Huntsman was the candidate who had the best ideas. Huntsman is even going to throw his support to Romney as he makes it official that he is dropping out.

Movies -- The movie "Contraband" starring Mark Whalberg was the top money maker at the box office this weekend. Mark Whalberg wants to do a movie about the Massachusetts based Irish Mafia leader Whitey Bulger. The families of the victims of Whitey's ruthlessness don't want to dredge up sad memories of what Whitey did to these people.

Martin Luther King -- The Civil rights hero would have been 83 years old today if he wasn't assassinated those many years ago. There are all kinds of programs going on today in Pittsfield in his memory as well as through out most communities in the United States.

Social Calendar -- I am the only one who has to leave the house today. I will be attending a UNICO membership / dinner meeting at the Italian American Club at 6 PM. Every time we have a meeting, there is always some event that UNICO will be participating in that I have to add to my social calendar. We already have two booked in events in February. On February 2, we will be preparing food for a benefit dinner at the ITAM for a mental health group called NAMI.
On February 26, we will be preparing a Polenta and Venison fundraising dinner at Berkshire Hills Country Club for the Women's Imaging Center. Our Irish Sister City Club President Rob Dwyer will be volunteering as the D.J. for this evening. He does get a free meal.

WolfTones -- It is official that the Irish Band right out of the 1960's will be performing in the Berkshires at the Wahconah Country Club on March 1, 2012. Yes, the Curley's will be attending this Thursday evening event! Oops, I almost forgot the Curley's from Tewksbury might need some grandparent help at their home since a new addition should arrive during the later part of February.

Liam Geddes -- Liam, the Irish idol finalist, will be arriving in the Berkshires during the first week in February. A calendar of his daily events will be sent out to our Irish Sister City members at some point this week. His major benefit performance will take place at Barrington Stage theater located in downtown Pittsfield.

Dad update -- There isn't any since I abandoned dad for two consecutive days this past weekend. The guilt is almost overwhelming. He will be getting his favorite newspaper today for sure after Linda wakes up.

Observation -- As I went out to get the Boston Globe which the guys throws at the bottom of our driveway, I got to thinking about homeless people and how that they could possibly survive through those below zero nights. No one should have to survive on the streets in this country of wealth. As a cost cutting measure years ago, Massachusetts closed down their mental institutions. Well, where do you think that segment of the population ended up?
In school systems, they call it mainstreaming, and I am not sure if this system is cracked up to what it is supposed to be doing. I am all for giving kids a chance, but I am not sure if most of the institutions for adults and children should have been shut down.

Have a great day!
Talk to you soon. The Curley Lad