Hello on Thursday

Dear Friends,

Yesterday went as planned in Curleyworld.

If you remember, I mentioned about people who can't park their car in between lines in a parking lot, or park so close to me that I can't get into the drivers' side of my car. Well, my first stop of the day, which was in the Berkshire Medical Center parking lot, and it happened to me again. I parked the Kia in a nice parking place at the hospital. When I came out, I was almost blocked in so much that I couldn't reach the driver side in the normal way. Luckily, I left enough room in the front of the Kia (which had a wall in front of it) so that I could walk around the front of the car by way of the passenger side, and squeeze my large body in the drivers' side door. Maybe I should not have mentioned the way people park their cars because it definitely came back to bite me on Wednesday.

I went from the hospital parking lot to a "Family Meeting" at the nursing home. The meeting went well until a financial officer came into the meeting and said that Dad is going to max out at 100 day Medicare level in the nursing home on January 30, 2012. This means that after that date, what ever nominal nest egg that he has, it will be going directly to the nursing home. Since we failed to convince dad to turn the family home in Lee over to my sister and I several years ago, Dad has to eventually sell the family home and use those assets to pay for nursing home care. Essentially, the nursing home will take every asset that a person has. I am telling you this story as a warning to anyone who has parents in a similar situation. Oh Darn!

On a happier note, Linda had a pretty good crowd at her Panera Bread knitting group gathering. She even ran into our radio talk show host and his wife who must have decided to let someone else to do the cooking for their supper time meal. I was home eating leftovers, reading a book, and watching the Celtics finally win a game against one of the worst teams in the NBA.

Tonight we are going in opposite directions. Linda has a book club meeting, but not with the same group which she met with last week. I have a Polenta Dinner to attend at the Italian American Club, and Rakish Paddy is playing at Patrick's Pub this evening a little after 8 PM. I might just go to the Polenta Dinner, and go home.

Around the time of the Polenta Dinner, some snow showers will be falling. The snow showers will end early on Friday. Our Albany, New York weather guy said that we might be in for some measurable snow on Saturday.

Speaking of weather, the Gillette Stadium weather on Sunday for the Patriots' game might be okay for their 3 PM game. If they do get any precipitation, it might be in the form of rain. They too might get some snow the day before the game!

Could winter finally be arriving in New England?

I called my snow blower repair guy yesterday, and asked if they were close to fixing my snow blower. I left this request on an answering machine. I am guessing that the answer is "No" since no one responded to my telephone call.

I just got through making my picks for this weekend's playoff games. I told you that I participate in this free weekly "U Pickem" WEEI Radio Program contest. After 19 weeks, I have picked on 65 % of the winning teams. If I was better at this game, I could win a prize every week.
You wouldn't want to give me a fist full of money, and have me go to Las Vegas or one of the local Casinos, and place bets on sports' teams. I would come back with nothing!

Speaking of Casinos, Linda and I and our talk show host friends are booked into the Italian American Club Casino trip to the Mohegan Sun Casino on January 29, 2012. After seeing what a nursing home can do to a person's nest egg, I (and Linda) have decided to go to my grave with very little assets. I would rather have the Casino take what little funds that we have while I am having fun then give it all to the nursing home. I don't see any fun happening in a nursing home.

My latest book that I am savoring is so much better than the last one. Somebody was killed during the first couple chapters of this book, and the hero of the book is trying to solve the case(s). It took 200 pages in the last book before anyone was murdered. The last 150 pages were the best part of that book!

I did put a layer of eco friendly salt on my glare ice driveway on Wednesday. I did put creepers on my boots so that I wouldn't fall on the driveway. Now I have to remember to take the boots off before coming into the house. One of the rugs in our hallway is covering up some indentations on the laminated wood floors which I made last year. Those creepers can do some severe damage to the floors. Linda keeps on thinking that I do these things just to drive her crazy. I tell her that things just happen. Like she always says, I am still a "work in progress" and that is after 40 years of marriage.

I found out yesterday that an ice-fishing derby that I have been participating in for the past couple of years in New Hampshire on February 25, 2012 might be changed to a week earlier because some of the participants have scheduling conflicts. This will be good if it does happen because I really didn't want to miss the Women's Imaging Center Polenta and Venison Dinner which my UNICO bothers and Sisters prepare for over 350 people at Berkshire Hills Country Club. This fundraiser usually makes between 15 to 20 thousand dollars each year in net profits. I have not missed this fund raiser since UNICO has been doing it.
We still have a semi conflict if the date is changed because we a Jack and Jill Baby Shower to attend on February 19, 2012 which means that we have to leave Tewksbury, which is where will be staying, early Sunday morning.

Well, I have to resume with quiet activities. Yes, I am up a bit early. My afternoon nap on Wednesday might have been a bit too long.

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