Hello on Wednesday

Dear Friends,

Hope that people had a chance to get out and enjoy the 70 degree weather in our area. Golfers were out swatting the white ball at the Berkshire Hills even though there were temporary greens. People weren't allowed to use the greens even though they look pretty good. I still think that it is amazing that people are playing golf in the middle of March in the Berkshires.
When the snow birds hear that we are enjoying a pretty much snow free winter, they want to come back to the Berkshires earlier than planned.

Speaking of snow birds, a couple of friends spend three months during the winter in Florida every year. They are not having a good time. The elderly man in the room above them uses a walker. The thumping of the walker takes place at all hours of the day and night. After a couple of weeks, this couple wished that they hadn't signed three month agreement. Knowing that we had a snow free winter in the Berkshires made them more upset.

Yesterday went as planned in Curley world. Good thing the gas men came into my dad's home in Lee to replace the meter. A leak was detected in the line going from the cellar to the street. The meter was replaced and the leak was fixed.

Our crock pot corned beef dinner went very well even though I forgot that I was supposed to grill a rack of those "ready to eat" ribs outdoors. Linda thinks that I am starting to lose it. I sometimes forget things that Linda and I discuss. She thinks that I have some signs that I could be an Alzheimer's patient in the near future. I contend that it is selective hearing between a husband and a wife. Yesterday reinforced her suspicions. I returned one of three books that she picked up for me last week at the library. I returned the book that I haven't read yet. Oh Darn! Well, the three books were siting on a coffee table, and I grabbed the one closest to where I sit on the couch without looking at the title of the book.

Linda's Mah Jongg session at a friend's house went very well on Tuesday. She has such a large network of girlfriends that I can't keep straight which ones she is hooking up with on a particular day or evening of the week.

I visited dad at my sister's home before taking an afternoon nap.

When I woke up from my nap, I went off to the Berkshire Hills and filled out one of the NCAA Basketball forms for the upcoming tournament. While I was making my selections at the bar, I found out that the center for the Orangemen of Syracuse was declared academically ineligible. Of course, I was going to pick Syracuse as the winner of the tournament. When I arrived back home, I had to go on line and change my picks because I made the selections for this free of charge contest a couple of days ago. Syracuse was my online choice for the WEEI Bracket contest.

CNN News -- The only thing that I read thoroughly was about the soldier who went rogue in Afghanistan. What he did to those Afghan's, one family in particular, was pretty horrible. It is another example of how war can really mess up the minds of military personnel who we send into battle. We train people to be killing machines, but it is not easy to go from warriors back to being civilians.

Politics -- The Republicans are still duking it out. There will be no winners in this battle because I don't see any of them beating President Obama. I can't figure out why Mr. Paul and Mr. Gingrich are still hanging around while Rick and Mitt win some and lose some States.

I read an article in our local newspaper about an Indian Tribe in Wyoming who was granted permission to kill two Bald Eagles for religious purposes. We in the Northeast are trying to preserve Bald Eagles, and we could get arrested for doing so.

Stock Market -- Yesterday, the market went over the 13,000 range which hasn't happened in 2007. In this not so great economy, somebody is making some money in the stock market. I hope that it is not just the Rich getting Richer. Could the stock market be gearing up for the bottom falling out once again? I suppose that you have to ride the wave when you can!

The local Catholic High School (St. Joseph's) from Pittsfield made it to the Division III Championship round yesterday. I am always amazed that such a small school puts out so many winning teams. Could they have God on their side too?

I read the obituaries this morning, and I saw where a man from a neighboring North county town passed away. He was a member of the Berkshire County Chapter of Retired Educators. He was only 75 years old which is young in this day and age.

Social Calendar -- Linda has her Panera Bread Knitting group today. My free day will be spent outdoors doing yard work. I am going to give the front lawn a good raking which I didn't do in the fall. Raking the lawn actually stimulates growth and aerates the soil. The tulip bulbs which Linda planted in the fall will be popping up soon.

Thursday starts our busy social calendar which goes right through the weekend. Monday the Tewksbury grandchildren arrive. Linda and I can't wait to see them.

The jet stream is in a position to bring in warm air throughout most of the country. Spring has arrived in the Berkshires!
This means that I am going to put my golf clubs in the back of my car as well as my fishing gear. I would have used my fishing gear yesterday as I left my father's home because I saw some of my friends who I grew up with in Lee fishing at an ice free Laurel Lake.

The temperature will only reach 57 degrees today after a 36 degree start which is good for working outdoors.

Have a great day at work or play!
Talk to you soon. The Curley Lad