Dec 29

 

‘Tis Still the Season

Dec 29, 2020  Week: 53 Day: 364	Local:  H 39°\ L 16°\Ave. Sky Cover: 80%
Wind:   15mph\Gusts:  17mph	Nearest lightning:  2733mi.; Active fire:  59mi
Very Low Risk of Fire	Visibility:  10mi
Record: 65°[2017]   Record: -13°[1968]	Nov Averages: 44°/\17° (5 days with moisture)

 

Today’s Quote

There are things known and there are things unknown,

and in between are the doors of perception.

Aldous Huxley

 

Random Tidbits

A lover of wine is called a Oenophile, from the Greek word for wine; oinos.

Not all wines improve with time. In fact, a vast majority of wines produced are ready to drink and do not have much potential for aging. Only a rare few will last longer than a decade.

Monastic orders were the best innovative winemakers during the Medieval Ages. Benedictines and Cistercians were considered as best winemakers because it is said that they went around tasting soil to understand how soil quality changed from place to place. The knowledge collected then is still used today.

 

A little humor

-I had to shave with my razor today. Apparently, I can't pull off facial hair

 

-If You Arrest A Mime- Does He Still Have The Right To Remain Silent?

 

True Things

A California Santa Claus paragliding with a motorized parachute ended up needing assistance from the elves at the local fire department when he became tangled in power lines.

Metro Fire of Sacramento said the St. Nick impersonator was using his motorized paraglider, a parachute propelled by a motor-operated fan, to deliver candy canes to local children when his aircraft became tangled in some power lines in Rio Linda.

Fire Capt. Christopher Vestal said the parachute is classified as a "hyper light" aircraft and operators do not need to report their flight patterns.

The local energy company cut off power to about 200 customers while rescuers worked to untangle Santa, who was secured to his "sleigh" by a seat belt.

"Without any doubt, the restraints prevented him from injury and likely saved not only Santa's life, but Christmas," Vestal reported.

Santa was not injured and was safely returned to solid ground.

 

Observations This Week

Christmas Bird Count Week Link…………………	14-1/5
It's About Time Week……………………………….	25-31
Kwanzaa…………………………………………………..	26-1/1

 

 

Observations for Today

National “Get on the Scales” Day

Pepper Pot Day

Tick Tock Day
YMCA Day

 

My Rambling Thoughts

I got home about 7:00pm last night. It was a great trip and unique for sure.

I haven’t driven to the Phx airport since I moved to Flag…I found the shuttle was easier, cheaper than long-term parking + gas and the 2+ hour drive after a trip is no fun. However, it is 2020 and the shuttle wasn’t running. I wore my special mask from the time I parked my car and my brother picked me up…about 8 hours. I have a new appreciation for workers who must wear a mask all day. When in Flag, I wear a mask when I get out of my car until I return…which is much less than 8 straight hours for sure.

This was my fourth Christmas at the Hacienda. I am so impressed with the work they have done. Our gift exchange was spectacular. The gifts I gave were well received, the ones I received were impressive. My brother, also an English Major, let me know that I should try other words than ‘awesome’. I stayed in a cool tall tent which was incredible. My bathroom was in the downstairs of the hacienda, only a few steps from the tent. The room is all stone, and the shower is a grotto with an impressive stream of water that falls from near wall near the ceiling, into a short trough, then down onto the showeree. Someone grilled most of the dinners. On Christmas, there was a masked wait staff to do all the work. A couple of days were near 80, but nice at night. Then, the last day was about 65. It was also mind-blowing to go a week with no News and No TV. I did hear some great music from Spotify and they have some great Wi-Fi speakers around the compound.

The planes were sanitized, everyone had to have a mask, everyone got a wipe when entering the plane and only juice, water, soft drinks, and airplane snacks were available. They were handed to us in plastic bags. On the first two flights I had the aisle and there was a passenger in the window seat, with no one in the middle seat. Coming back, I had the whole row to myself. Most of the international forms used QR codes on my phone. Boarding was always back to front by row so there was no issue with crowding. Deplaning was called by rows, front to back. Everyone stayed seated until the row was called.

I’m not going anywhere for 7 days, just in case. It is easy today and tomorrow as it is very chilly outside and the weather guy says I might get 3” of snow tonight.

Always great to travel and always nice to be home.

 

Today’s Puzzle

Answer at the bottom of the page

What has one eye but cannot see?

 

Historical Events

1170 – Archbishop Thomas Becket was assassinated in Canterbury Cathedral by four knights, under orders from King Henry II of England.

1896 – “Lava” soap was trademarked by William Waltke & Co. of St. Louis

1916 – James Joyce’s book Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man was published.

1927 – Krakatoa began a volcanic eruption on the seafloor. It had been quiet since its 1883 eruption.

1982 – Surround Sound was introduced for home use by Dolby.

1982 Coach Paul "Bear" Bryant ends his career with Alabama (323 wins)

2016 US President Barack Obama retaliates against Russia for hacking American computer systems and trying to influence the 2016 presidential election by ejecting 35 Russian spies and imposing sanctions

 

Birthdays Today

82 – Jon Voight, American actor

@80 – Mary Tyler Moore, American actress (d. 2017)

74 – Marianne Faithfull, English actress and singer

73 – Ted Danson, American actor

@66 – Andrew Johnson, American politician, 17th President of the United States (d. 1875; strokes)

61 – Paula Poundstone, American comedian

@59 – Charles Goodyear, American chemist, and engineer (d. 1860; heart attack)

48 – Jude Law, English actor

41 – Diego Luna, Mexican actor

 

Puzzle Answer

A needle.

Continue to Enjoy the Holiday Season