Carlos Zambrano and Pinstripes

One news outlet in Milwaukee is heralding Zack Greinke to the Brewers as I write this [Sunday morning, 5:30 AM]. Aside from Wikipedia, I don't see any other references to this, but it could be true.

The thing is, as it always is, about risk mitigation and at what cost. Talking about the Yankees starting rotation, there certainly is significant risk as it is currently constructed:

1. What if CC Sabathia begins to show the effects of all the hard usage he has endured?
2. What if Phil Hughes has a significant setback [like Cole Hamels did in 2009]?
3. What if Andy Pettitte retires?
4. If Andy returns, what if he has more arm issues like last year?
5. What if AJ Burnett has another disastrous year like last year?
6. What if we have to use Sergio Mitre in the rotation?
7. What if Ivan Nova is not able to get batters out the third time through the lineup?

Now, if all of the above happens, the Yanks are not going anywhere in October. Then again, some of the above will occur. How to mitigate it?

Any solution which presents itself at present has risk attached. Greinke [assuming the deal with Milwaukee does not go through] would cost a lot in terms of prospects. Some say his issues would prevent him from having success in the Big Apple. Some say he would thrive in pinstripes. Thing is, not one knows for certain. Lack of certainty = risk, and we're talking risk mitigation vs. cost. I say the cost that KC would demand would be too great for the risk that the Yankees would assume.

Cue up the usual suspects: Mark Buerhle, Wandy Rodriguez, Carl Pavano, Gil Meche, Jarrod Washburn.... Why not Carlos Zambrano over with the Cubs? Zambrano can still pitch, if the tail end of last season is any guide. Risk? Sure - he's a hothead and might go completely nuts in the hot spotlight of New York. Plus, he still has a pretty hefty price tag [of course, this hefty price tag is exactly why the Cubs want to see him gone]. Might be able to pry him loose from Chicago for low to mid-level prospects [appropriate, given the high figure of his contract]. Here's why I think this will happen:

1. The Yankees do need another arm to eat up innings.
2. The Cubs are ready to move on without Zambrano, and would be glad to shed his contract.
3. Larry Rothschild, Zambrano's old pitching coach from Chicago, is now the pitching coach for the Yankees.
4. Yankee skipper Joe Girardi was Zambrano's catcher on the Cubs in 2001 and 2002.
5. The cost to obtain Zambrano will not be prohibitive in terms of prospects.

In a nutshell, it makes too much sense not to happen.

So

So, you think you have troubles?

Here's what has happened to me over the past two months:

The IRS hit me up for another 7.5 grand.

My truck broke down and cost me another two grand.

My girlfriend left me, went to Morocco, converted to Islam, and married some guy.

The Gators have lost three in a row.

The Yanks crashed out of the playoffs.

Celtic lost to Rangers.

Like Miss Scarlett said: "Tomorrow is Another Day".

G8rs

Go Gators!

Gators and fans, take heart! This is a learning experience. Don't have a sense of entitlement - leave that for Ohio State sucks.... Everything good and worth having must be earned. Due are paid in sweat and tears, and sometimes, in blood. Take heart! Our guys are enrolled in the school of hard knocks, and right now, the tuition is due. Just wait until graduation... ;-)

Now, the issue of John Brantley and Trey Burton.....

Are they:

[1] Chris Leak and Tim Tebow?

or

[2] Terry Dean and Danny Wuerffel?

Go Gators!

BLT

No, I'm not talking Marine Corps here [Battalion Landing Team] - I am talking the Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato sandwich!

White bread [I'm using the Merita Italian variant] with regular Iceberg Lettuce, Slicing red tomatoes [Beefsteaks are best], and Kroger Generic/Value Bacon.

Mayonnaise, the real stuff [I cannot stand Miracle Whip :-( ]

Good stuff!

Three of 'em.

1st one, an interesting twist - add Wasabi Mayo [not too much - it can be overpowering!]

Tangy!

C the Z

October 6th....

Ne'er DID celebrate it properly.

10/6, not 6/10 :-)

Happy Birthday, Crombie -

you zombie, you!

Cents, not Sense

I earned one cent from this blog today.

$1.41 overall [Not Orval].

I'm not Rich, either.

EPL

Nope, not talking English Premier League [although I probably should be]....

Eat, Pray, Love - thank you for sparing me.

Love always,

the English Patient.

;-)

Just Win, Baby

So, our Bombers beat Toronto last night and have now qualified for the post-season [yay!].

Unbelieveably, some Yankee "fans" are grousing that in light of recent struggles, the team should not have a champagne celebration.

Talk about the Generation of Entitlement.....

Almost every season is a struggle. Disaster lurks around every doorstep. For every 1927 or 1998 or 1961 [stellar Yankee seasons capped with resounding World Series triumph] there is 1906 or 2001 [where the team with the most victories was ultimately denied triumph].

Sturm und Drang......

This isn't a video game.

Less Random, More Frequent

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

You've heard it before, comin' outta my pie-hole.

This time I'm serious. Just like last time, and the time before......

Whatever.

I'm working on my recollections from AOCS.

Naval Aviation Officer Candidate School, Pensacola, Florida.

If I am already writing......

yeah.

We'll see how it goes.

BT

AR

Another 23 August

Another 23rd day of August, another day to remember William Wallace. History did not record the day of his birth. 1272 perhaps, but the day is lost in the fog of years upon years. August 23 marks the day of his death at the hands of intolerable Sassanachs, livid that he would not swear fealty to the invaders.

A shout to my friends from Scotland, aye:

Margaret Fairhurst, my friend over in Texas

David Kleppang, my niece's husband

Nicola Reich, here at home.

Alba gu brath, eh?

A special hat tip to Therese FitzRandolph, who re-awakened my interest in Scots heritage;

I am eternally grateful for that.

Now, here's a stylized portrait of our William:

Good AJ, Bad AJ, Jekyll, Hyde

So AJ Burnett threw a meatball and Reid Brignac [9th place hitter, by the by] deposited it over the wall for a two run tweet... AJ was [understandably] annoyed. On the half-inning break, he went to the clubhouse. Going in, he slapped the door open with his palms. The edges of the plastic lineup card holder lacerated his palms, but not so badly that he required stitches. He told the trainer that he had stumbled and scratched his palms in the process. Later, after the game, he 'fessed up. Meantime, full of adrenalin, he overthrew in the third and was yanked.

Now, here's the interesting part. Of course, the Yanks were in a hole. Of course, the long men gave up more runs, and the Yanks ended up on the short end of the stick, 10-5. "Fans" are now comparing AJ to Kevin Brown, who once punched a wall and broke his pitching hand. "Fans" are unfavorably comparing AJ to Paul O'Neill, because Paulie had "fire" and came through in the clutch [obviously, these "fans" are forgetting Game 2 of last year's World Series...{{Recap - Phils won Game One in NYC. AJ pitched a gem and the Yanks went on to win the WS in six games.}}]

Of course, Mister Torre covered for Paulie. Once, O'Neill jammed his thumb in the process of blasting a water cooler, and it affected his swing [causing him to slump at the plate for several weeks]. Hell, our Captain, Mr. November, Derek Jeter, scored the winning run in one of those colossal 2001 World Series games and while doing so, stomped the plate to the point that his ankles took a beating. In the regular season, he probably would have missed a few games. Mickey Mantle used to smash things with regularity. Once, while golfing, he muffed a shot. Whitey Ford gave him some guff, so Mick swung his club at a tree in frustration. Naturally, he missed. He DID follow through, though, and gashed his shin for several stitches.

Proclamation time! So many of these "fans" have the attention spans of gnats and/or the video game baseball mentality, that they truly do not understand. Have patience, learn the game, and stop pissing us fans off who actually know something about the game. By the way, those of you who have never played the game, stop pontificating. OF COURSE it was a stupid thing to do for AJ to whack the door. He was frustrated. That's an emotion. Baseball involves emotion. People are emotional. Numbnuts who want to immediately trade AJ [guess what, geniuses? With AJ's contract, you could not GIVE him away! hahaha!] could greatly use perspective. Too bad y'all sit in mom's basement, not getting any [perspective! Damnit - focus!]. For many reasons, I wish there was adult baseball in America. Not just for professionals, but neighborhoods, even. Guess the concept of neighborhood unity kinda went away with the advent of Suburbia, but that's the topic of another post, I guess.

So, give AJ a break. He's a good guy and respected in the clubhouse. He'll be back. Meantime, Chicken Littles and Negative Nancys, the Yankees are in First Place. Oh, and icing on the cake? Best Record in Baseball. Like the Ol' Perfesser always used to say: "You could look it up".

Back

Back's doing better - the disc injury seems to be healing pretty nicely. Slow, out of shape [drinking beer has a lot to do with the general condition, too]. Twisted and got a strain in the checkout aisle of the local store, of all things! That was on Saturday. I have taken off from working out for several days, in order to let that heal up.

After work today, I am going to splash the Pelican boat and go for a nice kayak paddle. Nothing overly strenuous, as I have not paddled for ten months or so. Really. Afterward, reckon I will enjoy a beer. [Anonymous, do you still have that Chelada in your fridge? Mmmmmm..... prolly ice cold by now ;-)]

Loss

Bob Sheppard has passed away. The PA announcer for Yankee Stadium since 1951, he was colloquially known as "The Voice of God". Bob served as a gunnery officer in the Navy during the war, reaching the rank of Lieutenant before returning to civilian life after hostilities ceased. Fair winds and following seas, LT Sheppard.

George Steinbrenner passed away. The Boss brought the Yankees back from Desolation Row of the mid and late Sixties, and he deserves great credit for it. I imagine Bob Sheppard announcing him across the Pearly Gates....

My condolences to the families of both men.

God Bless.

Soccer and Patriotism

You might have guessed, I really enjoy soccer. I am also a patriot. So, here's two things which really annoy me:

[1] People who claim they are patriotic, but say they hate soccer and could not care less if the American team loses. Ever hear of Stephen Decatur? [Yes, dear "Anonymous", he was talking about foreign politics and I am drawing things out a bit, but whatever. No, "Whatever", I am not requesting your presence, either! ;-)] I say it's okay if you do not like soccer, and choose to remain oblivious. Personal right and choice and all of that. But, if you are aware of the American team and you hope they lose? Man, that's not cool [well, unless you are cheering on your OWN nation's team!]. Un-patriotic!

[2] People who claim to be soccer fans who say things like "I would cheer my own team, but they can never win the World Cup, so I will cheer on Brazil or_____ {fill in the blank with current favourite to win, and please note that Brazil just got their arses handed to them by Germany, 4-0, so pick another}. Point being, how do you know they can't win it? Did you think Georgetown would crush Villanova? Did you think the Dodgers would hold on and win the pennant in '51? Did you give up on the Yankees in 1978? How do you know? Stop jumping on the bandwagon already!! Cheer your own team!!

I think it is probably a generational thing. We had a good team back in the 20's and 30's, but lost something during Pax Americana.... I think we got in a habit of looking down on the rest of the world and saw soccer as part of that, thought we were superior and that everything foreign was contemptible. The American team beat England in the World Cup, 1-0, in 1950. Didja know that? Yet, the US team spent the next 40 years, fruitlessly being a small fish in a small, backwater pond [CONCACAF - basically North and Central America]. Lack of public support, and, public disdain even. We can do better. We ARE getting there.

Now, that band-wagon thing. Attention spans rivaling that of a gnat certainly play a part, and I am guessing that with maturity comes wisdom, and perhaps, patience. [Wishing band-wagoners would consider Cub fans, loyal since 1908.]

With that, Happy Independence Day!

Go, hot dog eaters! [Noon ET from Coney Island, on ESPN].

Go, Lance Armstrong! [Tour de France prelude was yesterday, full ride begins today.]

Go, Yankees!

Go, team!

and,

USA! USA!

:-)

Sassanachs

Damn....
I just mentioned Sassanachs and [Black] Irish, and today the Derry Marchers have been exonerated. For Pete's sake! Give Ireland back to the Irish. Just do it.

"Well it was Sunday bloody Sunday
When they shot the people there
The cries of thirteen martyrs
Filled the Free Derry air
Is there any one amongst you
Dare to blame it on the kids?
Not a soldier boy was bleeding
When they nailed the coffin lids!"

- John Lennon

Wendy-Poo!

D'ya know she has a button nose? Very, very cute. Very Irish, ya know? Her dad says they are "Black Irish" and I had an idea what that meant. Kinda right and kinda wide right! hahaha Sorry, Coach Bowden. Anyway, back in the mid-Nineteenth Century, misguided folks thought that the broad features of some Irish people harkened a close kinship with Negroid peoples (as a means of looking down on both sets of people). Poor scholarship as it were and not at all true, and besides, no reason to look down on anybody. We're all brothers, right? (Aye, even those Sassanach bastards ;-)

Well, another thought had been in the back of my mind - the Great Armada and 1588 and Drake and Hawkins and how the smaller English ships harried the Spanish behemoths and the storm forced them north, through the North Sea, where some wrecked upside Scotland and Ireland. Dark-haired fellows, for the most part. Betcha not all were killed upon landing. Ya know - some Celts are from the north part of Spain, even to this day...

Then again, some Irish chieftains employed Spanish mercenaries, and I would not bet against some intermarriage from that as well. Lately, some scholars have been looking at Iberian movements toward Eire as early as several thousand years ago. Many choices, and my bet is that a little of all the above is true.

Oh, and button-nosed Black Irish lass? She's blonde, with blue eyes. Pretty girl ;-)

One in a Month, One in a Million

Let's talk a bit about Austin Jackson. Boosie was asking me the other day, and people on Yankees blogs have been wondering [and I know Angie has a vested interest in this, as well].

I like Austin Jackson, and he is certainly off to a hot start. Tigers CF, hitting about .370, making everyone forget about Curtis Granderson.... might even be Rookie of the Year! I truly wish him well, except for*: [1] When he plays against the Yankees, and [2] in the RoY voting, if any Yankee has a real shot at it [Cervelli? Is Eyes eligible?] That's a disclaimer.

This is all off the top of my head, so bear with me. Read the black and white: A-Jax will not hit .370 this year. A-Jax will not hit .370 in any full season between now and eternity. [Dita von Troll, or whatever your name is, this one's for you:] A-Jax will not finish the season with a higher batting average than all of the following Yankee ballplayers: Brett Gardner, Derek Jeter, Mark Teixiera, Nick Swisher, and Robinson Cano.

Look, I know Austin is a good kid and tremendous athlete, and I want him to do well. * Here's the deal: He's hitting maybe 31% line drives as we speak. His BaBip [batting average of balls put into play - meaning, not home runs or strike outs] is .500 and change. .500!! [I am tempted to type .500!!!11!11! haha!]

Now, let's consider his projections. .250, .260. Newly revised ones at .270 or .280. What does this all mean? Austin is riding the crest of two combined waves right now: [1] He's on fire. Really. [2] The league has not yet adjusted to him. What will happen when the league adjusts to him? What will happen when he goes into a slump?

All things considered, he also has 35+ strikeouts right now. One home run. So, based on this trend, he will hit five taters and K over 250 times? Wow.... Last year, at SWB in AAA, his BaBip was pretty high, at .385 or so, and he batted .300 on the year. A similar BaBip right now would put him down around .250 or so. I think he would be back in AAA before that happens. We shall see.... What do I think will happen? The league will adjust, he'll adjust back, he'll develop a bit more power [or, playing in Fenway and YS will boost him up a bit], and he'll begin to cut down his strikeout rate. How does .280 with ten dingers sound for the season? Time will tell......

Six six

Woo Hoo! I have earned sixty-six cents on my advertising for this blog.
Pay up, Blogger! hahahaha

There!

I have de-coupled this blog from my Facebook account. It's nothing personal, but I have always felt a sense of ill-at-ease when writing some of the farthest-out concepts; having to control my language to fit in a family-friendly environment. Plus, I never felt right whilst calling people out.... that's about to change. Stand by...

Time Warp, Caught in Filter, Just Now Freed

Happy Fool's Day, Everyone [Charming message from Google Topeka follows ;-)]


4/01/2010 12:01:00 AM
Early last month the mayor of Topeka, Kansas stunned the world by announcing that his city was changing its name to Google. We’ve been wondering ever since how best to honor that moving gesture. Today we are pleased to announce that as of 1AM (Central Daylight Time) April 1st, Google has officially changed our name to Topeka.



We didn’t reach this decision lightly; after all, we had a fair amount of brand equity tied up in our old name. But the more we surfed around (the former) Topeka’s municipal website, the more kinship we felt with this fine city at the edge of the Great Plains.

In fact, Topeka Google Mayor Bill Bunten expressed it best: “Don’t be fooled. Even Google recognizes that all roads lead to Kansas, not just yellow brick ones.”

For 150 years, its fortuitous location at the confluence of the Kansas River and the Oregon Trail has made the city formerly known as Topeka a key jumping-off point to the new world of the West, just as for 150 months the company formerly known as Google has been a key jumping-off point to the new world of the web. When in 1858 a crucial bridge built across the Kansas River was destroyed by flooding mere months later, it was promptly rebuilt — and we too are accustomed to releasing 2.0 versions of software after stormy feedback on our ‘beta’ releases. And just as the town's nickname is "Top City," and the word “topeka” itself derives from a term used by the Kansa and Ioway tribes to refer to “a good place to dig for potatoes,” we’d like to think that our website is one of the web's top places to dig for information.

In the early 20th century, the former Topeka enjoyed a remarkable run of political prominence, gracing the nation with Margaret Hill McCarter, the first woman to address a national political convention (1920, Republican); Charles Curtis, the only Native American ever to serve as vice president (’29 to ‘33, under Herbert Hoover); Carrie Nation, leader of the old temperance movement (and wielder of American history’s most famous hatchet); and, most important, Alfred E. Neuman, arguably the most influential figure to an entire generation of Americans. We couldn’t be happier to add our own chapter to this storied history.

A change this dramatic won’t happen without consequences, perhaps even some disruptions. Here are a few of the thorny issues that we hope everyone in the broader Topeka community will bear in mind as we begin one of the most important transitions in our company’s history:
• Correspondence to both our corporate headquarters and offices around the world should now be addressed to Topeka Inc., but otherwise can be addressed normally.
• Google employees once known as “Googlers” should now be referred to as either “Topekers” or “Topekans,” depending on the result of a board meeting that’s ongoing at this hour. Whatever the outcome, the conclusion is clear: we aren’t in Google anymore.
• Our new product names will take some getting used to. For instance, we’ll have to assure users of Topeka News and Topeka Maps that these services will continue to offer news and local information from across the globe. Topeka Talk, similarly, is an instant messaging product, not, say, a folksy midwestern morning show. And Project Virgle, our co-venture with Richard Branson and Virgin to launch the first permanent human colony on Mars, will henceforth be known as Project Vireka.
• We don’t really know what to tell Oliver Google Kai’s parents, except that, if you ask us, Oliver Topeka Kai would be a charming name for their little boy.
• As our lawyers remind us, branded product names can achieve such popularity as to risk losing their trademark status (see cellophane, zippers, trampolines, et al). So we hope all of you will do your best to remember our new name’s proper usage:
Finally, we want to be clear that this initiative is a one-shot deal that will have no bearing on which municipalities are chosen to participate in our experimental ultra-high-speed broadband project, to which Google, Kansas has been just one of many communities to apply.

Posted by Eric Schmidt, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Topeka Inc.

Parasites

Folks, my advance apologies: I have enabled "Comment Moderation".

You see, I am tired of spambots posting crap which has no relevance to the topic, generally advertising crappy pornographic products.

So, I will review all posts. Ones [even the ones I may disagree with] that are on-topic - I will allow them to be posted. Spambot crap, and any other crap which is not relevant - I will delete it. My decisions are final, and if you want somewhere to post your crappy ads for crappy pornography [or even pretty good ads for pretty good pornography!], go spam someone else. Likewise, if you just want a place to spout random shit, seriously, go start your own blog. It's free, and frankly, we don't want to hear it. Hardly anyone even wants to read what I put up, and at least my random stuff is pretty relevant. Got a beef? Go find the Wailing Wall.

So, just like Forrest - That's all I have to say about that. :-)

Malvinas, Dos

Once again, Argentina is squabbling over not having possession of the Falkland Islands [referred to by them as Islas Malvinas]. Who cares about flyspecks? When there's oil involved, everyone does!!

This time around I do not see things coming to blows. While the British force levels have dropped perilously since 1982 [Round I], the Argentine forces have pretty much putrified. Lesson from Desert Storm: Quality will always trump Quantity. [Yes, I realize that there IS a limit; of COURSE there is. The British forces are not at it.] Word.

Redux

Back to Portland. Back to Hippie-ville ;-) Back to temporary jet-lag, but alas, that too will pass. Back to running at Grant Park. I ran once while I was back in Virginia Beach: 53 and change to Rudee Inlet and back, along the boardwalk; it's 5.2 miles and seemed a bit longer. Been concentrating on shorter stuff on the track, building more speed. Time to cross it up and work on endurance, I guess.

Cuz was mentioning that it is time to share pics of the FB account holder with their significant other. I don't have one. I guess I could post one of WW from the movie with Murron, but that would be even farther out than posting a pic of Mel as my doppelganger ;-) Besides, I kinda like the blue wode and the maniacal expression in his eyes. Actually, I do not have many pics of me with former significant others.... not really sure why [guess they have passed to history]. I do have the nice one of Nikki and I at the hangar dance on Valentine's Day, 2009 [for those who are interested in seeing it, please check out my photo collection on Facebook].

President's Day is Monday. Thank you, Abe. Thank you, General Washington. Hail to the Chief :-) I'm working. Mardi Gras is Tuesday, so Lache pa la Potat`, eh? I'm working that day, too! Ash Wednesday is [you guessed it!] Wednesday. Not Catholic, no ashes. Working. hahaha!

Looking forward to seeing the gang again. Nice yukking it up at breakfast with Denine and the cats I work with; nice getting filled-up at Anna's [howdy to Anna herself, Amanda, and Shoesy {Liz} haha!].

Time to hit the rain locker. Good luck to Kevin, who is close to being selected for Job Corps. Good morning to all. I'll write more when I can.

Grant Park

Keeps getting better. Ran a 2' 03" split tonight, so at some point I fugured out I should just run a mile. Weird timing. Second quarter was under two, third was two, so I cranked it up and got a 7' 48" for my mile. Yeah, I know that sounds really slow, but remember:

[1] Since Arlington, I have not run on the track. All city since then, so no real speed work.

[2] I am just now getting acclimatized to Portland.

[3] Fresh over the flu.

[4] Haven't been running as much as I should or would like to.

That's changing.

Breakfast at Anna's

I don't have a link for this place, but that's because they don't have a website. They're just a wee bit busy! Anna's Island Cafe in Portland - it's in the Swan Island Industrial Area replete with train yards, trucking concerns, smaller factories, and shipbuilding docks. That's where I am working right now. There's a few places to eat, mostly of the McDonald's/Subway ilk and a few crappy pizza/Mexican joints. And then, there's Anna's.

Like specialty coffees? Greek food? Basic American chow [and lots of it!!] with a nice home-made flair? Go eat at Anna's. I enjoy the specials on a regular basis, but am also happy to order off the menu. Big tasty Gyro with lamb meat (one may also choose chicken), Greek Spaghetti with Mizithra Cheese, Homemade Meatloaf, Navy Bean Soup..... oh, and Saturday I had a Greek Omelet [containing the usual suspects - Feta Cheese, Lamb Gyro Meat, Onions.... and I asked for Tzatziki Sauce: bonus points! It even contained bits of cucumber - nice touch!]

It's close to where I work, the food is good and plentiful, and the cost is reasonable (usually under ten bucks) and the atmosphere is friendly. Anna is always there [poor, tired gal! - we tease her that she should get roller skates!] and is very friendly. We crossed her up a couple of times by showing up en masse when she has not expected a business rush {like Saturday, when eight of us showed up at the same time for breakfast.... all at 6 AM and she was cooking/serving and running the register!!}. Oh, yes, she is indeed Greek. Special shout-out to servers Amanda and Candice, and Shoes [who wears colourful Nikes :-)] who are all a joy to chat with whilst having a meal.

Go eat at Anna's Island Cafe'. You'll be back.
Postscript - soon, Anna will have her liquor license, so you'll be able to stop by for dinner and a beer after leaving the shipyard [or wherever - go there on purpose, even!]. I like this place quite a lot, and I go back frequently :-)

R&T&me

The Rose and Thistle [Rose for England, Thistle for Scotia - that's fer all U Sassanachs out there!].... It's aboot four blocks up and four blocks over, on Broadway here in Portland. Walked there, and I can have another Guinness Draught if I wanna withoot nae worries aboot DUI. Halibut and chips, and indeed it was good. Nice fish! Tangy, lemony mayonnaise as well, aye, and bonus points for it.

Good, quiet place. Not a lot of atmosphere, but a place I could have taken Nikki and felt equally at home as in Cambuslang. That was a long time ago and we each have moved along, but you get the picture.

I'll be back for sure. Sis, shall I save ye a chair? Or, is there a place for pixykin? hahahaha! See ya there :-)

2010-2

Nephew and Niece, I have been working every day so far. I will keep you both apprised as to schedule, however. Back in VB from 2/7 to 2/12, then back here to Portland.

:-), Uncle Chuck

2010 -1

Well, well.

Another year is now upon us.

Tomorrow morning, I am flying off to Portland for three months. Shipyard job involving ballistic missile defence. Chance to see some new territory [plus to see Randy and Cyndi and their families :-)]. Longer workday, longer workweek. Extra money [hallelujah!!].

Please keep Kevin in your prayers. I have set up everything I could think of. Canned, frozen and packaged foods for a month. Money for perishables each week. Money for the cab ride to Job Corps, when he reports. Even so, I worry. Time for lil' Bucky to fly on his own, though, and I'll cheer him on :-)

Good news! I'll control the TV [meaning, I will have plenty of time to read and to write. Not sure if anyone knows this, but I find it extremely difficult to concentrate when the TV is on, and it is ALWAYS on at the apartment. Always. I have managed one post each for the past three months. I guess I could be more prolific.... thank you to everyone who has actually visited RR.

Poll question:

I am thinking of uncoupling RR from my Facebook account.

Should I?

Thanks,

Chuck