My Week

I woke Wednesday morning to a cold house. It was 61 and my dog and cat were on the foot of the bed which they normally don’t do. Well, I did wash Marley’s sleep mat and it was still in the dryer.I saw a kid going to the bus stop in a pink blanket. Don’t they have coats or did they get out of one bed and just transporting to school “as is”? Had to start the car and get the first good frost off.

Wednesday I had a one-on-one lesson about our help desk work requests.
Thursday I went to a seminar on “Countdown to Retirement”. Friday, my Christmas present to myself came. I got a new Apple MacBook Pro.

Here I am with Katja at the Christmas parade with her Great Dane, Bozo. Bozo stole the show as our reindeer.

·After the parade, I went home to change into my suit jacket and put on my AmVets cap and then went to a Christmas Memorial at the Vietnam Memorial. I've been going to this for the last say 4 years. Weather was much nicer than in the past when it was so cold we couldn't wait for the ceremony to end so we could get out of the cold. There was a protester with a megaphone that was subdued by the Leathernecks.

In the evening I changed into my historic costume and went to the 1850s choir at the Westminster Presbyterian of Lincolns. Travel back to the 1850s this Christmas season—join Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln for special music, worship, and a carol sing. The Rev. Dr. Clifford J. Hayeswill portray the Rev. Dr. James Smith, who was pastor of First Presbyterian Church from 1849 - 1856. Dr. Smith officiated at the funeral for Eddie Lincoln.

Sunday I went to Mass with the Catholic War Veterans at St Jude’s in Rochester. Sunday was much colder than Saturday so I didn’t really go out. My sons and I had tacos.The Lincolns, portrayed by Fritz Klein and Pam Brown, will greet visitors — and everyone is invited to attend in mid-19th century attire along with our performers. Following the service, join us for Mary Lincoln's White Cake in the Commons.

I got Amtrack tickets for Dec 16th to Chicago for the Veteran of the Month ceremony for 2011.

Monday I had my exercise session during lunch. After work, I went to a Patriot Guard Riders mission locally for Ron Williams. I picked up a memorial card. After standing in a flag line from 5:15 go 6:45PM, I then went over to the Hoogland Center for the Arts for our Historic Ball dance practice for First Night. This time we practiced in semi-dress with hoops for the feeling of the swag. It was something like a train wreck. Somehow, our gender roles got swapped while changing partners. The show must go on.

I had lunch with a coworker at a Chinese buffet. Here’s his fortune. We experienced our first snow flurries for the season here in central IL.