a New Day

Omigosh, sometimes Sean, Sean Dietrich, Sean of the South, can cause you to dissolve in a puddle of tears with a column that touches where it hurts most, nomesane? "Birthday Gal" this morning.

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Joe just drove away in his new car, my 2006 Cadillac SRX V8. Unfortunately, when we went to the tax, tag, title office Tuesday morning to change ownership and get him a temporary tag, the office was closed until January, which I observed as "a helluva note". So he's driving with no plate, just his insurance card and bill of sale taped inside the rear window, hoping maybe something displayed might at least reduce the number of Times he's stopped by police today on his drive home to Kentucky.

Every time Joe leaves after a short visit it brings flooding to mind, how we felt when he left once and for all. I've told this before. We lived in Pennsylvania, and he drove away in his red VW convertible to be with his girlfriend in Las Vegas. When that happened, our minister warned us that his leaving would bring us grief as if he had died, and it was certainly so. I'm telling this today because it sort of happens again every Time he drives away.

It turned out, of course, that his Las Vegas trip was his real leaving home. From there he joined the Army and soon was stationed at Killeen, Texas, where he met Dianne and Nicholas was born and the next generation got underway in earnest.

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Santa & Loved Ones brought me several cans of beer, beer and a bottle of gin from Ology Distilling of Tallahassee. The gin is good, I just had a sip Christmas Day, will have my first martini with it after Church on Sunday, my usual one drink a week that not only tastes good but encourages my Sunday afternoon High Priestly Nap. Also, beer from Proof Brewing Co of Tallahassee

this can I chilled and sipped yesterday: Bonfire Party, s'mores brown ale, 7.8% alc/vol. Interesting - - brown and sweet, maybe maple?

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MY new car, Kristen's ten year old Volvo XC60 that we bought for her early 2013, is going to Baytown this morning for regular maintenance service, change oil &c, whatever they see it needs. I'm good with their decisions. A shorter car than I was used to, nicer size for me, its smaller turning radius is noticeably different when parking.

POD: maybe Tyndall AFB this afternoon, visit to the optical shop. Linda likes her new eyeglasses, but first pair ever that involved numerous return trips for adjustment. Unlike mine, I have three pairs from there and they are my favorites.

I'm just rattling on, am I not - - it's always a bit rattling this Time of year right after everyone has left as the Holidays come to an end for another Season and we move into the long dry season. In my mind would be to start looking forward to February, with Valentine's Day, and Lincoln's Birthday, and George Washington's Birthday. What do you remember?