Yesterday was Decembre 21st, the first day of winter so, of course, we went out into the freezing (0 deg C) afternoon and did an activation. We didn’t go far, just to Little Buffalo State Park US-1376. Our previous activation there was on a foggy day. This time it was windy. On 2 separate occasions I had to go catch Ptolomey as he was being blown across the parking lot. Moxie was nice and cozy in the car and satisfied in guarding the radio. We started on 40 Metres at 1825 UTC, changed band to 12 M at 1843 UTC, went to 10M at 1900 UTC and finished up back on 40 M at 1924 UTC. We worked a total of 29 stations including Mexico and Dominican Republic. I wasn’t able to hear any European stations but did work as far as British Columbia. It was a satisfying activation, even though the conditions left us wanting. Anyway, I figure it is the time of year that kept folks off the air. People, for some reason, like to spend time with their families during the holidays. No, I am not a Scrooge when it comes to Christmas, I am just cynical about human-nature. For the better part of the year people can be real negative but let mid-December roll around and everybody is warm and cuddly and all is well. Of course some people are consistent and maintain their misanthropic attitudes year round. Boy, am I sounding glum. In reality, I am happy and content to be drowsing in the warmth of the pellet stove surrounded by my kittehs. Speaking of which, on the 18th we dropped Calamity off at the vet to be fixed. She wasn’t broken, we just wanted her fixed. We picked her up in the afternoon and were expecting her to be lethargic from the drugs but LO! and Behold! she was out of the carrier like a flash and running around and playing. She seems to be a happy cat ans likes to sleep next to me. absorbing warmth. Anyway, it is time to close this. I will leave you with a quote from my obligatory Christmas reading: “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens.

” Scrooge was better than his word. He did it all, and infinitely more; and to Tiny Tim, who did not die, he was a second father. He became as good a friend, as good a master, and as good a man, as the good old city knew, or any other good old city, town, or borough, in the good old world. Some people laughed to see the alteration in him, but he let them laugh, and little heeded them; for he was wise enough to know that nothing ever happened on this globe, for good, at which some people did not have their fill of laughter in the outset; and knowing that such as these would be blind anyway, he thought it quite as well that they should wrinkle up their eyes in grins, as have the malady in less attractive forms. His own heart laughed: and that was quite enough for him.

He had no further intercourse with Spirits, but lived upon the Total Abstinence Principle, ever afterwards; and it was always said of him, that he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge. May that be truly said of us, and all of us! And so, as Tiny Tim observed, God bless Us, Every One!”

Namaste and Merry Christmas, kidlets!