Slacker Update

OK, it has been a week since I updated my blog. Mea culpa. However, looking after Deirdre is nothing short of a full time job. I needed to take a couple days of vacation before the General shut down for the year, so I was off 23 & 24 December. Having those two days off enabled me to plan all the meals I wanted to make over the holiday break, as well as to pick up the ingredients I needed. Deirdre worked until the Kingdom shut down at 4:30PM on the 24th, so I was able to move freely to make certain that when I picked her up from work on Christmas Eve that we would not have to go out for much of any reason until well after Christmas. I am happy to report that I accomplished that objective.

Originally, our plan was to spend Christmas Eve at home and I was going to prepare one of Deirdre's favorite meals. However, that changed on or about 22 December. Our Grand Rapids parent, Bud & Barbara, invited us to have dinner with them on Christmas Eve. We were just going to meet them for a drink that night, but when Barbara called Dee to ask us over for dinner, Deirdre said we would be happy to join them, but only if they let us take them to the Amtrak station on Christmas Morning. A bit more background on that. One of Bud & Barbara's children live in Chicago and their plan was to take the train there on Christmas morning to spend a few days together. The train leaves daily at 7:35AM from the station, and at first Barbara politely refused our offer to take them there. She felt that it was too much of an imposition on us to get up so early to get them to the station on time. Barbara's plan was to "take a cab." We would have none of that. Our dinner with them on Christmas Eve was nothing short of fantastic and Barbara clearly appreciated that we would be taking them to the train station on Christmas morning.

Samson woke us up on Christmas at his customary time of 5:45AM. We tended to his immediate needs, then headed out at 6:30AM to pick up Bud and Barbara. If you look at the two previous posts in this blog, you will see that we had a bit of nasty weather to deal with starting on 21 December. Close to two feet of snow fell from 21-24 December, which ensured a "White Christmas," but it made for horrible driving conditions. The roads on Christmas Day were nasty, but thanks to Deirdre's tank, the drive that morning was unremarkable. We got them to the station a little before 7AM and just before we dropped them off, Barbara thanked us again, saying that she was concerned about a cab actually coming to get them that morning. We were, of course, happy to help them. We returned home, woke up Samson and then enjoyed a very relaxing Christmas holiday.

We had a fairly busy weekend after Christmas. Our friends Dave and Aileen were married on Saturday, 27 December, and Deirdre served as their photographer. I helped Deirdre with her lenses, tripod and monpod, and after the ceremony was done, we were able to enjoy ourselves at the reception.

Deirdre and I also marked a milestone the past week. On 1 January, we celebrated our 22nd wedding anniversary. It is hard to believe that on a warm, sunny New Year's Day in Guam that Deirdre took my hand in marriage. We looked back on our time together and we realized that we have spent perhaps 8 of those 22 years under one roof. Indeed, I have spent more time at home in the year that has passed since I retired from the Navy than I had in the previous five years. We also reflected on 2008. While it was a difficult year in many ways, it was a pretty incredible year for us. I also want to report that we have great expectations for 2009.

I was back at work on Friday, 2 January. Most of my co-workers took that day off, but there were things that I needed to do in support of the programs I am working. Because Deirdre worked on Christmas Eve, she was off on the 2nd. Thus, she and Samson barely moved as I got up to go to work Friday morning. However, tomorrow we will be back in our routine. As ever, updated to follow as conditions warrant.

A trip to GP & Slacker Sunday

Last week was a busy one for me and the General. I had to prepare for a meeting with one of our customers for an avionics box. This meeting is called "Critical Design Review," where we go over the design and manufacturing process. I had to put together some slides to describe the work the Engineering Services was doing in support of this program. The design review went well and our customer was quite happy with our progress in the program. I have completed six months of employment with General Electric and I am getting more and more comfortable with the work I do for the company.

This weekend was also one where I went to my parent's house in Grosse Pointe. I wanted to get back before winter set in to help my father do some chores. I left from work on Friday afternoon and made it to my parent's house around 3PM. For Friday evening, I made plans to have dinner with my friend John and his lovely bride Maria. Maria and I made rack of lamb, and Maria made a rice dish (I need to get her recipe). John and I were able to catch up on things going on in his life and we just enjoyed an evening together. I also took the opportunity to sharpen their knives, which clearly needed to be done. It is said that I am a little funny about my knives. A sharp knife is a safe knife. Enough about that.

Saturday was a cold but there was lots and lots of sunshine for me to get a few pictures from my ancestoral home of Grosse Pointe, Michigan. Not much has changed in that town since I left it in 1984 to find my own fame and fortune. Sure, a few business have come and gone along Mack Avenue, but the look and feel of the town is pretty much as it was when I left it.








I also drove by my high school, which has changed. There is a new science building and some updated signs. The original high school was completed in 1969 when only large corporations, universities and the government had computers. Thus a new building dedicated to the study of science is a great upgrade to one of the best high schools in the state.

No trip back to Grosse Pointe would be complete without a stop by Lake St. Clair. I was able to park my car near the Lake and wander across Lakeshore Drive to take a few pictures. I think I found a house on Lakeshore that Deirdre would love. The only problem is that the asking price is $3.5 million. Maybe if the price drops a little we will most likely make an offer.

I wanted to be back in EGR by noon in the hope that I could work on clearing some leaves. I left my parent's home a little before 8AM so I was back home before 11AM. Now the slacker Sunday has begun in earnest!