Happy Lucia Day everyone! The start of the 12 days of Christmas. 

Stay warm. 

Happy Lucia Day Paul.  it's 21 here so much warmer than yesterday morning when it got down

to 7 before rising.  I stayed up for the Ham Radio Net 100 miles away in my old home town, was

forecast to be another morning around 10.  Got up late around 4 AM.

I guess you grew up in the city Paul, so it's me that's the fish out of water.  My English essay for

college entrance was about the farm I grew up on.  At least I could spell most words and structure

sentences.  Have seen many that couldn't.  I did think over 90% of the people in industrial electronics

were extremely cruel so maybe that was the farm boy in me.  People seemed more interested in making

the employee next to them look bad than to do good at electronics and enjoy it.  But I made it through

and here we are at the other end, it's mostly over.  I still have a big repair bench in the basement and

tackle jobs I couldn't have previously in life.  My largest ham radio is still over $8k new.  I paid $3k for

it but not working.  I was so worried when it was coming here from Alaska.  Got it working 2 or 3 years

ago and it's still going.  That must be when I got my electronic microscope.  Much less expensive than

a standard one, about $100. new.  The one Integrated Circuit part I replaced looks like a little tick to

the naked eye, at least to mine.  Actually even with reader glasses on.

Took care of our daughter's and our garbage yesterday.  Happy to talk to my daughter and grandsons

some.  Got some ideas what to get our grandsons for Christmas.  Wife and I are so far separated from

our teen years, very difficult to think up gifts for them ourselves.  Some need to be ordered so have to

get on it quick.

Glad you are smoke free Paul.  Keep up the good work.  I see Gerthie around on the forum, still working

on giving up the nicotine lozenges. 

Enjoy the day all.

Ernie

Brandy on top of the mountain.

Yes, I was born and raised in the city, Ernie. My parents also were. My grandfather had land up in Ulster, so we'd go there in the summer.  Though that is much more built up than when I was a child. The roads near his place were unpaved and unnamed. Rural Drive number for the post man. Now there are many more houses and less farms. 

Good morning Paul.  16 here around midnight.  Probably to cold for the dogs later this morn.

I grew up on a farm surrounded by farms.  Think only one of them is still running.  I feel at

home just about anywhere if I see a farm.  Especially if there's Holstein cows, black and white.

Our road was named Crooked Creek but now changed to Charleston.  We had a dairy farm

until they required bulk tanks to store milk.  Guess investing in one was to much for our little

farm.  After that my dad bought calves and raised them until they were ready to become milk

cows, then sell them.  We still had to grow hey, oats, and corn.  Still baled up hey in the Summer

and we had a hugh vegetable garden that took lots of work.  Thawing out drinking cups for the

cows.  We always had one milk cow for our families milk.  I remember churning butter when I

was young.  Our road was paved but was a 40 mph speed limit, now 50.  Much more traffic.

Got my bike into the basement yesterday before the storm arrives.  Got the new cover on the

Monte Carlo SS.  Set two mouse traps in it. 

I see the soccer reporter died of a burst Aortic Aneurysm.  I came very close to the same end

6 years ago.  Caught it just in time, was 5.1 cm last time measured.  Had expanded a lot in 6

months.

Walked the dogs around the lawn and field twice yesterday. 

Have a good day all.

Ernie

Farm in the 80s.

Was Dad's barn 2020, I think.

Love the farm Ernie....love the rural ....we live on a dirt road next to a horse farm......

Batten down the hatches…. It’s all coming your way!

Susan 

Good morning Kitty and Susan.  Warm 33 here this morn.  Still snowing, not sure how

much we have.  The graph on here says 6" so far and 2" more  soon.  My wife's family

is surrounded by the SUNY horse farm at Morrisville,  They're beautiful.  Not on a dirt

road though.  I take it easy through there driving.  Girls leading horses to their pastures

cross the road.  There might be some guys there but think it's 99% girls. 

We got more ready for the storm yesterday morning.  Stuff I should've already done.  We

had a bicycle locked on the front deck for show with an old sled.  Sled is still there.  Using

bike lock I got when I was a kid.  Probably from the Western Auto.  Got the new cover on the

Monte SS, old cover is on the backhoe.  Covered the windshields on our vehicles with covers

our daughter got us.  I texted daughter and reminded her where I saw her windshield cover.

Got the branch extenders off the loader in case I need it for snow removal.

Talked to my brother at the end of yesterday on the radio.  The guy that takes him to the eye

doctor for shots every month is still planning on making the trip today.  The hospital is closer

to us than them.  Takes me 7 hours of driving to go get him and take him to the hospital from

there, plus the 2 hours for the appointment.  Lucky a local guy to drive him.  I only did it once.

Have a great day all.  Looks like Paul got all rain down in the city.  That's the rain front that's

holding the snow storm over us. 

Ernie

if it snowed overnight rain washed it away.....33 here this morning....hope everyone has a peaceful day

Yes, heavy rain today. Clears up tonight.

Enjoy the day all

we got a lot of rain till noonish and then it stopped....might get a little snow tonight.....