Don't try this at home

I already have and while it's kinda funny now, it wasn't when it happened. Pat and I were putting our outside Christmas ornaments in the attic above the sun room. I had just fixed the attic lights and considered the day a success. The next sensation I felt was crashing through the ceiling. I told Pat that we should call 911 because this wasn't your run of the mill accident. When the paramedics showed up they said "yep we're going to South West (hospital)." The paramedics were the best. At the hospital, my stall was across from a chainsaw accident. My mind wandered to a discussion about what was the dumber accident, me or the other guy. About the same time I figured out that what I really needed was a sign to hang around my neck describing my recklessness. By the time I had my second set of xrays, I knew that most people in my predicament broke their ankles and legs, so I was lucky. I give my Doc Marten's credit for cushioning my fall and protecting my ankles just enough. The doctor sent me off with the admonition to not try such a thing again and a bottle of my old friend vicoden. Irony was added to the adventure when I test drove the whirlpool tub.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to all our family and friends.

Bears Win, Bears Win

I'll always be a Bears fan.

Just enough lights

Pat and I are always on the lookout for new things to do and see. One of the women at Pat's women's club dinner said that there was a block nearby that put on a show. We got general directions and off we went. Contrary to what the natives think, we don't live in a urbanated area, so how hard could this be. We found the street easily enough. We just looked for the glow. What we found was very cool.
There is an ongoing discussion among the Grobles as to what is enough and what is too much when it comes to Christmas ornamentation. I think that we are mere amateurs compared to these guys.

Christmas lights

I think we're done putting up Christmas lights. But, you never know for sure.

Left outside

Pat has more rabbits than we can store during the winter. We leave the conctrete and iron ones outside. If you listen, you can hear their faint screams at night. You can hear the boys loud and clear when they want to come in. Fred doesn't even want to go outside in the winter. You can tell how happy he is in the last pic. Bob loves it outside, but he wants someone to keep him company. The wiring that you see near the rabbits is part of a complex system to light up our Christmas lights

Fun with plates in West Virginia

For Pat's birthday present, we traveled to the Fiestaware factory and store in Newell, West Virginia which is right across the Ohio river from East Liverpool, Ohio. This year our friends Sarah and Bill Gann joined us in the adventure.We took a private toll bridge over the river. The bridge has no on or off ramp to speak of. One end of the bridge is at the end of a street in a residential neighborhood. The other end juts into a highway. The stop light that has us waiting over the Ohio River is sorta disconcerting.

Illinois river towns are right on the water with levies and flood walls around them. Newell and East Liverpool are built on what this transplanted flatlander thinks of as mountains. Sarah and Bill, who are native Ohioans, just chuckle when I talk about the terrain.

Once we arrived at the Fiestaware plant the real work began. Everyone had an assigned job. Pat and Sarah worked their lists. Bill and I carried stuff. I had the additional jobs of finding stuff that wasn't on the list and asking Pat if we could use them and keeping a pictorial record of the event for posterity. The staff at the store was very helpful. The store was very busy. The trip was a success. After shopping we stopped by a local cafe for a great lunch.

Does the bridge look level?

Waiting on the bridge! It's a long way down.

Pat in a pensive moment.

The plan's on the yellow sheet of paper.

Pat, how about this one?

Pat and Sarah discussing the finer points of Fiestaware.

Now we get 12 of this one and 24 of that one and ...

What are they looking at?

This river tug was a pleasent surprise.

The Sonata has a bigger trunk than I thought.

East Liverpool from the West Virginia side of the river

After a hard day of plate hunting, a little lunch

A short video record

the boys are glad to have Sarah home

They went nuts when Sarah pulled into the driveway. And will wander the house for a week when she goes back to Chicago. Katie and Sean, hope you're having a great time in San Francisco.