morrowlife

Here’s Loyal Reader Number One holding back Loyal Reader Number Twelve’s airplane just long enough for me to get a picture. Seconds later, she was buzzing the room. Not part of any of my famous series. I hesitate to call that thing machinery, and I don’t have an LRN12 series, although I probably should. Special cameo appearances by Loyal Readers Numbers Four, Five, and Six in the background.

Not much to write about tonight – my posts for the rest of the week have been voluminous enough.

Put chlorine in the swimming pool. Fed the fellas. Returned a bunch of library books and checked out a bunch of CDs, including several very good Christmas albums. Discovered the Miata has a massive clutch hydraulic fluid leak. Did some reading and a little bit of work. Also got my laptop set up for next week’s Blackberry linkage. Worked on my iTunes music collection a little – getting album artwork and that sort of thing. Not much else. Good day.

Yes, I know it’s a little late for Christmas music. Let’s just say I’m getting a head start on Christmas 2009.

We’ll finish with some toilet news. The creative minds working on the Space Toilet problem have come up with another unique solution. I don’t see why only the astronauts should get such neat equipment, though. They should sell it to everyone! It would be perfect for . . . ummm . . . well, lots of people. Probably.

Today’s Morrowlife controversy: Loyal Readers are invited to suggest terrestrial occupations that could benefit from the Space Toilet Diaper.

See you tomorrow.

Here’s Loyal Reader Number Two ready for takeoff. Picture taken today in the gift shop at the Hiller Aviation Museum. He really wanted to buy this getup, but we talked him out of it. Maybe we should have let him get it thought – he looks pretty jaunty.

No Tuesday post. I forgot. Fortunately, we had a nice day.

Merry Christmas Eve! We had a nice day. Went to the aforementioned aviation museum (Hiller). Turns out there was a Hiller Helicopter company here in the Bay Area. It started out as a few teenagers making toy cars in their parents’ garage. World War II broke out and the kids somehow got a military contract to build . . . ummm . . . something. I can’t remember. Anyway, they quickly became helicopter pioneers. Pretty cool.

Otherwise, we relaxed at home, enjoyed each other’s company, and watched A Christmas Story. Had our traditional lasagna dinner. It was even better than usual.

Speaking of which, there are a ton of leftovers around here. I’m having a hard time not overdoing it. As are several of my Loyal Readers.

Holiday greetings to Loyal Reader Number Seven, from whom we haven’t heard in a while. Thanks for the kind note and we wish you and your family the best Christmas ever.

Same wishes to all my Loyal Readers. Thanks for making the Morrowlife blog the cultural and financial powerhouse it is today.

And it’s time to get ready for Christmas. See you tomorrow.

Here’s an exclusive fuzzy Treo-cam view of the Victorian Christmas Farmhouse.

Work’s over for the year! I put in a good, solid four hours today and returned home exhausted. I go back on January fifth, although I do have to attend a couple of telecons on Monday. Sigh.

We checked out the new Bass Pro Shop near our place this evening. It’s been open for a couple of months, but we never found the time to go until now. It’s pretty much what you would a expect – a big store with a lot of outdoorsy stuff. And relatively high prices. It’ll be a great place to go when we need to find obscure spare parts. Plus, they have a giant fish tank. And camouflage recliners. For sale. We actually bought one, but now we can’t find it.

We did buy a couple of light bulbs for Loyal Reader Number One’s flashlight. They cost three dollars. Obscure spare parts.

Today’s toilet news: The space station is a little short on privacy for their new privy. I say go ahead and start using it anyway. Everybody can just close their eyes.

At least the space toilet isn’t smoking. Yet.

Loyal Readers Number Three and Fifteen should be in the Bay Area tonight. They’re spending a couple of days with Loyal Readers Numbers Five, Six, and Twelve. We’re looking forward to seeing them out here in Lardville Real Soon Now.

Weekend plans include cookie baking, wacky light house visiting, possible oil changing, and planning projects for the rest of the holiday. Reports on Monday.

And that’s it for tonight. Have a great weekend, and I’ll see you Monday.

Here’s one of my two favorite things at the Chabot Science Center – a telescope. This is an oldie. They have several big ones too, but this one just looks cool.

Fine day. Got a couple of things done. Didn’t get a couple of other things done. The usual.

Went at lunch to have a look at a couple of cars. First tried to see a Lincoln MKZ. The nearest dealer turned out to be a thief, so I walked away without even looking at anything. Then I went to the local Chevy dealer to look at Suburbans. They only had a few, none of which was perfect, but I decided to test drive one. They actually told me they wouldn’t let me drive it without giving them my phone number. I won’t give car dealers my phone number, so I walked away.

Honestly. Does anybody wonder why American car sales have evaporated? I have money burning a hole in my pocket and a can’t even get them to show me their cars. The American carmakers have lots of faults, but their dealers are the biggest one. I may have to look at Japanese cars again.

Off Friday tomorrow, but I’ll be at work. We have a software delivery tomorrow. I think I’ll sleep in until 6:00 and go in an hour late. Maybe I’ll get to come home an hour early to boot. But maybe not.

Today’s toilet news: It’s not only Tokyo that’s looking at a toilet nightmare. Washingtonians, be afraid. Be very afraid.

See you tomorrow.

Here’s Loyal Reader Number Twelve being wheeled around at the Victorian Christmas Extravaganza. I believe this was taken before she threw up. So she looks a little grouchy. Picture courtesy of the exclusive Treo-cam.

Extreme Short Shrift tonight. We went directly from work (meaning Loyal Readers Numbers Two and Four had to come out to the South Bay this afternoon) to the annual Palo Alto LDS Christmas Creche exhibit, featuring over 400 creches and a organ concert performed by a well-known local organist, featuring original works by a well-known New Mexican composer and surgeon, who was in attendance and actually performed one of his own works. In addition, the president of the company that made the organ was also in attendance.

The concert was very nicely done. The organist’s work was technically excellent and a beautiful performance all around. The one thing I would have changed is that he tended to abruptly adjust the volume in kind of a jarring way. It wasn’t just an accident because he did it several times. I’m wondering if it was a limitation of the instrument, which he described as “modest.”

And it was – it’s a great church organ but I think it lacks the power to really give the best performance in a recital. Interestingly, the organ company that made it also made the church’s Conference Center organ and did the recent refurbishment of the tabernacle organ. So they’re good and this was a good instrument for its size.

Anyway. It was LRN2’s first visit to this annual exhibition, and he was as overwhelmed as we had been when we first went last year. The creches are beautiful, with lots of original work from all over the world, and they’re displayed incredibly artfully. It’s truly a first-class operation all around. We remembered several creches from last year and noticed many new ones this year.

I think we may make it an annual tradition. Although it’s open for less than a week in early December, and it’s a long drive from home. Still worth it.

That’s it – it’s too late for any more. Check out Loyal Reader Number One’s blog – he’s started posting again.

See you tomorrow.