Morning all:

Remember an earlier diatribe on this “wintry mix” nonsense spouted forth by the weather prognosticators. Well, it’s baaack! With a vengeance! We’re right on a belt where things shuffle between rain, freezing rain, and snow. And this on my busiest Saturday of the year; so far. My list includes doing electric work at Cathy and Jason’s, picking up some customers from Mexico at the airport, shopping, and a late afternoon wedding. All this means that it’s really quite difficult to laze about, which would be, far and away, my first choice. I can’t even use the old ‘jet lag’ excuse.

Work saw no let-up, which I guess is good. Although, there were a couple of times where I would have really gone for an afternoon British style tea break, complete with a ‘bit-of-a-doze’, wingback chair and all. Construction efforts are moving forward with fits-and-starts as they find breaks in the weather. Currently the roof is on and tarped. As soon as they can the rubber membrane will be put into place – the condomizing effect as it’s known in the trades.

While my brothers and I were creating havoc throughout Holland the family stayed on course. Marcia and Jason did yeoman’s work getting Cathy and Jason’s place ready in new paint and the like. Long days, and with Cathy not being able to be in a fumes filled home and unable to move in, not very pleasant. Finally it’s nearing completion and it would appear that this weekend they’ll finally settle in. You must look at Kirstin and Vince’s web site, now complete with a count down clock tracking baby due time. A few years ago this style clock was referred to as a ‘doomsday’ clock, oh well, enough said!

Possibly, if things calm down tomorrow Marcia and I can take advantage of Cincy’s “Fine Arts Festival”. For free, it offers about a hundred samplings of anything to do with the arts. Back stage tours, Scottish dances, Steel Drum band, poetry readings, Art exhibition, Appalachian story telling, live theatre, toy workshops, etc. This is an annual event, which I miss more often than not even though the intentions are really quite good.

Since yesterday was Valentine Day, remember? I thought I’d share this bit about a new element recently discovered – this is especially for the guys who forgot. Now you’ll understand why you’re being treated the way you are, and it’s not Hallmark’s fault either.

Element Name: WOMANIUM

Symbol: WO

Atomic Weight: (don’t even go there)

Physical properties: Generally soft and round in form. Boils at nothing and may freeze any time. Melts when treated properly. Very bitter if not used well.

Chemical properties: Very active. Highly unstable. Possesses strong affinity with gold, silver, platinum, and precious stones. Violent when left alone. Able to absorb great amounts of exotic food. Turns slightly green when placed next to a better specimen.

Usage: Highly ornamental. An extremely good catalyst for dispersion of wealth. Probably the most powerful income-reducing agent known.

Caution: Highly explosive in inexperienced hands!

Cheers, Dirk