The count down is on towards a new year and a new decade!

Load we thank you for these gifts which we are about to enjoy!

Oh my those grilled ribs with cream potatoes and salad look delicious

Kids eat in the other room and have FUN

There is nothing as good as a cousin game while enjoying those delicious Regina hand made candy canes!

So a short but fun trip ended as I arrived home last night about 10:30.  My goodness a 41 hour trip that covered 2600 miles and 5 hours in the plane BUT it was worth it!  Grandpa got to enjoy and interact with 10 of his 14 grand kids.  There was catching up,  school updates, sports updates, jokes, kidding around, walks, delicious food, good drinks and much more.  All in a very short time.  I boarded the plane in FL about 6:00 AM Saturday and arrived in South Bend about 2 1/2 hours later.  Then on Sunday I boarded the plane about 6:30 PM and arrived in Fl shortly after 9:00 and then home by 10:30.  On the flight home I sat between two women as the plane was 100% full.  The gal by the window maybe said 10 words in the 2+ hour trip.  The gal on my right maybe talked ALL BUT 10 minutes of the flight.  Interesting, kind of and it did make the trip go a bit faster.  "For sure" it was fun spending time with the kids.  I now have TWO grandsons taller than I!  Henry and Liam kind of look a bit down on Grandpa!  There may be more in a few years.  ALL of the kids are getting so grown up.  It is fun to have conversations with them.  I would say that IF I were a 2, on a scale of 1-10, in a social scale at their age most of them are a 7+ or more.  Not sure I come across in a way that one knows what I am talking about BUT kids now days are just so so much more mature than I was at their age.  I should mention that it also was fun catching up with John, Mary, Travis, Amy and Aaron.  Cynthia and Mike stayed home with their 4 youngest and they sent their 4 oldest with Travis. I think Uncle Travis did a great job with his nieces and nephews.  

I have not played tennis for 3 days and my body says that is good.  I should be on the court tomorrow as I now start to look forward to the winter season which is about 2 weeks away.  Terry purchased a new racquet for me as I mentioned in the past so No excuse now for anything but a winning record!

I got an oil change on the Honda today as it was just a bit overdue.  They gave me a quote on 3 new tires.  I suggested to them that I may not get too far on 3 tires!  I mean what the heck.  I have about 35,000 miles on the tires.  WHY in the world would I buy 3 news ones?

Mary insisted she make half a batch of lefsa for me to take home and it was so so good.

Tomorrow is the very LAST day of this decade.  Maybe I will have to evaluate how I did in the last 10 years.  Not sure that is a good idea but maybe!

It is now late PM so of course the FP became history many hours ago.  Have to wait until tomorrow morning for more I guess.  Maybe a movie with Terry tonight and an early bedtime is in store.

I should mention

It was 66 years ago that cousin Robert was killed in a hunting accident.  Oh my even though I was only 6 I remember it well.  When Dad came home Mom had the ironing board set up in the living room.  Dad was distraught and almost had a difficult time telling what happened.  The next few days were oh so hard.  Robert's body was at the home of his parents for a couple of days.  People came over and brought food etc.  I am sure I was not there the entire time but I do remember being there for some of the time.  Later Dad had to go to court as he was the only adult there.  Of course it was an accident but there were legal things that had to be done.  I have mentioned this before but Dad had a new coat on and it had Roberts blood on it.  He never wore it again.  This was during a time when our family had little or not money!  It was one of those times that a person can never forget.

Enough for now.