To all my readers, I wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas!
TSO brings the goodness…
I hope this day finds you safe in home and hearth with family. Say a prayer for those in the military on duty world-wide who protect our freedoms, and the police, fire/EMS pulling the duty at home…
Jeff MacNelly was a friend of the military, and especially of the Navy. Â He did a number of ‘special’ cartoons over the years for those of us who served…
Author unknown, but a damn good one…
This one goes out to Brigid, Frito, Flake, Juvat, JP, JimJim, Wing, Joe and all the other aviators out there…
âTwas the night before Christmas, and out on the ramp,
Not an airplane was stirring, not even a Champ.
The aircraft were fastened to tiedowns with care,
In hopes that come morning, they all would be there.
The fuel trucks were nestled, all snug in their spots,
With gusts from two-forty at 39 knots.
I slumped at the fuel desk, now finally caught up,
And settled down comfortably, resting my butt.
When the radio lit up with noise and with chatter,
I turned up the scanner to see what was the matter.
A voice clearly heard over static and snow,
Called for clearance to land at the airport below.
He barked his transmission so lively and quick,
Iâd have sworn that the call sign he used was âSt. Nickâ;
I ran to the panel to turn up the lights,
The better to welcome this magical flight.
He called his position, no room for denial,
âSt. Nicholas One, turninâ left onto final.â
And what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a Rutan-built sleigh, with eight Rotax Reindeer!
With vectors to final, down the glideslope he came,
As he passed all fixes, he called them by name:
âNow Ringo! Now Tolga! Now Trini and Bacun!
On Comet! On Cupid!â What pills was he takinâ?
While controllers were sittinâ, and scratchinâ their head,
They phoned to my office, and I heard it with dread,
The message they left was both urgent and dour:
âWhen Santa pulls in, have him please call the tower.â
He landed like silk, with the sled runners sparking,
Then I heard âLeft at Charlie,â and âTaxi to parking.â
He slowed to a taxi, turned off of three-oh
And stopped on the ramp with a âHo, ho-ho- ho…â
He stepped out of the sleigh, but before he could talk,
I ran out to meet him with my best set of chocks.
His red helmet and goggles were covered with frost
And his beard was all blackened from Reindeer exhaust.
His breath smelled like peppermint, gone slightly stale,
And he puffed on a pipe, but he didnât inhale.
His cheeks were all rosy and jiggled like jelly,
His boots were as black as a cropdusterâs belly.
He was chubby and plump, in his suit of bright red,
And he asked me to âfill it, with hundred low-lead.â
He came dashing in from the snow-covered pump,
I knew he was anxious for draininâ the sump.
I spoke not a word, but went straight to my work,
And I filled up the sleigh, but I spilled like a jerk.
He came out of the restroom, and sighed in relief,
Then he picked up a phone for a Flight Service brief.
And I thought as he silently scribed in his log,
These reindeer could land in an eighth-mile fog.
He completed his pre-flight, from the front to the rear,
Then he put on his headset, and I heard him yell, âClear!â
And laying a finger on his push-to-talk,
He called up the tower for clearance and squawk.
âTake taxiway Charlie, the southbound direction,
Turn right three-two-zero at pilotâs discretion.â
He sped down the runway, the best of the best,
âYour trafficâs a Grumman, inbound from the west.â
Then I heard him proclaim, as he climbed through the night,
âMerry Christmas to all! I have traffic in sight.â
And from Jeff Bacon, a retired Naval Officer
THE CHRISTMAS PARTY
December 1st
TO: ALL EMPLOYEES
I’m happy to inform you that the company Christmas Party will take place on December 23rd at Luigi’s Open Pit Barbecue. There will be lots of spiked eggnog and a small band playing traditional carols … feel free to sing along. And don’t be surprised if our CEO shows up dressed as Santa Claus to light the Christmas tree! Exchange of gifts among employees can be done at that time; however, no gift should be over $10.
Merry Christmas to you and your family.
Patty Lewis
Human Resources Director
————————————————————————
December 2nd
TO: ALL EMPLOYEES
In no way was yesterday’s memo intended to exclude our Jewish employees. We recognize that Hanukkah is an important holiday that often coincides with Christmas (though unfortunately not this year). However, from now on we’re calling it our “Holiday Party.” The same policy applies to employees who are celebrating Kwanzaa at this time. There will be no Christmas tree and no Christmas carols sung.
Happy Holidays to you and your family.
Patty Lewis
Human Resources Director
———————————————————————-
December 3rd
TO: ALL EMPLOYEES
Regarding the anonymous note I received from a member of Alcoholics Anonymous requesting a non-drinking table, I’m happy to accommodate this request, but, don’t forget, if I put a sign on the table that reads, “AA Only,” you won’t be anonymous anymore. In addition, forget about the gifts exchange — no gifts will be allowed since the union members feel that $10 is too much money.
Patty Lewis
Human Researchers Director
———————————————————————-
December 7th
TO: ALL EMPLOYEES
I’ve arranged for members of Overeaters Anonymous to sit farthest from the dessert buffet and pregnant women closest to the restrooms. Gays are allowed to sit with each other. Lesbians do not have to sit with the gay men; each will have their table. Yes, there will be a flower arrangement for the gay men’s table. Happy now?
Patty Lewis
Human Racehorses Director
———————————————————————-
December 9th
TO: ALL EMPLOYEES
People, people — nothing sinister was intended by wanting our CEO to play Santa Claus! Even if the anagram of “Santa” does happen to be “Satan,” there is no evil connotation to our own “little man in a red suit.”
Patty Lewis
Human Ratraces
———————————————————————-
December 10th
TO: ALL EMPLOYEES
Vegetarians — I’ve had it with you people!! We’re going to hold this party at Luigi’s Open Pit whether you like it or not, you can just sit at the table farthest from the “grill of death,” as you put it, and you’ll get salad bar only, including hydroponic tomatoes. But, you know, tomatoes have feelings, too. They scream when you slice them. I’ve heard them scream. I’m hearing them right now… Ha! I hope you all have a rotten holiday!
Drive drunk and die, you hear me?
The Bitch from Hell
———————————————————————-
December 14th
TO: ALL EMPLOYEES
I’m sure I speak for all of us in wishing Patty Lewis a speedy recovery from her stress-related illness. I’ll continue to forward your cards to her at the sanitarium. In the meantime, management has decided to cancel our Holiday Party and give everyone the afternoon of the 23rd off with full pay.
Terri Bishop
Acting Human Resources Director
Hope you have a great day!
Hard to believe this was thirty-eight years ago…
We were a damn good squadron, didn’t play the politics game, or get on TV, but we got the job done! đ
We were the ONLY Navy squadron ever to have a female on our squadron patch! Hehehe
Is this going to work?
Xiden, in his speech yesterday says there will be a thousand Guard doctors and nurses called up to ‘support’ hospitals in need.
My question is…
Who is going to backfill for them? You and I both know if they are being called up, they are having to LEAVE wherever they are working. And how long are they going to be called up for? The duration? Weeks? Remember when 30 days of Guard duty turned into 4 months during ‘occupy DC’ to protect it?
And an even more interesting question is, have these Guard folks gotten the jab? Seems a number of Guard are refusing or being told they don’t have to take it (Oklahoma and Texas).
In other news, in some of the military rooms I follow, it appears there have been at least 12,000 applications for religious exemptions for the jab and ZERO approvals. So much for the ‘due consideration will be given’ from Austin and Milley…
All I can say is Clippy was priescent…
Ummm… Frazzled… đ
BUT, Rimworld- Diplomatic Immunity is out to the alpha readers and the cover is in work.
Five short stories written, three published (so far), one in Unmasked, from Kevin James Anderson and I don’t understand why this one only has EIGHT reviews total and only one with an actual comment… Weird… Another one in It Came From the Trailer Park, and the last in Can’t Go Home Again. Another is in the second Tales Around the Supper Table, which ‘should’ be out shortly…
And last, the fourth has been accepted by a major publisher for an anthology that will be out in 2022, but I can’t announce who or the title yet, but this is the second sale to a major publisher!
One novel- Showdown on the River published earlier in the year. The one star review has no comment, and the two star review says- Author is a good story teller! This would make a wild movie. I assume that another book will tell what his uncle left in the barn.Â
Yes, there was a Magoffin in the story… FOR A REASON… geez… And this particular reviewer leaves mostly 1-2 star reviews. Sigh…
And one novella, A Rifle A Pistol and A Good Horse, published in September to fairly good reviews.
Over all of my stuff, I seem to be averaging between 4.6 and 4.8 on Amazon reviews and an average of half a point lower on Goodreads, and I’m perfectly happy with that. I KNOW you can’t/won’t please everyone with every short/novella/novel, so I do the best I can.
Most of the books have over a hundred reviews, and all of my stuff has at least fifty reviews, so I do get a little push from Amazon on the also read pages, which is greatly appreciated.
In answer to an emailed question, yes, I am strictly Amazon/Kindle for everything except The Grey Man- Vignettes. I did try to go wide with that one, and I think I sold 9 copies via B&N, which is why it isn’t in Kindle Unlimited and can never be.
I do appreciate the honest reviews, and those of you who have stuck by me for now seven years I’ve been publishing stuff. I’m now a Z list author, and can now afford a hamburger AND a coke in addition to a cup of coffee… đ
A lot like Christmas!
I know that many of you will be taking time off, so let me take this time to wish you and yours a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Â
Please take a moment to remember our service men and women serving far from home this yearâŚÂ
A SOLDIERâS CHRISTMAS
Michael Marks
The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light,
I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.
My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,
My daughter beside me, angelic in rest.
Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white,
Transforming the yard to a winter delight;
The sparkling lights in the tree, I believe,
Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.
My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep,
Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep
In perfect contentment, or so it would seem.
So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.
The sound wasnât loud, and it wasnât too near,
But I opened my eye when it tickled my ear.
Perhaps just a cough, I didnât quite know,
Then the sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.
My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,
And I crept to the door just to see who was near.
Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night,
A lone figure stood; his face weary and tight.
A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old
Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold.
Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,
Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child.
âWhat are you doing?â I asked without fear
âCome in this moment, itâs freezing out here!
Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve,
You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!â
For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,
Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts,
To the window that danced with a warm fireâs light
Then he sighed and he said, âItâs really all right,
Iâm out here by choice. Iâm here every nightâ
âItâs my duty to stand at the front of the line
That separates you from the darkest of times.
No one had to ask or beg or implore me,
Iâm proud to stand here like my fathers before me.
My Gramps died at âPearl on a day in December,â
Then he sighed, âThatâs a Christmas âGram always remembers.â
My dad stood his watch in the jungles of âNam
And now it is my turn and so, here I am.
Iâve not seen my own son in more than a while,
But my wife sends me pictures, heâs sure got her smile.
Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag,
The red white and blue⌠an American flag.
âI can live through the cold and the being alone,
Away from my family, my house and my home,
I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet,
I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat,
I can carry the weight of killing another
Or lay down my life with my sisters and brothers
Who stand at the front against any and all,
To insure for all time that this flag will not fall.â
âSo go back inside,â he said, âharbor no fright
Your family is waiting and Iâll be all right.â
âBut isnât there something I can do, at the least,
âGive you money,â I asked, âor prepare you a feast?
It seems all too little for all that youâve done,
For being away from your wife and your son.â
Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret,
âJust tell us you love us, and never forget
To fight for our rights back at home while weâre gone;
To stand your own watch, no matter how long.
For when we come home, either standing or dead,
To know you remember we fought and we bled
Is payment enough, and with that we will trust.
That we mattered to you as you mattered to us.â
+++++++++++
 LCDR Jeff Giles, SC, USN
The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light,
I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.
My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,
My daughter beside me, angelic in rest.
Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white,
Transforming the yard to a winter delight.
The sparkling lights in the tree I believe,
Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.
My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep,
Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep.
In perfect contentment, or so it would seem,
So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.
The sound wasn’t loud, and it wasn’t too near,
But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear.
Perhaps just a cough, I didn’t quite know, Then the
sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.
My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,
And I crept to the door just to see who was near.
Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night,
A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight.
A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old,
Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold.
Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,
Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child.
‘What are you doing?’ I asked without fear,
‘Come in this moment, it’s freezing out here!
Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve,
You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!’
For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,
Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts..
To the window that danced with a warm fire’s light
Then he sighed and he said ‘Its really all right,
I’m out here by choice. I’m here every night.’
‘It’s my duty to stand at the front of the line,
That separates you from the darkest of times.
No one had to ask or beg or implore me,
I’m proud to stand here like my fathers before me.
My Gramps died at ‘ Pearl on a day in December,’
Then he sighed, ‘That’s a Christmas ‘Gram always remembers.’
My dad stood his watch in the jungles of ‘ Nam ‘,
And now it is my turn and so, here I am.
I’ve not seen my own son in more than a while,
But my wife sends me pictures, he’s sure got her smile.
Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag,
The red, white, and blue… an American flag.
I can live through the cold and the being alone,
Away from my family, my house and my home.
I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet,
I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat.
I can carry the weight of killing another,
Or lay down my life with my sister and brother..
Who stand at the front against any and all,
To ensure for all time that this flag will not fall.’
‘Â So go back inside,’ he said, ‘harbor no fright,
Your family is waiting and I’ll be all right.’
‘But isn’t there something I can do, at the least,
‘Give you money,’ I asked, ‘or prepare you a feast?
It seems all too little for all that you’ve done,
For being away from your wife and your son.’
Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret,
‘Just tell us you love us, and never forget.
To fight for our rights back at home while we’re gone,
To stand your own watch, no matter how long.
For when we come home, either standing or dead,
To know you remember we fought and we bled.
Is payment enough, and with that we will trust,
That we mattered to you as you mattered to us.’
Have a tissue handy…
Chevrolet did a thing…
And this one…
I’ll just leave this here…
And since most folks will be spending time with the family, and it’s too late to send cards…
One definition of the word âconundrumâ is âsomething that is puzzling or confusing.â Here are six conundrums of socialism in the United States of America:
1. America is capitalist and greedy, yet half of the population is subsidized.
2. Half of the population is subsidized, yet they think they are victims.
3. They think they are victims, yet their representatives run the government.
4. Their representatives run the government, yet the poor keep getting poorer.
5. The poor keep getting poorer, yet they have things that people in other countries only dream about.
6. They have things that people in other countries only dream about, yet they want America to be more like those other countries.
These three, short sentences tell you a lot about the direction of our current government and cultural environment:
1. We are advised to NOT judge ALL Muslims by the actions of a few lunatics, but we are encouraged to judge ALL gun owners by the actions of a few lunatics.
Funny how that works. And here’s another one worth consideringâŚ
2. Seems we constantly hear about how Social Security is going to run out of money. But we never hear about welfare or food stamps running out of money! What’s interesting is the first group “worked for” their money, but the second didn’t.
Think about it, and last but not least:
3. Why are we cutting benefits for our veterans, no pay raises for our military and cutting our army to a level lower than before WWII, but we are not stopping the payments or benefits to illegal aliens.
Am I the only one missing something?