After a hearty Christmas dinner, we settled down to open our christmas presents…
Our daughter fetched the first package from under the tree. Dad, the package is wet
The christmas tree foot must have sprung a leak, because all the packages were soaked.
Luckily, it stood on a plastic reinforced rug, so the floor is ok.
I ran to the garasje, to fetch the handpump, to evacuate the remaining water inside the foot, while the others evacuated the presents.
Not exactly the stress I needed after stuffing myself with pork and ale…
One very important christmas gift was the one from my secret Mudspike santa. It had survived on top of some other packages!
Same here … wife has been in bed most of today and yesterday, coughing her head off … eldest daughter has also now started with the hot and cold shivers, coughing … middle daughter (who is living wiht her boyfriend) is also down with it … just leaves me and the little daughter ok. Although i was a bit rough earlier in the week and now have a residual cough … a fun Christmas ahead
Cheers Friends,I hope All of you and your family who are not feeling very well get better quickly and are able to enjoy the holiday.
I’m in my “Man Cave “ awaiting guests…My Daughter keeps sneaking me down piping hot appetizers so I don’t indulge too much in my Bourbon
We are in Chicago as we do every other year, visiting with my wife’s sister, her family, and mum. Being flu season and post lockdown, I was a little stressed about being strapped inside an aluminum tube, AKA full United A320, with the rest of steerage class. But the world, or our little corner of it, is apparently back to normal. At O’hare, not a mask to be seen, other than the flight attendants and one pax in baggage claim who had face shield and mask. Does he know something we didn’t. ZA nigh?
Now on Christmas Eve, I’m sitting by the sumptuous fire that my brother-in-law created in an inspired moment to impress our mutual mother-in-law. He’s done well.
The kids are playing a Switch game on the big screen, laughing and occasionally screeching, which normally causes me to cringe. But my senses are dulled by an eggnog and Meyer’s dark, while an old black Lab sleeps at my feet. An afternoon of sledding has worn both he and I out.
My gaming rig is a time zone away and that’s probably a good thing, or I’d e making excuses to sneak away for some quick stick time.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all of you guys. 2022 definitely had its highs and lows, but having a place to put up your feet and have a civilized chat with mostly like-minded individuals is something to be thankful for.
Hoping for peace in Ukraine soon. They have suffered quite enough.
I am having a very Merry Christmas, probably a bit too merry for this time of day (but my brother did gift me with a rather nice single malt this year), so before I say something that I might regret, but forget saying…
Merry Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanza/Festivus/Saturnalia/Solstice (apologies if I have left anyone out?) to you all.
Speaking of sprung leaks (and of United), Newark tower shut down just as we were about to push for Munich yesterday. The cause, apparently, was a broken water main. Conditions were miserable: -12°C and plenty of wind. I looked at the other two guys and said, “We’re cancelling for sure.”
Have some faith in Uncle Sam, Eric!
All 12 controllers and staff relocated to the massive United Airlines ramp tower and quickly set up shop. Meanwhile, planes landed on their own with just a TRACON handoff and “clear of runway” call. Ramp tower begged all of us who were willing to push clear of our gates so that the new arrivals could park. We did, but I still figured this was only delaying my drive back home. Don’t get me wrong. I love Munich and am always mission oriented. But when you deal with aviation for as long as I have, doubt rules.
In less than an hour after the tower flooded we were number three for takeoff. There were comms issues. Planes had to relay for each other and for tower. Tower had no radar feed, a fact they clearly loathed, but they made do. It was a bit of a Christmas miracle made possible by the adaptability of what I am now more certain than ever are the best controllers in the world.
I am sure this must be practiced protocol but even so, all it took would have been one controller to balk over safety concerns and the Christmas plans of thousands would have been inconvenienced or worse.
a fun Christmas ahead
