Merry Christmas

Spending Christmas at my parents' winter home, Dade City FL. Got here yesterday, will leave tomorrow. Had a nice Christmas dinner with the rest of the mobile home park residents up at the Rec Hall - just like at Thanksgiving - a big feast. This time there were actually a few women worth looking at! Of course, more people have moved in since Thanksgiving, and also there are family members visiting, so there were some younger women than last time.

My trip down here from Tallahassee was not bad. I rode Greyhound, and was on the same bus until the last 30 minute leg of the journey. There was supposed to be a one-hour layover waiting for that bus. It was two hours late arriving! And, get this - as the first bus neared the stop where I was to wait for the second bus, I began to recognize landmarks. After I finally reached my parents' place, I checked the map. The first bus came within 1.5 miles of the Dade City bus stop and doubled back to get to Brooksville. Granted, the approach to the Brooksville bus terminal (I use that term loosely; I'll post a picture of their sign in a day or so) is tricky, and you have to get to it by passing Brooksville and coming back But that first bus could have dropped me off at the Dade City line - we were actually within the Dade City limits at one point - and I could have walked to the Dade bus station before they were in Brooksville.

The Dade City bus station makes Brooksville look luxurious. At least Brooksville has a roof. Dade City's bus "terminal" is a sign and a bench. I am not making this up! And there is no pay phone to be seen. I walked about a mile and a half toward my folks' place before I found one. Just in time, too, because as soon as I hung up, it started pouring rain.

All in all, though, it's been a good holiday. I needed to get away and it's good to see the folks. Some of their old friends that I've known since I was an infant are here, and it's nice seeing them too. I got a laugh out of them when I commented that "I'm 40 now, so I'm' almost an adult," though I forget the context of the conversation.

Peace to you all for this holiday season, and for the year to come. I hope I'm not asking too much.