Natale allegro

Merry Christmas everybody. We have a white Christmas here in Colorado, it is snowing! It isn't a heavy snow but just enough to cover the ground. Sorry I haven't been keeping up but it has been hectic here at the casa. I have been working in Denver (yup back at my old job site in Aurora with Raytheon) during the week and coming home home on weekends. My company was on the down select for the next generation GPS so we are hard at work getting ready for the final selection in 18 months. It is a huge contract for our little company. I make the drive up on Monday mornings and come home on Fridays (the company got a 3 bedroom apartment a few miles from Raytheon so the Colorado Springs people wouldn't have to drive that much). I am currently writing systems requirements for the project. I was promoted up to Systems Engineering from the test group and I'm also doing Business development work so it keeps me pretty busy. Lisa is working at the north hospital still and doing the craft things she always does. She made many of the gifts we sent out this year.

We had Christmas eve dinner at Mike and Rene's house last night and today it is just Lisa and I for Christmas. Last night was fun and our nephew Zach had the time of his life. He got lots of loot but had the most fun with his "Duck Man" out fit. It is one of the towels you can wrap up kids after their bath but Zach decided he needed to fight off the "scary things" with it. He had a blast!

Lisa got some very nice dishes from her Mom and Dad and I got a really cool plate and mug from Mom and Dad also. They have pheasants on them and the mug has a very nice poem on it. They are rather old (made in the 50's I believe in England) and will go on the shelf next to my Gamble's Quail. I am slowly doing the downstairs in a classic hunting lodge motif.

We got some good snow the other day so I was finally able to get out the snow blower I bought from Bob and Susan and use it. Wow that thing can throw snow all the way to Denver! Once I discovered that the cable to engage the blower portion needed to be tightened it made short work of the driveway. Now don't get me wrong I still miss my 17 year old neighbor who would clear the driveway for me but I did have fun using it and if I get enough snow this morning I will be out there again.

We also had friends and family up for a Holiday Day get together and had a wonderful time visiting with friends, many I haven't seen in a while. I got to spend time with my "other girl" Lilly and we spent much time looking over the tree. She loved the lights. It is always nice to have good friends and good food because it makes it a good day. But then isn't that what the holiday is really about? It isn't about getting presents or anything like that, it is about spending time with family and friends and laughter and good cheer. Great now I'm sounding like a Dickens novel! LoL!

Well Lisa is awake now and speaking of gifts it is time we open our gifts to each other. We went small this year since our gift was the trip to Italy this year. I will be smoking a prime rib today for our Christmas dinner so I will need to get the smoker ready. I think I will use up the maple wood to smoke the prime rib today. I also have some oak if I need it. We are also have baked potatoes topped with sour cream and a really good English cheese plus a few bottles of really good red wine. I'll be heading back to the gym on Wed morning to start working off the holiday season.

Well time to go. Merry Christmas everybody and Lisa and I want to wish all of our friends and family the best of health and prosperity in the coming New Year.