Working on Christmas

For John, BLUF:  Sometimes thanks is in order.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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This afternoon and evening Martha played for three different Masses (4:00, 6:00 and 9:00).  Not enough time to prepare a proper meal, and I don't cook, so we went to the Longhorn after the Six.

Next to us in a set of long tables were two dozen rough and ready men, dressed for outside work.  We asked and instead of being linemen heading home from Maine they were linemen heading up there to restore power on Christmas day.  Sure enough, the were over a dozen pieces of equipment outside in the Longhorn Parking lot.

We live a pretty pleasant life because some are willing to go out and work on Christmas, not just linemen, but police and fire and doctors and nurses and others who keep things going 24/7.  It is something to appreciate on a Christmas morning in a warm living room.

And there are our Armed Forces, including the 150 Marines heading for South Sudan to be ready to restore order and prevent genocide.  And the Service members in Korea and in isolated locations in Alaska and in Iceland and across Europe to Turkey.  And in the Persian Gulf and up in Afghanistan and down in the Philippines.  People away from home, stationed on Guam, where America's Day Begins.

A lot of people contribute to us having a Merry Christmas.♠

Regards  —  Cliff

♠  Or just a nice Federal Holiday, if you don't buy the whole virgin birth story.