Over my vacation I had a chance to talk with my brother in Colorado.  He’s the property manager of an estate there in Steamboat Springs.

He was moaning about how much snow had fallen there and how having to plow so often was getting in the way of their family’s Christmas celebrations.  I tried to cheer him up with memories of all the fun we used to have growing up on the mean streets on the south side Fort Wayne, IN.  Winter was filled with sledding, snow disc’s, snowmen and street hockey.  The first time I watched the movie “A Christmas Story” I was reminded of our winters.

We were both feeling better.  Then I decided he wasn’t the only one that had to work hard the week between Christmas and New Years.  I started in complaining about having to work on my vacation as well.  After all the lawn needed to get mowed before the New Year.

The dial tone was deafening . . . . . . . . . . . .