Monday Morning friends report

Lots of friends have been having colds and coughs these days. I won't try to list their names, but you all know how this goes. The holidays make us merry and then they make us sick.

In this posting, I am again telling you news of the comings-and-goings, ideas and thoughts and fantasies of some of our friends, and also what they're sending me in emails.
Keep us informed!

(Usually, if you click on pictures, they will enlargen themselves)
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DIG S - sent a very nice Christmas letter to his friends. In it he included a discussion of his thinking about staying in Michigan. He also sent some examples of his photography, which he is taking up more seriously, once again. Here is one I thought was a beautiful use of form and color:



IRISH MIKE - sent a wonderful "picture from the past." Many of our BIRCHES readers will recognize one or more of the guys in this picture. Gold stars to anyone who can send the names of all of these athletes.



CHOPS - threw his annual holiday card party for 20 friends. It was a big hit. Our reporter on the scene says that no one was obviously drunk and disorderly although a couple of guys played cards like they were. Meanwhile, a large group of ladies gathered to eat out and go to a movie.

BILL FROM WNNCO - forwarded a collection of adult cartoons that he was sent. Here's one I thought wouldn't upset too many of you:



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Travel notes:
SCOT - sent this note of arrival in Australia:
"Just a quick note to let you know we're safe and sound. I'm sitting on a sofa, watching cricket in a breezy living room at Tony & Irene's place on an 80-degree day. The first two beers went down fine, and the next couple should, too. It's the second day of a 5-day international test match between Australia and India. The country comes to a halt, essentially."

I looked it up and found this headline, but I don't know if it applies to the whole five days. Waiting foir someone down under to tell us how it all came out:

Australia v India 1st Test Match- Aus Wins by 337 Runs

MARSHA - has come and gone from the north where she was visiting friends and family. Now she's back home in S. Carolina. She did the 14 hour drive alone and non-stop. And that included "torrential rains" through West Virginia. She was a big loser at cards, we hear. We hear she lost a ton of money to a friend.

ALICE - has reservations in hand for a trip to Florida in February.

PAM - and husband have been visiting in North Carolina.

 
FELIX - spent the Christmas holidays in Massachusetts. For an Indiana boy who's also used to wilderness hiking alone, this must be a horrible culture shock. We're hoping he hasn't been ruined by this brush with Eastern sophistication.

GENDER - will be heading to Florida soon to spend most of the remaining winter. 

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 STEVE - spent Christmas with his fiancé's family,. but he had time to send in a late entry for the picture of Santa squatting on the chimney.
"So you thought it was funny to put ex-lay in the cookies and milk didya?"

This might have been the winner if he'd gotten it in on time.
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Causes and Interests:
JERRY - passed along a contentious little essay that proposes society give urine tests to recipients of social security. The obvious inference to draw is that people who test positive for drugs or alcohol would not receive public benefits like social security.

EXCERPT: "Shouldn't one have to pass a urine test to get a welfare check because I have to pass one to earn it for them? Please understand, I have no problem with helping people get back on their feet. I do, on the other hand, have a problem with helping someone sitting on their ASS, doing drugs, while I work." 

This would make 'one hell of a' debate if we could get two well-versed people to discuss this in an open forum. I'd like to hear the opinions of some of our BIRCHES followers. Send me mail.

I tried to trace this e-mail to its source. I believe it began in October with the Black Hawk Iowa County Republican Party. You can read the short essay (a few paragraphs) here: CLICK
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Jerry also sent this link to an "I.Q." test which I thought was a lot of fun. Go ahead and try it, but you have to be quick, because the questions come and go quickly.
CLICK

BILL from WNNCO - sent this advertisement. I willingly accept that if he orders one of these guns, I could take the first 'bullet'. Not many people qualify more than I do, so just shoot me!


ALICE - sent an article about the discovery of an Aztec pyramid in Mexico City. We know that Alice has a fascination with Mexican and Indian cultures, so going to see the ancient Mexican ruins would be a priority on her travel list. CLICK

IRISH MIKE - is as Irish as they come when you're talking about beer and taverns. They are like Home Ground. Now he's made a new Irish pub discovery, Guinan's, -- and he hasn't even been there. It is a small community pub on the banks of the Hudson River and has been operating as an add-on to a little general store for 45 years. It became much more famous with the publication of "The Little Chapel On The River." CLICK

Mike says it is in danger of closing, so he's thinking maybe some of us guys should take a trip out there to New York just to be there before it does. Patronage might help extend its life! Here it is shown almost as a shed on the back of the store:
Read more: CLICK