End of '06 Gratitude List:

[Greatwildbeast]

The end of 2006 is near. It has been a good year. The only 2006 we'll ever have again. This is my gratitude list. Is incomplete but will have to do for now.

Am glad my family is healthy, This includes:

My daughter in her second year or Pre Med at Cal. As fine a child as I could ever have.

My son who, like his dad and great grandfather before him, is playing first trumpet in his high school jazzband. As fine a child as I could ever have.

Their mom.

Their maternal Grandma. A holocaust survivor. Really. Escaped the Nazis and left Czech after the war to emigrate to Israel in 1948.

My sister and her two boys.

Am grateful for my musical associates who, although too numerous to mention have made great sacrifices in tolerating extreme high register trumpet work.

Grateful for the recent re-opening of my former business. Despite a Thanksgiving Holiday setback from a former employer (fired to make way for bosses son in law on eve of Thanksgiving). Oddly this was the nearly the best thing to happen all year as am making better money and happier now.

Grateful for this fine forum. A bit large perhaps for my style but that's OK. Always good to know there are plenty of Dremocrats out there.

A Coed from Scotland who actually returns at least half my e-mails. Charming lass at least thirty years my junior but still at least of legal age.

Applause please - - -

You're welcome...

Beyond that I need to thank my old dog Rickey the Border Collie for not only putting up with me but the young puppy Doberman/terrierwhatever mix Barney. An arrival from last May. He is a year old fellow now. Sweetest little guy you ever met.

And to thank my four cylinder car for behaving remarkably and reliably the whole year. That despite nearly 200K miles on it. A hand for "Sally the Izusu" please:

Applause - - -

Thank you very much.

Special thanks for the coed Music Major back EAST (name withheld) that claims I mentor her. In fact she's taught me more than she'll ever learn from me. She also has one heck of a set of jugs too (friggin HUGE and I LOVE just the concept even if I never see them) but we shouldn't discuss that here...

Last but not least: Special thanks to the ending of the wicked 109th Congress. Really nice to see ya!

Leave that is.

Especially: Tom DeLay, Bob Ney, Randy "Duke" Cunningham, Mark Foley, and the Jack Abramoff scandal. Don't slam the door on your way out. Will do that for ya myself. SEE YAH!!!

There's probably more to thank.

And:

An 'appy New Year to all as well!