The Dax Files

The discarded tree lies on the ground beneath my deck. A sad sight indeed as the stray strands of soon to be faded tinsel twinkles in the faint porch light. It awaits my annual pilgrimage to the place where old Christmas trees go to die a slow painful rotting death. Along with the old tree, my children’s hopes and dreams of Santa gifts and other Christmas presents go with it.

Of course, the old husky skeleton of the once beautiful tree will become a new home for forest wildlife in the coming months. Soon the kudzu will swallow up and devour the tree with voracious appetite and insatiable encroachment.

School starts tomorrow for the kids. Finally the Holidays are over.

Just Damn!

I’ve always liked Stevie Wonder…This guy smokes!

Just Damn!

2008 is all over now…just a big mess to clean up.

Have a happy New Year everyone.

Just Damn!

Is gone…or is coming.

Here we are at the end of a very exciting year for me. Sure, I may have lost a shitty job, but that just leaves the opportunity to start a new career. That equals excitement. Then there was that earning a degree thing that I finished up this year. Again, that equals excitement.

Then there is the aspect of having more time to do more things and not working in the middle of the night. That equals excitement for the New Year. I’m looking for new and exciting things to happen for me in 2009.

A far cry from a few years ago when I had to move, change jobs, and fight a little lawsuit. Life is like that I guess…ups and downs. I think my life cycle is on an upswing. I hope yours is too.

Just Damn!

Spending a few days, more specifically holidays, with the family is always a treat, especially my father’s side of the family. Maybe it’s a mother thing, but being cautious with alcohol is not a trait among us Montana men. We always deplete my father’s liquor cabinet…Always.

So while Uncle Gene, my father’s younger brother, Dad, Brother Steve, My Sister-in-Law Stephanie, the lovely and talented Priscilla, and I sat around the pool in the evening time drinking, the old family stories began being told. These aren’t just ordinary family stories. These are the stories that have been told, re-told, embellished, and mellowed, especially after fifty or more years. I’ve heard them many, many times. These are the stories of experience that left an indelible mark on the teller’s psyche, branded into memory, building character or tearing them asunder. Of course, I have a few tales of my own. Funny what booze brings out in folks…family folks.

I have told a few stories of the adventures of my brother and me a few times on this Blog. However, my father and uncle have a couple of stories….
When my father was a sophomore in high school, his baseball team faced the Auburn University freshman team. Facing one of the new upstart starting pitchers for the university, my father batted 3 for 4 against the pitcher. Not an easy feat for any batter much less a sophomore against a college freshman. However, when my father got home to relate his amazing accomplishment to his father, my grandfather, all my grandfather said was, “What happened on that last at bat?”
My uncle tells one of his baseball stories as well. He was the leadoff hitter on his high school team. The team was basically made up of prep schoolers…the rich kids. In the city or county championship game, they were facing the kids from the other side of the tracks. The rough, tough, soon to be factory workers, steel workers etc kids were expected to spank my uncle’s team rather thoroughly. My uncle gets a leadoff single…the only hit of the game. After the game, my grandfather berated my uncle stating something to the effect of, “You should have inspired your team to do better, play better…”

Obviously, my grandfather was a stern man who drove his boys to achieve. Quite an influence to be sure…I only wish I could have known him.

Just Damn!

Well, we packed our shit up and got the hell out of dodge…Saturday. We hit a bit of holiday traffic south of Macon that lasted until just south of Atlanta. It was smooth drivin’ after that.

Sunday was spent in a decompression mode. No chores or cleaning or even cooking was done. I think the holidays left us all pretty wiped out.

Today we have spent most of the day sorting our stuff out. Shit in one sock so to speak. It’s time to get the Christmas decorations packed up and put into the attic. I have begun to get a list together of projects I need to complete…soon.

Just Damn!

It is 47 degrees back at the Case De La Montana. However, here in sunny Florida at the Casa Del Rio (Dad’s House) it is a balmy 78 degrees. I just made the kids get out of the friggin’ pool. They never thought they would be swimming on Christmas Eve.

Earlier today, we went on a marine tour of the Indian River. Capt. Dave sailed us through the inter-coastal waterway and then into some back water. We saw bottlenose dolphin, osprey, and even an American Bald Eagle. Damn! What a majestic bird. The marine biologist conducting the tour was very knowledgeable of the local marine life as well as the local history. I think the kids learned a little something.

Later tonight we will be attending a Christmas cocktail party. I like drinking. Of course tomorrow will be filled with the cheers of happy children as they open their presents and look in their stockings, followed by a huge Christmas dinner.

I believe that Friday we will be headed for the beach. The water should be too cold to swim in, however walking the beach with the surf crashing onto your feet is really the plan. Beachcombing is always cool. The children should love it.

I don’t have any plans after that…as it should be.

Just Damn!

The lovely and talented Priscilla is getting her bake on today. Actually all weekend long she has been busy mixing and measuring and baking and melting confections. The entire flurry of activity is aimed at filling gift baskets for grandparents. The children have been involved to varying degrees.

Adults are not allowed to exchange gifts this year, only the children. They have been making ornaments and cards too. Those baskets are pretty big. I get the luxury of supervising the kitchen and music.

In spite of the recent layoff, we have all been loaded up with Christmas cheer. The house is filled with Christmas music and the smells of Christmas goodies baking in the oven. After a week of sixty to seventy degree temperatures, the weather has busted into a frigid cold snap. We will be lucky to see temps reach thirty degrees today.

Tonight we will celebrate Christmas over at my mother’s house. She has prepared a fine meal and wrapped plenty of gifts for the children.

Tomorrow we pack up the truck and head off to Florida to celebrate Christmas with my Father and Brother. It should be a grand time had by all.

Just Damn!

…Off! Oh yes! George Bush and the gang can promise whatever dollars for the Auto Industry. It won’t help me, too little, too late. See, I made Auto Parts. I suffered through the American Axle Strike. I endured through early retirements and several “Voluntary” layoffs. It was because of my hard work ethic and professionalism that I wasn’t laid off before now. However, today’s events were inevitable.

Without any seniority, I knew that I was headed out the door. It was some of my colleagues with almost four years on the job that were surprised. I hate it for them. Hell, I hate it for me. Fortunately, I’ll get a check through the end of the year. Fortunately, I finished my degree. Fortunately, I have already been looking for a new job.

I have been working since I was fourteen years old. I have always had a job with just a few weeks in between gigs. I just went to the unemployment office and signed up for benefits. The sooner I get the process going the sooner I can collect. Hell! Maybe I can forget all my upbringing and work ethic and just lay around. It might be fun to do nothing.

Just Damn!