So Long, CI

I attended the official lighting ceremony for the Glowing Tree in Bloomington earlier this month. I was worried that the new version of the lighted oak wouldn't live up to years past, but it did. It's every bit as beautiful as it ever was, and likely even better. I spoke with one of the workers and one of the owners of the home where the tree resides. They said it took 40,000 lights and 160 man-hours to string the lights. I've included a video of the tree's lighting at the end of this post. 

If you're in the Minneapolis metro area, you can find the tree less than a mile southwest of the Mall of America, just west of Cedar Ave. Here's a link.

Our 17-year-old furnace began acting up when we turned it on last month. It was an ignition issue. The tech who came out to service it said the manufacturer no longer made parts for our Ruud furnace and that it would need to be replaced. Thankfully, the tech was able to get it working again, but cautioned us that it was a temporary fix and not to expect it to hold up for long. We opted to replace both the furnace and air conditioner, but instead of an air conditioner, we chose a heat pump. The heat pump does dual duty as both an air conditioner and a heater. It does the work of our furnace down to 20°F (-6.6°C), after which the furnace takes over. Heat pumps are gaining in popularity here in the Midwest, driven by technological advancements that allow them to operate in extreme cold and by their energy savings. Our new furnace is a Bryant. We used Streitz Heating and Cooling in Dundas and are very pleased with the work they did for us. 

It's been a dozen years since I last hung outdoor Christmas lights, and about five years since we decorated the inside of our home for Christmas and sent out Christmas cards. We haven't become anti-Christmas, but at some point, with just the two of us here, we decided to pull back on immersing ourselves in the tradition. Our lives are easier for it, but with Cliff and a baby brother on the way, we plan to add limited holiday decor to our home again when they're old enough to enjoy it. We had tossed out our artificial tree a couple of years ago, as it had seen better days. A spur-of-the-moment decision led us to purchase a replacement tree a couple of weeks ago. We like it. It's nearly the only Christmas decor in our home. 

Tammy and I made a quick trip up to Duluth last Tuesday to take in the Bentleyville USA light display made possible by Nathan Bentley and his crew of (they say) more than a thousand volunteers. The light display originated at his home in Esko, about 10 miles west of Duluth, in the early 2000s. Its popularity led to traffic congestion, so it was moved to Bayfront Park in 2009. It's quite the sprawling display of lights! Here's an Instagram post I made about the light display.

It's no secret that I love the city of Duluth and the North Shore. I wasn't sure if I'd have time to put in some walking miles along the Lakewalk while we were in town so briefly, but I was able to—twice! I can't get enough of the walk along the lake. For me, there's something about having that large body of water to look out over that I find calming and beautiful. 

Trump announced this week that the White House will host the “Patriot Games,” a competition with young athletes from across the country, as part of the celebration of the United States’ 250th anniversary next year. Tammy had a better idea. She suggested a reality show in which uber-wealthy people would compete with regular people to eke out a living. Contestants would be given a meager amount of money to start with, but then they would be on their own to provide for themselves. Without their network of friends, they would have to fund their schooling and living expenses, such as transportation, healthcare, childcare, etc., with no family or friends to rely on. They would be placed in the shoes of so many who are struggling to keep up. It's a thought-provoking scenario. Sure, some would do exceedingly well, but many others without the benefit of old family money and connections would likely struggle. Our world today is much different than the one I came of age in and ventured out into. 

My fellow air traffic controllers and I lost a friend this past week. Dave Celski, aka CI (his operating initials at work), passed away due to heart failure. We enjoyed many rounds of golf together and chats at work. Dave and I had a falling out a few years ago over politics. Sad face. We parted ways and went on with our lives. About six weeks ago, I had him on my mind and decided to text him to see how he was. We immediately resumed our friendship as if there had never been an interruption. He told me of some heart-related issues he was having, resulting in his heart only functioning at 20% efficiency. But he didn't dwell on that. We chatted about our grandkids and our lives. It was so nice to hear from him again. We talked about getting together soon in person to hang out. Sadly, I figured we may never get the chance to. 

So long, friend. You were a good guy, and I've missed you. 

Happy holidays!

That's all I've got. 

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