Poll
Question:
What are your travel plans?
Option 1: Stay put at home
votes: 8
Option 2: Staying within town
votes: 7
Option 3: Out of town day trip
votes: 6
Option 4: Out of town overnight trip
votes: 4
What are your plans for Christmas and New Years in 2024? Too bad polling isn't enabled here, otherwise there would be a poll for:
- Stay put at home
- Staying within town
- Out of town day trip
- Out of town overnight trip
Polling is enabled on this forum.
I won't be doing anything on Christmas or New Years, but I'll be taking a day trip to Hartford on the 26th just to see what's there, similar to my trip to Portland ME last June. It was initially planned for the 30th except that museums there seem to be closed on Mondays.
We're having my mother over for Christmas dinner and will spend New Year's Eve at home. Otherwise, TBD. I got an unexpected week off (Dec 24 thru and including Jan 1). We've thought about going snow tubing one day, but it'll depend on the weather, which isn't looking promising. I also have some things to fix around the house and I want to get to Arlington Crmetery to visit my father's columbarium niche while all the wreaths are still in place.
Besides work?
Son's here. Parents are coming on Christmas Eve. Headed out to visit daughter the weekend after Christmas.
So, mostly staying put. Took the week off.
Staying within 5 miles for Christmas but hoping for a road trip on New Year's Day.
I always prefer spending all of Christmas Day at home.
I'm heading up to Willits to ride the Skunk Train. I want to ride the train and my wife wants to see the Christmas tree accessible along the line.
Quote from: ZLoth on December 22, 2024, 08:49:47 AMWhat are your plans for Christmas and New Years in 2024? Too bad polling isn't enabled here, otherwise there would be a poll for:
- Stay put at home
- Staying within town
- Out of town day trip
- Out of town overnight trip
Darn, I was going to post this, but you beat me to it! :D
Staying put, simple as that.
Staying home on the holidays themselves, but traveling on the Saturday between them.
Too broke to go anywhere, even for a day trip, until the 30th. I have a cardiologist appointment on Jan. 3 so I'll be going 17 miles for that. Otherwise, staying pretty close to home.
Son and I are roadtripping to the Sugar Bowl.
Quote from: NWI_Irish96 on December 23, 2024, 12:41:36 PMSon and I are roadtripping to the Sugar Bowl.
Georgia or ND?
For me, I'm staying at home but I have family coming up to visit.
I'm planning to daytrip on Wednesday for some road sign photos. I'm guessing traffic will be light. After today, I'm off work until January 2nd and I'm planning to take another day for photos. My New Year's Eve ritual is to go out for a dayhike, get home as it's starting to get dark, and stay in for the night.
Just made it to Chicago for Christmas week; will be back in Seattle to celebrate the New Year with my daughter and her fiancé, who will be visiting from L.A.
Much different than I was planning in the best way possible - my wife & I were expecting our first in early January, but she wound up surprising us early just before Christmas. So instead of the usual holiday visits & dinners with extended family, we'll be hunkering down with our infant daughter for the rest of the year.
Unintended benefits of her early arrival is that I can use a little less PTO because of the paid holidays, and we can claim the dependent tax credit for 2024 now :-D
By myself sadly (family stuck in the snow in the Sierras). Any Chinese recommendations for Christmas Day on the SF Peninsula?
There's really not much to do around here.
There's usually a public party on Fountain Square for New Year's, but it isn't much. People mostly just dance around to Michael Jackson records and chew bubble gum.
The kids are coming in for Christmas -- Mass the night before, dinner on Christmas Day. I am mostly homebound for a while longer, recovering from hip replacement surgery earlier this month. Physical Therapy provides much of my excitement these days. New Year's Eve will be watching Fiesta Bowl (Penn State fan and graduate) -- New Year's Day still up in the air.
Will be staying local this year
Quote from: jmacswimmer on December 23, 2024, 02:53:51 PMMuch different than I was planning in the best way possible - my wife & I were expecting our first in early January, but she wound up surprising us early just before Christmas. So instead of the usual holiday visits & dinners with extended family, we'll be hunkering down with our infant daughter for the rest of the year.
Unintended benefits of her early arrival is that I can use a little less PTO because of the paid holidays, and we can claim the dependent tax credit for 2024 now :-D
Wow, congratulations! I've heard reading the MUTCD aloud is a great way to help an infant get to sleep. :-)
For us, our nieces are big into gashapon, blind boxes, crane games, etc. One of them sewed about 15 different felt toys (things like animals, gadgets, etc.) and her sister made the blind boxes they'll be hidden in. And: we bought a little crane game from Target so that'll also be part of the activities. Staying in town for a family/friends get-together on xmas and NYE.
My wife has to work, I don't know anyone else in town well enough that I'd be comfortable trying to get involved in their Christmas, and my family is two time zones away, so I'm probably going to just stay at home and eat a turkey sandwich or something. If I leave the apartment, it will just be to move some stuff to the new house.
Going out for New Years in Las Vegas sounds like something only an insane person would do.
After hearing Mass tomorrow morning, we will be going to my sister-in-law's home for a festive dinner.
Boxing Day, the twenty sixth, is the big day at my house. My son, from PA, and daughter, from FL, and their families will be here. We will all be exchanging our gifts then.
Also, sometime during the Twelve Days we will be travelling to Cambridge NY to visit friends. No firm date has been set yet for that journey.
Happy Christmas to all!
For Christmas, I have this week off and went to my parents in Omaha.
For New Year's, I have to work Dec. 29 and 30 night, then Jan. 1 and 2 night. This means I don't have anything planned yet for New Year's Eve, so unless someone from work invites me to their place, I will likely be home.
Quote from: Voyager on December 23, 2024, 02:54:25 PMBy myself sadly (family stuck in the snow in the Sierras). Any Chinese recommendations for Christmas Day on the SF Peninsula?
Hopefully not the Donner Pass...
For Christmas, my mother and I went up to Choctaw Casino Durant. I've also been cleaning up leaves around my home.
Today's my last day in Chicago, and we'll be leaving for Seattle in the morning.
Quote from: Hunty2022 on December 22, 2024, 12:00:16 PMStaying within 5 miles for Christmas but hoping for a road trip on New Year's Day.
Stuck to my word for Christmas, and I've actually planned a New Year's out-of-state road trip yesterday/today that will likely happen on 1/1.
Did nothing for Christmas other than open presents and have Christmas dinner.
New Years Eve, we'll probably stay in and play games.
New Years Day - we may head over to Philly and walk around, eat, drink and peoplewatch.
NYE looks like nothing.
NYD morning I'm working a youth hockey tournament.
Post Christmas head cold is putting a damper on our plans. We cancelled a nice dinner out tonight. A trip to visit friends on Monday may be cancelled as well.
Gonna be heading out for some local end of year railfanning on New Year's Eve.
Quote from: SEWIGuy on December 28, 2024, 03:36:35 PMPost Christmas head cold is putting a damper on our plans. We cancelled a nice dinner out tonight. A trip to visit friends on Monday may be cancelled as well.
So sorry to hear that. Better luck next year, as they say.
My daughter and her fiancé are coming up from L.A. this evening, so the family will be ringing in the New Year together in Seattle. Also, I'm FaceTiming my parents in Chicago and my brother in Denver when the big hour starts in their respective cities.
Quote from: Henry on December 30, 2024, 02:31:50 PMQuote from: SEWIGuy on December 28, 2024, 03:36:35 PMPost Christmas head cold is putting a damper on our plans. We cancelled a nice dinner out tonight. A trip to visit friends on Monday may be cancelled as well.
So sorry to hear that. Better luck next year, as they say.
My daughter and her fiancé are coming up from L.A. this evening, so the family will be ringing in the New Year together in Seattle. Also, I'm FaceTiming my parents in Chicago and my brother in Denver when the big hour starts in their respective cities.
Thank you. We cancelled our trip. Ah well...
Hope you enjoy the new year!
New Year's Eve partying was a big deal when I was in my 20s and 30s. As I got older I just decided it wasn't worth the trouble.
Phish plays a three-set show at Madison Square Garden on NYE every year. I'll have the live broadcast of that going. Pacific Time, it starts about 5 p.m. and ends around 10 p.m. At midnight I'm usually sawing logs.
Went out of town for Christmas. In town and working tomorrow. Won't be up at midnight likely.
Last Friday, I headed up north on US-75 to check out two places that I keep passing by. The first was Schulman's Movie Bowl Grille - Sherman (https://sherman.moviebowlgrille.com/) which I didn't go into. The second was North Rig Grill in Dennison, TX (https://northriggrillinc.com/) where I had a nice lunch.
A good chunk of my time was spent raking up leaves though which has been a challenge because of rain. Yesterday, the high was 80℉ which provided a grand opportunity to make a major dent if it weren't for the damn wind. Today, the forecast high is expected to be 24℉ colder.
Leaves... round one... collected before Christmas, and picked up last Friday. Most of these were from the side of my home.
(https://i.ibb.co/6gS3Nvq/PXL-20241226-134304503.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Fg1Snsd)
Leaves... round two... all collected yesterday, and picked up just now. I made sure the waste collectors got a pack of cookies.
(https://i.ibb.co/JvFsMzj/PXL-20241231-143610593.jpg) (https://ibb.co/48gV5jR)
Today, my mother and I went to the New York Hill Restaurant in Thurber, Texas (https://www.thurbernewyorkhill.com/). Left at noon, got back home at 6 PM.
Oof. Rockin' NYE is extra rough this year.
Quote from: Rothman on December 31, 2024, 11:20:36 PMOof. Rockin' NYE is extra rough this year.
We turned it on after the football game. 10 minutes later and it is off.
Happy new years everyone!
Ultimately went out with a work buddy to Diamond Jo Casino at the Northwood exit on I-35 just south of the Iowa-Minnesota border and came out ahead. OTOH, my work buddy does video poker and gets a royal flush.
Quote from: Hunty2022 on December 27, 2024, 05:03:42 PMlikely happen on 1/1.
So I have family coming over today instead, so the trip is pushed back a little (Least surprising scenario)
My brother lives in New Orleans. I'm glad to learn today that his plans last night did not include being out late in the French Quarter (he was down there early but was home well before both midnight and the horrific incident on Canal).
Quote from: NWI_Irish96 on December 23, 2024, 12:41:36 PMSon and I are roadtripping to the Sugar Bowl.
Unfortunately it sounds like that game will not be played tonight in the aftermath of the Bourbon Street tragedy.
https://www.nola.com/news/sugar-bowl-postponed-in-wake-of-suspected-new-orleans-terrorist-attack-sources-say/article_e3cab53e-c86c-11ef-b177-8fa1af6de1fa.html (https://www.nola.com/news/sugar-bowl-postponed-in-wake-of-suspected-new-orleans-terrorist-attack-sources-say/article_e3cab53e-c86c-11ef-b177-8fa1af6de1fa.html)
I hope you can extend that road trip.
I'm working on some maintenance items with three CCTV systems. I probably could do this on a regular day but I prefer to do the work while nobody is around. I'm cashing in the paid holiday on Friday instead.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on January 01, 2025, 02:03:50 PMI'm working on some maintenance items with three CCTV systems.
What is the camera resolution?
Quote from: ZLoth on January 01, 2025, 09:38:08 PMQuote from: Max Rockatansky on January 01, 2025, 02:03:50 PMI'm working on some maintenance items with three CCTV systems.
What is the camera resolution?
All over the place and completely dependent upon each camera. I'm running mostly IP based camera systems attached to mishmash of ancient analog and modern IP cameras. Some of the older box cameras are on direct run black and red wire instead of pigtail adapters.
Yesterday, instead of getting sick at the news coverage, I just drove around and listened to a James Bond audiobook.
Stayed home last week and work-from-home this week. Visited enough family throughout the year and extended family is going out of town.
Organized things with the kids: Display, Store, Donate, Discard, and Shred piles. Always ongoing process for the four of us between massive amounts of school supplies, unused toys/games, and my cluttered office.
Wound up playing Mario Party way too often this week and up through NYE since my son received a Nintendo Switch. Wife and I binge-watched Foundation with our free Apple TV trial.
Took daughter out for her birthday let her go shopping. She's off to college next year.
I need lazy weeks like this every so often.
Quote from: formulanone on January 02, 2025, 10:26:00 AM....
I need lazy weeks like this every so often.
I very much agree with that. Ultimately, we never got out to try snow tubing because the weather didn't cooperate. But I got various home maintenance done and cleaned up my home office. I had intended to do the latter on the afternoon of December 23 but got interrupted when my wife came upstairs to tell me the powder room toilet was leaking water all over the floor. Turned out the fill valve needed to be replaced. The trip to Home Depot to buy one took longer than removing the old one and installing the new one did. Too bad all home repairs can't be so simple.
Sleeping in 90 minutes later than usual every day for nine days was really nice.
Quote from: 1995hoo on January 02, 2025, 10:52:21 AMQuote from: formulanone on January 02, 2025, 10:26:00 AM....
I need lazy weeks like this every so often.
I very much agree with that. Ultimately, we never got out to try snow tubing because the weather didn't cooperate. But I got various home maintenance done and cleaned up my home office. I had intended to do the latter on the afternoon of December 23 but got interrupted when my wife came upstairs to tell me the powder room toilet was leaking water all over the floor. Turned out the fill valve needed to be replaced. The trip to Home Depot to buy one took longer than removing the old one and installing the new one did. Too bad all home repairs can't be so simple.
Sleeping in 90 minutes later than usual every day for nine days was really nice.
It may waste $10-15, but I just replace every part if I've doing toilet repairs with those All-in-One kits. Had to do enough of them over the last 25 years that I've acquired all the tools and know-how for that task, but I also don't like making multiple trips and spending 3-4 hours overall. I think the only time I've recently replaced a single part was for a handle which sheared off.
Quote from: formulanone on January 02, 2025, 11:20:26 AMQuote from: 1995hoo on January 02, 2025, 10:52:21 AMQuote from: formulanone on January 02, 2025, 10:26:00 AM....
I need lazy weeks like this every so often.
I very much agree with that. Ultimately, we never got out to try snow tubing because the weather didn't cooperate. But I got various home maintenance done and cleaned up my home office. I had intended to do the latter on the afternoon of December 23 but got interrupted when my wife came upstairs to tell me the powder room toilet was leaking water all over the floor. Turned out the fill valve needed to be replaced. The trip to Home Depot to buy one took longer than removing the old one and installing the new one did. Too bad all home repairs can't be so simple.
Sleeping in 90 minutes later than usual every day for nine days was really nice.
It may waste $10-15, but I just replace every part if I've doing toilet repairs with those All-in-One kits. Had to do enough of them over the last 25 years that I've acquired all the tools and know-how for that task, but I also don't like making multiple trips and spending 3-4 hours overall. I think the only time I've recently replaced a single part was for a handle which sheared off.
I don't generally bother with that because our Kohler toilets use the "Aquapiston" design, rather than a flapper, so the only thing that typically needs replacement, aside from the fill valve, is a gasket that goes around the bottom of the cylinder. Replacing that is maybe a five-minute job at most. It's much easier than replacing a flapper. The hardest part of the job is unhooking and reconnecting the chain that runs from the flush handle to the cylinder, and that's simply because I find it hard to handle such a small piece.
Quote from: gonealookin on January 01, 2025, 01:59:06 PMQuote from: NWI_Irish96 on December 23, 2024, 12:41:36 PMSon and I are roadtripping to the Sugar Bowl.
Unfortunately it sounds like that game will not be played tonight in the aftermath of the Bourbon Street tragedy.
https://www.nola.com/news/sugar-bowl-postponed-in-wake-of-suspected-new-orleans-terrorist-attack-sources-say/article_e3cab53e-c86c-11ef-b177-8fa1af6de1fa.html (https://www.nola.com/news/sugar-bowl-postponed-in-wake-of-suspected-new-orleans-terrorist-attack-sources-say/article_e3cab53e-c86c-11ef-b177-8fa1af6de1fa.html)
I hope you can extend that road trip.
More importantly, I hope he's safe and well.
Spent at least 4 hours driving on 5/9 days I had off. Was one of the more enjoyable Christmases I've had in quite some time because of it. The magic of Christmas day has lost some of its magic on me, maybe because I'm now an adult with a full time job but still don't have kids of my own to share it with. Nowadays Christmas is just 4 days cramped in a house with 10 people, all of whom over the age of 15. There's nothing to do indoors and my brother and I are the only people that ever go outside. Hard to spend time with people that sit on their tablet all day.
Quote from: ZLoth on December 31, 2024, 09:23:57 AMA good chunk of my time was spent raking up leaves though which has been a challenge because of rain. Yesterday, the high was 80℉ which provided a grand opportunity to make a major dent if it weren't for the damn wind.
I'm not sure why you bother. The wind on the Plains blows leaves to places they will naturally biodegrade. Natural part of the ecosystem.
Today's the last day off for me and my wife, as our daughter leaves for Los Angeles with her fiancé tomorrow.
Quote from: Scott5114 on January 03, 2025, 05:12:12 AMQuote from: ZLoth on December 31, 2024, 09:23:57 AMA good chunk of my time was spent raking up leaves though which has been a challenge because of rain. Yesterday, the high was 80℉ which provided a grand opportunity to make a major dent if it weren't for the damn wind.
I'm not sure why you bother. The wind on the Plains blows leaves to places they will naturally biodegrade. Natural part of the ecosystem.
Since I live in a suburban neighborhood, it feels like my home is a leaf magnet. Also, a good chunk of the leaves comes from a large tree that fell into an fenced-in side yard where the pool equipment is located, so it's a good idea to clean it up.