Carl Crossman

I’m hoping that I will be getting some cash and possibly some gift cards as gifts in the next week or so, I really could use some new snow tires. I had forgotten that last year when I took my current snow tires off that they were looking pretty worn out and I had made a mental note to line up some replacements as soon as possible), so much for mental notes. Winter is here and snow is on it’s way and here I sit with some pretty crappy excuses of some old snow tires that are so totally unfit to even attempt to put on the car at this point in time.

I have gone online and found a good deal on a set from FireStone and only need another $150 and I can run down to their store and have some nice quality snow tires put on and put this issue to rest. When it snows around here people go crazy and cars are all over the road, a real nightmare at times.

I have done a good amount of my Christmas shopping at home in the evening in front of the television set and am so glad that I did it that way, I have not had to go to the local Mall not even once, and look Christmas is now less than one week ago and I’m Mall-free!

I have to tell you that I have been really happy with the speed in which my orders have been processed and shipped, so far it has all been a good experience and I only have two more items left that should be arriving in the next two days or so, it’s all good.

One of my many nieces was playing in her school’s Winter Band Concert this late afternoon, so I skipped work to go see her play. It is her first year in middle school and her first year in Band. She is enjoying learning the flute and did a marvelous job today. We managed to gather up nine immediate family members to attend, in order to show our support to this lovely young lady that has had a lot on her plate these past few years and is blossoming quite nicely.

She has some serious allergy issues and other medical problems that has made attending school and real challenge. She does manage to pull in all A’s & B’s even though she misses at least one day a week and many times even more, her teachers are asking what she would be able to do if she had less of an attendance issue.

She is pretty, tall, slim, very shy, well mannered and we all hope that she goes far in life, she wants to become a Marine Biologist so that she can be a dolphin trainer, something that she has dreamed of all of her life. I for one think that she has a chance, she just needs to get out of middle school and it will take off from there.

One thing that I always look forward to is our Monday evening basketball game that has been a tradition for as long as I can remember. Coming from a family with so many boys (all taller than average height) it seemed natural for our father to bring the sport of basketball to our back driveway and good things happened from there.

Actually I believe it was a Christmas present from way back before I was ever born, that thing is as old as dirt, but it still standing proud and tall (the net missing for decades) in my parents drive way and we still use it when ever there is two of more of us back at home at the folks place, for what ever reason. Our sisters even became good at this wonderful sport that has played such an important role in my immediate family’s life, health and history. Oh the stories that are shared around the family table during holiday gatherings and photos all lined up on the fire mantle and the entire hallway, filled with so many pictures taken with basketballs in hand and hoops in the background.

I am right in the middle of my 5 brothers and I have to say that I am ever so grateful for having each and every one of them in my life, it played havoc during my childhood having so many brothers in the house, but as the years pass we have certainly become closer and we now appreciate each other on a much more mature level then “back in the day”

The eldest of the pack is now reaching the age of 50 and has found himself having to visit his doctor(s) more and more due to all of the testing that is now recommended when you reach that milestone in life and hit the big five 0. During his latest visit his doctor informed him with the straightest fact (so my brother tells us) that it was perfectly normal to have to pee a lot more than usual and not to trust his farts!

With that thought in mind, he was then told that he was experiencing the onset of Male Menopause, which of course threw my Big Brother for a complete loop (this obviously threatened his masculinity) and he demanded an explanation immediately, in which the doctor spoke briefly about this situation, handed him several brochures and pamphlets in order to read up on the little know health issue that is affecting a good amount of men out there that don’t even know such a thing exists.

More information is needed on my part and I intend on doing my own research on the subject online and prepare myself for something that is sure to be heading my way, if it is anything at all that is hereditary, my day will soon be here before I know it. I would like to know before hand, I hate surprises and I’m grateful for the Internet for all the information that I’m sure it will be supplying about this curious health concern.