Friday, December 24, 2021

A Klem Family Christmas Eve, circa 2012


When the kids were young we often took video and audio recordings at Christmas to document the excitement. The attached is from 2012, an annual listen on Christmas Eve at dinner time. [The boy] was 11 years old at the time and [my daughter] was 8. It's ridiculous and silly . . . and this audio file is truly one of my favorite things ranking all the way up there with dogs, pizza pies and pancakes. I look forward to it every year and, for the first time ever, it is shared here for your amusement.


[https://www.spreaker.com/user/15886508/christmas-eve-2012]



Merry Christmas from Team Klem!





Saturday, December 11, 2021

Klem's Goals for 2022

It's important to have a game plan to help a guy stay on course. Well, here's my plan for the new year.



[1] Get a new garage door opener installed. We've been horsing around with our current one, operable periods book-ended steeply with inoperability requiring manual open and close. Enough.


[2] Read War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy [1,225 pages]. This tome has been on my to-do list for too long. I suppose if I write it down I'll finally get it tackled. So, here we go.


While I'm at it, also read Great Expectations by Charles Dickens [568 pages] to put that to rest, too.


[3] Complete the enumeration of my ‘101 Rules to Live By.’ Values and goals I propose for leading a good life.


[4] Get my high-end sports cards professionally graded.


[5] Paint the rear gate.


[6] Have my knees perused by a professional. This is an extension from my 2021 Goals because we zeroed out our Flexible Medical Reimbursement account before I got to this. [Well, at least that's my excuse.] Anyway, these things, both knees, have been the source of mild unpleasantness for two decades. With an eyeball looking toward the future quality of life, this is the year I seek a professional’s assessment. Can they be improved or is this it?


[7] Start Two Guys comic. This will be an online comic with two cartoons posted monthly. The attempted humor will take place here: [https://twoguyscomic.blogspot.com].


[8] Bake a ham.


Wednesday, December 1, 2021

The COVID Chronicle, November 2021


November 1 [Monday]

[My daughter] became a licensed driver! She's a senior in high school and passed her behind-the-wheel driving test, her second attempt. No Covid note, just documenting a significant event. Bummer about the forthcoming increase in Auto insurance premium, but a big deal for the budding independence of this wildcat.


November 7 [Sunday]

A visit to IHOP this morning to retrieve pancake combos for pickup. International House of Pancakes requires a mask for entrance, naturally. I didn't recall if I had one or not, I didn't remember stuffing a mask into my pocket. But in my time of need there it was, stuffed into my front left pocket because that's where I place the thing upon exiting home. A rote victory. Then onward to my pal Emmett's for delivery and consumption. We ate indoors like civilized humans because we are all vaccinated. I'd visited a few times last year and we dined outdoors on the patio. We were then at the height of Covid concern.


November 9 [Tuesday]

Covid is receiving plenty of notoriety this football season. There are Covid protocols and a bunch of players are missing games. Players are tested weekly and if diagnosed as positive then they are put on the injured list and miss a game. A Covid-positive is cleared after two negative tests in successive days, the players may then return to action. My Browns will miss two running backs this coming Sunday due to Covid. I sure hope their back-up remains clean.


November 12 [Friday]

[Wife Klem] got her booster vaccine shot, Pfizer! A minor side-effect of drowsiness induced a brief afternoon nap.


November 13 [Saturday]

I got my vaccine booster shot this morning, Pfizer. I was jealous of [Wife Klem's] afternoon nap yesterday, so I did the same to assuage a beachhead of drowsiness.


November 17 [Wednesday]

My employer [in the category of 100+ employees] advised that all employees must be either vaccinated or test weekly for Covid. This action plan is intended to be compliant with the federal OSHA [Occupational Safety and Health Administration] Nov. 5 mandate applicable to employers of 100+.


November 18 [Thursday]

There must have been some kind of internal challenge to my employer's Covid vaccine / testing mandate. Federal requirement or not, the employee requirement is being put on hold in the name of respecting individuals' privacy. No additional details provided.


November 20 [Saturday]

Covid social hour. [The boy] and I walked to the pharmacy down the street and he got his booster shot. Pfizer. Then we saw a few friends, parents we knew from the grade school years, Team Piras. The mom got in line for her booster. We said hello then talked of footballs and our sons with the dad.


November 21 [Sunday]

Dad's cousin passed away a year ago during Covid, though not because of Covid. A funeral service was disallowed during Shelter In Place, so a year afterward, this weekend, the memorial service took place. I drove Mom, Dad and Uncle Joe. A nice get together.


November 25 [Thursday]

Happy Thanksgiving! Mom says it's her last one. I think she means that it's the last one she's cooking, not that she's expecting to sign off in the next year. In the past we've occasionally ordered out for Thanksgiving, or was that Mothers Day, and will seek to do that for future feasting holidays. Of course, when Mom hears that we're going to order out at future family dinners, she'll probably feel guilty and bake a ham.