Mama snowman was cutting a carrot for a soup for the family dinner. Soon her husband came up to her and guess what he said? "Honey! Have you seen my nose?"

Yes, it is Wednesday already, January 4, 2012, and this new year seems to be zipping on along. Time not only flies when you are having fun but according to some out on the web, it also flies when: "You are alive." ~ "You are tweeting." ~ "You are getting old." ~ "You are cross-stitching." (Yikes!) ~ "You are a mom." ~ "You are wasting it on Facebook." ~ "You are working like a dog." ~ "You are running out of it." ~ "You are analyzing it." ~ "You are not paying attention." ~ "You are losing your mind" ~ "You don't know what you are doing." ~ The 'yikes' was added as a personal comment. It was not a part of the person's thoughts. I just couldn't get there about the cross-stitching. We have tried to stay positive as we enter into this unplowed ground of 2012 but some of the forecasters have had some pretty tough thoughts about what we might expect. Here's what one financial analyst from Reuters had to say: "With a spiraling debt crisis in Europe, political upheaval around the world, and crumbling creditworthiness in major industrial nations, 2011 was a tough year to know where to invest. 2012 is unlikely to offer much respite." Ouch! What are we to do when there is so much gloom and doom out there? The only thing I know is that we must look up to the One and Only God from whom all blessings flow. The song says it best: "He will make a way When there seems to be no way." Amen. 

Today we mark the retirement of one of our long term workers, Roy, or as we like to call him, 'Ol Roy', you know, like in the famous dog food. Roy is not only a gifted craftsman in the field of sheet metal fabrication, he also plays the role of the world's crankiest old man each day that he comes to work. We are not a comedy team but he likes to do his best every single day to make me the punch line in all of his moaning, groaning, and complaining. He has spent over 50 years specializing in metal fabrication. I've been privileged to work with Roy for over five years now. Those who have known him the longest say he only picks on those he really likes. All I can say is that I must be his long lost brother because I get it everyday, both barrels, and it has become part of the fabric of our working environment. Deep down inside Roy has an undercurrent of caring and compassion. God has been good to allow me to work with fellows like Roy. He carries with him wisdom and experience that our younger generations will likely never master because we've figured out ways for them not to have to. I forgot to mention one thing. I'm not completely without an ability to respond to Roy's barbs and we both have enjoyed our friendly squabbling each day. I will miss him and I pray that God will help he and his wife to enjoy the remainder of their time here in this life. Go with God old friend.

No thank you. We will not be auditioning for someone to come in each day just to aggravate me in Roy's place. Given his dedication to that endeavor, it would be very difficult to find anyone who could. I now move up one more notch in the eldership category here at the Company. There are only a few of us older dudes and I still have our dear Bro. Jim working part time with us each week. He and I also have a neat relationship but it certainly is not based on flinging barbs forth and back. Our owner has always supported what he knows is a skill set found in these older workers that is hard to find in today's workforce. I applaud him for doing this, especially since I am now called an older worker myself. Part of the fun comes because I am not what they are. They live and breathe sheet metal design, layouts and building, and all the other activities involved. I deal with administration, customer service, computing, internet, sales and marketing, website design, procedures, manuals, newsletters, and all of those types of things that they find both foreign and maybe even a little frightening at times, and yes, perhaps even, as they see it, unnecessary. This contrast in duties and responsibilities is what often presents the basis for us to poke fun. And, I would not want to work in a place where laughter is not a part of the fabric. Some do. I suppose I've not had to do that because when all else fails, I always have myself as a primary source. And, let me tell you that as I grow older I do some pretty amusing things, many of them, not on purpose, if you know what I mean. Have a great Wednesday and may God bless one and all.  Amen.    ....More later.