I have added a link to the World Coin Blog page...

I was having a normal Friday in the celestial kingdom when my boss Michael called me to a meeting with Gabriel in the new John Paul room. "Lucifer," Gabriel said. "Things haven't been going well here in heaven. God lost a million souls last year, and we have to eliminate some jobs, and yours is one of them... I know this is hard, but when one door closes, another one opens. You will find a new an fulfilling position somewhere. You have many talents and skills which are sure to be useful somewhere..."

The storm came, dropped somewhat north of a foot of dense but "dry" snow, and departed. We are all dug out. Net connections were sporadic, but the lights and thus the heat stayed on and all the residents returned to a cleared parking lot.

A winter storm has the People's Republic of Massachusetts in it's gunsights. It's armed and dangeroups might will obliterate all in it's path. Run! Scream! Buy all the milk! Every time any snow is forecast, a significant proportion of the population descends on the local market and buys up all the bread and milk. I joined the throng and found that even the hamburg was gone. Ended up with ground bison...

When I was a callow youth, I was given a wonderful recording of Handel's Messiah, with the Philadelphia Orchestra and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. It was a revelation. The blending of a great orchestra and more than a hundred voices moved me. This however was not quite as impressive as the combined chorus of media after the Giffords shooting. All are pitch perfect blaming the actions of a dope-smoking, hope and change voting slacker on the evil Tea Party, Sarah Palin and the poltroons of Talk Radio. The only real surprise so far is that nobody has tried to blame it on Bush...

I have been happily listening to the music of the late American Composer Vittorio Giannini who died in New York City in 1968. He was what has been called a neo-romantic. This means his music can be appreciated without the dual benefits of a musicology degree and having a broom handle permanently embedded in your anus. I recently purchased a recording of his spectacular Piano Concerto and his more forboding Fourth Symphony, one of Naxos's most excellent American Classics series. If you like Rachmaninoff, you will certainly tolerate this. Thus I have provided a link to Amazon for you to check this out and perhaps buy one. (Kaching!) I'll make a few pennies and you will be much the richer for it. Don't give up too quickly on the Symphony, like Moxie, it is not good until the fifth serving...

Hold on to your wallets. Congress, which Twain called America's only native criminal class, is back in session. I hope they take a chainsaw to the steaming mountain of bullshit their forbears have created. Sadly, I fear they will not. They have been reading the Constitution, but I suspect a parrot has more understanding of what was read than some of the more experienced solons...

The joyride which is 2011 continues. On Monday, I visited an Orthopod in the the Port City. He has plans for me and my right knee. These plans also involve his bank account. If it works, I am back prowling the backcountry. If not, I will be fatter than Albert Arnold Gore... Allow me to illustrate.

I have an exceptional eldest grandchild. She no longer believes in Santa, which is a personal issue with me :). Her mother asked her if she still believed, and she said that she had not believed for a couple of years. My daughter asked her how she found out. Turns out she googled Santa Claus. Outstanding!

The end of 2010 is upon us all. I have aprehensions about the future. Not for my future, I shan't live long enough to reap the whirlwind but our children and their children will. Our leaders have failed us, and more importantly, by accepting them we have failed ourselves. It is time, as Sister Stanislaus told me many years ago, to "Fait Attention!"

Various of our Muslim friends, of that moeity known as Shia Islam are wont to flagellate themselves to commemorate the murder of the Prophet's grandson Ali. Their enthusiasm is notable, but there is an easier way to accomplish the task. Get a cat. I have several cats, two of which view me as a mobile heated scratching post. In a year's time, I probably get cut up more than the average pilgrim in a single festival. I lose plenty of blood, and it hurts like the dickens. And afterwards, the cat sits in my lap and purrs. Try that with your flail...

The post Christmas blizzard has come and gone. It covered basically bare ground with a foot or so of snow. If the stuff just sat there, it would be all right, but it moves around. Snowblow an area and drifts immediately begin to form. Meanwhile, the great money-sucking furnace in the basement bellows for oil and more oil at north of three bucks a gallon. Now, I realize that this is just weather and not in and by itself an indication of climate. Things may be getting warmer, but I doubt it. Some fools will believe right up to the day the glacier swallows their house...

Christmas is thankfully in the rear view mirror. Seven of Bertha's foul brood congregated at Anthony's. The food was first rate and the company just as good. I managed two and possibly three of the seven deadly sins and yes, my esophagus was up to the task. On the way home I drove by Dan Brown's house and so managed to add envy to the sin tally...

Yesterday, I celebrated the Christmas Season by giving myself the gift of endoscopy. The Rocket had a gander at the sorry state of my esophagus. A fine time was had by most...

Winter has bitten down hard on New England. It is bitter cold, and light snow falls in fits and starts. Last night's glorious commute was more than two hours longer than usual. People in Massachusetts are simply incapable of driving in inclement weather. This, despite the fact that velcro and digital watches free the brain space once used to tie shoes and tell time does not seem to help...

Some of you who have lived in America may remember the television series "Saint Elsewhere", which was set in the mythical Saint Eligius Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. As it turns out, while the hospital was made up the Saint is very real. Saint Eligius is the patron saint of those who make and collect coins. The image shown is the Saint in his workshop with his minions and cats. My workshop is similar, though I have no minions I have plenty of cats.

For my compatriots, I wish a happy Thanksgiving feast. May your friends and family join you in person and in spirit. And to all of you guys and gals laboring away in God's Sandbox, know that we are thinking of and praying for you...

Some new coins are trickling in. I have the new 2010 Panamanian 50 Centavos featuring the ruins of the Convent of the Sisters of the Conception.

The Sphynx are up to 5 kills as of November 3. I just got three nice 50 centimes from the Belgian Congo. I also just got assorted types from Belize and Cuba. Send your want list. Winter is a coming fast...

Things are creaking along back in Dover.  The leaves are turning.  My "real job" is keeping me oh so busy, and I haven't had much time to devote to bringing you new and interesting items of a numismatic nature.

The annual Wanderjahre to Katahdin proved difficult.  It resembled the Crucifiction in that it involved a bearded guy stumbling up the hill under a heavy weight and falling frequently.  I didn't make it past the new Chimney Pond bunkhouse, where I passed a couple of days bitching and moaning.

Now I am returned and will try to pay just a bit more attention to this all.

The Sphynx Murder Club's kill count is up to three unfortunate rodents.  It must be very embarassing for a mouse to be caught and killed by a buck naked cat...