Does anyone know........

that today is Columbus Day?

Nobody has the day off (expect employees of the Federal Government including the post office), the stock market is open, and the banks and schools aren't even closed. We keep adding federal holidays. Do we ever take any off the plate?

This will offend my Italian and Spanish readers, but, should we really be celebrating the fact that some European guy "discovered" a place where people have lived for hundreds of years. All he "discovered" is that someone got there before him.

Leif Ericsson and the Vikings made it to North America nearly 500 years before Columbus. And, we can remember human beings were in the Americas over 13,000 years before Columbus.

Columbus never landed in the present-day United States other than Puerto Rico. He sailed around in the Caribbean and on the coast of Central and South America some, but he never visited the contiguous 48 states.

At any rate, I have the day off. In fact, this is a 4 day holiday for us. Friday was a bust as I worked most of it. Due to operational commitments and GO/FO support requirements (GO/FO is pronounced "go-foe" which is short for General Officer/Flag Officer. Flag Officer is like a General Officer but it is the term used in the US Navy and US Coast Guard (didn't want to diss my friend Tim O by leaving that out).

I don't have any commitments today other then dinner with these two visiting Rear Admirals (Lower Half) later on today. No big deal as I had no plans otherwise. I have 10 days until my replacement show up and then 10 days of turnover. After that, it is back to the US.

Honestly, I am a little worn out of doing/seeing things without my wife so it is just as well that the last two long weekends have included work related requirements. At this point, I am just keeping my head down and charging ahead towards the finish line.

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It is cool and rainy here as it has been for the last couple of weeks and summer have given way to fall. I have included a few snapshots I took over the last few weeks. Stuttgart is in a valley and the shots I took are of the city from an elevated position. Stuttgart has a number of wineries and you can see the vineyards on the hillside. Also included is a snapshot of some of the very tasty beer I have been drinking.

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Remember, you can double click on the pictures for an expanded photo.

Hope all is well with everyone and I will be back in the states soon!

Michael