Look forward to a good sweat with my Suomi brethren after some Sisu movie-like exercise! Hyvää uutta vuotta!

Grant, I only ask as I live in japan for half the year and sometimes bring back bokutos (bokken).

Somewhat related..........are there any kendo people in the Valley?

If Tiago and Russ ever go on vacation at the same time the Valley will be in a world of hurt.

Winthrop - Winthropian.
Twisp - Twisper.
Carlton - Semi-Twisper
Mazama - Mazaman/Mazawoman
Lost River - Defendant

Oh yeah, Leland the Lonely. Like a lot of us out in Lost River he hungered for human contact so he went walkabout until someone down valley told him the Mazama Pub had opened and he came back.

I've watched plenty at the Mazama Pub but first you have to find someone there, staff or stiff, who can figure out what channel it is on. Not exactly the formerly great Jack's Hut at the Freestone but quite a pleasant place to watch a game. Good selection of vitamin B, too.

Definitely not the reason flags are at half. Although I'd say he better deserved it given his celebration, through his work, of the human condition in general and American in particular. The Candidate, Jeremiah Johnson, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (Who ARE those guys?!) and my personal favour...

Out in the savage wilderness of Lost River we noticed a marked decrease in the number of hummers this year. Guess that wall on the Mexican border is pretty effective.

Three years ago, fires. Two years ago, bears. Last year, yellowjackets. This year, flies. Six more plagues to go.