2016 Ends

After the Christmas holiday, it was back to work Monday morning (26 December). The week as a whole was rather quiet compared to most weeks, primarily due to the Holidays and with customers wanting to keep their vehicles longer during this time. Things went well for us at the branch, and we stayed on top of things. So much, in fact, that I was released from work about 35 minutes early last night. Not that I was complaining.

Off work on Thursday, I took care of my laundry, and had some shopping done.

Late this morning, I drove to the Church of the Immacolata (http://www.immacolata.org/) in Richmond Heights to watch final day action in the Mary McDermott 3rd Grade Basketball Tournament (http://www.glennon.org/mary-mcdermott-basketball/). I caught one full game and parts of two others in this 8th annual tournament, whose proceeds benefit SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital. I bought my lunch from their concession stand, and I looked at the sports memorabilia offered up in the silent auction. (I passed up on the latter; this was too rich for my blood, unfortunately.) At the tournament, I saw my friend Bill McDermott, Mary's father, who acted as public address announcer and as a guiding light for this event. (Mary McDermott died at age 24 in December of 2004; a new Hybrid Cardiac Catheterization Suite at Cardinal Glennon is being named for her.) I was very happy to help in at least a small way in this most worthy cause.

Home that afternoon, I turned on the TV and watched the NHL Winter Classic Alumni Game between the St. Louis Blues and the Chicago Black Hawks at Busch Stadium. It was neat to see all those legends from those teams playing at least one more time, and before a packed crowd. The Winter Classic is Monday afternoon at Busch. I just hope the weather isn't too bad; there's a strong chance of showers that day. (I'll be at work that day, but I'll record it on the DVR to watch later.)

I'm home tonight to welcome 2017. Nothing special. There were good things that happened to me in 2016, and some not so good things. I hope for all of us a great, prosperous, and above all Happy New Year!

Later.