The Least Wonderful Time of the Year
I am always filled with melancholy the week between Christmas and the New Year. I Don’t know why. I think it’s because of all the build up to Christmas Eve and Day then it all comes crashing back
down to earth on the 26th. The sight of discarded Christmas trees awaiting trash pick up (they are recyclable, by the way) always makes me frown. I guess it’s also knowing the tiny window of time when people are actually NICE to each other closes for another 350 plus days and the reality of the day to day grind returns to the new calendar. Yuck.
The only thing worse than the week between Christmas and the New Year is February. That’s an entire month of the blahs.
An Angel Gets Its Wings
Those bells you heard ringing were apparently more in line with Zuzu Bailey’s wing distribution theory than retailers’ cash registers going cha-ching. The 2012 holiday season was the worst for retailers since 2008. Sales growth was far below expectations forcing many retailers to offer big time week after Christmas 
discounts in hope of making up some ground.
So why the tightwad act? Superstorm Sandy had a major impact on spending in the Northeast while the lingering concern of the ‘fiscal cliff” gave lots of folks alligator arms when it came time to reach for their wallets.
I did my part during yesterday’s day off taking advantage of lots of discounts.
Actress Karolyn Grimes, who played Zuzu Bailey, is still with us at age 72.
And How Was YOUR Christmas?
A 15 year old Providence girl bit off part of her mother’s nose and shoved her grandfather down the stairs as they tried to stop her from grabbing a knife on Christmas Eve. The girl was charged with mayhem (that’s such a great word) and resisting arrest. She was remanded to the Training School.
Feliz Navidad indeed.
Rock The Block
The company that operates the Block Island Ferry wants to jack prices for the traditional “slow” ferry by 8%. The request made to state regulators blames rising fuel costs and fleet upgrades for the spike.
Under the proposal, adult one way trips would increase by .95 cents to $12.20 with kids’ tickets jumping by 45% to $6.15. 
