Here's your coloring book, Joey. I want you to wait in the car. Daddy will be back in just a little while

***

Hi Phil. Sorry I haven't been by in a while, but all this wind and sleet haven't been giving me much chance to come out of the house these days. It's a good thing that Kirkland Hardware reopened when it did. With Ol' Man Winter hitting us hard and early, I've been trying to get the house ready for the really bad weather. That grand opening sale at the store helped me save a lot of money. And boy-howdy, can I use it, what with Christmas coming up and all.

It's too bad you can't see the decorations we're getting in town this year. There's gonna be plaques and wreaths hanging from every streetlight and recorded organ music paying downtown. I don't know if they're gonna get Christmas lights yet or not. They're not sure of that 'cause of this power shortage we've got. Heck, the missus even cooks dinner after 6:30 now so we're not using electricity during the peak hours. I sorta like it that way though. It gives me a chance, after a long day at the office, to relax with a little cheese and occasionally a glass of wine before dinner. Makes me feel continental.

It's like I was telling Joan just last night, that things like power shortages are all part of progress. You gotta take the bad with the good. I can drive through Houghton at night now, and all those new incandescent street lights make it so much easier to see, not to mention making things safer. Heck, Kenmore just got new streetlights. Remember when we were kids, and Mom wouldn't let us go up to the slough at night? You should see it now!

So, as I see it, this power shortage is only temporary. They'll build better power plants to meet the need soon. I'll use less power now, if it means a better life down the road. Like, I said, take the bad with the good, and the good will overcome the bad.

Take the new sidewalks, for instance. There's a lot of people complaining because they're gonna have to pay four to six dollars a foot for the new sidewalks in front of their homes. Well, even though that's a lot of money to me right now, if it means getting rid of those rotting wooden planks, and replacing them with concrete ones then it's almost like an investment. It makes my home look nicer, and I won't have to worry about Joey twisting his ankle on a cracked board out front like you did when you were his age.

Speaking of all this progress, you won't believe what I'll be doing on Thanksgiving. There's gonna be a football game in Seattle at Memorial Stadium between Wenatchee and West Seattle. And you know what? I'll be watching it from , get this, the Civic Center! There's gonna be a television there, and I'll get to see the first broadcast to the East Side. They say that those transmission towers on Queen Anne should give us excellent reception. Sure beats sitting out in the cold.

Well, speaking of the cold, I really should get going. Joey's over in the car, and he's probably starting to get a little chilly. Hey, would you look at that. They're starting to pour concrete at that new high school they're building across the street. Y'see, there's that progress I was talking about!

Y'know, Phil, I wish you were still here to see all of these changes. I really miss you kiddo ... I'm so thankful that I've got Joan and little Joey, because after you died ... it felt as though a large part of me went with you. Joan and Joey have really helped fill those empty parts of my heart ... but, ... I'll still miss my kid brother, forever. I guess this is also taking bad with the good ... all part of progress.

***

So kiddo, what'd you draw for me? Say, that's pretty good! Why, it's our home on Thanksgiving day! Look, there's you and your mom, and is this me over here? Looks like I've put on some weight! Hey, I've got an idea. How about you and me stopping by the florists and picking up some flowers for your Mom. Wouldn't that look nice on our Thanksgiving table this Thursday?

What? No honey, it's just that the cold winds have been stinging Daddy's eyes.

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