December 25, 2006: Christmas
	November 23, 2006: Thanksgiving
	Return to Index for 2006

One of my Christmas traditions, at least for the last five or six years, is to take a group of my friends to the Dallas Symphony Christmas Celebration performance at the Myerson Symphony Center. Usually the group consists of ten people; although which ten people that is in any particular year seems to change.

This year, I had invited Tom Harris and John Evans, Ron Mathis and Jay Enriquez, Barbara and Lynne, Lou, Fred and myself. This makes nine people and, since Greg had moved back to Dallas, I included him as the tenth. A few days before the concert, however, John Evans went into the hospital due to complications from an examination of his esophagus. He was not going to be able to attend, but Tom thought he might come anyway. So, the tenth person became Greg's friend Tim Brown, from here in Dallas. Then, the day before the concert, Tom had to bow out as well, and so that ticket went to our friend Rich, who has been at the house a couple of times and is another friends of Greg's.

About an hour before the concert, everyone gathered at my house for some hors d'oeuvres and drinks. All the pictures on this album page were taken at my house during that gathering. Usually, I remember to take my little camera to the concert itself so I can get a group picture, but, sadly, this year I forgot (we were a bit rushed getting out on time). So all I have is a bunch of candid shots of people at my house- mostly odd expressions, the backs ofheads and the like. Even so, if it hadn't been for Fred I wouldn't have any photographic record whatsoever.

First, Fred took a number of candid shots of Tim Brown (tall with glasses), Rich (solid-color blue shirt), Greg (dark yellow turtleneck), Barbara (sophisticated gray-haired lady) and Lou (vertical-striped shirt) drinking and chatting in the kitchen. You can see these pictures both above, left, and below.

Fred also took some smaller-group pictures, including two of Tim and Greg that you can see below, as well as one of Lou and Barbara.

Lou had spent part of the day at his condo in North Dallas, trying to get it in shape to be sold. His tenant of 10 years moved out just days ago, and when Lou took possession of the condo he found that the tenant had, quite literally, trashed it. The tenant, Lou seems to have found out, had a severe case of OCD that kept him from throwing just about anything away- even garbage, such as empty wine bottles and, if you can believe it, used kitty litter. He took a few things when he left, but the condo was full of all kinds of junk. There were hundreds of science fiction paperbacks and books, lots of computer and electronic equipment, the aforementioned wine bottles and kitty litter, and piles and boxes of miscellaneous stuff.

I've spent a day or so helping Lou go through it and toss it all out. But I did find some useful items. I came across quite a few science fiction books that I wanted, and I also came across a complete Commodore 128 Personal Computer from the early 1980's- still in its original boxes. Ron Mathis collects early computer equipment, and I thought he might like to have it, so I brought it out at our gathering for him to look over and take if he wanted. He DID want the computer, and Jay took some of the paperbacks.

Fred took a number of pictures of the three of us looking over this old computer equipment, and you can see those pictures below:

Shortly after the pictures were taken, we headed off to the Symphony in multiple vehicles. We all arrived in our seats almost exactly on time, and the concert was enjoyable as always. After the concert, as his own Christmas gift to these folks, Fred took us all to Chuy's for a late supper.

It was a successful evening, and I think all the invitees enjoyed it.

You can use the links below to continue to another photo album page.

	December 25, 2006: Christmas
	November 23, 2006: Thanksgiving
	Return to Index for 2006