Italy and France Morning Contacts

Yesterday was a VERY busy day. My brother and I drove my father to the city of Clarksburg which is a 250 mile round trip which took up most day. I attended a public healthcare meeting afterwards and then watched the Presidential address. I finally sat down around 10:30 pm.

But before all that, in the early morning "window" before the long drive, I worked IK2SND in Italy. 

I've worked this station twice now and yesterday morning he had a good solid signal into Charleston. Italy is an interesting country with lots of history, fantastic architecture, and beautiful art works. 

This high arch dome in Florence is among the largest in the world. When I was in the Navy, I spent an entire month in Naples and traveled to Rome to view the Vatican and see the art works of Michael Angelo. 

In Charleston this morning, I had a nice breakfast with my friend Eric.(AC8LJ) who is an excellent QRP "CW" operator. I met him on the local repeater several months ago. Yesterday he worked my friend Larry (W2LJ), and a fellow blogger from New Jersey on the 40 meter band. Eric has just completed a K-1 kit and used it yesterday for the first contact.

Once a month, we hash around our "radio" accomplishments at a little cafe here in town.

After our breakfast meeting this morning I worked F8DGY in France who was my 39th daily DX contact. Tomorrow morning I'll be looking for my 40th morning contact. After that, I'll be off the air for a few days.  

Marilyn and I will be driving to North Carolina to share in her sisters 30th Wedding Anniversary. Marriage is a wonderful thing with the right person; but an absolutely horrible thing with the wrong person. Its taken me three times to find that special wonderful partner and soul mate; but its been worth all the pain and hardships to find her. I've never been happier in this lifetime.

Tomorrow is Valentines Day, and one of the things I've learned over the years is to make that special effort to say "I Love You" to your partner.  

A mistake here could land you in the "dog house". 

You don't want to go there....

Beware of the Doghouse- Hilarious! - YouTube