Saturday January 13th, 2018 started off with a balmy (40 degrees) and the threat of another cold snap. So, I used the warm weather to take down the Xmas lights and laurel on the outside of the house. It's always easier taking them down, than it is putting them up.

Now, I have to mention a dear old friend of mine. Rich Appel.

Rich and I have had almost parallel lives. We've played in bands together for years. Got married. had kids. And, we play in the woods together every fall. We drive up north to the Canadian border every October. And in those long drives we talk about everything.

Rich one year made the mistake of telling me, that he leaves the lights up on his house and trees all year. I looked at him and said "That's cheating!"

He would laugh at me every year for taking down the lights in January, and then putting them up every December. I didn't care. Leaving the lights on the house all year is cheating! It's lazy. It's not community like, and it flies in the face of Chevy Chase's ritual, of hanging light each December.

Well Rich, I took down all the lights off the house and bushes in record time. But...against every moral fiber in my body, I left the lights on the Blue Spruce in our front yard. I instantly thought of you. How could I stoop so low? How could I knowingly, leave the lights on this large tree all year? Well, I did it mostly because, at my old age. Truth is, I get dizzy walking around in circles. And that's basically what you have to do, when you put lights on the tree outside.

It's a project. Believe me. I felt defeated.

I realized that I had stepped into unfamiliar territory. A world of laziness. A world of Molasses. A world of giving up. I told my wife that I would leave them on for the time being. It is after all, single digits again. Too cold to be dealing with that situation. If one person questions why I left the lights on the blue spruce, I'll take them down immediately.

Meanwhile, they stay. Are you happy Rich?

I knew there was surf. So I gathered my gear and headed down the street to find a spot to shoot where I knew the locals would be. The surf was pretty damn good. I mean it was beautiful.



Plenty of waves to go around. I count 12 here.



This is overhead and as you can plainly see, it's hollow. Very hollow.



And it was cold. The temps dropped like a stone. Seriously, you have to live here to appreciate what I mean when I write this stuff. New England can literally go from 60 degrees to 6 degrees in 24 hours or less. That's crazy.
But that's New England.



Tom Hay pictured here could care less about the extreme temperature changes. When the surf is this good you just have to say F*** it. Otherwise, you'd drive yourself crazy. Besides, there's a number of winter wetsuits that keep you warm. All the shops have them. If you're a surfer, there's no excuse not to be out there unless you're sick or injured.



OK this has to be one of the craziest stories so far in 2018.

Somehow, someway, some idiot in Hawaii pushed a button that set off a Island wide EMERGENCY system warning of a Nuclear attack. But some 38 minutes later, a second button was pushed to say it was a false alarm.

Thirty eight minutes of thinking your world was about to end. That's scary.

They said it only takes 20 minutes for a missile to reach the Islands from North Korea. If you somehow missed this story, you need to Google it and read it. How on earth did this happen? That person should not only be fired but jailed. I mean WTF? How could that happen? From last week's BOMB Cyclone to this week's Bomb Scare! This world has gone crazy.

"FAKE Nuclear Bomb Scares Heals Nothing!"

Tom Hay loves boosting airs. And Ed loved shooting them.
This is one of the best air pics I've seen of Tom.
October 1st, 2013. Photo by Ed O'Connell
*Click the photo above to see a larger version of Ed's Pic.


Now for Some Local, National and International News
This morning the drums are beating louder. Huh? The HATERS are on the war path. The HATERS of The New England Patriots are in a frenzy this morning. Last night the Patriots beat the living snot out of the Tennessee Titans. 35-14. It was actually 35-7, but we gave them one at the end. Oh baby, just when you thought the Patriots had seen better days, they came out firing on all pistons.

And honestly? There can be NO denying who this man is.



He is without question The GREATEST OF ALL TIME. The GOAT. At 40 years old he threw 3 TD passes, No interceptions and was not sacked a single time. He is a TRUE WARRIOR.

He loves to compete, and he loves to win. He's as motivated as any NFL player out there. Tom Brady is the reason why the Haters hate us. Well, he's a big part of the reason. No question about that. The haters hate the team. The coach. The owner. The fans. They hate us because they ain't us.



They couldn't stop us. Lewis just ran around them all night long.

Once again words came out of 45's mouth that should never ever have been said in a room full of people. "Why are we having all these people from Shithole countries come here?" STOP Mr President! You're killing yourself as well as embarrassing the rest of us. STOP YOURSELF.



I know it's a moot point, and there's nothing anyone can do. He needs a serious time out.

KSM Photoshop of the Week
The AFC Divisional game in Foxboro was cold. It will be just as cold next Sunday during the AFC Championships. How KSM got this job is another mystery. It's obvious Brady hates him. Hell everybody hates KSM.



So my friends, please take advantage of this weekly photo shop of the mastermind who planned 9-11 and resulted in the deaths
of 3,000 innocent civilians by KSM (Khalid Sheik Mohammed).

*Note to self -must pick up a case of Lip Balm at Home Depot this week.



Honoring Dr Martin Luther King Monday January 15th, 2018

THE NEW GRANITE GIRLS poster!



Sending positive thoughts and prayers to Jo Ellen Bunton in Idaho. GET BETTER and GET STRONGER with each day JE! You look great and it sounds like you have not missed a beat when it comes to preparing a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner! Oh I can just smell the turkey from here. Our love and respect to you.

Please Support ALL The photographers who contribute to
Ralph's Pic Of The Week every week for the last 13 years.
** BUY a HIGH RES Photo from any of the weeks on RPOTW.

Remember my friends... Surfing Heals All Wounds.
Pray for Surf. Pray for Peace. Surf For Fun.

Ralph

Today- The Video Frame Grabs from Christmas Day
December 25th, 2017



(Above) Becca Speak carving back in the cold harsh wind of Christmas Day. December 25th, 2017 VFG by RALPH
*Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery

(Above) Lars Hamilton on a sweet gift wrapped wave on Christmas Day. December 25th, 2017 VFG by RALPH
*Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery

Today- Saturday January 13th, 2018
Photos by David Manzi



(Above) Mr Markey J on his way to the first session of many.
Saturday January 13th, 2018. Photo by David Manzi
*Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery

(Above) Can this be real? January 10th, 2018 Photo by RALPH
*Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery



(Above) Patch loves the beach. January 10th, 2018
Photo by RALPH *Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery

Today- Walk in The Snow January 12th, 2018 Photos by RALPH



(Above) It pays to look up every now and then. January 12th, 2018
Photo by RALPH *Click on the photo above to see the whole gallery