Another Weekend of Yard Work

The weekend is almost here! Though the weekend should prove to not be the best of weekends. Tomorrow starts off with Yard Work and ends with Sunday concluding with a vote after Church concerning a proposed new ministry. Needless to say, I don't have a good feeling about it and its impact on the Church. Our Bible Study on Thursday has concluded for the summer. Now we have to find something to fill in until it restarts in the Fall. Wild Mom is feeling good now that she visits the Chiropractor several times a week. Until I get back home I will not really know whether it is the doctor's looks or his medical skill that is bringing her back. She is trying to figure out a better camping schedule once the doctor's appointments slow down. Lady is doing very well, her walking and exercising are reaping benefits and by vacation time the bikini will be the dress of choice. Her vacation while the boss is out of the country ends today as he gets home. She will have to move out of his office and go back to her cube. No change for #1 but next week has a job interview scheduled. Fingers Crossed. #2 is managing though he did tangle with the mailbox and the truck survived. However the mailbox is in serious condition. Peanut just can't stop working so it makes the time we have special. Of course, AJ helps a lot too. That little guy is a parrot at heart ... copying everything he sees or hears. One more week of Youth Bowling. I sure wish I could say we did better but this was a bad season. Oh well, that is why we stop this one and start over all fresh. Lil Princess get prettier by the day though her attitude is developing ... gee that reminds me of another Princess. Hmmm. Starr seems to have lost the concept of being at home, she just loves the work and long hours. Maybe next time she will remain hourly and get overtime for the work she does. Sounds better than being worked like a slave all day long.

Steven Slater, Jet Blue Attendant. Hey guy I know how you felt and I agree the public has gotten nasty and has little respect for others. Gee, isn't that mode most people are in now? Respect, Integrity and Responsibility are replaced with the "ME first and foremost" complex.

The Redskins start their march to last place in the NFC East tonight. Sounds good since then they can match the Nationals record. Go Atlanta Braves and Dallas Cowboys. Wish I could move there and be part of a winning culture.

Wasn't the debut of Jackie Evancho on America's Got Talent awesome? Though I did like Kristina Young's performance too.

Hot Hot Hot

Well, Sunday evening and I sit here watching the first preseason NFL game ... Dallas vs Cincinnati. Today was a usual day, church and bowling. The Sunday night adult league starts up in 3 weeks. There is only one week left with the kids and we are in last place. I have the best average I have had in a while and Lew is also doing great. Who would figure we can't win. The grand kids were fun this weekend. They started the weekend at the "House of Bounce." AJ did have some issues and didn't want to go down the big slide. In time he will change. The other two, Lew and Lil Princess, ate it up and squeezed every ride they could get in. Wild Mom is having fun buying furniture and getting ready for another trip to Pigeon Forge. Lady is doing fine, though her walking buddy is out of town this weekend. They are in Myrtle Beach where we will be in January. They like what they see of the resort where we will stay. #1 did his usual ride to Myrtle Beach with his friend to bring his daughter back for the week. #2 has been on the go trying to rest up from work and spend some of his paycheck. Starr is fine though her teeth are bothering her again. Seems like when you get money ... numerous things pop up to help you spend it. Peanut is settling into the routine of work and caring for AJ. Her next big event is when Katy shows up for a visit. This should be interesting from a bystanders point of view. Work is about the same ... too much time and too little compensation. They officially took over the new Radio Station this week. Now come the next round of changes since we took it over. It is a never ending cycle.

Hmmm ... 01

I wonder! If no one gets hurt ... is it OK to break or stretch the rules?

Well, Saturday afternoon and all is well. The food at El Agave was great as usual. The Grand Kids will be over soon and the activity level in the house will climb accordingly. Looks like this years cruise will get postponed but we managed to get three other events reserved.

September 2010 - Renn Faire in Maryland.
October 2010 - Weekend trip to Pigeon Forge to see the leaves change.
November 2010 - Week trip to Governor's Green in Williamsburg.
January 2011 - Week trip to Myrtle Beach.

So we shall be busy even with all the usual activities we usually get involved with. Wild Mom is fine. She is just getting use to being home and not having the road life keep her busy. I can almost hear the creak of the rocker on the porch. Lady is fine. She is back to exercising so she can get into her bikini when we go to to the pools and hot tubs at the different resorts. #1 continues to moan and groan as he punishes his body at the gym. I wonder why he feels that way but then I remember ... he is almost 30! The body does funny things when you get that old. #2 is working and hoping for more hours. I guess the new girl friend eats a lot and he needs more money to pay for it. Gee, now he realizes, in a small way, what it costs me to take this crew out to eat. Starr is still waiting for her clearance to go back to work. She doesn't like all the free time around the house. Peanut, well she is still the same, working and trying to corral AJ. AJ continues to grow like a weed. He is also developing an attitude ... much like Peanut's. Lew and Lil Princess will be here later so I will have to save my comments until later.

Some times events or comments occur that just boggle my mind. I guess what really amazes me is they won't sit down and talk face-to-face. Everyone has opinions and views in their mind of what occurred ... That is understandable. But at least sit down, discuss it in a personal way and maybe then both people will modify their view of the events. Heck, maybe one of them will figure out that it isn't worth the crap and drop the whole issue just to help heal the pain and move on with our lives. There are many times I find myself wishing for just 5 more minutes with Dad ... so much to say, even more to feel. But alas, axe grinding is sometimes the preferred method of avoiding our feelings. Too bad that one day it will follow with "gee, I wish I had done it differently." Self flagellation will never solve anything except making you feel like crap ... so change ... each one of us is a person, a human being, thus we are valuable and have a purpose. Why do you think God loves us so! He sees our value even though we feel like plugged nickels. Sometimes, I hate to think that I will never get to share, love, and get to know someone this side of Heaven, all because of "I don't need you ... I can do it myself."

Summer 2010

Let me see ... how far to go back and catch up. Our little mini-vacation to Pigeon Forge TN was great. The breakfast show at Black Bear Jamboree was worth every cent. I would recommend you trying it. Of course the meal at the Old Mill Restaurant was both too much food and taste too good. Needless to say everyone over ate and spent the rest of the day suffering from pot-belly syndrome. Wild Mom was there and that made it special. Saturday lunch, late because we were still full from the Old Mill was at the Apple Barn. Once again, we ate too much. Then to top it off we walk all through the Smokey Mountain Knife Works and the Tool Outlet store across the street. We rested by driving to Cades Cove and driving around the loop road right at sunset. We saw a lot of animals especially deer. The trip home was ok except for a tire blowout. We were safe and at low speed. 3 hours later we headed home with no more incidents. Wild Mom followed us home ... probably because we fed her at Old Mill. Took us a week to convince her to go home and eat there. We even tried to get her to stay with my brother on the other side of town but mistakenly fed her some home-made ice cream ... and she came back very quickly. Really, we enjoyed her and squirrel man being here. The trailer fit perfectly in the driveway and all the hookups worked fine.

Lady is doing fine and getting finer. Work, Grand Kids and church fill up her free time. Of course a few trips to the nail salon could be squeezed in without trouble. By the way, she is ready for another road trip. #1 continues on his trek through life and the only change is he goes to the gym every night. #2 is working at a seasonal job and is being kept busy. He loves having Starr as his boss. Yes, Starr has taken up temporary residence with us as she get organized. I don't know if she loves the job more or telling #2 what to do. Peanut and AJ are also back with us. See what happens when you take a mini-vacation. Work keeps her busy and AJ is a joy to see more often. Still have a bunch of things to iron out with everyone here but time will help. Lew and Lil Princess continue to grow and warm our hearts. When Lil Princess plays her DVDs, it is fun watching her sing and dance to the video or music.

On the other front, work sucks just like the Nationals. The Braves continue on in their winning ways. Youth Bowling is ok, the team can't win but I have my highest average in several years ... 199. Lew continues to bring his average up and got his first 100+ game the other week.

Lil Bit Davis

Good Bye - Lil Bit

03/27/97 - 07/14/10
A part of our Family Forever.

It is amazing how a pet will become so much a part of you. We try and act like it doesn't matter but it does. You will cry, grieve, and feels the loss ... even for the toughest of people. Lil Bit was a gift to Ronda but in the end he had become a part of everyone's heart. Yes, there were times he irritated and was a nuisance but then he would cuddle with you and love you and every care and problem you had would melt away. If licks were kisses, Lil Bit smothered you with them and slighted no one ... family, friend or guest. Perhaps God put him here to remind me that Jesus loves us just as much. I am much better for the time we shared and what you showed me.

You will be missed.

Heat vs Attitude

Well, another weekend has come and gone and the work scene did it's best to screw it up. Lunch at El Agave was filled with phone calls. Cheng returned today but that usually doesn't stop the downhill flow that much. It doesn't matter if they do the work ... just how soon we respond to their voice mail. Don't return the call soon enough and their mistakes are wiped out ... it is our fault. Needless to say, Work isn't very high on my favorites list right now. Just a few more days till we head to Pigeon Forge for the weekend. We are looking forward to the rest and relaxation we hope to find there. Wild Mom is already on the road and will eventually get there and then follow us home. Is it possible for me to get lost coming home?

Lady is doing well but life's stresses do weigh heavy. The nursery class at Church was tough Sunday as every kid must have been wound up in overdrive. Kids Moments sounded like the children were in control for most of the time. Good thing I wasn't the one down their in the middle of the cacophony of noise. #2 is working for the next few months. He is helping provide care to a friend's father following his accident. Another interesting point is Starr started her new job today. It is known as being in the right place at the right time. With Peanut working that leaves #1 as the only one not working. Hmmmmm. The grand kids were fun but very exasperating at times this weekend. The kiddie pool got a good workout. It is amazing how such clean water have so much grass and leaves in it so fast. The box of Popsicles and bag of string cheese also took a beating.

The wall and door are up and painting has begun. Hopefully the first coat will get on the new wall tonight. Someone remind me amongst the drywall dust, dirt, and paint that she is worth this effort! Perhaps every 5 minutes would be nice.

Bowling wasn't so much fun as the team lost all 3 games. Lew wanted to play more than go to bowling so we bowled him blind. Nothing like bowling good (600 series) and losing by less than 10 pins each game. Also frustrating was the fact the other two bowlers had spares in the 10th frame and one threw a gutter and the other only hit 1 pin in the fill part of the frame. The first game their 135 average bowler rolled a 179 and the last game their 113 average bowler rolled a 190. Tough to be them doing that. We could have won if I rolled a 246-239-277=762.

##########

Tour De France really changed following Lance's 3 falls. Guess there will be no podium for him this year.

Life is good ... following the first half of the season, the Braves are in FIRST and the Nationals in LAST. Oh such a natural order of things.

Mid-Week Hopes

It is nice to be on the downhill side of this week. Cheng being on vacation has made it very interesting. We continue to move along in the Wednesday Bible study, "7 Deadly Sins." This weeks lesson seemed like everything I read pointed its finger at someone in the house. I guess it made it even more personal since only Lady and I were there with the Pastor. Thursday's Bible Study should also be good. I really liked the first part which we saw last week. I saw the parable of the "Sower" in a different light and even managed to learn something new about sowing wheat. The new wall build out downstairs is nearing completion. One more time of drywall prep and we should be ready to paint. Oh, let me see ... what color this time. Fire Engine red? Numerous changes around the house with the temporary addition of Starr. Hopefully, everything will resolve itself in 3 months and she can charge full speed ahead with her life. I have enjoyed the no mowing time but I do wish some rain would come and get rid of the crunchy brown grass we have. I am winning my battle against the back fence weeds and vines. The spray is really killing them all the way to the roots.

Wild Mom is busy getting ready for the next road trip which will bring her through VA. Reunions, Pigeon Forge and Grand kids ... a full plate. Lady is busy but is happy Vacation Bible School is over and she has some time free in the afternoon and evening. Little things are bugging her but like alawys ... she will straighten them out and move on. #1 continues his pursuit of Arnold's body at the gym. He comes home looking like a whipped puppy from the workout. #2, well he looks like a whipped puppy and no gym is involved. Peanut is working late. The swimming pool is dry and clean waiting for the grand kids to come this weekend and have fun. Starr has an interview on Monday ... hope it goes well. Gee, I wonder if #1 and #2 could take some pointers! Bowling resumes this week and it will be fun to see if Lew continues his 100+ streak.

##########

Enjoying the Tour De France ... some of the scenery is great and sort of makes you want to go there.
The Braves are doing great and the Nats are fumbling along as usual.

Grins

Ever wonder why it pours?

7-4-10

I hope everyone had an enjoyable 4th. We did capping it off with hand-cranked ice cream. As usual, I ate too much.We also did the grill thing with burgers, dogs, and yard bird. This weekend also included some construction work as we enclosed the Family room by adding two short walls and a door. Next comes the painting and the inevitable mess. The grand kids enjoyed the new pool and found endless hours of fun and coolness while we adults sat around wishing for a winter snow. Wild Mom camped this weekend as they finish practice sessions for the grand adventure to Pigeon Forge in a week or so. Church was great on Sunday as our old Pastor, Gary Zeigler returned to portray a circuit rider from an age long ago. It was great seeing him and his wife. We hold many a memory of them from their time with us in the early 90's. Work is pretty much the same except Cheng is on vacation till the 12th. Sadly, nothing ever changes at that place. Sure wish my network would kick in and something new would surface. Saturday the Tour De France returned for a 23 day run on TV. I love to watch the race and try and pick the winners. Yes, I have a fantasy bike team. I think yesterday I was #10249 in the standings. So far back I could not see the front. Hope to do better today and tomorrow before the scores are reset and the real scoring starts.No change in #1 and #2. However, #1 is going to the gym with a friend and trying to see who can wear the other out. Peanut is doing fine and working regularly. Her hours just changed and hopefully she will get more hours and customers. AJ is a joy to watch as he talks more and more. Of course, we must interpret somethings but usually we figure it out. Starr spent the weekend at Station #13 and played around. Could she be a pyromaniac or someone who loves hot stuff?

###########

Go Team Blackhawke!! (Tour De France)

Thanks Nationals for being so predictable!

Go Braves! Gotta love Consistency!

Thank You national League Coach for NOT picking Strasburg to the All-Star Team.
Let him earn it not buy it or get media-pushed into it.

VBS 2010

Let me think ... Lady, Lil Princess and Lew returned from their little jaunt to Illinois. Everyone had a great time with lots of goodies brought back home. The travel was uneventful as we all wished for. This week was Vacation Bible School. That means dealing with some 25 kids for 5 days. I spent the week doing the technical stuff. The kids enjoyed the week and we all survived. Wild Mom is getting ready for a few reunions and then to meet us in Pigeon Forge for the weekend (July 16). As for work, it is easy to sum up ... same old crap. The new station is up and going now ... at least from an engineering point of view. Summer Bowling is going well. My average is now 197 and Lew's is up to 78. Team wise, we are in the middle of the pack. We keep losing the close ones by less than twenty. I guess that is better than getting wiped out. Peanut is working and we don't get to see a lot of her. AJ comes over and amazes us. He is putting whole sentences together. Sometimes the words are a little tough to decipher. But we are learning. No change with #1 or #2. Starr has moved in for 3 months while she and firebug get back on their feet. Today is El Agave as soon as lady gets back from the grocery store. Next week the "Tour De France" begins. You can easily guess what my life will be scheduled around.

***************

Strasburg is a good pitcher but he is stuck on the Nationals. Gee, they predicted he would start their Playoff run ... well, last time I looked the run went from 5 behind the Braves to 11 behind. Nice Run!

Time Sure Flies

I like these days off every other day but I don't know if my body can survive it. Too many odd jobs to do. I seem to work harder than at the Station. I guess it is the physical aspect of everything. Oh well, I will survive provided the lawn mower, edger and weed eater do. Twice this week Lew almost broke 100 in bowling. He was so close but I imagine he will do it by July. Lady, Lew and Lil Princess are heading to Illinois with friends for a week. That should be a fun trip.The down side is that I will be a Class "B" bachelor for the time. Wild Mom is doing fine and camping in the trailer whenever possible. Starr is happily working and trying to land a second job. Gee, trying for her first million by age 30!. The Birthday Party was fun and everyone ate too much ... especially the cake and pudding. Peanut is also having fun in her new job. Right now she is getting use to the hours but the days off are really easy to adjust too. AJ is all boy and 2 years old combined into one kid. I went to the movies and saw "Prince of Persia" last weekend. It was an interesting movie.
Have a great day and I will add more later ....

Is This Politically Incorrect?

"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to
the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible,
with liberty and justice for all."

Catching Up

Guess I had better update this site. Sorry for the delay but the new radio station build out has upset my schedule for the past few weeks. I promise to get back on schedule.

Our Summer Schedule: (so far)

• June 10-17 Lady and Grand kids head for Indiana.
• July 16-19 Pigeon Forge with friends.
• September Renn Faire
• September Branson or Williamsburg
  

Since last time I wrote anything, the Youth Bowling has both ended and restarted. Lew's team did not fair well but his first trophy for participating was no less desired. Right now it sets on the TV for all to see. My team finished in second. The new league on Sunday Night has started and Lew and I bowl together this time. On his first night he set a 77 average. It would be nice to see him break 100 this season.

Wild Mom along with Squirrel Man have been bitten by the camping bug. So if you hear some unexpected noise from the woods ... well, they may be camping out there! She is doing well except for wishing we were down there. Believe me, that slower pace would be nice, but we aren't ready for it yet. Too many things to do and they require money. So if anyone has extra ... handouts are gratefully accepted. The old motor home was finally sold and is gone. She spends a lot of time "just a swangin" on the gazebo swing.

Lady is doing well. She keeps getting more beautiful as time goes on. Her birthday came and went but we did not forget! Her knee doesn't hurt a lot but it has its bad days. Now the challenge is to get her to slow down and let the knee rest. Maybe it is time for a maid! She is glad that bowling is finished. Now her Sunday evenings are free (no kids or bowling). She is getting excited about her trip home and is counting down the days till then.

#1 and #2 ... sadly no change in their life or status.

Peanut has finished school and is now gainfully employed. Can you believe that? Well, it is true and she loves the new job. She stopped by on Tuesday after work and it seemed her feet were 6 feet off the ground. Not to mention she talked 90 mph. We are proud of her and hope all her plans workout. Of course AJ is a handful. He never fails to get a smile from us, though sometimes we wonder about his antics. He is always on the go and shows no fear when it comes to climbing or jumping.

Lew and Lil Princess continue to grow and warm our hearts. Lew continues to improve his bowling and even at the young age of 6 you can see the competitive edge come to the forefront of his actions. We are still working on getting him to listen to us and possibly realize Nana and Papaw do know what we are talking about. Lil Princess is growing into a little lady. It is fun watching her go through the dresses to pick out the right one on Sunday Morning. About three weeks ago I put a small gold necklace on her and she won't let us take it off. Does she love jewelry?

Hey, Starr has a new job ... Pizza Hut. Cheng and I had lunch there earlier this week ... luckily she wasn't on duty yet ... j/k. I know that she is happy now as she can now contribute o the costs of life. Her and firebug are looking for a new apartment. They are getting rid of that over-priced Crystal City place. Her photography is coming along. Too bad she couldn't meet and spend time with my Granddad. That was his life many years ago.

Work has been busy as Cheng and I did what we needed to do to get it on the air. Lots of long hours and very short nights. We made it though there wasn't time left when we were finished and ready for air. What is next? It would be nice to see some monetary compensation for the effort ... but then we are in "a niche market" and they aren't bound by normal rules ... or so they say! Give me an offer (and not necessarily better) and I will show them "niche market" rules!

Positives: Atlanta Braves
Negatives: Redskins, Nationals and especially the Capitals

Cinco de Mayo

Gee, it is mid-week already. What is going on ... time seems to be flying by. It is only 8 months till cruise time ... can it be that soon? Our Sunday Night Adult league concluded this past Sunday. We finished strong and made it to 7th place. Too bad we had that mid-season slump. The Kids league still has three weeks to go and they stubbornly hang onto 2nd. Lew is till doing great and his average is 65. He keeps coming close to breaking 100. Sometimes keeping him focused on bowling and not the other kids horsing around is a challenge. Wild Mom is fine. Doctor's appointments and tests are the building blocks of her day. Lady is fine. Her doctor gave her a good report on her knee. No more therapy or visits until it acts up again. This week she is adjusting to TL being gone for the next 10 days. Oh, what will she do? I guess I better get ready for a rash of Honey-do's as she kicks in to cleaning mode. In June she will head for Indiana to see Mom and Dad. #1 and #2 have no changes to report. I would go crazy if that was my schedule of life. Must be a generational thing! Peanut's school draws closer to the end and then graduation. The kids were a blast this weekend. Lil Princess had a boo-boo where she kissed the ground. But other than that she had her moments where she was just pure mean. AJ got a new popper mower for his 2nd birthday and then helped me cut the grass on Saturday. Starr is going through withdrawal from cigarettes as she tries to quit. Work is crazy as the on-air date (05/15) for the new station gets closer. More and more stuff winds up under the responsibility of Engineering. Are we having Fun yet? Tonight starts another Bible Study at the church titled "The Seven Deadly Sins."

Spring Time Lull

Well, we are back into the normal routine. No trips on the horizon in the foreseeable future. We are still trying to figure out our summer plans. One week left on the Sunday Night League. It looks like we will finish around at .500 and in the middle of the pack. The Youth league has 3 weeks and they are in 2nd place right now. I still have to decide about the Summer Youth league. Sometimes the free time sounds great. The new Radio Station build out is going ok with the usual response of "waiting on a vendor to send us the stuff." We have been waiting 2 weeks for Verizon to show up and finish the job. The more I deal with them the more arrogant they seem. Wild Mom is fine. She just returned from Camp and really enjoyed it. Probably her best time of all the times she has gone. She has almost finished her swing awning and now spends most of the day swinging. Must be nice. Squirrel Man helped her put it together but she won't let him swing on it ... he has to lay underneath it. :) Lady is busy but right now fighting off a bug. She did not feel well yesterday and spent most of it sleeping. #1 and #2 still do what they do best ... play games and sit up all night. AJ spent last Friday night and Saturday with us and kept us very busy. Lew and Lil Princess showed up Saturday afternoon and raised the activity level even higher. Sometimes Lil princess gets real mean then boom, she is as innocent as she can be. She is too young for PMS ... must be in her genes. Peanut is getting closer to graduating, not many weeks left now.

Way to Go Capitals ... Lot of hopes dashed by your less than championship play. Maybe instead of spending all the money on offense ... buy a good goalie! Montreal Did!

40 and Counting towards 50

The journey is over and we safely returned from Florida. The Reunion was fun except there were too many old people there. Would have been nice to find a few good looking young babes but then I would have been in trouble ... so I guess it works out. Heck, there were NO bikinis, hip huggers, thongs, speedos or skinny dipping. Though we did pass by the All-Natural club. Going down there we made it in two days. Breakfast the first day was in Oak Ridge TN where we met a friend and her son and had a great time. Great little hole-in-the-wall restaurant. Coming home we did it in one day. I am about finished with those types of runs. It takes too much out of me to do a 17 hour day. The Reunion was fun but most of the people I remember were not there. The standard line was "I remember you," to which I replied, "I don't remember you ... it has been 40 years." I did refrain from answering, "I don't remember you because I didn't like you then, so would it change after 40 years?" The beach was pretty and Lady had her shoes off pretty quickly. We skipped the second day and spent it with Wild Mom. Mexican Food was the lunch choice. It was good but not quite up to El Agave's standard. About all we did other than the reunion was sit on the swing and catnap. That seems to be the order of the day down there. Mom did most of the talking, a drawback to letting her stay home so long by herself. I guess I need to plan frequent activities for her. Travelling weather was great and I could have asked for better. Lady and Wild Mom spent a good part of Saturday playing with Wild Mom's cricket ... some crafting machine that sucks you into buying more and more accessories. The sonny-do's were relatively light but I suppose she is saving the back-breakers for another day. We did not see much family though in fairness we made no attempt to see them. Gung-Ho Jen was a no-show on Saturday ... work must have required her presence. What-a-burger and Sonic are the same ... good food and fun. Squirrel Man spent some time with us and managed to hit the restaurants with us. Not much else to say as we basically vegetated and swung our self to sleep.

No updates on anyone else (Starr, Peanut, Princess, or TLJ) as I did not receive any calls or texts. I guess after ignoring them for so long they gave up.

He Lives

Easter weekend was full and very active. We started Thursday with Maunday Thursday Service and Communion, then Friday we had a Pasta dinner served and prepared by the Young Adults and then watched the movie "The Passion." The movie made you think of how it might have been and it definitely touched you emotionally. Earlier, Friday, I had breakfast with a long time friend. It was great and I am happy to see they are succeeding in life. Saturday was spent regrouping and getting ready for Sunday. Since Lady was cooking so much for Sunday, we went to Red Robin for dinner. As usual, it was good. Lew and Lil Princess showed up Saturday Evening and raised the activity level some 100%. Seeing them each Saturday really emphasizes how much they grow in just one week. Before you know it, we will be celebrating High School Graduation. The weather for the Sunrise service was beautiful. After the last few services were so chilly to down right cold, this one was a treat. The sky was broken clouds so the Sun was definitely visible and added to the service. Afterwards, we had breakfast at the church, lots of casseroles, and then killed time waiting for the next event. During the 11:00 am Service, the Choir performed their annual Cantata, it was nice. Do to the many jobs needing to be filled, I ran the sound board during the songs. The afternoon was quiet as we all napped. Starting that early in the morning (6:00 am) wore us out especially Lil Princess. Of course, Bowling capped off our Sunday Night on the Adult League. The Youth league was postponed a week. We went 4-3, #1 did not have a good night as Lady managed to our score him. The way I bowled Saturday made me really wonder how I would do. Even Starr and her significant other managed to recover from the Bachelorette Party on Friday and visit us at the bowling alley. Sadly the fun came to an end and we prepared for work on Monday. When will it ever end?

##########

Redskins - Way to go ... increase the average age of the team even more with players nearing the end of their career. McNabb, Johnson, and Parker were added. Snyder loves to buy "Names" even though they are at the end of their career, doesn't it occur to him, if the player was still an impact player, the previous team wouldn't let him go! They let people go or trade them just before their obsolescence date for maximum trade value. Snyder definitely has more money than brains when it comes to Football.

The Zephyr - Day Ten

Well, my last day on the train started out with breakfast. They won't serve lunch as we arrive too soon in DC. I didn't sleep much last night, not because of me but because I talked or rather listened all night. I learned a lot about Mozambique. Maybe something will come of this but time will tell. Always remind me never to escort 15 high School girls and 10 boys on a one week trip to DC. It is only their first day and the leaders are burned out. I had dinner with the three leaders and they were already wishing they were on the train back home. I must also get my Cell phone serviced when I get home. None of the kids called or texted this week. The train arrived 15 minutes early ... something almost unheard of a couple of years ago. Well, time to return to reality again ...

The Zephyr - Day Nine

Well, most of the snow that was on the ground when we came out West a week ago is melted. How quickly the 12 inches disappeared. I have done the trip enough I am able to name the stops from their looks. The train stops about every 3 hours for a smoke break. The Conductor announces the stop as a chance to stretch and get some fresh air ... smoking is fresh air? The farmers are starting ti turn the soil for the new crops. I watch several tractors when we were stopped waiting on another train. Each row was maybe a mile in length. How do they keep the rows straight? I would doze off and so would my line. I guess that is why God never let me have a successful garden. One realization I have come too is that my yard isn't so bad compared to some of the trash dumps we passed. I just could not live like that. You can tell it is Spring Break, a million kids riding the train. On this train with limited electrical outlets, there must be 100 ipods waiting to be recharged. Forget about getting my cell phone done much less my computer. I think every one of them have a DS and is playing them as hard as they can. The noise is definitely noticeable when the train gets quiet ... even on head sets. Chicago looms ahead and the 4 hour wait for the train ride home ... the final leg. After a lunch at Pizza Hut and dessert at Cinnabon, I am ready for the 14 hour ride to DC. On one side of me is a man from Manchester England ... go United ... and on the other side is a man from Poland heading for South Africa. The conversations are definitely different. The Englishman was comparing what he saw and experienced to that of home and the Polish man spoke of the business opportunities in Mozambique. Mind you, they both were very interesting. Well, time to catnap again ...