VBS

So, this week at our church is Vacation Bible School. I LOVED VBS as a kid. The church I went to growing up always went all-out for VBS. Lots of decorations, awesome skits....it was a blast. One of my favorite years, was the year my dad (who has volunteered for a while at VBS) swung across the baptistry on a "vine" and wrestled a "crocodile." That, and getting to finally be in the big kids class, i.e. fifth and sixth grade taught by Francie Brock, who did a great job at helping us feel like cool big kids.

So what about all you out there? VBS, anyone? Any fun memories?

McDonalds coffee

I'm not a huge McDonald's fan, but there will always be a soft spot in my heart for the burger chain because it always makes me think of my Grandpa Blair. Grandpa loved to stop by McDonald's for a cup of coffee, and he'd always buy us kids an ice cream cone.

Grandpa Blair was a simple man, but a loving, warm, fun, kind, generous man. He liked to sit outside on a summer evening and watch the sun set, watch the fireflies come out, watch the grandkids run around the yard. He loved living up on the hill across from Uncle Burl's field where he could just look out and see trees and cows and grass. He loved drinking coffee, listening to country music, playing his guitar or banjo, and watching the evening news. He loved to read...pretty much anything, even my school books. And he never minded telling a story or two, especially of days on the old farm. And he loved his family.

My Grandpa Blair died last week, not unexpectedly. I flew out Friday for the Sunday funeral, which was a celebration of a full, rich life. A weekend full of family and memories. We'll all miss him, but we know that he's waiting for us somewhere, sitting on a front porch, drinking some McDonald's coffee.

odds and ends

So, next week Jeanette (our friend and housemate) and Ryan and Nicole (friends) are going out of town (separate trips, just happen to coincide). Jeremy and I will be watching their dogs -- Jazz, Bristol, Chaucer and Winston. Yes, you counted right. That's four dogs. Fun times ahead, people, fun times ahead. Fortunately, we spend nearly every day with Chaucer and Winston, and of course live with Jazz and Bristol. But it'll be a housefull.

Photos from the trail

dirt and water

The weekend in the mountains was fantastic! Some fun trip facts:

1. Numerous creek crossings and I only fell in (just my feet) twice. Let's hear it for wet hiking boots!
2. The first part of the trail totally kicked my butt....I wish I were in better shape. But since I haven't actually backpacked in 10 years, I think I did pretty well.
3. The first part of the trail was also very overgrown and hard to follow; so, needless to say we got off the trail for a while. Thankfully, my hubby is pretty awesome with a compass and a map, so we found the trail just fine. Let's hear it for trail blazing!
4. staying at a nice bed and breakfast after a couple of days on the trail and before driving 6.5 hours is a fantastic idea. Ahhhhhh.....

Hopefully in a week or two I'll have some pictures to post.

Off to....

...the mountains. Everyone have a wonderful and safe Memorial Day weekend!

Prayers

Please pray for Jeremy's friend Keith McCord (a roommate from Harding). Keith and his wife Stefanie just had a baby...which is the wonderful, good news. The bad news is Keith has melanoma in his spleen, head, hip and another place. He's headed to M.D. Anderson in Houston in the next week or two to try and get in on a trial there. Thanks for praying.

still here...

...still kickin'. Our friend Sonya is in town this week, so that's fun. And Jeremy and I go on our weekend trip in a couple of weeks. Other than that, not much else is happening. Saw Mission: Impossible III, which was a good, fun dose of entertainment. Hope everyone out there has a good week.

a couple of movies

Okay, everybody go out and rent the documentary Mad Hot Ballroom. It is awesome! It's about a program in New York City public schools that teaches fifth graders ballroom dancing; then they have a city-wide competition. Not only will it be entertaining and educational, but listening to those fifth graders will totally bring you back. I mean it people...watch it.

The other two movies I've watched recently were Casanova and Aeon Flux (going for opposite ends of the spectrum here). Casanova was all right. I slept through part of it, so I may have missed some good parts. It reminded me a lot of Shakespeare's comedies -- set in Venice at about that time, lots of confusion and mistaken identity, and it was kind of bawdy (isn't that a great word?). There were quite a few funny parts.

Aeon Flux was pretty good; it had a nice twist and some nice action and a really freaky girl who had her feet replaced with hands. (Ewe, ewe, ewe). If you like science fiction/action movies you'd probably like it. Jeremy liked it a lot and he'd seen the anime series.

That's all for now!

Lime green

I met Lesley (Ralls) Howe the first day of my first ever semester at college. She was in my "Impact group," one of those things they have for freshman during that cheesy orientation weekend. The first time I met her she was wearing a pair of lime green Doc Martin Mary Jane's. These particular shoes made an appearance at least two or three times a week after that and now, that color always, always makes me think of Lesley. Lesley is one of the coolest people I know, and she doesn't have to try very hard either. She's a theater girl. She's confident, and kind, and thoughtful, and funny, and fun, and sometimes crazy -- but in a good way. ;) Love you Lesley!

speaking of bathroom monkeys.....

This has been a busy week! I've started a freelance gig for the Judge Alex t.v. show (thanks to my buddy Jason) where I research small claims at my local courthouse. So my usual routine got altered a bit, plus we had a birthday party and getting Jeremy ready to go out of town this weekend. But tonight it's raining and I have no where I have to be, so it'll be nice to hang out at home.

Peace

God things

Jeremy was in a car accident last week. He's all right, but only because of the grace of God. See, he typically drives his motorcycle to work. Thursday was no exception, however the job site happened to be near our neighborhood, so he stopped at home to pick up a tool he'd forgotten in the truck over the weekend. The truck hadn't been run in a few days, so he just decided to take it to the job site. Because of that, when a 17 year old in a Ford Ranger ran a stop sign and ran into him, Jeremy was in his big 'ol pickup instead of on a bike. Praise the Lord! Sadly, the truck may have to be put to rest. Jeremy's pretty bummed...he's put enough sweat, and time, and heart into the truck that he said it would feel like a family member dying. But God's got a plan for everything.

ahhhh....

yesterday we hung up the hammock that I got for Christmas. Mmm...fabulous. Everyone should own a hammock. Especially a big two-person hammock because when you lay in it you feel like you're just floating in a big cacoon.

stupid cardboard boxes

Well, the garage/attic organization was a success....except that I ripped a big hunk of skin off of my pinky finger on a cardboard box. All those exposed nerve endings...let me tell you it hurts. Irritating. But, not as painful as some things I guess (Patti, I'm thinking of you and your tooth...ouch!) so I'll count my blessings.

Today

Today is one of my days off this week. I enjoy having a day off during the week because I can get things done while everyone else is at work; of course, that doesn't always happen. :) Today, my project is some garage/attic reorganization. I know, I know....sounds daunting, doesn't it? But it shouldn't be too bad. We cleaned out our garage several months ago, so it's mainly just straightening up kind of stuff. (and remember, we've only lived in this house a year. Not as much time to accumulate). And the attic...well, I just feel like organizing lately, what can I say? I'll let ya'll know how it turns out.

blue skies, green grass, strong breeze

Patti shamed me into writing. ;) just kidding, about the shaming I mean. Patti did gently remind me that I'm horrible about posting (although my friend Steve is worse).

I watched Memoirs of a Geisha this week. It was really good; I'd read the book, and naturally think it's better, but only because there's more to it, which is natural. It's interesting because the story is about a world with a lot of things wrong with it, a lot of stuff that morally I really don't agree with. But at the same time, it doesn't try to convince you that the world of a geisha is okay, just tries to tell you a story about it. Ultimately, it's a story about the choices we make, and what happens when you really have no choices. As far as the movie goes, the actors and actresses are all fantastic, and the costumes and setting are really cool as well.

Let's see what else I can say....I'm working this weekend, but had last weekend off so it evens out. Plus it's nice sometimes to have days off during the week while everyone else is working. Yesterday I spent all day shopping for a new warm-weather quilt for the bed. Ironically, I ended up just buying a white cotton blanket. But it was fun, so I guess that's what matters, right? :)

Everyone have a good weekend!

random

Got a letter from my cousin Ryan today in United Arab Emirates. Reminded me that one of the fun parts of having friends and family all over the place is getting mail with really cool postmarks from all over the place. Just looking at return addresses is an exercise for the imagination sometimes. Of course, this doesn't outweigh the non-funness of living far away from those same friends and family.

Watched the movie Shall We Dance tonight. It was good; a nice look at being yourself and being honest with yourself and with others; with not being afraid to want to change things about your life. I even liked Richard Gere, and I don't always like Richard Gere. :)

Happy weekend!

I'm searching...

...for a game (not a board game; an active game) that can be played in a large group and with adults and children both. Any suggestions???

Bill's Hot Dogs

This past weekend Jeremy and I and several friends from church (Glen, Camille, Jeanette, Matt, Nicole and Jenny) went to Elizabeth City, NC to sing at a Gospel Rally being held at Roanoke Bible College. They'd asked us to sing a few accapella songs as special music. It was a really, really fun and relaxing couple of days. As Nicole put it, we got to leave town, sleep late, eat junk food, watch sports (March Madness, anyone?), play cards, and sing....and do it all with friends. All in all, a great time. And we rode in the church van which gave us all flashbacks to high school and college.

Since then, I have managed to get some kind of mild stomach bug, but it appears to be the short-lived kind, thank goodness. I don't do well subsisting on nothing but applesauce and saltines.

Entertainment, etc.

Yay Amazing Race!!!!!! I have to say, for anyone watching this newest installment, that I really, really hope that Eric and Jeremy are the next to go because their disgusting comments toward the girls (and all women actually) are getting very, very old. Enough with the frat boy personnas.

Watched a couple of movies this week/weekend. Shaun of the Dead, and Flightplan. Yes, I realize how totally different these movies are. Flightplan was very suspenseful, I thought, and well-done. I like Jodi Foster as well as Sean Bean and neither dissapointed me.
Shaun of the Dead was.....hilarious in a bizarre, twisted kind of way. I wasn't planning on watching it, not being a fan of zombie movies at all, but this isn't your typical zombie movie. I would discribe it as a British movie about clueless, slacker, 20-something guys and their relationships with girls, their parents and each other. With zombies. Flesh-eating zombies.

Anyway. Tonight it's either Cinderella Man or Walk the Line (I know, I know...I'm terribly behind).

Later.