We are So Proud! I think she had a pretty good day too. We didn't celebrate it as a family yet. With Cranfest coming up she has always understood that we would celebrate as a family later. Still, She had a store bought cake to take to school to share with her classmates and some store bought /decorated cupcakes to share with the kids in
"Crantastic Singers" - the singing group she and Jacob have been a part of for years now. They both sing and dance very well. Jessalyn has decided to pursue that even more so she now gets private tutoring once a week in "voice". Myself, having been a paid critic for professional singers, I don't think she needs them. Of course, I'm her father, so not only am I biased but what could I possibly know?? (wink) She had her first lesson on Monday and loved it, so that is all that matters.
Well I don't think I have ever felt so unprepared for a Cranfest as I do right now. I have to work today but then I'm off of work until Tuesday. On those days "off" I have to get all the signs up that point the poor lost souls to where they parked their cars. I also have to clean house and Yard. Then of course is the three days of Festival and on Monday we spend the day cleaning the town. That Tuesday at the Factory should be a Hoot!
My Mom and Dad should be arriving on Thursday evening. I'm hoping for sooner but it may be later. I still have some preparations for them to take care of. Of course there is a truck load of stuff I wanted to get done that I know now just aren't going to happen. (sigh)
It sounds like the weather should be just perfect except for a slight chance of showers Saturday night. I'm praying those showers happen everywhere but on Warrens. The area still needs the rain but the Festival doesn't.
As busy as I am poor Deanna makes be look like a statue. Her life has been a blur for the last couple of weeks and I don't expect it to stop until October; Late October. Then we gear up for Christmas!!! Yeah! (I think Thanksgiving is in there too but it all kind of bunches up if you know what I mean)
Anyway, If I can get her to sit still for a few moments, I will try to get Dea to give you more of what's planned for this years Cranfest.
Well, it's 4:54am and I'm supposed to leave for work in fifteen minutes and I'm still in my pajama's. If I've left anything misspelled you know why!
With The Love of Jesus
Will
Well, I bought a new surge suppressor with a phone jack and a new internal modem to replace the fried one. I was slightly amazed by how inexpensive it was. It was also fairly easy to replace. Still, I couldn't help but notice it was the only one the store had. "not much call for them anymore..." the store owner told me as he dusted off the box. Yeah, yeah, I know us Neanderthals that live back in the "sticks" are way behind the times. Of course when I started to explain what I wanted to do with my three computers his tune changed as he coughed and said "let me go get my son...". Guess I'm not the only barbarian in the midst...
His son was very helpful though and I think I have a plan I can implement to get what I want. What I want is to give the ol' reliable computer to Deanna. I will take the one from Mom and Dad and the recently overhauled computer will simply be a "family" computer for surfing and playing games etc. The idea is to have all the important data saved as far away from the "family" 'puter as possible. Still have some "bugs" in my plans to work out but it's a plan anyway.
Now, Here is your new mission! ...Should you accept it (key music) I need a "cordless phone" adapter. Once upon a time before broadband, there were adapters that worked like a cordless phone you could plug into your computer. No! not cell phone. Remember to think Old! Cordless phone like you have in your house. (as if I know what kind of phone you use) See, I want to have these computers in different parts of the house but I'm too lazy to run a phone line to all of them....
Well, time to quit this fantasy and go to work. Have a great day!
God Bless
Will
...To really mess things up, takes a computer.
Let's recap. First of all, I'm cheap. I prefer to say: I list my priorities differently than others; the truth is, I'm cheap.
"Way back in the day..." as a kid I got into computers in a big way. This is in the days of 286 computers. I remember the excitement when the radio station I worked for got a 486 computer! If you are not sure what those numbers mean, well that is to tell you how long ago it was. Those are the numbers for the "hertz" of the chips. As in Mega Hertz. Now we say "Giga hertz". That 486 was a beauty too, it even had a whole megabyte of hard drive! whoo hoo!
Then, I got into something much much better than computers. Women!
Well, a Woman to be specific. I was already into women as a rule, but I met my wife about this time and as most of you know it didn't take us long to get married, start a life together and then to start a family.
There just wasn't time, energy, or money for computers;
For a very long time.
Shortly after Micr*s*ft came out with Wind*ws XP (!) I decided to try getting back into computers again. I knew I would have a rather large gap in my education and wanted to try to control the damage I could do.
Remember, I'm cheap.
So, I called a large computer company and my conversation went like this:
Them: Hi! this is D*ll! how can I help you?
Me: I would like to buy a computer.
Them: And what can I interest you in?
Me: What's the cheapest system you have?
Them: Well sir! you have called at a great time! Right now we have several great systems on special! Plus now for a limited time we include a free upgrade of Ram with each system purchased!
Me: What's cheapest?
Them: Well, right now sir we have our televised special! it includes...
Me (interrupting "Them"): Not that. Lower. What's your lowest priced system?
Them (sounding hurt): Well sir, that IS our lowest priced system...
Me (sounding "not convinced"): C'mon, I know you have something that's lower.
Them (sounding guilty for what they are going to say):
"Well, we do have this one system...
Me: Great! I'll take it! With the free upgrade and hey, let's splurge and upgrade the CD ROM to a CD recorder!
------------------------------------------------------
How long ago was it when XP came out? That is how old my very bottom of the drawer computer is. It is also the one I'm typing this post on.
It is SO bottom of the drawer it isn't really even "upgrade-able" anymore. Those two upgrades I got are it. I would have to completely build a new one using this chassis to attempt to modify it further. But why? it still is working great. Unlike that "New-to-me everything is rebuilt" computer that was given me. It was given to me because we were convinced this one was going to "die" soon. It didn't, but the new one...
well, it isn't dead.
I think I have to replace the internal modem.
First, I will have to back up "my Docs" and Outl**k Expr*ss
What a pain.
This is entirely my fault mind you.
We have a lot of lightening strikes around here and they are notorious for traveling down our phone lines.
It's so bad it's fried the last two phone surge suppressors we had.
So of course I didn't replace them.
I am SO proud of myself right now.
(sigh)
As I am on dial up it isn't as easy to set up a network between the two computers. If I could get broadband the wireless router would take care of it for me. Of course who knows if that would be a smoking wreck right now or not..
Now my wonderful, kind parents have found an xp machine for me and the family! In technology, it is somewhere between the two machines I have now. It isn't new by a long shot, but it should be Very Nice! And it will solve a lot of Problems for me.
Here is my question for those of you who really are computer savvy:
I would like to network all three computers together; Allow each computer internet access but because I can only get dial up, it can only be one at a time. I would also like an easy way to back up each computer to each other preferably, or perhaps a central harddrive like the ibook. The oldest computer (this one) does NOT have an ethernet port.
Any suggestions?
oh, and anyone got a cheap modem lying around?
How is your day?
Romans 8:28!
Will
It's a busy time around here right now and I imagine it's going to get busier. See, it's getting close to Cranfest and if you've been reading this blog for the last year than you already know what a big deal it is. If you haven't, feel free to check out the archives below right for all the gory details.
I'm really starting to look forward to it this year as my folks hope to be here for it. I am really convinced they are going to love it; but then again, I've been wrong before... Nah, they're going to love it. I have eliminated a lot of my normal duties as it was just getting to be too much. (I'm already what I call a "Cranfest widower" because the kids and I will see less and less of Deanna the closer we get to the festival.) So, I'm hoping I to have some free time to spend with the folks while they are here.
The Festival is contagious. You find yourself "involved" with it before you know it. It has already claimed my Dad and he hasn't even been here for one yet. See, we were short a couple of parade judges. We needed someone to judge the automobiles. A short phone call later and my Dad was tagged for the job. What he doesn't know yet is that we haven't been able to find a judge for the tractors in the parade and he's going to get that duty as well if we can't find one. Thanks Dad!!!
I was supposed to play and sing for the music hall on the Friday and Saturday of the fest (as I did for the last two years) but I just can't. I'm not "gifted" in that area like some people. I can only do something like that if I have a truckload of practice and everything falls into place. What I mean by "everything" is my carpal tunnel, tendinitis and allergies not acting up. They are and I haven't been able to practice at all. I did try last night in desperation, to see if I could belt anything out but it was all squawks and I barely finished the first song I tried before my fingers started going numb on my left hand and my elbow started to hurt on my right. (sigh) Gettin' old is SUCH a pain. Literally.
Please don't misconstrue the previous two sentences as "whining". I am just explaining. I consider it a major blessing to have ever played at all; besides I'm a much better whiner than that! In fact, if I was as good a player and singer as I am a whiner I wouldn't have anything to whine about. Chew on that one for a while. By the way, Deanna's Aunt Gayle is in charge of the music hall and I haven't told her I can't play yet. I'm NOT looking forward to that. She doesn't take "no" easily and I HATE disappointing her. (grumble)
Tuesday I was overdosing on my own testosterone. Really. See, there were some trees that have been knocked down by the recent storms and they were in the way of where we put booths for Cranfest. My WIFE volunteered me to take care of the problem.
I drove my T R U C K up into the field were the trees were. Not a mamby pamby 1/4 ton truck. Not a Pampered street princess 1/2 ton truck, no sir, a full in your face beat up scarred and knarly 3/4 ton T R U C K. In fact, I daresay it's even more manly because it's only 2 wheel drive. Takes skill to keep the "positraction" rear end in line and a practiced foot on the accelerator (of the V 8 engine!) to keep the wheels spinning just enough to clear the muck from the tread but not so much as to dig a hole. (This is where you would insert a Tim Allen / Home improvement "Arrr Arrr Arrrgh!)
Oh no, we have more manliness in store. I was feeling very proud as I dragged my big heavy logging chain out from behind the bench seat. I was even more proud as I methodically un-cased the 18 inch chainsaw from it's case. Kind of like a "hit man" or sniper putting together his weapon with practiced "snicks" and "clicks". I grinned because even though it hasn't run in a couple of weeks I know that on the third pull "she" will start. She does.
Across the field there are some prisoners on work release painting a building, I give the trigger throttle a few squeezes just for them. I'm not looking at them because I don't want to be too obvious but I know, they know and I know they know that I know, you know?
I started with the two trees that were the biggest problems. There are actually five I have to deal with. First I debranch them. I have a "timber jack" in the truck. I like saying that. How many men can really say that? Of course I didn't need it at the time but still, I liked having it there as much as I like telling you I have it there. (Arrrgh Arrrgh) The trees had fallen on each other and on their branches in such a way that getting them cut small enough to drag took no time at all.
I Myself, was an efficient machine.
I remember thinking "Wow, it just doesn't get more "real man" than this. I was having a blast. Keep in mind that this is just a removal service. These were pine trees and I was not cutting them for fire wood. I just needed to cut them small enough to drag the pieces with my truck and logging chain to the end of the field and out of the way.
Two hours later I was still feeling like a "real Man" all right.
A Real, Very Beat up, Very Old Man.
I was done with two of the five trees and I myself was "done".
Done.
As in: put a fork in me because the meat on my bones is so tender I could feel what was left of my muscles sliding down into a puddle in my shoes. Shoes that I can never lose. Shoes that I could find by just sniffing the air and in so doing I would know I didn't really want to find them anyway.
I carefully put my chainsaw and loggers chain away. Carefully because I thought I might drop them and not be able to pick them up.
My truck has "Real Working Man" tires on it. Not big mudders, but working tires. Not very wide but Tall. Tall is a good thing and its a bad thing.
The Bad: You have to climb Up into the truck. It's not a monster truck and it's not "lifted" but it is still none-the-less a climb.
The Good. You get to "fall" out of it when you get to where you are going. This really is a good thing too. Remember, I also own a tiny little Festiva. Climbing up out of that at the end of a long day is tough. I often would spend five or ten minutes just sitting in my driveway trying to get the energy to climb out of it.
Anyway, I get home, "slide" out of my truck, carefully put my tools away and notice one of my rear tires is losing air. Slowly. As I look, I notice that the rear tires are weather-checked and cracking. I look at the front ones and can see there isn't much tread left there either. I'm not sure but I think the tires cost about 500 dollars a pair. But I might be able to find four for that price -if I'm lucky(!) .
I'm starting to sympathize with the tire that's slowly deflating.
I walk inside and collapse into the latest incarnation of the "Alien Chair" and grab "my" remote. Deanna calls from the kitchen: "Are you hungry?"
I grunt.
and then I can hear her fixing me a plate and I know it's going to be good.
It always is.
Always.
I think to myself: "Yes, it's good to be a 'Man' and it isn't the truck or the chainsaw that makes me feel that way..."
If you think you are a "real Man" and think that last line is drivel;
Well, I'm too Old, Tired and worn away to care.
You don't get much more "manly" than that.
Well, I'm going to go take my vitamins, wrap my elbow and hands and go to bed
Arrgh Arrgh! and Thank You Lord!
Will
Life has been a series of difficult events for me lately. Struggles that seem to zap my energy and my zest for life....for those who know me, I'm usually pretty "zesty" on living. Lots of changes, lots of stress, lots of emotional trauma that brings me to my knees both physically and spiritually. I have pretty much had the air knocked out of me and I often struggle to breath let alone try to help others which is what I love to do. I have been searching for an answer and struggling to find the path that God would have me take. It's not easy.
Of course, then as usual more things add on and on. The pile of junk gets higher and just when you feel yourself start to tip over the edge,something tugs you back in line with a jerk. For me that something that made me start down another path this time was a song that the group I sing with sings called "Romans 8:28". My cousin and I sing the verses and usually it's just a"sing it and get it over with" fast song that everyone can clap to. Not this time. It made me do a double take and actually think about the words and then I realized that I could not truly sing them right now. What a blow to my conscience.
The words are " Oh the devil may rob me of my happiness, but he can't take away my joy. Because joy is the fruit of the spirit in me. That's something that he can't destroy. So when it seems that everything in my life has gone wrong, I can still wear a smile. I can still sing a song. Cause all things work together for good for them that love the Lord."
I had this "wake up and smell the coffee moment" and saw what all of this junk is doing to me. It is stealing my joy.
Of course just realizing that did not make everything wonderful and great in a split second. In fact things keep on happening, but the difference now is that I'm looking for the good in my life instead of dwelling on the bad. Not easy, but definitely better then wallowing in the mire and muck. What good does that do?
In my quest for the good in my life, I have been replaying all the miracles that God has sent my way. They help me remember to thank God that he is in charge and that things are not left up to me (That's a good thing!)
Blessing # 1
My husband... Who would have thought that 1 month after telling God that I was perfectly happy being single and understood that I would grow old that way, that I would have a man tell me we were "unofficially engaged" on our second date (or first date. It's an old argument) God sure blew me away with that one and I still am blown away 18 years later.
Blessing #2
My children. They may get on my last nerve and drive me to distraction, but there is nothing like the love of a child for their parents. They see the bad I do, but it doesn't seem to faze them. They just keep right on ticking and ignore their embarrassing Mom. The really miraculous thing is that they are turning out to be great kids in spite of my goof ups. Go figure!
Blessing #3
Our extended family. I love each and every one of them right down to the "Dead People" in my genealogy. What a blessing to know where I come from and also to know all of these great people. Even the ones that don't like me...cause you know what? You can pick your friends, but you cannot pick your family. THEY'RE STUCK WITH ME!!!!
Blessing #4
Our pets. My Sam dog, Gabberdeen, my cat and even Stinky Pete are fun to have around. Even when the dog "lies" to me by doing the "potty dance" and then just sniffs the air when we get outside. Then there's the crazy cat who comes to get me yelling in the night because she's lonely.
Blessing #5
Our home. It's not just a house, nor is it just the mess that you sometimes see. It's a home that is open for anyone that needs a friend and is right now a home for friends who just needed a "home" to come home to. People feel comfortable coming in and raiding the frig or whatever. Some even make their own Christmas plans around being at our house for Christmas Eve. That's a blessing!
Blessing # 6
My music. I remember clearly the 3 weeks years ago that I could not speak or sing at all. Scary for someone who has always been able to just open her mouth and belt it out. It may not be the greatest voice, or even really a good voice, but boy am I loud! I enjoy singing and I love playing the piano. It's an expression of feeling for me and I do not know what I would do without either one.
There are many others that I will not bore you with, but I just want mainly to remind you of something that I had forgotten somewhere along the way.. Life is hard. Life throws you curves. People can be so unkind. Feelings can be crushed so easily. Happiness can be misplaced. Stress can take over BUT
God is good. All the time. Blessings are abundant, when you look for them.
Think about a storm for a moment. Everything is wet. Sometimes cold. No sun shining. The wind is blowing. Things change. Trees blow down. Windows break. Puddles form. Creeks rise. Houses flood.
But after a rain, the air feels clean. The plants grow. New life begins and takes root. Houses are built in safer places. Windows are replaced with newer and better ones. Things change, but LIFE goes on.
Do you think that sometimes God sends the rain to remove things from our lives that we needed to get rid of but never did? Sometimes old ideas (windows) just need to be replaced with better ones so that we can see what's going on around us more clearly. Sometimes we need to build our house on safer ground. Maybe sometimes we need the rain to wash away the crud and clear the air.
My blessings are what I am focusing on right now. The rain is here. The storm has arrived, but my God can speak peace and I'm counting on Him for that. I'm claiming Romans 8:28. It is a promise from God and He keeps his promises.
If he cares for the lilies in the field or the little tiny sparrow, how much must he care for us?
Below are pictures of a couple of my "blessings" . There are too, too many to list, but going through our pictures brought some smiles that I thought I would share.
God Bless.
dea
One of the great things about reading other peoples blogs is they give me a great starting point to start yammering away on why I should be king of the world. Really I should be, it would be such a better place. Well, for me it would. O.K. not really. Shoot that's a wasted paragraph.
Alrighty, where wuz I goin' wit dis? Oh yeah. (hey it's 5am in the morning! cut me some slack okay?) Rachel has a post about a ban on bans. Well, she got me thinking (as she usually does) that I have been down that road before. It's a nice road. I think I will go down it again and take it farther than Rachel did.
Pay attention to the next sentence because you may want to call your congressmen with this suggestion:
For every new law/ban made we need to remove/repeal 3 old, stupid, freedom stealing laws/bans.
Seriously, We all know there are a heap of old laws that no longer really apply. Silly things (like you need to have a flag man in front and behind your horseless carriage) that should be repealed cuz no one listens to that one any way. But more important are the stupid laws designed to protect us from ourselves.
I am an addict. I am addicted to tobacco. I have always known it's unhealthy and I don't believe anyone really ever thought it was good for you. Kind of like Ice Cream. No one really believes it's good for you but that isn't going to stop us from eating it. I love tobacco. I love it as chew. I love it as snuff. I love to smoke it as a cigarrette and I love it in a pipe and as a cigar.
I haven't touched the stuff in over 11 years.
I quit about six months before Jessa was born. I quit cold turkey. I was only going to quit for 3 months so I could get cheaper life insurance. I figured after I got the insurance I could go back to my tobacco. I just never got the insurance until a few months ago. Seems kind of silly to go back to it now.
Here is the thing. I know that tobacco is bad for me. I also know it's an addiction because even after all these years, when I walk outside after work and smell the cigarrette smoke of my coworkers, I want one. I want one bad.
But I digress.
The point of the tobacco story? I didn't need legislation to quit. All I needed was to see my 3 year old son playing with my pipe to think:
"Oh, This Is Such A Bad Idea". It's knowing how disappointed my wife and kids would be with me that keeps me walking past my coworkers at the end of the day.
Still digressing. (sigh)
Rachel attributed all these bans to fear. Of course she is right. Just incomplete. These bans and freedom stealing laws are really about power and control. Law makers (notice I didn't say lawyers) are simply using our fear to make us agree that it's better for them to control our lives than it is for us to control ourselves.
Silly us.
Really, let's take it to the extreme. What's next? Let's outlaw extreme sports! They are way too dangerous! No mountain climbing! People die doing that. In fact we need to repeal the federal speed limit laws. Safe driving can only be done in a Buick driven at 20 miles per hour. In fact let's scratch that all together. Everyone must live in a large city and they must work with in walking distance of their home. There can be mass transit but you must have a permit to take it and it's only to be used for going to a hospital or government office. (like to get a permit for taking the mass transit) If there are more than 20 people on any mass transit vehicle you will have to wait. It's much too dangerous.
Oh, and don't forget the complete ban on Ice Cream. It is costing us too much in health care don't cha know. At least we should tax it with a "sin" tax until we can't afford it.
Wait! You say I'm being ridiculous? Sorry, I don't see much difference between ice cream and tobacco. There is a difference but not THAT much.
As Rachel pointed out there are silly bans at school and at play centers and of course at work that are all about being politically correct. She pointed out a ban on toy soldiers at school.
What????
Evidently defending your country and your family and your way of life is politically incorrect. Little children shouldn't be exposed to such things.
Can I spread some of that on my tomato plants? I bet the tomatoes would be huge!
Here I thought that being an American soldier was an Honorable and courageous occupation. One that any American should be proud of.
I don't think I'm the only one to notice the difference between a toy gun and a toy soldier holding a toy gun? Puhleez.
But Hey! It's not like we can be bothered to point that out to the control freak of this planet.
We're too busy trying to live forever by taking all the fun out of living!
You know we really should put a ban on children. After all child birth is Way Too Dangerous. Not a limit mind you. A complete ban. No more babies ever.
That would Solve All our Problems! Permanently!
Of course there is also that small problem that making a law against something doesn't really stop it anyway.
They outlawed drugs like Marijuana and Cocaine. So of course, we don't have those in our country anymore right?
So if we outlaw Guns that will take all the guns out of our country right?
digressing again
Seriously, imagine the good we could do and the torture we could put our lawmakers through if we forced them to repeal 3 laws for every new law they write. I am not insensitive. Let's try it for 10 years and see what happens.
It would be my luck, this would be the first law repealed.
O.K. I shouldn't be king of the world. There is this other King; He really would do a great job if we would let him.
Here is the best part. He only has ten laws.
Even better, If you only obey two of His laws, You will in fact obey all ten of His laws.
I understand that some people need things spelled out for them in crayon. I know because I am one of them. Well, this King has a book.
This book explains just what you need to know to live a happy fulfilling life even when it all doesn't work out like you hoped.
Here is a really cool thing about that book: It doesn't matter if you are an atheist or agnostic or a politician; if you live your life by the advice of the Kings book you will still live a happy and fulfilling life.
Ever notice? They took prayer out of school; they took the ten commandments out of school and now the kids are taking each other out.
Hmmmmmm. And again I say: Hmmmmmmm
Naw, that can't be it. Must be the toy soldiers.
Sheesh!
Dear Lord, you remember that part in Your Prayer about "Thy Kingdom come"? Just wanted you to know: AMEN!
Will.
