Trick or treat, or barf.

I went to work today, fully meaning to finish my shift out strong, but as the day went on, it became apparent that the illness which had befallen everyone in my family besides me and Daniel, only has Daniel left on it's "to do" list. My gut felt like I swallowed a big rock. The greener I got, the more my co-workers started telling me that maybe I should go home. So, that's where I am now. I feel like garbage. Here's the thing though... as nauseous as I am, I cannot seem to vomit. Sorry for grossing out my lady readers. Now, think about this. What would be more great than a visit from the in-laws when you're feeling this way? Furthermore, the little woman made chile for dinner (apparently in an effort to due me in once and for all, but alas the plot failed as I did not partake).

In other news, it was trick or treat night tonight. One of the popular costumes in the neighborhood was the popular and beloved witch. I told the kids that we should dress up like New England Puritans and chase the witches with nooses and torches. I, of course, was not able to chase down too many witches as my back and legs ache along with the nausea. Maybe next year.

Oh Well

"Can't help about the shape I'm in
I can't sing, I ain't pretty and my legs are thin
Don't ask me what I think of you
I might not give the answer that you want me to
Oh well..."

~~Peter Green.

Sometimes I get to feeling certain ways, and the words of others pop in my head. Today I thought to myself, "Oh well." Then almost immediately came the words, "Don't ask me what I think of you...." It's an old Fleetwood Mac song, like when they were an English blues band old. I guess I'm feeling kinda ornary today.

In other news: I have people I need to (and want to) get together with soon, but not alot of free time. Sigh.

Sometime I need to get on here and write some stuff that's more interesting or edifying or funny, but for the time being, this is all I got. Oh well.

Oops! Did I do that?

They're bombing LEBANON COUNTY! Missed me by that much.

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FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, Pa. - Military officials are investigating why a jet fighter accidentally dropped a 25-pound practice bomb on a hiking trail a mile from its intended target in southeastern Pennsylvania.

No one was injured when the grapefruit-sized bomb fell on the trail Oct. 13 during a training mission for a pair of A-10 Thunderbolts. The bomb created a crater about 6 inches wide in the trail.

The plane that dropped the bomb was assigned to the 111th Fighter Wing at Willow Grove Naval Air Station, said Col. Chris Cleaver, spokesman for Fort Indiantown Gap, an 18,000-acre military training site managed by the Pennsylvania National Guard.

The plane has been grounded while officials investigate what caused the bomb to drop incorrectly. Investigators have already ruled out pilot error as the cause, Cleaver said.

The National Guard has been seeking permission to acquire 2,100 acres of Pennsylvania Game Commission land to act as a buffer zone for a new tank range. The base is located about 25 miles northwest of Harrisburg.

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Ok, Fort Indiantown Gap is in the north part of Lebanon County, WHERE I LIVE!!! I feel so safe with the military here to protect me. Sigh.

She's Come Undone

Too many mountains
And not enough stairs to climb
Too many churches
And not enough truth
Too many people
And not enough eyes to see
Too many lives to lead
And not enough time

~The Guess Who.

Yeah, tell me about it.

Misty Mountain Hop

This is the home that my dad (the kids call him Pappy) built in mountains of Virginia, near the Shenandoah Valley. As you can see, it was a bit misty while we were there. Pappy calls it "low clouds," but I reminded him that it is actually "high land" that is causing the fogginess.


Look closely now, and you'll see a deer. There were deer in Pappy's yard every day we were there, sometimes four or five at a time.



Here's Pappy and his grandchildren (sans Daniel, who was awol for the picture) sitting in front of the fireplace. Cole looks like he's not having a good time, but that is not the case. Cole had a great time, but he fell ill the last day of our visit, and even vomitted a few times. So, he wasn't feeling too well at the time this picture was taken. We all had a good visit, and we look forward to going back again.

Travelling is nice, but it's good to be back home too.

Sermon Proof?

"We confess many of us by hearing Sermons, are grown Sermon-proof: We know how to scoff and mock at Sermons, but we know not how to live Sermons." ~ Edmund Calamy, Westminster Divine.

The prayer from which this statement is excerpted, along with many other prayers of the ministers ejected from their pulpits by the civil "authority" for their faithfulness to Christ, can be read at http://truecovenanter.com

A Complete Collection of Farewell Sermons: The Prayers of several of these Divines

Jumbo and Grizzly

Now THAT'S what I call a pipe! Oh, and don't get me started about the Grizzly!

Hello, old friend.

It's funny how things work out sometimes. Not funny "ha ha," but funny "strange." We bumped into an old friend the other night, by happenstance, if you will. When we knew him years ago, he was always smiling, always laughing, and always able to make others laugh too. Not anymore. Now he hardly cracks a smile, and tears well up in his eyes if he catches himself saying something of a sensitive nature. His wife left him, which wasn't a suprise to hear because we knew there were problems the last time we saw him. He's raising a teenaged girl, by himself. Blind Willie Johnson once sang,

"Father will do the best that he can,
when momma is gone.
Father will do the best that he can,
when momma is gone.
Father will do the best that he can,
But there's so many things he just don't understand,
Motherless children have a hard time,
when mother is gone."

Now, the girl's mother didn't die, mind you. She just left, married someone else, and hasn't been heard from in quite some time. Sadly, our old friend didn't have anything kind to say about his daughter. He showed us a picture of a lovely looking girl. I commented, "hey, she's a doll," meaning to pay a compliment. He responded, "she's no doll," and I won't finish the rest of his sentence. He tells us he's not been reading his Bible or "walking with the Lord." There was something of a "rescue me" in his voice when he talked about this stuff. He says he's been abandoned, and has no Christian friends. "All the people I hang out with are non-Christians," which means that there is nothing but superficial talk and the passing of time between them. We'll be calling him and inviting him over for dinner. Hopefully we can offer something meaningful.

Later in the evening, my wife and I (oh, and little Jesse too) went out to get some hot wings, sandwiches (I had a patty-melt, and Rach had a crab-melt), and some "Ringside Fries" which are fries with bacon and red onions, smothered in melted cheese. Yummy yum yum.

My shoulders are still sore.

I noticed it's been a full week since I blogged last! The week flew by, very busy, very hectic at times. Ok, so here's what we did over the weekend:


We went hiking with our friends at "Govenor Dick," which for you real hikers is not really hiking, I suppose. But for us out of shape Waybrights, it's a hike and a half -- especially when carrying a kid or two.


The destination at the peak of the hike is a tower of about... hmm... 60 feet high or so. Noticing the sign, I had to convince my wife to put away the ropes and straps. We would have to put off rappelling for now.


Here's the view of the Lebanon Valley from the top of the tower.


Elisabeth and Jesse didn't climb the ladders up to the top of the tower, but my 4 weirdest kids did. I'm thinking of acquiring a cage like this as it could prove useful in certain situations.


Daniel descends the ladder, so Mommy can have a turn climbing up while Daddy watches the babies. Daniel ended up going right back up with Mom.


That's my wife and the 4 oldest kids at the top of the tower. Wave hello!


While I waited on the ground with the babies, Elisabeth got hold of the camera, and took a picture of Jesse and me. And that's what we did on Saturday.

Mundane and Coltrane.

"You don't come over. You don't help me. I know you hate me."

~~ Some of the bizarre and intoxicated statements made to me last week as I was visiting someone, bearing gifts. Sigh. No good deed goes unpunished.

I've not been in a mood to write much lately. I guess I don't really have much to say, except boring stuff like I'm planning on getting a haircut tonight, and I tried a Vodka Martini for the first time the other night and I liked it. Next time I'll try Gin. In two weeks we're heading down to Virginia for a few days, to see my dad who built his new house overlooking the Shenandoah Valley. That should be fun. But before that, we have two birthdays in the house -- Rachel's and Cole's. I think I'm gonna get Rachel two cheese steaks, and Cole some swedish fish. Well, I still have some more time to think about it.

I stopped by the "Jubilee Shop" which is a local thrift shop. I found an unopened Duke Ellington "Live at the Newport Jazz Festival" album, on vinyl, for $0.25! It was so old that in the inside sleeve there's this list of why vinyl is the superior medium for music. It said stuff like "Records are better because choosing to play an individual track is easy! Just pick up the arm and put it down where you want to start listening." I took it home and got the ol' turntable spinning. That was quite nice. I'm only very recently looking into Jazz, and I'm kinda easing my way into it. So finding some old Duke Ellington was good because he's not so experimental or harsh, as say... Coltrane. I'm not ready for Coltrane yet, but Ellington is kinda nice.

Alright, that's all I got right now.