That's not a CFL above

Pedro got me on this one. Not enough electricity to even light a nightlight.

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Surprise

I would never have guessed that I was almost a blogging addict.

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Winners?

Well, you can't win them all. My Alma Mater, Marshall University (then College) can't win any of them. I was waching them take on Memphis the other night (also a non-winner), and it was not difficult to understand why Marshall is 0-5 for the season. Their Center can't do his job, and various linemen have visions of glory. For example, on one play the guy had a fumble right under him and instead of falling on it he tried to pick it up. Memphis got the ball back. The game was so poorly played that I turned the TV off and finished Volume 7 of the Harry Potter series. J.K. Rowling IS a winner. And two out of three of my favorites won their first play-off game in baseball yesterday: The Rockies and Boston. Now if the Yanks can lose today it won't be a bad start to the Play-offs.

Great Week-end

What a good few days it has been. After my visit to Oregon the last week of August and first of September to visit my two sons, their wives and sons (5 of the latter), I was privileged to have my oldest son and my only daughter visiting this past week-end - the end of September. And yesterday I had to good fortune to have breakfast with my twin brother, his wife, two of their three children and spouses. This morning at Church it was good to sit between Annie and Pete and to join both in singing. And as well as that my good friend from Rocky's facuty was back after a two week absence due to an appendectomy. It was good to see her doing well. Last night (Saturday) I went to the annual Democrat Steak Fry and saw a number of friends, left early with some left over steak and came home to find that Annie had returned from her Librarian Conference and was able to satisfy her hunger at least in part. Tonight (Sunday) Pete brought home some rib-eye, he bar-b-q'd it and we had baked beans and salad and a good wine for supper with Ken providing the wine. It is heartening to have a large family all of whom love each other. PEACE TO ALL.

Real Age

I recently took the RealAge quiz. Turns out that I am 90.9 years old as I turn 83 next month. There are things I am doing right, and a long list of things I could be doing better. For example: they think my med use is wrong. So what are my docs doing? And with a tendancy to angina my exercise program ain’t going anywhere or I might not make it even to 85. Guess I could eat more fish.

Things about life style that make you younger

Good sleep levels
Limited or no secondhand smoke exposure
Parents relationship
Daily vitamin
Pneumonia vaccination
Healthy resting heart rate
No drinking and driving
Folic acid intake
Good oral hygiene
Education level
Safe driving speeds
Vehicle size
No lower body disability
Safety belt or airbag usage
Daily aspirin use
Ex-smoker
Daily breakfast
Ideal blood pressure
Diverse diet
Calcium intake
Vitamin E intake

Most of these make your RealAge older!

Lycopene levels
Low fruit servings
Low unsaturated fat
Lack of flexibility exercises
Heart attack
Flossing habits
Potassium levels
Low grain intake
Low vegetable intake
Low omega-3 intake
Strength training level
High BMI
Workout schedule
Vitamin C intake
Medication use
High red meat intake

Nerd Test

O.K. So I took the thing againN. Let's see what it says. Incidently the picture was drawn by the Rev. Dr. Roland Bainton, a well known thelogiann of the mid to late 1900's on a visit to Rocky Mountain College.

You Nerd

Having nothing more to do at the present I took the Nerd Test. I then outlined the code which would copy the results to my Blog, but forgot to hit "copy". I'm not about to do the thing over, but I tuned out to be a Literature Nerd. The test is Nerdish. It made no effort to believe that a widower would be taking it. Or a retiree.

Actually I guess I am a Lit Nerd. I read Volumes 3 and 4 and most of 5 of the Harry Potter series while in Oregon. Finished 5 at home and finished 6 last night before going to bed. I'm looking forward to 7 next week.

It is cool in Billings today. When I got up around 6:30 this morning the furnace was going. We had nearly an inch of rain yesterday afternoon and evening. Most welcome!

Trip West

The last week of August and the first week of September I was priviledged to visit my two sons in Oregon, their wives and 5 grandsons. It was a great visit and except for a couple of nights out for dinner and a Saturday morning soccer game I did little but read volumens 4 and 5 of the Harry Potter series. The first dinner was with Paul and Louise at the McGrath Fish House in Beaverton, and the second dinner was with Will, Karyn, Caleb, Luke, and Zack at the Spaghetti House in Portland. I had eaten there several years ago at Brandon's high school graduation. The Soccer match included the twins, Lukas and Zackary. Their team won 3-2.

On Saturday before Labor Day Paul and Louise took me into Washington to view Mt. St. Helens. Larry went with us, and it was good to have a chance to catch up with his doings. I encourage him to start a blog about his studies and plans. The picture, of course, is of St. Helens with some evidence of steam as it continues to be active. My first experience of this volcano was years ago when it was first threatening to erupt. I was visiting a niece in Salem at the time. She was in Law School then. The eruption occured shortly after I got home and it left its trail of dust all over Billings, some 600 miles away.

Someone at Church yesterday asked me if I had driven to Portland. I assured her that I had not. Horizon Airlines flies non-stop between Billings and Portland and it was an uneventful flight both ways. On the way home it appeared that there had been fairly heavy snow in the mountains in Idaho. Saturday night it got to the low 40's in Billings and the furnace was running Sunday a.m. when I got up. It is supposed to warm up some later this week. It is good to be home.

Computers**%^$#

I will probably never learn how to make the best use of a computer. Yesterday Larry asked if I had ever used Garage Band. No, that hasn't happened. He said that he would write a tune for me. I still don't know how to access it. The biggest frustration during this trip to Oregon has been the failure of my ISP to send e-mail. Received, but not sent. Paul tried some changes and tne senrt a not to Internet Montana, but no response from them. It suddenly dawned on me today that I have gmail on this machine. It worked!

It's a lovely day here inn Hillsbore, OR for Labor Day. We are spending most of the time watching Tiger and Phil close out a golf match. Now, it's time for lunch.

Peace all.

New Blogger

It was fun to turn Larry on to Blogging yesteday. He had hardly gotten home before he was at it. Family who would like to see what he's up to - here's the address: http://www.larzilation.blogspot.com/

Chris. You need to check this out,

Grandfather

Saturday

We have just gotten back to Paul's and Louise's after a trip up to St. Helen's Mountain. I was very impressed by the scenery with all of the trees the Weyerhause lumber company has had planted after the devestation of the May 1980n eruption. It is hard to believe that that was over 17 years ago. I was in Salem, OR at that time when the mountainn was still just threatening to erupt. I have some pictures so will add more about this part of my trip when I get back to Billings.

Failed e-mail

I attemped to send this e-mail today, but for some reason mail will not go out even though I am able to get mail, and to access Sarfari with Will's neighbors wireless.

Arrived in Portland yesterday to be met at PDX by Willie, Karyn, Caleb, Lukas and Zackary. The flight from Billings both here and back is non-stop, and yesterday was completely uneventful. The only landmark I really made out (since I was in an aisle seat) was Mount St. Helens. It stuck up high and was flat on top. No question as to what I was seeing. We either did not come near Mt. Hood or it was on the other side of the plane.

Last evening Paul and Louise came over and shared with us in a delicious dinner. I slept well in a familiar bed and this morning Will's family and I all went to the MOSAIC Church. Guitars, drums and old hymns with a modern beat. The speaker for the morning spent about 40 minutes dealing with good neighborliness. Actually it was quite a good service. Will tells me that this group is aligned with the Missionary and Alliance group.

Karyn provided me with a Jimmy Carter novel, The Hornet's Nest. So far I've read about 100 pages dealing with 18th century settlement in the South before the Revolutionary War. Interesting stuff.

Not much else to report at this time. Caleb has just begun to get supper ready for this evening.

Travel Plans

I'll be on my way to Oregon in a couple of days. Plan to visit two sons, their wives and 5 grandsons. Well worth the price of admission. I'm flying, and the more I think about it I realize how much easier it was to throw a bunch of stuff in the trunk of the car and drive over. It's probably a lot wiser to fly!

In the meantime I've been reading this month. Finished two of Dr. Robin Cook's latest dramas. "Critical" which is all about post-surgery infection made me moderately glad that I didn't have that knee surgery after all. The earlier one, Crisis, was good. I plan on taking it with me since I've learned that one of the grandsons has a passion for Cook. I've read his stuff over the years myself. The third book (I finished it last night) was the second one in the Harry Potter series, The Chamber of Secrets. Now I'm hooked and will have to read some more.

For any readers who are suffering from the heat, I got up this a.m. and it was in the mid-50s here in Billings. I also noticed that the rear window of the car out front was covered with a fairly heavy dew. Thank goodness it is not yet frost. I may get a chance to Blog while in Oregon, if not I'll see you next month.

Busy Day

How could it be so long since I last Blogged? Not much to say, I guess. As I was finishing up some stuff in the basement awhile ago it occurred to me that I have been busy today. Up, got breakfast, read the Gazette, checked the Internet and e-mail, finished U.S. News and World Report (finished Pete's copy of TIME last night), did my laundry, washed the car, got lunch - actually some pasta salad Pete had made for supper Monday, planned supper and now I'm on my way to meet with my Democrat Koffee Klatch friends. If I'm lucky I'll remember to buy some bread as we are down to the last heel.

It's been a nice day. Not terribly hot, and the smoke doesn't seem to be as heavy as earlier in the week. My eyes have been itching a lot and I've assumed it is the smoke in the air. Not so itchy today. I was glad to see on the Morning Star Blog that they are not in danger of fire-just lots of smoke blocking out the sun. I guess that I've "mused" enough for this time.

Sturgis here we come

Well, not actually to Sturgis, SD. I did leave Thursday morning and drove over to Ashland, MT for an overnight with Ann & Bill. It has been a long time since I'd been on the road, and since the Honda had anything by town miles on it. Just before I was ready to leave Billings my Pastor called. His Father-in-Law had died and he need to go to Oregon to be with family. "Would you be averrable to preach Sunday?" It is communion Sunday so I can easily fill the duty at this time. It did not interfere with my trip out of town. In the six plus years Ross has been with us he has only asked me to fill the pulpit under this kind of circumstance. Never with two=three week, a month notice. Should I be flattered? Actually I'd rather not be back in the pulpit after the 20 month Interim 1998-2000. But one does one's duty to the congregation at least. And I've found a Communion Meditation I used back in August 1998 which can easily be brought up to date.

But back to Sturgis. It's that week-end again. Without thinking I planned the trip to Annies for the time when dozens, literally dozens, of motorcyclists are on the road going to the big Rally. They passed me on the way over, and they came at me on the way back. Sometimes a single, but mostly in groups of 3 to 5, and at least one "parade" of seven. Some drivers had a lady with them, but most were singles. Abut 50% were wearing helmets. Few had standard riding gear such as leather clothing. I set me cruise control at 65 for most of the trip and generally had the road to myself most of the time.

It was a good couple of days, and now to the rewrite.

KITCHEN GUY

Or is that Mr. Food? Last week I watched the last mentioed do a dish with chicken, of which I have a lot of Costco frozen pieces. It was Chinese Chickdn Chow Mein. Looked easy enough and healthy so I looked it up on the net and printed out the recipie along with one for Sloppy Joes. ( I have several 1 lb. packages of hamburger in the Fridge as well.) Pete fixed supper Sunday night after the Democrat Annual Summer Picnic. We had chicken there and salmon at home. So, last night it was my turn. Pete will be at the restaurant the rest of the week so I scounge. I went to the store to get additional ingrediants like Chow Mein noodles, scallions, and a bag of mixed veggies - (lettuce, carrots, broccoli, etc.) Since we had the window air conditioner going in the front room I closed the door to the kitchen and set the oven at 425. It was like 100 degrees outside. I didn't look at a thermometer in the kitchen, but thought of Betty and how she usually had a fan going in there in the summer. Many things about the house remind me of her. To get back to Mr. Food. I cooked the chicken, got the soy sauce mix ready, sliced the scallions and made some tea. When it came time to put it all together I got out a large pan (the one I cook corn on the cob in) and mixed it all up. We sat down to dinner at 5:30 and watched the evening news as we ate. We then watched Jeopardy and the Seattle Mariners as they beat the LA Angels 2-0. After the evening news and the balance of the game I went to bed and watched some of Leno and some of Letterman. Neither had a guest worth staying up for so it was lights out. Ooops! I now remember that I had not prepared or use the Chow Mein noodles. Oh, well. We were both satisfied, had some ice cream and cookies later in the evening and did not go to bed hungry. AND there is enough of the stuff left that I can cook a handful of noodles and finish it off for supper tonight. All's well, that ends well. I still remember by dear wife, but I don't always remember process.

Harry the Potter

Well! I haven't read any of this set, but people seem to be finding out where they belong - so, why not?

You might belong in Gryffindor,Where dwell the brave at heart, Their daring, nerve and chivalry Set Gryffindors apart.

Gryffindor

Brave. Daring. Bold. Chivalrous.
Gryffindor is most often seen as, "the best house," of Hogwarts. Of course, that title can't go to any house in particular, as they all have praiseworthy traits. We know the most about Gryffindor than any other house. To be in Gryffindor usually means you're brave, and borderline reckless.

Occasionally we see Gryffindors with other admirable (and not so admirable) tendancies, but most often we see bravery, however hidden it may be. Even if you think you might be a bit of a nervous wreck, chances are if you're in Gryffindor you have boldness hidden within you, only to emerge in a time of need.

To be a Gryffindor can be similar to saying you're most like a knight, showing bravery and chivalry. You can be very honorable. However, don't let pride be your downfall. Congratulations on being sorted into Gryffindor!

*smack* Have none of you read Hogwarts: A History!?

Ancient History

It is often amazing the stuff I find around the house as I still try to deal with Betty's death. The other day I found an old business file "box" which contained letters dating back to my high school and college days. Many of them were from gals I once dated or had Church contacts with through W.Va. Baptist Youth Fellowship days. This trove has traveled with us throughout the country, and Betty took care to see that it was preserved. Among the letters I found this gem, and thus the picture above. On the left is James (now Jim), and on the right is John. The letter was postmarked Huntington, W. Va. Dec. 8, 1930. We would have turned 6 in October and I suspect the picture was a birthday picture taken at Grandfather Taylor's. The outside indicates that the letter is to "James Ray and John Roy Taylor" from Saint Nicholas, North Pole. It reads:

Dear twins: For I take it that you must be for I think you were on my liast last year for some presents because one of you had been ill for some time before our dear Christmas time. At that time there were not so many fathers out of employment and our forces coould be more liberal but this year with so many papas and mamas not able to buy the presents wanted by their children we will have to divide up but will try to get as much as possible of what you want so you will not be disappointed. So be good boys and tell your older brothers and sisters to also be good and await my appearance with pleasure.

Yours lovingly,

Saint Nicholas

The letter was then signed inn pencil: Santa

The reference to illness was to James who contracted a form of Spinal Menengitis on Armistice Day just after turning 5 years old. He was blind for a number of weeks with sight finally returning in the right eye. He's been one-eyed since, but doesn't miss much. I surely don't remember this note, but do remember very clearly the depression years, and am thankful that out Father always had a steady income - not much, but steady.

Peace

The Peace Plant was given to me by a very special family at the time of Betty's death in December 2005. It bloomed at that time and not again until recently. This, of course, reminds me once again of the nature of eternal life. I am often comforted by the concept of God's eternal now. The same yesterday, today, and forever. It may be many days, month, years before I am with her in heaven, it is already true in God's time. Peace to all.

Spiritual Style

So much for David's test. I'd say this is pretty much on target including the last paragraph. They didnt't label me a curmudgeon for nothing.

Jcurmudge

You are a Sage, characterized by a thinking or head spirituality. You value responsibility, logic, and order. Maybe that's why you were voted "Most Dependable" by your high school classmates. Structure and organization are important to you. What would the world be like without you? Chaos, that's what! Your favorite words include should, ought, and be prepared. What makes you feel warm and fuzzy? Like Tevye from Fiddler on the Roof it's tradition! tradition! tradition!
Because you love words, written or spoken, you enjoy a good lecture, serious discussions, and theological reflection. Prayer for you usually is verbal. You thrive on activity and gatherings of people, such as study groups. Sages on retreat likely would fill every day with planned activities, leaving little time for silence or solitude.

We need Sages for your clear thinking and orderly ways. You pay attention to details that others overlook. Sages make contributions to education, publishing, and theology. You often are the ones who feel a duty to serve, give, care, and share with the rest of us.

On the other hand, sometimes you seem unfeeling, too intellectual, or dry. Can you say "dogmatic"? You may need to experience the freedom of breaking a rule or two every now and then. God's grace covers Sages too, you know!
Famous Sages:

Mr. Spock | Dilbert | Elrond
Dietrich Bonhoeffer | Maya Angelou | Linus (Peanuts)
Yoda (Star Wars) | Andy Griffith | Mr. Miyagi
The Buddha | Rodin's The Thinker | Moses
Matthew (the Gospel writer) | Tiger Woods