Jim

so hows your tree doing? :)

Trip south

Click on the title to read about our trip to LA.
Jim

JnS's Gone South

I heard from JnS, around 4 o:clock they were down as far as Pasadena. They didn't have much further to go. Let's keep them in our prayers. And, let's pray they don't fall in love with the energy and excitement of Southern California, and want to move there! Yeah right.

That's Karen's and my old stompen grounds, and I can't stand it down there. It's likely when Jim gets back, he'll kiss the soggy earth as soon as he feels the North Californian mud under his feet.

wow

I have been having a hard time getting Chuck to use the toilet to pee. Last night i went into the other room for awhile and when i came back the smell was strong, This was about 11:00. I told him that we were going to talk to the Dr. about a catheter because of his lack of willingness to try to use the toilet.

This morning he says to me " I want to try to go the day with out a diaper, i thought about what you were talking about with the catheter and i dont want that."

Mind you, we have been going thru this about 5xs a week. Sometimes things are more clear to him. I really think part of it is how he is communicated to.

butternut squash

3.95, butter- 1.50, brown sugar-.50, gas to go to store 1.00, time to bake-45 min, time to fix to get ready to eat 10 min.

The look on Chucks face when he took his first bite.... PRICELESS.

He didnt care for it much. it was like a kid trying a lemon for the first time. Thats ok, more for me.

Its kind of strange. he will watch the same thing 2 or 3 times in a row, and each time its like the first time he has seen it.

Geez Dad!

I didn't think I'd have to wade-high and wade-low, digging through months of posts and comments to find those treasured little nuggets of information that you'll be going down to Loma Linda from January 27 - 29 and then treatment will start February 8.

Backstory: From my mother one morning over coffee I hear that he'll be starting treatment soon. So, I text him asking, "Hey, when are you leaving to Loma Linda to start your treatment?" He must have been extremely busy (it was a working day...Wednesday, I think) because the response I got back was..."It's on the family blog and my personal blog."

Now, let me ask each of you reading this: Do you check this blog everyday? Every week? Once a month? Or just before family reunions to catch up on everything before you meet everyone?

Back to the story: So, after work, taking care of the Wife, finding out I've got a baby of my own coming, and trying to have some fun with my brother and friends online (think Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 for the XBox360) I sit down on this fine Saturday morning with a GIGANTIC cup of coffee and start reading the blog...and reading...and reading...and reading and then I FOUND IT!!! Eureka!

So, dad, thanks for posting it and sorry I don't read the blog more often.

On a side note: The blog is like being in the room with all of you. It's amazing the things that pop into our minds and what matter to us. Everything from family history genetics to Bibles in dangerous translations to snow on the road to Chuck...I love it...and I really hope all this stays "out there" on the world wide web so that 2o years from now my little boy (Alexander....coming soon) can read what all his relatives (especially his grandpa) had to say to each other and about each other. I know that it was hard to "contribute" to the family dialogue when I was between the ages of 0-18 at family reunions because I knew so little of the HUGE family history that already existed between everyone. Starting out, as the "younger generation" at the family reunions I really was at a disadvantage because everyone else there had spent the last 20+ years (lifetime, really) building the relationships and conversations. As I've grown older and not been the "youngest generation" anymore, for example at this latest family reunion, I found it much easier to mix with and know other family members and I really liked it. I think it just comes with becoming an adult.

I think if we just make sure that the "younger generation" has fun when we get together, then they'll keep coming back and from there the relationships and conversations will grow.

Where ever you and are and whatever you're doing, Have a Good One. And thanks for posting Dad!

Its in the oven

NOOO!!!! not a baby :)

Well i got inspired and made banana bread. But i am using Blue Agave sweetener in it. The batter is reallly good. I just hope i didnt mess up by using wd-40 to coat the pan.

There is goodness left in the world.

Sandi belongs to an online group and was sharing the fact that I have prostate cancer. This group of ladies, that we've never met, responded not by just saying that they're sorry and are praying for us, but they actually went to the time, effort, and expense of making me this prayer quilt. They prayed over it and asked for my healing. We've never met them, but they felt compelled to do this for me. I think that I'm in good hands.
Jim

P.S. If you're up for a good read, click the title.

that is so yesterday

well, maybe a little longer than that.

Rick and Bonnie

Just wanted all to know that Rick and Bonnie took the course to become Lisi care provider's, in the wonderful State of Washington, as both passes, by 100% percent.

They do understand why I love working with the State of Washington, I am so happy for them, and they are so happy. They are understanding why I love working within this State, and my love for it...............

they follow you everywhere

had a really, really nice day. took a little with Glenda, her son and the 3 girls. they weather was typical SF until later tonight when it started raining. lightly. took a walk to work off the sugar off of dinner and found some steep hills.

its really nice to get away for a bit and have some ME time.

Jackalope decide he wanted to see the sights also. He was really impressed with the Golden Gate and seeing the dolphins. He got some very interesting looks because of his strange appearance.

Me and my "Great big sister

My granddaught, Gracie

When she grows up, Gracie will have to find 'just the right man'.

Something to Ponder about Earthquakes

The Earthquake

President Obama, Pat Robertson (700 Club) made some remarks about the earthquake in Haiti that popped some red flags in my mind. First, you probably know what Anthropomorphism is; attributing human characteristics to animals. Well, there is probably a big word for doing the same thing to God - maybe Theomorphism, I don't know.

Anyway, President Obama said about the Haitian earthquake "This Tragedy Seems Especially Cruel And Incomprehensible! "

What bothers me about this statement, is that word "cruel". You see, only men and devils can be cruel! Like the phrase, 'she was viciously attacked by the shark'. Only people and devils can be vicious.!Or the phrase, the like I've heard , and read many times, 'the murderous bear". Strictly, and legally 'murder' must be accompanied by forethought and malice. It is also understood, that it is a crime, outside the accepted societal behavior. Bears, chimps, sharks, cats with mice, they all do what is natural to their species; nothing cruel about it.

All that to say, it is subtle messages like President Obama's, that implies that there is some intelligent force behind the events of the Haitian earthquake of 2010. And who else? Well it must be God! He is the only one capable of pulling off this kind of catastrophe!

Sadly, Pat Robertson (a proven false prophet) supports President Obama's premise. Robertson said the the reason behind the earthquake is because the Haitians sold out to the devil to escape French rule. (Apparently this happened a couple of centuries ago).

Both of these gentlemen are wrong. Certainly God is capable of judging Haiti, but it would be presumptuous to represent God this way. What if it were simply a matter of being on a very bad tectonic fault line, and bad building practices? Add a population that is crammed together; God would not have to have anything to do with it. For example, let's say I smoked for fifty years of my life; worked forty years in a coal mine, lining air ducts with asbestos: If I died of lung disease at sixty, is it God's fault? Is God cruel?

Mr 13:8 "For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there will be earthquakes in many places, and there will be famines, and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows."

As I see it. God, in his foreknowledge, is trying to warn mankind of what is going to happen on our earth. A loving parent will alway attempt to warn his child of impending disaster. This does not mean that the parent is causing the disaster! Then there is this scripture to answer the Pat Robertson types: (Jesus said this)"Luke 13.4-5 ^"What about those eighteen people who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them? Do you think they were worse than everyone else in Jerusalem? ⁵Not at all! But you can be sure that if you don't turn back to God, every one of you will also die".

Clearly Jesus is telling us, (I'm using a paraphrase here) "don't be so self righteous and look down on those folks who died under the towers, saying, 'they must have been terrible sinners'. Instead repent, because certainly death is coming to any who are not turning to God".

So family, watch what you hear, repeat, and especially how your represent our loving and merciful God. Peter

funny thing

so yesterday Chuck and I went to get our haircuts. We walked thru the door and the guy says "twins". i said nope. just brothers.

Today we were at Chucks auto mechanic. we walked thru the door and the guy says "your brothers, huh?" His first thought was father and son. When i told him we were only 3 years apart he felt bad.

I dont know how to feel about this.

howdee

Chuck is doing pretty good. he has his lucid times of day, usually shuts down about 2-3pm. Hes actually doing a little more walking without the walker, but its very limited. I really think its an issue with his brain not connecting messages to his legs. or vise-versa. he comes to a complete stop. if i take the walker away and let him use me to balance himself he does great. I did hear an odd noise in the bathroom the other day. i walked in and he was just getting up from a little fall. nothing hurt or bruised or bleeding or broken. I asked him what happened. he said "nothing" i told him he was lying to me and he laughed and them admitted he lost his balance.

anyway that is all that is happening in the world of the commiefornia. going to go see Glenda for the weekend. FINALLY get some time off. Carlene has been coming over on sundays so i can go to church and have a couple of hours to myself, and give chuck a break.

Chuck says Hi to everybody!!! no lie.

Dick

EARTHQUAKE!!

Big Earthquake in California, is everyone ok?

What a week

its been a tough one. but we are surviving and i believe its because of your prayers.

Chuck has had a rough couple of days. I have been letting him do some things on his own. This morning we walked out to the living room and i asked him where his where is your walker? he walked out without his walker :). so while the going was good we went to go to his bank. he walked from the car to the inside and back out again on his own :) :) Then we had to go to the store. he did real good for a while, but then his brain started not communicating with his legs :( but thats ok. This is the first day since hes been released that he actually could walk even 10 feet with out the walker. its like i told him, one step at a time.

Gonz's birthday on Tuesday

Yes, that's right. He will be 1 year old, Jan. 5. Randy will be 28 tomorrow. Wow, how did that happen? Where have I been? I think I just turned 28 a few days ago.

Oops, I made a mistake. Sandi informed me that Randy is 29 not 28. Now I'm really confused. Oh well, I got half of their ages correct. Gonz really is one year old today.

Also, Andrew and Rachael came over this evening to show us the results of the sonogram that they had taken this afternoon. It's no joke, Rachael really does have a baby in there. It's grown from the size of a pickle to a banana. You really have to use your imagination when you look at one of those sonograms. One thing that they did find out is the baby has all the plumbing of a boy. Rachael is due May 19. Claudia is due May 24. We're going to be knee deep in little Hoopers here pretty soon.
Jim

Any epiphanies?

if you have "TIME"

you can build one of these.

an inmate at foolsom built this out of toothpicks. about 250000 of em. He built a small theme park. including a merry-go-round and a roller coaster. but they couldnt be moved so they were destroyed. i believe the guy was there 35 years, so he had to find something to do. this thing stands like 7.5 feet tall. and at one time actually operated

like Toyota

..you asked for it, you got it. this is chuck about a week after he got out of the hospital. after shaved, shower and whatever else.

the adventure for the day

Chuck and I headed out to Forest-hill for the day. Aubrun is 17 miles from Chucks and Foresthill is 15 miles from Auburn.

In 2006 i was at a fire and we were based at a place called China Wall. its about another 12 miles east of Foresthill. If you were to stay on this road you would eventually end up at Lake Tahoe via forest service roads. One of these days i will venture out that way.

The area is very remote and there was actually snow up past China Wall, so we turned around and toured Forest hill. I could live up there real easy.

view from china wall.

snow on the side of the road. heading back down the hill.