Caught up with the day

Finally, I got my whole job list done, and I can relax for awhile. Al, my friend from high school, is coming tonight with his daughter and her volleyball team to play in the national homeschool volleyball tournament held here in Omaha. Looking forward to having them here! Well, only part of them actually HERE.

It's Halloween. I've never been a fan of Halloween. It's usually Denny who passes out the treats. And he isn't here this year! Andrew had some of his friends over, so we had a bonfire and cooked out hamburgers and hotdogs. The weather is PERFECT for that. This was Andrew's perfect fire, started from scratch with no artificial help! I'm sure it made a difference this time that it hasn't rained in nearly two weeks! He looked like a young Abe Lincoln swinging that hammer wedging the log apart. And what a satisfying crunch as it pulled apart. I can't figure out how he manages to hit that wedge square on! Guess he could go live in the woods now. There is something about a fire that nudges quiet conversation on into the night. One of these days, I'LL get to sit by the fire with my friends. For now, I don't want to crash the party...

A Quickie from NPR

I was listening to NPR as I drove home from the commissary this morning. It was the very end of the Halloween program of Capitol Steps. I don't know what the whole program was, but the part I heard was a song to the tune of "American Pie" all about the scary imports from China. It was sooo funny! Here's the link for the website. The program is listed in the left column. You can hear some of the song if you listen to the promo. For those of you who have time....it's worth it! I may blog more later. I just went to the link, you may have to listen to the program. You get the idea at the promo, though. oh well.

World Series Final Game..Times Two

Uncle Lester time again, and that's just about the same time as the World Series. He loves baseball and Denny enjoys watching, though I'm not sure who he was rooting for in this series. The two of them enjoyed Saturday and Sunday evening at the "ballpark". Last year the St. Louis Cardinals were playing, and we were all very much into THAT series!! It was a sweep last year, and the series was a sweep this year, too. And Uncle Lester happened to be here both times! We always have such a good time when he comes to visit. Lots of interesting stories! He's an easy guest. We look forward every year now to our end-of-October visit with Uncle Lester! Don't they look relaxed?

My official season change

I have two, the first is when I pull all my plants out of the house in the spring and the second is when I drag them all in again. Well, I don't drag them, the two strong men that live in my house do! Man, am I thankful for them! This is the first arrangement. I've since rearranged. That rosemary is only one. The other is on the other side of the room. I really have to do SOMETHING about her this year.... She's been living in a pot for 7 years now. I may cut all the branches around Christmastime and make garlands for Christmas. Then it can start all new branches. The room is lovely with all this green in here!

Villa Accetta

I just want to call attention to a new link that I've added to my blog. Our friend Kiki has a marvelous villa on the coast of Italy. She just sent me the link to her website. All you friends of Italy, check it out. It will make you want to take off tomorrow!!! Ah, remember New Year's Day there? And Avery slipped on slimy rocks, fell and got all wet? I remember floating out in that bay and going around the point to the Formia side. And the sunshine and the view. And also feeling the icy water coming from the spring underneath the house. Oh, what a super place! I think we should all plan a trip back...at the same time!

Marathon man repeat performance

The blog site isn't letting me upload photos, but I'll just say that Denny finished his SECOND marathon! A brilliant October day dawned with NO RAIN. It was still dark when they left, but in 20 minutes it was light. Ron went out with him to the starting line; too cold and dark for me. The starting line was right in front of the hotel, and they circled back by the hotel at 5 1/2 miles, for Den about an hour later. So Ron and I went out again and cheered him on from there. We went and ate breakfast, then drove out to Stone State Park where he should have been coming out. He ran by JUST AS WE DROVE UP! Awesome timing! That was about mile 17. Ron had to harass him for a few feet, we jumped out and took a photo then drove on to mile 20. We parked and waited. This is where Ron went up the road a few hundred yards and ran down with Denny. (Photos are on Flickr) Then we went downtown and joined the festive throng cheering each runner as they rounded the final block and headed up the last three blocks into downtown Sioux City. The announcer called everyone's name, number and hometown as they came down the final stretch. Ron went and told the guy that #144 turned 55 TODAY!, so when he rounded the corner the guy called him "Marathon Man, The Flash, turned 55 today." Then his name ..... Of course Den knew who was behind THAT!! He seemed pretty cheery as he came down the homestretch. After walking around, eating oranges and bananas and drinking, we went in for free pizza and coke where they were giving out awards. (More pictures on Flickr.)

Absolutely perfect weather. Probably in the upper 60's by the end. No clouds. Clear sky.
A fantastic drive home in golden sunshine with brilliant scarlet trees along the freeway. (What ARE those trees?) Combines were back in the field today, but lots of fields have standing water in them.

Hey, Forrest Gump ran with him, too!

One could understand Sun worship!

After nearly a week of constant dark clouds and pouring rain, THE SUN IS SHINING!!! What a feeling of exhilaration to see the sunshine dancing through the shadow of leaves on my living room wall. In prayer meeting on Wednesday we prayed for wind and sun. Today the winds may gust to 40 mph!! The sunshine inspired my Bible reading. "...in the heavens you established your faithfulness." (Ps. 89:2) "The heavens are yours; the earth also is yours; the world and all that is in it, you have founded them." (v. 11) Global warming won't be destroying God's faithful guardianship of the earth! And then in Jeremiah when God promises that He will be faithful to Israel and particularly the line of David, He says that faithfulness is based on his covenant with the day and the night and the fixed order of the heaven and the earth.

The theory of evolution is so heinous because it is a slap in the face of the Creator. In reading through the Bible year after year I've seen this fact of God as Creator is of supreme importance. God calls himself and is called the Creator/Maker over and over. In nearly every single day of my Bible reading, I find verses referring to God's making the heaven and the earth. Praise God for making the Sun!!! Sun, glorious sunshine!

Den runs in the Sioux City marathon tomorrow. Ron and Diana are going to meet us there tonight. Den can go to bed, and we can party! He gets so nervous. Afterwards will be fun, though. It's suppose to be sunny and 75! yeah! We'll try to catch up with him at different mile markers. Part of the route goes through a state park, so we could go for a walk while he's panting his way up the hill. Go, baby! Pictures to follow....*smile*