She wouldn't leave me be.
I was catching up on local obituaries yesterday, looking for people from my county of interest, or people who are related to me. I'd gotten behind and had to go through three weeks of online newspapers.
Well, as I scanned the obits, I noticed her, Joyce Janeen. Her obit was in the paper for several days running, so I saw her a few times.
She wouldn't leave me be.
I noted that she was raised in a town we'd moved away from last year and let it go at that.
She wouldn't leave me be.
I took a look at my database and saw that I had already entered some of her relatives, so after some consideration, I decided to copy her obituary and picture.
This afternoon I added the obituaries to my database. When I got to Joyce's record, I remembered the reticence I had, wasting my time on adding records for a person whose only connection is that she lived in a town I had lived in for a decade.
I finished entering records for her children and grandchildren (it was an amazingly complete obituary...) and took another, closer look.
Her husband is my 4th cousin. Her family is part of my family; for some reason she wanted them added to my database.
Sometimes the spirit has to whisper several times before I listen.
But I'm paying better attention.
Friday, October 27, 2006
Monday, August 14, 2006
Strange Visitors
A week ago Saturday my son asked if we could drive out to Nine Mile Canyon to look at the petroglyphs there. He arranged that my daughter would babysit his two boys while he, his wife, my wife and I took the little trip.
Trip it was.
We started at 2 pm; drove for 3 hours; entered the 40-mile-canyon and began to explore.
The only other time I had been there was with my mother-in-law about 9 years ago. It was hot. They had a blow out. I changed the tire on their van.
This time it was an amazingly cool day in a canyon in the middle of the desert. The road was damp. Our truck even got muddy.
We took lots of pictures. I took 154, not quite enough to fill my memory card. I have no idea how many my son and daughter-in-law took.
One shot we couldn't pass up. It's message was much more recent than most in that canyon:
I don't think the SS Enterprise has ever been close to the area, but I kept my eyes peeled.
We were only able to get about 10 miles into the canyon before it was time to turn around and head home. The only pointed ears I saw the whole day were on my son's head.
Trip it was.
We started at 2 pm; drove for 3 hours; entered the 40-mile-canyon and began to explore.
The only other time I had been there was with my mother-in-law about 9 years ago. It was hot. They had a blow out. I changed the tire on their van.
This time it was an amazingly cool day in a canyon in the middle of the desert. The road was damp. Our truck even got muddy.
We took lots of pictures. I took 154, not quite enough to fill my memory card. I have no idea how many my son and daughter-in-law took.
One shot we couldn't pass up. It's message was much more recent than most in that canyon:
I don't think the SS Enterprise has ever been close to the area, but I kept my eyes peeled.
We were only able to get about 10 miles into the canyon before it was time to turn around and head home. The only pointed ears I saw the whole day were on my son's head.
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
Perfect for the moment
Before thee, Lord, I bow my head
And thank thee for what has been said
My soul vibrates; my poor heart sings
When thy sweet spirit strikes the strings.
How sweet thy word I've heard this day!
Be thou my guide, O Lord, I pray.
May I in patience do my part.
Seal thou the word upon my heart.
Do thou, O Lord, anoint mine eyes
That I may see and win the prize.
My heart is full; mine eyes are wet.
Oh, help me, Lord, lest I forget.
So may my soul be filled with light
That I may see and win the fight,
And then at last exalted be,
In peace and rest, O Lord, with thee.
Look up, my soul; be not cast down.
Keep not thine eyes upon the ground.
Break off the shackles of the earth.
Receive, my soul, the spirit's birth.
And now as I go forth again
To mingle with my fellow-men,
Stay thou nearby, my steps to guide,
That I may in thy love abide.
Text and music: Joseph H. Dean, 1855-1947
Thank you Joseph.
And thank thee for what has been said
My soul vibrates; my poor heart sings
When thy sweet spirit strikes the strings.
How sweet thy word I've heard this day!
Be thou my guide, O Lord, I pray.
May I in patience do my part.
Seal thou the word upon my heart.
Do thou, O Lord, anoint mine eyes
That I may see and win the prize.
My heart is full; mine eyes are wet.
Oh, help me, Lord, lest I forget.
So may my soul be filled with light
That I may see and win the fight,
And then at last exalted be,
In peace and rest, O Lord, with thee.
Look up, my soul; be not cast down.
Keep not thine eyes upon the ground.
Break off the shackles of the earth.
Receive, my soul, the spirit's birth.
And now as I go forth again
To mingle with my fellow-men,
Stay thou nearby, my steps to guide,
That I may in thy love abide.
Text and music: Joseph H. Dean, 1855-1947
Thank you Joseph.
Saturday, July 22, 2006
Hole
Lots of un-finished stories.
Maybe they'll be told later.
But for now, I've got a hole in my face.
Not one of the normal ones: nose, mouth, ear holes.
Nope.
I let my wife do some voodoo on me.
She did it on herself some time ago and I've watched the process with some interest.
It started when she purchased an herbal brew over the internet. She'd read about it, wasn't too grossed out by the pictures on the website and thought it might be something to try. She's got tiny scars on her body where she used it.
I cut myself one too many times while shaving and asked her ten days ago to do it to me.
You see I had a mole on my cheek. Not too big. Between the corner of my mouth and my ear, about 2/3 of the way back. Not terribly noticeable, but a danger when shaving.
So, a week ago Thursday, I asked her to put the herbal gunk on my mole. Remove it. Make it go.
I've been wearing a variety of bright band-aids ever since. They're from a box of "Madagascar" band-aids she bought for our grandson. Mostly I've had penguins on my cheek by my ear. People do ask. Generally I tell them that I'm having a mole removed. Sometimes I'll follow-up with an explanation that I'm using herbs to remove it. Heh. I think the active ingredient is something called "Blood Root". Conjures up all sorts of images in my mind, let me tell you.
When she applied it ten days ago, it felt as if something was immediately attacking my good ol' mole from the roots. Thereafter it was only a matter of keeping the spot moisturized and covered with a band-aid. Can do.
***Oddly gruesome description warning***
If you are pregnant or otherwise queasy already, don't read on.
***You have been warned***
Basically what happens when using this herbal remedy is that it attacks what ever shouldn't be part of my body. I have no idea how the herbs know what is me and what isn't, but this morning she removed the dried up little plug of matter that used to be a mole on my face. Where it used to reside is a small hole in my cheek, about 2/3 of the way back from the right corner of my mouth to my ear.
The strange thing when I checked out the new excavation site this morning after my shower: There were long, gray whiskers left behind growing from the hole in my face. After I had shaved. They are below the regular surface level of my skin. I guess they used to grow through my mole. The herbal stuff really does leave the normal parts of my body alone as it does its voodoo.
Now I've just got to keep the area moist and covered with a band-aid while the skin heals with a little scar tissue. It's already easier to shave.
Eventually we'll buy more band-aids. The decorating possibilities have me thinking.
Maybe they'll be told later.
But for now, I've got a hole in my face.
Not one of the normal ones: nose, mouth, ear holes.
Nope.
I let my wife do some voodoo on me.
She did it on herself some time ago and I've watched the process with some interest.
It started when she purchased an herbal brew over the internet. She'd read about it, wasn't too grossed out by the pictures on the website and thought it might be something to try. She's got tiny scars on her body where she used it.
I cut myself one too many times while shaving and asked her ten days ago to do it to me.
You see I had a mole on my cheek. Not too big. Between the corner of my mouth and my ear, about 2/3 of the way back. Not terribly noticeable, but a danger when shaving.
So, a week ago Thursday, I asked her to put the herbal gunk on my mole. Remove it. Make it go.
I've been wearing a variety of bright band-aids ever since. They're from a box of "Madagascar" band-aids she bought for our grandson. Mostly I've had penguins on my cheek by my ear. People do ask. Generally I tell them that I'm having a mole removed. Sometimes I'll follow-up with an explanation that I'm using herbs to remove it. Heh. I think the active ingredient is something called "Blood Root". Conjures up all sorts of images in my mind, let me tell you.
When she applied it ten days ago, it felt as if something was immediately attacking my good ol' mole from the roots. Thereafter it was only a matter of keeping the spot moisturized and covered with a band-aid. Can do.
***Oddly gruesome description warning***
If you are pregnant or otherwise queasy already, don't read on.
***You have been warned***
Basically what happens when using this herbal remedy is that it attacks what ever shouldn't be part of my body. I have no idea how the herbs know what is me and what isn't, but this morning she removed the dried up little plug of matter that used to be a mole on my face. Where it used to reside is a small hole in my cheek, about 2/3 of the way back from the right corner of my mouth to my ear.
The strange thing when I checked out the new excavation site this morning after my shower: There were long, gray whiskers left behind growing from the hole in my face. After I had shaved. They are below the regular surface level of my skin. I guess they used to grow through my mole. The herbal stuff really does leave the normal parts of my body alone as it does its voodoo.
Now I've just got to keep the area moist and covered with a band-aid while the skin heals with a little scar tissue. It's already easier to shave.
Eventually we'll buy more band-aids. The decorating possibilities have me thinking.
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
Climbing
Yesterday I took a walk in the mountains. I climbed the hills north and east of our apartment, starting at 5:00 am. I wanted to check out how it would be to walk with a full 72 hour kit on my back. I also wanted to see how I would do.
Well, it was a good test. I was able to carry the load. I learned, though, that it is much tougher to go down than it is to climb. Of course, I rested at the highest peak I climbed. My knees stiffened up and I could only manage baby steps as I walked out.
Sunrise in the Rockies is wonderful to see.
When I was in the hills I had plenty of time to ponder and pray. The rumble of the city was only a distant echo of the normal city hubbub and I was only about two miles away.
Recovery time for my expedition was more than I expected as well. Thank heavens for a hot tub and pool. And Tylenol. When I reported my experience to my friend, Gary, he told me the secret is Tylenol before, during and after a hike. Wish I'd known that before I started.
Slowly I learn what I need to do.
Well, it was a good test. I was able to carry the load. I learned, though, that it is much tougher to go down than it is to climb. Of course, I rested at the highest peak I climbed. My knees stiffened up and I could only manage baby steps as I walked out.
Sunrise in the Rockies is wonderful to see.
When I was in the hills I had plenty of time to ponder and pray. The rumble of the city was only a distant echo of the normal city hubbub and I was only about two miles away.
Recovery time for my expedition was more than I expected as well. Thank heavens for a hot tub and pool. And Tylenol. When I reported my experience to my friend, Gary, he told me the secret is Tylenol before, during and after a hike. Wish I'd known that before I started.
Slowly I learn what I need to do.
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