That Low Sinking Feeling

Well, we had a full weekend of errands, karate, yard work, Clemson baseball game and a Costco run today. It's almost 9pm and the boys are still awake eating brownies that Mom just made. It's gonna be a hard Monday morning, I can see that from here.

At the Clemson game, which Clemson won 11-2 over Maryland, we ate at the hot dog stand. I used my debit card. I remember this clearly because the team behind the stand had a time with the receipts and the credit card machine. We had a decent supper and a great time at the game, luckily, the rain held off for the whole game with clouds threatening all around.

After church today, we had a quick lunch at the Costco cafe, highly recommended by the way for quality and price. We stopped by the credit union to get cash for our trip to Costco. I pulled out my wallet and open it. That low sinking feeling washed over me, my blood pressure dropped and I said "I think I left my debit card at the game." Sure enough, it was true. After heading home and trying to crawl under a rock, I called my cousin's husband, Rob.

Rob went to Sumter High with me and also is a fine Clemson graduate. He also now works for Clemson University as the Director of Development (grants, alumni groups, endowments, etc). He and Tonya (my 2nd cousin on my Mom's side) have 3 kids, 2 girls and 1 boy, Austin, who is Dylan's age. We stopped by their place in Clemson yesterday on the way to the game. They also joined us at the finest ice cream shop in Pickens county, if not the Upstate: The Class of 55 Ice Cream parlor in the Hendrix Student Life Center. It's the fancy new digs for the place that was once over at the Ag Sales building (for all of you older Clemson alumni, fans and former students). I got a nice big cone of black cherry ice cream. I can testify that you can in fact survive on nothing but Clemson black cherry milk shakes for an entire semester if you should attempt. Ok, I digress. We had a great time hanging out with Tonya and Rob and the kids. We are looking forward to Austin spending the night this summer when school is out.

Well, I couldn't find any numbers for the baseball stadium and the Clemson University police department wasn't much help either. So, I called Rob and told him my story. In no less than 5 minutes, he had the director of concessions on the phone and verified my card was in his hand. Rob even met us in Easley (about 1/2 way for us to Clemson) while running errands today with the card. Talk about a life safer! I had just moved all of my automatic debits over to the credit union and was just dreading making all of those changes again. Thank you Rob! I owe you more than I can say! We plan to make it up to Rob and the family at a Greenville Drive baseball game this summer.

Well, I have some laundry to do and some boys to get in the bed. Have a great week every one. I am happy to report my world's axis is now tilted back to normal and my low sinking feeling is gone for now. Oh yeah, an awesome service today at Freedom! We are blessed with such a great church family and look forward to what is to come!

See ya!

Thursday, stuck in neutral

Sitting here wondering when I am going to head out the door and go for a walk with Keller. Already worked out and dressed, just can't get going. Keller is right here working on the rawhide obliviously happy just to be inside for a few minutes.

A couple of updates: Dylan's baseball team is now 6-0 and he had 2 hits in the last game, despite being tired and whiny. He is getting the hang of the routine although his behavior was across the red line a few times at school according to reports. I think he got good sleep last night.

Miles is suffering from allergies and a sore throat this week. He puts on a good show too so it's made a little worse by his "I'm an old man" routine. But, a nice dose of medicine last night got him in the bed early and he looked and felt 100% better this morning.

Our Dave Ramsey class is almost done; but, our dedication to the principles and the goals we have set are just getting traction and I see momentum starting to slowly gain. We owe it to ourselves and the boys to continue and to prosper. God has so much in store for us and I can't wait to demonstrate we have what it takes to be responsible for what he wants to give us. The ability to take short term mission trips without fund raising is high on my list!!! Plus, Tricia and I have found a new level of communication regarding finances and family goals that we did not have prior to this class. If nothing else, that is priceless!

Tricia and I were cracking up each other last night laughing about family matters. I know most of you have crazy and dysfunctional family members just like us. Nonetheless, I care to wager that I have a branch that would rival some of the best reality TV shows. I even made up names for the show we were proposing last night. I can't disclose on this blog of course, to protect the not-so-innocent :-). It's part of life to have some reflection about our own trials and trivial concerns when watching others around us; but, it's so much deeper when it's your family or extended family. To put it all in focus, I think I am fairly sane and have decent coping mechanisms in place and I have family members who do not have the same to reassure me of my self belief! I guess I can think them for all of that!

Well, coffee is kicking finally and Keller is ready for the trail, I am ready for the trials :-)

See ya!

Weekend, Where Did It Go?

We had a karate mid-term graduation and a baseball game on Saturday, some yard work and then off to Paris Mountain State Park for the 1st of the 2009 Music in the Woods series. Nick from the neighborhood went along for the fun and then off to Dillard's for ice cream aftewards, it doesn't get much better than that! Sunday at Freedom and then some more yard work and Dad beat Miles in a game of 21, while breaking the backboard, luckily it's still under warranty!!!!

Throw in some walks on the trail with the family and Keller and the weekend becomes a blur!

Check the pictures below!

I'm tired and it's only Monday! See ya!

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South Dakota Wrap-Up

Sitting at the airport in Sioux Falls waiting to fly to Cincy.

-Sioux Falls is gonna need a bigger airport, there is a lot of business and development going on here. Low Unemployment, decent education and good healthcare. Lots of cheap land too.

- I think solar and wind energy is gonna be a HUGE player here too (stress those O's to sound like a local)

- saw the BIGGEST coon ever on the side of the road on the way to the airport, size of a medium sized dog

-had an awesome hazelnut latte at the new Coffea in Sioux Falls, handmade hazelnut syrup put a zing in my step, it was that good!!

-incredible steak and superb chunk (it was not a slice) at Foley's steak house last night. Very highly recommended if you ever find yourself here

-enjoyed the Dave Ramsey Town Hall last night, I have been listening to his pod casts a lot and the message was consistent. He wants us to look away from the fear and use wisdom and long term planning. This is NOT the worst recession ever or even since the Great Depression. Very motivating talk. I went to a Lutheran church near the hotel and watched with about 30 others.

I am ready to get back home! Miss the family and my own bed and shower, got lots of yard work to do and it looks like great weather this weekend for just that.

See ya!
on Blackberry

Falls Park

The weather here in South Dakota has been great.  Went down to The Falls Park here in Sioux Falls yesterday after work.  See pictures below.  

-I got 1st class upgrade all the way here on Tuesday.  Nice leg room!

-There is a funny accent here, reminds me of the folks out in Oregon/Washington, because many of them moved from the Dakotas to the Pacific Northwest to work the shipyards for WWII.

-I am going for a walk on the river trail today before work, means I need to go back to bed.  I never sleep well in hotels.  But, I can honestly say I have yet to turn on the TV here in the room.  Way to celebrate Earth Day all week.

-Going to the Dave Ramsey Town Hall tonight at a church right down the street from the hotel.  How cool is that?  The hospital where I am working is also showing it.  That's cool too; but, more of a drive across town.

-Sioux Falls is  pretty town and seems to have a lot going on for the location.  But, I know I couldn't stand the extreme cold/heat.  

Tricia's Mom had knee replacement on Monday. Hang in there Kathy!  It will get better, just get through the fun of PT (Physical Torture)!

Also, please rememeber my Aunt Gladys who was visiting with my Mom and Pete.  She suffered a stroke a few years ago and recovered fair with right sided weakness and aphasia.  She is now suffering through a nasty bout of C. Diff.  She is having a rough go right now.

A note of praise!  I think I am almost at the goal for my Africa fund raising!  Now, it's time for a plane ticket!  Thank you all for your support and prayers!

I am going back to bed!  See ya!

Sioux Falls, South Dakota

South Dakota Bound

Heading out the door today for Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Not in my territory; but, I had to pick up the training for another consultant who has to go to Alaska for a training. Lucky me, right? It should be pretty good, the weather looks nice and it's more Hampton Inn reward nights and Delta Sky Miles, not to mention, eating out on someone's ticket! Gonna miss 1 of Dylan's games tonight; but, will be back in time for his game on Saturday or Miles' midterm graduation. I fly home on Friday afternoon. I'm hoping to have some time to hit the state park near Sioux Falls and get down to the Falls downtown. I am also going to a Dave Ramsey Town Hall event that is being Live broadcast nationwide on Thursday night, tune in here for more details: Town Hall for Hope

Reading a great book right now called Blue Highways by William Least Heat Moon. Recommended if you like books about the real America. Reminds me of a modern Travels With Charley, one of my alltime favorite books by Steinbeck.

Been listening a good deal to Jack Johnson's Sleep Through The Static. This is a classic summer evening album. Or Sunday morning...

Well, gotta run! See ya!

The Weekend Update

Wow! What a busy week. I was covering for 2 other consultants most of the week and the time fly by. Didn't even notice that I had not posted since Tuesday.

-The weather improved in the later part of the weekend with sunshine and blue skies. The grass is GROWING.

-We now have a beaver dam near the trail head and Lake Robinson. I thought it was all the rain; but, the neighbor told me about beaver damage on some tree stumps. Looks like a job for CPW.

-On the way to Spartanburg on Friday to pick up doughnuts at Krispy Kreme to sell on Saturday for our Africa trip, I saw a weird sight indeed. A car with scripture hand-painted (kinda like high school homecoming wording)all over the car, including I Peter 2:9. Yes, we have folks that come down from them thar hills to "go to town" often. I have seen such a sight before. But, what was rather peculiar this time around was the young couple going at each other in the front seat. It looked like 2 people in the driver's seat. Not sure if they just ignore the writing on the side of the car when they get in, they obviously were not the "artists". Maybe it was written for them?

-We sold 50 boxes of Krispy Kreme for our trip yesterday at one of the local little league parks. It went pretty fast once the teams and associated grandparents starting showing up. Many folks donated without taking doughnuts, probably a smart move. We raised $140, combined with the $125 from Pizza Inn, not too bad this week. We are getting closer to our deadline for the plane ticket purchases. Please keep praying for all of us: Jason, Julie, Nancy and me. I will be glad to have the tickets done so we can start focusing on the mission.

-Tricia and I saw John Scofield and The Piety Street Band at the Handlebar on Friday night. We had Alex from church come over and watch the boys. They played mostly gospel blues and it was a great set. My recording turned out super. Working on that now. Scofield is the tops when it comes to soulful blues jazz fusion guitar. With the band including George Porter, Jr and John Cleary, it was a perfect match and it showed. Nice to hear those gospel tunes turned out in that New Orleans manner with just a touch of New York City. See them if you get the chance!!!


Off to church for more gospel! See ya!


Here's some pictures from the Scofield show (my focus was off on some of these):

John Scofield Band 2009-04-17

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