Private Blog

Well, it was bound to happen! I made someone mad with a post at work and I need to make the access to the blog a little more private...I have sent an invite if you enjoy my ramblings and want to stay in touch with the Johnson Family, please accept the invite. Otherwise, just think of all the funny stories you might miss! The good news is now I can write what I want and not worry about it so much, be prepared ;-)

Had a blast with Miles and Cliff last night at the Willie Nelson/John Mellancamp/Bob Dylan show. Nice to get home from the show at a decent hour. I was totally floored by Mellancamp's show, my expectations were definitely met with his performance. I had goosebump skin several times during the show; but, none more than during "Rain On The Scarecrow". Miles had a ton of fun too. Willie was the best I have seen him and had some local Gospel Men singin' along to end the set. Dylan was mid-range for his set, I have seen him 6 times and I would put that somewhere in the middle of what I have seen from him. It was good but nothing over the top, like Mellancamp on the other hand.

Here's a great picture of me and Miles at the show:

Here's some shots from the 2 days of Camp McCall! We had so much fun and I plan to post some videos on Facebook soon. Speaking of Facebook, I deactivated my old account and now have a new account, so make me your friend :-)
Dylan enjoyed his birthday so much but he also went to sleep really easily last night too! His new Flip video camera was a HUGE hit! You should see some videos from the Jr. director one of these days. More about camp later!

Well, time to eat. See ya!

Rain on the Scarecrow by John Cougar Mellancamp

Scarecrow on a wooden cross Blackbird in the barn
Four hundred empty acres that used to be my farm
I grew up like my daddy did My grandpa cleared this land
When I was five I walked the fence while grandpa held my hand

Rain on the scarecrow Blood on the plow
This land fed a nation This land made me proud
And Son I'm just sorry there's no legacy for you now
Rain on the scarecrow Blood on the plow
Rain on the scarecrow Blood on the plow

The crops we grew last summer weren't enough to pay the loans
Couldn't buy the seed to plant this spring and the Farmers Bank foreclosed
Called my old friend Schepman up to auction off the land
He said John it's just my job and I hope you understand
Hey calling it your job ol' hoss sure don't make it right
But if you want me to I'll say a prayer for your soul tonight
And grandma's on the front porch swing with a Bible in her hand
Sometimes I hear her singing "Take me to the Promised Land"
When you take away a man's dignity he can't work his fields and cows

There'll be blood on the scarecrow Blood on the plow
Blood on the scarecrow Blood on the plow

Well there's ninety-seven crosses planted in the courthouse yard
Ninety-seven families who lost ninety-seven farms
I think about my grandpa and my neighbors and my name
And some nights I feel like dyin' Like that scarecrow in the rain

Rain on the scarecrow Blood on the plow
This land fed a nation This land made me proud
And Son I'm just sorry they're just memories for you now
Rain on the scarecrow Blood on the plow
Rain on the scarecrow Blood on the plow

Rain on the scarecrow Blood on the plow
This land fed a nation This land made me proud
And Son I'm just sorry they're just memories for you now
Rain on the scarecrow Blood on the plow
Rain on the scarecrow Blood on the plow


The set from Mellancamp last night

7/29/09 Heritage Park Ampitheatre, Simpsonville, SC
Pink Houses
Paper and Fire
My Aeroplane
Check It Out
Don't Need This Body
Cherry Bomb
Save Some Time
Small Town
Scarecrow
Peace In This Troubled Land
If I Die Sudden
Crumblin' Down
Hurts So Good

Off to Camp

Dylan and I are off to Camp McCall until Wednesday! It's a great time up in the hills and we get to do such cool things together. He really enjoys it and I do to! Miles had a blast last week up there and I could tell he was much more comfortable with being away from home this year. The DVD of the week he brought home proved that point!

We had a great weekend! The game on Friday with Susan and her family was a big hit! No rain, a little warm; but, the evening went great even though Greenville lost. It was not a pitcher's duel, so at least there was lots of action! The night was topped off with a trip to Krispy Kreme that will forever be remembered as the night the woman with the donut in one hand telling her friend "Kisha" to go call 911 because the car next to them scratched her door and she "can't let that roll". It was something you can only see in South Carolina :-).

Tricia and I headed down to Atlanta for Ruth and Bobby's wedding. We had such a good time. The ceremony was beautiful and active (read that as "Catholic"). The reception was a ton of fun with a spectacular view from the 26th floor looking at Stone Mountain on one side and the north Georgia hills and the sunset on the other side. We had a table of old crazy Clemson buddies and we showed many dance skills (or lack thereof) on the dance floor. Ruth and Bobby had a fantastic evening capped with a sparkler promenade down Peachtree as a sendoff. Tricia enjoyed getting to know some of my old Clemson pals and hearing some old stories. Luckily, we have all settled a little and we have kids now and try to act responsible. I stress "try"!!! We were able to stop at an outlet mall on the way home for some shoes and clothes for school and met up with Susan and the kids in downtown Greenville at the Mast General Store.

What could be better? How about a Freedom Fellowship baptism at the lake with a BBQ meal afterwards? You got that right! We saw a wide variety of folks make that step and take the plunge in the lake yesterday afternoon and spent a couple of hours with our family from Freedom. Dylan was ready for this step yesterday; but, we are planning to celebrate his baptism the next time Freedom holds the celebration. The boys and Susan's family went to Table Rock on Saturday and the boys had themselves a complete blast hanging with their cousins a weekend. That also meant they were cross-eyed tired last night too. Should be a long day for Dylan at camp today; but, he will sleep well tonight! We were all out early last night.

Well, time to get another cup of coffee and read the paper with Keller. Then, off to camp. Wednesday is Dylan's 8th birthday! That's always a fun day at camp. We get home around lunch and then Miles and I are going to see Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson and John Cougar Mellancamp with Pastor Cliff here in Greenville. Dylan's birthday party will be on Friday at Frankie's Fun Park! Yahoo!!!! What a week!!! Then off to Ohio next week! The summer is reaching terminal velocity!!! Hold on tight!!!

See ya!

Summer Daze

This time of year always takes me back to the summer between my 10th grade and 11th grade in high school. I remember getting into the album Signals by Rush so intensely that summer. One of my favorite songs by Rush is on that album. Here's a wordle for ya from the tune: The Analog Kid.

Miles will be home from Camp McCall tomorrow morning. I look forward to his stories! We have a way to send him emails every day and I know he is enjoying his week in the hills. Dylan and I head that way on Monday. Tomorrow we are going to another Greenville Drive game with Susan and her family. That should be a blast and Susan and family finally get to meet Keller. He didn't even know he had so many cousins! Shadow said "great, more people taking my sleeping chairs" :-)

See ya!

Well They Say...

Albuquerque (Neil Young)

Well, they say
that Santa Fe
Is less than ninety miles away,
And I got time to roll a number
and rent a car.
Oh, Albuquerque.

I've been flyin'
down the road,
And I've been starvin' to be alone,
And independent from the scene
that I've known.
Albuquerque.

So I'll stop when I can,
Find some fried eggs
and country ham.
I'll find somewhere where
they don't care who I am.
Oh, Albuquerque,
Albuquerque.

“Our lives gradually becoming brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we become like him”

(2 Corinthians 3:18 MSG).

See ya!

Tuesday Morning

Well, I see the iPhone formatting leaves some to be desired. I was typing in an email, I will try using the iPhone on the actual blog page next time around. Just got back from a great long walk with Tricia and Keller. Keller walked back from the playground trail head without a leash this morning. We had an early start and he did fine. He's a good boy; but, he has some ADHD and you have to be very vigilant, which Tricia found out last week :-)

Full speed ahead this week with work. I had a conversation with my Mom this weekend about work. I really am happy and more challenged with work when I have too much to do and believe me, I am there now! Makes the days go by very fast, especially when you work at home. I am enjoying the challenge and feel like we are making some progress too! That's always good!

Mom is feeling better and up and about but still in discomfort, especially at night. I had the joy of changing her dressing on Friday as it was raining too hard when Amy had to go to work and Pete didn't feel like he could handle it. I guess my nursing experience kicked in! She still has staples and bruising too. She's been sleeping in her chair in the living room. It takes a while to bounce back from two major surgeries, regardless of your age. She's in good spirits; but, wants to get out and do more. It's a bit frustrating to be limited as she has always been on the go. See my comments about work in the last paragraph, no need to worry about how I got that work ethic. Dad was the same way too, always on the go and looking for the next thing.

Speaking of the next thing, Africa is just around the corner. I am going to call our dentist and orthodontist this week to solicit donations of toothbrushes and toothpaste. That's a big campaign they are working on right now. The last group had good success with promoting some basic dental care and we want to make sure they have a good supply to keep the momentum up.

Well, time for work. Quick note, I finished the book about Andrew Jackson, American Lion. Well, I read the first half and skimmed the second half. Way too much detail for me; but, I would consider it the definitive history on the subject at hand. It was an interesting view of what it was like to be President before the Civil War and another history of the events that lead up to the Civil War. I now have a new book from my VP at work called The Exceptional Presenter. He sent it to my 2 consultants; but, they never read it. It was sent to me yesterday. I do look forward to picking up on more presentation skills. That's my bread and butter right now and there is ALWAYS room for improvement.

See ya!

Hey now

Too tired to go back in the office to post in the blog, so I will try
my first iPhone post!
Worked a short day since I was still feeling a little under the gun
from the stomach bug from the weekend. Yesterday's drive home was way
too long; but, Dylan and I had a good time. We had a good time at
ADBC yesterday and a great time talking about Africa after church at
Logan's. We are getting closer and still have a few details to finish.
Got my travel insurance today. Really cheap but oh so worth the $3.30/
day! I am working on getting our per diem money wired ahead now. Got
my sleeping pills and malaria mess today from my doctor.

Miles went off to Camp McCall today. He will be home on Friday. He's
gonna have so much fun. Dylan and I go next week!

I am teaching Dylan (and Tricia) how to play chess. They are playing
each other now and practicing the moves. Night moves...

See ya!

via iPhone

Weekend in Sumter County

Dylan and I are in Sumter this weekend spending time with my family. I had to come down to Tuomey (my old hospital) to help teach ACLS for nurses and doctors. It's an easy check and pays for the gas to get home and spend some time on the farm. Tricia and Miles stayed home and went on a "date" to see the new Harry Potter movie together. Dylan and I got to swim and eat some country cooking too. Although my Mom is still recovering from her surgery and very sore, she is able to give directions and orders to Amy, who did a fine job with the field peas and okra and corn bread(mmmmmm). My favorite had to be the fresh tomatoes and cucumbers (could be a meal in of itself). A nice chocolate cake and coffee to top it off!

Dylan and I are going to look on Amazon in a few minutes for Harry Potter books that his Aunt Amy is going to buy for his birthday.

Tomorrow we are going to church at Alice Drive and we are going out for lunch with the Shipes family. Scott and I went on the Africa trip last year and he is one of the two folks from ADBC going again with us this year. We have some planning to do in our lunch meeting. It's exciting that we are about 1 month away from returning to Africa. I am looking forward to the work and the adventure and it's always great to have Scott along to keep me laughing.

Here's a picture of Scott and I climbing the Kgale Hills in Botswana last summer!

After lunch, we are going to head back for a quick swim and rest before heading back home to Greer tomorrow evening. Miles is heading off to Camp McCall on Monday for the week. It's his 2nd year at McCall by himself and he is very much looking forward to the week of fun and adventure. Well, that's the update. More soon! Love you all!

See ya!