Uncle Charles

This week, my great uncle, brother to my paternal grandmother, passed away. Uncle Charles Ardis was a good man, a great husband, father and uncle. He lived out in Clarendon county near the old home place of my grandmother's family. His house was always a refuge from the hot sun when my brother and I were out riding our dirt bikes or walking in the woods. What I remember most about him is his laugh and big smile. I don't think I can remember him being mad. He always had birds that he raised: parakeets, cockatoos and the like. He kept busy around his little homestead out in the country. He loved to tell us stories about hunting rabbits back in the day or about when he was in the Navy and out at sea. Uncle Charles and Aunt Pearl spent many evenings at my Dad's place when I was growing up. They were really our only neighbors out there in the country and they were family too! After my Dad took the job at the ginkgo farm and moved away, I lost contact with Uncle Charles and Aunt Pearl but would stop by their place every few years and see how they were getting along and just say "howdy". We were always family.

I specifically remember one story he told me about rabbit hunting. He said there were once so many rabbits out there in the country that once when he went to shoot a rabbit about 20 yards away, another rabbit jumped directly in his line of sight and he killed both with 1 shot. Not sure if that really happened or not but he liked to tell the story. He was also great at getting the old hounds to run some rabbits on lazy Sundays. He would call them and they would sound off and he would just keep them baying and sooner or later, they would run a rabbit out of the woods and into our yard or his yard. It was cool.

I also remember one Saturday when we were down at his place and I was asking him about his electric fence. He told me I could touch it with a stick and not get shocked. Well, he was just kidding but I got a nice little shock anyways. It more scared me more than hurt me. But, I remember running away towards my Dad's place, upset and mad at him. They came after me in the car and went down and told my Dad what happened. Uncle Charles felt bad and worked hard to make me feel better about the joke. By doing that, he was showing me he really cared.

Rest well Uncle Charles, I hear the hounds, do you?

See ya!

History

Wow! I can hardly believe we pulled it off! We actually elected a black man to the highest office in the land. I have had so many mixed emotions over the last few weeks with the remembrance of 2000's election like a lump in my throat. I have taken some heat here in the Upstate of South Carolina for my support of the Obama campaign, including my own family. But, what it all comes down for me is an attitude that we can do better and we must. I did agree 100% with either party but Obama and Biden were the only acceptable paths for me. Tricia and I were both very vocal about the war in Iraq before it started, again at odds with our families. We both have strong convictions about economic policies that are aligned with the Democratic ticket. As environmentalists at heart, we could not support the Republican ticket's view of our natural resources and continue the policies that Bush has held towards our environment and wild places. To me, that was probably the most important issue on the table for this election. I hope our push towards a green economy will come true, for the sake of our children's children.

I was so proud of both McCain and Obama with their great speeches last night. It was worth it to stay up and listen to Obama make his historic speech in front of the crowds there in Grant Park. Miles and I have watched the speech several times today. When I woke the boys this morning, the first thing they both asked was if Obama won. Dylan even corrected me when I said Obama was the new President. He said "not until July 20th of next year." I knew he meant January but he had only been awake for 5 seconds tops! It was a proud moment for me too. Miles gave me the Obama knuckle tap when he heard the news.

Over the last few weeks, Miles and I have talked about why his Mom and I supported the Democratic ticket and what this election meant for our country. They had a mock election at school and they both told us they voted for Obama.

We did it! We made it happen and we must now all come together as one people. It's not going to be easy. Bush has left us in a mess that will take years to unravel. I don't need to waste any more time writing about that. I pray for our country and our leaders, regardless of party. I am also very thankful to live in a country where a major change in leadership does not involve tanks in the streets and blood in the ditches. There is a lot of hard work to do and I look forward to being a part of it. Now, I need some sleep!

See ya!

The Times They Are A-Changin'

Come gather 'round people
Wherever you roam
And admit that the waters
Around you have grown
And accept it that soon
You'll be drenched to the bone.
If your time to you
Is worth savin'
Then you better start swimmin'
Or you'll sink like a stone
For the times they are a-changin'.

Come writers and critics
Who prophesize with your pen
And keep your eyes wide
The chance won't come again
And don't speak too soon
For the wheel's still in spin
And there's no tellin' who
That it's namin'.
For the loser now
Will be later to win
For the times they are a-changin'.

Come senators, congressmen
Please heed the call
Don't stand in the doorway
Don't block up the hall
For he that gets hurt
Will be he who has stalled
There's a battle outside
And it is ragin'.
It'll soon shake your windows
And rattle your walls
For the times they are a-changin'.

Come mothers and fathers
Throughout the land
And don't criticize
What you can't understand
Your sons and your daughters
Are beyond your command
Your old road is
Rapidly agin'.
Please get out of the new one
If you can't lend your hand
For the times they are a-changin'.

The line it is drawn
The curse it is cast
The slow one now
Will later be fast
As the present now
Will later be past
The order is
Rapidly fadin'.
And the first one now
Will later be last
For the times they are a-changin'.

Copyright ©1963; renewed 1991 Special Rider Music

Bob Dylan

Crash On the Levee

Hey Mr. Policeman, please don't touch my stuff
It cost me too much money
and probably ain't enough
to make through election day
through election day...

Crash On The Levee (Down In The Flood)

Crash on the levee, mama,
Water's gonna overflow,
Swamp's gonna rise,
No boat's gonna row.
Now, you can train on down
To Williams Point,
You can bust your feet,
You can rock this joint.
But oh mama, ain't you gonna miss your best friend now?
You're gonna have to find yourself
Another best friend, somehow.

Now, don't you try an' move me,
You're just gonna lose.
There's a crash on the levee
And, mama, you've been refused.
Well, it's sugar for sugar
And salt for salt,
If you go down in the flood,
It's gonna be your own fault.
Oh mama, ain't you gonna miss your best friend now?
You're gonna have to find yourself
Another best friend, somehow.

Well, that high tide's risin',
Mama, don't you let me down.
Pack up your suitcase,
Mama, don't you make a sound.
Now, it's king for king,
Queen for queen,
It's gonna be the meanest flood
That anybody's seen.
Oh mama, ain't you gonna miss your best friend now?
Yes, you're gonna have to find yourself
Another best friend, somehow.

Copyright © 1967; renewed 1995 Dwarf Music

Africa Presentations

Yesterday, I got up uber early and drove down to Sumter in time to make a presentation about the Africa trip at Home Branch Baptist church. It's always good to sing some big chord hymns out of the good ole Baptist hymnal and of course, The Doxology. It's like stepping back in time for me, reminds me of going to church with my grandparents (both sides of the family). I had most of the service to speak and show some slides. I think it went very well and seemed to hold their attention. I went over about 15 minutes and didn't get any complaints or comments about going over. So, I take that as the best compliment possible!

After a good country meal at Mom's place and of course, a nap, I went to Alice Drive for our Botswana recreation presentation. We brought the audience into the fellowship hall in small groups. We took them through a few stations with props and pictures from Old Naledi. We read scripts to recreate the environement and the daily choices that face the street orphans there in Old Naledi. My station was the last, representing Old Naledi Baptist Fellowship and why it was important for us to support the Fellowship and its work there in Old Naledi. Afterwards, we did a multimedia presentations in front of the entire assembly. James Lowe and I talked about the construction work and how hard the job was digging in that dirt (aka African concrete). It went very well and James wrote a great script for the 2 of us to read.

After the presentation, my sister, Amy, and I went to Logan's for a great steak dinner. Thanks Amy!

It was a honor to tell those stories and to share that vision of what we are supporting in Botswana. It also helped prepare me for my next Africa vision talk, for Freedom Fellowship in early December. I look forward to that opportunity to continue to share that vision.

I got up at 0500am (felt like 6am to me) and drove back to Greer. I didn't feel all that well once I got here and worked for a little while. I just got up from a quick nap and feel much better. Now, back to work!

See ya!

Happy Halloween

Here's a snapshot before they set out for the tricks and treats. Keller had a great time and so did the boys. I stayed home and played the old man handing out candy on Halloween. Shadow is so happy it's his special day. It's not every day that he gets to wear his black cat costume!

We were heading up into the mountains for the Upstate Forever annual meeting and nature hike; but, Miles is looking and feeling a little puny. Tricia and I have a date tomorrow night at the Peace Center to see the Avett Brothers. It's my birthday present and just what I wanted. I see a trip to Mellow Mushroom in there too! We have a sitter coming over around 5pm; so, it should be a fun night for us.

Then, on Sunday morning (thank you God for Daylight Savings Time rolling back the clock), I am getting up early and driving to Sumter. I am going to speak at Home Branch Baptist, where my Mom and Pete go to church, about the Africa trip. Home Branch provided a great deal of support for my last trip and it will be great to speak to them about what we did there. Then on Sunday night, the Alice Drive team is going to offer a recreation experience of the Africa trip at Alice Drive. It will be a full day speaking and sharing about the Africa trip and the vision for what is happening and needs to happen there. So, it's probably a good thing we canceled our trip to the Upstate Forever meeting and hike. I am still working on the presentation for Home Branch. So, please say a prayer for me and the rest of the team. While you are praying, remember to lift the church in Botswana. Here's a link: http://oldnaledifellowship.org

Gotta give out some more candy!

See ya! Go Tigers! Beat Boston College!

Baseball is done for 2008

A fun, but kinda crazy, World Series ended last night with the Phillies picking up the suspended game and putting an end to the 2008 season. Nice to Jamie Moyer still getting it done. Tricia and I enjoyed watching him pitch with the Mariner's back in the 90's. It really blew hitters' minds to see Randy Johnson's 100mph fastball one day and Jamie's 75mph change up the next day. It was a deadly back-to-back combo.

Here's an old baseball memory of mine from the early 1980's. I recently found this newspaper article and scanned it for internet archiving. A sad, frustrating appendix to this story...someone stole this baseball from me. I always had a good idea who did it; but, we never could get him to admit or find evidence. Oh well, it was an adventure and at least there is this article as some proof. Would have been a very cool conversation piece these days... See ya!

Slow Rain

Just enjoying the slow, cold rainy day here in the Upstate. It's only 50F and rain...hmmm, reminds me of one of my favorite places, the Pacific Northwest. This is when I feel like I am in the right skin, no humidity, no sweating and suffering. It will always call to me. Always. I can't help it or fight it.

Last night I had the great experience of working The Mocha Club booth at the Matt Wertz show at The Handlebar in Greenville. I got 10 new members to sign up. They got Matt's latest CD for signing up. It's only $7/month but that is SO much more to the poor in Africa. I was on the guest list and that's always nice to get to hear free LIVE music and introduce others to a great way to help Africa. I was on the guestlist for another big show in Clemson with Lady Antebellum at the Littlejohn Coliseum; but, we have the Halloween Hoopla tomorrow here in Greer and I had to cancel.

The Halloween Hoopla is an awesome free festival that our church, Freedom Fellowship, does every year for our community. It's a great time to serve the community and let kids be kids and enjoy the Fall. I missed it last year as I was returning home from my trip to Europe. Tricia and the boys reported that it was a great time and the boys are really pumped about going again.

We were scheduled to take our family picture down by Lake Robinson in the park tomorrow but I think that's been pushed to Sunday because of the weather. We need to wash Keller too since he's going to be in the picture. Shadow said he would take a rain check.

Tonight, the boys are going to hang out at Hurricane Martial Arts, while we enjoy a Parent's Night out. They are going to have fun while we do a little shopping and I'm sure there is a coffee shop and a small,cozy table in Tricia's plans too. It's nice to have that break and attempt to not talk about the kids for a while and act like husband and wife.

I just made Dylan's day...he was acting really bummed about missing a brand new episode of Star Wars: The Clone Wars on Cartoon Network. Little did he know, but I ordered a DVR for the living room this week. He helped me program to record the whole series and now he's "cool" with going to Hurricane and watching the show in the morning. I guess the cost just got justified by Mr. Dylan. I am also recording the World Series and watching when I have time. This is why I sacrificed the $100 for the DVR. I have investigated and read about it for the last few months on Direct TV's website. Ok, I'm geek out on my new black box; but, that's nothing new for me!

Well, enjoy your weekend and the cool temps! See ya!