7and8

This is your Capt. speaking. Sit back relax and nevermind that I'm not looking where I'm going. 

Going up Beacon Hill (aka place where really rich people live) we saw this motorcade. The tour guide was guessing it was our govenor, Mitt Romney.  

We went on a DUCK boat tour through the streets of Boston and up and down the Charles river. A lot of cool information about the birth of the nation. I actually got to pilot the boat in the river! Our Capt. (Ace Bandage) said I shared that distinction with one of the other gents on our tour and "Millions of 3rd graders across New England".

I changed the settings on this blog so anyone can make comments. You no longer have to sign-up to leave your feedback.

"Is there anybody out there?
Is there anybody out there?
Is there anybody out there?
Is there anybody out there?
....
I got a little black book with my poems in
I got a bag with a toothbrush and a comb in
When I'm a good dog they sometimes throw me a bone
I got elastic band keeping my shoes on
got those swollen hand blues
got 14 channels of shit on the TV to choose from
I got electric light and I've got second sight
got amazing powers of observation
that is how I know when I try to get through
they'll be nobody home

I got the obligatory Hendrix perm and the inevitable pinhole burns
all down the front of my favorite satin shirt
I've got nicotine stains on my fingers, I got a silver spoon on a chain
I got a brand new piano to prop up my mortal remains
I've got wild staring eyes, I got a strong urge to fly
but I've got nowhere to fly to
Ooooooh babe when I pick up the phone
there's still nobody home

I got a pair of Gohills boots and I've got fading roots....."

-Pink Floyd's
"Is there anybody out there" and "Nobody home" from "The Wall" ablum

I was giddy about capturing this picture of the wild turkey. Seconds after this picture was taken a dumptruck passed by on the road that was behind me. I scared groundhog scampered past and left the turkey in his dust.

We have wild turkey at our house. Now, what would you think if I posted this without a picture? 

The church were we lived is pretty technically savvy. One of the coolest things they do is e-Devotions sent every morning by someone in the congregation. Here is how today's read:

"

Daily Devotions Monday June 20, 2005

This week's devotions are written by Amy Peters, the Vacation Bible School Coordinator:
Matthew 19:14

but Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs."

VBS begins once again at Zion this morning. Church will be teeming with hundreds of small kids, harried adults, and lots and lots of noise. After six months of prep and a week of total chaos several of our key team members are TIRED. I personally find that my faith and spirit are most tapped just before the storm - typically the day right before we start, I find myself EXHAUSTED!

I have to remember to wait patiently for the miracle to arrive each year. I have yet to experience a year of VBS without some minor miracle occurring; something that turns my head, which is so filled with noise & stress. Back to the point. The point is that God is with us, in us, and whenever two or more of us gather in HIS name miracles occur.

My miracle arrived early this year. As I sat quietly at the computer checking for last minute messages and panics a voice from the past reached out with a hug. Gerard Brown, a source of so much joy & energy last year, had to tell us mid-spring he couldn't help this summer. He & his family were moving to Boston, a new job and adventure were calling. We were really sad.

This morning, Gerard just wanted to wish us luck. He said he'd be praying for us, and he hoped we had a good week. He also hoped wistfully that his son Noah's week at VBS in the Boston area would be half as good as it would've been at Zion.

While I reread the e-mail and think how much fun it would be to have Gerard here, I have a secret hope for a congregation in the Boston area. That perhaps the TRUE meaning of discipleship will prosper in Gerard's heart. That he will be called to enrich their VBS the way he enriched ours. And . . . that I remember (as Gerard did) that the expression of hope and encouragement are the finest form of love and prayers. Even if we "gather in his name" via e-mail. Wish us luck with VBS this week - pray for good weather, not too much heat, and infinite patience! "

I don't upt this here to tout my own attributes but for the glory of God. You never know how a simple note will affect someone. I almost didn't send this note but I was stunned that Amy counts it among miracles. This Devotion humbles me and is posted to remind me that every little bit counts.

What a cool day it was yesterday. I started off pissed (anyone who knows me knows that if judged in the morning I will never win the Noble prize for Peace). My family rescued me from the 'Grumpy Pal Motel'. We went to church, ate donuts, went for a bike ride, spent too much at Target and the day ended with 7 and I building a set of cubes. Nothing says Father's day like teaching your son not to strip the head of a screw with a drill and how to recover from a bent nail while hammering.
I'm one proud papa. He did a great job.
Watch for the picture of my Father's Day present...

On Saturday the invisible fence was finally installed. Of course there was a question what we owed. The question was on their side, not ours. It worked out as we wanted it to. So we have a regimen of training we have to do so the dogs know to back-up when they hear the tone from the collar. We have to do four 15 minute training sessions per day.
Pam and I were working out the schedule and she says, "We'll do two in the morning.."
"Two in the morning!" I yell, "Are you crazy?! Woman, if you want to train the dogs at 2 a.m. you go right ahead. I'll be sleeping soundly."
Stunned, she looked at me. Her face straightened out, "No. Dear! We do two trainings in the morning and two in the evening."
"Sorry. Yea, that sounds good." I say sheepishly

This is the gook from only 3/4 of the gutters on my new house. Still one more long stretch to go. I was disgusted and impressed all at the same time. This gem left from the Butt who also had trouble operating a screwdriver. I've had to tighten or reinstall a number of things since we moved in. My favorite was the dead bolt that was put in upside down.  

As you can tell by the recent flood of pictures I found some new tools. Best part, they are free. If anyone would ask me how I'm doing it, I'd say,

"Dude, it's so easy with the Google tools. Blogger for the blog, Picasa2 for the pictures and Hello for sending said pictures to said blog, dude."

And then they would say, "Dude, you just said 'dude' twice." and I would say, "Dude, so did you."

Next week, on dancing with the stars. 

The boys and I skipping rocks in Long Island Sound. Ok, Liam was really just dangerously whiping the rocks around but he'll get it someday. 

Now where do you think they packed the TV remote? 

We just back from Lowes and had a nice lunch. Boys took naps I think cause I was napping too. It was a great way to spend a hot Saturday. We had a Swing BBQ to go to, I was going to fulfill my promise to 7&8 for a swimming extravaganza, have a burger and a beer. But 8 had been coughing and sicky the last few days. So we get worried and went to the ER in the late afternoon. We spend a good 6 hours there but it was worth it to find out what was up and get the right meds. We drove through a BMW (Burgerking, Mcdonalds, Wendys) on the way home and I'll be damned if we were backed into right there in drive through.
Everyone is fine and 8 is on the mend. Here is to next Saturday being better.

Target and Lowes and Target and Lowes and...
Butt, BBQ, Bugs, Boys and Boxes:
The guy we bought the house from I find out is a professor. That explains his superiority complex and lack of respect for the human condition. Rightly so he uses the last name Butt. Then I went to Target.
The next door neighbors had a BBQ the first weekend we were here. Their son had a great weekend playing with 7&8. The BBQ was the perfect way to spend the first weekend and the neighbors felt like home. It wouldn't surprise me if they are all spies trying to recruit us for their covert coups. Then I went to Lowes.
We are pretty much in the country here in Hton. I grew up right next door to a farm so I've seen my share of creepy crawlees. When I have nothing else to worry about I may take the time to get ooged out over a bug. The wife hates everything creepy and all things crawly. So we had to figure out how insert ourselves as a destructive and disruptive force into this circle of life. Then I went to Target.
The boys are having a blast here, don't believe the 'nervous' talk. So we have a BAR (big-ass rock) in our backyard. 7 (30+ lbs.) clamors to the top with the dog leash in his hands. The 70+ dog is on the other end on the ground and sees something enticing enough to explore... And 7 came tumbling after. 7 got a band-aid that I got at Target on the way to Lowes.
We've unpacked all of our everyday living stuff. Empty boxes rule the garage. I can't call for removal yet as the basement and garage are still in boxes. Can't unbox the boxes without putting the boxed stuff on top of an empty box. We are boxed in. So we took the stuff that was wrong back to Target... and Lowes, and got more stuff.

Our trip to the East Coast was broken into a couple of sections. We moved out of the house and into a hotel for 2 nights. We left the state and stayed at another hotel for a night. We stayed at her sisters in CT for 2 nights, left there and stayed at another hotel for 2 nights. Finally we closed and slept on air mattress in our new place for 2 nights. It felt wonderful to sleep in my own bed.

While in CT we went to the beach on Long Island Sound. The first trip we picked up Boston Market and had a picnic, built a sand castle and just hung out for a while. The next day we went back and the tide was out. This was so cool. We walked out about 100 yards from where we stood the night before. We could have kept walking but a little adventure for little boys sometimes is just enough. 7&8 were as giddy as I was. Something about witnessing the power of God first hand in a serene setting and sharing it with the family made this one of the most impressive displays I've seen.

I used to think that the entire east coast was a concrete jungle. Even in the suburbs of Detroit everything is paved or a reconstructed grass oasis in the desert of cement and aggregate. Boy was I wrong about NewEngland. Coming across Penn. was beautiful. I haven't been this impressed since rolling through Kentucky for the first time. There is this one spot in town where you look out and expect to see the Town Center, but the only thing is trees. Ents would like it here, unless they are the here I speak of. Quite different from the cornfield vistas I grew up in.

Our whole family is apparently giving Bosco turns to roam free or escape the confines of simple man-made contraptions such as doors.
The first trick came when 8 "went to go get Bosco since he was out". No, "wait, how did Bosco get out in the first place for you to go look for him?" "Huh?" "He had to get out first then you would go look for him, did he go under the fence?" "I don't know."
The second came at the Holiday Inn in Penn. I went to get bags from the car. She thought she heard me come back in. Then I came in again. I asked where Bosco....And Liam where. 7 promptly answered as he intently played with his action figures. "He let Bosco out and then went to look for him." I bolt out the door and call for Bosco. He comes like a trooper and 8 plods dutifully after.
Third time. I'm finishing up the front lawn. 7 wants to do something and I holler for him to just go inside since lunch will be on as soon as I'm done. I park the mower and turn toward the door from the garage to the house and it's gaping open, and now my jaw is. I run in to see if the dogs got out. 7 answers my question with the appropriate, "Oops." I see Bosco up the street licking the UPS dude. I call and he comes home like a trooper.
Number four. I prop the door open to bring groceries in. I don't know when Bosco got out or how long he was gone but the man with Bosco by the collar walking him in the house while I was cutting strawberries for desert sure surprised me. I had also left the hatch on the van open.

Friday the Invisible Fence gets installed.

Of course I don't really mean migrated. It's not like we are going back when the weather changes or a food supply runs out. Subjects I may blog about the move:

Bosco-dini
Eastern foliage
Long Island Sound
Target and Lowes and Target and Lowes and...
Butt, BBQ, Bugs, Boys and Boxes

Things are getting to normal which is bad news for my motivation for unpacking boxes. Nothing moves cardboard faster than trying to find the legos for the boy who just wants life sorta normal again. We are into the boxes with crap that I wish I could send to aid 3rd world countries. So much stuff and there are kids going hungry across this nation.