Fourty three years

Saying for the Day: God made him a help mate for him.

Forty three years ago today the most amazing thing happened .
So amazing I still have trouble believing it to be true.
On this day in Marquette Michigan, in a little Lutheran Church called St. Marks, Kathryn Elisabeth Mallmann became my wife.
God knew I would not survive in the task he had given me without her so he sent this angel to sustain me.

Over the years she has been my teacher, my helper, my very best friend, my nurse, my lover, and so much more.
She gave me three of the greatest kids in the world and showed me how to be a nurturing parent to them.

She has always had a greater faith than mine. Her love of God is unswerving.
She is my angel.

Now she is not perfect.
She is not the greatest cook.
She hates house cleaning.
She lacks any organizational skills.
And she does have a temper.
Over the years we have had our fights , which I always lost because I just couldn’t stay mad at her.

Now you need to understand that God would not send a great cook to live with a finicky eater like me.
I am and always have been a meat and potatoes man.
I am sloppy and disorganized .
We are a perfect match.

Most of all she knows my faults.
She knows everything I have hidden from the rest of the world.
Yet, she still loves me.
She hasn’t packed up and left me.

Today I thank God for forty three years of magic. I intend to spend the day thanking her.
That and spending time with the grandkids who have come to rejoice with us.

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News from Pigeon Falls– the little town in my backyard where the trains still run.-The White Rabbit hasn’t been seen since Mrs. Trumble said she sent him back to the place he came from. People are looking at Mrs. Trumble in a little different light since the incident. She even made the cover of one of those tabloid papers with a this headline “ Pigeon Falls has its own Buffy” .
Eino called his friend Bree and together they came up with this analysis.
1. Mrs. Trumble shot a demon and he’s gone. Highly illogical .
2. Mrs. Trumble shot a mechanical bunny thus the smoke. Problem with this is where is the bunny and why no residue and no fire.
3. Mrs. Trumble thinks she shot the White Rabbit but the smoke and all is like a magician’s slight of hand . It is all deception. This is possible. A magicians smoke device could explain the lack of residue. But where did the rabbit go? No tracks.
4. Mrs. Trumble is straight out lying . There was no White Rabbit. She made the smoke and shot the stuffed bunny. This makes little sense since she has no reason to lie and when the White Rabbit returns she will have gained nothing.
5. The White Rabbit, as it was dying, slipped back into the other dimension from which it came. Not very believable.
This seems to be all the possibilities unless you can think of another.
Nancy says that most people seem sad to think that the White Rabbit is gone and they don’t see Mrs. Trumble as any kind of hero. A few though see her as a demon slayer. A lot of people are hoping that the White Rabbit will return, only this time it will stay away from Mrs. Trumble.
*****

Link for today: Taking a Sanity Break- You won't believe these pictures-Remember to put the words Dr. John in your comments to get those totally insane JCPOINTS. Check your total HERE.
Yesterday we drew Chana if her name is one of the four we draw today she gets what's in the Prize Box.
Sorry that this post was a bit late but my grandkids are here and I overslept. Betty is making them breakfast so we will draw a bit later.
We finally cut in yesterday's slips and I had my Grandsons do the drawing.

The names drawn are:


Laurie


Kristen


Andrena


and


Catch..... Sorry Channa (sorry Bree) - Good luck Laurie, Andrena, Kristen and Catch if one of you is drawn tomorrow you get the prize box.
It was a wonderful day. I played some computer games with the boys. They of course play better than I do. They went swiming at the state park in the afternoon. Betty and I put off going out for the anniversary until tomorrow night. Watched some tennis with Patrick. It was just nice to have some of the family here. Well I need a breathing treatment.
GBYA

Picking up

Saying for the day: A tidy blog is a good blog.

This is Wednesday and I thought I’d use the space to just tidy up a bit.

First of all there is the PRIZE BOX thing.
I never thought it would take this long to get a winner.
But if we don’t have one today we will draw four names tomorrow and if any of them match the one drawn today it is finally over.

Next I am getting ready for the next blog marathon which will be next Wednesday.
I am checking all the names to make sure the links work.
I am laying out a plan to count the results so we don’t have the trouble we had last time ( of course I am not responsible for AT&T or blogger).
You will have more links to choose from than last time.

Then Margaret wanted to know what my favorite song or artist is.
That is a hard question but I narrowed it done to two possibilities , Amy Grant singing “El Shaddai” or Gene Autry singing “Back in the Saddle Again”.

Somebody asked how they could become a “link for the Day”.
That is not easy to answer.
First I have to find your blog.
Then it must be interesting.
It must not be a primarily commercial blog.
After that it is placed on a pending list.
A blog is chosen each day from that list by using an advanced equation developed out of chaos theory.

I think that’s all the loose ends.

Now the blog is tidy.

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News from Pigeon Falls– The little town in my backyard where the trains still run and old ladies carry shotguns– Well we may have seen the last of the White Rabbit. Yesterday evening they blocked off the main street and set up the beer drinking contest in the very center of town. Six tables with kegs of beer. There were 30 contestants. The idea was too see who could drink the most glasses of beer in ten minutes. Five minutes into the contest there was the sound of a shotgun blast at the end of the block and then thick black smoke poured around the corner. Everybody , including the contestants ran to the end of the street to find Mrs. Trumble with her shotgun . She was covered with little pieces of stuffing from the inside of a stuffed Easter rabbit. She said she expected the White Rabbit would show up today and so she waited for it. When it came out of the woods she jumped out but as she raised her gun the White Rabbit threw the stuffed rabbit toward her and her blast hit the stuffed rabbit. But she thinks she hit the White Rabbit as well since all this black sulfur smelling smoke suddenly appeared and when it cleared the Rabbit was gone. “ I sent the demon back to where he came from”, she said. ”He won’t bother us any more” . She explained that she had special shotgun shells that had silver pellets and a drop of Holy Water in them. She got them from a catalogue that sells things to protect you from the supernatural. Eino says he is convinced that the White Rabbit is a mechanical device and that when she shot it is must have caught fire .That would explain the dense smoke. But there were no ashes, the forest didn’t catch fire, and there is nothing left of the rabbit. How does one explain that in a rational manner?
The beer drinking contest went on and Fredrick Hemingras , a tourist, won. He drank one glass more than anybody else inside the ten minutes. After all the excitement with the White Rabbit nobody really seemed to care who won except for Fredrick who liked his fancy shirt that said “Best Darn Beer Drinker in the World” on the front and back.
Nancy says that Mrs. Turmble has become Pigeon Falls equivalent of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. She is now Mrs. Trumble the demon destroyer. Tommy says he still thinks the White Rabbit was nice and that if Mrs. Trumble did kill him it’s a bad not a good thing.
*****

Today's Link: Insanity Reigns Supreme..Because we've all had days like this-Remember to put the words Dr.John in the comments to get those listless JCPOINTS. Check your total HERE.
Yesterday we drew Cindy. If her name is drawn today she gets what's in the PRIZE BOX.
Now we wait for Betty to get up and draw.

Well Betty is up. She has cut in today's slips.

She draws and......


The name drawn is CHANA. Sorry Cindy (sorry Bree) Tomorrow we draw four names if Chana is one of them she gets what's in the Prize Box.
We spent mostof the day waiting for Patrick. We did get the Monday prizes mailed out.Patrick and boys arrived and will stay until Friday. I need a breathing treatment.
GBYA

An end and a beginning

Saying for the day: Each end of a journey is the start of the next.

Let us go one last time to the archive box.
Here is a copy of my ordination certificate.
The end of the process of becoming a pastor.

I had graduated, passed the examining committee, and received a call.
I was ready for the rite of ordination.

The ordination was to take place at my home church in Ishpeming , Michigan.
All of my relatives and friends would be there.

My grandmother hand embroidered the stole I was to receive during the ceremony as a symbol of my new role as Pastor.

There were a few problems.
The Synod President and my home Pastor were fighting so Synod sent the lowest assistant on the totem pole to do the ordaining .
It was like being ordained by the Synod janitor.
I always joked that I had clear Janitorial Succession that went all the way back to the janitor in the building where the Last Supper took place.

Then tragedy struck .
The morning of the ordination my grandmother died.
The matriarch of the family was gone.
The entire family was in shock.
The ordination could not be postponed so they all bravely came anyway.

The ceremony was wonderful and terrible.
I started to cry when they put the stole on my shoulders.
I so wished Gram could be there to see it.

But my journey to becoming a pastor was over and my journey as pastor was about to begin.

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News from Pigeon Falls– the little town in my backyard-The White Rabbit showed up several times yesterday afternoon. Not far behind him was Mrs. Trumble with her shotgun. The word around town is that she is going rabbit hunting. So far she hasn’t caught up with him. One supposes its because she has to wait until somebody sees the Rabbit and spreads the word so she knows where to go. She’ll never catch up that way. According to her there is nobody else even trying to rid the town of this demon.
Eino says he is more afraid of her and her shotgun than he is of the White Rabbit. One of these times she is going to shoot and hit an innocent bystander . He has tried to talk her into leaving her gun at home but she won’t listen.
Tommy, the undertaker’s kid said that there was somebody in the Chicago hermit’s house last night. He saw a light moving around inside when he went by. Eino and Robert went out this morning and found the door open. But there was no way to tell who had been there or why.
The big September Fest beer drinking contest is coming up. Big Rudy always won in the past. But he is saying that he doesn’t do things like that anymore. He has bread to bake and cookies . He plans on entering the bake off. Big Rudy sure has changed.
All of the people who came home for Homecoming week were asked to right a story entitled I remember Pigeon Falls. These have all been pulled together and will be published in a book by that same title. There will be some great memories in that book.
******

Todays link: Indexed-Something completly different-Remember to leave the words Dr.John in the comment to get those stackable,off the chart, JCPOINTS. Check your total HERE.
Yesterday we drew Quilldancer if we draw her name today she gets what's in the PRIZEBOX.
We will draw when Betty gets up.

Betty is up. The slips for yesterday are cut and added to the basket.

The name drawn today is........




Cindy. Sorry Quilldancer. If Cindy is drawn tomorrow she gets what's in the PRIZE BOX.
Good luck Cindy.
Thanks to all you very wonderful people who commented on Bree's blog. This has been a hard time for her.
Betty and I went to a funeral this morning. It was the first time in a long time I put my clerics on and felt like a pastor. The man who died was a very good member of United and a World War II veteran. Over coffee afterward I got to talk with a really nice lady whose son is dieing. We talked about the strength one can draw from the faith.
People who saw the house yesterday didn't like it.
Patrick called and he's coming up tomorrow. I get to see my grandsons. Life can be good.
Well I need a breathing treatment.
GBYA

Monday Again

Saying for the day: I would like Monday better if it were at the end of the week.

Well Monday has rolled around again.

This is the day I do three things.
I beg for comments.
I show what is being added to the Prize Box.
I show the prizes for the day.

Then Betty draws for all three.

First things first. It is Monday please, please , please leave a comment on my blog.
Please.

Second we have a toy store and a bridge to add to the PRIZEBOX.
Our little village is growing.
If nobody has won by Wednesday we will draw four names on Thursday.
We will give it away somehow.

Third: When I went shopping the other day I saw this cute little magic frog.
I thought that every blog has a little magic in it and wouldn’t it be nice to have the frog there to remind you of that.
So I spared no expense and got two.
Trust me when I tell you this is another priceless (has no real value) prize.

All that left is for Betty to get up and do the drawing.

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News from Pigeon Falls-The little town in my backyard where the trains still run.– Donna and Jon Bergall got over the spouse carrying even and entered the three legged race in yesterday’s day of races. This time they didn’t fall down but they didn’t win either. Tommy and his good friend Edgar came in first. Boy they hopped like rabbits. While they were hopping the White Rabbit made an appearance at the end of the street. Soon after it hopped around the corner there was the noise of a shotgun going off. People ran to the end of the street to find Mrs. Trumble with her still smoking shotgun. “I just missed him she” she said “He ran into the woods”. There on the ground was a stuffed Easter bunny. Eino tried to give it to Mrs. Trumble but she said she isn’t having anything touched by that demon in her house.
Eino was upset by all of this because he was judging the race Tommy was in when the White Rabbit showed up. He had suspected Tommy as somehow being behind the Rabbit’s appearances. With Mrs. Trumble shooting at it there had to be somebody who could see what was happening to get it out of the way and that sure wasn’t Tommy. In addition he had both hands in the air celebrating his victory when the shotgun went off.
Nobody has come and asked about the stone guy in the basement of Eino’s Used Car building. The house is still vacant. The company has disappeared that he worked for. The mystery goes on.
*******

Todays link is: Photoblog by JimLarimer-Pictures for a change-Remember to leave the words Dr. John in the comment to get those recycled JCPOINTS. Check your points HERE.
Yesterday we drew Catch. If we draw her name today she gets what's in the prize box.
We will draw when Betty gets up.

Betty finally got up. She then discovered it was Monday and the garbage wasn't out. After the panic ended she started getting the house ready for the visit by potential buyers , today. I cut in the new slips.
Now she has taken a moment to draw,

The first name drawn is Quilldancer. If her name is drawn tomorrow she gets what's in the prize box. Sorry Catch (sorry Bree). Good luck Quilldancer.

Then the other two names .....

Stacy- and Chana. They get the magic frogs. Wow.
The morning went along pretty well and right at noon the people came to see the house. Betty and I went out to Fob's for lunch. When we got back my grandaughter called and said they had to put her dog Maya down because of a mass in the dog's stomach. This is Bree's second confrontation with death in a very short time. First her friend and now her dog. Its a lot for an eleven year old to handle. I hate to ask again but could you stop by her blog and leave her a word of comfort. Click here to go to her blog.
Well I need a breathing treatment.
GBYA

Grief step four

Saying for the day: Grief hurts.

Today and every Sunday for the next six Sunday’s we are looking at the steps in the grief process as described by Pastor Granger Westberg. These steps are:
1. Shock
2. Emotion
3. Depression
4. Physical pain
5. Fear or panic
6. Guilt
7. Anger
8. We function poorly
9. The breaking in of hope
10. The start of the new life

Soon after the grief process begins, while we are still in depression, we are likely to begin to physically hurt.
Our body hurts.
Our joints hurt.
Our chest may feel tight.

Often people don’t think of this as part of the grief process.
They feel sure that something is very wrong with them.
They go to the doctor he finds no physical cause for the pain.

Some people at this point think their doctor is lying because they have some life ending disease.
They worry and become even more depressed.

Here it helps if the Doctor understands that the person is grieving and helps them to see that the pain is caused by the grief.

It is real pain and it has a real cause.

As one works through the grief process the pain will diminish and finally leave.

During this entire period one needs to remember that God has not left us, and we will move on to a better day.

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News from Pigeon Falls– the little town in my backyard where little old ladies carry shotguns and know how to use them– Well the mystery of the missing stuffed rabbits has been sort of solved. Now every time there is a White Rabbit sighting one finds a stuffed rabbit where the White Rabbit was. Mrs. Trumble says this proves the White Rabbit is evil. It steals. There is nothing worse than a big rabbit in a pink sweater that steals. Somebody else suggested that it might just be lonely. One of the tourists thought the White Rabbit just felt sorry for the stuffed rabbits being stuck in a closet and thus rescued them. If that’s the case he succeeded because the people finding the rabbits are not giving them back. They have already become collector’s items. The city is making no attempt to get them back.
Our dragon made another appearance last night. He flew down the main street during the big street dance. The Dorothy Heralds went right on playing as if this was and everyday occurrence for them. During a break the lead guitarist said that perhaps they should change their name to the Dragon Heralds.
The spouse carrying race took place yesterday afternoon. This year there were only eighteen entries and unlike last year no wives tried carrying their husband. Jon Bergall tried to carry his wife Donna but as he was going through the big kiddy pool filled with mud he slipped and dumped her. She said he did it on purpose and now they aren’t speaking to each other. This was a race that is supposed to bring husband and wife closer together. The winner this year was Eino Thorseon and his wife Blanch. They did the whole course in 15 minutes. They sure look thrilled when they were announced as the winners.
*******

Link for today:Purple Women - a bit different-Remember to put the words Dr. John in the comment so you can rescue some lonley JCPOINTS. Check your total HERE.
The name chosen yesterday was Peter. If it is drawn today he gets what's in the PRIZEBOX.
Betty will draw whwn she gets up.

Betty is up. I have cut yesterday's slips into the basket.

Betty draws and.....


The name drawn isCatch . Sorry Peter (Sorry Bree) if Catch is drawn tomorrow she gets whats in the PRIZEBOX.
WE had a good day today. It was wonderful outside. We got the entrance to the amusment park in place, cleaned up the extra track and boxes. Fixed some of the track. Met our new neighbor. Cleared rocks that came from our moutain off of the track. Cut back some weeds. Put in a new little pond. And we found out that we have someone coming to see the house tomorrow. It was a very good day. But now I need a breathing treatment.
GBYA

the Teapot train

Saying for the day: If you can't build your dream build anyway.










I wanted to get these pictures out on the
Pigeon Falls layout but it was raining.

It has rained for two days.

So I took them on the desk where they don't look as good.

This is our latest fantasy train.

We call it the teapot train.

The engine is a cute little teapot or perhaps she is the engineer.

The passengers are various dishes and cups and such.

I really wish we were a bit more creative but we are what we are.

I like it.






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News from Pigeon Falls- the little town in my backyard where the trains still run-Mrs. Trumble and Tommy got in a shouting match on main street this morning. She was screaming about the White Rabbit being a demon and Tommy was screaming it was nice. Mrs. Trumble can out scream Tommy. She kept saying “It has fangs” and Tommy denied it. For a minute it looked like she was going to hit him with the butt end of her shotgun, but she didn’t. Tommy has to get along with her because he delivers her groceries. I think he apologized when it was all over. But she just stamped off in a huff.
The long awaited, often postponed, rabbit tossing contest was finally held. Giving the rules almost took longer than the contest. There were twenty one two man teams of tossers. They had to toss stuffed Easter rabbits back and forth from one team member to the other. In the pocket on the front of the rabbit was a raw egg. If the egg fell out or broke the team was out. Well those pockets didn’t hold eggs well and there were broken eggs everywhere soon after the match started. It finally came down to Tommy and Andrew, his best friend, against Vicki East and her husband Ken. Then Andrew threw a bit high and the egg came lose and hit Tommy on top of the head. There he stood with egg running down his face> Somebody should have taken a picture. He was a good sport , though, and congratulated Vicki and her husband. They got $25 and to keep their bunny.
The rest of the bunnies were gathered up and put in the closet at the town hall. But sometime during the day they disappeared. Mrs. Trumble is telling everybody that she sees that the White Rabbit stole them. That women never gives up.
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Todays link: Foddity (now that's odd) Remember to put the words Dr. John in the comment to get those trully odd JCPOINTS. Check your points HERE.
Yesterday we drew Stacy. If she is drawn today she gets what's in the PRIZE BOX.
Drawing when Betty gets up.
I did one of those dumb things last night. When I closed up the blog I must have hit save instead of publish because when I blogged in this morning the post was from the day before. I am sorry for those of you who came in later looking for a new link or a calorie list.

Betty is up. She cut in yesterday's slips.

She has drawn.

The name drawn today is Peter. Sorry Stacy (sorry Bree) If Peter is drawn tomorrow he gets what's in the prize box. Good luck Peter.
It was a murky day, hard for me to breathe so I didn't go out and work on the layout. I did paint the sign for the amusment park on the layout. In the afternoon we went to church. Then we went grocery shopping. Now I need a breathing treatment.
GBYA

Watch what your eating!

Saying for the day: Nobody ever got fat on food for the soul.

Okay here’s the list from wednesday in order from lowest calories to highest.

9. KFC The Mashed Potato Bowl With Gravy 690. calories
6. Boston Market chicken pot pie 750 .calories
7. Subway Double Meat Classic Tuna, 790 calories,.
3. Taco Bell Fiesta Taco Salad. 860 calories
8. Domino’s ExtravaganZZa Feast 860 calories, two slices.
4. Pizza Hut Stuffed Crust Meat Lover’spie, 1,000 calories,
5. Cinnabon Caramel Pecanbon 1,100 calories .
1. McDonald’s Deluxe Breakfast of 1,220 calories
2. Burger King’s Triple Whopper With Cheese 1230 calories .
10 .Dairy Queen Caramel CheeseQuake Blizzard 1,290 calories

Nobody made it to any kind of expert.
What the list shows.
If you want to diet stay home.
Just because it says salad doesn’t mean it doesn’t have lots of calories.
One Carmel Pecanbon is too many.
Stay away from triple anything. Dairy Queen’s Whopper is only 760 calories (only) before you triple it.
Just because a place (Subway) has some low calorie food doesn’t mean everything they sell is.
Everything I like is bad for me.
Good eating.

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News from Pigeon Falls-the little town in my backyard where the train still runs.– Mrs. Trumble came downtown with her shotgun today. She says she isn’t going any where without it while that demon is on the loose. Tommy says she scares him more than the dragon. Eino asked her to leave her gun home but she won’t listen. The town council needs to pass an anti gun in town ordinance. Of course, given the number of hunters I doubt it would pass. You just say the words ordinance and gun in the same sentence and they go ballistic. They start screaming constitutional rights.
The White Rabbit , itself , has not crossed paths with Mrs. Trumble but it has been very busy. Yesterday it mad no less than ten appearances. People who were back for homecoming week were thrilled to see the Rabbit they had only heard about. They have a story to take with them when they leave.
There was a big party down at Last Lutheran Church as all the old Confirmation classes got together. Some of them were no longer Lutheran but they came back anyway. They had some good memories from their days at Last Lutheran.
Chris Halverson, who is now a pastor in Peroria recalled all the trouble they gave poor pastor Marvel. Now he says he has to teach Confirmation and he knows how hard it is.
They are planning a big street dance Saturday evening. The Dorothy Heralds from Madison will play. They are an up and coming group. Lets hope the dragon doesn’t come along and cause any trouble. “Two guys and a Guitar” a local group is a little upset that they went out of the area to get somebody .
*****

Today's link:Blogger's Lair (what are you afraid of?) Remember to put Dr. John in the comment to get those low calorie deep fried JCPOINTS.Check your points HERE.
Yesterday Betty drew Catch, Quilldancer, and Jafabrit. If one of them is drawn today that one gets the PRIZE BOX.Because there are these three names the odds of one of them being picked is one in 9. ( see Bree we are trying)

Betty will draw when she gets up.

Betty is up. The new slips are cut in.

The basket is shaken up without spilling , this time.

Betty draws and ......


the name is .....


Stacy , Sorry Quilldancer, Jafabrit, and Catch you had the best odds yet. (Sorry Bree) . If Stacy is drawn again tomorrow she gets what's in the prize box. good luck Stacy.
Its been a bad day for doing things. I was going to work on the outside layout but it rained. I also wanted to get pictures of our new fantasy train in front of pigeon Falls but the rain stoped that too. So I came in to do some blogging and when I went to leave comments blogger acted up and I got the "enginer has been notified" message. Then I fininished the last fantasy car ( I added wheels) and Betty brought them in and put them on the desk where I took pictures for tomorrow's post.Well I need a breathing treatment.
GBYA

My mother and her kids

Saying for the day: There is no greater love than that of a mother.

My mother had 70 kids.
There was Dawn and I and my brother Robert.
Then there were 67 more.
That’s a lot of kids.

After Robert died my mother decided to take in foster children.
There was a real need for somebody to take in babies until a home could be found for them .
She decided to meet that need.
She had so much love to give and those kids needed somebody to love them.
Sometimes she had as many as four babies at one time.
The agency was not quick about placing them and when it did come time their leaving was often painful.
It was almost like losing Robert again.
But she didn’t quit despite the pain.

Now, I have to be honest and tell you I didn’t always appreciate her taking in the children. I really hated it on the nights when she and my dad would go and visit my aunt and uncle to play cards.
Dawn and I were left with four babies to care for.
Of course by the time I had a family of my own I had plenty of experience but I didn’t think of that back then.

My mother and father were honored by the agency with a special dinner and a plaque.
My mother also gained another child as she ended up adopting my sister Chris.

She was one special lady, my mother, one very special lady.

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News from Pigeon Falls– the little town in my backyard where the trains still run– The rabbit tossing contest which was postponed on the 18th because the stuffed rabbits hadn’t arrived will be held tomorrow afternoon. There are 40 people entered in teams of two. One wonders if the White Rabbit will make an appearance.
People have started showing up for the town homecoming week. They have come from all over the country. It is surprising how many places have been touched by this little town. People seem so happy to be back and see old friends and school chums. As the week goes on it will only get better.
Robert has this last week of traffic and then he has to be back at the university on Monday. He hopes that the town’s homecoming will top off his summer.
Donna Bergall had been proudly wearing her Liar’s Club shirt. So Jon has been wearing his from last year. I think they’ll have to do it again next year to see if they can settle who the greatest liar is. I vote for Donna.
The Great ,never believable, truly high, overly exalted, grand master Liar who heads up the Liar’s Club ruled out of order the attempt to take back the charter extend to Quilldancer. Somebody in the club said that there were irregularities in the contest she ran. It had to do with her being date challenged.
Our local dragon hasn’t been seen since the parade. Mrs. Trumble has been out practicing with her shotgun every day. The White Rabbit and the dragon would do well to stay out of her way.
*****

Today's link- Jason's Incredibly Lame Blog- (The blog that answers the question of what use is chaos theory). Remember to put Dr.John in the comment to get those chaotic JCPOINTS. Check your points HERE.
Yesterday we drew W.J.St. Christopher if she is drawn today she gets what's in the PRIZE BOX.

We will draw three names when Betty gets up.

Betty is up. I have cut in the slips from yesterday.

She has drawn. And the results are:......



Catch


Quilldancer

and

Jafabrit

sorry W.J. (sorry Bree) if any of these three are drawn tomorrow that one gets the prize box. Good luck to all of you,
Betty went and served at a funeral today. Only twenty six people came. I worked on the outside layout. The sign is now done. Well I need a breathing treatment.
GBYA

A Dieters nightmare

Saying for the day: you are what you eat.

All over the net are people who are on diets.
They need to cut back their calories.

Often they have to eat out.
I have made up a list of things you might like to eat on one of these trips.

What I would like you to do is to either reorder the list from lowest calorie to highest.
Just put the numbers in the comment ( like 1,7,9,5,4,6,8,10,2,3) .
Or if that’s a bit too hard just tell me what you think is the highest calorie food and which is the lowest.

1. McDonald’s Deluxe Breakfast

2. Burger King’s Triple Whopper With Cheese

3. Taco Bell Fiesta Taco Salad


4. Pizza Hut Stuffed Crust Meat Lover’spie, 2 slices,

5. Cinnabon Caramel Pecanbon .

6. Boston Market chicken pot pie .

7. Subway Double Meat Classic Tuna, ,.

8. Domino’s ExtravaganZZa Feast .2 slices

9. KFC The Mashed Potato Bowl With Gravy .

10 .Dairy Queen Caramel CheeseQuake Blizzard

I will publish the reordered list with the calories on Friday.

Get all ten in the right order and you earn the title “ Top Diet Food Expert”
Get 8 or 9 right and you earn the right to be called “ Diet Food Expert”
Anything else and you earn the right to the title “ Gainer of Weight”

Have fun but don’t eat too much.

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News from Pigeon Falls– the little town in my backyard where trains run and dragons fly- Robert only has a few weeks left of the taxi business before he has to go back to college. I wonder what Eino will do with the taxi then.
Nancy had a great week during the old timers theme. She even made her saffron buns in the traditional Swedish shapes for St. Lucias day. She shared the history of each bun over tea or coffee.
One of the other things that Nancy made for the week were currant cookies. You can hardly get those any more. People don’t cook like they used to and Keebler’s elves don’t make them.
Somebody saw Donna Bergall at the Kivi & Maki store today and asked how her Aunt Dorothy was. Donna smiled and said “ I don’t have an Aunt Dorothy”. She sure tells good stories about an Aunt she doesn’t have.
Eino thinks its time to put an end to this White Rabbit and Dragon nonsense. They can not exist and so there has to be a reason for them appearing. He was ignoring it but now he is afraid his non-existent dragon is going to set something on fire. He is also worried that Mrs. Trumble will shoot somebody by mistake. He is thinking of asking Bree to come back and help him solve the mystery. While he decides on that he has been watching the video of the dragon over and over looking for some clue . He has also been interviewing people who saw the dragon on Saturday. HE wants to know where they were standing and what they saw. Some knew right where they were standing and pretty much what they saw. But others like Tommy could remember what they saw but had no idea where they were standing.
*****

Link for the day: A Twist of Humor- Please remember to put the words Dr. John in the comments to get those elfish JCPOINTS. Check your JCPOINTS HERE.
Yesterday we drew Mimi . If we draw her again today she gets what's in the PRIZE BOX.
If not then tomorrow we do a 3 for. WSe will draw three names and if any of them match's today's draw then she or he gets the PRIZE BOX.
NOw we wait for Betty to get up and do the drawing.

Betty is up. I have cut in the names from yesterday. we shake up the basket. Betty draws,



and.....



the name drawn is W.J. St. Christopher . Sorry Mini ( sorry Bree)If her name is one of the three we draw tomorrow then she gets what's in the Prize box.Good luck W.J.
Betty went to Tops. I worked on the outside layout. when she came home we worked on it together. We have almost finished the entrance way to the amusment park. We can't remember where we put the extra people taht we need to stand in line.
Police stopped by and offered to buy our unused pool shell . We were glad to sell it. He also daid that there was some interest in the house. That's more than I'm hearing from my real estate agent . I also finished the last car in the fantasy train. I may put pictures of it up on Saturday. Then again I may not. I need a breathing treatment.
God Bless You All

First Call

Saying for the Day: Ordination doesn't change a man or woman God does.

We reach into the archive box and pull out a picture of a church that looks a bit like a teepee.
This is one of the three churches that made up my first call.
For a Lutheran to be ordained it is required that he or she have a call to serve some congregation or institution of the church.
The student had very little control over his first call .
If the synod President ( we were lucky enough not to have Bishops then) offered to submit your name to a particular parish and you said no it might be a very long time before he made another offer.
In every Synod there were parishes that were considered first call parishes.
These were churches where the newly ordained could show that he was ready for better things.
They were small and often had more than one congregation.
The pay was on the very bottom of the scale.

My Synod President offered to submit my name to the Trout Creek parish.
This consisted of three churches with 15 miles between the two end congregations and the other in the middle.
I agreed to let him and then the ritual began.

I had to go to the parish and preach in each congregation.
They then could ask questions about almost anything.
After that I was excused and they voted.
The vote was positive and they issued a call and I had thirty days to say yes or no.
I was only too happy to say yes because now with call in hand and the examining committee behind me I was ready to be ordained.

I would become a pastor.
I would serve God.
I would get to make promises that I would work very hard to keep.
God had both called and blessed me.

@@@@
News from Pigeon Falls– the little town in my backyard where the trains still run– Eino asked a number of people if they had seen the red line on the dragon that Tommy saw. None of them did but none of them could remember where Tommy was standing.
The White Rabbit showed up Monday afternoon down by the train station. That seems to be one of his favorite places. The tourists who were leaving after a fun week saw him wave and wink . They were very happy and had a story to tell when they got home. “Pigeon falls is better than Disneyland” one of them said.
Well Donna Bergall got to give her story last night and here it is:
“ I know that some of you have seen my Aunt Dorothy. She was with me during much of last week. I know you wanted to ask about her extra long nose and her very big upper lip but were to kind to do so. Well she has gone home so I can tell you how it came to be. When she was a little girl her mother had one of those washers with a wringer on the top. You know, where the clothes are pulled between two rollers to squeeze out the water before you hang them up to dry. There was no spin dry then. Her mother went upstairs to answer the phone and little Dorothy being nosey went to take a close look at the washer. She pushed a lever and the rollers started to move and just at that moment she slid on the wet floor and her nose got pulled into the rollers. She tried to scream but her upper lip was grabbed and pulled over nose. The pain was horrible but there was nothing she could do. Her nose and lip were being pulled and stretched. She finally kicked got a hold of the electric cord and disconnected the washer. It stopped but the swelling prevented her from pulling her nose or lip back. Just then her mother came back and almost fainted. She tried to pull her out and failed. So she went and called the fire department. She figured if they can get kid’s heads out of buckets they can get a nose out of the washer. The only problem was that the local fire department was all volunteer and the young man that came was not the sharpest tack in the box. He suggested pouring on three in one oil but her mother was afraid she might swallow. So then he tried Vaseline to slide it out but that didn’t work either. He then suggested they get a blow torch and cut her loose. It was at that time that her father came home. He took one look at the situation and pulled the lever on the end of the ringers that caused them to spring apart. The ringers opened and her nose popped free. It was too late . The damage was done. They took her to the doctor and even to a specialist but there was no way to return her to her former beautiful self. O! I suppose that a plastic surgeon could have helped but they didn’t have much money. So she has had to go through life with a ringer of a nose. Her story tells us clearly that one shouldn’t stick there nose where it doesn’t belong. Now as to this being a true story if you ever met my Aunt you already know the answer.”
Donna got a 9.9 and became the Liar’s Club champion. Her name goes on the cup just below Jon’s from last year. She gets the Liar’s Club Champion of the year sweatshirt.
*****

Today's Link- 13th Zeal - Remember to put the words Dr. John in the comment to get those cuddly JCPOINTS. Check your total HERE.
Yesterday we drew W.J. St. Christopher . If we draw here again today she gets what's in the PRIZE BOX.
We will hold the drawing when Betty gets up.

Betty is up. I cut the slips from yesterday and added them to the prize basket. Then I spilled the basket. After I got all the slips back in . I shook the basket up .

Then , finally, Betty drew..........




MIMI..sorry W.J. (Sorry Bree) if Mimi is drawn again tomorrow she gets what's in the prize box.Good luck Mimi
Spent the morning on the net. I went and voted for Javanagogh's son's music group again. He has moved up a little but its still like trying to empty the bathtub with a spoon. It can be done but you need a lot of spoons. If you have a free moment go to her blog and the information is in the August 14th entry.
This afternoon I got out of the fortress. We had to go to Iron River to get a prescription filled at Snyder's. Then I went to my favorite store to look for pricless prizes for the Monday contest. I was out and worried about next Monday. I resolved to spend whatever was necessary to get the best. I bought enough prizes to carry us through until October. I spent like money was going out of style. These are unbelivable, pricless prizes ( though they had a price). I bought two of each so I can continue having two winners. It was grand fun. Betty did remind me we are on a house buying budget or I'd have bought more. In fact I almost bought ten of one item but she wanted to know what I'd do with the other eight. I just liked them.
My sister who hates computers called . She got my printed blogs from July ( I send her copies including the comments) and she had "corrections". It seems my Uncle Donald was never aprisoner of War in World War Two but was just missing for awhile (the family couldn't find out where he was). She had a different version of my mother's broken arm story and it had three broken arms not all my mothers. I'm glad she is reading them. well I need a breathing treatment.
GBYA

The Monday Thing Again

Saying for the day: Beating the odds is like running uphill with a hundred pound sack and reaching the top.
It is time to draw for the Monday prize and we have two cute little statues, one for each winner unless, like last week, somebody wins them both.
These look like just what every blogger ought to have next to the computer to keep them honest.

Also we will be adding to the JCPOINTS Prize Box .
We will add a Christmas house and a tree.
I hope that Gungirl wins the prize box today so Bree will be happy. If not it grows heavier.
All the items in the box can be seen by clicking HERE.
If nobody wins by Wednesday we will do a three for on Thursday. We will draw three names and if any one of them match Wednesday’s name she or he gets the Prize Box.
If nobody matches, then if the name drawn on Friday matches any of the three that person wins.
Somebody is going to win before I move.
Good luck everybody.

@@@@
News from Pigeon Falls-the little house in my back yard where dragons still fly.– I forgot to tell you yesterday that Pastor Marvel was in the parade twice. First , in person, as Captain Marvel, and then on the church float where they had a paper mache duplicate painted to look like a stone man. The message was “ God can bring your heart of stone to life“. I guess they tried to get Eino to loan them the stone man from the basement but he wouldn’t.
There were no dragon or White Rabbit sightings yesterday. But the town is still buzzing about the dragon flying over the town right behind the parade. It seemed to be saying “Hey look at me”. Mrs. Trumble said that the dragon was lucky she left her shotgun home. She has special shells with silver pellets in them. She had the priest bless them ( priest and pastors get asked to do the strangest things). She is sure it’s a demon and she is going to get it. Tommy, the undertaker’s kid, who was in the parade looking like a kid from years ago and pulling his big red wagon said the dragon looked to him like something out of a story book. Looking up at it from the middle of town he thought he saw a red stripe on the side but he could be wrong.
Well tonight Donna trys to defeat her husband and Tomas in the Liars Contest. I am sure she has really polished that story. She says there will be no dragons, White Rabbits, stone men, ghosts, or mystics. This story will be about an ordinary person. I don’t know if she can win with that.
School starts soon and we have a new first and second grade teacher. Her name is Maxine Quilldancer from Texas. She is supposed to be a very good teacher. Well handling two grades at once isn’t easy but then she only has twelve students.
Tommy is sporting a full scale blackeye today that he got this morning. Fred Perkins, the town bully was making fun of his red, covered, wagon. Tommy tried to ignore him but he tried to push the wagon over. Nobody touches Tommy’s wagon. They went at for a couple of minutes until Toivo seperated them. Toivo gave Fred a good talking to and told him if it happens again he would call his father.
*****

Today's link: Better Living Thoughts- Remember to put Dr. John in the comment to get those wild and wooly JCPOINTS. Check on your JCPOINTS by clicking HERE.
Well if Gungirl gets drawn today she gets what's in THE JCPOINTS PRIZE BOX.
Betty is still sleeping so the drawing will take place when she gets up.

Betty is up.

She has cut up an put in yesterday's slips.

She has tossed the basket.

She has drawn.


And today's draw is.......





W.J. St.Christopher (artist) Sorry Gungirl!(Sorry Bree) if W.C. St. Christopher is drawn again tomorrow she gets what's in the prize box. Good luck W.J.

Now the other drawing.

The winners are ...... Annette Burkette and Nea. Congratulations.
B etty has really been working on the kitchen. It almost shines. She so wants to get the house sold. But if nobody looks it makes little difference if the floor shines. I got caught up on mailing things out. I sent the last magnet to Bella, last week's prizes to Jafabrit, and believe it or not today's prizes to today's prize winners. How is that for a first class procrastinator. I added two new blogs to my links . Yep, I am almost caught up.
Betty went to Bible study. I needa b reathing treatment.
GBYA

Grief step 3

Saying for the day- Above the dark clouds the sun still shines.

Today and every Sunday for the next seven Sunday’s we are looking at the steps in the grief process as described by Pastor Granger Westberg. These steps are:
1. Shock
2. Emotion
3. Depression
4. Physical pain
5. Fear or panic
6. Guilt
7. Anger
8. We function poorly
9. The breaking in of hope
10. The start of the new life
This week we look at depression.
This is the part of grieving that one person described as “ a dark black cloud falling over all of life”.

During this period we may feel lonely and lost.
The idea comes that God has left us or God doesn’t care.
This is a painful stage but a normal one.
It is normal to feel like this after a great loss.
You are not sick or different.

When we are depressed it feels like it will last forever.
But for most people the clouds pass and the depression slowly ends.
Some people move through this stage faster than others drawing on their own inner resources to move them to the next stage.
Others seem to linger and may need professional help to move on.

If you have a friend in this stage the best thing you can do for him or her is to keep visiting.
Assure them that this stage will pass.
This is a hard time to visit because you want to move them out of the depression and can’t.
But keep visiting. Keep assuring. Keep caring.
Little by little the clouds will blow away.

If your friend is a person of faith help them to call on the resources that faith gives them.
Pray with him or her.

Next week physical pain.

@@@@
News from Pigeon Falls– the little town in my backyard.– The parade went well yesterday. Pastor Marvel mad quite a hit in his Captain Marvel suit. He really hammed it up. The 65 piece 3 man liar’s club band was a little out of tune but nobody cared. All the floats were well done and went without incident . If you don’t count the cross falling off of Last Lutheran’s float near the end of the parade route. Pigonelle Lodge number 1 had a giant pigeon on the back of a truck which was impressive. They had recorded coo’s played out of the back of the truck. All in all for a small town it was an impressive parade. For the kids the best part was picking up the candy thrown from the floats. You would think their parents never gave them any candy. A few fights even broke out among the kids.
The wildest thing happened after the parade. People were just millin around like you do when a parade is over when suddenly flying down the middle of main street was a small green dragon spewing fire. It was no Tom in a dragon suit. This was a dragon and everybody saw it. It turned at the edge of town and headed out into the woods. People were afraid it would set the woods on fire, but it didn’t. So the dragon is back. But there was no White Rabbit.
One tourist even too a video of the dragon. They played it over and over in the Fly Inn bar. It made for good drinking conversation. It was good that nobody got hurt. Nobody even got burned. But people are a bit scared. They keep looking up expecting something to come flying at them spewing fire. I bet obe could sell a lot of fireproof hats in Pigeon Falls right now.
Despite the dragon the Methodist ladies sold a lot of pasties and Nancy did a lot of business. It was a good day for the town. The bars didn’t suffer either.
****
Today's link- The Katzmeow- Remember to put Dr.John in the comment to get those furry little JCPOINTS. Check your total JCPOINTS HERE.
Betty is still sleeping we will have today's drawing when she gets up. If Margaret is drawn she gets what's in the JCPOINTS BOX and Bree will be happy at last.
While we are waiting let me tell you how depressed I am today. I lost the great liar's contest to my daughter-in-law by one vote. One crummy vote. I needed somebody to give me one more vote. I just needed one vote. Well really two votes to win but I would have been happy with being tied. How can I go to family gatherings with my head held high after this. This could be the end of the world . On the other hand it might not be. I'll let you know what I decide. In any case I am going into seclusion until I get over this horrible, horrible defeat. Don't waste your sympathy on me.I am old. The torch has passed to youth.
Betty is up and the name is drawn and it is ....




Gungirl Sorry Margaret (Sorry Bree) If she is drawn tomorrow she gets what's in the Prize Box. She has one chance in 62,953 of being drawn.Good luck Gungirl
Now because , I am so depressed, I think I will go sit in the sun without sun screen.
I do want to say it is all my fault. If I had just voted one more time last night before i went to bed. But I was over 200 votes behind. Some nice person pushed me up almost to winning. It is my fault, my grevious fault. I am so depressed I think I will watch TV.
The TV caused me to become even more depressed. So I quit and took up serious drinking. But after three cans of diet Sprite I am still depressed. I think I'll go play with my trains.
Betty really worked on the kitchen windows today including painting the sills. I played with the outside train. My depression lifted. Then built three fantasy cars. I might show you the train on Thursday.
Well I need a breathing treatment.
GBYA

AT&T pooey

Saying for the day: Didn't you get my e-mail?

AT&T did it to me again.

First of all they have the most confusing billing system in the world.
It is almost impossible to understand the bill which has charges, rebates, taxes, special charges, and pass through costs of each and every variety.
I have given up trying to make sense out of it and usually just pay the amount at the top.
That amount is clear and printed in great big letters.
They want you to understand that.

The problem this time is that the bill was $25 higher than last month.
I haven’t changed anything.
I have one rate long distance calling no matter how many calls.
So why the extra $25.

So I called the number listed for billing questions.
I got the automated system.
Of course this is AT&T so you don’t push buttons you say the right word and the system switches you back and forth.
Finally I got to the end of the system and was then put on hold for ten minutes ( must have been a bad bill day).

Then came the nice lady who seemed to be upset I would question the bill.
She said it was obvious.
Last month I was on a special internet plan and now I’m not.
I asked why I wasn’t.
She said the twelve months was up and I didn’t renew.
I asked why they didn’t notify me and they gave an excuse that is right up there with “The Check is in the mail”.

She said “Didn’t you get our e-mail?”

Despite the piles of spam that I get I would have noticed an AT&T letter.
There wasn’t one.

She then said if I wanted to renew at the lower price she would fix this months bill and she dropped it $25.
But ,and this is where it gets good, because it was after the eleventh the new charge would show on next month’s bill as well but the system would give it back the following month.
Now a company that can use voice recognition software to answer the phone should be able to empower this person to put a command into the system to stop next month’s charge.
I think they just hope I will ignore it next month.

@@@@
The news from Pigeon Falls– well the committee asked Pastor Marvel in his Captain Marvel suit to head up the parade. They also asked him to cry out Shazam every once in a while. I’ll let you know about the parade tomorrow.
Yesterday Tomas Petrovich got his turn at the Liar’s Club Contest. Here is his story.
“ I want you to know that I am a student of the great Russian Mystics. I have read everything that I could obtain about them. Because of them I have perfected the art of meditation so that I can leave my physical body and travel through space and time without it. You can not begin to imagine the wonder that such travel produces. Just yesterday I was in Washington DC listening in on a high level conference and though I dare not give you the details it is enough for you to know a great change is coming. You need to get ready. The day before I was in China. People there are happier now than they used to be. The government has allowed a tiny bit more freedom. I wish I could help instead of just looking. A couple of days ago I traveled back in time and saw my grandparents arrive in Pigeon Falls. They were so thrilled to be in America. I wanted to hug them.
This power also allows me to go to places of spiritual refreshment. I journey to monasteries all across the world and sit in on the evening services. I feel like a new man when I come back.
Every morning I watch the news on television so I can see where the interesting places to go are. That way I can plan my meditative journeys .
You too could do as I have done. I have no special powers. I just use techniques that you can learn. Of course they are not simple and it takes time to learn them. You must spend some years in concentrated study. But the first time you rise up and out of the body you will know that it is all worth it. You will be really free. Really free.
Ask my wife Ellen who learned the technique from me how wonderful it is. If you don’t believe me I can give you the names of four American mystics who will be glad to stand behind everything I said. “
Tomas scored 9.7 and is now tied with Jon Bergall for the lead with only Donna Bergall to go on Monday.
********

Todays Link: Valkyrie's Aerie (grit your teeth and read this one). Remeber to put Dr. John in the comments to get those flashing JCPOINTS. Check yours HERE.
Yesterday we drew Cherlee. If she is drawn today she gets what's in the prize box.
Betty is not up but we will have our drawing when she gets up. She was up late last night and in het sleep she is muttering something about saving Quilldancer and the toilet paper monkey.

Betty is up and she has drawn.

And todays name is .......





Margaret. Sorry Cherlee (Sorry Bree) If we draw Margaret's name tomorrow she gets what's in the prize box.
We didn't get much done today. My sister , who doesn't like the President, called and wanted to know if my great uncle had a son named Robert. I keep the family tree as up to date as I can. She found out that Robert is living in Texas and since I don't have his information upto date she is going to get me his e-mail address. Betty and I went to Church. Jack preached again. He is a good preacher . He works honestly with the text. Well I need a breathing treatment.
GBYA

On Weather Vanes

Saying for the day: If you sell it or give it away it increases in value.

Betty and I have been deciding what to sell , what to send to the dump, and what to take with us when we move.

I felt pretty good about how things were going until I read about an old copper weather van shaped like a locomotive that went at auction for $1.2 million .

That makes you stop and think.
Is it possible that one of those old things we sent to the dump might have been worth $1.2 million?
Or perhaps one of those things we sold at our rummage sale might have some huge value of which we weren’t aware.

This weather vane had passed through a number of hands before ending up on the auction block.

Then there is this program on PBS where people bring in their junk and some expert tells them what the stuff is worth.
There is always some guy who has something worth four or five thousand that he picked up at a rummage sale for $5.00.

I can see some guy saying about a $9,000 item “I bought that at a pastor’s rummage sale for $1.00.
He said he just wanted to get rid of it because it was too much trouble to haul.”

@@@@
News from Pigeon Falls– the little town in my backyard where all the men go hunting and the women let them- Deepak the Great sent a telegram to the committee that he had just gotten a big part in a new movie and would not be able to come for the parade. That gives them one day to come up with somebody to lead the Pigeon Day Parade. They could I suppose ask the Mayor.
Yesterday’s Liar’s Club presentation was done by Jon Bergall and here it is:
“ When I bought my farm some years ago there were some problems I knew I could have. We were close to the woods and so bears were and are always a possibility . Cows get sick and wander off. Chickens quit laying eggs. Flying saucers land in your field. You know all the usual stuff. One problem I didn’t count on was ghosts. Ghosts! My farm has ghosts. Not your usual ghosts that drift in and out an moan a lot. No! These are animal ghosts. We have a big cow that from time to time starts in my kitchen and wanders through the house. The first time I saw her I thought it was part of the herd and had wandered in. But then it walked though a table and I knew it was no ordinary cow. It has come so often that my kids look on it as a household pet. They call it bossy and ask me what they should feed it. But Bossy isn’t the only ghost we have. We also have Oscar the clumsy goat. Oscar has the ability to tip things over. This greatly disturbs my wife who really likes a neat house. Oscar tipped over the china cabinet and several old dishes broke. She wants Oscar gone. But I have no idea how to get rid of him. I have read all the books but they all have to do with human ghosts and not animals. I asked my Pastor about an exorcism but , when he stopped laughing, he said he didn’t have the liturgy for animal ghosts. I even secretly saw the local priest but his laugh is worse than pastor’s. These people don’t take me seriously. I don’t know why. So we are trying to learn to live with them. We have everything goat proofed . We now use plastic dishes and glasses so there is nothing to break. We are hoping the goat will get bored and move on. Bossy on the other hand can stay as long as she wants. Now if you don’t think this story is true come out to the farm and you won’t find a glass dish anywhere in the house. Or you could ask my Pastor.”
Jon got seven 10’s and there 9’s for an average of 9.7 which makes him the leader at the moment. He was last year’s winner.
*****

Link for the day: Don't Rock the Boat Baby-(Something funny for a change)_Remember to put Dr. John in the comment to obtain those hardly edible JCPOINTS. Check your total HERE. Somebody complained that they didn't get credit for their Marathon. When I checked I saw that they did and figured out that what they looked at was a previous version stored in their computer. Please if things seem wrong hit the refresh button or check the date which should be the previous day's.
Waiting for Betty to get up to do the drawing at which time Sister Chris or Stacy might win what's in the PRIZE BOX.
Betty is up and she drew ...........




The name is.........



Cherlee's. Sorry Sister Chris and Stacy ( sorry Bree , I tried) If her name is drawn again tomorrow she gets what's in the prize box.Good luck Cherlee.
We spent a quiet day. I did some blogging. Betty did some housework. She went grocery shopping. Pat called and talked for two hours. I did some voting , for musicians, for monkey toilet paper sayings, and for me. Now I need a brteasthing treatment.
GBYA

Bicentennial

Saying for the day: Sometimes your not as old as you look.

In 1976 the nation celebrated its bicentennial and , of course, the Linna family of Crystal Falls celebrated as well.

Here are some pictures of what we did for the celebration.

My poor kids were dressed in these old style clothes and got stuck carrying signs in the parade.
I wonder if they remember that.
I’ll have to ask them.


I put on the clerical collar of 200 years earlier and used it in church on Sunday.
My wife made herself an outfit that looked a couple of centuries old.


In the town’s big parade the Church had a float that Betty remembers staying up all night to complete.

I marched along side in the old time garb including a fake mustache.

It was most certainly a fun time.

I also made a special latch hook for the occasion and added a bicentennial train to the HO layout I had then.

@@@@
News from Pigeon Falls– the little town in my back yard with the nicest people this side of the bridge– Well Eino got his Stanley Steamer running so it looks like there will be a steam car in the parade Saturday. People are really looking forward to seeing it. Last Lutheran intends to enter a float . The rumor is that Pastor Marvel is going to wear his Captain Marvel suit and the float will have to do with heroes. I think I’d like to see that.
The bread baking contest took place yesterday and Big Rudy entered a loaf of wild berry bread. He picked the berries himself and made several loafs. He got second place behind Doris Miller. People didn’t even know Big Rudy could cook. He was more likely to be in a bread eating than a bread baking contest. He sure seems to have changed.
Poor Tommy, the undertaker’s son, was plagued all day by people asking questions about the White Rabbit and Tommy’s ability to fly. They thought he was the Tom that Robert referred to in his story yesterday. The first time they asked him about flying he looked really confused. When they asked about the White Rabbit’s secret he looked scared. When he discovered what it was all about he began to take it in stride. The poor kid gets in enough trouble without being mistaken for a person that Robert probably made up.
Robert is still doing tours and driving his taxi. With so many things going on his business has greatly improved. He has even added a little to the Chicago Hermit story. He says that if you stand by the statue you can, at times, hear moaning. Eino says that’s nonsense for the tourists.
Nancy said the price of saffron went up again and she is going to have to raise the price on a saffron bun by ten cents. She hates to do it but she just has too.
Pastor Marvel is planning on using an old English liturgy on Sunday in honor of old time days. People will worship like they did 200 years ago.
The White Rabbit has been making appearances all over town and has been seen by many tourists. Some even have taken pictures of him in his pretty pink sweater . But nobody has caught up with him. There, however, have been no dragon sightings.
Finally some of the men repairing the yellow brick road ran into a 25 foot Boa Constrictor slithering down the road. Tomas Petrovich said that this fills another condition of Driblet 67 of the great Seer and Poet Alexis Grengicoff. You can read them all on his website" The White Rabbit Commeth". Tomas is telling everybody to get ready , but for what?
*****

The link for today-Trouble Ain't Over- remember to put the words Dr. John in your comment to get recycled JCPOINTS. Check your total HERE.
Sue was drawn yesterday . If either of the two names drawn today should match her name she wins what's in the prize box.
Betty got up early and the names drawn are.....



Sister Chris and.............





Stacy....

Sorry Sue ( Sorry Bree. I tried) if either of today's names are drawn tomorrow when we draw only one name that person gets the prize. Sister Chris has one chance in 235,437 of being drawn and Stacy has one chance in 580. Good luck.
I checked in at Quilldancer's blog this morning and I see where Lori is still on top. I on the other hand languish near the bottom. I read that the top two are being pushed by pastor's wives. I hope one is not mine because she is supposed to be puching in votes for me.
I also spent a little time voting for Javanagogh's son's musical group. You can help out by going to her blog and there is a link there to the voting.Her blog is A Planet Named Janet. the group is called The Dorothy Hearlds . When you go to the site to vote look for a pulsing blue arrow and click on it.
I spent part of the morning working on the computer . In the afternoon it was back to the basement and packing up the last of the o27 train stuff. I looked at the piles of boxes ready to take with us and thought why? We haven't missed any of that stuff. If we don't get this house sold we'll be looking at those boxes forever. Well I need ab reathing treatment.
GBYA

Trying to beat the odds

Saying for the day: If the odds are against you find a different game.

Well if we don’t draw the right name this morning then tomorrow we will do a two for to cut the odds a bit.
Whoever’s name we draw today will win if either name drawn tomorrow matches.
If there is no match tomorrow then both names carry over and if the name drawn on Friday matches either one that one wins.
I want my granddaughter to know that I am trying to give the box away.

This whole contest thing has taught me something about winning and losing.
Every day I enter 100 tickets on IWON.COM .
At first I thought with that many I had a good chance.
But now I see that with thousands entering 100 tickets the odds for me are pretty poor.
The same thing is true of publisher’s clearing house.
I enter many, many, times and never win.

In the end it all comes down to luck.
You either have it or you don’t.
I don’t.

But I have something better than luck I have a loving God who provides for all my needs ( not my wants) and constantly blesses me.

What could be better than that?

@@@@
News from Pigeon Falls-the little town in my backyard where the trains still run– Eino’s Stanley Steamer still isn’t running but Eino said by parade time it will. The Liar’s club noted last night to make Quilldancer an honorary member and make her house branch #2. Well Robert Jupola got to go next in the Pigeon Falls Liar’s Club run off. Here is his entry.
“ I have a friend. Let’s call him Tom though that’s not his real name. He doesn’t want anybody to know who he is. You see Tom has this weird power. He is able to fly. Yes, to fly! Oh! He doesn’t fly like super man . He thinks up and slowly he goes up. Then he thinks a direction and he goes in that direction. One problem is he doesn’t go fast. I guess because he is a slow thinker. He doesn’t know where this power came from. Perhaps he’s a mutant like the one’s in the comic book or the movies. He is very much afraid people will find out and then he will be subjected to scientific experiments .So he is keeping this a secret. This means he only flies on dark nights so he won’t be seen. What would people think if they saw him floating overhead? But this is just too good a power to waste so I talked him into playing a little practical joke on the town. I had this old dragon costume out in the barn. In the daylight it wouldn’t fool anybody but at night. Tom put it on and took his dad’s flame thrower and one night while I was taking my tour group out he flew down main street shooting out fire. It was awesome everybody thought he was a real dragon. On the way back down the street he saw the White Rabbit and pretended to chase it. When he turned the corner he saw something. He knows the white rabbit’s secret but he won’t tell me what it is. What he saw got him so confused he crashed in the woods. I suppose because he stopped thinking fly and has no auto pilot. He almost set the woods on fire.
Now if you don’t believe me the old dragon costume is back in the barn and I can show it to you. Or you can turn the corner at the end of the street and go straight into the woods where you’ll find a little burn spot.”
He got six 10’s and four 9”s for a score of 9.6 which puts him in the lead at this point with three people to go.
*****

The link for today is: The Garden Wife's Plot- Rember to put the words Dr. John in the comment to get unused JCPOINTS. Check HERE for your points.
Yesterday we drew Stacy. If we draw Stacy again today she gets what's in the prize box.
The drawing has to wait for Betty to get up.
Betty is up and the drawing is done....
Todays name drawn is Sue. If Sue is drawn in either of the two draws tomorrow she wins what's in the prize box.
I checked in to Quilldancer's blog this morning and discovered I have been defeated badly. Well I just have no luck. My daughter-in-law who was ahead yesterday was 400 votes behind this morning. Things sure do change fast. Betty took a load of garbage to the dump ( see how thrilling our life is) Then went to Tops. We continued cleaning the garage and packing things up. Today we started on the tools. Then I had the horrible thought what happen's if we never sell the house and everything is packed up. Betty told me not to think like that. I need a breathing treatment.
GBYA

The examining committee

Saying for the day: A church with too many rules for its pastors ends up with very bland pastors.

We reach into the archive box and pull out a letter containing information on where and when I am to meet with the examining committee.

At this point there was only a few months left of seminary.
I had done well in all my classes and passed the comprehensive exam.
The only thing between me and ordination was the dreaded examining committee .

This was a way in which the church tried to keep the wrong people from becoming pastors.
It was the last hoop you had to jump through.

The seminary was in Chicago but I had to drive to Milwaukee to meet with the committee.

Since there had just been a merger of Lutheran groups the committee contained people from each of the merging groups.
They each had their own agenda.

I thought I was prepared for anything but out of nowhere came this question.
“ Would you baptize the baby of an Apostolic Lutheran?’
I answered that I didn’t see any reason not too.
I then got a fifteen minute lecture on the Apostolic Lutherans including how one Apostolic pastor had so little respect for baptism that he baptized a child who was hiding under a bed by throwing water on it under the bed and reciting the words.

Others on the committee were concerned that with a Master’s Degree I was too smart for the rural church that wanted to call me.
They were afraid I would talk over their head.
By the time the interview was over I think they wondered if I was smart enough to serve that congregation.

In the end they approved me.
I was almost at the end of the process.

Next week my first call.

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News from Pigeon Falls– The little town in my backyard with an active Liar’s Club.– Yesterday’s pulpit exchange between Methodist and Lutheran churches went very well. The pastor’s enjoyed the new faces and the people enjoyed the change.
The yellow brick road run went well despite the condition of the road. Some guy from Kansas won the “I reached the Emerald City” tee shirt. The county is talking about black topping the entire road and just calling it the yellow brick road.
People began to wear old time clothes for old time week today. Pigeon falls looks like it did 75 years ago. Dr. Fortress even ran one of his steam engines instead of the usual diesel .
The Pigeon Days committee was informed that Monk will not be coming. He has a new Psychiatrist and feels he can’t handle the trauma of all those pigeons. So they have gone to a backup person, Deepak the Great, a movie star from India.
The Liar’s Club is meeting tonight to consider giving Quilldancer honorary membership for helping to push the art of story telling.
Nancy said Tom Pirrto came to her with an ethical problem. It seems Dr. John gave him $5.00 to vote for him 20 times on a blog. But when he tried he kept getting cut off with a can not connect to server error. So does he have to give the money back? Nancy told him Dr. John shouldn’t have paid him in the first place.
The White Rabbit was seen all over the place last night and today. It was almost as if there were more than one of him. The dragon has still not shown up. Since it was an English dragon , perhaps it went back to England.
The poor committee has been sending out letters to animal rights groups that are upset by the rabbit toss . They are explaining that no real rabbits will be used, just toy Easter rabbits. Boy even rabbits have a lobby.
Eino has a Stanley Steamer that he hopes to have running for the Pigeon Day Parade. It runs on wood. He says it just needs a little more fine tuning.
*****

The Link for today is: The House of Tea and Biscuits. Remember to leave Dr. John in the comments to get your politically correct JCPOINTS. Check your points HERE.
Yesterday we drew Meredith who has 1 chance in 216, 283 of being drawn today and gettin what's in the Prize Box.
So we draw .....




.........




The name drawn is Stacy. Sorry Meredith ( Sorry Bree). If Stacy is drawn tomorrow she get what's in the prize box.
I want to thank everybody that ministered to my grandaughter through her blog. It was much appreciated.
I helped Betty install her new monitor and she is as happy as she can be. No more squinting and leaning in. I hope this one lasts.
We went back to garage cleaning and packing my G scale trains that we are taking with us. After we pack up a shelf we take it down and pack it up too. It is slow but we will keep at it. My sister who hates computers called. She wanted to know if we had sold the house yet. I said the real estate people haven't even sent anybody to look at it for days. Well I need a breathing treatment.
GBYA

Monday Monday Monday Again

Saying for the day: An English spoon is as good a spoon as you'll ever have.

Another week has gone by and here it is “Leave a comment Monday” already.
So I will visit all my links and if the entries are new I’ll leave a comment. I may also add a couple of links.

Monday . Of course is also when we have the priceless drawing for items beyond value.
The prize today is and English collector’s spoon in honor of TC who has been on vacation but always leaves interesting comments.

The first name drawn gets the spoon that says England on the top and the second gets the spoon that says Wales.
These are the high class collector’s spoons that you can only get from the trunks of cars in the big city.

Also since nobody has won we add to the Prize Box two more buildings and some neat little people.
My granddaughter really wants somebody to win so if there is no winner by Wednesday we will do a two for on Thursday.
Instead of drawing one name we will draw two and if either matches the previous day that one wins the box. (See Bree I’m trying)

If I don’t get a winner pretty soon the postage on the box will kill us.

Good luck everybody and good commenting.

@@@@
News from Pigeon Falls-The little town in my backyard where the train still runs and dragons fly free– Bill Maki won or lost the draw and he started the Liar’s Club finals today. This is the story he told:
“ You look like a group of people who can be trusted so I am going to tell you a secret that I’ve kept from all of Pigeon Falls. I have a good friend named Robert Strickenberry who is a professor of biological science at the California Institute of Technology. He has been working at the splicing of genes and he spliced some human genes into the gene code of a rabbit. He was trying to create a human that could jump higher. The result was a three foot White Rabbit with human characteristics. Now he wasn’t authorized to do this experiment so he brought the rabbit here where it escaped and where people catch a glimpse of it every once in a while. Now this rabbit has some other strange characteristics. He likes pink sweaters and to wave at people. He can talk. He also seems to have the ability to float upward and my friend has no idea where that came from. My friend assures me that the rabbit is not dangerous but has one terrible habit. It likes to lie. In fact if you sat in on Jon Bergall’s story the other day that Rabbit had Jon believing that he came from another dimension and was being chased by a dragon. I’m telling you the rabbit could win this contest hands down. He also likes to fool people . He has poor Mrs. Trumble believing he’s a demon. But he won’t go there anymore since she bought a shotgun. There is nothing worse in this world than a lying , joke playing rabbit. Now if you don’t think this story is true ask any of the people who have seen the White Rabbit they will back me up.”
The judges gave him five tens and five nines for a score of 9.5. Now we have to wait to see how the others do.
******

The Link for today is:DMD Scratchboard Gallery Blog . Remember to put Dr. John in your comment to get 5 lovable JCPOINTS. To check your points click HERE.
Today's drawing will be held when Betty gets up. She has done a lot of work lately so I'm letting her sleep.
I'd like to ask a favor . My grandaughter Bree has lost a friend , her age, and part of her first communion group. She is helping to handle her grief the way many in the blog community do by blogging. Could you drop by her blog and leave one of your kind comments. Click here on Bree to go to her blog.
If you have some ideas about how to handle a bully your could stop by Bazza27's blog Tremendous and share them with him. His blog today is on bullys.
I could suggest you go to Quilldancer's blog andd vote for me , two or three times, but that would be unethical so I won't do it.
Well Betty is up and the first drawing has been held. If sue's name was drawn she gets what's in the PRIZE BOX. And the name is.....


.......


Meredith who has only 16 JCPOINTS so the odds are against her for tomorrow. Sorry Sue.( Sorry Bree)But luck is a a funny thing. Good luck Meredith.
Now to the second drawing. The second drawing went against the odds. Jafabrit was drawn twice so she gets both spoons an almost impossible happening. To make it even stranger she is from England and has won once before. Wow life takes strange turns.I calculated the odds on this happening. For her to be picked at all the odds were 1 chance in 22. To be picked twice the odds were 1 in 484. This is based on her JCPOINT total.
Betty took the garbage (some of it to the dump) then we cleaned the garage and took down and stored the tables from the rummage sale. After that we began the boxing up of the G scale train cars that aren't going with the house. Then Betty went to the grocery store and now she has gone to bible study. I need a breathing treatment
GBYA