Hello again, SLH.

I still owe you an answer to the last question you asked me. I have a partial one ready.

Where did H's new job end up?

With prayers,

Hi !

SLH, sorry you lost your post.
Been hoping you would tell us how things are, and what you have been doing.

Admit I worried.

I don't have a date tonight. Company is taking inventory, and that will keep me busy until the wee hours of the morning.

Gray, your mind is busy. Is it getting stuff done, or just busy?

2long, W says Hi. Wanted to know if you were OK. Comments?

J,
I'm glad you are mostly happy.

Binder........
I keep praying for you. You always sound good, but I know your type, (strong silent) and sometimes it's good to talk.

Weaver,
Quiet lately. What's going on behind those "window to the soul" eyes?

Faithful - been thinking of you. Hope it gets better, and better, and better.......

I love campfires. Smoke and all.

SS

GC……I’ve had those outbursts before. Not for a while mind you, and the source of the pain has changed….but I’ve had them. I can’t say I look forward to those moments…..but I relish them in a way. For a number of reasons I’ve viewed a good portion of my life in a detached way. It can become so intuitive at times that I wonder about my humanity. The regret, the sorrow and the pain confirms that I still am very much a vulnerable human being. I like myself at those times. Never be ashamed of genuine emotion.

2long…..er….happy anniversary I guess……

J……glad you are happy and in love…….keep it to yourself woudja!

Weaver…..yeah I said you’re something….don’t let it go to your head ok?<img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/pfft.gif" alt="" />

SS….you’ll have to let me know If you came up this way……It would be doubly cool if we sat around the campfire for real at my cabin. I would hope it would be finished to the point of a comfortable place for you and your wife to spend a night or two. The country is still gorgeous out that way.

Oh…by the way…I think I’ve finally figured out how to post pics. Here is my son after a recent game during Minor Hockey Week. They just lost out in the semifinals by one goal. He scored the only goal for his team. The boy is really starting to show some talent. Of course his mother did not watch the game as she, of course, is on her weekly jaunt in the OM's city.

Binder, that is one good looking boy you have!

Thanks FF….I obviously screwed up setting the date on my new digital camera…it has since been adjusted. I also lost my message to you and SLH in my editing. What I had said was: Wow…I had read your thread and …..wow. I wouldn’t know where to start, but to quote Ford: "If you think you can or you think you can’t……you’re right."

SLH….welcome back, glad to hear things are well and I look forward to reading all the details.

Binder, that boy's gonna be a hunk when he gets older! Are you prepared to beat off the females? <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

FF, I am really behind. Do you hava a link I could go to, honey?

It feels like a Monday, eh?

slh

SLH you busybody. How's about you give us the lowdown on your own self?

GC

Binder, I'm so glad to be able to annoy you properly with my gooey descriptions of being "In LUUUUUUV"! Most people seem to think it's cute, rather than overly saccharine. You're a fine antidote to it. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Which is to say, well, no, I won't be keeping it to myself. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Summary for the last three days: Ohio was lovely. We went to church, folded laundry, made supper twice and ate out twice (one supper, one breakfast), and shopped for dress shirts, ties, and kitchenware. We went for a long walk through fields down to a marshy area with a stream back at the back of it, and saw red-tailed hawks and deer prints while we were out. We got muddy and washed our muddy clothes and shoes. We created love in the most mundane and wonderful things.

I learned that I really like chicken cooked on a George Foreman grill. I enjoyed watching hobbits save Middle Earth. I decided that HoFS needs more sleep. (I decide that every time I see him, and then we part again and I decide that I'd rather talk on the phone than let him sleep at night.) I decided to research the Dusty Armadillo, 'cause he and I need to learn to dance together. (Done.)

I once again am determined to find a way to create this time with him on a more frequent basis. Every three weeks is too long. Every two weeks is bearable. Every week appears to be impossible because of our other responsibilities, but I'd like to try it anyway. I'd like to try it out continuously, too.

All in all? There are levels of intimacy and vulnerability and safety that I haven't ever had with anyone. I'm exploring them with him. It's a little scary. And it feels oh-so-right.

J,
It's so good to read HAPPY from you.

Hi everyone.

SS

J, your happines is almost tangible; I can almost feel its width and breath. My heart sings for you.

SS, thinking of you too.

Gray, am I a busybody? <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/eek.gif" alt="" />

I mean to write an update, but Ti just got home from offshore. He came home for a few days in early Jan but before then, the last time I saw him was in mid-December (he missed Christmas and New Years, etc). So I am soaking in the euphoria right now, storing it for his next trip (they are talking Nigeria, land of civil unrest. Poor Africa)

I promise to write an update soon, though there is little to tell. A good sign, I suppose. And this time, I will save my post before I submit it, LOL. I had forgotten how infuriating that can be. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> LOL

slh

Now SLH, you know I was just foolin'.

GC

Alrighty, gc...

Downloaded this one 2night. So I'm singin' it here:

"Dear Mister Fantasy" -Traffic

"Dear Mister Fantasy play us a tune
Something to make us all happy
Do anything take us out of this gloom
Sing a song, play guitar
Make it snappy
You are the one who can make us all laugh
But doing that you break out in tears
Please don't be sad if it was a straight mind you had
We wouldn't have known you all these years"

Now it's your 2rn.

-ol' 2long

Henry Reaching the Moon

[This is DD's favorite bedtime story when she's with me. It has been her favorite for more than a year now. Nonny is what she calls one of my brothers, who lives with us and who does regularly say, "Oooo, ya dumb cat!" to Henry.]

One night when Nonny went outside to go to the store, Henry raced out the door after him. Nonny chased him, but Henry is a fast cat and he raced up a tree. And then he went all the way up to the top of the tree because he saw the moon! Then he rrrreeeeeeacccchhhhed out with his paw and went BAT BAT BAT BAT and said "MRRRRRROOOOOOWWWWWW!!!!!" But he could not reach the moon.

Nonny came to the bottom of the tree and watched and eventually Henry came down and Nonny caught him. And Nonny said, "Oooo, ya dumb cat. You're not very smart!" and he took Henry into the house.

Henry went and sat down in his cat bed and he put his chin on his paws. He thought and he thought and he thought and he thought. He wanted to reach the moon!! So he decided that he would do it.

The next time the door was open and Henry could dash out, he knew just what to do. He ran out the door, and down the stairs, and then he raced down the street! He ran and ran, all the way to the park with the green slides. He ran right up the tallest tree in the park, all the way to the very tip-top. Oh! He saw the moon! Then he rrrreeeeeeacccchhhhed out with his paw and went BAT BAT BAT BAT and said "MRRRRRROOOOOOWWWWWW!!!!!" But he could not reach the moon.

Then Henry realized that he was in the tip-top of a very big tree! He could not get down and he said, "mew!" He had to wait until a person came along and noticed him in the tree, and when he got down, Nonny was there to get him and take him home. And Nonny said, "Oooo, ya dumb cat. You're not very smart!" and he took Henry back home and into the house.

Henry was determined to reach the moon, though. So.... when the door was open again, out he went! This time he went the other way -- down the sidewalk and the stairs and along the street, all the way to the Metro station. He watched and watched the people, and then he followed a lady with a suitcase with pink flowers on it. He sat behind her all the way down the escalator, and he hid behind her legs on the platform. When the train came, he got on the train right with her, and rode with her all the way to the airport! He followed her through the airport and through security, and then he followed her right down to the gate and onto the airplane! He hid under the seat on the plane and didn't come out when the plane took off up into the air. He waited and waited until it was all quiet and dark in the plane and then he came out.

He crept up onto the seat of the plane and then up onto the armrest and he looked out the window. And oh! He saw the moon outside the airplane window! Then he rrrreeeeeeacccchhhhed out with his paw and went BAT BAT BAT BAT and said "MRRRRRROOOOOOWWWWWW!!!!!" But he could not reach the moon.

The person who was sitting in the seat next to him looked very surprised. And he said, "There's a cat on this plane!" He rang the call button for the stewardess, and when the stewardess came, she looked and then she said, "There's a cat on this plane!”

And that is how Henry went to Paris.



He got in lots of trouble for that one, and Nonny AND Uncle Mike had to go get him from Paris. And when the reporters asked Nonny about Henry, well, Nonny said, "Oooo, ya dumb cat. You're not very smart!" and he took Henry back home and into the house.

Henry wasn't done yet, though! He was determined to reach the moon. So even though Nonny and Mama were very careful not to let Henry out anymore, one day he escaped anyway when Mama came in the house with lots of groceries and things. And she yelled, "Henry, you come back here!"

But he didn't. Instead, he went back to the Metro station as fast as he could, and he got on another train to the airport. Instead of going to Paris this time, though, he got on a plane to Florida. (How he knew where Florida is, we do not know.) From there, he went right to Cape Canaveral, where the space shuttle is. He took one of the tourist busses all the way along, and then he jumped off at just the right place. He went past the giant alligator who lives at Cape Canaveral and went all the way to the big launch pad.

Then he had to wait and wait and wait for a very long time while the space shuttle got ready to go. While he was there, he would steal old pizza crusts from the garbage and he sneak around to look at things. Always he watched for the astronauts, though, and FINALLY, they came!!

So he followed them into the shuttle and hid in one of the bunks, and then he lay low and waited. And then all of a sudden there was a HUGE

BBRRRRRRROOOOOORORORORORORROROROROROROROORO
ROROOROROROOROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMM
MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

and the shuttle took off! It lasted for a really long time, and then....

It was quiet.

Very quiet.

And Henry was floating!

He floated right out into the cabin and he said, "mew!"

And the astronauts all looked around at him and they were very surprised!

One of them went to get him, and oh! He saw the moon! Right outside the shuttle port! Then he rrrreeeeeeacccchhhhed out with his paw and went BAT BAT BAT BAT and said "MRRRRRROOOOOOWWWWWW!!!!!" But he could not reach the moon.

And then the astronaut caught him, and another astronaut said into the radio, "Houston? We have a.... cat."

Nonny and Uncle Mike had to go to Florida to get him that time. And when the reporters asked Nonny about Henry, well, Nonny said, "Oooo, ya dumb cat. You're not very smart! Does anyone want a cat?" and he took Henry back home and into the house.

But Henry wasn't done yet. He was sure he could reach the moon. So he sat in his cat bed with his chin on his paws and he thought and thought and thought.

Finally, he decided to use magic to reach the moon.

So he sat in a special place, and he brought out his moondust powder, and he sprinkled it around.... and he remembered that he needed air and warmth to be okay on the moon.

And then he worked and worked and worked, as hard as he had worked to get to the moon in any other way, and even harder than that. And then....

POOOOOOF!!!!!

He was on the moon! He bounced high up into the air, and he splashed down in all the moondust a cat could ever want. He saw the flag that the astronauts put up, and he put his cat-print right in the middle of an astronaut's footprint. He played and roled and raced around and got completely covered in gray moondust.

And then he sat down and looked up.

And he saw the Earth.

Then he rrrreeeeeeacccchhhhed out with his paw and went BAT BAT BAT BAT and said "MRRRRRROOOOOOWWWWWW!!!!!" But he could not reach the Earth. So he worked and worked and worked, as hard as he had worked to get to the moon, and even harder than that. And then....

POOOOOOF!!!!!

He was at home again, next to the fireplace.

And just then, Nonny walked into the living room and saw Henry all covered in moondust. And Nonny said, "Oooo, ya dumb cat. What were you doing in the fireplace??? You're not very smart!" and he took Henry into the kitchen and gave him a bath.

But Henry knew that it wasn't fireplace ashes. It was moondust. And that is why Henry walks around sticking his tongue out at Nonny. Because even though Nonny doesn't know, Henry does. Henry has been to the moon.

Very nice, J.

Sorry 2long... no song yet.

I sit and listen to the late Jacqueline du Pre play the cello.

In a few weeks I'm having a party. Technically a housewarming, since I just bought my house from myself and my ex two months ago. Really though it's something else.

I guess the timing makes sense. My ex and her AP are married, and it's been almost two years since the A began, so I'm pretty well grieved out. If you don't count the occasional bout of sorrow or sparrow-starring nightmare, that is. Those are ordinary now. Like the hiccups.

I even have a woman chasing me. She's cool. A few nights ago I told her I'm not up for a girlfriend, which is juuuuust fine with her, so she says.

But I shouldn't be so dang serious. I was funny once.

GC

Gee, guys, the fire's almost out. Did my story put y'all to sleep? (If it did, you're in good company. DD is conked out over there in her bed. I'm on the computer while hanging out in the rocking chair in her room.)

I'll be in Ohio this weekend. Try not to get in too much trouple while you're away, ok? Well, except for GC. You, my dear man, need a little of the good kind of trouble in your life.

GC:

"I even have a woman chasing me. She's cool. A few nights ago I told her I'm not up for a girlfriend, which is juuuuust fine with her, so she says."

Just don't try so hard 2 get away all the time!

"But I shouldn't be so dang serious. I was funny once."

And what makes you think we're not laughing now?

<img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Always with you, of course!

-ol' 2long

Hey 2long: I love Groundhog Day. The movie, that is. The day itself always struck me as ridiculous.

J, thanks for the snowflakes. I'm a little embarrassed I didn't find them myself.

Well, I'm going to meet the girl who's chasing me, and later I'll possibly fight her off.

GC

Don't you dare fight her off!! I need stories.....make em up if you have to. I want a full report in the AM.

Binder (the celibate)

Oh me too! <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Binder he is not going to fight her off, he is just teasing you! <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/pfft.gif" alt="" />

I have the most beautiful quote from "ACIM" which I am going to post -



It happens to remind me of 2long and others who have been hanging in there for so long. Even myself, as I will never give up the hope that there is a love so strong, and so great, and so beautiful... out there, just for me. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />