How fast is he going? How long do they think he'll be gone? Give the poor dear a hug for us, and tell her we'll be praying for them both.

Tell Aussie that if he dies, you will personally see to it that he is dressed in frills and lace before he is laid out, and will give him a full week of one fancy government ceremony after another, plus a state funeral.

You will scare him so badly he won't die till he's at least 487.

Throw him off the side of the truck indeed! <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" />

Oh dear, not good news about the young man. Not good. But those men are a special lot to whom the rest of us owe a great deal.

Yeay, tell Aussie about the frills, etc.

Hey, we lost a star! Does that mean no one likes us as much as they used to? Does that mean.......? What does that mean?

evening to all..... morning here 11.30am.
the young children only woke up awhile ago. We are giving them as much time together as possible.
Why do I feel so old?

He will be there next week, exactly where we are unaware of, however it would seem he wont be going out trying to find them like Aussie. I think he’ll be attached to the security detachment minding the construction team. I’m not sure what that means. At least 6 months we have been told.

His mum and dad arrive in an hour and Aussie has gone to pick them. AW is putting lunch together. my grand daughter seems able to separate the emotion from the circumstance, a typical medical thing from my observation. My doctor daughter does the same, steps back from such things to observe the whole.

GD was wistful last night and in a quiet moment told me she only regretted not being pregnant right now, should, if, anything – God forbid – happen to him she would have a part of him forever.
He of course thinks its the best thing since sliced bread! And so it goes.

Of course I am praying that something shall happen to prevent him from going, a transfer, wanted elsewhere, anything. If not, that he is bored for the entire time.Good news is that it is very quiet in the province the Aust are working in right now building roads, bridges, schools, medical centres, houses and the like.

As for Aussie ... Hummpfff is all I'm going to express. When I queried him on his comment he told me "Well I guess they could roll me into a old trench and fill it in. Dont matter to me"
ohh that man. He is so frustrating!! <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" />

Well, I'm back - again - so how is everyone?

This has been such an adventure. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" />

I have driven through torrents, run over the Dervish's fecal material, and drunk some things I hadn't a'oughta.

At last I am home.

I stopped and spent a teeny portion of my wages on pajamas and slippers. You shouldn't grocery shop when you're hungry, right?

........ right?

Right.

Glad you are home safe.

Hope everyone else is safe also.

SS

Sounds like we have all been having fun ...NOT ... over the last few days.

Well being home I think will be a great recovery tonic Neak.

Just rest & veg a day or so... its allowed .. I said so. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Tell your DD and all hello.

Tuesday night we got there too late, and they wouldn't unload us. So there we are stuck, still no showers, and lucky I stopped to get food.

So of course the Dervish has to poop. He had already pooped in a plastic bag earlier, and said he had to do more diarrhea. No bathrooms anywhere.

But we were parked on a dark street.

So I had him start pooping right in front of the front tire, intending to hide the evidence of my criminal activity when he was through. After a few charming little splats, a car turned down the far end of the street, coming right for us. So I had to haul the poor little fellow 1/2 way down the truck out of sight. Was he done? No, of course not. So he did some more in front of those tires, too.

Got him cleaned up and back in the truck, then carefully ran over everything. First thing the next morning, he opened the truck window. What are you doing? Heeheehee, I want to see my poop run over!

He also decided he wants to be a leaf-blower when he grows up.

If he grows up.

Apparently, right after we parked, he peed in a water bottlw, then set it in my cupholder.

I was hard at work scrubbing up the hot chocolate Val spilled all over the little fridge, the carpet, and just about everything in between. (Not that I am still bitter, almost 2 weeks later.)

It was thirsty work, so I grabbed the bottle from my cupholder, threw back my head, and dumped in the rest of the fluid as if I were chugging a beer at a frat party.

Such an interesting progression my thoughts went through as I instinctively caught and held the strange liquid in my mouth, rather than swallowing it.

Thirsty, so thirsty!
Good, still a little water left.
My, this water tastes funny.
No, not really funny, more like bad.
(Swirling remainder of contents of the bottle) Not quite clear.
Almost clear, but slightly yellow?
NO!!!!!! IT CAN'T BE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

While I was busy rinsing, spitting, and throwing up out the window, I could hear a little voice behind me. "Mom? Mom? Mom! I werry sorry........."

Guess what, Dervish, Mommy is werry sorry, too. FOR WHAT SHE IS ABOUT TO DO TO YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Our own dear Idiots suggested that I sue Dasani for not putting warning labels on their bottles.

I have been drinking a lot of soda, juice, and chocolate soy milk the last couple of days. Not much ~shudder~ water.

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

PS Before we unloaded, I had to turn around and park in the same spot, running over the poop again on the other side.

Neak

I'm really really really trying to say something supportive,,,really I am.. its just that ......

ROTFLMAO


hahahahahahhahahahahahhahahhahahahhahahhahahahhahahahahhahahhaha
hehehhehehehehehehehehehehhhehehehehehhehehehehehehehhehehehehee

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

Well, life is fun isn't it.

No internet service since last Saturday. Phone service spotty. Mammagram this morning. Pap smear this morning - after 3 failed calls to dr office because they open late on fridays and didn't take their phones back from the answering service till late - and after we figured out they scheduled my appt for 140/10/06 when I told them 11/10/06 - the legal holiday for Veteran's Day. $85 service call from phone company to fix something that I don't think is really fixed. And the estimator for a new heat pump stood me up today - serves me right because I stood him up Tuesday as my schedule backfired on me and traffic was HORRIBLE.

I am not happy.

Time to work on the worship service for church and it's only 15 songs long. I love to sing but 15 songs is too much for me to put in the program. I am not enjoying doing this. I do it because they need it done. It takes HOURS!

May I run away now? I think I'm headed to another funk. Tell me it will get better soon.

Talk about a story !!!

I know just how the Dervish felt. BTDT, but I'll never admit it.

Cinders, I get to organize our Christmas program. It needs to be done (on paper) in about a week, and I haven't started yet. I'll cry with you.

I can see why you are not happy - but that can change. I'll give you 24 hours to change.

36?

Ok, 48, but that's my final offer.

Neak,
how long are you home for?

Is T&L OK?

Hi AW, and AWM, and Aussie !

Hi everyone !!

CC, here's some photos for you. I'll do more if I get persmission from AD.


We did have a good time with AD and his daughter. We did a short hike about 20 minutes from home in the Red Cliffs Recreation Area.
Road into Red Cliffs - The house is a pioneer era home (late 1800's) that is being restored.
www.outdooroutlet.com/SS/oct-camp/IMGP5617b.jpg


One of the twins at the pools. Note the steps in the rock around the waterfall
www.outdooroutlet.com/SS/oct-camp/IMGP5669b.jpg

Our first camping spot - This is a long way from any well traveled roads. We camped on the mountain and set up in the setting sun.
www.outdooroutlet.com/SS/oct-camp/IMGP5699b.jpg

All the best to everyone.

SS

SS - WOW!!! Where do you live? Those pictures look like the ones in the Sierra Club calendar.

SS, that's beautiful!!!! When you live in places like that you can't help but thank God !

This week I traveled to the north of the country about a 5 hour drive, for work. I appreciated the countryside, though not as beautiful as your area. I didn't have much internet access during these days. I am in the middle of an international assessment of one of the health programs. It will end next friday when the results will be presented to the authorities.

I got back today to find that a barbecue had been planned by my brother who is visiting (he lives in USA). So the house is full of teenagers, my brother and his friends.
Sunday I go to the beach where another brother lives. I'm in charge of making the cake for his daughter who will be 4.

So, these are busy days...So far, so good.

And I have you guys to read about

BTW, I still can't get into GQ. I have to go to the active topics!

That's weird...

Well, I guess I should get started on the monster....

This was the email telling me what the program is:

Welcome

Song: “Lord, Reign In Me” #B-11 (both verses)
Song: “Holy Ground” #100 (interchange verses of 100 &101)
Song: “Holy Ground” #101

Reading

Song: “Nothing But The Blood” #902 (vs. 1,3)
Song: “There Is Power In The Blood” #903 (vs. 1,3)

Communion:
Song: “Arms Of Love” #B-21
all of verse one during bread
chorus only during cup (begin with words, “and there’s no place I’d rather be than in your arms of love”)

All Stand - dismiss to children’s worship

one verse of each song with audience standing
Song: “When We All Get To Heaven” #853 (vs. 1)
Song: “Don’t You Want To Go” #969 (vs. 1)
Song: “Beyond This Land Of Parting” #873 (vs. 1)
Song: “No Tears In Heaven” #882 (vs. 1)
Song: “Sing To Me Of Heaven” #716 (vs. 1)
Song: “This World Is Not My Home” #957 (vs. 1)
Song: “To Canaan’s Land” #867 (vs. 1)
Song: “Spirit Of The Living God” #422 (vs. 1)

Sermon: “Evidence Of Our Inheritance”

Song: “Spirit Of The Living God” #422 (thru twice)

Prayer

Offering:
Song During: “We Will Glorify” #578 (all)

Closing Announcements

Bear in mind that I have two CDs of powerpoint slides to hunt through for each song and sometimes there are two or more songs with the same title...... And the verses on the slides may be in a different order than in our hymnal so I have to refer to it for each song.

Neak

I do hope you have recovered and that all is back to a fair level of domestic bliss lol... well as good as one gets sometimes in that state. I know it appears so humorous to many after the event, but at the time its not funny at all is it?
Its one to mark up to life’s experience as a mum! Remember mums love their kids...keep repeating that every time you see bottled water from now on!

SS those pictures are fantastic... it must be so beautiful .....

Believer so good to hear from you. I do hope you are doing well.

Rella hope you can get the music all set up in time.

CC great to hear things going well and family around you. Hope the BBQ went well!

Aussie went to the pub last night with some of the boys. He apparently had a great time and from what I saw of them at 9.30 pm when I was supposed to pick him up, they were well and truly into singing some ... well .. rather ..rude songs and drinking to those who never made it home. Its Remembrance Day here and I think Veterans Day in the US isn’t it? So we are getting ready to attend the ceremony in Kings Park overlooking the city at 11 am. (you know the 11th hour, on the 11th day, of the 11th month).
Lizzy is determined to come even though she hates these things. She ends up crying which I think is just a sign of a wonderful gentle soul. At 20 I think I was no where near as unselfish as she is.
I eventually dragged him, I mean helped him, into the car at 11.30 pm.

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

Well, it would be more fun to come back if people had actually known I was gone. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" /> Been very busy working myself to death, and spending my "spare" time feeling sorry for myself while playing a lot of Bookworm <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />. However, just wanted to pop in briefly and say that tonight we had the biological father of Neaksis' adoptees over for dinner (he knew what was coming--it's not like we sprung an ambush on him!) and the kids wrote letters which they read to him (i.e., they sobbed their way through each sentence on the page), telling him how his leaving their mom had affected them and then things that had happened because of it; how they felt rejected, abandoned, and unloved and just KNEW there was something wrong with them for their daddy to leave them behind that way. He sat there, took it, and wept with them. He told them he was sorry and never dreamed things would have turned out this way when he left their mom to go to Sacramento to try and build a new life for himself so he could bring them to live with him and keep them safe. Within 2 weeks he was using meth again, and shortly after he was under arrest, but at least he explained to them that he was planning to make things better for them when he left, not just to leave them behind...only it didn't work out the way he planned. Val got to tell him that if he'd been there Joey wouldn't have molested her by putting his hands in her pants and rubbing, or making her touch his private parts with her hands and mouth. She's a very stoic little girl, and can appear hard and cold in a situation where a normal child would show emotion, but she just wept violently and had to stop because her stomach and head both ached, talking about it. Her dad held her and cried with her and told her he was so sorry. Right now, everyone is purged. The children validated. They were able to forgive someone who wronged them greatly. They heard his life story, and how he started getting onto the path that led him to spend most of his adult life in prison, by doing the things they are doing now...but he never wants to see them in handcuffs, or behind bars, "because I love you more than my own life." Sob. Sob. Boo-hoo. Group hug. Very moist evening. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" /> Next on the docket is the same scenario with their mom, who will not necessarily take it as well as their dad did...but she was high on meth and had a drug-dealing, child-molesting boyfriend supplying her with her fix, so she was unable/unwilling to see what was going on under her nose. I see more potential for unpleasantness in the one that's still coming, which is why I arranged this one first.

These are such angry children. Violent, disobedient, thieving, lying, little snerps...and so much of it is directed at the parents who failed them. We decided it was finally time to let them direct their angst at the ones who caused their traumas, get it all out in the open, and open this festering sore they share, so that maybe some sunlight and warmth will help it dry out and begin to heal.

I'm very pleased with tonight. Neaksis enjoyed it too, seeing their dad suffer to hear his children's pain. She feels she's done all the adult suffering for long enough, and it was about his turn to join in and share a bit of the burden himself. All in all, a lovely evening, in a damp sort of way.

t&l

Okay now I'm really pissed. I have been trying for weeks to get only two stars (or even one!) with zero success and now you have gone and done it with no effort at all. Care to share the secret of your success?

tl

it is wonderful to hear from you. I suspected something of importance was going on.
I am glad the kids dad got a serving, now all he has to do is be involved with them in the RIGHT way if he can prove himself to Neaksis & all.
Its a very long road to bring those kids back & Neaksis and all of you are just so special to give such love, especially as they are so troubled.

Mums been pretty quiet as well lately with dealing with my brother and his kids and his wife. He's a rather unforgiving and harsh person right now. She came around the other night for a Nanna hug from Mikey and Liz & to get some rest she said. I think it was a compliment sorta <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />

I do so hope those kids have some relief after this TL. they did not deserve to end up like they have. Its too bad a whoopin of dad & mum doesn't work. I am sure it must be so tempting at times to do so.
Now Aussie promised to help me put up the roller door or the window frames this weekend so while the iron is hot I'd better strike ... before he finds out cricket is on telly
<img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />