Man, Patti's one heck of a lady...

Hey, Shelley; check out these links and let me know how you would have handled things...<g>

Funny, mine don't look at all like Matt's...

Then again, it's not likely that I'll make it to the moon.

One of Bradley's classmates rode her bike something like six blocks after school today to drop by and visit...

A sampling of of one conversation:

Bradley, do you know how to ice skate?

Sure. (he knows how to do everything...)

We're ice skating tomorrow...

Turns out it's her birthday...

She'll be seven...

This just in from Commander Dave:

Congratulations just doesn't seem like enough. Maybe Al can bake a cake...

Wow, it's barely 1000 and the pager hasn't gone off yet...

...and the kids are off to school and Shelley's off to the store.

Heh. What to do, what to do...

I guess I'll start with a hearty Congratulations!!! to Hal and Audrey...

That's one great way to start the New Year...

Interesting indeed...

Okay, there are Things To Be Accomplished around here today; I'd best get started...

I just went to turn off the TV that Shelley uses as 'white noise' to fall asleep. It seems that The Outer Limits is sponsored by Excedrin Migraine...

Ours did!

I've studiously stayed away from working here today. Heck, I've done my best to not work much at all today. The kids had us up early (and late last night); the church events went well; I've bladed; started a yardwork project; read; made a store run; and generally haven't pushed myself all that hard today...

Monday is a holiday for us (no; I'm not sure, but I'm not arguing) and I have some projects lined out. Some outside; some inside.

Like an archive system for this place...

For now, it's bedtime.

Good night and God bless...

Shelley and I are speculating Bradley's cold is manifesting itself as extreme fatigue in both of us. Dunno'.

I do know I slept most of the afternoon...

The kids had a great time at the church gig this morning; they made crafts, played on the playground, listened to music, watched a play, and found eggs.

Now our eggs are hidden for tomorrow morning, their baskets are ready, and Shelley and I are down for the night...

But if you came here looking for a story, or you've ever wondered what keeps Al going, or why Shelley and I stayed in the business for so long (thirty some years between us), this one pretty much captures the essence...

Primary patient care; there's nothing like it...

Ya' know, just when I'm at the end of my rope, too tired to do anything but stare at the wall and wait for the kids to go to sleep, along comes something that just hits me so hard that I lose it:

From: The psychic universe

Subject: Do you need help

(followed by a paragraph of grammatical errors, misspellings and punctuation mistakes that actually made for tough going...)

But what got me rolling was the entire misplaced premise: They're The Psychic Universe! They're supposed to know if I need help...

...and, after all, they must have some talent: they divined my email address from something to do with ''1010011010@PORKSHOULDERANDHAMholly-springs.nc.us''. Man, that beats tea leaves any day!

But then the disappointment sets in as they aren't able to follow up with even a cold read on me. Good grief, at least tease me with five of the six winning lottery numbers. ...and solicit my 'contribution' for the sixth.

Ah well...

Heh. At least they're trying: I just received another email from them with my correct email address.

...and the same mangled paragraph.

Impulse power only...

On Whacky Wednesdays at Laser Quest, they extend the normal twenty minute sessions to thirty minutes?

Neither did Shelley...

My legs know.

Now...

The net effect was thirty minutes of assault tactics followed immediately by thirty minutes of urban warfare tactics...

I may not make it back this way tonight...

...and shoot back at little, fast moving targets!

Details later!

I gave up around 0030 and told Bradley he could 'camp out' on the couch if he wanted to since he was now officially Seven Years Old...

I was betting he'd fall asleep and I could carry him in to bed. No dice. Every time I checked, I'd see that little kewpie-doll face with these great big eyes staring at me.

I gave up and crashed. ...only to wake up at 0600 to find the TV on and a sleeping child. I carried him in to his bed and went to shower before I dragged myself in to the office.

...and what she didn't say.

It's late...

I'm still not even close to heading off to bed...

You may ask why...

I have one munchkin awake and exited because it will be his seventh birthday in just a few minutes...

I have another who is awake and exited because he will be getting some cake (see above)...

...and I have a cat who just launched himself to the top of Shelley's china cabinet from a chair four feet away,

apparently to check out the vent...

We now return you to your normal programming.

On the Costco/general shopping run yesterday: a lot of grandparent types with grandkids tagging along, more so than in recent years...

Today is the release day for Sonic Flood's Sonic Praise CD. Yep, the guy had to put the price tag on as I waited drooling...

I probably should preface that with how I select some of my music: if I find a compilation CD with the artists listed in one column and the tracks listed in another; and I can't tell which is which, I buy it!

Of course, that's how I ended up with an album of goth Christian music today...

Yes, I am.

Hammered? Yes, I am.

Trying my best? Yes, I am.

Details as the mind and time allow...