White Chapel

The White chapel

The white chapel has opened for services

The vestibule is festooned to greet you

The walls are fresh with glory

The offerings are set for those in need

The holy water flows for blessings

Heads are bowed in praise

All kneel in awe

Raise up with joy

Peace be with you

The Visit

We had a dear friend over visit over the weekend. She has been my wife's friend since high school and they have had all sorts of adventures along the way. We went to eat at a local bar and grill with a good rep. The front entry is an old brew keg (1,000 gallons) that they have cut for an air space. Here in Wisconsin they usually have two doors to a building or house. So as to form a kind of airlock. You go in one and close the door and then go into the real door. I guess the theory is to not let all the heat escape. Anyway their air lock is a hugh oak keg that was used by the local brewery for many years. The food was good I had a "pork bar-b-que" sandwich. I debated long and hard over the choice. I thought well why not they are suppose to be good. I swear to God it looked like dog food. No sause, it wasn't dry but only had a hint of bbq flavor to it. I should have known better. The others were pleased with their meals. I guess you wouldn't go to Atlanta for glumpkie, or chaff, or brats so why do I always fall for that trick.

Good luck to CareBear on your trip. And still no word from the job.

The last of the cats but surely not the least.

Emily

Point that at me again and I give you a present on your pillow.

Blue

Feeling blue, I don't like the waiting, don't like the unknown, and don’t like the feeling of limbo. I need to know more, I need to learn more.

Not just me though, Brother-in-law was at the house at lunch. Two of his trucks are dead, his new truck is in need of repair. He has a farm and does need these. It’s not like they are for fun they are work trucks. He has to go in for knee surgery. So I guess it’s not just me. The sun has only been out twice this month and I think I’m low on sun juice to run my body.

I did make it to the cardio center last night and confirmed I’m in poor shape. I did a fast walk on the treadmill 2 miles. It took 35 minutes to go 2 miles. Hell I had to run it in 16 min in the Army, long way to go.

The Family and the Cat Hurd

Another Part of a Step (rambling)

I went and got my License To Sweat (No joke that's what's on the card I got to use the Cardio Center stuff) at the local college today, not bad only three trips and two builds to do it. Me and the wife are alums of the place. She graduated in 91 and I in 04. My second degree. Her first unused degree. Now me and two of my co-workers are going to go and start working on that get in shape thing.

Nothing else moving on the waiting part.

My first comment came from a nice southern gal. Who by reading her blog, (nice blog) lives in the big town near my folks. I was born and raised in Belton. A little town in the western part of SC.

The big office in Virginia sent us a pool table, so we put it in a spare office.

Nice table

Either the table is too small or the office is too big.

More work

Well, spent the weekend with some house prep. We use wood to heat part of the old farm house, so wood has to cut, split, and put away. Seems like we use alot. Three to four cords. That is a stack 4 feet high, 24 inches deep an 12 feet long. We got 1 1/2 cord put away over the last two weekends. To make until I get back (if I go), I need to put away 6 cord. Geez my back hurts already. The majority of this wood is dead wood. We have a disease called oak wilt that is killing off parts of the woods around us. No real way to stop it. It can kill a mature tree in a year. Starves the tree to death. Anyway, I have enough for this season, now I start on next season. This is not temting the fates of getting too much ready, I have to do this every year. It's just this year I will do extra.

The rest of the cat hurd minus one.

Boris and Walter (the old boys)

James T. Cat the Crazied One

Amy The Queen of Mean

Wonders never end

13 Jan 06
My birth certificate arrived yesterday. Oh what a hunk of leftover crap. the wonderful state of South Carolina has bestowed upon me proof that I am alive. Is it worth frameing or adding to the historical documents of the world you ask? No it is on plain blue paper with a off pink seal onit. A 6th grader with MS paint could have done better. SO that means part of a step is complete.

I take it to the court house to apply for the passport. What a large crock. The lady behind the glass looked at the certificate as if it was sandscrit. After two trips to the post office, two trips to the Court hosue, one trip to the bank and two hundred dollars lighter in the wallet it is off. The address is the New Orleans Processing center in Culver City CA. huh anyway in two weeks it should be in my hand.

Remeber I said if you plan to far ahead it will fall through. Well in the company status call yesterday the boss lady asked for volunteers to go to Afghanistan. WHAT??!! She even gave out what the pay maybe. (didn't want people to know that)

I ie-mailed her and asked does that mean I'm out. Noo she replyed I am assuming that you will fill one position. Oh (that is if the Feds grant unto me the status needed). So it still might happen. According to the horible scopes and fortune cookies it will.

Anyway more important stuff the family and the cats.

Fluffy the cats pet (she hates humans)


The boys Rusty and Walter
(Rusty is afraid of evrything and Walter he came with the wife)

There are 4 more to come later.

What have I done

Yes I know its not a great picture I will put a better one on later

Hello, I am starting this to document maybe the craziest descission I have ever made. I volunteered to go to Afghanistan. That's right I am going to a place hardly anyone wants to go to. To be fair it is not set in stone that I will go. I have to wait on some paperwork, my passaport, and loads of unknown things. But let's say it is 75% sure I'll go.

Anyway a little about me. 38 years old, married 12 years, 1 daughter 11, we have 7 cats, 28 chickens, and two dogs. (more on them later). I am a displaced southern still confused by the ways and customs of the far north mid-west place I call home now. My wife is from here and has a large family. All 100% polish desent. Me mutt through and through. Born and raised in South Carolina, a product of a military family and education. I am a Citadel whole man or man hole which ever you prefer. I was a Russian Linguist in the Army, a teacher for 8 total years(off and on) never in social studies. 5 years a a industrial arts (shop) teacher. I hold two degrees one in secondary education social studies, and one in computer information systems. I have half a masters degree complete (and propably never will complete), this means I am dangerously over educated. We live in the center of the state on the wife's family's original homestead, circa 1905. It was a dump when we moved in and still is no showplace but has improved(greatly)
I am overweight, pasty, afflicted with strawberry blond hair, that as I get older gets blonder.
That right the voices in my head echo.

Anyway, what am I doing to prepare. Well I am southern so there is a problem with this. I have found the more I prepare in advance for something the less likely it will happen. So I am doing the things that will take a while to do, so that the stumbleing blocks are fewer.

step one
Get passaport (simple right) ha
step one A
Find birth certificate (simple right) ha
step one B
Get copy of birth certificate (simple right) ha (see the pattern)
step one C
Call hospital I was born in. I sorry we don't keep records past 1974 (WTF). call county health department. go to web site for birth certificate $47.00.
Oh dear god I never had a state certificate. Mine was a county think the size of a credit card. I know that it was issued in 1973 or 4 ( I know what the hell were they waiting for. To see if I would look like the rest of the family (I don't). To see if I can find my way home(I did) who knows. But know I am waiting on people in the state capital to find if I was born.
step two
Get passaport
Lord help me, That depends on step one.
step three
Get into some shape other than round.

I'll keep you posted