Anniversary Blog

I'm not big on holidays. I like em allright I'm just not big on the hype. The whole family getting together, I can go for that. Cooking, eating together, taking a nap later, that all good. Maybe its just the expectation that we have to go and buy a bunch of stuff, yeah, that's it. Not that I mind buying stuff, I've done plenty of it over the years, but I want to do it on my time, when the inspiration hits me, when its needed, not just because everybody else is doing it or because the calendar says so. And not that the rest of my fam probably couldn't use some more good stuff.

But just maybe the calendar saying so is a way of reminding me when I ought to be really celebrating something important and not just buying stuff. Truth is I've got most of the "stuff" I want and certainly everything I need. Buying more stuff especially buying stuff we don't need, well seems wasteful. Today is one of those calendar days, the bride & I's anniversary. 26 years she's put up with me. WOW!

She ought to get a medal but I'm not sure where you get those and I'm pretty sure she wouldn't wear said medal. We could go out to eat but she eats out all the time when she's on the road so that's nothing special for her. She'd do that more for me than for her. So, I made her a card and wrote her a poem. Nothing gifted for sure but at least she'll know I was thinking about her.

We must be getting old because we might just stay home, have dinner, build a fire out by the pool, and look at the bay. It's an anniversary blog. Happy anniversary out there. All of them are worth celebrating. They get even better as you get a few more. What really matters is the people in your lives on those days and everyday, not just those calendar days, and certainly not the stuff you get or give.

cya,

de

It Aint Texas Honey!

I spent just about one full week away from the computer, email, blogging, jogging, and pretty much everything else that makes up my normal routine. The bride was working in Baltimore, MD so I tagged along. I guess I'll blog about it for a day or two. Maybe the whole Northeast United states doesn't rate that much time but my lack of inspiration for blogging might warrant a couple of blogs.

We arrived at BWI on a Tuesday afternoon and headed towards Leesburg, VA. We were going to have dinner with a friend who we met through the Red Cross. She's a sweet lady who travelled to Baytown to operate a Shelter at the local Baptist church and work in the area for three weeks. I-95 runs I guess from Florida to Boston and there's way too many people on that road and they drive way worse than Texans do. I thought H-town drivers were aggressive, when the truth is, we're calm. Now I know why the bride never rents a car when she goes there. They're nuts.

Well, dinner outside Leesburg, and back to Baltimore pretty late where its like 15 degrees and lots of left over snow and ice on the ground. I had taken stuff to run outside but 15 degrees, that too cold. Next morning after a commute to take the bride to work, I went back to the warmth of the hotel for 4 miles on the treadmill. WEll, that was my running for the week. Trying to play catch up from the rest of my week in the frozen NE. It wasn't Texas, needless to say. More later.

here's a link to pics from the Jingle bell run and proof that the run/walk thing works. My bib is 390. http://www.karenthibodeaux.com/Image.asp?catalogID=716032



I'm out,
de

Brief Blog Funk

Been busy, busy lately. Still in somewhat of a blog funk. Nothing really to say except, "how bout them Texans." That's pretty much all that can be said, more than what needs to be said, except, "you're fired." Maybe that's today or maybe I'm daydreaming.

Did have a fair day running this past week. Did the Jingle bell run yesterday in downtown H-town. 5 miler with abouy 5000 other people, many of whom were families doing the 3 mile family walk. Still working on how and when to eat and what. Preached, then went to Carino's where I had minestone soup and shared a spicy shrimp and chicken with the youngest of the fam. Tried not to eat too much. Maybe I had too much. Not bad tho. Still haven't found out my exact "chip" time but looked like I was a bit over 55 minutes for 5 miles. Not too bad. Didn't feel great but pretty good. It was 65 degrees downtown. Didn't really warm up good for almost three miles. Walked several times when I felt the legs tiring then jogged when recovered after 15-30 seconds. Overall, pretty happy with that. Felt good at the end.

Going out of town today for the rest of the week. Have to work hard to get in my normal or maybe it'll be easier. Maybe I'll get to jog past all the monuments in DC this week.

Praying for decent weather,
sille

What If!

I'm just not much of a gambler. Never have been. A number of things lately have made me rethink that but that's what non-gamblers do, they rethink. I guess my most significant rethink was the Astros playoffs. As a season ticket holder I got the playoff invoice for all playoff games in my mailbox. I mulled over the almost $2000 invoice for only a couple of minutes before deciding what the odds were the Astros would make it to the playoffs. What if I'd bought those playoff tix?

The reason the invoice was so expensive was because you had purchase all tickets all the way through to and including the World Series. The Stros in the Series, not in this lifetime. I'll be rethinking that one for the rest of my days. Not too many months ago I could've prepurchased Rolling Stones tickets at the Toyota Center. I'm not a huge Stones fan so, I passed on the gamble @ $400 per ticket. Lost on that one. Sold out show tickets going for a grand apiece. What if?

Today after reading about Rose Bowl tickets, I thought about the shopping I did for those about a month ago, when I tried to get my sister to take my dad to Pasadena, CA. Cheap by today's standards. Could've made out big, even if they didn't go. What if?

Then there's my non-gambling wins. I didn't buy Big 12 Championship tix, or Cotton Bowl tix, which I had the opportunity to buy and didn't. If you don't gamble, you don't win, but you don't lose either. What if I'd been stuck with 15 Cotton Bowl tix, like I thought about getting when it looked like OU might go there or 8 Big 12 Champ game tix, very early on. Thank goodness I didn't buy em that early. What if?

de

HPSSAD

I think I know what has happened to my usual positive, humorous, not too seriously please, outlook. I've been affected or infected with Houston Professional Sports Seasonal Affective Disorder. It's a self diasnosis with help from Spruce, my coworker.

What's happened is that the Houston Astros have become Sports vampires in their own right. They have sucked every ounce of professional sports juice from the entire rest of the Houston professional sports teams. The Texans, go ahead and bury them or not, leave em alone for a minute or less and they'll bury themselves. Have the dog kick some dirt on them or maybe a Raven will fly over and poop on them. Sorry, that already happened. This week will be just another pitiful sports team who still have an ounce of pride left, the former Houston Oilers, who left town with some of their juice left and have since just about lost it in Tennessee. But they will still be good enough to beat the Texans.

Or how about those Rockets, they are pretty much the equivalent of the Texans or worse. They can't even stay close until the end of the game anymore and then lose it. They just stink it up right from the start, and now they admit it.

It's not only affected the sports team but the fans as well, including me. Its depressing, pitiful, terrible to talk, listen or even read about anymore. And I've caught it. The Astros sucked the life out of professional sports here in H-town. It took all they could beg, borrow, steal, trade, finagle, all they could do to get to the Series and they did. It was great but what a price. There's nothing left, professional sports-wise. It's affected us all and we need a cure but I'm not sure what it is. I need an antidote and I don't think its the Bowl season and all the Longhorns want for Christmas either.

Hoping for a cure,
de

Proof There's Global Warming!

Sometimes pictures are worth only a mention, others, well they say it all. I'm currently recovering from a really messed up running week, checking email and getting ready for our Life Group Christmas party at the house. New house, new lights, new tree, all very exciting but time consuming. That and I felt terrible on Wed when I was supposed to do 4 miles and didn't do anything. Didn't even go to Church which almost never happens. Anyway, did 3.5 on Thursday, felt ok. Went out today to see how far I could go and before I knew it I was 3 mi from the house, ended up at 6 mi today after 3.5 yesterday. Think I'll pay. I really just didn't want to do it tomorrow when its supposed to be 84 degrees. 84 is too hot to try to do something I've never done. Too much sweating not enough hydration. Anyway, it was 62 or so when I left the house, I still sweat like crazy.

What about the picture? Proof, there's global warming and I don't wear one.

ha! cya
de

Picture worth only a word or two

It's time to get back to blogging, I guess. Can't think of anything humorous or even remotely entertaining. Survived Thanksgiving day, the Turkey Trot 5K, kids, dogs, all that food and more.

If you haven't checked out the pics of the Turkey Trot yet, its time to do so. They are worth only a word or two at best. Ade looks the best, I'm just a fashion above Jas in 2nd, and then one of the pics of JY.

You gotta check it out at karenthibodeaux.com then put your bib number in and there you go. I still don't know how to put in links. I think its at the top but I can't get it into the text part. Maybe somebody can splain to me how to do it. I've got brain fog today.

Gotta go soon, jog 3.5 miles, and see if I have time to work some more on the Christmas lights on the house. One of my coworkers, Spruce he's called, explained to me the whole Texans & Rockets thing. He's certain the Astros sucked all the competitive professional sports juice right out of the rest of the H-town teams, in order to make it to the World Series. Must be it, cause there's nothing left in H-town.

de

Hail to You Mr. Grocery bagger guy!

This is not an actual picture of Mr GBG

I had a first last night at the grocery store. I was at the local store, buying as much as I could think of to fulfill the annual Thanksgiving feed bag without having to fight the crowds over the next few days. It was relatively calm, somewhat crowded, but tolerable. One of the reasons I prefer late evening grocery shopping. Actually, 10 in the am may be the best but not today. I have the turkey, a ham, those little marshmallows, shouldn't it be mellows, milk,eggs, brown sugar etc. Good going. Not too much of a wait in line.

As I begin to check out and up steps Mr Grocery bagger guy. They don't have too many of em where I shop. Lots of times Ms. checker lady bags your stuff but not today, it's Thanksgiving. Mr Grocery bagger guy is a surprise, he's young, neat, clean, white, and well dressed which immediately made me ask questions.

He bagged the groceries fine and we headed out the door. Most of the time they bag the groceries and then you take em out yourself, but not today. Mr GBG heads towards the doorway, taking the lead. (usually they follow) It's either a left or right out the door, I'm right, as always, and Mr GBG leads out turning left.

No problem I say, just a bit out of the way, then he heads further out left. I notice he doesn't seem to be paying any attention to me. He's not. He's followed a guy that headed out the door ahead of me. There he goes, enthusiastically with my Turkey, out to someone else's car. I follow. He reaches unknown customers car with my groceries and I finally holler, "Mr GBG, over here."

I think Mr GBG wasn't all there, his elevator didn't reach the top floors, or maybe he was just distracted. Here's to you Mr Grocery Bagger guy, hoping you get all the right groceries to all the right people for this Thanksgiving Holiday. Thanks for getting my groceries to my truck. But next time, I'll probably play Mr GBG myself.

de

Booger Blog

You got your moneys worth today Mike!

I'm still trying to recover from the terrible sports weekend for this blogger. The wife and I almost went to the Westfield/Northshore game on Friday but didn't. It was a terrific game by all accounts, maybe better than any of the rest of the matchups in 5A Texas football will be. But alas, we didn't want to fight the 12,000 other H-town folks who did. Instead we went shopping at the "The Dump."

Then on Saturday to witness truly one of the worst officiated college games of all time in OU vs TECH. All I can hope is that the rest of you, who may not even be OU fans, didn't have to endure such a fiasco. I'd rather eat boogers than watch the officials give a team a victory like the Big 12, er, TEch officials, gave them the game. Two completely blown, horrible, terrible, awful, horrendous calls. How can they sleep at night after such a terrible job? One they got right, on the bobbled Tech touchdown, but why was the guy calling a touchdown to begin with, the receiver never had the ball. Ouch!

Then last night, really against my better judgment, and mostly because the tix were already paid for, and for a Sunday evening game I could go, the bride and I went to the hometown Texans game. Ouch! Can you say boogers? On the way out of the stadium, at halftime, one guy behind us assured his buddy that the Horns could whip up on the TEXAns no problem. I had to agree. Oh man, how could 700 Million dollar invest and a so called professional team be any worse? How can Dom Capers still be employed, unless David Carr were shoved into the unemployment line just before him?

And how about those Rockets? Need I say more? Well, I'm kinda stuffy. My nose is clogged. I gotta run 3.5 miles later. Better clear out those boogers. Hey that may well be the most sporting thing I could experience in say the last 2/3 days.

Keep em clear boys and girls,
de

For all you runners, I did 5 Friday. NOt too bad either. I'll never be fast and rod the bike Sat to cross train. Rest Sunday. Back on the road today.

de

Nascar Fan's Funeral

Just in time for Christmas

Last but not least of my dead week experiences was my first ever NASCAR fan's funeral. I'm not kidding either. I'd only met him once but had presided over his wedding several years ago. One of the reasons he didn't attend church was because during NASCAR season, it interfered with his reverance for NASCAR. NAsCAR Sunday's are about that.

Have you ever actually thought about how you want to be dressed in the casket. I have thought about how I want to be dressed at my own funeral and my best suit is not it. I'm seriously considering overalls because in most circumstances they are as about as comfortable as clothes get. They would also be a bit more presentable than shorts and a t-shirt as long as they are my good or my dress overalls (as the wife calls them), not the ones she will only let me wear in the garage and around the house.

Sorry, I digress. My point is that NASCAR fan was dressed for his funeral in his best Dale Ernhart, #3, blue demin shirt. And the day of the funeral, all his closest people were dressed in NASCAR gear, right down to the grandkids, who wore his favorite NASCAR hats. I'm not kidding here either.

Here's one of the things I used in my comments. Enjoy!

TOP TEN SIGNS YOU'RE AT A NASCAR FAN'S FUNERAL

10. Casket features an exact replica of the GM Goodwrench paint scheme

9. The deceased is referred to as being "out of provisionals"

8. Heart-stirring eulogy delivered by Dr. Jerry Punch

7. "Amazing Grace" is performed by a 9-year-old girl from Bristol, Tennessee

6. Only the first 43 cars are allowed in the procession

5. Hearse referred to as the pace car

4. Procession weaves back and forth to keep heat in the tires

3. Cars caught speeding leaving the church have to go to the rear of the procession

2. First time mourners have an orange stripe on the trunk of their car

And the number one sign you're at a NASCAR fan's funeral,

1. No coolers over 14 inches allowed in the chapel ;-)

Where would we be without songs?

With not much to say today, I thought about what Heather said. It's amazing how powerful music can be in our lives. Whenever I hear the song "Lean On Me," any version, and I immediately go back more than 30 years, when that song was first popular one summer's mission trip with the youth group at Eastside. And there are so many songs, secular, religious, holiday songs, and even kids songs, that in some way, they anchor you back to some experience or incident that took place in your life, no matter how long ago it might've taken place.

Right now, i'm trying to decide what kind of IPOD to buy so that I can train with it for the Texas Half ofr the next 12 1/2 weeks. I had a shuffle and my wife liked it, so I'm looking at maybe the NANO. As music helps to stir my soul, it also vastly helps to fuel my jogging as well. When I am listening to certain songs, my pace quickens, often to the exact beat of a great song, and makes that 3/4 minute stretch just breeze by.

Up to now, I've been at the mercy of 2 or 3 radio stations and at certain times, often, my best running times in the late afternoon, they pack their time full of commercials. Well, today its off for a 3 miler into a stiff north wind at about 60 degrees. Big adjustment from the 82 of yesterday and the past month.

Running on Empty,

de

Things you might know but probably don't.

Donald Duck comics were banned from Finland because he doesn't wear pants.

Things you might know, but probably don't...

Freebies that mean virtually nothing.

Ketchup was sold in the 1830's as medicine. (now that's good medicine)

Leonardo Da Vinci could write with one hand and draw with the other at
the same time, hence, multi-tasking was invented.)

Pick & Grin Band

I started this whole blog thing as a result of 5 funerals in 8 days which I named "dead week." As I think about it, over my years in ministry, November is curiously one of those months when people give up the ghost. This one just set some kind of personal record. Number 4 that week was a gentlemen I had met only a time or two but for some reason his wife felt I was the one who knew him before his dementia got the best of him. It was a shock to me and his daughters but I said yes and there he was behind door #4.

Funerals have certainly changed over the years and I guess I'm grateful. One of the reasons I think I get chosen to preside for those who I don't really know is my willingness to accomodate the family. This fine gentlemen for years was the leader of the "Pick & Grin" band, a gathering of retired folks who loved to pick guitars, sing, and travel to where other folks their age were gathered and sing for them. Those that were left of the band gathered and sang a couple of religious tunes to honor and celebrate the one who had passed. The lead picker and singer was a gal who had to be mid 80's. Even though they were obviously out of practice, because their leader had been sick and died, they did a fine job and I'm sure none who were there will forget. I know I won't.

LIfe is infinitely more pleasant if music is a part of it.

Sing some today,

de

Coming soon. A nascar fan's funeral!

Headline News in B-town

Not much to blog about today. There was news in the local paper B-town Sun this morning. It reads, " Man arrested for battle ax in car. I wondered, just why was carrying his wife in the car anyway? I didn't know it was it a crime and how come they decided to arrest him and not everyone else that surely must've been carrying a battle ax in their car. No pictures were included. Be careful out there guys!

de

The Long Run

Me on a Sunday run

I looked at the 9:00 temperature, 66 degreess. I should've gone then but I hadn't eaten or had coffee. Oatmeal, wheat toast, coffee, etc, a nice breakfast. Put a VHS tape into my VHS>DVD copier, consult with the pool guys about my pool leak. Look back at the temp, now 72. Better get a move on. A load of laundry, another cup of coffee, dress, some water perhaps, ready, now 77 outside. I knew I should've gone earlier. Nice breeze though. First two, not bad, not fast, but I'm not fast. Boy, its officially hot, full sun. I think Pappas seafood is not the night before the Long Run food. My feet are strongly suggesting I get them out of these shoes They are not big enough for my feet now. It's still hot. But I made 4.1 today. Not bad.

You've discovered by now, if you didn't already know, that music is a huge part of my life. It sort makes me go, or maybe it just makes my day better. Friday blogs from now until Feb.11 will be affectionately or maybe not so much be called "The Long Run." My son-in-law is using his blog and I'm using mine to write some about our upcoming attempt to run/jog/walk/crawl/drag me to 13.1 miles in Feb. We're using a schedule that calls for a long run each Sunday. I can't do that on Sunday so I've shifted mine to my off day, Friday, hence "the long run." It's also one of my favorite Eagles songs.


Run, run baby, run, run baby, its a long run,
de

It was a hard day's night

I think today I'll finally finish day 2 of dead week. You'll have to read some of my previous blogs to catch the whole day but it began sometime after 1:00 a.m. when I finally went to bed as Monday ended and Tuesday began. I'd travelled From H-town and a funeral on Monday to OK, drove home, visited with mom until almost 1 a.m., finally slept some, got up to go to my uncle's funeral, drove to Lane, OK, by Cohen's Store, my grandma's former house, and back to Duncan arriving at 7:32 p.m.

I arrived just in time for the start of watching the longest game in World Series history, a 14 inning, eternal game I am sure Astros fans will never forget.

"AS Tuesday night turned into Wednesday morning, Houston's debut as a World Series city turned into one of the longest, most nerve-wracking, most disappointing nights in its 44 years as a big-league baseball town.

Former Astros infielder Geoff Blum hit a one-out home run in the top of the 14th inning shortly before 1 a.m. Wednesday at Minute Maid Park to break a 5-5 tie, and the White Sox went on to beat the Astros 7-5 and take a three-games-to-none lead over Houston in the best-of-seven series .

At 14 innings, the first World Series game played in Texas tied for the longest in series history, in terms of innings played, with the Oct. 9, 1916 game between the Boston Red Sox and Brooklyn Dodgers. At five hours, 41 minutes, it also is the longest game by time in series history, surpassing the four-hour, 51-minute Game 1 of the 2000 Subway Series between the New York Yankees and New York Mets." Via the Houston Barnicle. That ended Day 2 and ran into Day 3 of D-week which was uneventful.

I endured the whole game, the whole day, and wanted to just bury and forget the whole thing. The next day I spent some time with the folks, drove to OKc and flew back to H-town ever so glad that day was done. Unforgetable, but done.

It's been a hard day's night,

de

Slowpoke

Slowpoke the sloth - a retired Beany Baby

My dad is accused of and has admitted to being one of the slowest people around. No, we're not talking about running or anything like that. Come to think of it I don't recall having ever seen him run, except for maybe the early days of my childhood when he used to coach the Woodrow Wilson Track team. That was the early 60's and I don't think he ran much, even then. His track team won the city championships several times.

Even when I'd spend time working with him, he was slow. I'd get impatient at the eternity it took him to do some things but in his time, he always got it done. He is still doing things that way and probably even slower than before, but he can still do most anything. Hence the title for today's blog, Speed doesn't matter; distance does.

That's an actual quote from Hal Higdon's half marathon training guide, week 1, Thursday. Good thing too, cause I will never win any speed races but I can go the distance. I guess its inherited. I made my three miles today but it wasn't very fast. I think that's how life is and that too many of us are in too much of a hurry to get somewhere. It's a long race folks, and its those who finish well that really count the most.

It keeps you runnin,
de

Hal's tip of the week. I don't recognize the adjective "slow" when it comes to running. All runners I know are "fast," no matter at what speed they run. If you worry about being perceived as a slowpoke when you first venture onto the running tracks, simply compare yourself to those potatoes, who never get off their couches.

Life in the fast Lane, OK

Back to dead week. After the funeral, trip to the fast Lane cemetary, a trip to old Mr. Cohen's corner store, we went to where my grandmother used to live when we were kids. Just as the store had not changed, neither had her house. It looked exactly the same. The same propane tank we used to pretend was a big horse to ride, the same old rock root cellar that was pretty darned scary to go down into, the same old garage it was all there. It seemed so much bigger in those days. Peeking into the old garage there was an old car in there and lots of stuff hanging along the walls. I swear some of that stuff has been hanging there since we were there. I heard that when they came to move my grandma out, they pretty much left everything except her basic necessities. It was truly like a trip back in time. The guy that bought the place from grandma still owns it. Too bad he wasn't home so we could go inside. After a brief stop and my uncle's wifes sisters place, we headed back to Duncan. A quick dinner at the "Poor Girls Cafe" in Sulphur, Ok, where the daily special was, small chicken fry, mashed potatoes, green beans, and salad for $3.59, we arrived at the home place just in time for the Astros game. More of this eternally long day tomorrow.

Try to make you lose your mind,
de

Rainy Days & Mondays

Somewhere in the Bahamas


It didn't rain today and Monday wasn't blue and it was a better day physically. I was ready to call it quits after my trying to become a morning person on Sat. A day of rest, an afternoon run of 3 miles feeling pretty good, and I think now I can make it again. I think I've found some other guys to run with too. They run Tues & Thurs and have invited me to join them. They are doing the Houston run in Jan.

Gimme Three steps,

de

Day of Rest

Sunday's will probably be "no blog" days for me. I like to think its a day of rest and I guess for some activities it probably is so. I've begun to try to work on the Half Marathon schedule to see how I do with a week to go before the actual training begins. As my son-in-law says on his blog, this too will help to be my accountability partner as we go along and try something I've never tried before, 13.1 miles by foot. Well, Sunday is Monday on the training schedule for me, a rest day.

It's really hardly that though because Sunday is my only work day! Ha! It's an early day getting ready, spending some quiet time before I gather with God's people, giving it all I've got for 30 or 40 minutes, lunch, home, clean the house before Life Group gets there. We're not yet 8 weeks into LG and it is really going well.

After that, I'm tired and don't want to put on the running clothes and hit the streets. I don't want to blog either, just sort of vegetate. Maybe I'll watch some episodes of TV I've got saved up on the DVR. So, its no blog Sundays, work, then rest.

More about D-week tomorrow.

Here I am to Worship,

de

And that's not a picture of the Washington Monument, that's the San Jacinto Monument, as seen from my back yard just a few nights ago.

Not a morning person

I tried to try out my morning running shoes this morning. It wasn't even early when I got up. My wife was still sleeping. It's really two weeks before the official training begins for the Texas Half in Dallas. I figured I'd get a head start and see how morning running goes. NOT! I just didn't have any legs. I managed three miles but terribly. Maybe its because I road the bicycle a mere 16 hours ago for 30 min. Why don't they do these things while the world is actually awake?

When the lights go down in the city and the sun shines on the bay, Oh I wanna be there in that city. OOOOHHHhhhh!

Better luck tomorrow.

Lane, OK

Lane was a trip back in time. After the cemetary we stopped to visit the old corner store we all remembered. Well, it was still there, Cohen Store, looking exactly the same as it did in the 60's when our grandma lived there. Believe it or not, it was open. we walked in and there stood Mr. Cohen, still working with help from his daughter. Same front doors, same wood floor, same shelves, probably some of the stuff had been there as long as Mr Cohen, 47 years. It's the only store in Lane, pretty much the only thing in Lane, except the Post Office, which is not much bigger than a .37c postage stamp. Darla bought a "chick o stick" that tasted like it had been there 47 years and we told Mr Cohen about when we'd come to visit and walk for miles to get to his store. Really it was only about 1/2 mile.

More tomorrow maybe. Just like my Old 55

de

Dia De Los Muertos

I think I figured out some things. My whole d-week thing was just leading up to Tuesday and Dia De Los Muertos. For all you non-hispanics reading this and that's all of you, that means "day of the dead." I don't know a thing about it but the Houston Barnicle as some have called it, says its "simultaneously solemn and festive, for they remember the dead and celebrate life." Sounds right to me, except I did for a whole week. I haven't yet figured out how to do the ofrendas or offerings to the dead. If you want to check it out, for real now, go to
You'll have do search for muertos cause I haven't figured out how to put the links in yet.

One of the coolest things about my week day 2 was going to Lane, where the burial was. Outside of town is the Lane Cemetary where my dad's parents, Ivey Lee and Josephine are buried. I've only visited their grave once or twice so that was good. We sang another song for the group gathered there, heard the few more words from the preacher, hung out a bit and left.

One of the things I like to do in old cemetaries is to read the names and see how long the folks have been there. I didn't find anyone particularly old headstones but on the way out we saw a lady buried there by the name of "IMA HUMMINGBIRD." I swear on grandpa's grave that was her name. she lived well into her 90's. The only other person I've heard of named Ima was the great Texan Ima Hogg. I think given the two I'd rather be Ima Hummingbird.

More tomorrow about Lane. How far is heaven? I just gotta know how far!

sille

He Died LIke Elvis

I hate to admit it...but when heard that my uncle had died and where they found him, my first thought was, he died just like Elvis. Well, the truth is there were only two things that my uncle and Elvis had in common. They both died in the same place, the bathroom, and they both served in the military. No my uncle didn't do drugs, he never was in movie that I know of, he was almost completely bald like my dad, he never had a hit song, and he lived in Duncan, OK, not somewhere called Graceland.

Day two of D-week, (see yesterday) was an early morning wakeup call via the voices at the dining table at the folks house. I was up late getting in and early to rise for my second funeral in as many days. It was a beautiful fall day much like what I recalled in my growing up years. I'm not an early person but it was up early day two. We arrived at the church early to meet greet family and folks with whom I grew to know in those early years.

The service for my uncle was if I had been transported back to 1975. I'm not sure why 75 except I recall that year better than others. I've also done the High School reunion thing twice this year so that helps. The preacher from 75 is still there. The building, the singers, the songs, the message, the meal to follow, its all still there, along with a couple of girls I dated and might've married if I'd stayed in D-town. Except its 30 years later, we're all older, and my uncle is gone. He was a good man I loved and admired.

Our afternoon was trip halfway across Oklahoma to a little town east of Atoka called Lane. I think I'll save Lane, OK for tomorrow. And if you feel real real bad, don't go in the bathroom, it can be deadly.

I guess for Uncle James, it officially "Return to Sender."

Not too seriously now, ok?

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Did you hear about the young Baptist preacher

Did you hear about the young Baptist preacher in Waco? This past Sunday, he went down into the baptistry to baptize someone in front of 800 or so people, grabbed for the microphone and zap! He was electrocuted and died right there in the baptistry. Wonder what they'll say at his funeral? “We're all in a state of shock,” said the Rev. Joel Gregory, professor of preaching at Baylor University's Truett Seminary.

My son says I need a blog

Actually I've had one for months but have never learned how to use it. Just guess I wasn't sure what to do with it. After everything that's happened lately in the world and in my world I decided to jump into blogging. I'm still not sure I know what I'm doing or even how to use this but here goes.

The title for my blog is, "Not too seriously please." I guess that's the reason for my hesitancy to start blogging because much of what I might say could be taken too seriously and I might offend someone. I hope not but, oh well, here goes.

I just finished what I have entitled "dead week". No, I'm not in school, I'm a full-time minister who just finished participating in some way in 5, count em, 5 funerals in eight days, hence the name, "not too seriously please" and "dead week."

Day one of dead week was the funeral I did for a sweet gal who I really came to know only in recent years. She was one of those folks who live 70 or 80 years in her just under 50. Life was tough, she lived it fast and hard, and finally wore down. Her soul mate was a guy the rest of the bikers called "Wild Man." If wild man could play the guitar he could sub in for Billy Gibbons or Dusty Hill of ZZ top anyday. He looked the part with an 18 inch white beard and leather jacket.

It wasn't my first Biker funeral and probably won't be my last. Wild man answered his cell phone at least twice during the funeral and maybe three times. Bikers, God love 'em are an interesting lot. Funeral attire has drasctically changed over the years and biker funerals are one example. Overall, it was an interesting day and the family and bikers were all pleased by the service. One down.

After that, I left to go home and pack, load up the car and head to the funeral home for the second of the five funerals I just couldn't fit in to my schedule. All I could do was just visit the family, so that's what I did. Then it was off to the doggie motel to house my Schnauzer Frazier, drive to the airport, and off too OK for my uncles funeral, #2 on Tuesday.

It was a late night flight into OKC with no rental car available before I left H-town kinda night. Something about the former New Orleans now OKC Hornets playing that night and no cars are available. The only one that had one would close 30 min before my flight was to arrive. I'd just have to take my chances. I did and fortunately, Thrifty had one car when I got there, I got it and headed south to my folks, arriving late night.

Well, that's my first blog. I'll write more maybe tomorrow.

Stayin alive, stayin alive.

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