Saturday, March 29, 2008

Living Breathing Mallow

"Look! It's alive!" exclaimed Tiger, Wolf and Bear.

Bubbling and gurgling sweet magma.
Oozing and pulsing with apparant life.
Regretfully dreaming of the smore that will never be.

Cubs Scouts like to burn things. This group is trained well enough to not throw trash on the fire (much). And with carcoal, the temptation to feed the fire more sticks is lessened. But there is a big loophole in the roasting of marshmallows.

Thursday, March 20, 2008

Route 66

We drove "the mother road today" and even stopped at Cadilac Ranch."

After a detour down Palo Duro Canyon, we finally arrived home some 1600+ miles later.

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Never Ski Santa Fe (during Spring Break)

Never ski Santa Fe during Spring Break, or at least don't plan on skiing Santa Fe for Spring Break unless you either own your own equipment or plan to get there at 7:30 AM (lifts open at 9:30).

After waiting in line for 3 hours to get equipment, we were told ski school was sold out. Of the 15 people surrounding me in line, only 3 were not from Texas. That is not technically true. There was a couple from Vermont. But the local guy had just moved from Ft. Worth a couple of months ago, so even he was from Texas.

But we were able to salvage a partial day. By the time we had our equipment sorted out, we only had to buy half-day lift tickets. But we still had to figure out how to teach the kids to ski. I was afraid I'd frustrate them completely out of wanting to ski. After ensuring they could move around on flat (icy) land and get up from a fall, we chanced the lift. But we only had two experienced skiers and three newbies. Lainey bowed out, rather than try to lift. Patrick and Paul made it up and down the beginner slope with the expected amount of falls. Paul went up one more time and improved a bunch. For a kid with no ski school, he practically looked like a natural.

And that was it. Game over. Lifts closed. No more runs. Lesson Learned: SHOW UP AT 7 AM.

Monday, March 17, 2008

The ice thing commeth

Unbeknownst to our brave artic research scientist, danger is near.

Danger in the form of the Ice Beast (scientific name: Lainus Grrrrgus) angered by the radio interference of the comminication array. Danger looking for a strong Internet signal.

Ice cream

To: "GO Blogger" <go@blogger.com>;

We caught Uncle Bubba at lunchtime. So the boys had ice cream. No, Patrick doesn't really like mint chocalate chip.

Thunder and Lighting

Stopped in at Gardenswartz today and Cousin Matt asked the boys if they wanted a shirt. Soon eveyone was wearing a GTS hat and was busy working the decal iron.

Thunder and Lighting and Cobras, yeah! & I have shiny Isotopes shirt.

Sunday, March 16, 2008

The Way

It must be one of the truly great gifts of prayer and reflection available to Christians, especially R. Catholics: The Way or Stations of the Cross follows the passion of Jesus's cruxifixion.

Not a pagent. Not The Greatest Story Ever Told with C. Heston as John the Baptist.

And to me even deeper than the Palm Sunday Passion with the Gospel focus on the actions of disciples, the Romans and the Jews (basically in my view, OUR faults and reasons we NEED Jesus' sacrifice and gift of salvation).

However, what I get from The Stations is a chance to really focus on Christ's sacrifice and trials. I find myself especially touched by His falls and stumbles. If Christ can fall and still be Christ, then any of us can acheive grace and forgiveness, no matter how hard the fall.

Dust storm in Estancia

I just saw a tumbleweed shoot across Route 66/I-40. Big winds and dust in the Estancoa Valley.

Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Minden from above

I saw Minden today... While flying Delta from Atlanta to Dallas, I spotted first the Ouachita and I-20 and then Arcadia. I could only recognize Arcadia by the interstate exit and the outlet mall.

The pilot confirmed that we had just passed over Monroe, birthplace of Delta. But we were usally right above or just north of the interstate, so I missed LA Tech.

I almost missed Minden as well. It is so tiny. But I definately made out the upper and lower Caney Lakes. That means I was looking right over my house. Too bad the angle did now allow me to use my camera phone.

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Common clouds

Clouds appear common
When commuting through the sky
I should take notice