Service Day

Grandpa Jim and Aaron in their work outside attire.




Stumped!





Aaron working on the tree stump with some other young men.




Aaron with a big leaf rake.



Grandpa Jim and Aaron went to help out with an Eagle Scout project for one of the young men from Troop 129. Many of the recent Eagle projects from Troop 129 have been to do various improvements to the inside and outside of my brother's school in DeKalb for the developmental disabled. Members of our Church also went to assist the young men as part of a clean up day. They are creating an area where planter boxes can be accessed by those in wheel chairs. Here is a first hand account of the day from my stepdad's blog.




I'm really proud of Aaron for giving service and what he received in return was a sense of charity and making new friends.

::::::::::::::::::The BFG::::::::::::::

Erica asked about my thoughts on The BFG, so here are a few thoughts. Roald Dahl's characters are young people in undesirable life circumstances and put into fantastic scenerios. The word that fits my impression of his works it chimerical. (Etymology: chimera
1 : existing only as the product of unchecked imagination : fantastically visionary or improbable
2 : given to fantastic schemes).

I also enjoy reading books with different dialects that differentiate the characters by location, experience, and education. I love, as I read out loud, to drop into the BFG's dialect and then back to Sophie's little polite voice. Dahl's ability to create hilarious sounding words like scrumdiddlyumptious is a riot, too. The chapter entitled Frobscottle and Whizzpoppers had Aaron and Rachel laughing out loud. From now on I believe their discussions about their own flatulence and that of others will be peppered with the phrase whizzpopper with a conspiratorial giggle!

:::::::::::::::::::Slideshow Project:::::::::

I am almost finished with a slideshow project for a gentlemen in Troop 129. He went to Philmont along with his son and some other young men from their Troop. I helped him do a slideshow for his eldest son's Eagle project, so he asked if I would do a video for his Philmont trip. I finished the pan and zoom edits and I will be adding music this week. I hope it turns out the way he envisions.

::::::::::::::::::Poison Ivy Update:::::::::

I am close to being healed of the tell tale signs of this nasty experience. Aaron recoils less when he touches my legs. I should have little to no scarring. But as I was healing the poison ivy was growing, so it looks like there will be a rematch. ****High Noon Gun whistling music**** I don't hold out much hope for me coming out unscathed in such a hideous reunion.

::::::::::::::::::Short Attention Span Theatre:::::::

In this episode of Short Attention Span Theatre we meet Noah Taylor who can be sitting at the table during a prayer and then 2 minutes later wonder why everyone is eating because the prayer hasn't been said. Whereby everyone else responds, "We just said it! Weren't you listening?!?!"


:::::::::::Digital Converts:::::::::::

My friend Kim is very interested in playing with pixels, so I hope to see her creative talents in a few months when she gets a chance to get some software and learn this craft.

::::::::::Let's Go Fly a Kite::::::::::::
...up to the highest heights...Come, let's go fly a kite!

We are off to fly a kite with Eve at Stone Mountain. She has wanted one desperately since she played with one a week ago and I saw a cool one at Target. Eve kissed the kite when I gave it to her. Hmmm...I think she appreciated it.

Smiles!