Starlings in Flight

I had a request for this from a friend who wanted to see it so here it is. Enjoy.

THE SHACK

While we were on vacation at Siesta Key Kelly just casually mentioned hearing about a book called The Shack from one of her customers. A couple of days after that Holly, Deana, Delaney and I went to the Whole Foods Market then to a Books-a-Million. When we walked in the front door The Shack was on a display stand directly in front of me so I grabbed it. It is a short book and should have only taken me a couple of days to read it but, I didn't want it to end. I stretched out reading time by only allowing myself to read it while I was eating breakfast. This wasn't a really good idea because the story often brought tears, laughter, insight, and creative ideas to mind. So much so that breakfast took an hour or more to finish.

Being a Mormon, albeit inactive in the workings of the LDS church, I know I have been given the most truth I am capable of receiving concerning (among other things) the nature of God. I know Him as kind and wise and loving and often playful. I know that He solves huge chaotic problems in such a way that every person involved benefits from the solution - something we, as humans, cannot seem to do. I also know Jesus Christ; his loving nature and purposes, and his love for us. Sometimes I tend to ignore Him but I always know they are there. This book simply reminded me of how wonderful a relationship with our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ is. It reminded me of the truths I hold so dear. I don't normally like the mainstream "Christian" literature and admittedly, The Shack does occasionally get a bit "Protestant preachy". That being said, I loved reading it and I loved more what it reminded me of - My loving, intimate relationship with God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost. It is worth reading!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!

I think being 67 is something to laugh about; the older I get the more there is.



GAMES FOR WHEN WE ARE OLDER

1. Sag, you're It.
2. Hide and go pee.
3. 20 questions shouted into your good ear.
4. Kick the bucket
5. Red Rover, Red Rover, the nurse says Bend Over.
6. Musical recliners.
7. Simon says something incoherent.
8. Pin the Toupee on the bald guy

OLD IS WHEN:
1. Going bra-less pulls all the wrinkles out of your face.
2. You don't care where your spouse goes, just as long as you don't have to go along.
3. Getting a little action means I don't need fiber today.
4. Getting lucky means you find your car in the parking lot.
5. An all-nighter means not getting up to pee!


IS SHE REALLY ASLEEP?

I'm Pocahantas!

You Are Pocahantas!

Free-spirited and wise. You have a strong passionate spirit that touches and changes all who know you. The wisdom and common sense that you have is really what guides you through life. Even so, you also have a very playful side that loves adventure and excitement.

Which Disney Princess Are You?

Vacation on Siesta Key

I just spent a week on Siesta Key with my two daughters and their families. We stayed in a two bedroom Condo which was really nice.
What fun! Walking every morning on the beach and watching the sun rise was inspiring. The storms which came and went in about 20 minutes were the result of the hurricane in the gulf. Waves were often above my head and the troughs left me in knee high water. I had to time my exit from the Gulf so I wouldn't be knocked over.

We visited Turtle Beach (has artificial sand!)

Gasparilla island

and Sanibel/Captiva.

Thomas Edison's summer home is in Fort Myers but no tourists are allowed inside if it is raining. There is a huge banyan tree on the grounds that was to Edison by Harvey Firestone.

At night the kids would play while we worked on jigsaw puzzles - a totally mindless activity which is addicting.
We stopped at a burger joint on Sanibel called Cheeburger Cheeburger. They had something like 1000 flavors of milk shakes and a challenge for Jamie - the one pound cheese burger. If he ate it he got his picture taken and placed on the wall of fame. Best of all the played 50's music. Deanna definitely did not like my singing "yip, yip, yip, yip, boom, boom, boom get a job" to her.
I should have the rest of the pictures from the vacation posted on my travels Blog soon.

THE TWO BEST SPORTING EVENTS EVER!

No one would ever accuse me of being an avid sports fan. Not even close. However, I am obsessively watching the Olympics - Particularly the swimming but also the beach vollyball, diving, gymnastics et. al. Last night I watched one of the two best sporting events I have ever seen. It was the men's 4 X 100 freestyle relay. Seeing these 4 athletes do what everyone said was impossible - beat the French team -was amazing. There was only, now get this, .008 of a second difference in first and second place. As much as I like Phelps, Jason Lezak was the hero of that team catching up and beating a swimmer everyone said no-one could beat. If you haven't seen the race be sure and watch it! One of these two links ought to work - just cut and paste.

http://www.nbcolympics.com/video/share.html?videoid=0811_hd_swb_hl_l0194

http://www.nbcolympics.com/video/player.html?assetid=0811_hd_swb_hl_l0194




While I'm at it and since I mentioned two spectacular sporting events - the other one is the 1956 World Series. The New York Yankees beat the Brooklyn Dodgers 4 games to 3. Don Larsen pitched a perfect game (Game 5); Mickey Mantle made a spectacular running catch in game 5; players included Yogi Berra, Whitey Ford, Mickey Mantle,Roy Campanella, Don Drysdale, Carl Erskine, Pee Wee Reese and Jackie Robinson. It was a wonderfully exciting world series for a young girl just beginning to like sports.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CONNOR AND WYATT