cliff52

Granddaddy's gone a-hunting. Many fierce skeets will perish by his hand (or when they hit the ground, unscathed)

If you've never tried this, find a way!

Two five-hundred-mile car trips, Saturday and today, to retrieve daughter and granddaughters for a couple extra days of visit for Thanksgiving. I am quite tired, but have driven further for a whole lot less. On the return trip, the company was exquisite! We made quite a few stops for the 9-week-old Mallie to dine. That and the random nature of human metabolism (for the rest of us) turned a 8 hour trip into almost 12 hours.

This is Mallie's first visit to Georgia, and a homecoming for Ella and Kim. Their Dad, Brent will join us on Wednesday.
For safe passage, and the time we have together, I am thankful.

This week, greygirlbeast posted some pictures of Sanderlings on the beach in Rhode Island.

In a fit of inspiration, I commented to her blog that this name would make a good title. She agreed, and assigned it to a story under construction, which will be featured in her monthly publication, Sirenia Digest. The publication date is the last day of the month.

 A unique offering on Gunbroker - the 1907 Austrian Roth-Steyr 8mm pistol.

Widely thought-of as the realization of the Flash Gordon ray gun.
The auction says it was carried by Austrian Dragoon units.


The term 'Dragoon' brings to mind cavalry with lance and sword, quite 19th century and before.
World War 1 brought all that strategy to a bloody end.

Riverview, FL, early November, 2009



video / cliff miller

Thornton Wilder, in The Bridge Of San Luis Rey:

The six attributes of the adventurer
1. A memory for names and faces
2. The gift of tongues
3. Inexhaustible invention
4. Secrecy
5. A talent for chatting with strangers
6. A freedom from conscience

What do children think about the film "Where the Wild Things Are"?
It seemed a little dark and intense for the little ones, to me. On the other hand, do they find it boring?

Amazon - Hardover
picture from the University of Maine

 No, not a complaint about traffic.  This has been the summer of Florida Interstate Travel.  In anticipation of new granddaughter, then for birth, then for visit:
Interstates in Florida we/I have travelled:  95, 10, 4, 75, 275.
Interstates in Georgia that connect:  20, 16, 95.
The winner in the Evans to Riverview run:  I20 to Greensboro, various Ga 2-lanes to Macon, just a dab of I16, I75 all the way to Riverview. 
I can do the 500 miles in 8 hours.  It's longer than the alternatives, but faster for some reason.

 I said in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy yourself.” But behold, this also was vanity. I said of laughter, “It is mad,” and of pleasure, “What use is it?” I searched with my heart how to cheer my body with wine—my heart still guiding me with wisdom—and how to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was good for the children of man to do under heaven during the few days of their life. I made great works. I built houses and planted vineyards for myself. I made myself gardens and parks, and planted in them all kinds of fruit trees. I made myself pools from which to water the forest of growing trees. I bought male and female slaves, and had slaves who were born in my house. I had also great possessions of herds and flocks, more than any who had been before me in Jerusalem. I also gathered for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I got singers, both men and women, and many concubines, the delight of the children of man.

So I became great and surpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me. And whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I kept my heart from no pleasure, for my heart found pleasure in all my toil, and this was my reward for all my toil. Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun.

—Ecclesiastes 2:1-11

 I am sad because my friend is sad / girlfriend broke up with him.  Based on his experience, perils of dating at our age:
1.  Both of you have connections that compete for time / affection - ex-spouses and boy/girl-friends, kids (grandkids!), friends, work, hobbies(?).
2.  Everyone knows how good a relationship can be, but because of bad past relationships, too much intimacy is feared.
3.  Put a few decades (several? - let's face it - FIVE!) behind you, you think you're not vulnerable?  Nope - it gets worse.
4.  Perspective is a two-edged sword.  You've lost some of the illusions that got you through...
Maybe I can do another post on the good stuff, later, but, now, I'm just sad for my friend.

I made the toast this morning.
Carol put some raspberry jam on her toast and asked me if I wanted some.
"Sure," I said and she handed me the spoon, saying "Rinse this off, I licked it."
"How would that be different than a kiss?"
"I mean don't stick it in the jar, idiot."
Another of the infinity of ways to say, "I love you."
Next Saturday is our 33rd anniversary.

The Gospel according to St. Mark, Chapter 12, The Parable of the Tenants
(1)He then began to speak to them in parables: "A man planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a pit for the winepress and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and went away on a journey. (2)At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants to collect from them some of the fruit of the vineyard. (3)But they seized him, beat him and sent him away empty-handed. (4)Then he sent another servant to them; they struck this man on the head and treated him shamefully. (5)He sent still another, and that one they killed. He sent many others; some of them they beat, others they killed.
(6)"He had one left to send, a son, whom he loved. He sent him last of all, saying, 'They will respect my son.'
(7)"But the tenants said to one another, 'This is the heir. Come, let's kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.' (8)So they took him and killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard.
(9)"What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others. (10)Haven't you read this scripture:
" 'The stone the builders rejected
has become the capstone;
(11)the Lord has done this,
and it is marvelous in our eyes'?"

What an immense privilege to look into the face of a newborn.
Faith, Science, and Magic, all in a single glimpse.
I admit I stood back a bit from this one and enjoyed watching the birth of relationships:  
Father, Mother, Sister, Grandfather, Grandmother, Uncle, Aunt.
Not too far back - I spoke to her, she looked at me and stole my heart, too.

God gives us hints of His Nature:
You think your heart is as big as it possibly can be, then,
in an instant, it grows bigger and you love more.
I prayed hard about this pregnancy and birth - there were problems that worried me about Mom and Daughter.
I've never asked and met with silence.
I've never asked and not been answered.
We do not walk alone.