Catching Up

This has been a very busy week -- that's nothing new. However, there's been a bit of a family crisis going on. The last time something this big happened (OK, there's never really been anything this big), we caught up with the news via our bag phone. Now it's local calls and visits to homes and reading the papers. Dying of curiosity? Send me a personal email.

In the domain of the utterly mundane, but still distressing, our landlord's crack-fiend gang o'helpers (gotta be --nothing else makes sense) came over to trim the hedges. We'd mentioned a dead tree in the backyard -- it's still standing. However, the hedges mostly are not. The front of our house looks like a reindeer cemetery, where the gravediggers under-estimated the heights of Dasher, Dancer, etc. Their 6-10 inch high horns are sticking out where the holly and azalea bushes used to be. Pics when I remember to try Izzy's camera or get mine back from the camera hospital.

Just finished watching the Des Moines Register Republican Debate on CSPAN2.

• Number one observation -- the moderator really didn't like Ambassador Keyes.
• Number two: When did Keyes enter the race? Where has he been?
• Number three: 30 second and 15 second questions are attempts to trap people into giving sound bite answers. If I'm actually watching CSPAN2, do you think I'm the type of voter who wants sound bites? Let them talk, already! It's OK if the debate goes three or four hours -- what else could you possibly have to broadcast on CSPAN2?!!?

(That rant was totally decaffeinated, by the way.)

I went in for lab work this morning so we would have the results available for my physical on Friday. I realized later that tomorrow marks one year since I got my official diagnosis of diabetes. It's been a year of big changes, and I'm grateful for those who supported and encourage me, especially in the early stressed-out days.

Izzy and I are very much looking forward to our time at the beach the week of New Years. I'm hoping that we don't look too far in advance, passing up the next 11 or so days of preparation for Christmastide.

Continued prayers for Baldman and Waldie as Tricia's family adjusts to the loss of David.

Traveling safety prayers for Gashwin.

S&S: There was a fax at the parish this evening stamped "This event has been approved." I guess you're good to go on the whole wedding thing.

Night all.