IT HAD IT ALL . . .

The family headed east for a weekend visit with our favorite Hoosier (wasn't that Miss Brooks or the Martian guy originally??). Anyway, we made the short jaunt for a visit.

Arrived Thursday evening and were fed stuff off the grill. It was all very yummy.

Friday we had pancakes (I cooked . . . because she was going to get that thing one way or another!) and bacon. It was also very yummy.

From there, Jane and I made the tour of her four parishes; I mean, what else are a couple of church-geeks supposed to do? We had a great time. She enjoyed showing off where she has been called to minister, and I enjoyed watching her enthusiasm. They are all four itty-bitty places, but I am convinced that this is where she needs to be and that good things will happen there.

On our way home, we were stopped on the freeway at a construction site for a good 15 minutes. No construction. No accident. But there was an OVERSIZE LOAD coming the opposite direction which needed both lanes of traffic to itself. And the flat bed truck that was doing the hauling had THEEEE BIGGEST DANGED DUMPER THINGY we have ever seen. It probably belonged to this. So we waited until it passed by and then went on our merry way.

Once back at the homestead, I helped Bruce load, deliver, and unload a desk that, according to Jane, "Really shouldn't have made the move." We delivered it to the Laurel Second Hand Store . . . with minimal damage, I might add.

Afterwards, we all went out to see "Barnyard." It's a fun little movie with shades of "Lion King," "Men in Black," and something else I can't remember at the moment. But it was good. At least, the portions I saw.

I was suddenly afflicted with . . . well, let's just say that this was the drug of choice. And all drugs usually work better when you aren't . . . well, let's also just say that I paid homage to the porcelain god.

I managed to miss a good portion of the movie. I managed to miss birthday dinner. I managed to miss birthday pie ... TRAGEDY!!!

On the plus side, however, I was taken care of by several people who think it's best if I don't die just yet, so that was a positive experience. And I managed to semi-recover by this morning. I'm still a little "out of sorts," but vastly improved over this time last night.

It's been an awfully long time since I've crammed so much activity into one weekend. Next time I'll just settle for pie.

And now I am off to bed to try and recuperate further before I head off to do the Sunday thing.

Good night, John Boy.