"Never be in a hurry; do everything quietly and in a calm spirit. Do not lose your inner peace for anything whatsoever, even if your whole world seems upset." Saint Francis De Sales

Tuesday, July 31, 2018

78th Regiment of Foot



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These figures represent the 78th Regiment of Foot, which was also referred to as the 78th Fraser Highlanders. It was raised in Scotland and sent to North America in 1757. 

The Regiment took part in the Siege of Louisbourg, the Battle of the Plains of Abraham and the capture of Montreal.

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I wanted a Highland Regiment and selected the 78th. There will be at least two squads of them. The first one under the command of Captain Alexander Campbell.

The squad is shown guarding a supply depot position northwest of Briartun.

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These are Old Glory figures which I purchased a few years ago. 

Friday, July 27, 2018

Friends, Shannara & Maria




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This was shared by my good friend Bill. He keeps me and our friends aware of the important things in life. Thank you Bill.

NEVER FORGET YOUR FRIENDS

   A  newlywed young man was sitting on the porch on a humid day, sipping ice tea with his Father.As  he talked about adult life, marriage, responsibilities, and obligations, the Father thoughtfully stirred the ice cubes in his glass and cast a clear, sober look on his Son.

"Never  forget your friends," he advised, "they will become more important as you get older.""Regardless  of how much you love your family and the children you happen to have, you will always need friends.  Remember to go out with them occasionally (if possible), but keep in contact with them some how.

"What  strange advice!" thought the young man.  "I just entered the married world, I am an adult and surely my wife and the family that we will start will be everything I need to make sense of my life."

Yet,  he obeyed his Father; kept in touch with his friends and annually increased their number.  Over the years, he became aware that his Father knew what he was talking about.

Inasmuch as time and nature carry out their designs and mysteries on a person, friends are the bulwarks of our life.

After  70 years of life, here is what he, I and you will have learned:

Time  passes.
 Life  goes on.
 Children  grow up.
 Children  cease to be children and become independent.  And to the parents, it breaks their heart but the children are separated of the parents because they begin their own families.
 Jobs  / careers come and go.
 Illusions,  desires, attraction, sex....weakens.
 People  can't do what they did physically when they were young.
 Parents  die but you move on.
 Colleagues  forget the favors you did .
 The  race to achieve slows.

 But,  true friends are always there, no matter how long or how many miles away they are.
A  friend is never more distant than the reach of a need, intervening in your favor, waiting for you with open arms or in some way blessing your life.

When  we started this adventure called LIFE, we did not know of the incredible joys or sorrows that were ahead.  We did not know how much we would need from each other.  

Love your parents, take care of your children, but keep a group of good friends.  Stay in touch  with them but do not impose your criteria.

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I finished reading Terry Brooks latest book, “The Skaar Invasion.” He has not lost his touch and held my interest throughout the thirty three chapters. I was so engrossed in the story that I did not pay attention to where I was and turning the page found out I had reached the end. 
Ahh! What happens next?

Stay-tuned for the next exciting book of “The Fall of Shannara” series. Available sometime in 2019.

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I’m still working on my guitar but figured that I might get some assistance from Stuart.


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“What was wonderful about childhood is that anything in it was a wonder. It was not merely a world full of miracles; it was a miraculous world.” 
G.K. Chesterton

(Thank you “Aunt Donna” for this quote.”)

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Dee shared this beautiful rendition of St. Patrick’s Prayer by Maria Guillo.


"A Golden Treasury of Irish Poetry, AD 600-1200" (by Greene, David; Frank O'Connor) cites the prayer as probably dating from the eighth century. 
The prayer is written in the style of a druid chant. Legend has it that St Patrick recited these words before encountering a number of druids who had been plotting against him. When the pagans were due to face St Patrick down and ambush him, all they saw was a gentle doe, followed by twenty fawns. God had disguised St Patrick and his followers, and honoured his prayer. Hence St Patrick's prayer is sometimes referred to as " The Deer's Cry".

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Yes, the rain continues.


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Ricky Nelson - “I Will Follow You.”


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Go over to "This Ain't the Lyceum," where Kelly is hosting more takes.


Friday, July 20, 2018

Fr. John, Cursillo & Music




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Sunday’s Homily, July 8, by Father John was strong and passionate. I felt the words caressing my heart and my mind as he spoke with conviction and purpose. There was strength when talked of Paul’s statement, “… for when I am weak, then I am strong.” 
He spoke of the prophets and then named each one that faced ridicule, rejection and death as they preached God’s warnings.

 I do not want to be a prophet.  
Then Father John reminded us that we are prophets …

“As Christ was anointed Priest, Prophet, and King, so may you live always as a member of his body, sharing everlasting life.” 

Sometimes the journey is not as smooth as I would like it to be.

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The 512th Woman’s Central Virginia Cursillo was last weekend July 12 through the 15th. Please pray for them as they move forward with their 4th day.
The candidates:

Chloe 
Debbie
 Diane
Karen
 Jenny
Mary 
Ginny
Sharon 
Sandy 
Chit 
Carmelina
Gabriella
Kerri 
Heather 
Margaret
Lydia

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Dee and I went to Historicon 2018 in Lancaster,  Pennsylvania last week. Tagging along was our granddaughter Hailey and our son Todd. While Todd and I were gaming, Dee and Hailey attended the production of “Jesus,” at the Sight and Sound Theatres. They spent time visiting one of the local Amish farms. Although Hailey was not interested in milking any of the cows. The swimming pool was another favorite attraction for Hailey and her new friend Olivia.

This game was the most enjoyable at Historicon. It was based on Bernard Cornwell's "Sharpe's Series." The game master, Robin Empey titled it "Sharpe's Priest." The rules are written by him and are titled "Green Jackets and Voltigeurs."

Me and Todd
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“The fellow that can only see a week ahead is always the popular fellow, for he is looking with the crowd. But the one that can see years ahead, he has a telescope but he can't make anybody believe that he has it.”

Will Rogers

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I finished reading the 10 novels of Conan by Robert E. Howard, L. Sprague De Camp, Lin Carter and Bjorn Nyberg. 

An excellent read for anyone interested in “sword-and-sorcery.”

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I enjoy music. Old rock and roll, folk, country and some classic. Every once in awhile something comes from one of the Disney movies and other new songs. So, I like sharing what I enjoy and hope that as I provide different videos each week there will be something that someone will also enjoy.

This week is a humorous song by John Prine.

Woke up this morning
Put on my slippers
Walked in the kitchen
And died

And oh, what a feeling!
When my soul
Went through the ceiling
And on up into heaven, I did ride

When I got there, they did say
"John, it happened this way
You slipped upon the floor
And hit your head"

And all the angels say
"Just before you passed away
That these were the very last words
That you said"

"Please don't bury me
Down in that cold, cold ground
No, I’d rather have 'em cut me up
And pass me all around"

"Throw my brain in a hurricane
And the blind can have my eyes
And the deaf can take both of my ears
If they don't mind the size"

"Give my stomach to Milwaukee
If they run out of beer
Put my socks in a cedar box
Just to get 'em out of here"

"Venus De Milo can have my arms
Look out! I've got your nose
Sell my heart to the junk man
And give my love to Rose"

“Chorus”

"Give my feet to the footloose
Careless, fancy free
And give my knees to the needy
Don't pull that stuff on me"

"Hand me down my walking cane
It’s a sin to tell a lie
Send my mouth way down south
And kiss my ass goodbye"

“Chorus”

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John Prine - “Please Don’t Bury Me”


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Go over to "This Ain't the Lyceum," where Kelly is hosting more takes.

Friday, July 6, 2018

World Cup, Erma & Canada




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There have been some really great World Cup games this week. France versus Argentina, Croatia versus Denmark and Belgium versus Japan were my favorites this week.

World Cup

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Ten of smallest countries to qualify for the World Cup.

Rank Country Year of Population At
Qualification The Time of Qualification

1 Iceland 2018 340,000
2 Paraguay 1930 860,000
3 Trinidad and Tobago 2006 1.3 million
4 Northern Ireland 1958 1.4 million
5 Kuwait 1982 1.5 million
6 United Arab Emirates 1990 1.9 million
7 Uruguay 1930 1.9 million
8 Slovenia 2010 2.0 million
9 Bolivia 1930 2.0 million
10 Jamaica 1982 2.6 million



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We spent July 4th at Mary and Dan’s. Dee made some awesome fried chicken supplemented with her potato salad. Mary made corn salad and Christina baked some awesome brownies. 
As always we were out on the boat cruising, swimming and then watching the terrific fireworks from the boat.

Toss the ring on the moose antlers.

Cannonball !

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"You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence every July 4th, not with a parade of guns, tanks, and soldiers who file by the White House in a show of strength and muscle, but with family picnics where kids throw Frisbees, the potato salad gets iffy, and the flies die from happiness.  You may think you have overeaten, but it is patriotism." 
-  Erma Bombeck

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Happy Canada Day to our friends north of the Great Lakes.

"Canada Day (French: Fête du Canada) is the national day of Canada, a federal statutory holiday celebrating the anniversary of the July 1, 1867, enactment of the British North America Act, 1867 (today called the Constitution Act, 1867), which united three colonies into a single country called Canada within the British Empire. Originally called Dominion Day (French: Le Jour de la Confédération), the holiday was renamed in 1982, the year the Canada Act was passed. Canada Day observances take place throughout Canada as well as among Canadians internationally.”


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Dave Loggins - “Sunset Woman”


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Go over to "This Ain't the Lyceum," where Kelly is hosting more takes.