Running with the Jet Set

Travel Stats:

• 14 hours travel by car
• 8 cities
• 6 flights

• 2 weeks gone
• 2 much food at Pat's BBQ
• 1 batch huckleberry muffins
• 1 carry-on
• 1 rental car
• 1 car purchase adventure
• 1 graduation
• 0 tornadoes
• 0 checked bags

If you're exhausted and glad to be home then you know it was good vacation. This vacation was two visits rolled into one big, long trip. I started by flying into Spokane where the goddaughter's family picked me up and took back to Bonners Ferry to spend a week. The weather was cold and rainy, and company was great. I, of course, made a stop at my favorite book store. I then had to ship my books home as I had no room to take them on the plane with me. As of today they haven't arrived yet, but I haven't lost hope yet.

In addition to all that I got to try out a new Brazilian restaurant in Coure d'Alene as well as other good food. I was also around for my friend purchasing a 1980 3/4 ton Chevrolet truck. It'll be fine, I'm sure.

Next, it was onto Missouri to see my Uncle and his family. As we taxied up to the terminal in St. Louis I couldn't help but notice that half of the terminals windows had plywood instead of glass thanks to the last tornado. The rental car office took the time to let me know that if I got caught in a hail storm that I would be responsible for the damage. As cold as Nevada is at least I don't have to deal with tornadoes and softball sized hail stones. They had a few severe weather warnings out while I was there, but thankfully the only things trying to kill me were the legions of gnats and the oppressive humidity. We took a little hike to a cave located on base and were rewarded with the only scenic view in rural Missouri. 

Next time that I visit them they might just be living outside Shenandoah National Park instead of a US Army base in the backwater of Missouri. I can't wait for that! On the way back through St. Louis I visited the Transportation Museum, ate at a great pasta restaurant and stopped by the impressive Union Station. I returned to Ely to find snow still on the ground and clean, dry air that I can breath. Spring? Summer? Who needs them.

What's next? 

Spokane's Pig-out in the Park?

Hawaii for someone's graduation?

Amtrak cruise?
New York?

Who knows...

Shining Moment

Last weekend there was a big road race in Ely. This happens twice a year and means that during the weekend the town is full of Ferrari's, Porsche, BMW, and other very expensive high end race cars running around. Late Saturday night the trusty Bug and I ran over to the grocery store to pick up a few items for Sunday dinner. I happened to pull into the parking lot along with a Viper, Lamborghini and one or two other expensive cars. As I was getting out of my parked Bug one of the high school baggers that was collecting shopping carts in the parking lot kept spinning around to look in my direction. I thought nothing of it and walked into the store with the drivers of the fancy cars. After collecting the things I needed I got in line at the check out stand be hind the aforementioned fancy car drivers. It was at this point my night was made, perhaps even my week. The high school bagger who was out in the parking lot (now bagging at the checking stand) gets my attention and says, "that's a cool car you're driving." The fancy car drivers paused and look back in my direction to look at the ridiculous grin on my face. I don't usually tip baggers, but in this case I made an exception.

Two pints of whipping cream: $1.98

3 Cucumbers: On sale for $1.00

Having the coolest car in the parking lot:   Priceless

You Talkin' Double

I will readily admit that I have no idea what this song is about, but I love it. 
Fitz and the Tantrums - Money Grabber

Osama Party

Like many, I was relieved to find out that they finally got bin Laden. Was it worth the money, human effort and sacrifice of so many? I'm sure the jury is still out on that (in mind anyway). It seems that protecting innocent people by exacting justice on perpetrators is never something that should be taken lightly or flippantly.

That's why I was rather shocked by the photographs capturing the reactions of some of the groups around the country after the announcement that bin Laden had been killed. Now, while there were many people showing an outpouring of support, love, and relief to those who had been directly affected by the 9/11 attacks, some of the celebrations seemed uncomfortably inappropriate. First off were several pictures of different college campuses where students had decided to strip to the waste and run whooping into the streets like they had just won the championship. Let me just point out that by-in-large these students were in the range of 8-10 years old during 9/11, and I can't recall the last time I saw the family of the victim throwing a drunken frat brawl at the execution of the murder. Perhaps the most upsetting display in connection with the announcement of bin Laden's death was this guy:

Was this guy just holding onto this particularly atrocious piece of full body spandex waiting for a chance to use it!?!? A word to the wise: full body spandex is NEVER appropriate. I have at least one friend who will back me up on that.

Some quotes that I think do a fair job explaining why these reactions might not be the best, for Christians at least:

Catholic News Service reported , "The Vatican said the killing of al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden, a man who sowed division and hatred and who caused 'innumerable' deaths, should prompt serious reflection about one's responsibility before God, not rejoicing." Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, the Vatican spokesman, acknowledged in a statement that bin Laden bears serious responsibility for spreading hate and death, "In the face of a man's death, a Christian never rejoices, but reflects on the serious responsibilities of each person before God and before men, and hopes and works so that every event may be the occasion for the further growth of peace and not of hatred."
Joe Carter wrote on First Things that, "We have a tendency to want to think of our enemies as sub-human vermin, as being so distant from ourselves that they are almost a different species. … Yet our relief at his death must be tempered by a Christian view of humanity. We must never forget that the evil comes not from the actions of 'subhuman vermin' but from the heart of a fallen, sacred yet degraded, human being. If we are to preserve our own humanity we must not forget that our enemy differs from us in degree, not in kind. Like us, they are human, all too human."

Is the world a little bit of a better place without Osama bin Laden? Yes
Did bin Laden have it coming to him? Of Course!
Do those facts (and I'm sure a host of other good reasons) void our Christianity? I wouldn't think so.

I've Crossed the Line

A few days ago I went to the grocery store. We were out of cream cheese so I bought a couple of tubs. We were out of cream cheese because during my time at home by myself these last few weeks I've managed to polish off a few bricks of the heavenly substance by myself. I'm a little reluctant to admit that most of the time I didn't even take the time to spread it on a cracker or bagel. I just ate the stuff straight. Now I love cream cheese, this is no news flash. However, in addition to the cream cheese I purchased some of this:

I love this stuff. As most of you know this is, by far, the best chocolate ice cream there is. As I walked home the only thing I could think about sinking my teeth into was the cream cheese. At that point I knew that I had crossed a threshold. I had chosen cream cheese over chocolate. I'm getting my blood checked next month and if my arteries aren't clogged the only limit to the cream cheese I will eat will be when my bank account runs dry.

Spring Inspection

Spring is on it's way. The snow is now only holding on in the shade of the trees on the North facing slopes. The temperature during the day is usually in the 40's and 50's. I love it. With spring comes dirt works and drainage projects. Here's the Blazer helping me do culvert inspection on the railroad. As often as I voice my disdain for the Blazer it's really growing on me as a back-country explorer, and this summer that top is coming off (just before it decides to rain, I'm sure).

Guess What it is!

While many of you are basking in the sun and budding greenery of spring I am not. The end of last week Ely received close to a foot of new, wet snow. Fortunately, snow this time of year usually doesn't stay around long. The snow pictured here is all but gone now and the next storm is already on the horizon.

Answer: It's a 1974 VW Super Beetle

Dedicated to Linda Bohn who loved puzzles, and who was a tireless supporter of whatever it was that her children or grandchildren were interested in.

On one occasion my cousin and I were driving Linda back home from Provo. I happened to be wearing my "extreme Volkswagen addict" T-shirt. Upon reading the shirt she remarked,"that's a bit of an understatement." Love you Grandma!