Friday Funny

I am right in the middle of one of the most intense work situations I've ever experienced. I need to mentally escape for a minute and I can't think of a better way to do it than to share a funny. So here you go, for your laughter and my sanity. (Thanks, Cyndy.)

The Italian Secret of a Long Marriage...
At Saint Mary's Catholic Church they have a weekly husband's marriage seminar. At the session last week, the Priest asked Mario, who was approaching his 50th wedding anniversary, to take a few minutes and share some insight into how he had managed to stay married to the same woman all these years.??

Mario replied to the assembled husbands, "Wella, I've a-tried to treat-a her nicea, spenda da money on her, but besta of alla is that I tooka her to Italy for the 25th anniversary!" The Priest responded, "Mario, you are an amazing inspiration to all the husbands here! Please tell us what you are planning for your wife for your 50th anniversary." Mario proudly replied, "I'm a-gonna go get her."

Have a great weekend everyone.

My Friday the 13th

Ell and I usually spend Friday the 13th's with our friends watching cheesy B-rated horror movies. You know, the ones with ketchup for blood and where the actors are clearly reading off cue cards. We had a special treat in February and March with two in a row, but unfortunately we weren't able to coordinate the usual festivities. But I think karma was pissed we ignored the laws of nature not once, but twice, because she bit me hard.

As I traveled home on March 13th, I phoned Ell to ask about something I was supposed to get in the mail. She told me she hadn't checked the PO box, so I needed to do so before I went home. After I hung up, my brain hit the erase button and I headed down the side road towards home instead of heading into town to get the mail. As I drove down the hill towards a one lane bridge, out of the corner of my eye I noticed something falling. It was a large limb off a tree by the side of the road.

With cat quick reflexes I was swerving to try and miss the huge part of the tree falling across the road. In a split second I decided to take the brunt of the impact versus potentially rolling down the hill into a lower farm field. And hit it, it did. The tree was falling perpendicular to the road and I hit it with the front passenger side corner. I hit it hard enough to move the tree so it was only covering one lane. I pulled over to survey the damage and to catch my breath. A tree falling onto your vehicle is not something you can ever be prepared for.

Thankfully the damage wasn't too much (even though it'll cost almost $2600 to fix) and I always carry good insurance. I wasn't hurt at all and the truck was still able to be driven. So even though I'm in a crappy little rental this week, things could have been much worse. And I made a promise to Ell that the next time a Friday the 13th comes up, we are renting some really bad horror movies. No questions asked.

Where to start?

I don't know about anyone else, but when I get a lot of blog posts going in my head I end up not blogging at all. It's like some weird backwards energy. My brain has a post outline about my faith and church, an update on my new job, some random thoughts about the joblessness of so many close to me, some pictures from the Jamaican Party, wonderful news about my writing project, a very open and honest post about friendships, and a reminder about AT thru-hikers I'm following. It sounds like a cop-out, but I literally don't know where to start.

Since the last one in that list is the easiest, I'll start there.

As most of you know, in a couple/few years I'll be hitting the Appalachian Trail for a thru-hike. It was a dream of mine as a young adult, and a few years back was re-inspired by my dear friend, Diana. Diana and her fiance, Jason, are thru-hiking this year and I will be chronicling their hike on a seperate website.

Almost all AT thru-hikers keep a trail journal; a record of their living history and experiences on the trail. Sometimes they publish these journals while on the hike or after they get back. If they decide to publish it on the way, they usually send the journals back to a person at home that puts them into electronic form and releases them. If you click on the link to the right titled, Jason & Diana's trail journal, you can follow these two travelers (and their dog, Nica) as they hike. They already have a couple posts up and I would encourage you to check that link often so you can follow along with their journey.

Two other friends are already on the trail and they are using a solar-operated device to transmit their journal (and pictures) as they hike. Their link is lower down the line and is entitled Mike and Roxanne. They just posted some 170+ pictures so check them out too, you won't be disappointed. They also have an email sign up if you want to have updates sent to you directly. Pretty cool.

We'll see about posting more from that list of mine soon. In the meantime, check out Jason & Diana, and Mike & Roxanne.

My holiday

Ahhh, the wearing of the green. Dontcha love it? I know I do.
Here are some of the ways I've been able to celebrate this year.

1) I was asked and was able to host this past month's beer school in honor of my Irishness. The theme I chose, of course, was Irish and Irish-style brews. Quite a treat.

2) I've been listening to Celtic music for weeks, including the heavy rotation of an Irish-Drinking songs CD my (non drinking) parents bought me.

3) My favorite beer in the whole world is a seasonal that just happens to be a St. Patrick's Day seasonal from Great Lakes. (Conway's Irish Ale.) That in itself is worthy of a holiday.

4) My wife shaved a shamrock in my hair; well, as good as you can with hair. It goes well with my red beard and has prompted many a Leprechaun comment as well as a few sideways glances from people at building-church and at work.

5) I got to drive through the beginnings of the Boardman St. Patty's Day parade yesterday. It brought much joy to my heart to see so much green.

6) There hasn't been a day in over a week I haven't worn green.

7) My dear sister (the non-blood one) bought me knee-high leggings in Ireland's colors and with shamrocks on each side. You've never seen an Irishman until you've seen one in his underwear with knee-high leggings on. Of that you can be sure.

And although my Bible study is tomorrow night, I'll still be celebrating with some Conway's Ale and my guys as we watch the mini series, Band of Brothers. It'll be grand. A special shout out to my Dad and my friend, Kimmy. Here's hoping you both have a great St. Patrick's Day. I leave you with this Celtic prayer...

Slainte mhor agus a h-uile beannachd duibh!

Good health and every good blessing to you!

And one of my favorite Celtic blessings to all the rest of you...

May you have

Walls for the wind

And a roof for the rain

And drinks bedside the fire

Laughter to cheer you

And those you love near you,

And all that your heart may desire

Winner, winner, chicken dinner

So after much deliberation and a very scientific computer picking program I had the boys at NASA design for me, the winner is..........................







Austin Mommy. I was moved by her story of connecting with her neighbors and I love to see the next generation of 'lil ones getting their hands dirty finding out that food does not come from a grocery store. So Ang, I'll get you your prize package tomorrow.



I wish I had more to give the others............ maybe in a few months. Stay tuned.

Giveaway

Everyone seems to be giving stuff away, so I thought I'd join in the fun.

Ell and I sat down with our co-op partners over the weekend and went through our garden seeds. Ell and I are scaling back a bit since we don't know if/when the house will sell, and our partners have decided to do a simpler garden to keep down their expenses. As such, our seed order will be much lighter this year as we make an attempt to use up the aging seeds we already have.

Here's where the giveaway comes in...... we had a generous donation of seeds and onion starts from Mount Union college last year. We have a large stack of seed packets left over that are still unopened and not needed. They are primarily from the Burpee seed company and include cucumbers, tomatoes, pumpkins, carrots, a good mix of flowers, and more I can't remember.

Since we use our own saved seed and organic seeds from Seeds of Change, we are giving away all of these seeds. Comment to this post and we'll pick a winner on Saturday who will receive the whole bundle. If you have or want a garden or know anyone who does, here's your chance for some freebies.

Friday Funny

Someone sent me an email last week......... yes, I'm still alive. Been super busy with the new job and have neglected ELEVEN. Funny day seems the best day to return, right? So enjoy this one I stole from Frank. And I'll try not to lapse again.

A Minneapolis couple decided to go to Florida to thaw out during a particularly icy winter. They planned to stay at the same hotel where they spent their honeymoon 20 years earlier. Because of hectic schedules, it was difficult to coordinate their travel schedules, so the husband left Minnesota and flew to Florida one day and his wife the next.

When the husband arrived he checked into the hotel and found the hotel had Internet and a computer in the room. He decided to send an email to his wife, but accidentally left out one letter in her email address. Before he realized his error, the email was sent.

Meanwhile, somewhere in Houston, a widow had just returned home from her husband’s funeral. He had been an active minister who was called to heaven early following a heart attack. The widow was beside herself and decided to check her email to get her mind off the events of the day. Her first message turned out to be from the Minnesota man who had accidentally sent his message to her and not his own wife. As she read it she screamed and fainted. The widow’s son rushed into the room and found his mother, passed out on the floor. He looked up at the computer screen to see what had set her off.

To: My Loving Wife
Subject: I’ve Arrived
Date: March 6, 2009
I know you’re surprised to hear from me. They have computers here now and you are allowed to send emails to your loved ones. I’ve just arrived and have been checked in. I’ve seen that everything has been prepared for your arrival tomorrow. Looking forward to seeing you then!!!!
Hope your journey is as uneventful as mine was.
P.S. Sure is freaking hot down here!!!!

Have a great weekend everyone.