The Stockings Were Hung...

(illustration by the talented Kris Walworth)

...by the fireplace with care...in hopes that this season would soon disappear.

Sentiments mine, not necessarily the illustrator's...always appreciate it when Kris takes time to grace us with another seasonally appropriate picture on our whiteboard.  Thank you, Kris!

Cyber Monday has come and gone, and we're still standing...as a matter of fact, we're Walking Tall...

...and yes, that is actually a picture of me on the cover...

Next goal: surviving the balance of Cyber Week...if we do, it's starting to look like there might be just the tiniest chance work won't ruin the entire Christmas season this year as it has pretty much every year since we dove into the wild wacky wonderful world of ecommerce.  Insert excited "woo hoo" here...

...ok, so that's a lot closer to what I really look like...I do have a little more hair than that...

...no idea who that bad actor is.

On a more sobering note, attended the funeral of a friend's mother today...she was 104 (!) years old.

Think of that...born the year the Titanic sank...

...the Model T was the most popular car in the world...

...she lived through World War I, the Depression, World War II, the Korean War, the Cold War, Vietnam...

...she saw flight progress from the biplane...

...to the Moon Landing...

Taft was president when she was born, and her years spanned the administrations of Wilson, Harding, Coolidge, Hoover, Roosevelt, Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush, Clinton, Bush, Obama and President elect Trump.

She lived an amazing life in an amazing century and today loved ones and friends gathered to pay their respects.

As it says in Ecclesiastes 7, "the heart of the wise is in the house of mourning..."

And why is that?

Because we will all pass that way eventually.

As missionary Jim Eliot...

...who was martyred by the Auca Indians of Ecuador once said, "when it comes time to die, be sure the only thing you have left to do is die."

At peace with God through His Son Jesus Christ, Louise Roderick was ready and it was an honor to be present at her funeral today.

Later, mcm fans...

* Crass Commercialism Corner *

In the "so convenient you can't stand it" department, you can purchase my books here and on Amazon.com!

Get your paperback books here:

Papa's Model T: The Genesis

Papa's Model T: The Rescue

Papa's Model T: The Long Count 

Papa's Model T: The Gray Ghost 

Papa's Model T: The Tin Goose 

Loved Of My Father

When A Cardinal Appears

Get your ebooks here:

Papa's Model T: The Genesis 

Papa's Model T: The Rescue 

Papa's Model T: The Long Count 

Papa's Model T: The Gray Ghost

Papa's Model T: The Tin Goose

Loved Of My Father 

When A Cardinal Appears 

Thank you!

Happy Thanksgiving...

...And God Bless Us, Every One!

Ok, so I may be mixing up my holiday stories a bit, but today's a great time to stop and consider the many blessings God has given us.

We naturally tend to focus on the externals...food and clothing and hearth and home...good health and loved ones, steady employment and leisure time...

But the older I get the more thankful I am for God's forgiveness and His gift of eternal life through His Son, Jesus Christ.  I'm a wicked sinner, but a forgiven one through faith in Christ.

For that I am enormously thankful, and so I say with complete sincerity, Happy Thanksgiving!

We have our usual complement of woodland friends this morning...

tree looks a little less leafy than last time I caught up with Mr. Squirrel...

...Mr. Squirrel is getting fatter...

...and Mr. BlueJay is enjoying the peanuts we tossed on the deck...

Karen's got the pies cooked and the bird ready to be oven-ized for three hours...the table is set and ready to host our feast...

And while it may not be ideal weather...

...we're still looking forward to the blessings of this day.

So while you're enjoying them, please take heed to Brewster Rockitt and do not make this common mistake:

Rather, let us remember what President Ronald Reagan said a way on back in 1982...

"I have always believed this anointed land was set apart in an uncommon way, that a divine plan placed this great continent here between the oceans to be found by people from every corner of the Earth who had a special love of faith and freedom."

Well said, Mr. President.

Happy Thanksgiving, y'all...

* Crass Commercialism Corner *

In the "so convenient you can't stand it" department, you can purchase my books here and on Amazon.com!

Get your paperback books here:

Papa's Model T: The Genesis

Papa's Model T: The Rescue

Papa's Model T: The Long Count 

Papa's Model T: The Gray Ghost 

Papa's Model T: The Tin Goose 

Loved Of My Father

When A Cardinal Appears

Get your ebooks here:

Papa's Model T: The Genesis 

Papa's Model T: The Rescue 

Papa's Model T: The Long Count 

Papa's Model T: The Gray Ghost

Papa's Model T: The Tin Goose

Loved Of My Father 

When A Cardinal Appears 

Thank you!

Veteran's Day...

In Flanders Field

by Lt. Col. John McCrae

Canadian Army Medical Corps

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row,

That mark our place: and in the sky

The larks still bravely singing fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the dead: Short days ago,

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved and were loved: and now we lie

In Flanders fields!

Take up our quarrel with the foe

To you, from failing hands, we throw

The torch: be yours to hold it high

If ye break faith with us who die,

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields

(May 3^rd, 1915, Battle of Ypres, Belgium)

Penned during "The War To End All Wars" - so called because of the millions of lives lost in the bloody, years long conflict - In Flanders Fields stands as the definitive poem for Veteran's Day.  It's a tribute to Lt. Col. McCrae's friend lost in battle, and as such is both a solemn memorial and a compelling call to action.

I had the privilege of reciting this poem when I was only twelve at a Veteran's Day observance in Manchester, Massachusetts, many years ago.

Back then my main focus was simply reciting it clearly and without error; now of course I grasp the deeper, heartfelt meaning McCrae intended.

And so I pause once again to give thanks for veterans everywhere...

...men and women dedicated to serving and protecting our country from all enemies, foreign and domestic.

Thank you.

Election Night...

original art work by Kris Walworth

...Jitters...anxiously awaiting the outcome in this, the most consequential presidential election in my lifetime.

One thing I know without question...the Lord God Almighty is in control of the affairs of men, and those of us who put our faith in Him will accept the results and move forward.

I did my civic duty at 7 am this morning, so to keep my mind off of that which I cannot control I'm here in my alternate reality, enjoying a libation and some quiet time, relaxing in the Atomic Monster Cafe.

Mentioned we were having stone put on a living room wall behind our fireplace...the before view:

...and now the after view:

Yep, I know we live in a Dutch Colonial, but we enjoy the mid century modern vibe.

Here's another view:

Thanks to Al Vandermeer for installing it for us.  When he was finished Karen suggested Mexico should pay for the wall, but he preferred we handle that bill...

Continuing in the "let's make it better" theme, had nerf bars and a cover put on my truck today:

Nothing major, just keeping the snow out of the truck bed and providing a step up into my ride.

In the "definitely not better" category, here's a pic of my Jack-O-Lantern handiwork a week after Halloween:

Those squirrels are hungry...poor Jack...he gave his life for a good cause.

Snapped this pic of my goldfish over the weekend:

They're beautiful, but I fear they won't survive the winter...my little pond is only a foot and a half deep and I think they might need more like three feet deep...might have to get a heater and bubbler...we'll see.

Also took this pic of our front yard early Sunday morning...

Really really REALLY not ready for winter, but oh well...as this picture illustrates, it's November and snowflakes cannot be too far away...

...so I'm going to try hard to focus on Thanksgiving that's less than three weeks from now...

...and being truly thankful for the life God has given, the freedoms we enjoy, and the undeserved blessings that flow my way each and every day.

Happy Election Night, y'all...

later, mcm fans...

* Crass Commercialism Corner *

In the "so convenient you can't stand it" department, you can purchase my books here and on Amazon.com!

Get your paperback books here:

Papa's Model T: The Genesis

Papa's Model T: The Rescue

Papa's Model T: The Long Count 

Papa's Model T: The Gray Ghost 

Papa's Model T: The Tin Goose 

Loved Of My Father

When A Cardinal Appears

Get your ebooks here:

Papa's Model T: The Genesis 

Papa's Model T: The Rescue 

Papa's Model T: The Long Count 

Papa's Model T: The Gray Ghost

Papa's Model T: The Tin Goose

Loved Of My Father 

When A Cardinal Appears 

Thank you!

The Big Night...

...has come and gone...and along with it, my theory of weather related trick or treat numbers.

That's the happy couple in their haunt, by the way...Franky and his Bride.

Here's their haunt:

The blue lights on the 2nd story windows above the front door are "flying bats"...we had several props in and around the yard, and a number of folks commented on how much fun it is coming to our place on All Hallows...

...but hearkening back to my opening line, apparently decent weather does not have any positive correlation to numbers of trick of treaters...because instead of the 100+ we expected, we actually had less than 50...go figure.

Karen thinks maybe it's the increasing popularity of "Trunk or Treat" that churches and fire stations do...safe public venues for parents to take their kids and get their candy all in one place.

Not really sure, but this may be the last time I attempt to do it up big...bc once again, much ado about nothing...and this time I can't blame the weather.  O well...

During the day Karen attended a Trump rally in the area...got to see Bobby Knight from Indiana...

...and of course The Donald...

Normally avoid politics on my blog, but this is was a local event and is part of an historic election...and while both candidates have very high unfavorables, one of them has clearly engaged in criminal activity and then lied continually to try and cover it up.

Mostly at this point I just want the election to be over...I'm sick of the rancor, the lying, the corruption.  Let's vote already and be done with it.

Later, mcm fans...

* Crass Commercialism Corner *

In the "so convenient you can't stand it" department, you can purchase my books here and on Amazon.com!

Get your paperback books here:

 Papa's Model T: The Genesis

Papa's Model T: The Rescue

Papa's Model T: The Long Count 

Papa's Model T: The Gray Ghost 

Papa's Model T: The Tin Goose 

Loved Of My Father

When A Cardinal Appears

Get your ebooks here:

Papa's Model T: The Genesis 

Papa's Model T: The Rescue 

Papa's Model T: The Long Count 

Papa's Model T: The Gray Ghost

Papa's Model T: The Tin Goose

Loved Of My Father 

When A Cardinal Appears 

Thank you!