It’s rained a lot in the last few days.


I have had major computer problems, not only with my main computer, but also with my back up.

I’ve taken my main desktop in several times.

Looks like I’m going to have to take it back in. Problems with one of the user accounts. What a hassle.

That’s the reason I haven’t been blogging.

Had fun working at the mission with the kids.

The kids have enjoyed playing with the puzzles.

Always picking up school supplies.

Enjoyed CIBC this Sunday with Kathy.

Talked to Mike Riggins at NAMB about the new monthly payment schedule. That’s a problem for some of my partners.

Also checked in with Derrick Posten about a team coming into town.

Went back to get my computer. I’ll take it back in before I go to the mission.

Went for a 2.69 mile run on Sunday the 12th.

Beautiful sunset.

Second grade work.

Power line grid patterns interest me.

I’ve been having a lot of problems with my main computer. The graphics card went dead and I replaced that. When I picked the computer up the repair main said there was a virus on it. I knew that because it had highjacked my home screen. I ran a malware program and somehow it crashed the browser. So it’s back at HL Computer trying to get the virus issue squared away.

I’m working with my Vaio now. It’s a pretty old piece of hardware but seems to limp along somehow.

Went to church at CIBC with Kathy.

Had the Lord’s supper. I always think how I would try and explain this to Muslims.

Pastor Phil spoke on resisting temptation.

I’d lost my coffee cup. I found it the following week at church in the bathroom. Oops!

I like the names of the children.

And signs like this in foreign languages. This is Dari.

Met up with Ashley and Miles at church then went to eat Nepali food at Kathmandu grill.

Over this cold weather snap, their pipes froze. That’s a problem with old houses, even when you drip pipes there can be freezing. Especially if it gets down to 9 degrees!

Had a good conversation with my friend Brian Finley from FBC Kerrville, TX. I’m encouraging them to bring a team to work with us in Atlanta.

We’ve had several confirmations of teams coming to work with us recently. Ashley always does such a wonderful job of customer service with these guys!

Enjoyed working with my microscope. Always something new and interesting to learn and see.

I don’t remember ever having weather this cold.

It froze the condensation around my windows.

Ice gauge.

I’ve been reading a lot recently. Finished Smarter Than You Think by Clive Thompson. Excellent! And about half way through Nexus, also a lot of fun. I read from my iPhone. Here’s how I prop it on on my desk. Dinosaur fossil and stone axe.

I took Kathy to Red Lobster. Actually, she paid. She said it was for our anniversary back in December. Did you hear the rumors about Red Lobster closing? They’re not sure about it.

Tuesday evening I took Jesse for Chinese food and then to see the Hobbit–Desolation of Smaug.

Really liked it. Well paced. Tauriel was a great addition to the movie. Evangeline Lily was the best part about the movie imho.

Wednesday morning I went through my calendar to set up our TK marriage enrichment weekends. Always fun to get away with my sweet wife. I put the dates on her Duck Dynasty calendar I bought her for Christmas.

It’s the coldest I’ve ever seen my room. I run my little space heater constantly, but this cold weather is pretty intense. I don’t have central air in my room in the basement.

Sent checks in to the North American Mission Board.

Working on admin duties. I’ll head over to the mission soon.

These mushrooms sprouted right before the hard freeze.

This hawk was waiting for careless animals at my feeders.

Cold today. In the 20s-30s. Yow!

Stayed in. Vacuumed the house. Cleaned the stairs.
(The stain is from a fire in 2006.)

Enjoyed looking at samples with my microscope.

Cleaned about 50 slides. The tiny covers are particularly challenging.

I put little papers between each slide to keep them from scratching. That’s how they were packed originally in China.

Delicious pizza Kathy and Jesse this evening. Avalanche!

Great to spend time with the family!

My shoulder bag has been developing holes.

Kathy gave me a piece of denim that I hot glued to the inside of the bag. Worked great!

Ashley teaches me things about hot glue guns. This one was a great tip!

Admin duties now.

Smugmug started working. Uploading pictures from yesterday. Then I’ll add the pictures into the blog.

SUPER cold today! In the 20-30s.

Went to Walmart to pick up the school supplies I need for the new mission at Olde Salem in Lawrenceville.

Also got the family groceries.

Picked up my computer.

It needed a new graphics card.

Glad it’s working. For some reason I’m not able to upload pictures to my Smugmug account. So no pictures yet. (The problem suddenly vanished the next day.)

Royal Burger at Red Robin for lunch.

Then to Lawrenceville to talk with the manager and give her the stuff.

Back to Stone Mountain to collect water samples for my microscopic safari.

Also saw these mushrooms.

The freezing temperatures had created a very thin layer of ice.

Always something new and different to see.

Admin duties now.

Interesting title.

Doesn’t every family need these?

Merry New Year! 2014—It’s got a nice ring to it!

Sadly, my computer is having problems. The graphics card died. Getting it worked on now. Should have it up and running on Friday.

Had trouble getting onto my blog. Password had been changed to protect our site from a mass hacking attempt.

2014 marks the TENTH year I have been doing this blog! That strikes me as quite incredible.

Had a quiet New Years Eve.

Wednesday I shopped for supplies for the house and my microscope. A baster, some small water tight containers and ear dropper.

This is where I collected the sample from.

Hiked up Stone Mountain. Always something cool to see.





Tiny beauty.

I like these horizontally growing trees. This is how it starts. Hardly any roots.

And these roots.

Sun kept trying to get through.

I got a really nice microscope over Christmas. It’s opened up a whole new world of fascination for me. Here are some of the creatures I’ve seen.

Here’s to a loving and happy 2014!

And remember,

Enjoyed going to Clarkston International Bible Church today.

Pastor Phil preached on new beginnings and returning home to your true love, Jesus!

Enjoyed eating chicken with Kathy.

Had fun working with my microscope.

Posted some creative writing.

Admin duties now.

It was fun having Mooglie, Ashley’s dog at our house last night. Ashley and Miles went to Dublin for Miles’ Grandad’s wedding. Groovy.

I thought this was unusual.

It was great to be with BOTH of our children this Christmas!

I was grateful to my son in law, Miles, that he let his wife come with us! Ashley and Jesse make every trip awesome!

Kathy and I are big fans of Duck Dynasty.

We spent time in West Monroe going and coming home.

On the loading dock where they made the duck pond.

It was great to meet John Godwin!

We saw our friends Luther and Cheryl White in Georgetown. They worked with us in Atlanta recently with a team from the Worship Place.

Ashley, Kathy and I spoke to a Sunday School class at FBC Georgetown, TX. They were a sweet group of ladies!

Ashley and I joined my brother Jim and his wife Kathy and their daughter Katie to explore the Armadillo Fair.


It’s a big craft place. Really top of the line, interesting stuff.

I liked the pictures from the Armadillo World Headquarters.

I saw some great bands there.

Frank Zappa was my favorite.

We enjoyed listening to my brother sing and play guitar.

Fun to sit by the fire.

My kids were glad to be back in Texas.

Ashley helped me wrap gifts.

Like the paper?

Fun with the whole family on Christmas.

Includes my brother Jim and my parents Al and Peggy.

Jim’s daughter Olivia is married to David Hunt. They have the little girls.

Harper dressing Papaw Jim.

Christmas light over kill.

Always beautiful things to see on the road!

I found a deer antler for Ashley.


Two of my favorite girls!

We installed a new wireless printer for my Mom. Now she can print from her iPad since that’s her primary computer now.

It was 992 miles to my parent’s house from Stone Mountain.

Sure was a great team to ride with.

Interesting visuals with shadows.

These pictures are from Nakuru, Kenya where I used to live. They are in my Mom’s bathroom.

Ashley likes chocolate.

I invented a gun that shoots rainbows.

Weird.

Hmmm.

I like making images with lights.

Even though the gas station has been closed for years and there’s NO gas. . . still looks scary.
I wanted to recreate the Zoolander gas scene, my wife said no.

You can never have enough.

Ouch.

Interesting turbulence in these clouds. Look at the rounded structures underneath. And the ragged edges on the side.

Beautiful sunset to end the trip with.

Saturday I gave myself a haircut. Paid all the bills. Enjoyed playing with Ash and Milo’s dog Moog at our house. Cold and rainy today.

Ashley finished the financial report for our ministry. I took it over to our Treasurer’s house.

Spent most of the day working on the Christmas party for the mission.

Went to the Dollar Tree to pick up goodies for the kids.

I lined up everything with the UPC facing her to speed up the process. Also stacked the similar items. It’s all about speed, baby. It was over 140 items.

Packed them up.

Then took them to the mission.

Ashley had done a great job decorating the room.




I told the Christmas story.

Then the kids got to pick out their gift.


They seem to really enjoy it. The older kids helped with crowd control.

Got some food for my fish while I’m in Texas.

Admin duties now. Need to finish packing for the trip to Texas tomorrow. I should be back on line Friday the 27th.

Here’s my meteorite from the Campo de Cielo field in Argentina at 20x.

From the one dollar bill.

At normal vision power.

I liked this dress.

And this coat of arms.

I saw this area of the parking lot filled with tiny white drips. I wonder what caused it?

I’ve been listening to a LOT of Sherlock Holmes lately and it made me want to deduce what had happened. Here’s the visual evidence.

It’s a puzzler. It’s paint, not poop. The drips are very uniform. There are no wires above the area. The closest thing that’s painted white is the tower, which is at least forty yards away and a hundred foot up.

Only in America.

Enjoyed recording a new podcast this morning! Woot!

It’s Christmas time so this is the gift edition of Verbal Surgery. It’s called “The Present!” Click on the title and groove!

Enjoyed lunch with Kathy and Jesse.

I took the defective microscope to the Fed Ex office. Sent it back for free!

The kids didn’t have much homework today.


I used the down time to show them the microscope. The new one really works great and the kids love it!

I like George Washington’s eye. Here it is magnified by twenty times.

The kids are in a good mood. Our party for them is tomorrow.

Admin duties now.

Doing research on some science kits for the kids.

I like the light coming through my window.

Pleasant confusion.

Christmas colored leaves.

Always a good thing.

Tall.

Beautiful sunset.

Full moon. Yeah, baby.

About 2 1/4″ rain yesterday.

Kathy and I met up with Ashley and Miles at First Baptist Church Mountain Park this morning.

We spoke to one of the Sunday School classes there.

The choir did their cantata. It was called the Nativity Symphony. I thought some of the melodies were quite nice.

Pastor Paul preached an evangelical sermon.

I didn’t sleep well last night. Rested this afternoon.

Gave myself a haircut.

Doesn’t take long.

My friend Gregorio cleaned leaves from my yard. I leave the ones in the middle as a mulch. Otherwise it’s just a muddy mess.

I got a microscope for the kids to look at at the mission. I’ve been practicing taking pictures with it. Here are my first attempts.

I found that using a mag light really helps the image. It’s 20 times larger than life.

Admin duties now.

K and I enjoyed watching Duck Dynasty.