I enjoyed spending the whole day with Ashley!

We met with Amanda Miller at FBC Doraville. We took her to experience some Middle Eastern culture at Al Madina. She’s interested in working with the immigrant population here.

We also showed her around the Buford Highway Farmers Market.

Amanda left to go to work and Phil and Sabrina Owens pulled into the parking lot. It was great having them around.

We talked about missions and then went out and checked on some possible apartment housing. Every place we went to was completely full. As I was writing this, I stopped and asked a manager friend of mine if he had any apartments open.

Came back to Azalea to work with the kids.


We had a great candy throw.

And Ashley organized a big obstacle course for the kids. They thought they’d gone to heaven.

Had supper with Jesse.

Then home. Brought in all my plants. I feel like I’m living in a jungle now.

Admin duties now.

Tuesday, I printed the labels for the newsletter.

Also got the stamps.

Ashley started teaching her ESL class solo. You can make great progress in Spanish when you’re teaching English. That’s how I really become fluent.

Ashley and I expected to eat lunch and take our friend Todd Slade to see some of the missions in his area. He had a problem at his new house so couldn’t make it.

Ash and I went to ten different missions to verify the teams coming on Saturday. Everything looks good to go!

Lovely azaleas.

We stopped by White Windmill for a treat. Talk about temptation.

We separated out the equipment we purchased into ten bags. We’ll give each team a bag when we do the briefing.

We picked up some goodies to send to a couple of our supporters at the Buford Highway Farmers Market.

Enjoyed working with the kids at the mission. We took care of the labels and had doughnuts.

I’ve had a couple of trees fall over. They’re about 6-8″ wide and just don’t get enough sunlight. WAY overshadowed by the large trees in my yard.

Wednesday, I worked on a new podcast!

I think this is one of my best. The most important thing is life is “Love PLUS!” It’s easy to listen! Just click on the title!

Met up with Ashley, Jesse and Kathy for lunch.

Always a blessing.

Came home for a 5.08 mile run. Always something beautiful to see!

Took a shower and jumped straight in the car to the mission.

Always enjoy working with the kids.

Kathy and I had fun watching the new episode of Castle.

Admin duties now.

Always glad to see this.

Beautiful trees in the ATL!

I liked the clouds and the sunset.

This morning I recorded a new podcast! Yeah, baby! I really like this episode called “PROspectations.” What you expect to see strongly influences what you see and what you think about it. A great way to look at life, as long as you realize it! Just click on the title and groove!

Wrote my newsletter. I like this month’s episode.

Met up for lunch with Miles, Ashley and Kathy. Always great company. Visited their house and listened to a new song Miles had recorded. Good stuff! Always fun to see Grandpup.

Went to Walmart and Dollar Tree to pick up supplies for the Outreach Event that we’re hosting with One Heart Church.

Picked up cookies, bubbles, coloring books and crayons. I had plenty of sidewalk chalk.

Also did the shopping for our house while I was there.

Took the supplies I bought earlier over to FBC Doraville with the rest of the gear we’ve collected.

Had a good talk and prayer time with my friend Luther in Texas.

Great discussion with Todd Slade who is one of the pastors at Crossroads Church of Dunwoody. We’ll have lunch together and help him with outreach. His church houses a lot of our teams. It’s up in the air whether they will do that any more or not.

Came home to finish laying out my newsletter (I do one page back and front every month), and sending the finished edition to my friend Joel Harrison at the Atlanta Baptist Association. He prints them up for us. THANKS, Joel!

After dropping off the supplies, I went to Office Depot to pick up some labels for the printer.

Then to the mission to work with the kids. It was great to have Miles there to help!

Came home to work on admin duties.

Kathy and I picked up Ashley in Clarkston this morning, then went to One Heart Church.

Always good to see friends!

Ashley and I spoke to the K-5 grade class. Let me tell you my friends, if you can keep THAT group with you for an hour, you’ve done something.

The kids were great and Ashley was her usual high powered, awesome self!

At the end, I had them pass around the baton and say, “It’s up to me!” It’s always a powerful moment. Even with little kids.

We give all the kids balloons and then let them take a picture in the “Sublime Blue Mariachi” hat. It’s a beautiful thing.

I taught a few people how to make balloons.

We had a nice lunch together as the missions committee talked to people interested in going on a mission trip.

Came home and had a good rest.

K and I enjoyed watching Tomb Raider.

She was super tired because she didn’t sleep well last night and we had to get up and get going pretty early this morning. So she went on to sleep. I was hungry, so went to Hardees to get a burger. I’ve been eating this Texas BBQ Burgers. They have slices of fried onions and jalapenos and a nice, tangy BBQ sauce. Veddy, veddy beautiful.

When I got there, Bruce and Karen Miller were ordering. They are two of my favorite people from FBC Mountain Park. Their youngest daughter and Jesse had classes together. It was fun to catch up with them.

Finishing up admin duties.

I plan on writing and producing my newsletter tomorrow morning.

On Saturday I worked around the house. Paid bills.

I enjoyed a fun day with Jesse!

We ate lunch together.

While I was in the area, I shot the first of a series of pictures about the current remodel of what used to be the Toyota dealership.

J and I enjoyed the second full day of the NCG Theater opening.

It’s in the Walmart shopping center off of 78 and Rockbridge. HIGHLY recommend the theater.

Amazing sound quality, full size RECLINER (what!?) seats, state of the art projection and screens! An absolutely amazing change. The manager told me they completely gutted the entire building and brought in everything new. Seats, carpet . . everything.

We watched John Wick which is Keanu Reeves newest picture. If you like shoot ’em ups, you’ll love this. This movie is a far away from a chick flick as is humanly possible. I thought it was terrific.

K and I watched a Biography channel coverage of Angelina Jolie. She’s a huge fan.

I had an early night. Getting up early on Sunday to be at One Heart Church by 9:15am.

Beauty hibiscus.

Fun day on Friday with Jesse’s birthday!

Enjoyed a fun lunch with Kathy and Jesse! He loves chocolate cake. Double chocolate even better!

J and I went to Hobby Lobby to look for equipment to build a double pendulum. I thought this was cool. Pieces for a modern doll house.

I was given some old cables from a friend of mine. Decided to sell them. They’re just taking up space and I still have a full set for my band Cruz.

Vigorous 5.04 mile run. Always something beautiful to see!

Underground ant nest.

I was expecting my friend Gregorio and his son Jhoan to come blow leaves from my yard. I ran about 12 minutes faster than usual.

They worked hard!

Jesse and I made a road trip to Athens to see Jesse’s favorite band: Bombadil. They’re a trio from N. Carolina. Mellow folk/pop. Interesting lyrics.

They asked if anyone had a birthday that day.

I knew someone! Everyone in the club sang Happy Birthday to Jesse and then Bombadil did a birthday song of their own. Megagroovy.

Gassed up on the way home. 2.85! Hello, kitty!

Got home about 1am. A fun-tired.

They were very friendly.

I liked the sound of this.

This morning I sorted PA equipment that had been given me years ago. Talked with the guys at the local music store. They’re always interested in buying used gear.

Discussed with Pastor Silas about working with us in Marietta. Shared contact with the Tates. I feel they will make a great partnership.

Met up with Ashley and Jesse for lunch.

Ashley made a collage for him. She’s so creative!

Never too much A&J!

We talked about an upcoming Outreach Event with our friends at One Heart Church.

Picked up material from Office Depot and Walmart. Took it over to the church to separate into ten different bags.

When I parked at Walmart, I reached down to turn off the keys in the ignition and they were missing!

Somehow they had fallen out and gone under my seat. Bizarre.

Went to Comfort Inn to talk with their new sales person, Ann. She seemed nice.

Then worked with the kids at the mission.

I spent most of my time with the solar eclipse box. I’m shocked I didn’t get a decent picture of it. Here it is on the table with the cakes.

Turned out cloudy just when we needed it clear. So it was difficult to see much of a difference.

We had a terrific party for Jesse!

This was his birthday cake.

The numbers stand for 2 to the 10th power. 2x2x2x2x2x2x2x2x2x2 = 1024. Which is his birthday 10.24. He’s a clever lad.
He is certainly well loved in the community.

We also had some cupcakes the kids loved.

The icing turned his lips black.

Stopped at Evergreen hotel to jump in the hot tub with Kathy. Man, that’s a beautiful place. The water was amazing.

Every time I go there I feel like a king.

They have outdoor gas fire pits.

Beautiful colors.

I break these rules as soon as possible.

This looked like upside down lighting.

I love the wood floors at the hotel. Fabulous.

We went to eat at Hardees on the way home. We had Mushroom Swiss burger and their new BBQ Burger. Both were fab.

I took the garbage out. We have twice as much recycle as garbage waste.

Admin duties now. K went straight to sleep.

I feel like this.

Whole lotta Darth.

Checked outside my house today to see if there were any entrances that rodents can get through. It’s that season again.

I noticed how the Raptor Blind that I built continues to decay. In fact two of the small trees that I used have died over the last 14 years.

Had a brisk 5.13 mile run this morning. Always something beautiful to see!

Stomach hurt after my run.

Rested before I headed to work with the kids.

I worked on a solar eclipse viewing box. We’ll see how it works from 6:00-6:30 pm when there’s a partial eclipse of the sun on Thursday.

Came home. Enjoyed watching Castle with Kathy.

Admin duties now.

The Toyota dealership near my house was torn down this month. I plan on shooting a series of photographs of the transition.

Can you see the rainbow?

I enjoyed recording a new podcast this morning!

Woot!

I had a situation where I tried to give a friend some advice, and to say the least he didn’t take it well. Live and learn—from me! Check out Verbal Surgery -292- “On Being Right.” Just click on the title and groove!

Met up with the family in Clarkston.

We enjoyed some Nepali food.

Took Kathy’s bike to the bike shop to get the tube in the front tire replaced. The days of patching are gone. They just swap the whole tube out now.

Came home to work on admin duties and rest.

Then to the mission to work with the kids. Really slow days. The kids aren’t getting much homework these days. Makes for early days for us.

I did some magic with the kids. It’s always fun to see their reaction to coins appearing and disappearing.

Always great to see the kids.

Enjoyed supper with Jesse. I gave him his birthday presents which were a letter I wrote him (at least 5 paragraphs–as per Jesse) and some stone tools and a fossil that I collected in Georgetown, Texas. It’s what he said he wanted.

Kathy worked with the babies this morning. She’s already asleep.

Admin duties now.

Cool morning! Went for a 5.0 mile run. Temperature in the low 50s. Yow! Always beautiful!

Added material to my twitter feed. Over 80,000 followers.

Enjoyed a steak with Kathy for lunch.

Took a brief rest before going to the mission to work with the kids. Not too busy. Just enough.

Came home in bad traffic. Welcome to Atlanta. I can usually find a way around it.

Paid bills. Filled out a W9 for a church.

Admin duties now. K is still riding her bike.

Gas dropped under $3.00! Yeah, baby!