Listened to Radio Garden from Madrid for about two hours this morning. As I listened, I take notes on what words I don’t recognize and look them up. Then take a screen shot that I later save into a gallery.

I also found extended definitions or other glimpses into the word. Google has been very helpful with this. Rarely is the word just used in one way. For instance, I looked up the word “falta.” LOTS of other takes on the word I wasn’t aware of. Now the sentences I heard make a lot more sense.

I still continue grammar work with Duolingo.

My streak is longer than this by far. Just had days here and there when I was focused on other things rather than Duolingo.

Went to Azalea to be with the girls. I thought these gloves on Everly were hilarious.

We had fun at Plaza Fiesta while Ashley worked with her horses.

I bought K a new dress from Guatemala.

Went for frozen yogurt.

Came home and put them to bed.

Full sun moon.

Beautiful sunset.

At at Pho 24 this evening to avoid some traffic.

Admin duties now and other studies.

Studied Spanish this morning. Listened to Cadena SER which is the national radio station in Spain for an hour. My comprehension continues to escalate.

I build vocabulary by writing down words I don’t know.

This morning Brexit was big in the news.
My usual grammar study is with Duolingo.

I used to be very systematic with it. Now I bounce around a little bit more by subject. Maybe present perfect, perhaps subjunctive, or past tense.
Keep pushing forward.

I had lunch with my good friend Carl Barrington and his mom Joyce today.

Went by Lowes to pick up a new toilet seat for him. Fills me with joy to help people, especially dear friends.

Went to the mission after our time together. I usually send Ashley a map to give her a feeling for when I’ll arrive.

I listened to more Spanish radio on the way over and on the way home after the mission.

They were using this word a lot in regards to Brexit AND Spanish soccer.
Went by FBC Doraville on the way to the mission to check the mail and to tell Renee, our church secretary, that I was sorry her mama had died.

The mission has been closed this week because of cold, rainy weather. No kids are allowed out in it by their moms.
Ashley put a sign by the door, plus they see my car.

LOVE my girls!


We had a couple of kids brave the cold. Glad we were there to help.

We went to Taco Veloz for supper. Nice to spend a little extra time with them.
Stitched up a weak spot in one of my gloves when I got home. Proactive!

Although I am currently on a Facebook Fast, I decided to at least post my two podcasts each week. I don’t read anything, just post. One on Tuesday, one on Fridays. Or the night before!

Admin duties now. Will study more and listen more.

Last night I posted something about gun control. As is typical, the woods came alive with the sound of gunfire. I’m so sick of people that are so sure that “People kill people. Guns don’t kill people,” that I began unfriending them. I had Christians calling me a jerk for my attitude and unChristian. The Father asked me, “What are you getting out of this, son?” Couldn’t come up with a good answer, so I’m off Social Media. Don’t know for how long, just know I’m tired of it. I have 5,000 friends and over 400 people that follow me. And the bottom line is, I only enjoy hearing from about 50 of them! So anyway, kind of a big deal for me because FB was how I kept up with most of my buddies. I’ll probably get back on it eventually. We’ll see.

So with the extra time I plan on doing more reading and studying more Spanish.

I used Radio Garden last night for over 1.5 hours. Concentrated concentration!

This morning I studied with Duolingo and Quizlet.

It’ll be easy for me to track how many days I’m off of FB. This is day 101. I figure a minimum of 50 days fast.

I recorded a new episode of Verbal Surgery called “Brain/Heart.” I debriefed what happened last night that made me make my decision to unplug.

I’m still taking my antibiotics and antihistamines. My left eye has been bothering me some this afternoon.

Admin duties now.

Woke up to my little girl turning 30! Way to go, Ashley, way to go! Met her over at the mission to watch her teaching her ESL class. Always a blessing.

The girls were happy, too!

Everly loves to see pictures of herself. She just laughs and laughs.

We took our friends from Alabama to Global Mall to check out the Indian culture.

I studied Spanish this morning.

100 day streak! I hit 288 when I was studying Portuguese. It broke while I was in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The wifi in the house didn’t work.

I took the red pill and the blue pill today. One is an antihistamine, the other an antibiotic.

My left shoulder hurts from the tetanus shot yesterday. Ouch.

Food version of the Dirty Money Game.

Sent my friends in the UK a little present.

Big line at the Post Office.

I liked seeing these geese by the mission at Azalea.

I had a little extra time since we didn’t do the mission this afternoon. Crummy rainy, cold weather. No mom lets their kids out in it. Went by one of my favorite antique stores. Didn’t find anything I had to have, but always fun to look.

Released Verbal Surgery -619- “Heater Fan”

What gets you fired up? Click on the title and feel good, NOW!

Uploaded to my server.

Link on Facebook.

Enjoying playing Horizon Zero Dawn.

Admin duties now.

Listened to Spanish radio for about an hour on Radio Garden. Little better every day.

Beat Spider-man last night. What a great game. Made even more special because it was on the eve of Stan Lee’s death. Many great childhood memories from Marvel comics.

My favorite building in the world in the Chrysler building in NYC. The whole game takes place in New York. It is modeled realistically on the buildings there. Here is Spider-man from the very top of it!

These are the eagle heads on top!

When playing the game, I could go up close and personal and look at the architecture from every angle. Awesomeness incarnate!

Rainy weather all day today.

Glad I got new gutters!

I continue to focus on Radio Garden for internet streaming radio from Spain in the evenings and when I’m driving. I look up the words that I’m not sure about.

I start my day with Duolingo.


It’s funny how I see the exercises as a type of fortune cookie. Lol.

I focus on verb vocabulary building with the Quizlet app.

I do text insertion with Clozemaster.

Each exercise strengthens my knowledge in different ways.

Got my annual physical today. Jesse went with me and got his as well. He’s set up with a doctor to make sure his medical needs are taken care of.

All the initial results look great for me! Although I’ve been sick and she said my ear looked pretty bad, although it doesn’t really hurt. She put me on antibiotics and to continue to with the Sudafed to dry up the congestion.

Went to Kroger to get the meds.

Then to Walmart to get groceries. The rain let up a bit so I made a quick run.

We have team leaders from FBC Opalieca coming tomorrow to do a Pre-site visit. I got my car gassed up in anticipation of that.

One of my tires was a bit low. Aired them all up to 35.

Came home to play my new game Horizon Zero Dawn.

Working on my admin duties.

Took my meds.

Studied Spanish.

Finished reading One River, a fascinating book about botanical exploration in the Amazon.

Ashley’s 30th birthday party was Saturday night. K and I keep the girls Saturday until Sunday afternoon. I didn’t sleep that great. Penelope was coughing a lot. Little sweetheart.

We took them to McDonald’s and to the park this morning.


Static hair!

We had an interesting visitor to the park.

Studied Spanish this afternoon while Everly took a nap.


Watered my plants.

Played some Spider-Man.
Plan on studying more language this evening.
My left ear finally unclogged today. Amen!
Admin duties now.

Studied Spanish. As I mentioned yesterday, I’m cutting back to just working on the foreign language that I use the most, by far!

Great talk with my pal Anthony Jacquin in the UK. Always fun to chat with him.

Recorded a new episode of Verbal Surgery called, “Ride On!” What speeds up relationships and business?

Went to the bank to deposit money into the Whirlwind account. Thank you, Lord!

Ate lunch with Jesse and Kathy. Actually, I had already eaten, but I drank tea and enjoyed the conversation.

It’s a lovely place.

Got my $900 in gift cards from Delta in the mail. Groovy!

Spent over an hour listening to Cardena SER, radio from Spain. Listening drills are mandatory for comprehension at full speed with people.

Admin duties now and more study.

I’ll also post the new episode on my Mac.

My left ear is still really clogged up. LORD, stretch out your hand to heal! AMEN

Studied Spanish this morning. I’ve started leaning towards just focusing on Spanish. Swahili and Hebrew are interesting, but where’s the outlet for the effort?

Watched the girls while Ashley got her hair done. I took them to the Perimeter Mall Goodwill. Fun place for them.



They crashed on the way home. Put them to bed. I had a little nap, too.


Everly woke up pretty fast. Took her out of the chair and cuddled her next to me and she went right back to sleep. Little sweetheart.
Helped the kids with their homework.

Everly is so much fun.

She gets a big kick out of seeing herself in pictures. Reminds me of me.

Traffic was brutal coming home. Final trip was more like 1.25 hours. Rainy and slow.

The only good thing about that long commute is listening to radio from Spain. Focus on language. At high speed. It’s like an extreme mental puzzle. I take down words of phrases that I hear that I don’t understand. Yet.


Went by the church to pick up the mail. Thank you Lord, for the support checks!

Got home and Kathy was feeling worse than this morning. She had a temp of 101. I went to Walmart to pick up some meds for her. Plus some candy. We call that “medicine.” Especially M&Ms. lol.

Admin duties now.

Studied Spanish this morning.

Beautiful morning with gorgeous trees.

Recorded a new podcast! Always one of my favorite things. Called “Maximum Love.”

Got groceries.

Checked the mail at the church. Gorgeous dogwood there.

These were beautiful, too!

Helped the kids at the mission.

GREAT to have J around.

I’m crazy about this baby.

She loves me, too.
Groovy sky this evening.



This may be the most intense movie I’ve ever seen. Fantastic feat of strength and courage and stunning visuals.

Admin duties now.

Woke up this morning and studied languages. Keep the streak going!


I’m still feeling congested. My left ear is almost completely blocked. I’ve been taking Sudafed for the last two days. Seems like the pressure is a little less.

I rode to the airport with my mom and our friend Jodie Steger this morning.


I liked the airport’s coffee robot.


Made it to my flight in great time.

Made it to the ATL in a little under two hours.

Sure beats a 2,000 mile drive! Plus I ended up making $900 because I agreed to take a later flight when my flight was overbooked. Got to Austin only two hours later!

Beautiful getting home!


Enjoyed being seeing Miles and the girls before going home.
Kathy was glad to see me. I sure missed her!
Admin duties now. I’ll take another couple of Sudafed pills before I go to sleep. Pray that my ear will clear soon.
Election was today. Doesn’t look like the blue wave is happening. We’ll see.