I’ve been a vegetarian for over seven years now.

One Year Bible!

WX!

Español!

Got a new book to work with.

Prepped my bike and rode 12.49 miles.

Listened to Don Cheto while I exercised.

Checked the mail. I’ll process the checks I got and deposit them tomorrow. Don’t like to do it while I have K with me. I was already running late to pick K up from Ashley’s house.

Sent my calendar to my family.

K and I picked the girls up at the bus and took them to the PDK airport for lunch.

One of my new students doesn’t speak much English. Can you imagine what it would be like to suddenly be a sophomore in HS and have to do the work in Spanish? It’s just so much to overcome.

I have several students in second grade that can just barely read. It’s so sad for me. I keep trying my best to teach them, but I’m working with at least six other kids at the same time.

Came home and blew the driveway and deck as well as putting up the laundry I did today.

I got a voicemail today about a team coming. Amen! Hard to believe I’m working with the son of a previous youth minister. Guess I’ve been doing this a long time. I left him a voicemail as well as sent him several team related links.

Keep going.

I think our population will continue to shrink.

Super Blue Moon last night.

OYB!

Español!

The faucet in my kitchen has been leaking when it was turned on for at least two years. Every day, I caught the little drips and poured them out. Two days ago the turn off valves starting leaking constantly. I decided that I needed to get it repaired asap after that. I had the plumber come by and fix it this morning.

Chris did a good job.

I had him check the pressure in the house. It was a little high but not terribly so. He showed me how to check it. If it gets over 80 psi, I’ll call them back to replace the pressure valve. That would be $880. Ouch.

I got a Moen faucet.

I’ve used Keep Smiling plumbing for over twenty years, although the original company was bought out by another company.

Chris replaced the fixtures.

Left a good review. Although I thought it was pretty expensive. $850 for parts and labor for replacing the faucet and the two shut off valves. Just the way it is these days.

Had a fun talk with my buddy Anthony. We were having a great conversation which I had to cut short because the plumber arrived.

Did a load of laundry. I actually prefer doing my own laundry. It’s no big deal for me but pretty hard for K to do.

Talked to Nana. Always a blessing.

Went to Walmart to pick up some new fans and a trashcan for the mission. Also purchased a few treats for the kids. I never run the AC in the mission so the fans help a lot to make it more comfortable.

Read Castaneda in Spanish while I waited for the bus. Always looking up words.

Fed the girls before going to the mission.

Mission was packed. I can really tell that the kids have fallen behind because of the Summer break.

Everly lost her pencil she won for reading a bunch of books. I found it.

I dropped it off at her house. It’s amazing how something small like that can really help her feel better.

My electric pencil sharpener conked out. Got a new one ordered.

Don Cheto.

WX!

Keep going.

Worked hard and came in #2 last week in the Duolingo leagues.

Got this email this morning about one of my favorite families. I sent them a note when I heard what was going on.

OYB!

I called my plumber to come take a look at the faucet for my kitchen sink. Looked like a little dripping from the turn off valves as well. He’ll be coming tomorrow morning to get it squared away.

Last Monday, a big branch fell on the power and internet wires. The power line got repaired but the Comcast guys still haven’t put their wire back up. Called them again today. They told me they’d have it done by 8pm. Wasn’t done.

Español! I was working this morning and Duolingo took a maintenance break. Frustrating.

Had a good talk with my buddy Anthony. Mostly we talked about his new book that he’s working on.

Ordered groceries.

Cleaned and refilled all my bird feeders.

Had nearly 1″ of rain yesterday.

Good talk with my Mom.

Picked up the girls and took them to Cici’s pizza for lunch.

Then to the Sprouts park.

Azalea for homework help. We also played UNO before the big kids came with their assignments.

Don Cheto on the way home.

Push.

OYB!

Español!

Don Cheto!

Watered my plants. Thoroughly rinsed off the sundews. Apparently, the medicine actually goes inside the plants and kills any insects that try to suck on them.

Recorded an new episode of Verbal Surgery and put it on the web.

K and I had a fun time at the Crazy River. I hurt my arm again swimming laps. I messed up my left elbow when I pulled those logs up the hill from the branch that fell on Monday.

I worked hard this week.

OYB!

WX!

I had one of my oak trees that started shedding leaves. Decided I’d better water her.

Listened to Don Cheto while I rode my bike 12.42 miles.

Did laundry. Helped strip the sheets off of K’s bed.

My sundews have aphids. I got some spray to eliminate them.

New word for me.

Big thunderstorm blew through our neighborhood. Ironic after watering this morning. Hard to count on rain. It just misses us so many times.

Push.

I can see this being true.

Some of my carnivorous plants have aphids. Did research on what was best to use for it.

OYB!

WX and hurricanes!

Español and new words!

One of my yard decorations that spins got hit by a big branch. Had to figure out how to fix it by rewiring it and getting some swivels.

The tires on my Gorilla Cart won’t hold air. It made dragging those big branches that I cut up with the chainsaw especially hard. Got some fixaflat to see if that’ll help.

It looks kind of thin. Not sure it’s going to work.

Listened to Don Cheto while I rode my bike.

Looks like the note I left in my neighbor’s mailbox worked. They must have called the city. The evidence is the orange lines marking the water main.

Very pleasant weather for a bike ride. I went 12.57 miles. I was really tired afterwards.

Ordered some new envelopes.

I had already put the magnets on the photo cards earlier this month. Today, I put the labels on the envelope (except for stamps) and inserted the photo cards I’d worked on as well as the return donation envelopes.

Very tight competition this week.

Supa coo.

Every little bit helps.

I got a text from my brother Tito last night. We followed up and set a plan for today! I had mentioned Taco Veloz to him but we ate at the Buford Highway Farmers Market instead. Lot more fun.

I thought this was interesting.

I find the hurricane winds so interesting and beautiful. There are currently two active on our planet. One of them is near Japan.

WX!

Made sandwiches for J.

Swept the kitchen.

OYB!

Español!

Did my laundry.

Watered the plants on my deck and cleaned it off.

Good talk with my buddy, Anthony.

Confirmed with Tito where and when we’d be meeting today.

Great to see my friends! Tito and I go back to the very beginning of our ministries.

They’re pointing to Nicaragua where Tito is from.

Went by FBC Doraville to pick up some binders and folders for some of the kids. My partner Virginia wanted to make sure the kids at my mission were taken care of.

New words from the Castaneda book and Apple News.

Took my two ice chests back to the church for storage. I don’t need them at the mission.

Deposited money. Thank you, Father.

Listened to Don Cheto. They were talking to a couple of musicians. They kept saying “gira.” I know that word in Spanish, it means “turn.” But apparently, it also means a “tour” like what bands do.

Got gas and checked my oil.

Paid a couple of bills.

Got more reading glasses. I broke a pair today.

Just keep going.

I love Banksy’s work. He’s one of my favorite artists. I’ve seen his work in London and in Bethlehem, Israel. Atlanta hosted a huge gallery of his hits last year. It was great.

Keep going.

I reviewed these words again. The girl I was helping didn’t show up today. C’est la vie.

I’ve started Zero Dawn Forbidden West again. It’s so realistic.

I think these spirals are beautiful. But the hurricanes sure can be destructive.

Hilarious because they’re true.

Felt good today.

OYB!

I made PBJ sandwiches for J. She likes them in the freezer.

Español!

You’d think with all the hurricanes and tropical storms we’d get more rain. I was shocked to see my cherry tree doing so poorly. I realized she was probably thirsty. Been watering her the last couple of days. I hope she will recover. I’ve never seen that before. I decided I should also water all the monkey grass I planted. It was nice and shady and I think the ground got a good soaking.

Cleaned my hummingbird feeders and refilled them. The birds are really drinking it down!

I filled out the form for financial support from Peachtree Corners BC.

I had Ashley update another section of the teamwhirlwind.com website.

Good chat with my Mom. Always a blessing.

I’ve been reading Castaneda in Spanish recently. It’s cool to instantly look up any word I’m not sure of.

Love my girls! We always have fun together.

Checked the mail at my office.

Helped the kids at the mission. Super busy. Stayed there till 7:30 PM. Really hard homework. I enjoy the math.

I got this to see if I can repair the wheels on my Gorilla Cart.

Tight race this week.

I think wind patterns are beautiful.

OYB!

Did laundry. I also took Jessi’s comforter to Azalea to use their industrial strength machines to clean it.

Español!

My rose bushes are flowering. Art by God.

Don Cheto.

Rode my bike 12.29 miles.

Went by El Torero to pay for the lunch that I got Jessi yesterday. I forgot my wallet. Oops.

Good talk with my Mom today. Always a blessing.

Wasn’t quite as hot today.

I worked on updating the Team Info page on our TeamWhirlwind.com website. Ashley got it all on line for me.

When I don’t have internet (Thanks, Mint Mobile) I read books in Spanish. Always learning words.

I took my girls for Vietnamese food this afternoon.

I had a big group at the mission today. But almost all of them are camera shy.

Everly wrote a letter to her friend Kyndal in Tennessee today. She got a letter from her today. She was so happy.

I love Penelope’s art so much. She is so creative!

I had a new student today. She speaks only a little English. I did my best to explain Algebra to her en Español. And you wonder why I study every day and take Duolingo so seriously.

I just went on Chat GPT and asked her to give me the basic Spanish words for teaching Algebra. Less than ten seconds later she told me this. And believe me, she sounds exactly like a real person.

My poor little Pink Magnolia is still being hit by white powder mildew. I keep spraying her, especially when we have some dry periods. The spray stays on the plant better when it’s not washed off. Duh.

Went by my office to pick up checks and process them. On the way home, I deposited them. Thank you so much, Father. I know you always take care of me.

Came in second place in Duolingo last week. Out of thirty people.

I updated the schedule for the teams. Ashley helped me get it on line. It’s at teamwhirlwind.com.

Winds.

I played some Horizon Forbidden West last night. Such a beautiful game

OYB!

Ordered groceries.

I had a fun talk with Anthony this morning. I gave him some ideas about his new book on self-hypnosis.

While we were talking, we heard what sounded like a bunch of fireworks going off and then a big BOOM! A large branch had narrowly missed the house. I’m not surprised it missed because I had my tree guy trim a lot of branches from that tree down. I only left the branches that did not look like they’d hit the house.

The eye bolt and the wire had been pulled out but the wires weren’t damaged. Apparently, they leave a lot of cable in the attic so if something like this happens it won’t break the wire. A successful strategy.

I called Walton Power and my electrician to come take a look. They both got here within 1.5 hours. The electrician put the new eye bolt in and the power guys put the cable back up in its place. Astonishing how fast those guys got the job done. When a power line is close to the ground, all the parties go into emergency mode. It’s a live wire that has deadly force.

While I waited for the power company and my electrician to put the wire back up, I checked out the roof. No damage.

The power guys and the electrician worked well together.

The guy at the pole turned the power on once the wire was in place.

I appreciate Minor’s Electric coming over so promptly. You always pay a premium when it’s a rush job. I honestly thought it could be double that.

The power in the house never turned off except for when the power guys turned it off to do the repair. Same for internet. The internet wire got pulled off the side of the house. I have Xfinity coming over to put it back. I don’t like standing on ladders without help. I never have help.

I got my chainsaw out, put some oil in it and went to work. I hadn’t used that machine in over 10 years. It’s electric. Works well for not too big a limbs.

I listened to Don Cheto while I worked.

I put all the lumber in my recycle area.

I like these polypore mushrooms.

I cut and hauled branches for 47 minutes.

Then went to Ann’s house to throw her garbage in the bin and take it to the street. It’s easy to forget how hard it is to do common things if you’re in a wheelchair.