Visiting the Alpacas Photos by Bob Kelly

On September 27, 2014 I became acquainted with some soft, gentle, and most interesting Alpacas, at a weekend visitation event.  Their fur is soft and the owners of these Alpacas weave the fur into fabrics for all kinds of hats, scarves and blankets.  They may look like a Llama, but are considerably smaller, and make a soft cooing kind of sound, which was a pleasant surprise.

Toad Tales - Funny - Laugh OUT LOUD!

The second part is a riot.  Particularly for those of us of a certain age.

Senior Conference On Aging. Held at the First Church of the Nazarene of Pasadena. Keynote Speaker Fritz Coleman NBC4's weathercaster is a Southern California broadcasting icon.

Molly on Monday

Wow Oh Wow.  B G did something EPIC!.  He and his friend John got up and drove all the way to Hearts United for Animals where he found me. Boy was it a long trip..3 and a half hours.  But it was worth it I got to see my friends at Hearts United and when we came back to home I have a new sister.

There are two slideshows to see at the bottom.  You will have to click them to see them.  One is the pictures when I met Sadie  and the other is the trip to Hearts United.

Here I was getting ready to go.

Then she had to meet Cassie.  It was a tense moment but
they are all good friends now.   She is looking at Cassie in this photo.

She likes to watch T V.  (I never watch T V.)

And here is her formal portrait.

So here we are getting acquainted.

And we both get to sleep on the couch.

Ginny and Bruce came to say hello to Sadie..It was nice to see them.

So you can see all of them here.

Sunday

When we enter into the life of God, we can no longer call unclean that which God has made and those whom God loves. We can no longer use religion to suggest that there is anyone that God has made who is condemned to live beyond the boundaries of the love of God. Prejudice dies in that moment and universalism is born. That is what atonement is all about. How badly we have misread its meaning. God’s love is not and can never be bound by the limits of our love.  

John Shelby Spong

You are above me, O God,

you are within.

You are in all things

yet contained by no thing.

Teach me to seek you in all that has life

that I may see you as the Light of life.

Teach me to search for you in my own depths that I may find you in every living soul.

-from Sounds of the Eternal

"Aware of the suffering caused by unmindful speech and the inability to listen to others, I am committed to cultivating loving speech and compassionate listening in order to relieve suffering and to promote reconciliation and peace in myself and among other people, ethnic and religious groups, and nations." 

- Thich Nhat Hanh

"Genius is eternal patience." 

- Michelangelo

We know what we are, but know not what we may be.

William Shakespeare

Put your heart, mind, and soul into even your smallest acts. This is the secret of success.

Swami Sivananda

 Millions of unprejudiced minds‑‑simple seekers for Truth, weary wanderers, athirst in the desert‑‑are waiting and watching for rest and drink.  Give them a cup of cold water in Christ's name, and never fear the consequences.   

Mary Baker Eddy

Saturday Matinee

Ana Yang Gazillion Bubble Show

Cute dog having fun in a water fountain.

35 Jobs That No Longer Exist - mental_floss List Show (Ep.222) Jon sent this to me, Loca the Pug singing......'The pug that couldn't run'

Found for Friday

 I have been in many places, but I've never been in Cahoots. Apparently, one can't go alone. You have to be in Cahoots with someone.

I've also never been in Cognito, but I hear no one recognizes you there.

I have, however, been in Sane. It doesn't have an airport; one has to be driven there. 

 I have made multiple trips thanks to my friends, family and work.

I would like to go to Conclusions, but one has to jump, and I'm not too much on physical activity anymore.

 I have also been in Doubt. That is a sad place to go, and I try not to visit there too often.

I've been in Flexible, but only when it was very important to stand firm.

Sometimes I'm in Capable, and I go there a lot more often as I'm getting older.

One of my favorite places to be is in Suspense! It really gets the adrenalin flowing and pumps up the old heart! At my age, I need all the stimuli I can get!

 I may have been in Continent, but I'm not sure that I should share what it's like there. Depends.

h/t from John K.

Thowback Thursday

Back row from left: Ben, Catherine, William, Elizabeth, Nell

Front row: Lewis, Jess, Clarence, Ellen, Avis, John

Just to put it in perspective my grandfather was Clarence in the picture above. His father was John who is mentioned in the story below which was written by his brother Henry. I took this picture from the Ames Historical Society but I suppose it is all right since I gave it to them in the first place. It is copied just as he wrote it

Read the story of my great-grandfather's family here.

Happy Hump Day

Molly and I are going to Nebraska on Thursday to Hearts United For Animals where we will meet Molly's new sister (currently named Wyotee).

Wyotee was found along the side of a lonely country road by one of our treasured volunteers. She is an incredible dog - gorgeous, friendly, calm and obedient. She was obviously once in a home where people taught her manners, but her appearance when she was found was horrendous. She was covered head to toe in ticks and filth to the point where we first thought she was a much older dog. Wyotee was patient and well-behaved as her caregivers plucked through her fur, then shaved her, then bathed her several times to rid her of her life on the run. Wyotee adores people. Just adores every single one of us she meets. She loves attention but does not jump up or demand it. She listens well and enjoys everything good that comes her way. She has great fun playing with her roommates and revels in the company of the other dogs. Wyotee will be a wonderful family dog and will thrive on the love and affection she so greatly desires and deserves. - 

So I asked and got this from Tara at HUA.

Yes, if you'd like to adopt Wyotee, you certainly may. She is absolutely perfect. I was there when they brought her in and she looked so rough. You could tell she had been out fending for herself for some time. Her coat was gray and full of dirt, covered in ticks, and just so tired and exhausted from being out in the heat for so long. She is such a sweet girl and very polite. She loves human attention! A more laid back girl ...


So my friend and John and I  (and Molly) are going down to go to the 4 hour drive down (and then 4 more back) and meet the new member of our family.  Wish us luck.

Toad Tales.

For about eight months I was mostly staying at home.  Not quite home-bound (but I was for about 3 months while I was having speech therapy) but with the strokes and then I did not feel comfortable driving at night because my cataracts had gotten to the point that I could was afraid I would have an accident.   Saturday I drove to Cedar Rapids to go to the KYCH meeting.  

This is the first outing with both of my eyes after the surgery and it was wonderful to go out and to drive and see.  I could even sure the beginnings of color in the trees.  Of course it still was still foggy but this was because of the rain... (It rained all day) but because I had eye trouble.

In fact I could drive without my glasses.  (I wonder if I can get the restriction lifted from my glasses.  I now have to use them to see to compute but I can watch TV gone and can watch the birdies in my hedge.  It is wonderful.

 Any way I went to the Knights of Cross of Honour meeting and am sharing the pictures with you.  In order to join this group you have to have been Worshipful Master of your Lodge, High Priest of your Chapter, Master of your Council and Commander of your Commandery.  It used to take a long time to join all of these groups and it is a high honor to join.  Surprisingly there are a lot of members who belong.  There were four new members in the class of candidates.  (you can click on a picture to see them enlarged and it will go right to the next one if you want to see them all by clicking through)

These are the distinguished members who have national officers.

Then new Prior and his officers are installed.

 After the meeting we has a little bit of time to converse and then we went to the second meeting of the day which I do not have photos of but we were there.  This is the Societas Rosicruciana in Civitatibus Foederatis. 

 After the meetings the rain had gone away and I was treated by these Highway Snap Shots.  It was a wonderful day and I really was happy that I can get out of the house to see friends and Brothers again.  It has been far to long.