where's jim?

You know it occurred to me that maybe I am taking too many pictures. Nope, not possible. Anyways, the girls came down from playing last night and asked me if I would take their picture. The light was not quite right but as you can see they are a couple of hams. All the things I need to learn I can learn from a 2 year old. I should listen more carefully when she says no. She has great wisdom.

I learned something about coffee today too!! My wise and noble son-in-law had the foresight to install a automatic water filter in their new refrigerator and boy does that improve the taste of the coffee over the tap water here!!!. Yesterday I made Starbucks breakfast blend with the tap water and is tasted kind of like stump water. Tasted like the coffee Doc and I had at Bob Evans a few months ago. My lovely daughter told me yesterday to use the filtered water but no!!!I would not listen. Well after the stumpwater incident yesterday I used the filtered water today and the results were incredible!!!Guess filtering is something on the list for the Yearsin household. Maybe a reverse osmosis system or something practical like that.

Abby gave me a tour of the boneyard on Kolb Road. Oh Pappy, there are Phantoms, there are the Tankers, Hogs and the Tomcats. She wants to be a helicopter pilot and Mary Kay consultant like her Mommy and Daddy. She wants to go to bible study like her Momma, too..

Well for me I am starting to look more like a Pappy every day. Like my new hat??? Only 8 bucks at Penneys. 60% off how could you refuse. Not sure what lessons I will learn today, but one thing for sure you are going to hear about them, like it or not. So BBT, BBH, BBF....I declare you all Blessed!!

I must be off..

You know it occurred to me on the way down here how you are really looking in the mirror when you are with your kids... You seem to have so much more forgiveness when you see your own likness. Anyway, I felt the weight of my own legacy yesterday on the way here from the airport. When the kids were small they always went on errands with Daddy on Saturday. We would go everywhere, the dry cleaner, the hardware store, the bank, just place after place. Eventually, they got wise and would negotiate just how many places do we have to go to today? 3, ok Dad we can do three. When we were done with the three, I would say, well you know there are a couple of more stops if you don't mind??? Well yes Dad, we can make a couple of more stops. Why all this??? Well Martha drove about 2 hours to PHX to pick me up with Amelia Bedelia and Abigail Rose. Martha said, Dad, you don't mind if we make a couple stops on the way back to the house do you?? Well, no I don't mind. Now I had been up since 5:15 EDT and on the way we had a extra stop and the Super Walmart for a few necessities. Then on the way to the mall we had dinner at Mimi's Cafe. Have you ever seen a two year old eat pancakes with a fork?? (Sorry I digress on the proud Pappy/Poppy bragging on these girls, Did I say I had two beautiful grandaughters??). Then well only one more stop Dad, the MALL. Yes all three girls know their way around the Mall. Just two stores, Gymboree and Old Navy... Scary when a three (well she will be 4 July 19th) know the departments in DILLARDS and also can spell GYMBOREE and leads the way into Old Navy. Well they did need new outfits for Abby's 4 year old picture we are going to have made today!!!. Highlight was when Martha asked Amelia if whe like a pretty dress. Not opinionated, but she said clearly, NO!! Only 100 buck at Gymboree but you get $50 certificate toward your next, well anyway. So, my little girl drove two hours with two kids to pick up DAD, two hours back, Super Walmart, went out for dinner and then to the Mall. Where did she get that from???

This AM we all enjoyed some Cracklin' Oat Bran and I did have a little Starbucks breakfast blend. Well it is back to the Mall for pictures. I must be off!!!!!!!!!

I tried to think once but nothing happened. Good thing things occur to me occasionally. I am here in ATL at the airport waiting on my connection. There is a Starbuck right behind me,

as you can see from my 2nd most recent photo...

The flight was great, no one in my row. Oh how the Lord shows us favor. Speaking of favor, I purchased "Your Best Life Now" by Joel Osteen to give to Susie. I thought I should read it first and I read the first 3rd or so on the first leg of the flight. I try not to give books to people I have not read. I bought her the Purpose Driven Life last year (go figure) and I thought I would try something different this year. Of course I can already think of others that I will give the book to as it is absolutely fabulous, I can tell already. I did see at Sam's (no not Slammy) that the PDL is still on the best sellers list. Wow still number ten, spell that backwards. (Wow I mean)...

Nice day to travel, kind of makes you feel warm and fuzzy all over. Well I will try and keep up my online journal in Arizona, should be warm there...(like 110)..

Anyways, I must be off. Tootaloo!!

PITTSBURGH -- James Henry Smith was a zealous Pittsburgh Steelers fan in life, and even death could not keep him from his favorite spot: in a recliner, in front of a TV showing his beloved team in action.

Smith, 55, of Pittsburgh, died of prostate cancer Thursday. Because his death wasn't unexpected, his family was able to plan for an unusual viewing Tuesday night.
The Samuel E. Coston Funeral Home erected a small stage in a viewing room, and arranged furniture on it much as it was in Smith's home on game day Sundays.
Smith's body was on the recliner, his feet crossed and a remote in his hand. He wore black and gold silk pajamas, slippers and a robe. A pack of cigarettes and a beer were at his side, while a high-definition TV played a continuous loop of Steelers highlights.
"I couldn't stop crying after looking at the Steeler blanket in his lap," said his sister, MaryAnn Nails, 58. "He loved football and nobody did (anything) until the game went off. It was just like he was at home."
Longtime friend Mary Jones called the viewing "a celebration."
"I saw it and I couldn't even cry," she said. "People will see him the way he was."
Smith's burial plans were more traditional - he'll be laid to rest in a casket. AP NEWSThe Associated Press News Service

I tried to think once, but nothing happened. But it did occur to me what a day this has been.

Boy, what a day!! Quite a far cry from celebrating the 4th on the 3rd with a 5th!!!

Let's play 2!! If the Angels can knock off the Twins tonite the Indians move into the wild card lead in the AL. Who is this Travis Hafner anyways? Well let me tell you a little about him. His nickname is PRONK. Pronk is a combination of prodigy and donkey. There you have it, PRONK. Three homeruns in the double header. He might be in the zone. Dunno.

The Independence Day Classic. Have you ever seen such? I testify I saw more excellent ball striking, course management and a deft touch around the green today than I have ever seen before at the Raisin Valley Golf Course. My hats off to the sponsors and organizers of this fine event. Where else but on a golf course can you have networking and evangelism all rolled into one.

Dinner at Docs. Who would have thunk it?? A culinary gourmet chimney sweep. The most gracious good Doctor and his lovely bride put on a 4th of July feast for Donna, Susie, Alecia and yours truly. Going to the Binders is like a trip to the zoo and a 5 star eatery all in one. Horsie ride with Rowdy, feeding Bacon, play ball with Sootie, laptime with Ashes, conversation and a song with Simon and a little quiet time with Shadow. Although they are animals, they are more like children than pets. Wow, maybe they can adopt me too. There are lots of people who would be blessed to be as well fed and cared for as Bacon.

Oh and they fed us, and fed us and fed us. Pickled veggies, dilled garlic and mom's homemade pickles from a heavenly family recipe. Veggies and hommus for the health conscience. Fresh stout ice tea, fresh fruits, NYStrip, grilled chicken, zuchini casserole, sauteed onions and mushrooms, and I have not even mentioned desert yet. Did I say desert?? Well no ice cream for Jim, but they did have fresh made brownies and chocolate chip cookies, with more fresh fruit, fresh whipped cream with strawberries, YUM...

But the best part is the fellowship. It is always great to spend a holiday with family. I pray you had a great 4th. Tell me about yours. Can't wait for the 5th!

Well, I must be off.