This week has been another busy one. I’ve looked at several places to rent, but nothing really fits what I’m needing. I’m continuing to look / seek / pray where I should go.

My main project this week has been The Lamb PowerPoint. This has been a long overdue project, and is not a small matter. I am working on the booklet that will go with the PPT DVD,  so the operator will know when to advance to the next slide. Rachel roughed it in, but it was handed to me to finish so she can work on other projects.
This project also includes a ‘slide show’ DVD of The Lamb, as well as the PowerPoint files,  and handouts in PDF format. Both in the 10 lesson and 5 lesson formats! (The DVD also includes a ‘play all’ which is still a full length version yet again. One other things, we are designing this so that it can be easily formatted into other languages. This means adding extra space all over the place so the other languages will fit (German I think is the longest.) So I’ll probably rough in the German to see how things fit before going too far w/ it.

So, as you can see, it’s bigger than what it started out as! I don’t have an ETA on it yet. I generally know the ETA when the product arrives at the doorstep. Being a small organization means that projects take a side track from time to time to do other things.

And now I must go home for the annual Christmas office party.

Yes, time gets away, especially when there is a lot to do!
Our time in Radium was profitable, and it was good that we all were able to get together. We nailed down several loose ends - several projects that were just waiting to get finished.
The trip home on Sunday was a normal 4 hour drive with slushy roads. Not a problem…
And Monday / Tuesday got me back to the office chair driving my computers amap (as much as possible). Lots of little ends to do - from shooting photos for a friend’s website to looking up UPC barcode information, from looking for a house to rent or buy to updating the GS website for the latest and greatest information. And from shoveling snow to making coffee.
Oh, and don’t forget the laundry.
All in all, it’s been a busy few days, with no end of toil insight (well, you know what I mean.) 

Left Butte (after saying good bye to Roger and Renee) at around 9:00. It was -12°F when I left. Might need a new battery for the little car! We’ll see how it holds up throughout the winter.
I drove a new route to BC, and it was very nice. We had a little snow on the ground, enough to cover everything, but not too much to where it was a real problem. Drove around Flathead Lake in MT, which, in my opinion, was one of the most beautiful lakes I’ve seen. Crossed the border just fine, and made it to Radium to meet with the GoodSeed Design team for a couple days.
452 miles, 8:45 hours.

Anohter driving day. It was an interesting trip - as we started out (at 6:00) while it was still dark, lightning, and a slight mist. A little after we got on the road, it rained cats and dogs. Gully washer, so it was. It was so hard that I could only see about 20 feet in front of me at times. I had difficulty doing the speed limit! Good thing there wasn’t too much traffic at that time in the morning in that part of the world. Also - it was around 55°F.
The drive after that was pretty un-eventful (the next 15 hours, that is.) We did have a very strong head wind, because there was a cold front coming in behind. So much so, that I think I got the worst gas mileage my little car has ever seen (packed full, running 75 mph, strong head wind.) But all in all I think it did just fine.
In getting through the mountains in Montana, we started picking up snow and packed snow on the roads. I did take it easy, and made it just fine. Sleep came easy tonight.

I left Browns at around 9:00 if I remember right. The drive today was grand—no real trouble or anything of significance. Other than the fact that I stopped to see Lincoln’s Farm. The silly thing is that I drove around it on the way down and didn’t even see it! So I thought I better get up and stop, since I was going to be driving right by anyway.
I pulled in Emmetsburg, IA at around 8:00, and pretty tired from the trip. 8 hours of driving, with 2 extra hours of fooling around in different places.

Didn’t go church this morning - as Grandma doesn’t go anymore. I did listen to Charles Stanley at the electric church (TV) and got an hour’s worth of Charlie too. My folks came over and we went to Bob Evans for lunch, where I had breakfast again.
On the way home, we stopped at the gravesite of my Grandpa - Mom’s dad. Then we drove by where my Mom was born, an yet another place where she lived till she was 5 (after that she moved to where my Grandma is living still.)
We hung around the farm for a bit, then my folks headed home (to Doug’s.) I headed over to have stuffed cabbage (Bob made it) and see everybody off, for tomorrow I leave.

I had breakfast before leaving yet again. Went to Bob’s, and when I pulled in the drive, Mom was calling, letting me know that we all were supposed to eat breakfast on the square. So I turned around and headed that way. Everybody finally showed up - after a good while. This basically took the most of the morning, after which some of us headed to Doug’s. Doug, Bill, Danny and I moved Doug’s fridge to the new hose from the cabin - which entailed taking the doors off and all to fit it out of the cabin and in the new shack.
After that, I headed to Terry and Karleen’s for lunch. Russ and kids, as well as my folks were over for dinner (which was Subway.) We hung out and played video games and just visited.
I was going to go to Dwight’s for a Dwight Burger, when Teresa called asking for help in moving their piano. So I went there for supper.
I didn’t shoot any photos here, though I probably should have. There were a total of us 4 to move the piano, but Josh and I moved it (from one room to another) pretty easily (it was just a small unit.) So, we had supper, and I hung around till about 8:30 just shooting the breeze. We played with the girls - Paige and Sally, but not Ian, as he was only 2 months (though I did have to hold him for a bit…)

Again, up and had some biscuits again! Headed to Bob’s to see what was happening, to find Rich and Bob making breakfast there. Oh well, so much for my planning.
Just about everyone was there - except Bill and his clan. We hung around, chewed the fat and just did what we could to help get ready. I took a trip to Walmart with Doug, as he needed some things for his new house to get some of the things liveable (to hook up a toilet, shower curtain, and TP!)
Bill and Shirley finally came (along with Danny and Mindy.) It was perfect timing, because we were just ready to eat. Buffet style, and I waited till everyone was seated to get my picture.
After, we gathered a group shot outside - which was difficult as it was full sunshine and a huge group of people. So we tried 3 different places / positions.
The rest of the day was again, sitting around, eating pie and the like. I got the photos ready and distributed them around, and eventually headed back to Grandma’s.

Got up, grabbed a shower. Grandma baked some biscuits, so I felt obliged to eat a few!
I went over to Dwight’s for dinner - Josh, Teresa and the kids were over. I went over early, and we waited for Josh / Teresa to arrive (with 3 kids in car seats, such an endeavor does take some time.) Finally Renita called, and they were just 1 mile away. Dwight asked me to ask Russ, Matty and Anna over for dinner, which I did. They hadn’t eaten breakfast yet, and they made it just 10 minutes late (11:10).
So we ate.
After, I took off to pick up Mom / Dad at the airport. I drove down through Grayville, and made it to the airport with very little traffic. Evansville airport has a 15 minute parking just before the Arrivals section, so you can drop your car and walk in np. I did, and my folks were looking to rent a car - but it was only $75 a day, so they opted to opt out.
We drove to West Salem through Mt. Carmel and Friendsville - a route I’ve never taken before (the GPS w/ maps helped out!)
I dropped them off at Doug’s - and hung around a little as we decided what to do (as far as where to have Thanksgiving dinner and all that.) Doug’s house had no tables, or chairs, or fridge, or plates or a lot of other things! I think all in all it was decided to have it over at Bob’s.
So I left, to head back to Browns - and another supper at Dwight’s. This time with Josh, Chris and Elliot. This time my folks came over with the help of Bob’s truck.

Yesterday got up late and hung around in my room for the morning. Most of the Essex clan went to Moody’s church in downtown IL, but being as tired as I was, I opted out and rested (good choice!) They came back and we had lunch, hung around a bit, then I took off.
I drove about 4.5 hours and was tired enough to stop and sleep.

Today drove the rest of the way down to Southern Illinois, and it was a great day for that! Hung out w/ Grandma and Dwight, got a new Milwaukee catalogue and headed to Karleen’s for some internet action, and here I am.

Just a quick update - as I’m currently in Chicago (but only for a day.) Below are some images of the trip so far.
First I drove to Butte, MT, where I spent the night and picked up 2 riders (Roger and Renee). Friday I dropped them off in Northern Iowa, and spent the night. Then on Saturday (today) I drove the rest of the way to Chicago, were Andy and Marie are staying (w/ extended family) for a couple days.

Thats all for now - as I’m out of juice.

After a long day in the office, I’m sorry that I don’t have much profound wisdom or news to present to you. So, with that, I will offer a long-standing part of me that I learned back in 1998, by a friend by the name of James N.:

Esau Wood sawed wood. Oh, the wood that Wood would saw! One day, Esau Wood saw a wood saw that would saw wood like no other wood saw Wood ever saw saw wood. Of all the wood saws Wood ever saw saw wood, no other wood saw would saw wood like the wood saw Wood saw would saw wood. Now when Esau Wood saws wood, he saws wood with the wood saw that he saw saw wood.

Well, as a friend once told me, “John—if this is the worst thing that happens to you today, you’re going to be doing alright.” I like that phrase - because it does help put things in perspective. There are a lot worse things out there, I’m thankful for what I do have and what I don’t have at the same time! In fact, the day was just fine, but my attitude towards the day is what needed adjustment.

But today was really good in once sense. I was able to finish formatting The Lamb in Russian, printed it out, and mailed it to the translator. She is leaving for Russia at the end of the month, so I’m thrilled to have it in her hands for the trip (it hasn’t made it quite yet - it’s still sitting in the ‘out box’.) But having that ready for her to take and use to ‘fine-tune’ it is just so cool. So, Portuguese is winding down, all that’s left is Dutch, German and Luxembourgish (2 of which are roughed in already.) Don’t get your hopes up too quickly - still a lot of work to do…

We purchased a couple equipment racks for the office here - one for the GS Server stuff, and the other for my video equipment. Now I have the job of setting that all up.

Oh, and it snowed today. Most of it’s melted off but it was fun while it lasted. Lloyd and I watched it for a while…

And just for grins, I did a rough count on my ‘to do’ list - and it’s up to 136 things…

I did. 7:10 am, so it was. Interestingly, I was able to register right there and vote (where back home I had to register at least 2 weeks early.) That was nice. And I’m thankful for the privilege it was to be able to vote. I’m sure many in this country are. I kept thinking of threats that we don’t really have to endure to make our voice heard.

It was discouraging in the sense that the definition of marriage was part of the cast. What I mean is, that it is something that is so obvious that it should never had been questioned enough to be put to vote. Just goes to show the slipping of society.

Today was tough, but made it this far. Managed to get The Lamb Portuguese changes implemented (some more work to do, but getting close.) That reminds me, I need to move the page numbers to another layer. (Just updated my ToDo list - that one gets be done 7 times!) On a good note, Lloyd was in doing the shipping. Yeah!

Also today, I received the new and improved Russian Lamb files. I need to get that formatted by the end of the month so it can be field-tested in Russia. Exciting to see that one come about too.

Today we had a pow-wow (sp?) on networking and equipment and backup solutions. It was good to go through, and I need to be better at that than I am. I don’t know what it is in me to say that it’s not that important, perhaps it’s just not wanting to take the productive time out of the day (you know- the part where I am awake) and use it in not being productive. One could argue that having a good backup is being productive, but that’s only true if (and that’s the big word) things go sour. Not knowing forces the arm behind the back and makes you cry ‘Uncle’.
I’m not sure what the best solution is, but in trying to back up some files today, my DVD burner can’t make a copy w/ out errors, then my portable drive (used to back up on my

computer) quit half way through. Needless to say it was easy to just say forget it and go home. Which I did!
Well, TL needed a ride to his car (getting the snow tires put on) and after that it was supper time, so I went for that. Then I needed to stay and ‘oversee’ Noby and her friend when the rest of the fam went to a rewards banquet for Titus and his track team. It was good to stay home for one evening.
We watched ‘Over the Hedge’. I could comment on that—but will refrain at the moment.