Farewell to an Era

Friday officially closed the Cedar Hill era of our lives as we finally closed on our house at 312 Breseman. We turned over the mail box keys and the garage door openers and walked away from the place we called home for 22 years -- longer than any other place I've lived in my 61 years.

The new owners are a couple maybe our age who have an adult son with some kind of learning disability. We didn't meet them at the closing since I didn't arrive back in town until later Friday afternoon. Julie and I went to the title company and signed the papers after the new owners had done so that morning.

We have many happy memories of our years in Cedar Hill. Mom and I will continue to attend Good Shepherd Church for the foreseeable future, so we haven't completely severed ties.

We didn't make any money on the house, but happy memories may be much more valuable in the long run.

One Year Ago

Hard to believe this was the scene around here one year ago.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4238771665641659829&hl=en

Mystery Picture

Can anyone not living in Virginia identify this contraption?

Only in California

Walked outside my hotel in San Diego and saw this sign on the wall by the front door. Now when I go to California I usually think about what I would do in an earthquake. I never thought I'd have to worry about my hotel causing cancer and attacking my reproductive organs.


It's not a flop house either. Swanky place in the area they call the Gaslamp section of town. What are they putting through those gaslamps, one has to wonder?

Farewell

Last night. I received word of the passing of a wonderful man and brother in Christ. Tom Avery was not only the resident ethnomusicologist at Wycliffe's SIL, he was the song leader (cantor) at our church. Although Tom and I had our theological differences about free will, he was a gracious man of God who will be sorely missed by all who knew him. He loved Jesus so much and wanted to live in a state of constant praise. I administered his last communion to him on Sunday. I could tell something wasn't quite right Sunday. His energy seemed down, but His spirit was bathed in glory.

Our prayers are with his wife, Kristy, and his family as they gather for the final farewell to one of God's servants and a friend I will miss until our reunion in Heaven.

Cat walkin'

This is a picture I snapped with my iPhone from a distance of Amy's neighbor taking her cat for a walk on a leash. On a leash? A cat? Isn't that precisely why people have cats, so they don't have to take their pets on walks?


Jill helps Trevor and Ty get ready for their first foray into the woods behind Amy's house. They are wearing hats and their pants are tucked inside of boots to avoid the dreaded scourge of the Virginia woods -- ticks! Jill is thinking, "What can possibly go wrong?"

Caroline at Church

Caroline studies the order of worship carefully to be sure the praise choruses and hymns meet her strict Reformed standards.


Caroline likes it when we sing.


Jill and the boys sure were excited to see Caroline when they arrived on Sunday afternoon. It was the first time Trevor and Ty had seen their cousin.



Caroline shows Trevor and Ty her very favorite bouncer.

Vacation

We had a terrific time in North Carolina, first with Marc and Amy and then with my Mom and Dad. I did a lot of driving last week -- to and from Lynchburg, Virginia and then to and from Raleigh. So I didn't get a lot posted. I've got some pictures and video I'd like to show of our time with the grandchildren.

But I'm on the road again. Tonight I'm in my second favorite city in the US, after Granbury -- San Diego. If I could have afforded to live out here, I would have bought a house here, but it's just unbelievable what prices were a year or so ago. I don't know how much San Diego has been hurt by the mortgage bust, but if it's like the rest of California, it can't be good.

So, I'll try to get those pictures up as soon as I can.

Arrival at Amy's

Julie and I flew on separate airlines but we arrived in Charlotte safe and sound. I was flying on a business trip and I always fly American Airlines to get air miles. But we found a ticket at half the price American was charging for the ticket we had to pay for ourselves. So, Julie flew US Air. Ironically, the flights left DFW at the same time (well my plane had a technical problem and was late leaving) and they arrived at the same time.

We rented a car at Charlotte and drove the 3 1/2 hours to Lynchburg. We arrived about 3:30 in the afternoon and had a wonderful afternoon with Caroline, Marc, and Amy. We went to eat a very nice sit-down restaurant and Caroline was delightful.

The Schutz family arrives Sunday afternoon. They are driving and spent the night last night in Columbus, Ohio. So, all the cousins meet this afternoon.

We're off to Marc and Amy's church this morning. Should be an exciting day.