February 29th

Even though it is almost over, I just wanted to post how much I love February 29th. I have always thought it would be awesome to have been born on a day that only comes around once every four years. To have the day you were born on not exist for 75% of your life is just one of those little things that I find interesting. Anyone else feel the same?

People being stupid news item of the week

VANCOUVER, Wash. (AP) - A man led police on a very slow-speed chase, refusing to stop while riding a lawn mower at about 3 mph across a busy street and steering it toward an officer before he was grabbed and arrested, a police report says.

Now, authorities say, the question is whether Stephen Ray Castor, 53, already under investigation in the breaking of a window of a man's house and the episode with the officer, can also be charged with drunken driving. State law is silent on whether riding mowers are covered by the law against driving under the influence.

Castor remained in the Clark County Jail with bail set at $40,000 pending a court appearance Friday.

Police said the chase began late Monday afternoon after Jason Taylor reported that Castor - a stranger to him - cursed at him, rode the mower through his fence gate and smashed a window with a lawn chair.

Castor drove the mower across a boulevard and down a city street, the police report said. Officer Gregory J. Hibbard got out of his patrol car and told Castor to stop, then had to sidestep to avoid being hit, the report said.

Shortly afterward, several officers pulled Castor off the mower and arrested him.

What is it with drunk people and riding mowers? On the subject of riding mowers, has anyone else ever seen this film called "The Straight Story"? It is the true story of a guy who goes on a road trip across several states on a riding mower, it is interesting to say the least. :p

Watch this!

I have been meaning to post this video for a few days. I think it is hilarious!!
I got the movie from Natalie's blog. The first time I watched it, I could not stop laughing. I was just sitting at the computer laughing my head off!

Notebook Blogging #6

I have a feeling this is going to be short. :p Because of the weather we have not been able to put our floor system in the house. It will be too cold one day and the next day it will rain! Crazy weather. Anyway the only blog worthy thing to occur in class was building a playhouse for a guy in class named Joy. Yes, that is his real name, my sisters did not believe me at first. Joy wanted a playhouse for his son so Mr. T. decided it would be a good chance for everyone to practice swinging a hammer or something like that.

We built the playhouse in the shop just like you would a real house, framed up the walls, floor, roof all following code as if it was a real house. Then we covered the whole thing with OSB and tar papered and shingled the roof! It has got to be the nicest playhouse I have ever seen and it weighs over a ton, literally! The only trouble is now Joy has to figure out how to get the monstrosity home.

Our teacher Mr. T. is a very funny guy, he went through the class 30 some years ago and then ended up back teaching the class. He also has a great sense of humor, a few days ago a phone went off in class and the ring tone was the William Tell Overture. Mr. T. looked up from what he was doing and started prancing in place like he was riding a horse with this cheesy grin on his face, oh the times I wish I had a video camera. :D He also has a habit of making some pretty funny quotes, three of the best have been:

"Doing a song and dance number with a truss in your hand is no fun"

"Treat that level like a woman, gentle like"

"Believe you me, when you finish with this class, you will be tight with your ruler"

The third one was in response to a guy who when asked, said he could read a ruler but he was not that "tight" with it. Most importantly Mr. T. is a wealth of information when it comes to building anything you can imagine, including furniture, (which is what he wants to do someday, build custom furniture) When I learn something new I am the type of person who wants to get out and put that knowledge to practice or tell people about what I learned, I have learned so much I did not know before that it sometimes bugs me that it is winter, (and I love winter) because I can't get out and work on things like I will be able to do once it warms a bit. I actually can't wait for summer which I think is really funny since as those who know me can attest to, I have never been a great fan of summer. :p

Penelope: A Movie Review

Once upon a time there lived a girl named Penelope.
The only thing she ever wanted was to be free.......from her family curse.
The curse.......she was born with the face of a pig.
To break the curse....the only thing she must do is to find someone of her own kind to love her.
A task that is easier said than done.


William and I went to a movie screening Monday night.
The movie we watched was called Penelope.
It is a modern fairy tale. I happen to love Fairy tales.
The movie is now one of my favorites, along with Ever After and Enchanted. :)
There was not really any objectionable content other than a few comments here and there.
The movie opens this Friday. Go watch it !! That is all....

~Sarah~


Btw... Here is the trailer:

Sermon Jams

Sorry the blog has once again been slightly dead, I have wanted to post the following post for the past couple of days but my computer has been off line since Saturday. In our house I have a wireless network set up so you can view the shared files and access the internet anywhere in the house. Unfortunately my section of the network was down since one of the routers died so today was the first day since Saturday that I finally was able to patch myself back in.

I have mentioned this before but I am always on the lookout for new music, recently as I was wondering around online I came across this site called 10:31 Sermon Jams. The music on the site is composed of little mini clips from Christian leaders (mainly John Piper and Joshua Harris) that has been set to a beat. All the mixes are very well done but I think volume 4 is the best. You can check them out at their site here and you can actually listen to and download all their songs for free from their site. Just a warning the music the sermons are set to is mainly hip hop type beats so if you are not into that you may not find them as interesting to listen to as I did. Though I still encourage you to check them out.

Speaking of John Piper and Joshua Harris (well, in a round about way) Sarah and I are going to the New Attitude 2008 conference that is in May. Both John Piper and Joshua Harris are going to be there as well as Al Mohler, Mark Dever, Eric Simmons and C.J. Mahaney. All these men are great teachers and I am looking forward to it. If you are reading this and have no idea who any of these guys are, I would strongly urge you to get on google and check them out, especially Piper and Harris. If you want to read more about the conference you can go here. BTW if anyone reading this is already planning on going and you live around us, leave a comment or let me know personally, maybe we could work out a carpool situation to save everyone some gas. :)

People being stupid news item of the week

Man parked stolen car at Sheriff's Office

ANDERSON, S.C., Feb. 21 (UPI) -- Anderson County, S.C., authorities said a man was arrested after he parked a stolen convertible outside the County Sheriff's Office.

Sheriff's spokeswoman Susann Griffin said Charles Noah Chambers came into the building to demand the return of $1,991 that was seized from him in June following his arrest on methamphetamine trafficking charges, the Anderson (S.C.) Independent Mail reported Thursday.

Griffin said she noticed Chambers driving away in a 1996 Saab after his demands were rejected. She said the vehicle was reported stolen from Cartee's Used Cars between 5 p.m. Monday and 11:30 a.m. Tuesday.

Sheriff's Lt. W. F. Looper said the suspect put "a screwdriver into the ignition switch" when deputies caught up to the car and told him to turn off the engine.

Chambers and a woman who was riding in the car with him were taken into custody. Chambers was charged with possessing/receiving stolen goods, driving with a suspended license and a vehicle tag violation.

So I am back

As you have probably noticed, no notebook blogger today. I was out of town and not in class the first three days of the week so that is why. The weather was spectacular but not too much more happened that is worth blogging about, well except for the Cormorants that were everywhere. A Cormorant is this funny little bird that looks somewhat like duck in size and it has webbed feet. Unlike a duck though it dives completely underwater and catches little fish and or bugs. Half the time they were swimming around with just their heads out of the water it was rather funny looking, just seeing this long neck and head moving through on the water's surface. That was not the best part about them though, the best part was they like to sleep in trees!

As dusk approached, in pairs and one by one, they flew into this larger tree on it's own little island. Did I mention they have webbed feet? They literally did fly into the tree accompanied with much crashing and shaking of branches. I tried to take a picture but I could never quite get them caught in the act of crash landing. I did get a picture of some of them in the tree though:

See how the foliage is lacking somewhat where the Cormorants are perched? That is from the Cormorants. Of course the golf course where we were did not really like them messing up the foliage, so every night around dusk they had a guy come out and shoot a flare gun at the tree to scare them out. I am serious! He did it three times just while we were standing there. It sure scared them out of the tree. :D

Probably the highlight of the trip was getting to drive this beautiful thing:

Boy was it fun to drive, zipping around cart paths, you would not believe the speed of that thing! Ok, that last line had no truth at all. You could walk faster than that lift! Plus it was very wide so as you can see in the picture I drove it mainly looking down to make sure I was as close to staying on the cart path as possible so as not to mess up the grass. :p

Thoughts...

Rain drops on the window pane

are like the thoughts in my brain

constantly dripping, always moving

sometimes I wish for wiper blades

to help rid my mind of the thoughts that weigh

have you ever been somewhere with so much to say

but you don't say a thing at least not like you wanted

the mind replays the event somehow you're haunted

or there is deafening silence the type that makes you want to shout

you open your mouth yet no words come out

drowning in our thoughts sounds impossible

there is no way that is remotely logical

yet the thoughts fall through your head as in a downpour

slipping and sliding they keep on coming

thoughts without voice there is always a choice

If you keep them inside will they just roll up and die

hardly, you will probably just end up feeling sorry

that you did not express what was burning on your chest

sometimes the greatest risk is the one not taken

we're too scared of a fall, not trusting the One above all

that opportunity before you has a purpose behind it

but maybe you will never see it unless you deny yourself

and take a leap and remember that you are one of His sheep

the Lord will protect you through every decision

and everything that ever happens has a reason

with that knowledge in your head the need for wiper blades is dead

so your brain may feel like a storm now and then

just remember to place your trust in Him

How To Wash a dog....part 2

Scroll down to see part one.


Step 4: Do your best to ignore the sad and pitiful faces that your dog makes.
See below:
This is a classic "why are you giving me a bath I just went swimming in the creek face"

Ok....... so I lied...... the small person did not bathe the dog........ He had help.......We got molly the put the shampoo on because it contained dangerous pesticides. :) Really.... it did!

See? We didn't make her do all the work.

Step 5: Remember to hold on to your dog at all times during the washing.
Dogs do not care for baths and they will run away at the first oppertunity.

How To Wash A Dog.....Part 1

This afternoon it was so pretty outside. We decide to take advantage of this weather and give one of our stinky dogs a bath. :)


Step 1: Find a small person.
Step 2: Tell Him/Her that is would be really fun to give the dog a bath. :) Get small person very excited about bathing the dog.
Step 3: Decide not to give the dog a bath...... just kidding! Get previous mentioned small person to catch the dog and start washing.
The following pictures are included to illustrate step 3
Annabeth was kind enough to take pictures for us.


Matthew (small person) caught the dog Aka Taffy Aka Piggy.
(and no.... we don't call her piggy because she smells)

Matthew demonstrating step 3

Still demonstrating........

Ahhh every one step back......... she's going to blow...er.....shake.

Winter Jam 2008

Yesterday my uncle and cousins were heading over to Greensboro for Winter Jam 2008. Never one to miss a cheap concert I happily tagged along. We arrived in Greensboro, ate lunch and set ourselves up in line. Line? You may ask, yes line. See, the tickets were only $10 except it was open seating, which is code for: mad rush through the doors for good seats, so we of course wanted to position ourselves near the front of the line which meant we got in line about 4- 4.5 hours before the concert started...Yes, feel free to think I am nuts I hear it quite often. :)

Anyway we stood, leaned and sat in line for multiple hours then had a 10 minute rush of adrenalin as we fought 18,000+ to people find seats, then sat for about another 30 minutes before the pre-show started. As you can see, lots of siting, which in turn made my feet fall asleep, quite irritating! There were about 10 different acts/groups but the main five were, Mandisa, Newsong, Barlow Girl, Skillet, and Mercy Me which was pretty good for $10 if I do say so myself.

During the pre-show there was this group called "pureNRG" no offense to them but I am going to rant a bit here. (Just skip down to the next paragraph if you want to avoid it) First off, using the letters "NRG" does not spell energy (which was how it was pronounced) and does not give you coolness points. Second, dancing around the stage lip syncing is just ug, (yes I know that is not a word but that is how I felt) Finally the members of the group were 14, 11 and 12 and maybe it is just me but seeing a bunch of kids dance around a stage to popish Disney channel music is not exactly something I am into. One more thing, talking into the mic after dancing is not the best idea if all you can do is breathe very loudly and get out one or two words at a time while gasping for breath. The other smaller acts were ok nothing worth writing about, as for the larger acts....

I was probably the most impressed by Newsong, they have several songs I like but I had never seen them in concert and I thought they were very good live. They have this one song, "Arise my Love" readers may or may not have heard it but the harmonization in the song, to see them doing it live is worth seeing. If you have not heard the song you can hear it on youtube here though it does not really do it justice, it is one of those songs that is just better live. Barlow Girl was actually a bit of a disappointment, the only reason I could come up with as to why was their stage presence just seemed to be a bit off, it might have had something to do with them having to do a shorter set because of all the groups but for whatever reason they just did not seem up to par.

Mercy Me was their usual self, one thing I have always liked about Mercy Me is while they care about performing well they don't make themselves the focal point of the performance, but rather God. If they hear the crowd singing praises they will stop singing, even stop playing and it will just be the crowd worshiping a cappella. I can't really explain what it is like, unless you have been to a Christian concert where there is more emphasis on worshiping our Lord then performing you probably don't know what it is like, but eighteen thousand people all singing "I Love You Lord" a cappella is probably the closest I will ever get before I die to the type of worship we will experiance in heaven. I get chills thinking about how amazing it is going to be.....ok back to the concert.

I have to admit I am not a fan of Skillet, actually they sorta bug me, but I figured to hear Mercy Me I could handle Skillet. If you don't know who Skillet is they are a rock band and well, that is all there is to say. They also seemed to be somewhat full of themselves which is something that really bugs me with some Christian artists. I have no idea what their lead singer's name is but when he is telling people to "rock out" I just don't feel that is appropriate.

There was not really any mention of God in terms of "rocking out" it was just like, "I want you guys rocking out so hard that you will wake up tomorrow with a neck ache from head banging" I personally think there is something theologically wrong with suggesting you give your body, the temple of the Holy Spirit, a neck ache because you were "head banging" to Skillet...But that is just me :p I don't have a problem with folks jumping up and down and dancing, while praising the Lord but it has to be done in the right spirit... I also wonder at what kind of witness it was to folk who were there who were unsaved....

Anyway, I could go on and on, like I have mentioned before music is something that I could write quite a bit about, I actually have a huge post typed up about it but I think having to read it would probably scare away everyone who reads this blog. So how about some pictures, while I have issues with Skillet I have to admit their pyrotechnics during their show made for some pretty impressive photographs.
One of Newsong:

Newsong and their Cello/Guitar dual

Forget lighters, this is the 21st Century folks we have cell phones! :p

Skillet.... as you can see, the lead singer is taking his own advice and was banging his head something fierce. The other dude liked to jump around a lot, must have been too much coffee before the show...

Flames

and more flames

Yeah the flames were rather impressive.

One blog note, I am heading out of town with my dad, so unless my sisters post the blog probably will be a little dead for a few days. Everyone have a good week. :)

People being stupid news item of the week

Anti-vandalism protester arrested

A Polish man who pasted a notice on a bus stop asking vandals to stop vandalizing it was arrested - for vandalism.

Janusz Nowak, 61, was arrested as he pasted the message on a pavement in the southern Polish town of Sosnowiec.

His notice read: "Dear Vandals - please stop destroying the bus-stop."

A police spokesman said: "Although the man had good intentions and wanted to express his indignation towards hooligans' behavior in the neighborhood he unfortunately broke the law himself."

Poor guy, trying to stop something and ends up getting hit for the charge he was trying to prevent!

Notebook Blogging #5

I woke up this morning to a lovely Valentine's day surprise of about 3 inches of snow. Yes 3 inches is barely more than a dusting and most of it has already melted as I type this but hey, it is snow. I love snow, plus on the way to class I got to yell at people driving like we were in a blizzard or something that is always fun.

Something rather funny happened in class this week, or maybe I should say before class. Like I have said in past posts, even though I usually wake up when I need to, as a precaution when I need to be somewhere on time in the early morning I set my alarm. Sometimes because of Sleepy Rufus even that does not work. :p Well one day this week I woke up and rolled over to see what time it was. My brain, still in it's somewhat foggy state from the adventure I was having in one of the seven levels of the candy cane forest, only noticed the minute hands were at :49 and my alarm was set for :50. Choosing to avoid some needless noise I turned off the alarm and went about getting ready to leave.

I ate breakfast, looked at the temperature outside (26) grabbed a warm hat and headed out the door. When I arrived at class I noticed the parking lot was not as full as it usually is but I did not give it a second thought that was until I noticed that Mr. T.'s truck was also not parked near the shop. "Hmmm" I thought to myself, I hope we have class today. It was at that moment that I thought to check my phone to see if I had somehow set a new land speed record getting to class, to my surprise I was early. An hour early! I had to look at my phone twice just to make sure I was getting the correct time.

When I thought about it I realized I looked at clocks in the house as well as the clock in my car, all of which were displaying the correct time but my brain just did not process it. What made it worse was the fact that I had taken my Bible and the book I was reading out of my backpack so I had nothing to read. Fortunately I still had my notebook and pens so I just sat there and wrote this post up. Then, since I still had quite a bit more to wait, I decided to stick it to verse...The things we do when we have time on our hands....

The alarm did not sound
still my feet hit the ground
when I jumped out of bed
thoughts of getting ready in my head.
I had a bite to eat
I brushed my teeth
put on my socks then shoes
I was on the move.
Though I did not drive fast
I arrived early to class
with nothing much to occupy my time
except composing this cheesy rhyme.

Oh yeah pretty awful I have to admit. That may be due to the subject matter or maybe just because I stink at creating verse. Anyway even after writing the above in my notebook I still had some time on my hands which was spent praying about the day. Finally it got close enough to the time when class was to start that I headed that way. When I arrived at the shop, to my dismay I discovered that class had been canceled!!!! Mr. T. had hurt his back and was unable to get to class! I spend an hour waiting for class to start and then I discover it has been canceled, what fun!

Heh, the time was not all a waste, it gave me something to write about and I actually did not leave the campus for another hour because I somehow got involved in a conversation regarding the state of our country which I am always up for. :D Since today is Valentine's Day I do have one thing to say about it. Just because you don't have a "sweetheart" does not mean you don't have people around you who you can show your love for aka, parents, brothers and sisters. Don't let commercialization of the holiday and the heavy emphasis on "doing something for that special someone" make you feel like you can't celebrate it if you happen to not have a "special someone" ;)

When it rains.... it Pours!!!!

Last night I set my alarm for 7:00 this morning. Some time during last night the power crashed. So I woke up to my clock flashing 2:00! (It was really 8:30) This was only the the beginning.
Once I finally got dressed and ate breakfast, checked email ect it was almost 9:30. I looked at the clock and thought great, I might be able to get in an hour and a half of violin practice and an hour of piano. I had to leave at 12:00 to go teach piano.
Normally, I have to leave at 9:00 because I have violin lessons on Wednesday.
This week my teacher just didn't want to see me..... something about I smile too much..... :)
At 9:35 My mom comes in my room interrupting my violin scales to tell me that my orthodontist had called while she was on the other line. (I had an appointment Feb 18)
Off I rush to call them back......
***Just a little side note: All my friends know about my braces trauma but we have a lot of lurkers that read this blog. To make a very very long story short.....I have had some form of braces on since I was 13. (I will be 21 this summer) And no..... it wasn't my fault..... I wore my retainer and my rubber bands....I didn't eat popcorn or chew gum. I just had a weird jaw. So I will do anything to get my braces off as soon a possible.
The receptionist at the orthodontist informed me that they had scheduled me on a day when my Orthodontist wasn't working ....... because of my jaw I have to see a certain orthodontist every time. :) The next appointment was in two weeks or 11:00 today! I didn't want to wait two weeks......so..after rescheduling half of my piano students, I hopped in my car for a 45 minute drive into Raleigh. Every thing went fine...well...as fine as it can possibly go when it involves two plastic things cut off your very back molars and having to keep your mouth open two hours. (Well... maybe it was only an hour and a half.)
After 30 minutes, staring at the ceiling starts to get old. :)
It was lunch time when I got out of there. Guess what happens around 12:30?
Thats right! Everybody in Raleigh goes to lunch! And what does that mean.... yep, you got it..... traffic. To make matters worse it was pouring. I know we are in a drought, and we need the rain because we are running out of water. But I just wanted it to stop. And to get past the mall... I knew I would be fine once I was past the mall. I don't go to malls very often. but one of my observations is that malls attract traffic, especially at lunch time. It took me about 25 minutes to go a mile. But any way, I arrived home, grabbed a late lunch, put the roast in the oven and left to teach the rest of my piano students. I got home in time to help my mom with dinner aka. I talked while she cooked the rest of dinner. Since this post is getting a little long winded,
I think it will end it right here . :) Good Night!

~*~Sarah~*~

Go Buy "Forever" Stamps!

The U.S. Postal Service decided that raising the postage 2 cents last May was not enough. Starting May 12th first class stamps are going to cost a cent more @ 42 cents. Across the United States the dwindling number of people who still mail letters collectively groans. Over the years the USPS has blamed email and electronic communication for loss in revenue but for me, I have to say that the steadily rising cost of postage is one reason I don't mail as many letters. I personally love getting letters in the mail and I am sure everyone reading this does as well, but unless it is "pen-pall" type communication I pretty much do all my communication with friends and bill paying online. Oh BTW under a new law that took effect in late 2006 postal prices will be adjusted annually each May....So go buy some forever stamps today because after the 12th their price will be a cent higher.

My Life As a Song!

Opening Credits- The day before you - Rascal Flatts

Waking Up – Stand by Rascal Flatts

First Day of School - The Outside – Taylor Swift

Falling in Love - Take My breath Away - Jessica Simpson

Fight Song - Average Girl Barlow Girl

Breaking Up - What Happened - Jessie Daniels

Prom - Real to Me - Nichole Nordeman

Life's Ok – Ever Ever After - Carrie Underwood

Mental Breakdown - What Hurts the Most – Rascal Flatts

Driving - The prayer by Josh Groban

Flashback – Rise Up – Third Day

Getting Back Together - Tears Of the Saints - Leeland

Wedding – I can't do this - Plumb

The Night Before the War - Cry out to Jesus – Third Day

Final Battle - I need you to love Me - BarlowGirl

Moment of Triumph -Love takes you In - Steven Curtis Chapman

Death Scene - How Do you Know – Third Day

Funeral Song – Oklahoma Texas Line – Rascal Flatts

End Credits – Beautiful Name – ZOEgirl

What about you? What's your song?

1. turn on your Ipod.

2. Put it on shuffle

3. Press play

4. For every question, type the song that's playing

5. When you go to a new question, press the next button

Charlie + finger = hilarity!!

One of my sisters showed me this video that they found on our friend Ellie's blog and I had to share it. I have lost count how many times I have watched it today, it has got to be the funniest video I have seen on youtube in a long time. The way the older boy's facial expression changes puts me in stitches every time!

Please Pray!

My Grandfather just called to tell us my Grandmother fell down the stairs! The ambulance had just got there and they were going to the hospital! My Dad is with them. At this time that is all we know, please pray that she will be fine! I will let you know as soon as we hear something! Thanks!


Update by Will.....
Our grandmother was at the hospital several hours as they ran tests since she was feeling dizzy and her hip was hurting from the fall, but they cleared her to go home and she did not have to stay overnight in the hospital. Today she has mainly just slept, and is doing much better.

People being stupid news item of the week

Vandalism Claim Nets Arrest in Burglary

SUTHERLIN, Ore. (AP) — They say problem gamblers never quit while they're ahead, and one properly insured Oregon man apparently didn't, either.

Authorities recovered a stolen antique slot machine worth $4,000 and arrested the 30-year-old, who they said asked his wife to help file an insurance claim to cover damage done to his van during the heist.

The slot machine was reported stolen in a burglary Monday night at a home in Sutherlin, 170 miles south of Portland, Douglas County sheriff's deputies said. Investigators learned that the victim's housekeeper filed a police report a day earlier claiming someone had thrown a piece of sheet metal through the window of her parked van.

The sheet metal turned out to be from the back of the stolen slot machine, with the serial number attached. Deputies said the housekeeper's husband stole the machine, which tipped over as he drove away, breaking the van window. He told his wife the van had been vandalized and asked her to report the damage so insurance would cover it, deputies said.

The husband and a 25-year-old man were charged with burglary and theft, but the wife wasn't charged. The case was still being investigated.

That just goes to show you, when making a false insurance claim, using a piece of sheet metal from a stolen slot machine is not a good idea! :p

Notebook Blogging #4

Sorry the blog has been so quiet, it seems my sisters have forgotten that they were to keep the blog updated. :p I have decided to build the shelf/bookcase rather than the dresser because the wood for the dresser was going to cost me a little more than I really want to spend right now. I have yet to starting building it though because in true loopy NC weather this whole week has been around 75. 75 in February! It is a hard lot we in the south must endure let me tell you.

Because of the unseasonal weather we started construction this week on a 1,344 sqft house. So far all we have done is built and leveled off the foundation but on Monday if the weather holds up we should be putting the floor system in. Also to the horror of my mother I found out there is a guy in class who has had some trouble with the law. So much trouble he has a curfew of 7pm, is not able to drive and has to call his parole officer regularly....Oh and he can't get near a blade longer than 3 inches!

We also lost power during class, which was a rather interesting experience. We were all sitting in chairs as Mr. T talked about footings when all of a sudden the lights go out then come back on, then go back out. They repeat this for several minutes then they go out for good. "Hmm" Mr. T says "Looks like we get to have class in the dark" It was not that bad except for the fact that no one could see the board and it is a tad hard to see the footings being drawn. Fortunately the power was only off for about 30 minutes. Well, this "notebook blogger" post is going to be a little on the short side, I figured no one really wanted to read about footings, foundation walls, piers and making sure they are level and up to code...

People being stupid news item of the week

Man rides lawn mower to liquor store

ADRIAN, Mich. (AP) - A man was charged with drunken driving after going through two bottles of wine, cutting through a snowstorm on his lawn mower and riding down the center of the street to reach a liquor store, authorities said.

Police found Frank Kozumplik, 49, homeward bound on a John Deere tractor Saturday night, toting four bottles of wine in a paper bag, officials said.

He told officers that his wife had taken their car to work, and that the mower was the only way he could reach the store, two miles from home.

His blood alcohol level was 2 1/2 times Michigan's legal driving limit of 0.08 percent, police told WLEN-FM. They arrested him and confiscated the mower.

Kozumplik declined to comment Monday night.

Poor guy all he wanted was a little more wine... :D