Friday's Feast!

Feast One Hundred & Ninety One; May 16th, 2008.

Appetizer: What is the nearest big city to your home?

Well, I live in San Antonio; does that count? That's just shy of a million folks. Anything larger than that you'd have to go to Dallas (a seven hour drive.)

Soup: On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being highest, how well do you keep secrets?

About an eight. Nobody knew I was leaving my last job for my new one until the day I left. And I've got a couple of secrets in my past that are lulu's.





Salad: Describe your hair (color, texture, length).

Come again?



Main Course: What kind of driver are you? Courteous? Aggressive? Slow?

Well, I just saw Speed Racer at the movies today; what does that tell you?

Actually, I'm a pretty safe driver. I haven't had an accident in seven years; I almost always drive the speed limit or a little slower; and I've been know to put people to sleep with my driving (meaning it's so dull, it's safe to an extreme.)

Dessert: When was the last time you had a really bad week?

I don't allow myself to have bad days, let alone bad weeks. Your attitude is very much a product of your own making. God doesn't punish you; he sends challenges to make you stronger. He only chastens those he loves; so some weeks he really, REALLY must be loving on me!

Friday's Feast is a weekly meme brought to us by Susie at http://www.fridaysfeast.com. People sign up for her email alerts and every Friday AM we go to her site to get the week’s questions.

~~JD~~

Friday's Feast!

Feast One Hundred & Ninety: May 9th, 2008.

Appetizer: When someone smiles at you, do you smile back?

Depends on why they're smiling. Not if my fly's down.

Soup: Describe the flooring in your home. Do you have carpet, hardwood, vinyl, a mix?

It's an apartment; carpet and linoleum. The last house we had was all hardwoods and ceramic tile. Our next one will be, too.

Salad: Write a sentence with only 5 words, but all of the words have to start with the first letter of your first name.

My actual name is unpronounceable and has no analogues in english.

Main Course: Do you know anyone whose life has been touched by adoption?

I have to be really drunk to talk about that. Another time.

Dessert: Name 2 blue things.

Blueberries, and my nursing scrubs (which I'm wearing right now.) Summers skies. Oceans. People who aren't breathing. Stained Glass. Pepsi bottles.

~~JD~~

Friday's Feast!

Feast One Hundred & Eighty Nine; May 2nd, 2008.

Appetizer: What was your favorite cartoon when you were a child?

Oh, the Warner Brothers stuff, undoubtedly. Bugs Bunny was easily the favorite, although Daffy Duck has a special place in my heart as well. Everything I know about Interpersonal Relations and Anger Management I learned from Bugs Bunny; which is scary when you really think about it.



Soup: Pretend you are about to get a new pet. Which animal would you pick, and what would you name it?

Very likely a cat; I already have four. Maybe a dog; dogs are pretty cool, too. I'd love to have a Jack Russel Terrier or a Chihuahua; maybe a Beagle. We used to name our cats after emperors and tyrants (Attila, Caligula, Nero, etc.); but lately they're all named after TV characters. Our four cats today re named Ethel, lucy, Otis, and Jeannie -- the do is named Samantha. (Extra points if you can name the 1960's TV references.)



Salad: On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being highest, how much do you enjoy getting all dressed up for a special occasion?

Considering that I own absolutely no dress shirts or suits of any kind, I'd say the square root of negative 1.



Main Course: What kind of music do you listen to while you drive?

Oldies sometimes; pop music was much more creative and inventive musically in the 50's and sixties. Gotta love Buddy Holly. Most of the time, though, it's Postive, Encouraging K-Love Christian. Light Years above anything musically being done today.



Dessert: When was the last time you bought a clock? And in which room did you put it?

Uhmmmmm . . . wow. You got me there. I think I bought the clock I put in the bathroom last. I needed it to curb me tendency to languish in the john in the morning and be late. That was two, maybe three years ago.

Friday's Feast is a weekly meme brought to us by Susie at http://www.fridaysfeast.com. People sign up for her email alerts and every Friday AM we go to her site to get the week’s questions.

~~JD~~

Friday's Feast!

Appetizer: Name something you would categorize as weird.

Pedophilia. That's TOO Weird -- those people need help -- or prison time.

Soup: What color was the last piece of food you ate?

It was a Subway Philly Beefsteak sandwich; so brown.

Salad: On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being highest, how much do you enjoy being alone?

About a 9. I grew up alone to a large extent, and learned to appreciate solitude.


Main Course: Fill in the blank: I will _________ vote for ___________ in _______.

I'm sorry, I don't understand the question. The only way I can make this work is to either reveal my vote, or disparage someone else's -- neither of which I want to do.

Dessert: Describe your sleeping habits.

T-shirt and old, ragged, sweat pants I got for Christmas 12 years ago. Almost always sleep on my right side and on my stomach. Can sleep through any amount of noise, temperature changes, lighting, or other distractions. Would sleep ten hours a day if I could spare the time; but usually get only 4-5 hours.


Friday's Feast is a weekly meme brought to us by Susie at http://www.fridaysfeast.com. People sign up for her email alerts and every Friday AM we go to her site to get the week’s questions.

~~JD~~

Friday's Feast!

Appetizer: Name a color you find soothing.

Considering half of my closet is some shade of blue, that must be it.

Soup : Using 20 or less words, describe your first driving experience.

4am, with my mom; old blue Chevy; parking lot only. (That's ten!)


Salad" What material is your favorite item of clothing made out of?

Cotton. Breathes well, stretches, feels great in the heat or the cold.

Main Course: Who is a great singer or musician who, if they were to come to your town for a concert, you would spend the night outside waiting for tickets to see?

I can't say I've ever seen the wisdom of worshipping pop culture idols, so I can't say I'd do that for anyone.


Dessert: What is the most frequent letter of the alphabet in your whole name (first, middle, maiden, last, etc.)?

It's a tie between "O" and "N". That must mean my favorite word is either "ON" or "NO". Make of THAT what you will.

~~JD~~

Friday's Feast!

Feast One Hundred & Seventy Nine (from February 15th, 2008, one that I missed -- no feast this week, "The Chef is Busy!")




Appetizer: Name one thing that is unique about you.



I can sleep on demand for prolonged periods. I've slept through construction, traffic, and a Scud raid in Saudi Arabia. I can also conversely stay awake for prolonged periods when I really want to. I attribute it all to being a Nurse.


Soup: Fill in the blank: My favorite _________ is __________ but I like _________ too.

My favorite food is lobster, but I like steak, too.
My favorite pets are cats, but I like dogs, too.
My favorite ice cream is mint chocolate chip, but I like vanilla, too.
My favorite TV show is "Battlestar Galactica", but I like "Flip That House" too.
My favorite time to sleep is an afternoon nap in the sun, but I like nighttime, too.

Salad: What type of wood do you have for your home’s furnishings?

Hey -- I live in Texas. Everything's Oak here. That's just the way it is.

Main Course: Who do you talk to most often on the phone?

Nobody. The only time I use the phone is to communicate with my wife or son, or to get work from my Nursing Agency. I can let a telephone ring for hours and never feel compelled to answer it.

Dessert: What level of responsibility do you have in your job?

I'm responsible for the care of 12 patients at a time, and the supervision of the three dialysis technicians who care for them. So, mid-level management with hands-on aspects.

~~JD~~

Friday's Feast

Appetizer: Invent a new flower; give it a name and describe it.

How in the world anyone could ever improve on the Bluebonnet (the state flower of Texas), I don't know!


Soup: Name someone whom you think has a wonderful voice.

Speaking Voice; James Earl Jones. Singing Voice; Nichole Nordeman.

Salad: On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being highest, how clean do you keep your car?

Five or six, maybe. I wash my car twice a year, whether it needs it or not. I vacuum it almost every week, and wash the windows frequently. "Too Clean" cars get stolen here in south Texas.

Main Course: How do you feel about poetry?

Not bad, how about you?

If you scroll down a post or two, you'll see one I "wrote" about Bozo the Clown; which is a scary thought.






Dessert: What was the last person/place/thing you took a picture of?

The sun setting over San Antonio. Here it is.

~~JD~~

Friday's Feast!

Appetizer: What does the color dark green make you think of?

Forests. Wood-elves. J.R.R. Tolkien. Avocados. St. Patrick's Day. Guacamole. Seaweed.



Soup: How many cousins do you have?

Eight first cousins on the Shurr side; I lost count of the second cousins at sixteen. Two first cousins on the Long side (that I know of), and one second cousin. What's that -- twenty-seven?



Salad: On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being highest, how honest are you?

As a lifetime Average, about 70%. This year, 99%. Today, 100%. I strive for 100%, because I had a problem with "telling stories" as a kid that it's taken me years to live down. Besides, it's easier to tell the truth than keep track of the lies.

Main Course: Name something that is truly free.

Air. Sleep. Dreams. Salvation. The song in your heart.

Dessert: Using the letters in the word SPRING, write a sentence.

Silly Puppy runs in neighbor's greenery.
Some people read Investor's (Business Daily) nearly gladly.
Should papa really intensify natural gardening?
Some people realize international neighbors grandstand.

~~JD~~

Friday's Feast!

Appetizer: Given the choice, would you prefer to live in the country or in the city?

Oh, the city, definitely. I've always wanted to live in a big city. If I could figure out a way around the parking problem, I'd move into downtown San Antonio in a heartbeat.

span style="font-weight:bold;">Soup: Who is the cutest kid you know?

My son Julian looked exactly like the Pinocchio character in the Disney cartoon at 18 months old. That's pretty cute. Oddly enough, he has a cat that looks a LOT like Pinocchio's cat, too.

Salad: Fill in the blank: I couldn’t believe it when I heard . . .

I couldn’t believe it when I heard the Space Shuttle crashed.

I couldn’t believe it when I heard my wife say "I Do."

I couldn’t believe it when I heard my newborn son cry for the first time.

I couldn’t believe it when I heard my father was dying.

I couldn’t believe it when I heard the Lord call me home.

Main Course: If you could star in a commercial for one of your favorite products, which one would you want to advertise?

Actually, I did one make a couple of commercials for the local radio station when I owned my limousine business. Celebrity most definitely has it's drawbacks in that respect.

Dessert: What type(s) of vitamins and/or supplements do you take on a regular basis?

I take two multivitamins every morning, based on the idea that most studies obout "Recommended Daily Requirements" were based on studies of people who were starving to death -- and most multivitamins have just enough nutrients to keep you alive.

So I double them up.

I also take 2000 mg of Vitamin C every morning, and haven't had a cold or flu since 1996. Also I take 1200mg of Chostro-condroitin for my knees; and four fish oil tablets for my cholesterol.
That's about it. Happy Easter EveryBunny!

~~JD~~

Friday's Feast!

Appetizer: On a scale of 1-10 (with 10 as highest), how much do you like your own handwriting?

I wouldn't know -- I can't READ my own handwriting. That's why I print.

Soup: Do you prefer baths or showers?

I grew up in a house without a working shower, but I take showers almost exclusively now, and have since I entered the Army many years ago. I can't remember the last time I had a bath.

Salad: What was the last bad movie you watched?

Hard to say -- so many of them are bad anymore; as Harlan Ellison likes to say, "90% of everything is crap." Probably Air Force One on TBS last weekend; but the last one I paid to see was the Love Bug remake with Lindsay Lohan last year.

Main Course: Name something you are addicted to and describe how it affects your life.

Ice cream and chocolate. I'm jonesing right now, actually. There's a reason we call Dairy Queens "Texas Stop Signs."


Dessert: Which instrument is your favorite to listen to?

Violin. I enjoy all instruments, but I love violins. Mu son plays the violin but will never let me listen to him practice, much to my dismay. (sigh)

~~JD~~

Friday's Feast!

Appetizer: If you could be any current celebrity for one whole week, who would you want to be?

Jerry Springer. I'd spend the week apologizing for my television show to everyone who's ever been on it; fire all my staff; and retire to a desert island where I could never bother anyone again. My second choice is of similar mind; Bozo the Clown!

Soup: On a scale of 1-10 (with 10 being highest), how much do you enjoy talking on the phone?

The square root of negative 2. I will let the damned thing ring for hours rather than answer a telephone. I have to force myself to answer it at work. It's almost always someone I didn't really want to talk to.

Salad: Name a charitable organization to which you have donated (or would like to).

My church, of course. The Marine Corps Scholarship fund gives college scholarships to the children of fallen Marines.

Main Course: What is a food you like so much you could eat it every single day for a month?

Sherbet. My wife's quiche. Mint chocolate chip ice cream. Chocolate Mousse.

Dessert: Have you or anyone in your family had the flu this year?

Nope. My son had a bad cold in December, but we all dose up on Vitamin C and use ZICAM nasal spray at the first sign of the sniffles -- works like a charm every time.

~~JD~~

Friday's Feast!

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Appetizer: Who was the last person you hugged?

My wife. We do that a lot.

Soup: Share a beauty or grooming trick or tip with us.

Shave your head. You'll never have a bedhead or a bad hair day agin.

Salad: What does the color yellow make you think of?

Safety. And Custard. And perhaps really safe custard.

Main Course: If you were to make your living as a photographer, what subject would your pictures revolve around?

Trees, or the moon. Animals and people don't stay put long enough; which is a pretty good sociological commentary on our society.

Dessert: What was the longest book you ever read?

The Stand, by Stephen King. I tried War and Peace, but Dostoyevsky makes me sleepy. And Margaret Mitchell's Gone With The Wind really lacks something without Clark Gable.

Click HERE for previous Friday's Feasts!

~~JD~~

Friday's Feast!

Appetizer: Have you ever played a practical joke on anyone? If so, what did you do and who was your victim?

I got pretty drunk one night in 1982 and wrote my own obituary; then mailed it into the Army Times. It was pretty funny at the time; but it wasn't funny when they canceled my credit cards and froze my bank account. I was six omnths getting that mess fixed up.

Soup: What do your salt and pepper shakers look like?

They don't. We stopped using free salt years ago (and thereby, pepper as well) years ago and lost about 20 pounds each.

Salad: Where is the next place you plan to visit (on vacation or business)?

We're actually seriously considering San Diego this year; just because we've never been. After that, of course, it's the Virgin Islands some time in the next 10 years. I might never come home if I love it enough.

Main Course: What kind of lotion or cream do you use to keep your hands from getting too dry?

Whatever my wife buys. Vaseline Intensive Care seems to be the current favorite. We're nurses, so we go through a lot of it.

Dessert: Make up a dessert, tell us its ingredients, and give it a name.

I don't do desserts. I cook; not bake. And why in the world would I want to make something up when there's a whole perfectly good website right HERE full of luscious recipes like this magnificent Blueberry Pie.

Alton Brown is my hero. Really.

(Click HERE for previous Friday's Feasts!)

~~JD~~

Faux-Friday's Feast!

(Friday's Feast website has suffered a catastrophic meltdown of the database. However, Bethany at "Bethany's Paradise" has stepped up to save the day.)

What are some of your favorite websites?

I have a huge list of websites I visit regularly on the lower left side of my blog (scroll down to see). But as far as daily visitors, Yahoo! is my homepage and has an awesome set of tools to help me find my feet in the morning. The Drudge Report is always good for my morning news fix, and Comics.com satisfies my comics cravings very nicely, starting with Arlo & Janis. Also I'm a huge space junkie, so Space.com is just awesome for that. My preferred political site is run by the lovely and gracious syndicated columnist Michelle Malkin. I visit these sites every-single-day -- and sometimes more frequently.

If you had boy/girl twins today, what would you name them?

This is kind of a sore subject with me (said the man whose name is "Long John.") "Cute" names often stigmatize kids and leave them with horrific memories -- I can only imagine what it would do to twins to be named something "cute" like Billy and Jilly; or Mike & Ike; or (god forbid) Pete and Repeat. My aunt Mary Jayne showed remarkable restraint and wisdom (which is why she's my favorite aunt) naming her twins Barbara and Susan -- likewise my cousin Bob with Monica and Melissa.

My Aunt Marilyn (when she was pregnant with my cousin John) told people if she had twins they would be named Tennessee Gideon and Ernestine Alabaster. I'm forever grateful her son Jonathon was a singleton -- although I'm fairly sure she was kidding . . .

What was your favorite grade in elementary school? Did you have a favorite teacher?

My fourth grade teacher, Mrs. Phillips, played bridge with my grandmother (also a teacher) once a month -- so I lived my whole fourth grade year in terror she'd tell her something. That was pretty bad, but my next year (Fifth Grade) was when Mrs. Cook read us "The Hobbit" by J.R.R. Tolkien. We were all enraptured, and it started both a lifelong love of Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and reading generally in me.

What types of punishment did your parents use while you were growing up? Which were most effective on you?

My mother and father were divorced before I was 5 years old; and mom didn't believe in physical punishment (with me at least -- I was taller and bigger than her anyway) so she was a master of guilt. I think I'd rather she had beaten me.

Can you parallel park? Did you have to parallel park for your driving exam?

I can; I did (in a snowstorm, no less); and I try to parallel park at least every six months to keep in practice. I can and have parallel parked a limousine before on a side street near Wrigley Field in Chicago (in three parking places) to save on parking costs.

~~JD~~

Friday's Feast!

Appetizer:
What is your favorite kind of cereal?

Frosted Flakes, but they are surprisingly bad for my diabetes. Raisin Bran is a close second, though, but it's astonishing how much sugar they cram into these cereals! So I'm learning to love Cheerios all over again.

Soup: When was the last time you purchased something for your home, what was it, and in which room did it go?

We just moved two weeks ago, so there was a lot of housecleaning and new furniture involved. We got a new couch and coffee table for the living room; a new TV (the other one was 10 years old and ungodly-heavy!); and two papasan chairs for the study. They're great for reading.

Salad: What is the funniest commercial you’ve ever seen?

I couldn't tell you. It was hilarious; but it was so funny, I still don't remember what they were advertising.

Main Course: Make up a name for a company by using a spice and an animal (example: Cinnamon Monkey).

Eeeew! It sounds like we're going to eat them; and all I can think of is "Candied Kitten." Eeeeww!

Dessert: Fill in the blank: I haven’t ______ since ______.

Oh boy; here we go. I wondered when we'd get back to the fill- in- the- blanks.

I haven’t danced since day before yesterday.
I haven’t sang since this morning.
I haven’t had ice cream since I can't remember when.
I haven’t washed my hands since three minutes ago (I'm a nurse, and I'm at work).
I haven’t had a good long walk since I sprained my knee last week.

Click HERE for previous Friday's Feasts!

~~JD~~

Friday's Feast!

Appetizer: How many times per day do you usually laugh?

I solemnly vow to laugh at three impossible things each day before breakfast. We are all responsible for our own attitudes; and no one will make us happy like we, ourselves, can. As a Christian, I follow the Buddhist belief that Jesus was called "the laughing prophet" -- can't you just hear him peal with laughter when the apostles forbid the children to come to him?

Soup: What do your sunglasses look like?

Like John Lennon's. My alternate pair are a pair of Wayfarers like the Blues Brothers wore. Hard to go wrong with the classics.

Salad: You win a free trip to anywhere on your continent, but you have to travel by train. Where do you go?

Past the Grand Canyon; the Utah badlands; the painted deserts. Alternates would be the Black hulls of South Dakota or the Trans-Canadian railway. Gimmme them wide-open spaces.

Main Course: Name one thing you consider a great quality about living in your town/city.

The history. The Fiesta celebrating the Battle of San Jacinto for Texas independence in 1826. The 600-year-old Missions dotting the South Side. The Alamo itself. The World's Fair grounds. The multiple military bases (my own father trained at Lackland AFB, and I went to training at Fort Sam Houston.) It's overwhelming sometimes, this city called San Antonio.

Dessert: If the sky could be another color, what color do you think would look best?

Pink, oddly enough. The delicate pinks of an early spring morning are wonderful, dotted with wispy tufts of clouds.

But then again, there's a lot to be said for Chartreuse.

~~JD~~

Friday's Feast!

Appetizer: What is your favorite beverage?

I don't drink much soda any more with my diabetes; but there is a LOT to be said for a nice, warm Dr. Pepper. Good for what ails you, as we say in Texas. The beverage I drink most frequently is Tea. The caffeine in tea is moderated by the tannic acid which smooths out the caffeine spikes; lasts longer and makes you less jittery.

If I'm really feeling luxurious, there is nothing in the world to compare to a Chai Tea Latte from Starbucks -- the pinnacle of beverage evolution for the planet.

Soup: Name 3 things that are on your computer desk at home or work.

I don't have a computer desk. We switched to laptops two years ago. I have it perched on my knees right now in the living room scanning the news channels for information. That makes me my own computer desk, so to speak; so three things on me would be shoes, socks and underwear, Thank God!

Sorry; no webcam.

Salad: On a scale of 1-10 (with 10 being highest), how honest do you think you are?

9.7 It's too hard to keep track of your lies, really. I'd be a Ten, but there are still little children in the world; and there's that whole Santa Claus/Easter Bunny thing to consider.

Main Course: If you could change the name of one city in the world, what would you rename it and why?

Istanbul Turkey. I'd rename it "Constantinople" again -- much prettier and historical name.

Dessert: What stresses you out? What calms you down?
Very little stresses me out, actually. Mostly, it's just people. Relaxation is where you find it. There's a beautiful little passage in "The Last Samurai" where Ken Wantanabe and Tom Cruise's characters are discussing beauty and perfection. I'm watching the sunrise creep into the treetops of the oak saplings here, and that seems perfect to me right now.

"They are all . . . perfect."

~~JD~~

Friday's Feast!

Appetizer: What is your middle name? Would you change any of your names if you could? If so, what would you like to be called?

My middle name is David, who was "The man after God's own heart." My first name is John, "The disciple Jesus loved." My last name is Long, which means "that which endures." That means my name is "The disciple Jesus loved; a man after God's own heart, who endures." So, no, I don't think I'd change any of my names.

That being said, I'd like to be called Pedro. "Just don't call me late for dinner."





Soup: If you were a fashion designer, which fabrics, colors, and styles would you probably use the most?

If I were a fashion designer, I'd use Black Holes and Interstellar Gas in all my designs, because if I WAS a fashion designer, the entire universe would have shifted on it's axis and be spiraling down towards destruction.

Salad: What is your least favorite chore, and why?

Dis-impacting the cat. She just won't stay still; and my finger's too big to really be effective.

Main Course: What is something that really frightens you, and can you trace it back to an event in your life?

It used to be death, but then I died once, so I got over that. I really can't think of anything right now.

Dessert: Where are you sitting right now? Name 3 things you can see at this moment.

You want me to tell you what I'm wearing too?

The living room. The laptop's on my lap; the kitten's at my feet; and Fred Thompson's on the television. (I wish he'd get down off the television; he's gonna hurt himself if he falls.)

Oh; and a strawberry daiquiri in my hand; but you guessed that from my answers, right?

~~JD~~

Friday's Feast!

Appetizer: When was the last time you received a surprise in the mail, and what was it?

My income tax check was pretty good last year.

Soup: If you could have a summer and/or winter home, where would you want it to be?

St. John, The U.S. Virgin Islands -- year round 80 degrees, and no income tax.

Salad: Pick one: pineapple, orange, banana, apple, cherry.

I actually have half a pineapple in my lunch bag right now -- what's that tell you?

Main Course: Describe the nicest piece of clothing that you own.

I just bought new underwear last week, and they're nice and soft. Other than that, I don't notice my clothes much.

Dessert: If you could forget one whole day from your life, which day would you choose to wipe from your memory?

Why would you do that? Can not much be learned from both the bad, as well as the good?

~~JD~~

Friday's Feast!

Appetizer: Name 2 things you would like to accomplish in 2008.

We're going to buy a house. I'm going to finish RN school, with any luck at all.

Soup: With which cartoon character do you share personality traits?

One of the undesirable side-effects of being raised by the boob tube as a babysitter is that you tend to emulate the characters you see on the TV. I can not only quote Bugs Bunny extensively, I've even pulled more than a few of his pranks from time to time. Since the current generation doesn't know Bugs Bunny, they find this hilarious; and for the older generations it's a great conversation starter about Cartoons and their vaudeville derivatives.

Salad: What time of day (or night) were you born?

I think it was 1:38 am, but i don't remember very well. I was very young then. (See previous answer about quoting Bugs Bunny.)

Main Course: Tell us something special about your hometown.

Valparaiso Indiana, where I was born, is a medium-sized Midwestern town 15 miles directly south of the tip of Lake Michigan. It's also the hometown of Patricia Ireland of the N.O.W.; Beulah Bondi (who played Jimmy Stewart's mother in "It's A Wonderful Life" as well as "Mister Smith Goes To Washington"; and Orville Redenbacher, the King of Popcorn. They have a "Popcorn Festival" the first weekend of every September in honor of Orville.

San Antonio Texas, where I currently live and never want to leave, has a median year-round temperature of about 68 degrees, is the 2nd largest city in Texas, and the fastest growing city. It's the third largest tourist destination in the USA, and is home to the Alamo, as well as the Riverwalk, probably the most beautiful tourist attraction anywhere. Plus it has 15% of the population employed in health care, with 18 major hospitals (most with more than two campuses; which means more than enough work for little old nurse me.)

Dessert: If you could receive a letter from anyone in the world, who would you want to get one from?

Funny you should mention that. When we were going through our storage unit last week I found a bunch of letters written to me during Desert Storm. A couple were from my grandmother ("Nana") who died in 2000. It was like getting letters from her all over again.

So I guess there ARE benefits to my wife being a Packrat.

~~JD~~