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Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Time Travel Made Fun
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One of the highlights of our day was the jousting competition. Watching the knights atop their huge horses as they rode past, spearing brass rings with their lances and riding towards one another with the intent of unseating their opponent was like traveling through time. I felt like I was really in the year 1066.
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The Colonel and I were granted honorary knighthood which was witnessed by the king's games masters. The Colonel through archery when he shot two arrows into a heart shaped target and me when I hurled a battle axe into the heart of the running man target.
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Stop and Smell the Roses
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My friend who sent the card gave her explanation as to why it was so early this year. She wrote in her holiday letter that last year she had not gotten cards out until very late and was making up for this by getting her cards out now. I understand her thinking and even forgive the by-passing of a holiday, but it did give me pause to think that all too often we are looking towards tomorrow (next week, next month, next year) without appreciating the now. We fail to live in the moment. What are we missing by not paying attention to the present? What am I missing?
It is a good thing the card came when it did...it reminded me that I need to "stop and smell the roses" and enjoy the present...live in the now.
The past is gone, I've already lived it. I cannot live in the future, it isn't here yet and is always ahead (like tomorrow never comes because tomorrow always turns into today. We've all seen or heard about those silly Free Beer Tomorrow signs). All I can do is live in the now. I can plan for the future...I just can't live in it.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
The Viet Nam Memorial Wall
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Historians generally agree that the Viet Nam War spanned the years from 1959 to 1975. I was born in 1961 and graduated from 8th grade in 1975. I remember hearing about the war and seeing the images on television. I did not fully understand what was happening at the time. I don't think a lot of adults did either.
I have visited the real wall in Washington, D.C. The Colonel and I had our honeymoon in D.C., but to see this traveling wall made me realize again the scope of the loss of American lives that occurred during those sixteen years...over 58,000.
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In honor of this past Veteran's Day, I want to say thank you to all of our veterans of all the wars for your service and sacrifice. God bless you and God bless America!
Thursday, November 12, 2009
3 Days of Family Fun
After checking into our hotel we made our way to Yam's dorm room. It was near dinner time so we decided to eat at the university cafeteria a few yards away from Yam's dorm (Yam may have wanted to eat somewhere else, but majority rules).
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We met up with two of Yam's friends. Thank goodness Yam reminded us to pack a jacket and long pants because it was chilly in the arena. FGCU was pitted against Life University out of Marietta, Georgia. Both schools claim the eagle as their mascot, so you couldn't just yell, "Go Eagles!!" without some sort of clarification following your cheer.
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It was late when the game ended and we got back to Yam's dorm. We dropped both kids off; Spud stayed with Yam in her room. He was getting more of a taste of the college life.
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We had some time to burn before the Hypnotist/Illusionist, Wayne Hoffman's show that evening, so we went to our hotel and Yam and Spud hit the pool and hot tub while The Colonel and I read our books as we rocked in rocking chairs. Then we also had a delicious dinner at a local restaurant.
Wayne Hoffman was very entertaining. His tricks and illusions were incredible. Right before our eyes he made an opened, empty, semi-crumpled Diet Coke can become like new; unopened, full of Coke again and chilled to boot. He had opened the can at the beginning of his show and was drinking from it throughout the show. If you ever get the chance to see him, do so. He was also very funny. I was able to shake his hand after the show and snap his photo.
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End of Day Three