You want WHAT with your mashed potatoes?

Jim is home for the weekend, so we of course had to all gather at Chilton's for supper (some traditions are difficult to change).  David has found a fantastic new taste sensation

Yes, that is cheese sauce he is putting on his mashed potatoes.

Yeah, I'm kind of like Jim, but I guess don't knock it until you try it.

Oh and Adam says Uncle Jim's name is Zack.

We are guessing it has to do with the facial hair.  David said "No, that's Uncle Jim".

Nothing new and profound this week.  Well, other than weather and farming and such. it rained a little Tuesday evening

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More about that and a few more photos on the farm site at www.BumpusFarms.US

Spider Solitare

I was playing Spider Solitare tonight when I had a revelation. Maybe I need to do some "'splaining".

Spider Solitare is a computer based card game. Or to paraphrase a friend, "a device of Satan to divert your concentration from something important and cause you to waste time". It is an entertaining and addictive diversion.

We had a thunderstorm roll through, which means I unplug most of my electronic devices. However, I have Spider on a portable computer. I had played a game of it and lost, so I closed it. Later I turned the computer back on and started another game.

One of the more interesting features of Spider Solitare is the ability to restart a game, a "do-over" feature. I was playing it and thinking to myself, "this seems familiar". I then realized I was playing the last game over again.

I had lost the last game and thought to myself "This is great! I know what is coming and can adjust my strategy to fit!"

I still lost

I found myself making the same errors I made the first time I played. And then it hit me. This is kind of like how it is for God. He's setting there outside time, knowing what is going to happen, knowing the mistakes we are going to make.

The difference is I was making my decisions based on the circumstances I was in. Even though I had a choice, it was the same choice I had last time and I did the same thing over again. God has made a decision to allow us to make our own choices. We call it free-will.

What free-will means is we can make our own decisions. God allows us to do that. But he knows what we are going to choose even though that choice is entirely up to us.

My game of Spider Solitare is still on the computer. And I am still losing. But I can restart the game and do it all over again. You can do that with your life.

You can't restart from the beginning. Messes you have made are still going to be there and the consequences must be dealt with. But you can change what happens from this point forward. Unlike my computer game, the moves are not set out for you. You can choose which path to follow.

We have a church buzzword for that. We call it "Conversion". Or sometimes "Decision". What it means is you have decided that the path you are following is not the right one. You have decided to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior. You have decided to put God first in your life.

It's a big step, a life altering decision.

Which way will you choose?

Just playing around

I keep finding things blogspot can do I haven't tried yet.  I'm supposed to be able to work up an entry and schedule when it is published.  So I'm doing this Sunday evening and going to try and schedule it for Monday.
edit: well THAT didn't work. If it shows up posted twice I'll have learned even more!
 Now I suppose I need to say something worth all that effort.

Mother's Day was (in my opinion) pretty good around here.  We started out Friday afternoon with Jill coming home from Tennessee without telling her folks.  She DID tell Becky, and (WONDER OF WONDERS) Becky didn't let the cat out of the bag.  You have to understand, Becky has a terrible time keeping surprises secret.  Even if she is trying you can look at her and it's like a volcano is trying not to erupt.

After church Sunday Sue, Jill, Mom and I ate at Chilton's.  Later in the afternoon I helped Sue plant a bunch of plants she ordered online.

Notice the hat.  It was a Mother's Day present from Jim.  (Actually it's why I chose this photo.  It was the best shot of the hat). We were just finishing when Aman, Becky and the boys arrived.  They were a big help watering the plants.

It is interesting how Adam's memory works at times.  We were setting on the back step talking while Sue finished watering the plants.  Adam insisted I had to get up off the storage box so he could get the "crayons".  Last summer Sue had stored sidewalk chalk in the box on the step.  She took it inside last fall.  Today Adam remembered it. So we had to go find the "crayons" so he and Aunt Jill could draw.

I was changing a bulb in Jill's taillight when David found Jill's tripod in the trunk.  Nothing doing but he had to use it to take pictures.  I guess he was remembering school pictures, because he would take off his glasses and pretend to look through the view finder.

Jill made supper for us.  It was a pretty good day.

MOMMA'S NOT HAPPY WITH ME ....

Momma's not happy with me.  Not my Momma, nor my kid's Momma.  Actually she may not be a Momma yet.  I was disking a field just north of town today next to "Shawler Pond".  Pond might be generous.  It's a naturally occurring low spot that has water in it most of the year.  Anyway, I'm going around the field leveling the end rows when I look down and go "WHAT ?" at the same time I hit the clutch and stop.  By the time I get stopped, right under the middle of the tractor is this:

I can hear you going "Yeah ... so?"  Maybe it makes more sense if you see what was leaving the scene quickly

Yep, snapping turtle.  And she was not pleased with me.  She had ventured out of the pond into the field to lay eggs.  I guess it is normal.  So normal I didn't see at least 2 more before it was too late.   It's kind of surprising how far they travel to lay their eggs. Working the fields next to the pond in the Spring it is common to see tracks, but you rarely see the turtles.

I know, I should have grabbed them and made turtle soup.  But I didn't figure they would enjoy riding in the tractor cab with me.

View from the waiting room

It's not the best way to spend the afternoon.  Doc wanted someone to have some tests done,  "Nothing to it..."  Well, except it is done in the hospital as an outpatient, and you have to lay still on your back for 6 hours afterwards.  Oh, and the test won't start until 3 in the afternoon.  And you can't drive for 24 hours so you'll need a ride.

Yes, we'd be glad to take you and wait and bring you home.

No, no tonal inflection implied in my response.  It really isn't a problem if we have time and someone needs us.  But most people don't say "HEY! We've got a free afternoon, let's go set in a hospital waiting room.

Union Hospital has changed a lot the last few years. Hope they don't mind, here is a map of the facility now:

The main entrance is now what used to be 7th Street.  But a lot of patients and services still use the old 8th Avenue entrance. And cardiac rehab uses the Beech Street entrance. The Emergency Entrance is now at 7th Street and 8th Avenue.

It is kind of interesting watching people go by.  You see a large variety of people in various mental and emotional states.  And if you set there long enough you will see someone you know go by.  But the chairs don't set any better than they did 20 years ago ... or 30.  But you can bring your laptop and get wireless internet service. Or your iPod I suppose.

Anyway, gotta go.  Later Y'all

Someone asked me about this.  Yes, Steve Bumpus died, but it was the other Steve. His dad was Dad's cousin.  From the Chicago Sun Times:

Steve E. Bumpus

Bumpus, Steve E. passed away suddenly on Saturday, April 24th. Steve lived his life to the fullest, celebrating all that life had to offer. He graduated in 1982 from the University of Illinois with a bachelor's degree in finance and began his career at the Chicago Board of Trade. In 1986, he joined Greenwich Capital Markets which subsequently merged with the Royal Bank of Scotland. Steve was an Elder and active member of the Fourth Presbyterian Church of Chicago, serving on several committees. Steve was passionate about teaching 4th/5th grade Sunday School and was a tireless supporter of the church's youth ministry. He was an avid skier and loved the slopes at Alta, UT especially the Glades on powder days trying to keep up with his daughter. He enjoyed catching the "big one" in Key West, FL and made a "mean" blackened grouper sandwich. He was a die-hard Cub's fan and wouldn't answer the phones during an Illini basketball or football game. Steve will be remembered for his infectious laugh and his genuine interest in all people he came across both young and old. He was a compassionate and generous man. Steve left us with many memories and he will be missed by his friends and family. Steve was the beloved husband of Irene (nee Dzido), loving father of Chelsea, loving son of Fred and Sue Bumpus, loving son-in-law of Eugene and Mary Dzido, loving brother and brother-in-law of Sally (Mike) Cavanaugh, Chris, Diane and Grace Dzido, loving uncle of Katie, Kellie and Kristie. Visitation Thursday, April 29, 4:00 to 9:00 p.m. at Drake and Son Funeral Home, 5303 N. Western Ave., Chicago. Funeral service Friday, 10:00 a.m. at Fourth Presbyterian Church, 126 E. Chestnut, Chicago, IL 60611. Interment at Rosehill Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Fourth Presbyterian Church in memory of Steve Bumpus and will benefit the church's children and youth ministries. Funeral info: 773-561-6874