CatHouse Chat

We have another guest in the house!

Pantherophis alleghaniensis, the eastern ratsnake, decided to come into our basement and give my husband a brief scare last night (thought he was a copperhead at first!).

This little guy is very cute and docile; my Munchkin and I have been exclaiming about how adorable he is, and how smart he must be to slither his way into the house.

We're going to see if the biology teacher at school wants to host this little guy for a while :-)

UPDATE - we've had his family visiting before, of course. This guy stayed outside, but this one came in to visit us as well!

Dinnertime!

Time to eat. We've just ended the Sabbeth, which goes from sundown on Friday to sundown on Saturday. Actually, they add an hour after Saturday's sunset, which is why we've started dinner at 9pm!
Since today has been so awesome and HOT, I'm rewarding myself with a glass of Gewurtztraminer from Upper Galilee.

Lunch!

This is how they do tilapia over here... yummy!

CapernaCat

The Primacy of Peter (UPDATE: Picture corrected)

This is a church on the north shore of Galilee commemorating the event in John 21 where Jesus asks Peter if he loves Him.
  

Praying on the Mount of Beatitudes (UPDATE: Picture Fixed)

This is the Church of the Beatitudes, and w went to an area where each one read a verse from Matthew 5:1-17, and then all of chapter 7. We then broke for individual prayer, and, oh.... Oh, oh!

Please God, grant my plea, and I praise You for all Your grace abounding in my life.

From Israel, 2010

The "Jesus Boat"

A boat from around the time of Jesus. Twelve guys - 13, actually, including Jesus - would have been an uncomfortable fit!

The American National Anthem on the Sea of Gallilee

Good morning from the Sea of Gallilee!

Another busy day: two boat rides, many baptisms, visiting Cesarea Phillipi... and it's going to be HOT: 105 is projected max. I will be sucking down the water, that's for sure!
Also found out I can use Foursquare here, so my Facebook friends can see where I am, too!
I can't get over how fantastic (I'm going to run out of superlatives, I know!) Israel is... Definitely the trip of a lifetime!!!

Well, darn...

It may be that I won't get any full posts up until after I get back. Late already tonight, tomorrow will be even longer, so I may continue with the "popcorn" posts, and then do a daily recap after I get home (omg, gotta remember the family reunion right after I return... eeeep!)

I'm keeping everything in order on my hard drive, and my cell phone battery handled today well, so my CAMERA battery (you know, the one I LEFT AT HOME???!!!) isn't a critical issue. Now, I hope I get one soon, because the pic quality will be far better, but I confess that juggling only TWO devices is allowing me to really soak up all the wonder and history that is Israel.

On the shore of the Sea of Gallilee

... also known on the map as the Sea of Kinnereth.... Checked in to the hotel, and dinner is soon.
Tonight begins the Sabbeth, which will be a busy day for us: a boat ride and devotional in the morning, visiting the area where Jesus multiplied the loaves and fish, baptisms in the Jordan River, and an evening boat ride as well.

Church of the Wedding at Cana

Israel is AWESOME!

Currently in Nazareth where His neighbors tried to kill Jesus (see Luke 4), and on our way to Cana. Then to Tiberius, where we'll spend the next couple of nights.
Hopefully, power issues will be resolved, so I'll - hopefully! - have a big post up tonight.
Just awesome - I'm completely blown away!

On top of Mt. Carmel

... overlooking the Valley of Megiddo (and how cool that I'm blogging this real time?!)
Mt. Carmel is where Elijah confronted and defeated the 450 priests of Baal and Ashteroth by God's power.

This is our awesome guide

His name is Fabrizio ("fah-bree-tzee-o"), and this is a terrible pic... I hope to get a better one later. We have two busses, and each bus has its own guide, of course.

First breakfast

And this wasn't even HALF of what was available... We certainly won't go hungry!

Israel, day one!

First full day in Israel...
Finally got my suitcase (yay, God! Thank You!), but have discovered I left my CAMERA battery at home (headdesk). My cell phone will have to do until I can buy a new battery and charge it up. Fortunately, I now have an international data plan for my cell, so I can blog from it!

Today, we see Mt. Carmel, Cana (where Jesus performed His first miracle), and will end up by the Sea of Gallilee. Jordan river tomorrow, and I'm considering getting rebaptized as a rededication. Thoughts?

The blessings of my life...

I am BEYOND blessed... I am enjoying a quiet night in and around the pool with the Beloved Husband. Hawaiian music (courtesy of Pandora, Verizon Wireless, and my MotoDroid...) playing quietly in the background...

How can life on earth get better?!

Happy Fathers' Day

I wasn't able to post in honor of Mothers' Day since Daddy passed that morning. But today has been peaceful, and I was honored to supply the flowers for the sanctuary in Daddy's honor.

Thank you to all the fathers out there who have stepped up and earned the wonderful title, "Daddy." May God richly bless you and your family!

Re-gravelling the driveway

This is the THIRD (and last, thank goodness) truckload of 5-7 gravel spread on our driveway... I looooove living in the country, but maintaining these LONG driveways gets a bit expensive! We need to re-gravel every 2-3 years, and especially after this last winter, which really mucked things up. Fortunately, this is a pretty thick layer of good stuff, so it ought to last a while.

But the $$$? OUCH!!!

Installing a little greenhouse

My Beloved and Munchkin working on building the greenhouse. It's a lovely unit, but acutally CONSTRUCTING it really made us want to tear out hair out!
The company is Danish, and appears to be well made and durable, but this is definitely NOT a project for a beginner!

The first dandelion

Unlike many, I rather like dandelions, if they are being modest and don't try to overpower the whole lawn..

The first line-dried laundry of the year

Yup, spring appears to have sprung!

Time to knit a new dog?

Tasha is avery fluffy dog, and she SHEDS!!! She sheds like mad, and I ought to be brushing her out at least twice a week ALL YEAR!!!!
But, poor dog, she only gets brushed when those hair tufts start jumping out of that thick coat of fur...
If I brush her every day for the next four to six weeks, then maybe she'll be able to endure it and get all those knotty tufts out.

OMG, it's real!

I didn't think it WAS, much less that it was already published! LOL

G'way. I'm SLEEPING!

Picture of a completely spoiled and contented cat... But I wish I'd gotten a shot of her earlier, when DadCat shifted his legs and Miss Smudgie was quite happily upside down - WITH a smug "you so love me" kitty smile!

(Just playing)

... with my new Droid phone from Verizon Wireless... I am very much enjoying it, and it's going to be interesting to see what new and fun stuff I discover over the next few days (weeks?) of learning the phone. So far, it's been pretty easy - and I'm just bubbling over with giggles of joy, thanks to my outrageously indulgent and wonderful hubby who spoils me so... ;-)

Guess what I'm doing????? Wooohooooo!

[UPDATE: This is a picture I took of my new Droid with my old LG Voyager, just before my new baby was activated. The Voyager is a good phone, and I really enjoyed having it... But the Droid is

OOOOOOOOOOO! WHEEEEEEEE!!!
WOW!!!

So... Thankyouverymuch, LG... But - BYE! And thank YOU, Verizon Wireless, for finally getting off the fence and bringing in a truly innovative and exciting phone!]

This is how my darling daughter torments her poor ol' Mom

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OK how goofy can they be? (VERY!)

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The Munchkin and her BFF playing Queen of the Mountain

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Lady Pickle-Purr, ruler of all laps!

Pixel loves to claim her rightful place on a lap for her morning skritchies!

McDonnell's crew has a great sense of humor!

I love it!!! This is in the window of the new Republican Part of Virginia office here in Chatham. They opened, um, two weeks ago. And, like I said, I LOVE their sense of humor! This message has been sent using the picture and Video service from Verizon Wireless! To learn how you can snap pictures and capture videos with your wireless phone visit www.verizonwireless.com/picture. Note: To play video messages sent to email, [email protected] 6.5 or higher is required.

FLL Robotics 2009 season begins

Onlt two teams this year, instead of the three we had last year... But they're "all kid"! LOL... Gonna be another wild ride - appropriate, since this year's theme is "Transportation."

Pixel has decided to supervize the painting today...

Slowly returning the books to their 'home'

The angle on this photo is terrible, but the phone's camera catches the color better this way.

The blue MUCH is too "oh, you have a baby boy! {cutesy hearts and flowers and puppies}" than what I really wanted. But, since I had been planning to use the same color in the master bed room, it's a good thing I found out now! I'll take this paint chip in when I get the paint for the MBR to make sure I don't make the same mistake.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have ten shelves of books to re-fill!

Most of the books that have to go back on the shelves

Yep, the painting in the library is done, and the shelves have been reinstalled. So, it's time to undo the "destruction" I did last week! Aaarrggh [headdesk]

Meet little 'Dipstick'

We found him in the garage shop. When they're done (Update 2.0 - "they" being my friends who run the garage, and "done" meaning "done changing the oil in my Explorer" LOL), I'll take him to the vet and see if they can find him a good home...

UPDATE! Well, I found out that little Dipstick is actually a "she." I tried dropping her at the vet, but they really couldn't take her, so she went to the Danville Humane Society. It practically broke my heart, leaving her there! I know that since she's young, cute, and apparently healthy, she'll be adopted fairly quickly, but...

*sigh*

I was crying a bit when I left her. *sniff*

Tired Munchkin

... after getting her braces on this morning and then being dragged out to run errands, I suppose I'm not surprised!

Arrival at LAX

We still have two more flights - into Chicago and then Greensboro - plus driving home (about 90 min). But, we're back on the mainland...

Waaaaaaaaaah! Leaving Hawaii for another year

*sniff* Time to leave Hawaii and begin our trek home. We should be boarding in about an hour, and should arrive back at CatHouse Base in roughly 18 hours *sigh*

FOOOOOOD! Must. Order. NOW!

Time to devour some lunch after HUGE fun with the dolphins...

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Sailing the Kohala coast

A wonderful morning snorkle and sail with Ocean Sports out of ABay. Continental breakfast and lunch combined with great snorkling and aloha spirit make this money well spent. Highly recommended!

Day is done... Gone the sun...

A view from the Hilton Waikoloa Village... The beautiful serenity of an evening in Hawaii.

Pride and Prejudice... and ZOMBIES!

Surreal. Surreal and strangely hilarious! I saw this reviewed via a link from Instapundit (if I recall correctly), so when I saw it in the book store the other day, I HAD to get it!

Poolside postcards...

... life in Paradise truly Doesn't. Suck! As I said in my previous post, even though it's not yet entirely complete, we have fallen in love with our new home resort. I give deep and profound thanks to God for His generosity to us. and I thank Hilton fordesigning and building great properties and staffing them with superior people!

Sansei at the Queen's Marketplace Waikoloa

... gotta feed my addiction! We've ordered a hamachi kama, which is the "collar" from a yellowtail. Also some agedashi tofu, and a Kohala Krunch roll which is a house specialty. I've got pix, so I'll post 'em when I get back to the room! Mmmmmmmmmmmm!

Merriman's Market Cafe

... at the King's Shopping Center here in Waikoloa. We stop by here regularly for the cheerful service and yummy Mediterranean-style food. Today with our pupus (that's Hawaiian for appetizers), we're going to have some white sangria. The Munchkin, of course, will be having a virgin Lava Flow ;-)

Another slice of Paradise

This is Anaeho'omalu Bay, or "A-Bay" as the local folks call it, and it's one of the loveliest beaches on the island. If I recall correctly, it was "kapu," and reserved for royalty alone back in the day.

I'm planning on taking a lot of photos here in between swimming and sunning, so I hope to have some uploaded (to Facebook, at least - anyone know a good Flickr uploader compatible with Linux?) tonight.

But then again for all its faults Paradise DOESN'T SUCK!

Truly, I am blessed beyond all measure! And for my blog family, not only will you be blessed with the traditional waterslide pic, but the Beloved Husband also took a video. So, when I get it uploaded, you will get live action of me making a fool out of myself!