Rock Eagle Fun

An impromptu spar with "Mr. Powell". I think he looks scared.:



Snake handling:


Fishing for Stream Critters:


Kids and such:


Unfortunately, I can't put more b/c of liability, etc, in case parents don't want their kids posted all over the Internet. It was a good time, but I was SO glad to be back in my little house by myself on Friday afternoon!

The Holidays are upon us

In the mall a couple of weeks ago, the Christmas Carols had started. There's a nativity scene and the lights are up in downtown Macon. I read today that Santa is making his appearance at Phipps in Atlanta this week.

Another sign of the season is the way my schedule starts to fill up. Last week, we had our annual Fall trip to Rock Eagle with the 6th graders. This week, I'm chaperoning the Jr. Beta convention here in Macon on Thursday and Friday, followed by a weekend trip to Savannah to meet up with Cal's family for his 30th birthday. Next week, it's Thomasville for Thanksgiving, then 3 days in Destin before heading into the final chaotic weeks of school before Christmas break.

In the last couple of months, the gym guy has been helping me with my workouts. He calls it "training", but that term is a little too I'm-a-Gym-Rat for me, so I just call it "going-to-the-gym-and-getting-free-help-with-scary-weights". He's been frustrated with my absences lately, so he worked me extra hard yesterday, and now I can hardly walk. Trying to prepare this butt for the turkey shock it's gonna get over the next couple of months.

In other news, my eye has completely cleared up under the diligent care of my 67 students, all of whom had to check it closely every day for any sign of change. "Oh, it's better today," they'd say. "Starting to turn a little yellowish, I see." Yeah. I'm glad that's over with, although it was kinda fun while it lasted. I liked best not telling folks what was going on and seeing whether they'd ask or just politely ignore it while trying not to look at me or get too close for fear of catching whatever I might have had.

Anyway, this post has no point. But I thought I'd put it all out there, let folks know what's going on.

Suffering to increase righteousness

My mother has claimed, in the past, that I am vain. This particular observance of hers was invoked by my rather petulant insistence that she replace the terrible picture of Cal and me that she had on her fridge with one that was more flattering.

Unfortunately, I think that God heard her and agreed. Just last night, He decided to inflict upon me a rather gruesome illness, of sorts. You see, I awoke this morning with a red eye. Not a pink eye, mind you, or even an irritated eye, but a Fire Engine, Candy Apple, -yes- even Bulldawg Red Eye.

There is no other symptom, for the most part. I have no oozing, no crusting, no mucus that so often accompany such an affliction. Just the visible, hideous, monstrous red eye.

This morning, Cal showed up at my door for a jog and recoiled in horror. Unfortunately, I had temporarily forgotten my appearance (as I can't tell it's there unless I'm looking in a mirror) and was offended. Then it all came flooding back.

My dad called an ophthalmologist friend of his who quickly diagnosed my problem as a "Subconjunctive Hemorrhage". Oh, it's nothing to worry about, he says. It'll go away on its own.

IN TWO WEEKS.

That's right, folks. I have to go to church tomorrow with this thing. I have to go to work and face 68 11-year-olds with this thing. I have to go to Rock Eagle for next week's annual field trip with this thing.

God's working on my vanity. Sigh. I suppose He has to chisel away at my sin somehow.

Picture below. If all of Macon can see it, I suppose it's not fair to withhold it from the rest of the world.