My Latest Comings and Goings

It's been a few days since I've blogged, basically because nothing much has been happening. But in the interest of avoiding the appearance of being a slacker who doesn't actually blog I do have a few items that may be mildly interesting to a limited number of people whose lives are as equally exciting as mine. Be forewarned - this blog is both longer and less fascinating than one of my average posts, so please read it when you have lots of time and when you are really bored. Be sure both conditions exist before beginning.

I put in another appearance at Second Mile Mission on Thursday. I think I'll make this a commitment to be there every Thursday. Once again, it was hot beyond belief in the warehouse but not too hot to accomplish my assigned task. Tom asked me to reorganize the section where the diapers (for both infants and adults), vacuum cleaners, cleaning supplies, Ramen noodles, and used computers are stored. I need to ask him sometime about who decides where everything goes, as this seems a somewhat curious combination of unrelated items. Instead of working with a gang of mini-thugs doing their community service, I spent the day this week working with Chad, a college guy who will be a junior at University of Houston this fall. Chad told me that because he can't find a summer job he thought he may as well put his spare time to good use. I showed him how to use a pallet jack, which I'm sure was the highlight of his day. My only problem with Chad was his cheap shot question "Would you like someone with a younger back to do that?" I'm sure he was only being polite. I'll get even with him next week.

Vicki's aunt Rosalee was in town for a visit on Thursday and Friday. For an old lady she's really pretty cool. During a very pleasant visit around sister Cheryl's pool on Thursday evening the conversation somehow came to focus on what medication everyone was taking, who couldn't hear anymore (huh?), how much weight everyone needs to lose, the history of surgery, and detailed descriptions of everyone's current physical illnesses, abnormalities and deformities. I tried to focus on the conversation in the "men's corner" but at times it too drifted into the realm of "we're old and we're falling apart." In spite of the near unanimous consent that we're all a bunch of fat, sick old people, the Blue Bell with chocolate sauce was quite good.

I spent yesterday working on finalizing the vacation arrangements for our big family vacation to Costa Rica the week after Christmas. I know what you're thinking, but I'm sure I'll have a job by then. We did an almost identical trip back in 2005 and the arrangements were a snap. This time around it seems like the cosmic powers of the universe know that I have all the time in the world to work on this and they've determined that that's exactly how long it will take to get it done. My final unfinished detail is the now arduous task of confirming a beach side hotel. So far it has gone something like this:

1. Find a decent looking hotel on the Internet and send an email asking about availability.
2. Receive a reply that reservations during Christmas week are for a three-night minimum. We only want two nights.
3. I call and ask if they'll consider an exception to the three-night rule. They ask if I'll call back in ten minutes. No problem, this is only an international call that is not a toll-free number. Call anytime!
4. Call back and have a pleasant conversation with Lila (pronounced "Lee-la" in espanol). However, I spend the last fifteen minutes of the call trying to get her to understand how to spell my last name. All those "E's" when mixed with that pesky "D" in the middle can be very confusing.
5. Receive an email that they'll take us for only two nights, but the rate that Lila quoted didn't include the $10/night Christmas week surcharge that should apply to the second night.
6. Send a reply that the surcharge is okay.
7. Receive an email in Spanish that I think I understood. However, the attachment was gibberish.
8. Receive another email, this one in English. Unfortunately, the attachment is in German. Being that I took one year of German when I was a freshman in high school - circa 1967 - I attempt to decipher the attachment. Surprisingly, I fail miserably.
9. I make an inadvertent keystroke on my keyboard that somehow resets the font size in Yahoo from 14 to a size where an entire sentence will fit on the head of a pin. Surprisingly, my attempts to correct this error only makes it worse.
10. I give up without achieving a confirmed beach side hotel. Maybe tomorrow when my strength returns I'll take another run at it.

As your reward for getting this far I have a bonus for you - one of my 100% on-target movie reviews! This afternoon's movie was The Proposal with Sandra (what has she done to her face) Bullock and a guy whom I recognized but have no idea what his name is. Oh yes, and Oscar from The Office had an extended cameo role as an exotic dancer, waiter, store clerk and preacher - sort of a Jack (or Jill?) or all trades. The first forty-five minutes or so were fairly amusing but then it was downhill - fast. The scene with grandma (Betty While) dancing in the woods with some kind of Eskimo robe on was probably the low point, but there were many other contenders for that distinction. The only real high point was the Alaskan scenery, but you can see that on the Alaska chamber of commerce website for free. I would say that you might consider renting this when you're in the mood for a throw-away chick flick, but definitely do not under any circumstances spend $9.50 to see this movie at a theater.

Tomorrow: We get to go to church to worship and praise God and to attend our Bible class, which I really like. I really look forward to Sunday mornings. Not sure if this is our week for first service or second service. I'm sure that Vicki knows.