Sick as a Dog

Everyone in the house has had a varying degree of sickness for over a week. The little one had it the worst. I would say the Mrs. was a close second. For me, it was severe chest cold, complete with coughing up bloody chunks of goo, a fever, delerium and nightmares. Good times.

I managed to make it through Ash Wednesday. The early service was tiny (four in attendance), but I almost passed out midway through. The evening service was much larger, and the folks were very understanding and appreciative that I refused to touch the bread, having a lay person distribute it in my place. During the elevation, I just lifted the whole paten. Bad liturgical form? Maybe…but it beats giving my folks the plague. Hopefully tomorrow will be better. My sermon is part Gospel of Mark and part Where the Wild Things Are.

I was supposed to go to a gun show today, but didn’t. Too tired, plus it was raining.

Why go to a gun show, you ask? I am always looking for a bargain. I am not sure I have anything in mind in particular, but would like to pick up an old SKS and modify it for deer season. You just get better deals this way, especially if you aren’t dealing with the overhead of a fancy retail location.

Speaking of which, I have two gun posts brewing. One on the renewal of the assault weapons ban, and one of the “gun show loophole.”

Mistaken Premise

I keep thinking I am going to have more time to blog. I am not really sure how it is that I managed to write (at times) most every day at Idle Ramblings. But with the demands of family life, parish life, and getting ready for the growing season, time in front of the computer is relegated to work on the very quick interactions allowed by Facebook. I can catch up with folks there quickly, and have even found myself sending links there rather than here. Who is to say that this won’t just eventually die and be replaced entirely by FB until some newer and better format comes along?

Anyway, until that time I guess I could update you on what has been happening.

1. I ordered organic seed potatoes and received more than I can possibly plant. I have enough to plant about 75 linear feet, and b/c of the room they take up, I can’t really put them in my raised beds without wasting a huge amount of space. Any suggestions? Should I just go ahead and till up part of the yard. or is there a better way?
2. I am in the process of building four raised beds (8′x4′x16″). One is complete and the lumber is cut for the other 3. Due to time constraints and iffy weather, they haven’t been completed, though I hope to get them constructed by Friday so I can start prepping the soil. I’ll get some pics up when I can.
3. We keep getting quotes to put up a fence around our back yard, and they keep coming in at over $3000. I think I am just going to do it myself. My concern is if we don’t fence in, someone is gong to complain about the mini-farm in the backyard. I am actually surprised that – between the water barrel, the cord of firewood, the 20 containers, and now the raised beds – that no one has complained yet.  Plus, people let dogs and children run free here, and there is at least one pesky dog that gets into everything, harasses my dog, has knocked over the compost, and eats my garbage. Sometimes I hate living in a subdivision.
4. Derek has my interest all up in the possibility of aquaculture. Apparently there are folks raising tilapia and such in their yards. I really want to introduce livestock of some sort, and this may be the answer. I can’t do bees (deathly allergic), chickens are a no no in this ‘hood, and i am guessing they would frown on goats. Any other ideas?
5. Oh yeah, I am stoked that our all organic, grass fed, no-antiobiotic laden beef is at the butcher’s place and will be ready to pick up next week. We bought half a cow for about $2.49/lb, supported local agriculture, and got some clean beef that is melt in your mouth good! Now if I can just find some hogs…

until next time…

Eating Squirrels and the Macho Jesus

Two articles from the NYT caught my eye. The first is on the trend being seen in Great Britain that has folks eating squirrel meat. I find it fascinating because the article seems to suggest that there is some form of exoticism in doing so. Considering I have squirrel meat in the freezer (yes, from ones that I shot), I don’t find it so odd. Hat tip to Homegrown Evolution for pointing this one out.

So while I was on the website of the liberal elite, I found an interesting article about Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill Church in Seattle. As a mission developer, I find the notion that his church started a little over a decade ago in his living room pretty cool, especially considering there are now like 7,000 in attendance. I also like the fact that tattooed freaks like me aren’t banned. Like Mark, I do object in some ways to Jesus being treated like a proto-hippy.

At the same time, I can’t get with him on some of his other stances. Calvinism sucks (sorry Presby-Reformed readers), and I am not so sure that being faithful means taking a giant dump on women or dehumanizing gay people.  Isn’t this the same dude that blamed Ted Haggard’s homosexual affair and meth use on Ted’s wife? Classy.

Want a beer swilling, foul mouthed pastor with a real punk rock attitude? Try this one.