Whatta Day

Today began with a 4:15 wakeup alarm...so I could attend the 5:30 field trip selection meeting at the bus lot. But more importantly, this was the day my mom-in-law gets her knee replaced.

After the morning bus runs, Carole and I met and took Mrs. Robertson to the hospital. Her knee is so bad that any bending causes much pain. She has been looking forward to this day with mixed feelings. She definitely wanted to be rid of a very bad, bone-on-bone knee and all the pain it brings. But due to other health issues, there was a very real chance that she wouldn't survive the surgery. But she is very comfortable with the assurance that heaven is her home and knew that waking up in glory rather in a recovery room wouldn't be so bad.

Carole stayed by her side during the hour or so leading up to surgery. But there was a problem. The blood tests showed fairly serious anemia. The docs huddled and decided the operation was too risky. Then Doris' internist came by and spent half an hour explaining why she should NEVER have the surgery done, how the risks far and away superceded the good that might come from the new knee.

I was worried that Doris would be terribly upset, but Carole reports that she was relieved...that she knew her life was in God's hands and that what happened today was surely His will. Her faith is amazing.

It Was Very Cool

After a hectic afternoon assembled with dozens of relatives, we retreated to our house and kicked back a bit. The neatest thing was watching first cousins Zach and Maddie have extended time together. It didn't take long for them to develop rapport. They actually did the unthinkable...(it's almost taboo!)...they began to share their toys!

For grandparents, it's a way cool way to cap off a Thanksgiving Day.

A Beautiful Sunday

After a glorious worship service in the morning, I was treated to another "airside" ride-along with my buddy at DFW. The first thing he did was take me to the aircraft which would ferry the Indianapolis Colts home later in the day. He allowed me to go anywhere I wanted around the plane to get the shots I wanted. The above pic obviously shows the tail, but also just how blue the sky was yesterday.

I drove home later, deliberately avoiding the radio and any mention of the outcome of the game. Got home and fast-forwarded through the excitement in about an hour. Nice victory!

Good way to start one of the best weeks of the year.

Pics of the Weird

CIA Intrigue and Yours Truly

Weird story. Back in September, I was photographing at Love Field in Dallas when my phone rang. It was my son, Blake, telling me that a sonogram showed my next grandchild to be a girl. He was excited and so was I. But I had to cut the call short because a very anomalous aircraft was getting ready to take off.

Love Field is home to Southwest Airlines. About 95% of the shots I take there are SW. So it's rare but fun when something different comes along. The plane that was taking off had no markers, no registration number, no decals, no nuthin'. I snapped off a few pix including the one above.

I went home and researched it. Turns out that this plane is clouded with mystery. That thing you see hanging down under the fuselage is a wide-angle radar. Word has it that the plane is being used for some sort of hush-hush CIA (redundant?) activity. It is extremely elusive in that very few photographs of it exist. I've been lucky enough to catch it on two separate trips to Love.

I've been contacted by folks interested in my pictures of the plane from as far away as Canada and the Netherlands. A guy is doing an article for a Navy magazine and wants to use the above shot.

I just hope my doorbell doesn't ring late one night and find me staring at three big guys in trenchcoats.

Don't Go There

There is a movie out now called "Borat". It opened Friday locally and is being lauded as the funniest movie ever. That's quite a boast given that "The 3 Stooges Go to the Moon" is still out there.

It seems every radio station I've listened to this weekend (except the Christian ones) are talking about this flick. All seem to agree that it lives up to the hype.

Folks, Christians have no business going to an "R" rated movie. I don't care how funny it is. I don't care what lame excuses you use (everyone does it, I'm going for life lessons it'll teach me, I can handle the off-color language and sex scenes). There is no redeeming quality about an "R" film that would override your Christian responsibility in this matter.

Two reasons: chances are you'll be seen there and folks seeing you will assume you're open-minded and willing to sample small doses of sin; and it will carefully erode your Christian mindset. If you see enough of this garbage, pretty soon godly thoughts are replaced by worldly thoughts.

Don't give Hollywood your money. Don't treat your soul so cavalierly.