Where to start...

by Grant

    What day is it? Ah, monday you say. Good, I was getting a little confused there. I've been a little by myself at work as we have people on vacation and a bunch of people in 'Bama (short for Alabama) where we are assimilating a site (like the Borg... Resistance is futile) into Woodgrain. I'm getting mentally prepped for a big family get together around Camas County Fair Time. Everybody is coming home for the the Jeep's anniversary. To my shame, I'm not sure if the jeep is 30 or 40. If you're wondering what the heck I'm talking about, well Dad built himself a Jeep many moons ago. I'm thinking the Jeep is 30 and shame on me for not using capitals. BTW, this isn't just any "Jeep," but rather "The Jeep." We actually have another Jeep as well as a Jeep Pickup and between Tyler and Dad three other Jeep-mobiles (Cherokee, Grand Wagoneers). I'm sure if my brother's read this post, they will be beside themselves with my mangling of any details, but suffice it to say that this vehicle my Dad built from pieces. It's got a Jeep cab (drivetrain?) but a Ford Flat-head V8 engine, Ford pickup box (old, maybe Model T or something). It's a cool rig. Hard for a guy like me to drive as the seat doesn't adjust and my Dad is 5'9". Basically, it feels like my knees are bumping my chin. Anyway, we (the fam) were all together for the Jeeps last major birthday (Melodie baked a cake). And yes, the Jeep will blow out the candles (we'll rev up the engine and stick the cake behind the exhaust).

    Other tidbits of interest... I got a small package from my Dad to day only to find out that Mugsy, our belove Dog of 10 years, had passed. Fun finding things like that out in the mail. Dad does a good job when a long time pet dies. He writes up an obituary complete with pictures. Most humans don't get such a well done obituary but I'm sure it seems like the least Dad can do. Ogres like me would probably be happier just forgetting rather than dwelling on it.

The girls... are... teething. Ok, Serenity is. Liberty is fine. But Serenity was a crab today which is unlike her. Just when we were starting to catch our breath with those buggers, they start teething. <sigh>

Good news! Forrest has gotten over his toilet phobia (we think) . In fact, he has been going "stinky" for about 30 minutes now without any crying or fussing. He's so proud of himself that now it's a novelty for him.

One last note: Dad is still in a pretty large amount of pain. That alters his personality as I well know. Pain wears you down day after day and you get tired of being brave and carrying on. You snap that much easier at irritants that once were minor. What's the source of his pain? Inflammation of the tissue under his rib cage, extreme indigestion... those are the guesses. Unfortunately, modern medical science isn't much help.