Christmas Day

Just want to take this opportunity to wish all a very Merry Christmas and the best for the upcoming year. Probable be a tough year if the government runs amok anymore. I guess time will tell.
Haven't worked on the house much this week. Weather has been a little nasty. Finally did get propane so we have heat. Got the kitchen completely demolished. Nothing but studs and siding. Will post pics later.
Please keep Christ not just in Christmas, but in your lives every day. As tough as things may get, He will never give us more than we can handle.
God Bless you all and God Bless this great country we live and believe in.----johnnyb

Snowy Sunday

We are getting a little snow today. Not supposed to amount to very much today, but maybe more tomorrow. The picture was taken from our kitchen window. There were a male and female cardinal, but just as I snapped it the female flew off.

I was reading some Christmas memories in a magazine. Got me to thinking about Christmas when I was young. In my early years we always had Christmas Eve at the farm. Grandma Hazel was always there, and sometimes my Grandma and Grandpa Youngquist. They lived in Longmont, Colorado, so did not come every year. Christmas day was usually at Grandma Hazel's or at one of the Votapkas (Uncle Guy in Oberlin or Aunt Grace in Norton). I will leave that at that!

Christmas at the farm always seemed to be a festive occasion. Mom would have all the decorations up, and the tree was loaded with lights (real bubble lights) that usually burned at a temperature of at least 1000 degrees! It is a wonder there were not more fires. After supper Dad and us kids would take some gifts to a neighbors house. Guess what? Santa would always come while we were at the neighbors! The coincidence of it all. He always came early to our house because we would be Grandma's house the next day and he wanted to bring some things to the farm. Oh well it worked for a couple of years.

In later years Mom would always have a decorating party earlier in December. She would have a soup supper. After supper there was plenty of punch (leaded and unleaded). Most of the family would decorate, but my brother and I made sure the punch bowl didn't stay too full or get too empty. They usually didn't let us too close to the tree. Fun-fun-fun till daddy took the punchbowl away. (He didn't really. Just a play on the Beach Boys and it sounded like it should be here). There are other fun things that happened, but will not put them down here. Most of the time it involved things that I don't do any more. I'm sure everyone has memories of childhood Christmases . It is nice to put them on paper. Pass them along to others. Doesn't necessarily have to be family. It is just fun to go back.

I heard a song this morning on the radio. I didn't catch the name of it, but the idea was that nails did not put Christ on the cross. Love did! John 3:16 tells it all. "God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son......." Love is such an important thing in all of our lives. We can show our love for our loved ones and neighbors in many ways. Just being there is sometimes the most important. Doesn't take much. The Love I referred to from John 3:16 is agape love. The supreme sacrifice. Giving your life for the love you feel for your fellow man. Big time love.

Merry Christmas and leave the Christ in Christmas.----johnnyb

Ramblings

I hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving, ate lots and was able to be with loved ones. I ate way too much bird and goodies, but then I always do. I can remember as a kid going to my Grandmother's house for Thanksgiving. There was always enough food for an army. Plenty of salads, deserts, and always at least two meats. But then any Sunday dinner at Grandma Hazel's was like that.

We had an enjoyable time this year. One Grandson will be leaving for the Air Force next summer, so he may not be around for next year. They are growing up too fast.

We have been working on the house every day that we can. No heat in the house yet, so we have to work around that. Talked to the propane man the other day, andd he said he would be delivering on that route during the early part of December. Then we can start the stove.

Carol has been priming on the days that are warm enough. We removed a window on the north side of the kitchen. From the outside there was a full window, but on the inside, half of the window had been covered with paneling! We just decided to remove it all together. We had to replace some of the siding anyway. We will put in a window on the west side. We have most of the floor joists put in the kitchen floor, so we are gaining on that.

The dogs are enjoying the trips to Traer. Dinka likes collecting treasures, like branches, sticks,etc. Annie just runs and hunts constantly.

Hope everyone has a good holiday season, and please keep Christ in Christmas. This is a time to be thankful for what we have. Don't be down and discouraged because of how tough times are. Giving doesn't necessarily mean gifts. Sometimes a handshake or a hug are as good as any gift you could buy.---johnnyb

House update

We have dove a little deeper in our remodeling effort. Last weekend we decided to work on the roof above the kitchen area. Our plans were to just re-nail the tin roof down where it was loose and leaking into the kitchen. Figured it would be a good idea to fix the leak before starting on the new floor. When I got up on the roof, I discovered maybe it was more than just loose tin. By Sunday evening we had a complete new roof on that part of the house. Hasn't leaked yet, but then it hasn't rained yet either.

We got the ceiling repaired in the bedroom and the old carpet up. There was some loose plaster in the ceiling. Hopefully I have prevented anymore from falling. I don't know if I wrote this earlier,but there is a suspended ceiling throughout the house. Carol is in the process of papering, painting and staining them to look like old tin ceiling. They are looking real good.

Today I tore into the bathroom. Left the tub, and that was about all. Carol has got part of the north side and part of the front scraped and primed. Looks real nice.

Am including more pics. Also am adding some of the original ones that I deleted because of their size. Every day we get a little farther down the road.

Now I need to blow off a little steam about the events that occurred at Fort Hood last week. In my opinion if you are not for America, then you must be against it. We are American first and foremost. WE are not African-Americans, Swedish Americans, Mexican Americans, Polish Americans, Russian Americans, Irish Americans, Scottish Americans, or whatever Americans!

We are, by damned, AMERICANS !!!!!! I am not saying this to be racist. I am saying this because I am so tired of the politically correct B.S. If you are not proud enough to call yourself an American, then this is not the place for you! As far as I am concerned anybody that can call themselves a soldier of Allah and kills innocent people is a terrorist, regardless of what is politically correct.

It is what it is and that's that!--johnnyb

Pictures of our progress on our place

Just a few pics to update any progress we are making on our recent acquisition. We have a long way to go, but it will all be worth it. Carol got started scraping and putting a prime coat on the house. I have been doing a little bit of everything. The floor in the kitchen is not good. Too many water leaks in the past that were not taken care of. The addition that the kitchen is in has a tin roof. Some of the tin was loose, so I tried to nail it down today only to find that the roof is also rotten under the tin so that will have to be replaced. The floor will have to wait until the roof is fixed or it will be to no avail.

We have gotten most of the weeds taken care of. We have a very large burn pile at the back of the property. Carol saw a couple of rats today. Not surprising with the weeds and trash that were on the property. Eventually those will be taken care of. There are a few holes in the foundation that will have to be plugged to help keep the varmit population away.

Will post more pics as time goes.

As Percy Bysshe Shelley said (and I have no idea who he is) "There is no real wealth but the labor of Man."--johnnyb

God Bless America

To all a Happy 4th of July. Celebrate our Freedom as our founding fathers intended our freedom to be. Don't let that freedom be taken from us by those who have forgotten, or never knew, what that it means to be free. God Bless this land and all those who fight to keep this land free!--johnnyb

Finally!

The spring has been busy, but that is no excuse for not putting my thoughts down. Got the garden in okay. Most everything is looking okay. Noticed this evening that there were some blooms on the tomatoes. Can't wait to have fresh veggies. We have also been trying to paint the house. Weather has not cooperated for that.
Went to my class reunion last weekend( 45 years!). Good turn-out. Some have changed, some have not. But then maybe they haven't changed and I have! It was fun anyway.
Heard on the news tonight that some people in California(San Diego, I think) were told by city authorities that they could hold Bible meetings in their home because ther were too many there, around fifteen. They were told that they would have to have permit for that many. Their lawyer was going to argue the point that there were that many at a Tupper-ware party! Just what is this country coming to! It is our right to be able to worship as we wish. We need to pray for these people, and that they have the strength to continue their fight. Our religious freedom will be tested more and more as we struggle in these times. He says "that we will be persecuted in His name. Many will betray one another. Lawlessness will abound and the love of many will grow cold, but he who endures to the end shall be saved." (Matt 24). Stand up, stand up for Jesus as the old hymn goes. The road will be tough, but that reward at the end is so worth all the bumps that we may encounter. I hope that any who might be reading this will pray for strength as they read as I am praying for strength as I write. I am afraid that we will need it.

Johnny B

Spring thaw

I have come out of hibernation for good (I think). Should not be any extended periods of extreme cold.My gardening fever is getting a little higher, so today I may do something along that line. I have to go to the dentist for some adjustment on my new teeth,(plus get the one fixed that broke off over the weekend!) Another story but I won't go there.
We are trying to clean out a lot of stuff that we haven't used for a while. I think some of it comes under the category of junk. Some we just don't need any more. Also working on the outside. Needs painting.
Enough of this and on to something that should alarm all of us. Last week the President, (and I use that term loosely), told a a group of people wherever he was at, that the United States was not a Christian nation, or a Jewish nation, or a Muslim nation, but a nation of citizens. This statement bothers me a little. No it bothers me a lot! I agree with the fact that we are a nation of citizens, but why is he leaving out the faith end of it. I also agree that there should be a separation of Church and State for the purpose of governing the country. That was tried and failed miserably during a period of our history. We must stand up and fight for our religious freedom. We can't be run over by those who don't understand what it means to live in Christ. I have been reading the Book of Revelation again, and it is becoming clearer each time I read it and hits closer to home.
I have more to say, but I have to go to the dentist. I get really upset with some of what I am hearing on the news. In the words of a commentator on a local radio station---and I quote-- "Makes me mad enough to give the dog a day off and bite the mailman myself"!
Later-johnnyb

Trip to Great Bend

Tuesday we drove to Great Bend for a couple of days helping with grandkids. Carol's daughter Danna is on a business trip this week, so we are helping out. Always nice to spend time with the kids, tho sometimes they are a little trying. Has been fun. Tomorrow we will drive back to Oberlin. Today we drove to Salina to pick up a bathroom vanity that I had seen on my trip last week. My son, who is an emergency dispatcher in Great Bend was off for the day and rode along. My daughter also lives in Great Bend , but was working today. Nice drive over there and some pretty country. We did our usual drive and stopped at every small town and looked around. Found some interesting things in Brookville, KS. More on that later. Enough for now.

Thought for today--Don't get into a slapping contest with an octopus!--johnnyb

Old friend

Tuesday I drove to Salina to meet up with a dear old friend from my Navy days. He lives in Jacksonville, Florida but was in Salina on business. It had been 41 years since we had seen each other. We have communicated regularly over the past few years, but had not met up. We had a great visit. A few things brought up that both of us kind of filed away. Some for a good reason! Our lives have take different paths. He stayed in the service for 26 years. But our visit was just as if we had gotten together at times over the years. I guess we had developed a friendship that was supposed to be and remain as such for the years. Almost like brothers. We hope to get together again with our spouses,(especially now that we have the stories out of the way that they didn't really want to hear about anyway)!

RAMBLINGS FROM SOMEWHERE

Daylight savings time! As usual we forgot to change all the clocks before going to bed last nite, but I think they are all set now. I just wish that the powers to be, if there is such a thing anymore, would just leave it alone. I see no reason to change back in the fall. Things have seemed to work for many thousand years with only one time. Get up with the chicken, eat somewhere in between, and go to bed with the chickens. If the sun is up and you are not then you are probably going to be late for whatever. If the sun is directly overhead, and you are hungary it is probably mid-day. If the sun is going down and you are still working, it is time to go home. l

All very simple! Life is too difficult. Eat when you are hungary and sleep when you are tired. We are expected to do to much in the few short hours of the day. CHILL OUT EVERYBODY, THERE SHOULD BE A TOMORROW! (Or at least I think there is supposed to be!)

Enough ramblings about nothing. My thought for the day is: If you hear a sea-gull, don't look up!--johnnybgood

The day

The neighborhood cardinal is getting his voice more in shape. Doesn't sound too bad today. Should be able to find his honey with it anyway. Just seems to be nice crisp morning. Spring needs to hurry and get here! I command it! There I feel better now, at least for the moment anyway. In a minute I will pour a cup of tea, turn on the news and and will immediately have my first attitude adjustment for the day. I shouldn't even turn it on, but then I would wonder if I missed something good....Nah that won't happen.
God bless to any who may read this., and go buy an American flag MADE IN AMERICA and fly it high and proud.----johnnyb

God's creation

When I stepped outside this morning the birds were singing their happy songs. I have to imagine that they are as happy as I am that spring is getting closer. It is a beautiful crisp morning. A little frost on the ground from the moisture we had yesterday. God does such a good job of making his creation look as good as it can even at this time of year. A couple of days ago our neighborhood cardinal was getting his voice warmed up for the upcoming mating ritual. I suppose the blue jays will be showing their faces soon. Trying to get their lions share of the bird seed.
Our iris are showing signs of growth. Seems a little early,but what do I know! Once again God is doing as He sees fit. We must always appreciate God and His creation, but not put the Creation above the Creator. As beautiful as nature is, the Creator is more beautiful. HE will provide. Sometimes in ways we may not understand!
Enough rambling for today. I got clear off the subject I had in mind when I started. Oh well! Such is life. I'll just change the title and another day.----jhb

Day off!

Today was my day off, so what did I do but schedule a dental appointment! Haven't been for a number of years so it was time. I haven't had good teeth for most of my life,but should not have put off going. My teeth (all 7 of them) had finally just withered away. I have had a top denture for 2o years and that has helped with the wear. After a long consultation of my options, and settling on the one that was suggested by the dentist, he proceeded to pull 5 of the remaining, leaving 2 to anchor a plate to. So I spent the rest of the day feeling like I have been run over by a Mac truck. Pain is under control for the time, and hope it remains for the remainder of the night. Called my boss and took tomorrow off also, in case I am still miserable. I am glad that I went and got started on something that has been inevitable for a long time but was just putting it off. I will feel better for it.

My diet will definitely change for the next few months. Not much steak in the forecast! Been needing to cut back anyway, so is a good time to start. Always some good in everything!

The Love of a Dog!

Sometimes I can get real irritated at our dogs. Then when I think about it for a bit I feel kind of bad for thinking that way. A dog has a deep sense of love that we as humans should take notice of. All a dog wants is your love and will give you its undivided love constantly. A dog will do anything for you to show and receive love, even to the point of giving its life for you. Doesn't this remind you of some one else? All God wants is our Love did everything He could to show His Love for us even to the point of sacrificing His Son for us. The next time your dog gives that "hey I love you, take me for a walk " look just think about that love, God's Love and your love for your fellow man.----John

January in Kansas

Last Sunday I was in the back yard thinking about where I was going to plant what in the garden. Then I thought"You idiot it is only January", even though the temperature was in the 60's. Today I am looking out at a few snowflakes falling and a temperature in the middle teens. God must like messing with my head!