"...upon the mercy if the court..."

I make no excuses nor offer any reason for my absence these many days.
Instead, I offer you simply these weird pictures of animals smiling,

...and my promise to post daily for the next 14 days.

Thank you for your understanding.

"And He Rested on the Seventh Day..."

I want to say I got out of bed at 1030.
...but the truth is, it was probably 11.

I stumbled into the kitchen, grabbed some toast and a coffee, and just sat.  In the quiet.  With nothing to do and nowhere to go.  No schedule, no agenda, no tasks to accomplish.  So I laid down on the couch and read.  A lot.

Grandpa got back up- he had been up and down a few times before I was up, and we chatted and caught up some more.  I showed him some photos from the trip, and told some stories.  I gave him his new vacuum, and put it together.  We talked about my car and baseball and work.  The Jays game started at 1, and we watched it and talked about the old-school Jays I know and had met.

He nodded off a few times, and I ran out to the store for more half-and-half and some munchies.

After the game, we decided on The Hyatt Restaurant for dinner- Dinner for Two- from Dunnville's Chinese food restaurant.  Same deal as always from Grandpa- "I'll pay if you go get it".  Ha ha ha.

We ate and then made a grocery list for Monday.  We retired to the living room and watched Sunday Night Baseball.  I read a bit more during the game, and answered some emails.

I confirmed via email that I was available and willing to fill in at a baseball tournament the next weekend.  As it turns out, a team in Ontario- the Scarborough Stingers- misunderstood the coaching requirements for the Ontario Eliminations tournament, and now the players were being advised that they would not be eligible to compete at the Championships unless they find a certified coach.  Of which there are about 20.

So I was asked if there was any way I would consider going to Sarnia, ON to coach Scarborough in the Ontario Midget Eliminations.  My response was- 'Of course'.  How do I sit at home knowing a group of kids cant play without me?  The kids were ecstatic, and the coach and I were making my arrangements.

I checked in with Mom and with baseball and even with work.  All was well, and I was back to reading and relaxing.  Before I knew it, it was midnight and I was ready for bed.

An amazing day of rest and of enjoying all the I have been given, and offering thanks for everything and everyone.  Oh, and I stopped by at the giant mudcat.

Today's verse:  Philippians 4:12I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.

My understanding is that my friend's son is again making small strides in his recovery.  Please continue to keep the entire family in your prayers.

Getaway Day

Saturday was everyone's departure day.

Jeff's flight was at noon-a flight which we mocked incessantly, due to the fact that it was taking off from the super-tiny airport in Williamsport, PA, heading to Tampa, FL.  We suggested that perhaps his flight may have to dust a field or follow the highway checking for speeders. Don and I even envisioned a scarf and helmet-type situation and laughed ourselves to tears.

Don was off to Lancaster PA in the morning, to speak at a church event.  He invited me to go with him, but I was off to Dunnville by way of Lewiston, NY and Niagara Falls.

Scott, Shelley, and all the Billings kids had a wedding Saturday night, and Scott was driving Jeff to the airport in the morning.

I got up at about 9, and had a relaxed and leisurely breakfast with Jeff.  Don and Scott and Shelley joined us by 930, and everyone was up and in the kitchen by 10.  We would all leave the house together and head in separate directions.  

We chatted briefly about the week, and made plans to stay in touch.  We all exchanged numbers and names and addresses and information.  It was a great morning with some really great folks.  

As check-out time arrived, we all said our goodbyes.  

First, we all bid farewell to our fuzzy friends Baxter and Wally.  They had been our sources of comic relief, distraction, and physical boundaries over the weekend.  

We then went outside and took a photo to remember the amazing and blessed week.  We all stood at the Billings's front door, snapped a few pictures, and took our luggage to our cars.

Back Row:  Don Gordon, Jeff Hearron

Middle Row:  Me, Scott Billings

Front Row: Shelley Billings, Brad Billings, Danielle Billings, Holly Billings.

We went through another round of hugs, and then we were off.  Scott and Jeff left for the airport, Shelley and the kids went inside to get ready for the wedding.  Don and I hung out a while talking about future trips and future plans, and most importantly- a discipleship program.  Don currently disciples a number of young Christians, and I asked about the process and finding someone to discuss it with.  He immediately and generously offered to discuss it, but to look into working with me as well. 

I expressed my concerns about not doing too much at once- with my work and baseball and the program at Liberty.  When I do this I want to give it 100%, and I don't know if I can do that right now.  He understood, appreciated my candidness, and agreed to pray on it and discuss it later...after we had both recovered from our trips!

So I got in the car and pulled out of Scott's driveway.  I turned left, Don turned right.

I hit the highway and set a course for Buffalo.  I had a few options.  I had planned to stop in Buffalo and buy a vacuum for my grandfather (being away for a week, I wouldn't have to pay duty), and to either; 

a) go to the World Famous Anchor Bar - site of the invention of the Buffalo Wing, to get food for my grandfather and I.

or b) go the the Orange Cat Coffee Company, home of the best coffee and giganticest muffins ever (i discovered it during my 2010 Niagara Falls baseball tournament.

I decided that I needed coffee more than either of us wanted chicken wings- which would be 35 mins old by the time I got to Dunnville anyway, so I finalized my five hour drive.  I would go to Buffalo, then Lewiston, then Niagara Falls to cross the border.

Then the rain started again.

Another beautifully scenic drive ruined by the inability see!  It poured for about 3 hours, but as I crossed into the final US state on my trip,

It stopped!

And so I cruised into Buffalo, bought a vacuum, and made for nearby Lewiston to grab a coffee.  Lewiston was as cool as I remembered it.  Tiny streets and ancient homes and tonnes of character.  But....

The orange cat was closed!  HA HA HA HA HA HA!

Oh well.  I laughed and turned for Niagara Falls, knowing that in reality, I really didn't need another coffee!

As I made my way out of Lewiston, I saw an odd sign.  I knew about the Lewiston/Queenston bridge to Canada, I knew about the Peace Bridge in Fort Erie/Buffalo and the Niagara Falls Rainbow Bridge, but what was the Whirlpool Bridge?

Well, the Whirlpool Bridge is a tiny two-lane bridge which runs UNDER a train bridge, and is accessible only to NEXUS card holders.  No lines, no crowd, just a super fast crossing to Canada.  So I crossed the tiny bridge, and reentered my Home and Native Land.

Forty-Five uneventful minutes later....

I arrived and Grandpa was sound asleep.  I changed and washed up, and then let him know I was there.  We agreed to nap for a bit and reconvene in an hour.  I watched some Jays highlights and slipped in and out of sleep.  Grandpa got up and we chatted and ate.  Then I went to my room, stretched out, and tried to recall all the blessings I had received on my trip.

I wasn't even close.

Slowly, I fell into a restful, peaceful sleep.

Tonights verse:  Ephesians 2: 8-10
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.