I’m on a turnaround working nights. I’ve been on the turnaround for a week and have another week or two to go before this one ends. I’m ready for a day off already. Turnarounds are usually a lot of work and stress for operators, especially during the shutdown and several days after because you have to get the unit cleaned up and ready for maintenance. And it is also very busy near the end and the subsequent time that it takes to start the unit up.

Right now we’ve made it to the middle part of the turnaround. In the middle part, on some small turnarounds there is a lull in the work for operations. This is one of those small ones and we have had a fairly easy night to night, but we have been very busy up until now.

On Saturday of Labour Day weekend, I drove to Pensacola again to pick up Christian. He drove his truck back to Florida then. This last weekend he came for another short visit. He last tonight to return to base. We did not get to visit much, because I’m working every night. We did have on good, though far to short short, conversation on Saturday.

I finished a very good book last week. It was written in 1877 by Arthur Edward Gayer. The book, Papal Infallibility and Supremacy : Ecclesiastical History, Scripture, and Reason, is one I can recommend very highly. It was written not long after the First Vatican Council declared that the Pope, when speaking ex cathedra, was infallible in the area of faith and morals.

Gayer does a great job dealing with the subject and he does so in an interesting and readable 19th century style. I would like to see how a Roman Catholic answers the objections that Gayer presents. I hope to post something on my As I see it! blog when I finish this shutdown.

Coram Deo,
Kenith

Saturday, Woody, the boy’s and I went to Longville. He brought his Glock .40 cal. and I brought my SKS. We did some shooting at my parents place and then went to Sandy’s pond so Woody’s two labs could swim in the pond.

In the last month, I’ve worked some overtime and on days when I’ve been off I’ve worked on the garage with Mark C. This last week I had a few days off, but I got sick and did not do a whole lot of work. Monday, I was feeling bad and simply laid around the house. I did read some, mostly from the writings of St. Cyprian, but mostly I did nothing. That evening I did go to RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) at the Catholic Church near my home.

On Tuesday I managed to get the grass cut, but this took a lot out of me. Much more than it normally would and it took me a while to get my energy back. Mark came over in the early afternoon and he and I worked on the garage for a while, but I had no energy and called it quits after just a few hours.

I found out that an Episcopal Church (St. Michael and All Angels) near my home has a Wednesday morning worship service that includes the Lord’s Supper. They also appear to be on the more conservative wing of the Episcopal Church. I miss Sunday worship often because of shift work, so I am excited to find a mid-week worship service that includes the Lord’s Supper. Of course the Catholics have daily Mass, but I can not take part in Communion at the Roman Catholic Church. I can receive Communion at St. Michael’s. Lisa and I visited the Church Sunday and I attended Wednesday morning services as well.

Wednesday night I started my stint on graveyard (or hoot) shift. I still do not feel very well, but I am feeling better. Maybe by the time hoot shift comes to an end I will be feeling well again. I certainly hope so.

Coram Deo,
Kenith

Since my last post here I’ve mostly worked. I had been called out to work on Sunday. I worked as Top then. I did get my day off Monday but I was called out to work on Tuesday and Wednesday. On those days I worked as an outside operator on our newest unit (a clean fuels unit), which is the unit from hell (UFH). Thursday I started my regular shift as Top operator. The UFH did not let up and I worked with the outside guy on the unit.

Friday, I took off so Morgan and I could drive to Pensacola to meet Christian. I was hoping to get Christian and bring him home for the weekend, so he could get his truck and bring it back to Florida. He was not able to come home so we brought him a load of civilian cloths.

Morgan and I left our house at 5:30 AM. She slept the first couple of hours of the trip and I listened to David McCullough’s book 1776. I checked it out from the library for the long drive. So far I have not yet finished it, but I am very close to doing so, and it is very good.

Christian had requested that we bring him some boudin and so I stopped in Breaux Bridge and picked up three pounds for him. Morgan woke up in Breaux Bridge. We had a very nice conversation that lasted for several hours. Then she turned to her I-pod for entertainment and I went back to McCollough’s book.

We arrived in Pensacola a little after 11 AM, and hoped we would hear from Christian soon, but it was three hour before he finished his day’s work and called us on the cell phone. Christian had some hope that he would be able to get off work earlier and that is why we got there when we did, but it did not happen.

We went of base picked Christian up and cruised around Pensacola. This was his first chance to get off base since he arrived there two weeks earlier. For supper, we tried to find and Outback Steakhouse, but settled for Ruby Tuesdays instead. We had a good visit, talked and broke bread together. Then we brought Christian back to base, said our goodbyes, he took his clothes and boudin back to his room and we left to return home. It was now 6 PM.

The drive home was uneventful. Morgan and I conversed for a while, then she again turned to here I-pod and I went back to 1776. We arrived at home at 11:30. I had to work the next morning so I immediately got ready for bed. Next morning I was up and moving at a quarter to 5.

The UFH was unrelenting all weekend so our work group did not have the quiet weekend that I had hoped for. We struggled with it both Saturday and Sunday. It lined out Sunday night. We had a normal busy Monday and I today (Tuesday) I am home.

Coram Deo,

Kenith

Sunday morning I was planning on sleeping in (until at least 8 AM) then get up and go to worship service. Instead the phone rang at about 10 minutes to six; Patrick at work calling to let me know that I was scheduled to work and he was waiting on me so he could go home. I had managed to not notice that I was scheduled to work Sunday.

I jumped up, got ready and managed to get to work in less than thirty minutes. I managed to get work before I was officially late, but Patrick was about 20 minutes late heading for home. This was a rare event for me. I hate to be late and don’t like waiting for people who make being late a habit.

Sunday evening MK and his son came over to visit. He had a Robert Mondavi 2001 La Famiglia Barbera and it is a great wine.

Monday, Lisa and our daughter went wedding dress and photographer shopping. The boys and I stayed around the house. Monday evening, Toney B. invited Mark D. and me over for hotdogs, beer and conversation on his back patio. We ate and visited for a couple of hours and had a good time.

Today, I’m at work. It was my day off, but the phone rang about 5:30 this morning. Someone called in sick, so here I am today. Now I have to go outside and make around in the unit.

Later,
Kenith

On Wednesday afternoon, July 12, Lisa, the boys and I drove to Houston and got a hotel room near Bush International Airport. After we checked into the hotel we headed for a nearby theatre to watch the new Harry Potter movie, which I found to be very good.

Next morning, we slept in a bit, had a continental breakfast at the hotel and then caught the shuttle for the airport. This was the boys first time to fly and they were pretty excited about the approaching adventure.

They found the take off to be pretty exciting, and liked the climb through the clouds. The rest of the trip to Chicago they spent playing video games or drawing. On the plane I read a book and Lisa spoke with a lady from Chicago.

The boys were not near as impressed with the landing in Chicago as they had been with the take off from Houston. After finding our way through the airport, we picked up our Hertz rent-a-car and headed to the Ramada in Waukegan. The traffic moved at a snail’s pace for much of the way.

I had picked this hotel because it had a special rate for folks coming to the Navy graduation ceremonies and because it had an indoor pool. This feature was important for the boys, so that they would have something to do when we were at the hotel.

Friday morning we got an early start, and headed to Great Lakes Naval Training Center at about 6:15 AM. We were allowed onto base but had to endure a serious vehicle inspection by the powers that be. We had to exit the vehicle open the hood, trunk and all four doors. They checked all the vehicles visually and with dogs trained to detect drugs and explosives.

After this we parked the car and walked to a large hall where the graduation took take place. We were instructed to get there early and we did. We had 1 1/2 to 2 ours to wait before the ceremony began. The boys were bored, but they sat there and endured the wait.

The ceremony was as I remembered it from when I graduated from Navy boot camp 29 years earlier. Lisa and the boys saw Christian marching when his division past in front of the reviewing stands where we were. I was taking pictures of them, hoping to catch him in some of them, which I did.

After the ceremony Christian headed straight for his mom and gave her a big hug. After all the hugs we talked and headed to the car. Christian said the first thing he wanted was to go to the hotel and take a long shower without a whole platoon of guys showering at the same time.

After his shower we drove to Lake Michigan, so that we could all see it first hand. Christian used much of the car time to contact his friends with Lisa’s cell phone. The only other item that he wanted for the day was to eat a steak at Outback. So that is what we did next. Then it was time to return him to base.

Next day, I went and picked him up so Lisa and the boys could sleep. I got Christian and we headed back to the hotel to pick up Lisa and the boys. We then drove into Chicago and went to Navy Pier. We spent most of the day there.

Christian had to return to base early to stand a watch. After we dropped him at the base we returned to the hotel and the boys and I went swimming.

Sunday morning at 6:30 AM we left the Ramada headed for O’Hare to catch our flight back to Houston. We arrived back at home at 5:PM. Christian flew to Pensacola on Sunday also.


Coram Deo,
Kenith

This morning, while Lisa got herself ready for work, I went out on the porch with a hot cup, my Bible and another book. It’s nice to sit out there, enjoy a nice cup of coffee and read while a mocking bird is singing in a tree near by.

I had to come inside for a moment, so I decided to write this blog note. Now I am going to refill my cup and return to the porch for about 30 more minutes of reading.

Coram Deo,
Kenith

Sunday morning after breakfast Lisa and I went out on the porch. I read St. Paul’s epistle to the Ephesians aloud. Lisa was not feeling well, so she stayed home from church. The boys and worshipped at Bethel.

We picked up chicken on the way home. The early afternoon was quiet and Lisa began feeling better.

Our nephew Sean, who is in the Air Force and has been in Okinawa for a year, is back in the states for a little while. Lisa fixed a wonderful supper for him and other family members. We had great food and a good family visit. (The picture is of Sean and his older brother - a former Marine - Eric)

Coram Deo,

Kenith

*********************

Note: Pastor Mark came over to visit around 3:30. He informed me that he had resigned the pastorate at Covenant and the congregation had accepted his resignation. This is a terrible blow. Pastor Mark is a gifted preacher, teacher and pastor and though I’m not a member of Covenant I was very disturbed and disappointed by the news.

I’m not privy to all the details as to why this occurred, but I have some knowledge my gut tells me that all parties acted too hastily.

Thursday was a good day. Lisa woke first and got ready for work. I woke a bit later. We ate oatmeal together. Then she left for work and I walked block to Izzy’s house to feed and water his dog while he is out of town. When I got back to the house I sat on the front porch and read for a while, giving the dew time to depart from the grass.

At about 9 AM I pulled out the lawn mower and began cutting the yard. My neighbour Stan and his eldest son were doing yard work already when I got started. Stan saw that I was working with only one good hand, so he and his son finished their yard and started on my also. I cut about half the yard and Tyler did the rest, while Stan edged for me. Stan and his family are all good Christian people (Southern Baptists), and you can’t ask for better neighbours.

After the yard work was finished, I came inside and spent time with the boys. I had promised them Sonic for lunch, so we piled into the truck and drove to Sonic to get our food.

In the early afternoon Gary J. came over for a visit on the porch. While we were visiting, Lisa returned home. She and the boys headed of to the community swimming pool at park nearby. After Gary left, I ran an errand and meet Lisa. The boys were done swimming, but they wanted to play at the park. Lisa came home to cleanup and I watched the boys at the park.

After our park time we had supper at Chili’s Restaurant. We came home and watched a little TV. MK came over a little after nine. He and I enjoyed a very good California wine, along with some pepper jack cheese, on the front porch. After that we walked around the neighbourhood and prayed a good while.

I have not mentioned my reding much lately, so let me do so now. As is the norm, I am reading too many books at one time. Therefore, I don't finish any of them quickly and I read very slow even when reading one book. I am also listening to audio books.

I just finished the audio book Up From Slavery, the autobiography of Booker T. Washington. I boot the printed version several years ago and had but it on my "to read" list. I found the audio book at the library eagerly checked it out.

This is a great book by a very good and very remarkable man. I wish every American, especially every Southerner (black, white and what ever) would read this book.

I'm currnetly reading a book on the Founding Fathers, a book on the Punic Wars and Shakespeare's Henry V. I am listening to Peggy Noonan's biography of Pope John Paul II.

Coram Deo,
Kenith

I’ve still not written a detailed entry about our trip to Ireland and I may never do so. Since returning from Ireland I’ve written a number of letters to my son Christian, who is in Navy boot camp. I’ve written Christian two or three letters a week since he we recieved his Navy address.

I’ve also written a few letters to a lady in Colorado, who is a graduate student at a Roman Catholic College out there. She was recommended to me as an apologist of the Catholic faith by the school. This happened when I tried to contact one of her professors. I had watched a program on EWTN and I was impressed with the professor (who's name escapes me at this moment). I’ve exchanged several letters with Aimee (the lady mentioned above).

I had minor surgery on my left hand last Tuesday. The doctor removed a cyst that has been bothering me for some time. It hurt when I did work with my left hand, but was mostly a nuisance. So my left hand is all bandaged and I’m not supposed to use it for three weeks.

My typing skills already suck and now, with my left hand bandaged I can only use my index finger. That makes typing very tedious, but I will “endeavour to persevere” (To quote Chief Dan George in the movie Outlaw Josey Wales) in typing letters and (hopefully) for the blog as well.

Our family joined the SPAR (Sulphur Parks and Recreation). They have a very nice centre, which includes indoor basketball courts, 2 racquetball courts, an indoor track, workout equipment room, Olympic size pool and more. I’ve used the racquetball courts several times and I’ve been using the pool also. I need to get back in shape and loose at least 10 bounds.

Coram Deo,
Kenith

Christian is still in Navy boot camp and he should be finishing up sometime in mid July. I'm hoping that one of us can go to the graduation ceremony at the completion of boot camp. This picture is of Christian saying goodbye to his sister on the morning he left for the Navy.

I have to cut grass before the afternoon showers arrive, otherwise my grass will get out of control. Therefore this will only be a short note. The boys are fine and I managed to take them and some playmates swimming at my sister's pond last week. They had a good time. On Friday MK and I took them to the Sulphur water park. Saturday I worked around the house and on Sunday I had to work OT at the refinery.

I do hope to elaborate about our trip to Ireland as soon as I make some time. My writing time has been mostly spent writing letters to Christian. I have also spent some time exchanging emails with a Catholic Lady, who is good apologist RCC, about the Christian faith.

Here is another picture from the Cliffs of Moher. This is my beautiful daughter and me. Notice we have the same style of hat. She's had her's for a long time and I bought mine will visiting the cliffs. It kept my head both warm and dry that day.

My daughter should be graduating from McNeese next year. Yeahhh!!!

Well, Im off to work, and when I finish the yard I will pour myself a Guinness to cool off.

Sláinte,

Kenith

I will not be writing about our visit to Ireland yet. Something much more important happened today. Our oldest son left home for Navy boot camp.

Last night in his honour the family went to Outback Steakhouse. After that He and I went to O.B.'s for a beer, where a bunch of his friends converged to say goodbye. LP went to meet him there for a few minutes, after I got home.

This morning, Morgan, LP, Christian and I at an early lunch at KD's and then we went to the Navy recruiters dropped him office. We said our goodbyes, hugged (a few tears were shed) then he went off excited to be heading to the Navy.

I now know how my folks must have felt when I left for the Navy 29 years ago. I handled today's goodbye very well, but as time progressed I've experienced an increasing of melancholy and sadness that my son is no longer here. I already miss him terribly, but I am also proud that he has chosen to serve in the Navy. It was a good experience for me; I grew up a lot during my years of military service. I think this will be good for my son also.

I will always be his dad and he will always be my son. I love him dearly.

Coram Deo,
Kenith

Ps. The picture of Christian an me above was taken last week at a Pub in Doolin, Ireland. We ate and had a Guinness there after our visit to the Cliffs of Moher.

We have returned from Ireland and I have started downloading pictures to Photobucket. Some are at Lisdonagh House and others are here. It will take me a while to download all of them.

I will be writing about the trip as soon as I can get caught up here at home.

Coram Deo,
Kenith

My trip to Washington DC is over. I arrived back home Thursday afternoon, in time to eat a late lunch with Lisa and pick the boys up from school. With that done I went home and took a nap. I had been up since 2:30 AM and need some rest.

My plane from Houston to DC ran late. At the last minute they had to switch planes because the plane we were to take had ingested a bird on landing and that engine was running was running hot. The plane switch put us about an hour late taking off. The flight was a good one. I sat next to a retired Air Force pilot who was going to Maryland to visit his daughter’s family which included grandchildren.

I arrived at Baltimore/Washington airport after 10:30, by the time I got my bag and found a shuttle to the hotel it was 11:30. The shuttle ride took almost two hours, but it was interesting. One of person on the shuttle was a soldier returning to Walter Reed Army Hospital. He was a young soldier, a member of the Missouri National Guard, who had been wounded in Iraq by a road side bomb.

The soldier had been a Walter Reed for four months and it looked as though he was going to be there for a long time to come. He still had pins and other objects protruding out of the lower part of one leg. His second leg and his arms were terribly scarred. The solder was in good spirits and spoke a good deal and answered our questions as we meandered through the streets of DC.

After dropping the soldier at Walter Reed I was taken to my hotel, the Marriott at Wardman Park. By the time I had checked in, gotten to my room and showered, it was after 1:30 AM. I set a wakeup call for 6:30 and dragged myself into bed. I crawled from bed, still very tired. I decided to walk down to the bottom of the hill the Marriott was situated on to find breakfast. The front of the hotel was beautifully landscaped. There were thousands of tulips planted and they were all in full bloom. What a beautiful sight. It brightened my day to walk among them.

After a quick breakfast, I took the longer route back to the hotel, so that I could enjoy the flowers some more. Then it was time to start work. Our union business began at eight. Our local union sent Bruce G. and me here on union business. Bruce had taken George, his 13 year old son, with him to this event. We spent some time going over union issues, then we caught the metro and went to the House and Senate office buildings to meet with Louisiana representatives and senators (mostly with a member of their staff.

I got separated from Bruce and his son after we had met with a member of Senator Landrieu’s office. We had to meeting with the union at 4:30, and I had a little time to kill, so I ran (literally) down Pennsylvania and Constitution Avenues to the National Archive Building. I had promised myself that I would make every effort to see the Constitution on this trip to DC. The Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights are all housed in the National Archives.

I was AWED to be in the presence of these great documents. Wow. I was overawed to be so close and to see with my own eyes these great items of American liberty. I’ve read them and loved them; I have studied them and have read so much about them the men who gave them to us. It was, for me, the fulfilment of a dream.

There was another bonus. At the archives is an ancient copy of the Magna Carta, it is a great, great grandfather to our documents of political liberty. Our own liberty is a direct heir of the principles that were established at Runnymede, when King John signed the Magna Carta in 1215.

After paying homage to the great documents, I returned to Capitol Hill for our union rally. I found Bruce and George there. When all was over we headed back to the Marriott. Before climbing hill to the hotel, we stopped for a beer at one of the restaurants near by.

Not far from the hotel are a number of ethnic restaurants. After I cleaned up I ventured out once more and decided to have my supper at a Thai restaurant. My waitress was a young lady who had recently emigrated from Thailand. I differed to her in choosing my food. The main course was a spice seafood dish that contained scallops, muscles, calamari and shrimp and other items. My portion was sizable and it tasted very good. I washed it all down with a couple of bottles of Singha which is a Thai beer. It has potent 6% alcohol content. I found it to have an interesting flavour that went well with the spicy Thai food. After supper I was overly full, but my only plan was to go to my room and finish the, The Stuarts: A Study in English Kinship (the book I had picked for this trip).

Next morning we meet again at 8 AM. The union business finished about 1 PM. Bruce, George and I then took the Metro to Arlington. At Arlington National Cemetery Bruce and George took the bus tour, which I did last year, but I decided to walk. The grounds of Arlington are very pretty and serene. I made my way to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and watched the changing of the guard. It is a solemn and sober sceptical that every American should experience.

After the Changing of the Guard I strolled over to Arlington House. George Washington Parke Custis choose a beautiful place to build this house. The view from the front porch is, even today, spectacular. The house is being renovated and all the furniture is gone, but you can still walk through it. I asked the park ranger what part of the house was it that Robert E. Lee made his decision to turn down the position as head of Union forces, and instead stand with his home state of Virginia in the then quickly approaching War of Northern Aggression, which is commonly referred to as the American Civil War.

After Arlington we visited the Korean, Vietnam, and World War II Memorials all of which are very nice. From the WWII Memorial we walked to the Washington Monument, which is impressive. Earlier we had also visited the shrine built to Lincoln.

After visiting the Washington Monument we caught the Metro back to Washington. Bruce and I had a beer at the hotel bar and then we parted company once more. I went down the hill to an Indian Restaurant. I decided on a lamb dish cooked with a lot of curry. It was very spice and very good. I had a 22 oz Taj Mahal, which is an Indian beer.

Deo Vindice,
Kenith

My post vacation week has been a good one for me. I, again, made it up to Longville earlier in the week; I also paid a visit on my grandfather and Mrs. Ester.

Sadly, most of the visit with Pawpaw and Ester was spent watching CNN and the then breaking story of the massacre at Virginia Tech. It’s hard for me to imagine how one person can do so much evil to fellow human beings. It is hard to imagine, but man has proven time and again that he can easily find the will to do evil to his fellow man. History and modern times are both replete with instances of human on human evil and cruelty.

On Tuesday evening a number of friends came over. We had a manly gathering on our front porch for discussion of current events, theology and whatever other subject made its way onto the radar screen. Pastor Mark, MK, Josh P. and I sat around a fire, snacked on cheese (smoked Gouda and Pepper Jack). MK and Josh both brought wine with them. We consumed two bottles of wine, ate most of the cheese, there were a few cigars smoked and a couple of other drinks consumed during our visit. It was a good time.

Three of the four present (MK, Josh, me) are former Roman Catholics, with majority Roman Catholic extended families. Pastor Mark was raised Lutheran. Today we all are strongly influenced by John Calvin and attend Presbyterian Churches. Josh is a Calvinistic Baptist. MK is a deacon at Bethel PCA ; I’m a former deacon there and Pastor Mark serves at Covenant PCA in Sulphur.

The last part of the week has been more difficult. I started graveyard shift on Wednesday night and Lisa went to New Orleans to help Yska with her daughter’s wedding. I spoke with her a little while ago and the wedding is over and they are at the reception. Because of my work and Lisa being gone, the boys are spending the weekend with Rhonda.

We have had good food here at work this week. On Wednesday Lisa brought us a goodly amount of boiled crawfish. They were leftover from a crawfish boil that Christian’s employer had put on that evening. When Lisa delivered them to the refinery they were still hot. They were big and boiled to perfection. Last night the refinery had a Shrimp boil at the Burton Coliseum. They did not forget those of us who had to work and we all got a platter of large well seasoned boiled shrimp.

Tomorrow is the Lord’s Day and Lisa is returning from New Orleans. I always miss her when either of us has to travel, which I will do Monday. I work off at 6 AM and have to catch a flight out of town for 1:30 PM. I’m going to Washington DC on union business. It is only for a few days so I should be back home on Thursday.

Bonjour,
Kenith

My vacation week is over (but I don't go back to work until Wednesday). It was a slow week. Mostly I did little jobs around the house.

Wednesday the boys and I went to Longville. Fishing was our main objective, but after a few hours and Sandy’s pond without a nibble, we decided to go my parents.

The weather was better and we did some more practice shooting with the .22 revolver and the CZ. My youngest was the only one interested. I worked with him and let him do most of the shooting. About mid afternoon we returned to my sister’s place and found a couple of the boy’s cousins were swimming at the pond.

So instead of fishing the boys joined their cousins swimming in the pond and I played fetch with Oakly. She loves playing fetch in water. Swimming sapped the energy out of both the dog and the boys, so I had a nice quiet drive home that evening.

Thursday night we attended a pre-Ireland supper at Archie’s Restaurant. The food was very good and there was plenty of wine. There were almost 20 of the Ireland party there. Woody gave out packets for everyone, so that we could have a bit more information about the trip. (NOTE: The gorgeous blond in the black dress on the right is my lovely wife. We will have been married for 24 years this Sept. :-)


Lisa helped her friend Iska with one of her projects most of the week. So she and Iska took a break and went out to D’Angelo’s Pizzaria Friday night and I stayed home with the boys.

Saturday morning Lisa had to work, and I spent much of my morning watching C-Span. The Iraqi ambassador to the US, Samir Sumaida’ie, was speaking at the Center for Strategic And International Studies. I found what he said to be extremely and forthright. I don’t think he soft peddled things. It was well worth watching.

I don’t see things in Iraq getting better anytime soon (decade or two). I hope I am wrong. I was not in favour of our intervention into Iraq and told my friend Tommy Keller that we would be bringing young Americans home in body bags for 50 years if we did intervene.

I have found it interesting that many of my pro-invasion friends now want to leave. I would like to see us get out but we have stirred up a hornet’s nest and I think it would be morally reprehensible (not to mention cowardly) to leave before a self-sustaining Iraqi government is established.

I don’t think Iraq was worth one American life, but we went in and now we have to finish what we started (IMHO). I think President Bush is crazy if he really believes that a “democracy” can be established there. We need a workable, mildly pro-Western, functioning government there and not some neo-con fantasy about democracy.

That is my commentary, we now return more mundane daily life.

The boys and I went with Morgan and Danny to the Railroad Festival in Dequincy. First we went to Danny’s parents home. This was my first time to me my daughter’s future in-laws. I knew that Morgan held them in high regard. They were very personable and I enjoyed meeting and conversing with them. Danny’s dad and I have a number of things in common. We have both enjoyed the hobby of making homemade wine and beer (this alone was a very good sign that this is a man of character). After leaving the Allain’s we were off to the fair. The boys rode on as many rides as I could afford and then they ate festival food. We then headed home.

We had an invitation from the Duncan’s to join them on their family Pizza night. Pastor Mark and Peggy had invited us over for Pizza before, but this was the first time that we could actually make it. I had assumed that we would be eating Pizza Hut or some other take out version of Pizza, but instead Peggy makes Pizza from Scratch. Mark said that it had been a tradition in their house for most of the marriage to have home made pizza on most Saturday evenings, and they often have guests (despite the fact that they have seven children of their own).

We enjoyed very good pizza. Peggy had made four types of Pizza, form cheese Pizza to Pizza with the works. They provided a good wine (a shiraz) and the conversation was very good as well.

This morning, Lisa woke early and prepared a roast for Sunday dinner. We attended Bethel; Pastor Steve preached from Jonah, and will be preaching through the book in the coming weeks.

Here is a picture of the bookshelves Lisa had built for me for my birthday. They don’t hold all my books, but they do hold most of them. We are going to install a ladder like the one you see on libraries as soon as finances allow.

Later,
Kenith

I am on vacation and the boys are out of school for Easter Holiday. We will spend most of that time around the house, but I do plan to take the boys fishing at least on day this week.

I worked off graveyard shift on Wednesday morning. That afternoon I drove to Lake Charles to a NRA event. Wayne LaPierre was in town, as was another high-ranking NRA representative. They were joined by Senator David Vitter and Rep. Bobby Jindal, all four men spoke to the audience and they showed a video about the seizure of guns from law abiding citizens. The message was “It can happen here! And did!” followed by and “this is what we have done to fix it so it does not happen again. It was interesting.

Saturday the little boys, Oakly (our Lab) and I went to Longville. I took my SKS and a couple of pistols to do a little shooting, but it was very cold (in South Louisiana) for April. We did shoot some pistols, but it started sleeting while we were outside and so we did not shoot for long.

My youngest son got a little practice with my .22 revolver.

I shot my CZ-52 and my dad shot the CZ and his snub-nose .38. We would have done some more shooting, but the weather was nasty, so we went back in doors and visited.

Sunday we went to Church, Woody and Elisabeth came to church as well. Our new pastor’s sermon had great content and his delivery was pretty good also. After church we came home for to a Resurrection Day feast.

Lisa had prepared a wonderful pot of chicken and sausage gumbo, I helped and made the potato salad. We had cold beer, garlic bread, apple pie and plenty of chocolate candies as well.

A number of Lisa’s family came over to sup with us. At dusk we built a fire in the fire pot of the front porch, and sat there to finish the day.

Coram Deo,

Kenith

Lisa and the little boys are in Galveston. They went to visit our friends Duke and Donna. Duke is there for his job and Donna their children went to meet him for the weekend. They invited Lisa and the boys to join them as well.

Morgan was in Texas today also. She and several friends went to an Astros game. I assume Christian is at work right now.

I too am at work. I am working the “board job.” For the past four years I’ve been pumped up to top operator on my shift, and I’ve not worked the board in that time. I’ve been on a crash course to learn how to run the board on our new unit, it is just a little over a year old and I have never worked it before until I was bounced back.

I much prefer to work in my current position. The Top Operator position is a lot more responsibility for very little extra compensation. Patrick was on special assignment for the past four years and I had been moved up to fill his spot. At the end of last year our supervisor (area manager) decided to bounce Patrick back for a little while. He then offered to return him to the set up position, but Patrick decided that he liked our current 5-4 version of the 12 hour shift and so he elected to stay as top and not move back to set up job.

I can not express how happy I am that Patrick elected to stay on as top. Its good for him and me, but I heard our area manager was both disappointed and a bit upset at Patrick. I don’t know if that is true, but I do know Patrick did a very good job in the position he was in.

The latest book that I’ve read is What the Bible Teaches about Guidance by Peter Bloomfield. A co-worker asked me if I would read it so we could discuss its contents. I had never heard of the book or the author before and I have a full plate already when it comes to reading, but I said ok.

It is a great book and very practical. I recommend it very highly. Bloomfield is a Presbyterian minister in Australia. He writes well and his examples and illustrations are superb.

On the listening front, I should finish A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail by Bill Bryson very soon. This is a good work. Bryson is witty and informative, but he does seem to have a healthy bit of Yankee disdain for both Southern people and culture. Still, it is enjoyable even with that and the several secular sermons that he gives during the book. Bryson's book should get a PG-13 rating for its language.

I went to the parish library Saturday. While there I bought a (used) book on Irish folklore and I also picked up a couple more audio books. I chose Ann Coulter’s book Godless: The Church of Liberalism and Benjamin Franklin: An American Life by Walter Isaacson.

I did listen to the first of the CD’s of Coulter’s book. What I’ve heard so far is interesting. Coulter has no problem calling a spade and spade. She has no problem going beyond that and referring to a spade as a damned shovel either. The book is witty and very irreverent. I wouldn't recommend it to someone interested in facts. It is written more like "pep rally literature." It seems obvious to me that her intent is to fire up the home team and infuriate the opposition. I think she has accomplished both those goals.

I laughed a lot. Her irreverence is funny and she does make some valid points, but this is not for the serious reader who wants greater understanding. Still it is not a long book and so I will continue listening. I am certain that I will enjoy the jabs that she’s throwing at the liberal elites who are in the media, Hollywood, and the Democratic party, even though her defence of the Republican Party may make me green around the gills from time to time.

Coulter does (so far) confuse true conservatism with the Republican Party. This is a gross distortion of reality. The Republican party is the party of neocons at best and this is not (IMHO) true conservatism. True conservatism is much closer to the libertarians than the modern Republican Party is today.

Her attacks on liberalism, while often overly simplistic and hyperbolic, do ring true at the core. However her equating conservatism with Republican Party is not accurate. Yes, the Republicans are more conservative than Democrates, and some of them are truely conservative, but this does not make the party conservative.

I have, at one time or another, belonged to each party. Today I belong to neither. When I was first able to vote, being a Louisiana conservative, I joined the Democratic Party, which was a conservative party long ago. In the 1980's I worked with a guy who had been a delegate to the Democratic National Convention, which nominated Jimmy Carter to be president. He had a copy of the Democratic Presidential Platform from that event. This excited me and I asked to borrow it. I read the Presidential Platform, returned it to its owner and then immediatly went the courthouse and changed my party affiliation to Republican.

I officially left the Republican Party two and a half years ago, disgusted by much of what the Republicans were doing, now that they had gained power in both houses of congress and the White House.

Bonjour,
Kenith

(Continued from 24 March)

Benny B. and I went into Philadelphia. Our goal was to tour a few museums. We visited the Art Museum and the Natural History Museum. Then we walked toward the older part of town. We stopped in at an Irish pub for a Guinness and Philly cheese steak after that we returned to the hotel.

Monday six of us took off early for New York. We visited the Statute of Liberty and then went on to China Town in search of knock off, brand name purses. My wife had heard about the purses that some folks brought back last year and she informed me that she wanted one also. It was certainly an adventure but would take too long to type out.

I did buy two back ally purses, one for the wife and one for our daughter. Most of the other guys had been given the same orders that I was given, so between the six of us we had between 12 to 16 purses.

The rest of the week was spent on very solid rescue training. The folks training at S.T.A.R.T. Rescue Training are very good. I have been doing this for about 13 years and Kurt at S.T.A.R.T. is one of the best trainers I’ve had.

After our week of training we flew back to Lake Charles. The flights were uneventful and we arrived here about 8:30 pm.

On Sunday Steve Wright was ordained and installed as Pastor of Bethel Presbyterian Church. It is so good to have a pastor. It has been a long time coming.

Last Friday, Lisa and Elisabeth went to Austin, TX for marriage stuff. I had to work so Lisa made arrangements for the boys to stay with ReauxReaux. I picked them up after work on Friday and went to see The Spencers: Theatre of Illusion which is part of this year’s Banners Series. They were good and the boys were very impressed.

After work Saturday I went to another Banners event. Ryan Brasseaux gave a lecture on the evolution of Cajun Music. This was followed by a Lost Bayou Ramblers Concert. Both the lecture and music were excellent. My cousin Chris and his wife Mindy came for the concert. They would have liked the lecture but could not make it because of a schedule conflict.

Because Lisa was in Austin I did not get to dance much, but Mindy and I did jitterbug to a few songs. The concert had free beer, provided by Budweiser. They had a number of micro brews that I had never tried before then. Food was also provided. We all passed a good time.

Lisa made it home around 8:30 last night. I am working off days today, and will not return to work until Friday night (unless the call me to work some OT).

Coram Deo,
Kenith

Much has transpired since the last time I posted on the blog.

Sunday March 4th was my dad and grandfather’s birthday (they are 70 and 87 years old). My mother called the house as we were getting ready for church, she called to inform me that my uncle, Walter (Bunny) had pasted away early that morning. Uncle Bunny was married to my dad’s sister and they lived in the New Orleans’ area. Bunny and Betty had been married for fifty years.

I already had to leave for New Orleans that afternoon to attend the Louisiana AFL-CIO annual convention. After Church we came home and I finished packing and headed for Metairie. I checked into the hotel three hours later. I discovered that I had forgotten my dress close that I planned to where for my uncle’s funeral. My hotel was near the Lakeside Mall, so I went there (JC Penneys) and bought a new suit, shirt and tie for the funeral.

With that done, I went to my Aunt Betty’s home in Destrehan. My parents were already there as were my all four of Betty and Bunny’s four sons and their families. I had not seen most of them for many years. I offered my sincere condolences and visited with them for a few hours before I headed back to the hotel.

Mom and dad did not want to impose on Betty or any of my cousins so I invited them to stay with me in Metairie. They accepted the invitation and soon after came to the hotel. The three of us slept in the one king size bed. I slept like a rock.

Our union meeting was just down the road at the Steam Fitters’ union hall. The day was passed listening to state and local politicians giving speeches and union leaders speaking on various topics. By mid-afternoon we were finished for the day and I headed back to Destrehan and my Aunt Betty’s place. I again spent a few hours with family members and returned to my hotel as did my parents.

The next morning, I checked out of the hotel and went to the union meeting. We heard a few more politicians and covered more union business. After lunch I noticed I had a low tire and decided call it a day. I aired up the tire and headed to Destrehan. I did not want a flat tire while in Metairie, so I did not attend the rest of the afternoon meetings.

I again met my parents at Aunt Betty’s house, from there we went to visit Aunt Linda. Linda is something else. She’s 87 and the care taker of her son’s 81 year old mother-in-law. Linda is very much a character, she has a heart of gold, but can says what she thinks and is never concerned about sparing feelings. She also has a vocabulary that would put a sailor to shame, as did her mother (my great grandmother).

We visited with Aunt Linda for a while. She gave us rooms for the night, and then we left to attend the wake for my uncle. The wake was at St. Charles Catholic Church in Destrehan and the deacon who spoke did a wonderful job. He and my dad were old friends and they had worked together a Dupont when we lived in Destrehan.

A saw lots of people that I had not seen in decades and was introduced to kin folk that I had never meet before then. After the wake we went back to Aunt Betty’s for supper, friends and neighbours provided tons of food for the family. After supper mom, dad and me returned to Aunt Linda. We talked some more. He all had a hilarious time and a good long overdue visit.

Next morning we got up, dressed for the funeral and returned to St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church in Destrehan. The funeral mass was very nice and again the Priest gave a very good homily/eulogy. Aunt Betty, her sons and their families all did ok during the funeral. They are a very close family. It is good that all the boys still live in the area.

When the funeral was concluded, I was in a hurry to get home to Lisa and the kids, so I did not bother to change and drove the three hours home in my suit.


I was only home for a couple of days (Thursday and Friday). Saturday morning I meet several members of our Rescue team at the airport at about 4:30. We were on our way to Philadelphia for our annual 40 hours rescue training. After arriving in Philly we rented a couple of minivans and checked into the Embassy Suites for the week. This was my first time to stay at Embassy Suites. It was nice. We all had our own room with a kitchenette and living room that were separate from the bedroom.

They had a free happy hour every evening, from 5:30 to 7:30 for hotel guests. We took advantage of this benefit, without anyone getting drunk or stupid. There was also a free breakfast that included a short order cook. They made great omelettes. I was surprised that this Northern hotel had grits, and (even more surprising) the grits were good. That was a major surprise, since most restaurant grits that I’ve eaten over the years have had the texture and taste of glue.

Sunday morning five of us worshipped at 10th Presbyterian Church. It was a good service. We were an ecumunically diverse group, one Presbyterian (me), two Baptists and two Roman Catholics. After worship service we headed back to the hotel to meet up with the rest of the crew. Six guys then headed out for Gettysburg. Benny and I decided to stay in and kick around in Philly. We had both been to Gettysburg during last trip to Philly. (To Be Continued…)

My days off this week have been filled with a variety of things. I am an instructor in a new ergonomics program at work titled “Safety in Motion” and I was assigned to teach an one hour session to part of the on coming shift (6:00 AM) on both Tuesday and Wednesday., so I spent two hours there (5:30-7:30) both days.

On Tuesday after finishing the course, I spent some time with Alvin, who is head of the Behaviour-Based Safety program at the refinery. After that I went to visit my grandfather, who will be 87 this coming Sunday. We had a good visit. He took me to his garden and picked me some carrots and also some oranges from one of his trees.

The afternoon was spent with home, some of it with Christian and then helping the little boys with their homework.

Today, I had to run an errand early and then I went to Longville to visit my folks. I visited with my mom, sister and dad. Dad and a friend of his, Mr. Coleman, were milling a couple of pine trees that they had taken down. They had not finished a cutting up quarter of the trees and already had about 150 2X4’s stacked up.

I returned home in time to pick the boys up at school. We came home and worked on homework. Tomorrow I have rescue team training at the refinery. It is getting late and I need to get cleaned up and go to bed.

Coram Deo,
Kenith