"I have a rock garden. Last week three of them died." - Richard Diran

The owner's manual specifies a jack point. This isn't it.

The kids and grandkids have just left. Pam had to work from 1:00 to 7:00 p.m. yesterday so we did our family Thanksgiving dinner tonight. We had whole baked chicken that Pam did with special spices inside and out. Very good. All the rest of the fixin's, too. After dinner the guys talked cars and the women went into the living room so Pam could teach the girls to crochet. Megan and Caedon played and Al just laid on the floor.
A good time was had by all.

This morning I worked a little at Matt & Marcie's, but at 1:00 I was in the dentist's chair for an emergency appointment. It started Wednesday - pain so bad that I can't do anything except hurt. It comes on in waves that last for 15-20 minutes, and in between it's a dull ache. I decided while I was working this morning that I needed to do something about it, especially because I could not preach or teach if one of those waves hit me Sunday morning. The fact that I've used up our dental insurance for the calendar year didn't matter anymore. The pain in my jaw was greater than the pain to my wallet.
Thankfully, we have a very good dentist who finds a way to fit in patients who need immediate treatment.

He took x-rays and told me I have an abscess in a back molar that extends below the gum line. The pain travels into my upper jaw, something he says isn't that unusual. The good news is that he sent me home with a Rx for an antibiotic and a pain med that he says should hold me off until the first week of January when the insurance resets. These pills will only carry me for a week, but I'm assuming that by then the abscess will be gone, and with it the pain. I asked how long before I feel some relief and he said 24 hours for the antibiotic to start taking effect. It's been 6 hours since I took the first pain pill and I'm still waiting.

Tomorrow morning I'm driving Gerta across town to meet with a group of guys who have a weekly Bible study. Their leader, Donny, found me through the internet, and we met for coffee a few weeks ago. They're going to start working through my book in their meetings. We're also going to talk about the process of starting a church, something they've talked about.

We were talking at dinner tonight about why we should pray for the safety of our President. According to the Constitution, if anything happens to President Obama he would be replaced by Joe Biden. After Biden it goes to Nancy Pelosi, and then Hilary Clinton. Yeah, it just keeps getting scarier.
I think that after Hilary it goes to Oprah.

There's a lot more to the Tiger Woods incident than we've heard.

I had to go into WalMart to get my prescription filled and it didn't seem any busier than usual, despite being Black Friday. But by 2:30 maybe the crowds of shoppers had gone home to recover.
I was amused to see that Radio Shack opened at 5 a.m. for Christmas shoppers. Who is doing getting their gifts at Radio Shack?
"Oh, thank you, dear! A large box of mixed wire connectors and terminals!"

Funny and true story:
An area family was at the grave site for their dearly departed husband/father, etc. as the cemetery workers lowered the casket into the ground. Alas, one of the straps supporting the casket broke and the casket dropped several feet into the grave. When it hit bottom the casket broke open and the man's body fell out. The family members had to climb down and retrieve the body because the cemetery workers had run away in fear when they saw what happened.
The family is now suing anyone and everyone associated with the experience. (That's true, but not funny.)

Are we going to get a reality show of people who do crazy things to get on a reality show?

I've just taken the second dose of antibiotic and pain med. I have to be up pretty early in the a.m. to drive Gerta across town (surface streets) for a 7 a.m. Bible study, and the afternoon will be spent wrapping up things for Sunday. I'm headed to bed.
Catch you in 24.