"My father used to say that when you die, if you've got five real friends, then you've had a good life." - Lee Iacocca

??

This morning was about tasks. I did some repairs on the goats' hay rack, hung a window blind, cut some shelves, moved some firewood, and started digging the holes that will support the gambrel I'll use to butcher.

This afternoon we got a special treat when Sheila and her two sons stopped by for a visit. They attended Pathway Bible Church and are VIF's. Plus, Sheila raised goats, so you know she's good people.
I was blessed to have only a handful of the "thorn in the flesh" people in my churches over the years, and I was disproportionately blessed by remarkable examples of what it means to live out the core commitments of the faith. Sheila is in that latter category. Having a chance to catch up with Connor and Ryland and learn about their lives was an added plus.
We toured our corner of Baker Rd. with special attention on the goats and then enjoyed lunch and easy conversation on the front porch.
Good stuff!

We watched a show on PBS tonight from the Globe Trekker series, "The Story of Beef." Goodness! Had no idea it was that involved, or that the difference between supermarket beef and meat market beef is so great, from the way they're raised to what happens between slaughter and the sales counter. I learned about the difference between wet and dry aging. (Dry is good, wet is fast and cheap.) It makes me think we should try some meat market beef alongside Safeway's just to see if I can tell the difference.

The Veneta Country Fair ends tomorrow and the 50,000 people who came from the deep recesses and dark corners of America and the world will go back from whence they came. The vendors will be gone by Tuesday and we'll have our streets back.
I've not heard from any local merchant or resident that likes this weekend or thinks it's good for the community, but the local press loves it for all the photo-ops it provides.

Friday on our way into town on errands we took a divertimento and drove three miles up Demming Rd. where Verizon is supposed to put in the cell phone tower that will finally give us reception out here. I stopped and talked to a guy who works for the local electric utility and he said he's been doing some work out there and seen huge cement blocks being trucked up the hill. Foundation piers??
This could happen.

Our pastor is preaching through 1 Thessalonians, and tomorrow will be at the end of chapter 4. I'm curious to hear what he does with that critical section that touches on key eschatological issues. We should learn about his perspective on some key doctrines.