July 12, 2006 Bonus Blog
A real Arizona scorcher. It supposedly hit 109 this afternoon. Came home at 5:30, stripped off and swam laps, then came straight out to the studio dripping wet, wearing only a towel. Started a sunset watercolor of Ratcliff Ridge, but soon heard my wife’s car pull in the Spanish driveway. “Hmmmm,” I thought. “I wonder why she’s home so early?” Within moments, the door to the studio opened and I heard these words, “Hey, could you come hold me down?”

Now, I don’t care what coast you live on, or what God you pray to, that’s hot. Turns out Kathy bought a new drain lid and wanted me to hold her underwater so she could screw it in. Of course, the object being, holding a big, blond down and screwing (with a Philips), I naturally jumped right in

After the fifteenth plunge (or was it 150?) I told her we could do this professonally as the Synchronized Pile Driving Partners. Of course, the lid didn’t fit and she has to take it back. But, oh, the memories we’ll have forever!

"Knocking me out with those American thighs!"
—AC/DC

Speaking of Christians, I got this snippy message today:

“Stop giving religious nuts a forum on your blog!”
—Squibe Nish

Back lions, back! Let the Christians have their say:

“I am a Bible believing Christian (pity I have to write that) and also think LIFE OF BRIAN is hysterical. I take my Faith seriously, just not myself.

“In our modern world we can evangelize and proselytize about restaurants, movies, television, books, magazines, favorite TW moments, etc. But "Heaven" forbid we ever discuss eternity, with anyone we care about. Remember, nobody gets out of here alive. When this insanity is over, something else begins.

“God bless your mother, Bob, and tell her she did a fine job rearing you. You represent many Christ-like qualities.”
—ACH

“Dear B. Blessed,
I am a Christian, and though I've not seen Empire Falls, I find the things you describe not offending to me. Rather it's thought provoking concerning parts of history that I believe probably have some validity....."we" took away a people's right to their own spiritual beliefs (along with their whole way of life) under the guise of saving their souls (while taking their land) and threw in measles and small pox as a bonus. At least the ones who tried to "save" them did; the others just did it the American way.... kill 'em. But the commentary ‘Christianity and other European diseases’ isn't slamming my faith, it's hitting at somebody else's misplaced social program hiding behind the name of Christ. Shame on them, but not on Chris....or me! You see there are Christians, and there are Christians. Are now and always have been. For instance I am a liberal Christian. Actually a moderate Christian but I find the Christian Right so upsetting that I keep moving further to the left. They really are putting the rest of us in a bad position.

“And I find all this Christian goody-goody better-than-thou notion to be very counter to MY faith. My faith is that God loves me unconditionally, regardless of what sins I have done, am doing or will do. And once a person knows and accepts that, it takes a load off. Oppressive,no.....liberating, yes. And surprisingly, it frees a person do ‘do better’ more easily because the pressure is off...I can but I don't have to. But it doesn't make me better than any other of God's children, whether they know they are God's child or not. (And that includes you, B.) So to get back to the comments about Christianity, they're talking about history of man, not about my God.... and it's okay.”
—Sharon Tally

”Wait for that wisest of counselors, Time.”
—Old Vaquero Saying