Broadband

I' m sitting here waiting for McAfee to take care of whatever is infesting my Mother's computer, so I thought I'd jot something down.

I'm becoming an expert at buying broadband for others. I helped my in-laws purchase DSL this weekend and I helped my parents buy cable today. Having the folks wired will help with communication in Oz via webcam.

I'll try to add a photo album link per Eleni's request.

later,

b

Thanksgiving Day thoughts by a Founding Father

Having a master degree in History, this is what my dad read to us at our family Thanksgiving meal.


Thanksgiving Proclamation 1795

President George Washington

"It is in an especial manner our duty as a people, with devout reverence and affectionate gratitude to

acknowledge our many and great obligations to Almighty God, and to implore Him to continue and confirm

the blessings we experienced...I, George Washington, President of the United States, do recommend to

all...Persons whosoever within the United States, to set apart and observe (Thanksgiving Day) as a day of

public thanksgiving and prayer, and on that day to meet together and render sincere and hearty thanks to the

great Ruler of nations for the manifold and signal mercies which distinguish our lot as a nation...And at the

same time humbly and fervently beseech the kind Author of these blessings graciously to prolong them to us;

to imprint on our hearts a deep and solemn sense of our obligations to Him for them; to teach us rightly to

estimate their immense value; to preserve us from the arrogance of prosperity...To dispose us to merit the

continuance of His favors by not abusing them, by our gratitude for them, and by a corresponding conduct as

citizens and as men to render this country more and more a safe....Asylum for the unfortunate of other

countries; to extend among us true and useful knowledge; to diffuse and establish habits of sobriety, order,

and morality and piety, and finally in impart all the blessings we possess or ask for ourselves to the whole

family of mankind.

In testimony whereof, I have caused the seal of the United States of America to be affixed to these presents,

and signed the same with my hand, George Washington.

cold crystals

Today is deemed special.

Why?

Today is the first snow of the year. By snow, I mean enough to actually stick and cover something.
The windshield of my car is covered, so I think that is enough.

Check out this website....http://www.its.caltech.edu/~atomic/snowcrystals/ it is all about snow.
There are some beautiful crystals displaying three-fold symmetry, as well as some unusual ones displaying two-fold symmetry and no symmetry at all.
This website also serves as a guide to the various forms. Have you seen a sectored plate or stellar dendrite lately?
God's creation certainly is beautiful!

Meg

Fahrenheit 451

So, we have been cleaning out all of the stuff we have collected over the past several years. We can only take 8 suitcases to Oz. This means most of our things have to be stored, sold, or thrown away. Of course there is always the forth option...burn them! That is exactly what we did with all of our old textbooks, notes, and exams. I did save a book on viruses and another on bacteria. Brandon saved two engineering books. Other than that it all went up in flames. It is kind of sad burning objects that once cost several hundreds of dollars. Of course they are now 2-4 years old and completly worthless. BTW, books don't burn very well. The edges of the pages burn but then the middles are untouched. So you actually have to work to get the suckers to completly turn to ash. Next up, the burning of all of our clothes except what we can fit into half the suitcases.....haha just kidding: -)

The Beginning

We did it. As much as we resisted joining the ranks of the bloggers, it was all in vain. For now we have created our own weblog, pretending that the rest of the World Wide Waste-of-time cares for our thoughts. So we'll see how it goes and whether this is a useful tool for connecting with friends and relatives.

ta ta for now

b