Plant, Krauss, Shawn Stewart & The Mountain

Locally, there is only one really good radio station available (a la FM, you HD heads.) - KMTT, 103.7 the Mountain. Great music, really listenable DJ's (a luxury these days), and they are always spot on about creative new music and artists months before the bandwagon rolls into town.

I'm sorry; does this sound like an ad? It's not, rather it's more of a thank you. You see, at 10:37am they have a call-in contest to win local concert tickets. And though I often face the constant sound of busy signal, today that was not the case.

Guess who just won 2nd row seats to Robert Plant and Allison Krauss, on Kristy's birthday, no less?

Yep.

Summer In The Park

I'm excited for six summer Sundays in the park for our 10:30am FountainChurch gatherings. Lawn sports, BBQ's with friends - good stuff.

You comin? Maps to the park, info on what to bring - it's all here.

Back to my Americano!

Life is good. My coffee drinking days are back, and in full swing. Two weeks of drinking only water taught me a lot of good stuff - and a huge win was that by several families in FountainChurch giving up our favorite drinks together, we raised $400 - going straight to the 1000 Wells Project!

That's good stuff.

On Track & Going For It.

There's nothing like a public blog for accountability, so... "I am going to walk/run/jog the Seattle Half-Marathon this November." Seeing my wife do Seattle and Eugene, coupled with a few times out taking a run with her has gotten to me.

To prepare, I am on a 22 week plan of running, jogging, sweating, and crawling. Pretty awesome. To you running aficianados, any words of encouragement/caution/etc. would be great, and very welcomed.

I'll keep you updated.

Apple Pie. Get Smart. Still No Coffee.

My son Aiden wants to be a chef. What a stud - he baked apple pie pockets. Awesome.

About to go on a date with my gal - Get Smart and dinner.

Still no coffee. Day five. Headaches are gone, but it's still hard. I really miss my friend.

Day Three, No Coffee...

Ouch. This is harder than anticipated. No coffee.

Some of us families in the FountainChurch are foregoing Lattes, sodas, etc. for two weeks, saving that easily spent cash to send to BloodWaterMission. The translation? Our daily dollars go towards the 1000 Wells Project, who since 2004 have built 340 wells in 11 countries in Africa.

So I decided, not only will I give up buying drinks in town, I'm going without completely. How am I (glad you asked.)? The headache last night melted me into a pathetic puddle.

Maybe caffeine has a bigger hold on me than I thought? I miss my friend.

I stand corrected.

To add to the humor, it wasn't 'Indiana and the Jones'.

Libby calls it 'Indian of the Jones'. This is just getting better.

My little gal.

My Libby is great. She just graduated preschool, and next fall becomes a big kindergartener!

Here's her quote of the day (trust me, there's plenty to choose from):

"So when you and Aiden go see 'Indiana and the Jones', am I going to get to go see 'The Karate Panda Bear' with mom?"

Indiana and the Jones.

Coffee & People

Had a great meeting with Brian, who started Mud Bay Coffee Co. He makes insanely good roasts. We had a long talk about coffee shops, making quality coffee, and why you do what you do in life.

When everything boils down (simmers, reduces), it really is about people. Coffee is a connection, a vehicle, a passion, but whether it's customers, farmers, or employees - it's definitely people.

Although on some days, the coffee makes a real close run for first.

Haiku (one single impression) - Bleeding

This week's haiku prompt: Bleeding.

Bleeding hearts? The old medical practice of letting? Sheep? ... wait, sorry - that's bleating. You could go many ways with the prompt from One Single Impression, so I just went with my first response - bleeding knees, care of my creative, fun, silly and a touch-clumsy wunderkind Eli.

Hobbling over
A big fall from the bigtoy
"Kiss my knee, daddy."

Funk.

I'm in a funk. That term could describe James Brown (RIP), but right now my meaning is different.

I'm kind of tired, and I don't like rainy days when I planned on mowing the lawn. I love mowing - all of the perfect lines and how it feels when you're done and you look out over manicured horticultural bliss...

Instead, I'm inside, brewing another pot of coffee.

Lord, get me out of this funk.

We're Running Two Marathons...

My wife Kristy is heading down to Oregon today to participate in a half-marathon in Eugene, which is really impressive to me.

I sometimes jog from my car to the coffee shop door.

Nevertheless, I am mutually inspired and convicted about exercise, so next week I am carving out some time to think about possibly doing that.

This weekend is also a marathon for me - I am at home with our four kids alone for the weekend. Friday family movie night, tackling the laundry pile, dropping off Libby for a birthday party, going to Aiden's baseball game, finishing two websites, and getting to our church gathering on time.

Exercise enough?

It's Celtic Rock Monday...

Perhaps this just won't translate for a large lot of the population, but it's Celtic Rock Monday here on the Boyd laptop. I'm sitting in Mud Bay enjoying an extra helping of the Hothouse Flowers, The Pogues, etc.

But taking the cake this morning - Dexy's Midnight Runners version of Van's "Jackie Wilson Said (I'm in Heaven When You Smile)". Really well done. C'mon, Eileen - you know you like it.

But dad, the swimming pool has a waterfall...

The rhythm of life is less like a Dokken song (4/4, same beat every song), and more like a live jazz set. Switches, 9/8 timing, breaks, tempo changes...

Sometimes seasons of life are demanding! If we won't guard ourselves, we lose out. We have to choose those moments of rest that give us strength for each new season.

So bring it on! Spring break is coming up for our kids this Monday, and we are off! It's just good to get away for a few days, enjoying each other and sleeping in.

So we're heading north of Seattle, to one of our family favorites - a great hotel with a big to order breakfast and a swimming pool with a rock face and waterfall splashing in. It's pretty much just an aesthetics gig, but I guess it's fun to ride your dad (the dolphin) under the magic waterfall...

Van Morrison Is The Man.

I have met folks who do not see life as I do - and that's fine. In this instance, my particular point of view being that Van Morrison is the man - top chief musician/songwriter. Period. End of story for me, but some see it different. And I respect people's right to be wrong...

The shocking moments for me as of late though have come from the confused, unknowing look I receive from small pockets of people when I even mention Van in conversation. "Who's Van Morrison?" I wasn't sure a group like this existed, but just like some of the Sci-Fi movies that exist - they are out there.

Don't know Van Morrison? C'mon! So then I rattle off his most obvious moments in music: "Brown Eyed Girl"? "Moondance"? "Domino"? "Have I Told You Lately" (before Rod Steward placed it on the butcher's block)? "Gloria"? "Baby, Please Don't Go"? "Warm Love"?

After I mention another 20 songs or so, I usually give up, and instead offer them a brief primer (it all fits in a 5" notebook) on Van the man. I won't go into it here, suffice to say he has a new album out (yes, we're talking half a century of music and still going - thus the man). And it's great.

Here's a link to check it out - it's like doing yourself a favor without knowing it. And it might keep me off your back about not knowing Van...

Haiku (one single impression) - Laughter

The week's prompt from One Single Impression (online haiku community) is laughter. I laugh a lot. I find a lot of things in life ironic and funny. Of course, I sometimes laugh at not so opportune moments... a like so.

Your flushed cheeks, clenched fists
Furrowed brow, taut lips, all say
I should stop laughing.

Pirates Are Coming...

Had a great meeting with our church's kids director, Jeff. Over Pho (our meeting of choice) we finished the outline for a summer family event in August. There's a lot to it, but suffice to say...

The Pirates are coming.

Haiku (one single impression) - Kindness

My haiku for this week's prompt from One Single Impression - a blogging haiku community. The prompt was Kindness.

Sweet teardrops fall
Adult children coming home
After all these years

Hugs at the doorway
“Just set your coats anywhere!
And how was your flight…”

And then in the hall
A quiet apology
“My dear, it’s okay.”

Eating Hummus Is Like Being Part of a Church

I'm eating Stacy's Pita Chips Simply Naked (the chips are, not me), dipped in really good hummus, with garlic, pesto, pine nuts, and roasted red peppers.

Dang.

It's real good stuff. There was a time when I was real unsure about hummus; I had eaten hummus that really was nasty. I'm sure the AFHL (Association For Hummus Lovers) would have cried out if they had tasted it, warning me, "No! That's not how hummus should taste! You've been robbed!"

I never had that conversation; I just decided to give it a go a few more times. Some more bad hummus came my way, and some good. And because of that, my lunch today is unreal.

Sometimes it takes another try in some fresh new hummus, but we have to be brave - bad hummus stinks. It's worth it when you taste the good, though.

Haiku (one single impression) - Change

This is my haiku for this week's prompt from One Single Impression - thanks for continuing the weekly haiku community! And to Jennifer (premiere sister o' mine) and Susan, thanks for many moons of providing One Deep Breath.

This week's prompt - Change. It was a fun one.

Grey clouds and grey streets
My tired old monochrome life
But I’ve bought red shoes...