Mín Englisc Blog

My time at the chiropractor was actually quite boring. Most of my time was occupied in filling out a new-patient form. Dr. Tassell took almost no time with me; he simply ran a little monitor over my spine and popped something in my back. The position in which he had me (and in which he had Dad later) reminded me rather of CPR than of anything else: the patient is lying down and the doctor applies heavy, fast pressure to the chest. Both of us are to go back next Monday, and Dr. Tassell hopes that I will be able to be done after that appointment.
Tonight was to have been my second midterm exam for my œcon class. However, with this snowstorm, the class was cancelled. This is the second time I've studied most of the day, only to have no test. I'll even have to call the professor tomorrow to make sure that we'll have the test on Wednesday.

Dad is taking me to his chiropractor today; he hopes that this will be able to help with the heart skips.

How did I get four days behind on that counter on the sidebar?
Dad preached today on the subjects of Samson and of the wedding at Cana. Just imagine the scene at the start of Judges chapter sixteen: an enemy STEALS your city gates and carries them thirty miles away!


BLOGS As always, competitors are marked with an *asterisk. Anyone posting all seven days last week will have their name in italics.

1. *Nathan: 9.
2. *Anna: 10. This includes one picture with little text.
3. Katie: 8.
4. *Rebekah: 7. This includes four pictures with little text.
5. *Bekah: 6.
6. Becca: 9. This includes one picture with little text.
7. David: 4.
8. Brian: 3.
9. Abby: 4.
10. Charity: 2.
11. Joseph: 2.
12. Allen: 0. Last post 18 February.
13. Grace: 0. Last post 23 January.

Overall, I'm glad that I went on this trip, but I sure wish that I could have cut out plenty of time.
Upon arriving in Pennsylvania, we went to Beaver Falls. After a quick trip downtown (where I'd never been before) to see sights such as the old First Beaver Falls RP building, we returned to College Hill to meet with a few people at the College. After that, we headed down to Pittsburgh to see Grandma at the RP Home. I don't like seeing her in a wheelchair, but it's a lot better than seeing her in pain in a hospital bed.
Dad had a meeting of Synod's History Committee to attend at the Seminary, so we had to head from Allegheny to Wilkinsburg, twenty minutes' drive. Despite the fact that we had a bit of time to spare, Dad decided to take the interstate bypass route instead of going through downtown or even by it. I'd been told that I would be able to see a lot of stuff at the seminary, including the RP history room. Although I got to see it, the committee had to meet almost immediately; and due to a misunderstanding, I stayed in the basement the entire time. After the meeting, we headed up to Rose Point to my grandparents'.
This morning, Dad had a Board of Corporators meeting at Geneva. In the mean time, we returned to Allegheny to see Grandma. She wants to start walking more than she is, but due to the rehab she's under, she can't walk too much. Hopefully, she'll pass her examination in a few days and be allowed to start walking. She's really uncomfortable on her feet right now, but practice will help. Pray for her!
On the way home, I worked mostly on a five-minute speech I must give for my Communications merit badge next week. I'm planning to give a short synopsis of the Volsunga saga, a (translated) story from Old Norse. It's the basis for Richard Wagner's Ring cycle — if that means anything to any of you — and Tolkien's work has some related things.

We're leaving this morning for Pennsylvania and won't be back until late tomorrow. I hope to update tomorrow night.

Last night's quiz went very well; I only missed one of 23 questions but got both bonus questions. A pity this professor doesn't give scores over 100%.
Today, as normal, we have plenty to do. First off, I plan to attend Mrs. Hughes' funeral at 10:00 at the other end of the Village — a whole two minutes' drive away. Apparently, it's not going to be so much of a formal funeral as a "celebration service", where they will want anyone with memories of her to go and speak.
This afternoon, I have a scheduled visit to the jail. Don't worry; this is for Crime Prevention merit badge.
And tonight, we have our homeschool group's annual "Fine Arts Festival". Isaac & I aren't doing anything this year, unlike in previous times. For example, last year I recited a poem in Old English and he conducted the ceremony with his bugle calls.

This afternoon and evening is the visitation for Mrs. Hughes, and her funeral is scheduled for tomorrow morning. I hope to attend both.
Tonight I have a quiz at my œcon class. I don't think it's going to be too hard; the professor announced that it's only going to review one chapter.

I like the following quote from Lydia:

"So it is best that we can't run our lives because if we did we might end up missing something that lives on in our memories forever as something enjoyable."

Nathan will be dropping out of his own contest in two weeks.
At tonight's troop meeting, we followed a new format, to be implemented at all future meetings. Gone are the meeting-long small group meetings. Instead, we will be having an interactive teaching time focussing on a different topic each time; tonight's was on wilderness survival. As well, we're planning an important emergency drill in the future. I'd mention details, but only the senior leadership is to know until after the fact, and Isaac reads this page!
This afternoon, I went to the doctor's for a checkup on the heart monitor. First off, he stated that both he and the cardiologist at the hospital think that there is nothing dangerous. However, they don't know exactly what's going on. Apparently, when I wore the monitor and recorded episodes, nothing strange was going on in my heart at some points, and some strange points I didn't notice. It looks now like I will be going to a chiropractor whose services Dad uses on occasion.
Much of my morning was occupied with more work on Glasgow. One piece arrived yesterday, and I dealt with it. Then, as I was about to get off the computer, I checked email — finding another piece in my inbox. What could I do but check another piece? I've now completed work with people on (I think) nine of sixteen pieces.
One minister is causing some problems. According to Glasgow, Rev. C. D. Trumbull was born in April 1837, but an old newspaper clipping says that he was baptized in January 1837! I'll check that at the end of the week. We're going with Dad to a meeting at the Seminary, and I'm told that records there should provide the answer.

Thanks to MLK Day, I had to have class tonight. As Joseph says, it's as if MLK was more important to our nation than Presidents Washington and Lincoln put together.
This morning, we received confirmation of something we had suspected last night. Mrs. Judy Hughes, for whom I mow, passed away from cancer. According to her husband, Lewis, she had been failing mentally for some weeks — not to mention physically. In the last year or two, Mr. and Mrs. Hughes have experienced a significant spiritual awakening; they perhaps have been converted. Pray for Mr. Hughes; he's already been widowed once in his life. I hope to attend the visitation tomorrow, but I have...
A doctor's appointment tomorrow afternoon to check up on my heart condition. We hope (and expect) to hear that nothing is wrong. Still, please pray for me; these heart skips keep waking me up at night.

Because Dad was gone for much of the week on business for the Corporators, they paid the congregation for supply preaching for a week. As a result, Dad sat in the pew with us today while Mr. Bump preached. It's interesting to hear someone else preach, but NOT here in Belle Center! This is the third time in the past year that all four of us have been in Belle Center for worship and Dad has sat in the pew. Why couldn't we have gone to Kokomo or Indianapolis for a change?


BLOGS As always, an asterisk marks a competitor.

1. Katie: 8.
2. *Anna: 8.
3. *Nathan: 7.
4. *Rebekah: 7; four of these are pictures with little text.
5. *Bekah: 6.
6. Becca: 25; sixteen of these are pictures with little text.
7. Charity: 4.
8. Brian: 3.
9. David: 2.
10. Abby: 3.
11. Joseph: 2.
12. Allen: 1. This was his first post in almost a month.
13. Grace: 0. Last post 23 January, four weeks ago.

We arrived at the Drive at 7:30 and immediately went into the building, even though the doors weren't supposed to open until 8:00 and classes didn't begin until 8:20. Probably, we can leave somewhat later next time. Today's classes went a bit better. In my Law class, where I had the problematic counsellor last time, everything went much better; the counsellor is in Hawaii, so another man filled in.
After classes were over, we went to lunch (at a combined Taco Bell/Pizza Hut) and headed to the local Scout store in Springfield, a few miles from the classes. Only to find that they were closed! Apparently they wanted a three-day weekend.
While returning home, the other leaders and I held what's called a "patrol leaders' council" meeting, where we make up our schedule and decide on important issues. Since we had a bit to do, we went over to Matthew Bump's house to finish, so I finally arrived home a little after 3:30. Among other issues, we approved a plan for our next awards ceremony, changed the meeting format for the next several nights, and approved a plan for an emergency drill.

I'm about to leave for the Trail Drive. Because both of our drivers last time can't go, Mom had to get up at this crazy hour! Worse, she'll lose her entire morning and much of her afternoon. She might even have been working on my Eagle project.

Tomorrow is the next Trail Drive.

Things to do today:

(1) Try to make arrangements for a boy in my troop who's moving away.
(2) Compose a plan for our next Court of Honor for my Communications merit badge.
(3) Call Mr. Hanson to do an interview for my Communications merit badge.
(4) Put together an "emergency supplies" box for Emergency Preparedness merit badge.
(5) Make notes for corrections to the Glasgow text.

Dad left in the late morning for Beaver Falls; as a member of the Board of Corporators, he had to help conduct interviews for two men who have been hired for important positions. He left Beaver Falls around 7:30 and should be back within half an hour.
Tonight at class, we discussed our arrangements for next class. Thanks to (1) bad weather (2) MLK day (3) a professor who took half a class to complain about politics, we have to have class on Presidents' Day! This discussion, however did have its good points; someone said something that made the professor ask, jokingly, why we didn't get each president's birthday off, and why not all the vice presidents' birthdays, too. Someone commented that we could never do much banking, and a tangent began.
Eventually, one student was telling about her experiences as a teller at the local Sky Bank branch. Apparently, tellers are told to surrender money when it's demanded, be it even a harmless child, because the person making the demand may have someone else backing him/her up. This leads to ridiculous situations; apparently, this bank was once robbed through the drive-through!
However, tellers will occasionally fight back. This student knew an old lady who had been a teller for many years, during which time she was robbed three times. When robbers came a fourth time, it was her last day on the job. Figuring that the bank couldn't really punish her, she decided to break policy by retaliating — by throwing a stapler! A pity the student didn't mention whether the robbers got any money.
Charity has decided to drop out of the contest, leaving me with only four competitors.

Sorry for such a dinky post yesterday; I was rather busy. Most of my work was with either (1) class, as I had a quiz last night, or (2) Glasgow. I received two completed files yesterday (100 pages) and needed to check them, along with two other files (88 pages) that I had already received.
As well, Dad was gone almost all of yesterday. Grandmother was scheduled to receive her last chemotherapy treatment yesterday, but the doctor says that all of the cancer is dead. Praise God for that!
Today has been significantly less busy. For one thing, I haven't received any more Glasgow files to check. Most of my work today has been for the Communications merit badge: first writing a summary of the township trustees' meeting I attended last week, and then producing a flier with a desktop publishing program. For that requirement, I took Glasgow's biographies and pictures of the Revs. Alexander McLeod and S. B. Wylie, (the first ministers at the New York and Philadelphia congregations respectively) put them into Microsoft Publisher, and wrote a column-long sketch of each.
Tonight, as normal, was a troop meeting. We had rather bad attendance tonight — only nine of our eighteen members present — but stuff generally went well. The Scoutmaster's son Paul, whose ceremony we attended on Friday, officially joined tonight. He, along with one other new boy, completed a lot of work; Paul already has five requirements done for his first rank, and the other boy has all but four for the same rank.

Happy St. Valentine's Day!

Dad preached today from Judges chapters 10-12. Because Mr. Bump was quite ill, Dad had to teach the adult class and skip ours. Consequently, he is teaching our class in half an hour, here. Matthew Bump will be coming in a bit, and Miriam Reames is here all afternoon. We've been so behind of late that this is absolutely necessary.


BLOGS

1. *Anna: 10.
2. *Nathan: 8.
3. *Rebekah: 7.
4. *Charity: 6.
5. *Bekah: 7.
6. Katie: 8.
7. Becca: 13. This includes six pictures with little text.
8. David: 4.
9. Brian: 1.
10. Abby: 1.
11. Joseph: 0. Last post 4 February.
12. Grace: 0. Last post 23 January.
I don't know about Allen; I can't see the page. He's exempt.

This afternoon I had my heart monitor removed, and I sure feel better. More later.

I forgot to mention: Yesterday morning I went into the license bureau to take my permit test. I passed, so now I am legally able to drive. Woo hoo.
After eating lunch, Dad took me back into Bellefontaine, this time to get my heart monitor. Contrary to what I thought, they didn't need to put anything like an IV into me. Basically, they (or she, it was just one person) put four little sticky patches, each with a metal snap like on clothing, onto my chest near the heart, and then plugged a wire into each snap. The wires plug into a small box, the monitor, which hangs in a cloth pouch around my neck. The whole process is basically the same as getting an EKG yesterday, except that I have to keep the sticky patches on for 48 hours, not two minutes. I've already had it on for 24¼ hours, and I'm counting each hour — it's not painful, but it's getting seriously itchy under the sticky patches and I'm not allowed to take them off.
This afternoon, I spent about two hours attending the meeting of my Richland Township Trustees here in town. This was for a requirement of the Eagle-required Communications merit badge. Nearly all of the time was occupied on two issues, both financially-related: continued cleanup from the ice storm and the new fire engine that the volunteer fire department is buying. Hopefully, the township will be able to get disaster-relief funds from the state; otherwise, they'll have to put a new tax on the ballot. The meeting, overall, was rather boring: listening to the discussion about how someone will do a job for $450, while others do it for $600, and so-and-so is married to such-and-such's daughter, and whoever-it-is put money in a trust fund for his nephew, except he doesn't have a nephew, and therefore the trust fund recipient must be a cousin. Dad says that this is very similar to Village Council meetings when he was a councilman.
Tonight, we attend a "bridging ceremony" for Paul Henline, our Scoutmaster's son. Paul will be receiving his Arrow of Light award, the highest award earnable in Cub Scouts, and he's quite excited about being able to join our troop. With him and one other prospective member, we'll be up to nineteen members — quite a difference from the 3 when we joined!

I should emphasize — despite the fact that I had to have an EKG, and that I have to (temporarily) wear a heart monitor — that the doctor told me not to worry, and that the problem was almost certainly harmless. Thanks for your concern and your prayers, and I'm sorry if I caused you undue concern.

This morning, I had to go into the doctor's office. I've been having a little trouble with heart skips over the last few months, and last night it was worse than I'd had before. The doctor thinks that there's probably no danger, but she ordered a blood test and a heart monitor. The blood test was taken care of in the office. I go to the hospital outpatient area tomorrow to have the monitor put on; it's supposed to remain for 48 hours.

This morning was Mrs. Rutherford's burial. Only twenty people, including family, attended; I had expected that there would be many more. There were few enough people that I was pressed into service as a pallbearer! Dad, for the first time ever, went through the short burial ceremony twice: Mrs. Rutherford's sister-in-law and her husband, through a misunderstanding, arrived after the ceremony, so Dad was asked to do it over again.

As normal on Monday nights, I had class tonight. Sadly, this meant missing Mrs. Rutherford's funeral — something I strongly wanted to attend. When we attended the visitation this afternoon, there were only six family there (besides some of Mr. Rutherford's family): her two daughters, their husbands, and Natalie Weir with Daniel Faris. I don't really want to say that I'm looking forward to the graveside tomorrow, but I would be far unhappier if I weren't able to attend any of the services. It's a sad time for all of us, but joyful indeed for her.
Otherwise, today has mostly contained work on merit badges for my weekend classes. Anybody have an idea how to formulate a troop disaster mobilization plan?

Contrary to what I said, Anna is not out of the contest. I don't know how it happened, but her post yesterday didn't display when I looked this morning.
Dad preached today from the seventh, eighth, and ninth chapters of Judges. It should have been the second half of last week's sermon, but he took longer than expected on the sixth chapter last week. When you think about it, the Midianite soldiers must have been awakened by God; here's my reasoning. (1) According to chapter eight, there were about 135,000 Midianite soldiers. (2) According to chapter seven, there were about 300 Israelte soldiers. (3) A camp of 135,000 people occupies a very large area of ground. (4) 300 soldiers, strung out loosely enough so as to surround a camp of 135,000 soldiers, must be very far from each other. (5) 300 soldiers, each imitating the head of a large column of troops, must have been rather far from the camp to avoid being seen. (6) These soldiers, therefore, were unable to produce much sound volume — certainly not enough to awaken a camp of 135,000 soldiers! Conclusion: God worked supernaturally, probably in either way (1) The Midianites were made much lighter sleepers than normal, or (2) The Israelites were made much louder trumpeters than normal. Ægðer ceosende, se Ebrisc fyrdmenn sige nam.

BLOGS As before, competitors are marked with an asterisk.

1. *Katie: 10.
2. *Anna: 10, including six pictures.
3. *Nathan: 10. This includes two audio posts without text.
4. *Charity: 7.
5. *Rebekah: 7.
6. *Bekah: 7.
7. Becca: 7.
8. David: 5.
9. Joseph: 4.
10. Abby: 1.
11. Brian: 1.
12. Allen: 0. Still no post since 25 January.
13. Grace: 0. Still no post since 23 January.

Well, we had a decent time at today's event. Basically, the idea of this event is that we get up at 5:30 AM to arrive at Springfield (between Dayton and Columbus) by 8:00, when we take a set of three classes, each for a different merit badge. Although I had two Eagle-required bedge classes, I had the most trouble with my first class: "Law", an optional badge. The teacher turned out to be a somewhat haughty Democrat who dislikes homeschooling and likes four-letter words. Worse, the only person I knew in the class was a Democrat, although this person is quite amicable.
Other than his speaking, I had a good time; several assignments, especially for "Emergency Preparedness", will take a deal of work indeed. I hope to complete everything by the last class, in four weeks, although I know a counsellor who can help me finish up if I don't get it done in class.
After class ended, I succeeded in finding a counsellor for another, unrelated, merit badge. I was looking for someone who could work on another merit badge out of class, but was unable to find such a counsellor until after classes. At that point, I noticed a sheriff's deputy about to leave, so I spoke with him and arranged to begin work on "Crime Prevention".
I should have mentioned that I received final approval of my Eagle project plan on Thursday. With that, I sent out pieces for proofreading on Friday morning. Imagine my surprise to find a completed fifty-page piece in my inbox that afternoon! Abigail Shofstahl, of Providence RP in Pittsburgh, completed it in three hours. As well, I had (unhappily) to turn down her request to do more, since the entire book is already assigned to people. Pray that other people might be able to complete it very soon!

Time for bed. I get up at 5:30 tomorrow for Scouting classes.

Yet evermore I am with Thee: Thou holdest me by my right hand. And Thou, ev'n Thou, my guide shalt be; Thy counsel shall my way command; And afterward in glory bright Shalt Thou receive me to Thy sight.

Due to a number of factors, I was unable to post yesterday, except for the safety post. I'll try to split stuff up today and tomorrow; a ton of things happened yesterday.
First off: Dad left for Bumps' to work with Mr. Bump on Ad Interim (our session, together with two other men, is the Presbytery Ad Interim Commission this year) in the midmorning. An hour or so later, we received a phone call with the sad news of Mrs. Rutherford's death. Mrs. Weir (her younger daughter) was on the phone with Dad & Mom for much of the rest of the day (thus less Internet access) making arrangements. Visitation will be Monday afternoon with a Tuesday morning burial service. Sadly, I'll miss the funeral; it's going to be held at our church at 7:30 Monday night — and I have class! At least I can attend visitation and graveside.

For some life's years are seventy; Perhaps the strong may eighty see; Their best involves but toil and woe; All quickly ends. How soon we go! Who has Thine anger understood? Who fears Thy fury as he should?

Mrs. Rutherford as I knew her was never very strong, but she lived to eighty-nine; what a blessed life! She grew up Geneva Patterson in one of the two congregations that merged to form Sparta RP. Before marrying Mr. Rutherford in the late 1940s, she worked at our old Kentucky mission in the backwoods of the state. She is mentioned in the Home Mission Board report to the 1948 Synod:

Miss Geneva Patterson leaves us this month to be married soon. She will be greatly missed. One of the others writes: "Miss Patterson continues to take cheerfully the heaviest load, the longest walks, the most difficult driving, the hardest tasks around the home.

Please pray for all her family. I don't know if any of her siblings are yet alive, but she has two daughters: Mrs. Bill Weir (he is the former administrator of the RP Home) and Mrs. Wayne DeGoynes (sp.?). Pray, especially, for the DeGoynes; Mrs. DeGoynes professed faith many years ago, but has since left the faith. The Weirs have two daughters: Jen, who's unmarried; and Natalie, to whom Daniel Faris is engaged.

Observed by Him and precious in the LORD's sight Appears the death of all His saints each one.

Safety post.

Well, I had my quiz — or quizzes, he split it into two smaller ones — tonight, and now I'm confused. Not about the material. Although I missed six of fifty questions (four of them on the same subject) I got four of five bonus questions, leaving me with 96%. Furthermore, the professor said that we all may count the quiz instead of the midterm, OR we may take the midterm. The catch is that if we take the midterm, we must accept the results — even if the quiz results be better!
After three days, you've probably heard all you care to hear about the situation in Iraq. Unless you decided to listen to the State of the Union speech tonight, that is. I didn't listen (class was in the way) but will keep track of it as I may. Hopefully we'll be seeing a ton of improvement in Social Insecurity; I'd like to get something for my hundreds of tax dollars.
Alice Robie Resnick, the state Supreme Court justice who got pulled over for DUI, may have more problems coming. Apparently, when the police tried to pull her over, she kept going for some distance. Any idea what that entails? It's called "felony fleeing." Talk about a stupid politician.

Tonight is my quiz for my œconomics class.

How could I have forgotten to post about the Iraqi election? Well, that will have to wait for tomorrow.
How's this for a state Supreme Court justice? Justice Alice Robie Resnick was arrested yesterday for DUI after motorists reported a weaving driver. I suppose, should she get convicted, she could be sure of getting one favorable vote if she appealed to the state Supreme Court.
Pray tonight for the oldest member of our congregation, Mrs. Geneva Rutherford. Mr. and Mrs. Rutherford moved to the RP Home in Pittsburgh a couple of years ago (where Mr. Rutherford died last year), and she's been quite happy there. Yesterday, she had a fall in a hallway; she hit a cart and gashed her forehead, not to mention a tissue injury in the back of her neck. Although it could be worse (they originally thought that she had broken her neck!) it could be tons better; as her daughter says in an email to covienet, "Nonetheless, for an 89-year-old, the trauma is serious and she is in pain."
Overall, today has been rather similar to yesterday: work on stamps along with a bit of other things. Dad occupied the telephone shortly before noon with a conference call about my grandfather, who is doing very well. After that, he and Isaac had haircuts; I forgot to mention mine yesterday along with Mom. As well, I completed a bit of work on Glasgow. The text had been in eight hundred-page files, but (because I have sixteen proofreaders) I had to chop it into sixteen fifty-page files. Between that, adjusting the formatting on the page headers, and eliminating the photos to shorten the emailing time, I occupied a good deal of my afternoon.
Tonight's troop meeting went decently well; although we only had eleven members present, we completed a bit of advancement and are now (I believe) decently well prepared for this weekend's Trail Drive. At this event, we get up at 5:30 AM to attend classes over an hour away from midmorning until noon. At last year's, I earned three merit badges required for Eagle; this time, I'm taking two others.