Loss...

My great aunt, Mary Carnegie Thompson passed away yesterday after a lengthy illness. She had been staying in a local nursing home since January. She was a "constant" at the farm where I grew up. She grew up on the same farm and lived in the same house her entire life. When I was young her and my grandfather shared an office in her home, where they ran an insurance agency. The agency still named after my grandfather, is now being run by my cousin in his home. I enjoyed going to visit Aunt Mary when I was young because her house was always nice, cool, and full of cool "old" things. She also had an old upright piano that was out of tune, but we still loved to sit in front of and poke at the keys. She had a ton of old photos on the shelves and walls and as you walked by the eyes followed... I found an interest in postage stamps from hanging out at the office at my aunt's place, and looking at all of the mail that went in and out of the office. I used to save the old envelopes from the trash can, and I learned how to remove the stamps without damaging them. And as my interest in stamps moved beyond the occassional new stamp that came in the office mail, Aunt Mary invited me upstairs to her attic to look through some old letters and postcards she had kept. She let me have the stamps from her "memories".

Aunt Mary was my typist before I learned to type. When I was just starting high school, she would help me create a newsletter for my church youth group. I remember she got quite a kick out of typing something other than work correspondence, especially when my newsletter contained the words "zip", "zap", "zoom", "zowie", and other words she didn't get to type often! :-) Her electric typewriter had the ability to type in either red or black ink at the shift of a key. She used to make little rows "army" men by combining letters, and symbols on top of one another, and shifted slightly... Before there were ASCII drawings, she was doing art with her typewriter. I never did learn how she did that . When we worked on the farm during the hot summer days bailing the hay, she would always show up with her large red and white jug full of delicious ice cold water. Drinking from the little metal spout from the thermos was the highlight of the day when we were hot and tired. Her yard had a large pear tree, and a decent sized grape vine of which I snuck fruit off of every year. The grapes were sour, and the pears a little hard, but we always thought it was delicious because we were sneaking the forbidden fruit! ;-) We used to throw the really hard pears at an old "spring house", trying to get the pears through the window. When I graduated from high school I moved away from home, and I didn't come back very often, and when I did, I didn't stop and visit my aunt. We saw each other only once or twice a year when our family would get together for a holiday such as Memorial day and we would go to the farm, and have a cookout, or a hayride. My last visit with her was at the nursing home. Before I left, I told her I loved her, and I kissed her on her cheek. Even though she was very ill and drifting in and out of sleep, when I kissed, her eyes cleared, and she looked right at me with recognition and smiled... Peace Aunt Mary... Peace and Rest... You will be missed.

Just a book... movie... ?

Memorial Day is past, the weekend is over. I went to the drive-in Sunday night and watched X3 (official title is "X-Men: The Last Stand"). My girlfriend wasn't really interested in watching X3, but she went with me anyways. Isn't she sweet! Anyway, on the next screen over from X3, The Da Vinci Code was playing at the same time. From our car we could see both screens, so she used a portable radio and a headset, and with a new found joy from the fact that she didn't have to watch X3, she relaxed and watched The Da Vinci Code. While I watched X3, I would glance over every now and again at her movie, because to be honest, I wasn't really enjoying my movie. I noticed that both our movies had the same actor, Ian McKellen. He plays the super bad guy, Magneto in X3, and she told me that he plays the bad guy in her movie as well. I thought that was kinda funny, as I could hear his distinctive voice from her headset while I was listening to my movie. As she was watching she would occasionally jump at some unexpected event, and occasionally she would gasp or click her tongue. These are usually signs that she is following the movie, and presumably enjoying it. X3 ended about 15 minutes or so before Da Vinci Code, so I watched the ending with her, and thought it was a very "slow" ending... not very climatic... but I didn't see the rest of the movie, so who am I to judge. When her movie was over she said she didn't enjoy it. She said it was hard to understand and confusing, and not very enjoyable. She then asked the gentleman sitting in front of his car (remember... "drive-in") next to us, and he said he didn't understand or enjoy it either... Now neither of them are critics, but rather the "every day person", and tons of other "every day people" said they enjoyed it. Tonight she told me that her cousins had all watched the movie, and enjoyed it, so it must have some appeal. Josh commented on my last blog entry that, to him The Da Vinci Code "... seems like a good book, and that's all, a BOOK" (I added the underlining). Vicky also commented... (Thanks for the comments by the way!) about the protests happening at the theathers around her area agains the move. She said, "Its supposed to be art and art should remain free". I agree with both Josh and Vicky... The Da Vinci Code IS just a book (now a movie as well), and art MUST remain free and uncensored, and people MUST be allowed to read/watch or not read/watch whatever they choose. That is as long as your are an adult, if not then parents should decide for their children. HOWEVER... Just a book doesn't mean it's not influential. I mean there are tons of books that have influenced society and history... Let me name one for example: The book of John from the Bible. I could also site any of the the other 65 books found within the Bible... Those books often contain fiction, but those fictional stories (often refered to as parables) have messages, and taught lessons. The books are also repleat with fact... and put together, the fiction and fact produce a work of truth, in the instance of the Bible divine truth. The Da Vinci Code is just a book, and it is a work of fiction, but that doesn't mean it's not sending a message, or trying to teach what the author thinks is truth. I will refer you to my previous post where I have a link to the audio of Dan Brown stating that he feels that everything in the book is true, except for the character Robert Langdon. I also agree with Vicky that a strong Christian, that is well grounded in their faith will not be shaken by this or any other book, but a person who is on the fence may find themselves pulled away from the truth, which is why many Christians are protesting. Anyway, I have "Rambled Along" way too much... Thanks again Vicky and Josh for the comments, and also for the compliment on the title of my blog... It was very kind!... So until next time... Keep reading, and keep watching...

Memorial Day Weekend

So it's a three day weekend. I went to a skating party for my girlfriend's son. He just became a teenager. I am going to watch the movie X3 tonight. Tomorrow I am going to Hookstown to watch the Memorial Day Parade and gather with lots of fellow Laughlins at my uncle's home. I think I may be able to squeeze in a nap, but it will have to be a short one... Maybe they should make Memorial day a four day weekend, so there is time for rest and relaxation! :-) Thanks to all the soldiers and vets who have put their lives at risk to help our country and this world be free!