Yak Attack

SS: Pilgrimage

I just went on a Pilgrimage, one I have wanted to do for a long time -- through the Mekong Delta, and up the Mekong River to Cambodia. It was really great! I really enjoyed the Mekong Delta and would love to go through more of it. There is so much life hidden in the small channels and waterways. I just posted photos of this trip, so I will let you look at them. This is a trip that I will never forget. I hope to do it again someday, and spend even more time exploring the Mekong Delta. Two years ago, I did a short river trip on the Mekong River in Laos. And I have been near the headwaters of the Mekong in Qinghai Province of China. What a truly amazing river this is, and even more amazing is all the different ways that life is lived along the Mekong, and all the activity that takes place on it.

Mekong River Trip

Make a Smilebox slideshow

First snowfall of the year

"When I no longer thrill to the first snow of the season, I'll know I'm growing old." - Lady Bird Johnson

Did you know?

SS: Grateful

I have much to be grateful for: 18 months ago, I was attacked by a Tibetan mastiff. The Tibetan mastiff is a very large dog, the most dangerous and aggressive dog in the world. They are bred for loyalty, and trained to kill. While trying to escape the mastiff attack, I fell on concrete. My injuries were mis-diagnosed in China, and after 2 months of pain and swelling, I returned to the USA. Since then, I have had 2 surgeries, more than 160 hours of physical therapy, not to mention the countless hours of people working on me at classes and seminars, 5 acupuncture sessions, and thousands of hours of stretching, strengthening, and circulation exercises. In addition, I have had 5 chelation injections, and dozens of chelation baths. And, I have shed more than my share of tears over the past year and a half. My injuries included: multiple fractures of my right arm and wrist (yes, I am right-handed), dislocation of my right wrist, multiple fractures of my spine and pelvis, spinal cord damage, two ruptured discs, fractured kidneys, and it was all complicated by toxic metals which were in my drinking water, including arsenic, copper, lead and cadmium. Two months ago, I could stand 4 minutes before I had to sit down. Last Sunday, I went on a hike and walked more than 4 miles! While I still have some pain, I am much more active and functional, and have had an enormous amount of return of function and use of my hand. I am so grateful to my friends, family, and colleagues who have helped me through this difficult time. And I am grateful to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who has shown me unending grace, and has healed me physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually during this time. While I don't think that I 'suffered well', I can stand and attest to His faithfulness... And I eagerly look forward to returning to China in January!!!

Goat Milk Soap

My friends are making Goat Milk soap. It is really great!!! And they milk their own goats to put in the soap! Another friend just bought 14 bars of Oregon Rain. This is goat milk with real Oregon rain put in the soap. What a great idea. They have 57 'flavors' of soap, including Tea Tree Oil, Oats and Honey (coming out soon with gluten-free Oats and Honey), Christmas Spice, and many, many others. I didn't get a 'Chocolate' goat milk soap bar, as I was afraid I would want to eat it as it smelled so good. One of their specialties if their foam-pump soap. Pump action, foaming hand soap, so it is very economical. This comes in two flavors - Lavender and Orange Burst. I have a chemical sensitivity, and what is really nice, is that they make their soap with essential oils. The goat milk soap is mildly fragrant, and because they use essential oils in many of the soaps, I can use them without getting a headache! Their business is just starting to take off, and their web site is up and running, though all the different types of soap aren't listed yet. Take a look and see what my friends are up to at Farm Maid Soap

"Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living, its a way of looking at life through the wrong end of a telescope and that enables you to laugh at life's realities." - Dr. Seuss

Breath taking

It is not the amount of breaths we take, but rather the number of moments that take our breath away.
 

Some of my little friends...

Mt. Everest...

Fishing in Laos...

Machhapuchhare Mountain (The Fish Tail) in Nepal...

My new great nephew, only a few hours old...

Words to strive for...

The master in the art of living makes little distinction between his work and his play, his labor and his leisure, his mind and his body, his information and his recreation, his love and his religion. He hardly knows which is which. He simply pursues his vision of excellence at whatever he does, leaving others to decide whether he is working or playing. To him he's always doing both.

James Michener

The Purina Diet

Yesterday I was at my local Wal-Mart buying a large bag of Purina dog chow for my loyal pet, Sheriff, the Wonder Dog and was in the checkout line when a woman behind me asked if I had a dog.  What did she think I had, an elephant? 

On impulse I told her that no, I didn't have a dog, I was starting the Purina Diet again.  I added that I probably shouldn't, because I ended up in the hospital last time, but that I'd lost 50 pounds before I awakened in an intensive care ward with tubes coming out of most of my orifices and IVs in both arms. 

I told her that it was essentially a perfect diet and that the way that it works is to load your pants pockets with Purina nuggets and simply eat one or two every time you feel hungry.  The food is nutritionally complete so it works well and I was going to try it again. (I have to mention here that practically everyone in line was now enthralled with my story.)

Horrified, she asked if I ended up in intensive care because the dog food poisoned me. 

I told her no, I stepped off a curb to sniff an Irish Setter's backside and a car hit us both.

I thought the guy behind her was going to have a heart attack he was laughing so hard.  Wal-Mart won't let me shop there anymore.

This was sent to me today by a friend... Hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. I am still laughing...