Friday, August 11, 2006

Rambling Rambles

I’m out for two weeks, which is why I ain't been around much. This is my last trip before the hectic pace of life returns in September. (Here I go breaking my role of not talking about work and family.) This here is a real family vacation as we’re all going to be together—Mom and Dad, my brothers and sister and spouses and kids. My 87 year old grandmother may even come for a couple of nights with my sister, who can only make a couple of nights (she uses her job as an excuse). Starting tomorrow, the extended clan gathers. We’ve gone in on renting two 5 bedroom beach houses on Ocean Isle. By luck of the draw, I’ll be housed with my younger brother and family, his which makes sense since [notice the clever use of words] he has kids my daughter’s age. We’ll have to wait and see what kind of vacation this might be. Putting the two of us together is kind of like mixing oil and water, or maybe more like combining a spark and gas flumes. He’s just to the right of Attila the Hun and sometimes makes Rush Limbaugh seem down right reasonable. His unquestioning devotion to our President strikes me as a violation of the first commandment. Heaven help us if this place has cable. I can’t stand seven days of Fox News and their biases. (Did I pack wiresnips so I can cut the cable?) And to add a little more fuel to the fire, several decades ago, when I was a teenager and my younger brother was a toddler, I tormented him mercilessly. This here, my friends, is just another example of how a thing that goes around comes around.

Let’s see. I’ll have a week at the beach with the family, a family reunion with lots of folks I never met, and nearly two thousand miles behind the wheel… By the time it’s over, I’ll be ready for another vacation. However, I won’t be able to afford another one after paying European prices for gasoline. Are BP’s problems on the North Slope a bad omen? Maybe! Pray for me and for the gas supply. One second thought, don’t worry about me. Instead, ya’ll have fun and I’ll attempt to occasionally drop in and post some tidbit of wisdom.

Here’s tidbit #1: “No Creek Primitive Baptist Church.” What a name! I caught a glimpse of the name taking the backroads across North Carolina. It was somewhere between Mocksville and Lexington that I spotted a sign pointed down a side road to the this church. I’ve been up the creek without a paddle a few times, but at least I had a creek. However, having no creek seems to be a ritualistic challenge for a Baptist Church, especially a “primitive Baptist.” It seems to me their name imply they don’t have one of them there electrically heated pools up behind the pulpit. A long time ago when I was living in rural Columbus County, in this great state, I lived down the road from a "Fire-baptized Baptist Church." They didn't need a creek. I always wanted to visit just to see what went on there, but it was way out of the comfort zone of this Presbyterian. There were never more than six cars in there on Sunday morning, mostly older makes. I now find myself imgaining one of their deacons calling an insurance agent and requesting a quote on fire insurance.

17 comments:

  1. uh oh..... everytime my sibs and I have organized an "all family" type affair it usually ends with hospital visits and really mad spouses (my sis in laws usually)

    Should I pray for you or call 911? *L*

    enjoy!

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  2. Does that mean you're not going to be heading out this way this fall? I hope not! It would be cool to meet up with you, if possible. :-)

    Enjoy your time with your family. I hope you are able to get in some relaxation.

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  3. Have a good trip, Sage.

    Don't think I could handle seven minutes of Fox News, much less seven days. At least you got five bedrooms.

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  4. ugh me either fox news??? that sh*t'll kill ya. ears bleeding. ugh. GOOD LUCK WITH THAT ;)

    i'm sure you'll have a great time though. just remember to breathe and walk away.

    looking forward to the stories.. though i know you'll be kind :)

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  5. thanks for all your concern. I'm probably blowing things up. Sure, we different greatly on politics, but we do get along and both enjoy a good argument and if he wants to stay inside and watch Fox News at the beach,that's his problem, I don't plan to be inside that much.

    Dawn, yes, I'm still planning on heading West in late Sept--i may have overstated things a bit trying to be humorous.

    Keda, we'll see what kind of stories get generated.

    Ya'll be good.

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  6. CNN, FOX, it's all crap. Give me the info and let ME make the decision, don't tell me what to think!

    Family vacations are wonderful. You get to see everyone and enjoy their company, while reminding you to appreciate the joys of living apart.

    Have fun

    btw, pictures are expected upon your return ;)

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  7. Have a great vacation in spite of the potential sparks you talk about.

    And names such as you mention can be amazing some times.

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  8. Family gatherings are wonderful and I hope yours will be memorable :)
    At least with the differences in personalities you can expect some excitement

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  9. Sage, gasoline prices went down 5-6 cents over the last 2 days, at least here in Raleigh. You should have a good time. Just steer clear of your oil/water brother. If he starts in on politics - excuse yourself and go to the beach!

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  10. Ha ha! Sounds like a vacation with my brother and his girlfriend. I feel your pain. I was baptized in Bear Swamp Baptist Church. Thank God we did have an indoor baptismal pool and I didn't have to get saved among the water moccasins. If that sounds bad, I was grateful that there was a Hog Swamp Baptist Church nearby. Kind of like how South Carolina is grateful for Mississippi.

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  11. If I'm ever down in that neck of the woods, Mockesville and Lexington, I'll keep my eyes open for that church. That reminds me,I'm told there is a town in Oklahoma called Nowatta,wich is a Deleware word. The neighboring Cherokees call it "No Water", but in their native tounge. You have to love names.

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  12. We don't discuss politics in our family much anymore. My parents are to the left and my brother to the right. I'm lost in the center. Thankfully, we don't even have a television so Fox or any other news is not an option.

    I went to a baptist church once where they spontaneously said things during the middle of the sermon and nearly started convulsing in their seats. It was entertaining but scared the dickens out of me.

    Have a good reunion.

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  13. The weather is great, we're getting along great (I knew we would, I just had to blow things up a bit for the humor, besides, my sister makes me look down right right-wing, so as long as she's here...). There's no easy internet access here, no wireless locations I've yet found (and it's long distance to call a dial up number), so I won't be checking in too much. Take care.

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  14. Glad to hear you're having a great time Sage-man. Be sure to regale us with stories when ya get back. Take it easy and have a good one.

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  15. Welcome back to the Bible belt my friend! Have fun with your family and stay safe!

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