One In Jesus

A few weeks ago, I introduced the readers to some sample songs from a forthcoming album by the duo Micah|Michelle “Sharpened in Time.” At last, the full album is now out and available at iTunes or Amazon.

Michelle grew up in Tuscaloosa and is a friend of my daughter-in-law, who attended church together growing up. I think you’ll like it.
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Other than being stuck in an elevator and being sick ever since I came back, Boston was a great trip. Not only did we get to spend time with the kids, but we got to be tourists. And Boston is a great place to visit — especially during an unseasonably warm October.

We made the trip about two years ago, the same time of year, and it snowed! But this time, it was in the 60’s. Great tourism weather. And we —

* Went “leaf peeping” — the local term for driving north to see the fall foliage.

* Took a DUKW (pronounced “duck”) tour — which is a ride around town and the Charles River in a World War II amphibious assault vehicle called a DUKW. The guides adopt whimsical names and are very entertaining. Ours claimed to be the blues singer “Dirty Waters” — and the tour began and ended with the song played on YouTube. (The Charles River has been cleaned up since the song was written.)

* Ate at the North End — famous location of countless excellent Italian restaurants.

* Ate clam chowder and crab cakes at Legal Sea Foods. Mmmm …

* Ate at Pizza Regina’s — world’ finest pizza.

* Visited the Science Museum, which is truly excellent. I wish we’d spent more time there. This place is not dumbed down for the children. It’s some seriously good stuff.

* Toured the Freedom Trail, led by a very capable and entertaining guide. (Did you know that Longfellow’s “Midnight Ride of Paul Revere” got nearly all the facts wrong?)

* Really wanted to see the Red Sox, but due to a cataclysmic late-season collapse, they weren’t playing.

To fully understand my Boston experience, you have to first listen to this routine by Bill Cosby from a very long time ago —

So New York has “the subway,” Chicago has “the L,” London has “the Tube,” and Boston has “the T.” They all have nuts on every car. And that’s why I’ve been deathly ill ever since I returned from Boston. (Suffice to say that it’s very important that I take precautions not to dehydrate.)

Some nut decided to become quite ill on the car we were riding in and to then to leave the evidence of his illness to come sit next to us. We couldn’t flee until the train’s next stop — and we did — but I’m convinced that he gave me his disease. Or it could have been the guy riding across from me who was part of the Occupy Boston group. He looked none too well.

Ahh … the romance of the big city and the joys of mass transportation. It gives new meaning to the idea of a “greener” America. I’ve been green ever since Boston.

So I was trapped in this elevator in Boston. Denise and I were visiting my two sons and daughter-in-law who all live there, planning on doing a little site seeing — that is, planning on eating our way across Bean Town. And so we were staying in the apartment of my son and his wife, who live on the sixth floor of a 12-story building.

We’d noticed odd sounding noises coming from the elevator the first few times we rode it, but we were assured that the thing always sounds that way. Which I’m sure is true. And I’m really too old to lug suitcases up six flights of stairs, and so we rode the elevator.

And the first few times, it was no big deal. Just some strange noises, an uneven ride, and we arrived in one piece each time.

But Sunday evening, after some site seeing, we boarded the elevator with a young Asian girl. We pushed the buttons, the elevator shook, stopped, and the door wouldn’t open. Continue reading →

A note from our tornado relieft volunteers — Continue reading →

I’ve been on vacation and then came back sick. But Alabama football will cure what ails me!

I have two sons and a daughter-in-law in Boston, and this is the weekend to advantage of a free bedroom to be a tourist. Denise and I are going to go on a whale tour, a duck tour, and walk the Freedom Trail.

I figure we wear our Alabama football paraphernalia, white tennis shoes, fanny packs, and cameras around our necks — and we’ll blend right in with the Yankees. (Is it insulting to refer to Bostonians as “Yankees” what with the baseball playoffs ongoing?)

I’m out until Tuesday. It may be a couple of days later before I start posting again. Unlike most of the time, I’ve been too busy to post ahead, and so when I’m gone, I’m really gone.