A three day weekend!

Now don't hold it against me if I'm in a career which provides me with a three day weekend at a time of year which almost no other career enjoys. If you wanted a three day weekend in the fall, you should have checked that little box next to "teacher" on your high school career interests survey. Furthermore, if you think "teachers should have to work like the rest of us", that sort of takes the approach that you very possibly wish you didn't have to go to work; that going to work is sort of unpleasant, and that if you have to do this required unpleasant activity, then so should everyone. Right? Well, why in the world would you wish something unpleasant upon someone else? That's sort of like wishing poison ivy upon others because you yourself suffer from poison ivy. That's not a very nice train of thought.

Here's another angle: Almost everyone I've met dislikes paying taxes, and if they had a choice to stop paying taxes without incurring penalty, they would stop paying taxes. Right? Well, then you have some citizens who are upset about bicycles being used on our public roads because bicycles don't pay gasoline taxes. Often these disgruntled motorists voice their opinion that "bicycles should pay a road tax, because we (automobile drivers) pay road tax. Well, those same people who wish they didn't have to pay taxes are wishing taxes upon people who currently don't have to pay them. Why in the world would a person wish for a population to pay taxes, when they themselves wish they didn't pay taxes? I thought those people were against taxes, yet they wish to add more taxes?

So, don't be a hater because I've recently enjoyed a three day weekend with my family. If family time is what you value, then perhaps it's not too late to change careers. Remember all those motivational posters you see in businesses: you can do anything! it's never too late! follow your dreams! etc. And also don't forget what the Holy Bible says, (paraphrased) I can do all things through Christ Jesus that strengthens me!

It was a lovely Friday to be home! I made breakfast for my three sons. I took my three sons to the library story time and we listened as the librarian read us Halloween stories. We then picked out Halloween books to take home to read. Then we chose some "scary" DVDs to take home to watch. That afternoon, I gave my yard a much needed cut and rake and leaf blowing. I cleaned up the kitchen. I took the boys on a bike ride to the nearby park. It was a perfect fall day and I got to spend it with my family.

That Saturday, Mare had organized a Halloween party for the boys' friends, so we had 13 little ghouls and goblins and superheros come over. They played an assortment of games Mare had ready and ate some Halloween themed snacks. It was another lovely day of golden sunshine and mild temperatures and everyone enjoyed themselves (it appeared). We topped off the the Saturday by having a little fire in our outdoor fireplace and cooking hotdogs on it.

Sunday, we headed down to my grandma's in my hometown and visited with my dad's uncle and aunt from Texas, that would be my dad's dad's brother and sister, and my dad's uncle's wife. If that was confusing, I'm sorry. Read it again and work it out on some scratch paper. I was surprised to see how alike my grandpa and his brother looked and acted. Of course grandpa is dead, but his brother looked just like him and displayed the same mannerisms and habits of speech my grandpa used. My own two aunts and my dad were there, too. Of course, my grandma was there (it was her house) and my mom came with my dad. The boys played outside with their older cousin for most of the time and we visited inside. It will likely be the last time I see my dad's aunt, uncle and his wife.

So, I apologize for the length of this post. However, I thank you for reading it! As always, continued good health and prosperity are wished and prayed upon you and yours and all our enemies, too!

Short and sweet

Things are going well for the Broyles family. My dad is off gallivanting around North Carolina on his motor-scooter; my mom is likely off gallivanting around on her bicycle, one of my grandma's is likely off traipsing around with her new dog; my other grandma is likely out and about hiking along the trail; my four year old is on his first bus trip to the pumpkin patch; my six year old is earning academic awards at his elementary school; my two year old is motivating around the house on his own two feet and laboring intensely to be understood verbally; my wife is chasing after four boys in her house fetching this and that and needs Calgon to come and take me away; and me I'm still commuting back and forth to my job on my bicycle. We're all doing the best we can with what we got.

The reunion was a success and, to be honest, was a bit anti-climactic. I performed my songs and gave my speech and my classmates from 1993 were generous and kind with their remarks. I'm glad it's over, but it was fun.

I must go. As usual, I direct blessings in great and overflowing measures in prosperity and health upon you and yours and our enemies. Love to you.

An important speech

So, I've written a speech to give to my classmates in attendance at our 20th class reunion, as well as the other people who happen to be present at our class reunion's choice of venue, Reb's Place; a public "beer joint" in the local vernacular. It's a place that has undergone several name changes over the years as different owner/operators have come and gone. It's a public venue everyone is welcome to attend and I expect there to be not a few locals gathered there for their own impromptu reunion as it is the night of Biblesta, which is my home town's big tourist draw for the year and de facto reunion. Reb's Place serves only "near beer", or beer with an alcohol content of not more than 3.2%. It's been many years since I've stepped foot inside that establishment, at the time called "The Watering Hole", I believe. That must have been over 12 years ago, because it was just before I was married and a friend of mine held a party for me to celebrate my, then, upcoming marriage. I can tell the place has undergone some expansion and remodeling, so I look forward to seeing the changes. I know the "Reb" in question, too, so I look forward to seeing him and sending some business his way.

I've taken it upon myself to write a little speech to recognize some of my classmates and their contribution and hard work to organize and plan the reunion. I'll also attempt to honor my friend Jeff Klotzbach, after his untimely, unexpected death through my speech and by performing a couple of songs on my guitar and harmonica before the band our class has hired takes the stage.

I'm nervous about the speech and performance, though I probably shouldn't be worried. At any rate, that's what I've been practicing for in front of Mare in the evenings. I want things to go smoothly and to try to bring us all together and to, temporarily at least, help our group to get over some leftover animosity toward each other for events both during and immediately following our high school experience.

Perhaps next week I'll have a post which recounts the complete success of my speech and performance before my former classmates. If it doesn't go well, I suppose I'll be led to recount that experience truthfully, as well.

People often re-evaluate their relationships and take time to think of people they have grown distant from after a death has occurred. I am no exception. There's a list of people who I should have developed a lasting friendship with in different phases and places in my life, which I would not allow to become close to me, and whom I've allowed to exit my life, or have exited their lives. These are the people I think of and wish to reconnect with and express to them their friendship was valuable to me. I'm guilty of not valuing people's friendship and I wish to be better at that. I wish to value their friendship, if it's not too late; I don't want to be better at not valuing their friendship.

That's what has been on my mind. Love to you all.