April 14, 2005 - Thursday | 7:34 PM, CST

I was granted a leave of absence from work during the month of May to complete my EMT clinicals. There for awhile, I had given up on completing them due to working not only my regular hours but overtime as well. But as I got to thinking, I don't want to be forced into taking the Basic class again, and it would have been an entire year's worth of time wasted on my Intermediate class. So I applied for a leave of absence, not believing it would be granted... but it was. I just looked at the calendar, and with the clinicals that I already have completed, I should actually be done in the third week of May if I really work hard. Wish me luck!

For the latter half of this month, and for most of May, updates will probably be very scarce, but don't despair! Maybe I will have Zach write me guest entries to post. Maybe Nathan and Andy would be interested as well. Anyone else?

But on to further business... I fixed a huge pot of soup on Monday that was extremely delicious. I was shopping in Berkots, and I saw a soup pouch kit. It was even tied with a ribbon! It looked so spiffy that I had to make the purchase. And of course, since I didn't have hardly any of the necessary ingredients, I spent another twenty or thirty minutes walking around in confusion looking for the necessary items.

All totaled, it had three different kinds of beans, minced (fresh!) garlic, diced tomatoes, onions, green peppers, red peppers, corn, chicken, and herbs and spices. It was delicious! And of course it looked even better. Five quarts! Can you believe it? While I was cooking (the soup took three hours of simmering time) I baked a birthday cake for my Aunt Kathy. It was German chocolate, which unbeknownst to me at the time, is her favorite. It turned out beautifully.

Bryan had a party over the weekend with a campfire. I've posted some pictures below.

Picture 1: Here is Koby reeling on the floor from a blow to the head. He was drunkenly crawling around at exactly the right moment to be struck in the head by an errant pool ball shot by Nathan. It was a combination of events that occurred at exactly the right time to provide the maximum amount of hilarity.

Picture 2: Gary and William meticulously pouring "layered" shots. Gary was putting his bartending training to good use, but it required a very delicate touch that only Gary and William's feminine hands could provide.

Picture 3: Gary with his finished product. I must say that it did look very professional. I had no idea that this sort of drink mixing could even be done.

Also over the weekend, Dad and I took a walk out through the woods to the cemetery by my house. I took some spooky-looking pictures for all of you to enjoy.

Picture 1: This is a small parcel of the cemetery that is wrapped in a wrought iron gate. Its very gothic looking. See the grave with the name "Rachel"? Behind the headstone is a very deep critter hole. The hole was almost a foot in diameter and curved away from the entrance at about eighteen inches deep. I half expected to find some bones lying around the hole, but was glad I didn't.

Picture 2: A broad view of the cemetery, looking north east.

Over the weekend, a woman I used to work with at Keller House died. Unfortunately I didn't learn about it until shortly before her funeral. She was a very sweet woman. I can remember when I first grew a goatee. I was sitting down in a chair going over some paperwork, and she walked up to me and gently cupped her hand under my chin. Puzzled, I looked up at her. She patted my chin another couple of times and said "Oh!" and chuckled. It was very touching.

Art's bachelor dinner will be held this Saturday at 8:00 PM at Ryan's in Kankakee. Please let me know if you plan on attending.

grokkings

Karita, you are great!

different crap

Ghost hunting    7/23/02

other people

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