Thursday, December 9, 2010

Pipe the Good Pipe











"The pipe draws wisdom from the lips of the philosopher, and shuts up the mouth of the foolish; it generates a style of conversation, contemplative, thoughtful, benevolent, and unaffected..."
-William Makepeace Thackeray, from The Social Pipe

"A pipe is the fountain of contemplation, the source of pleasure, the companion of the wise; and the man who smokes, thinks like a philosopher and acts like a Samaritan."
-Edward George Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton

Lest we forget…tobacco is one of the good effects emanating from the One Cause who is sheer goodness. This ought to be the principle hermeneutic lens by which we judge tobacco use. Furthermore, tobacco and more specifically the smoking of it in a pipe, was once a recognizable institutional symbol of the familial patriarch within the Christian cultural (note the laudable list of authentically Christian manly men who were pipe smokers). As we are now in the midst of a hostile effort to destroy the remnants of any Christian order, and to replace normative family life, which is headed by a strong paternal element with a noxious unisex/effeminate disorder, it is not surprising that certain emblems of the patriarch, such as pipe smoking, would be targeted for disfavor and suppression. We ought not to allow anti-Christian/anti-family sentiments, to strip us of our masculinity. We must stand firm against all anti-pipe/anti-male politically correct rhetoric, with pipes tightly clenched in our teeth.

One more thing, the anti-tobacco campaign is merely rhetoric: If people realized how much of the propaganda campaign about tobacco paid for by tax monies is simply false, and how much is simply the reflection of belief without evidence, they would be shocked. Check out the following info I came across:

The Surgeon General's 1964 report states that most pipe smokers (those who do not inhale into their lungs) live longer than non-smokers. The only way a different statistic has ever been generated has been by including ex-cigarette smokers who migrated to pipes in the statistics, or by including the small number of original pipe smokers who inhale in the statistics. The same is true of cigar smoking although about half of cigar smokers inhale. But those who do not, live longer than nonsmokers. Of course, smokers may be more prone to get cancer, but if they are outliving their nonsmoking brethren and getting it when the aforesaid brethren are decomposing in the humus, then this does not mean what the little energumens of State Hygiene have at great public expense told us that it means. These figures are not known, because they contradict the second hand smoke hypothesis, a hypothesis that itself cannot be sustained without playing statistical tricks (e.g., one study includes people who smoked cigarettes & inhaled into their lungs for up to twenty years and then stopped among "nonsmokers" for purposes of getting their effect of second hand smoke on "nonsmokers"). Even those who inhale cigarettes are not in all cases likelier to die earlier of cancer--both in Japan during a time when 80% of the men chain smoked cigarettes, and now in China when many Chinese men smoke, the links found in the US with smoking are not turning up. In Japan, during the sixties, the life expectancy of chain smoking Japanese men was longer than that of non-smoking American males. But it remains the case that whereas one can perform any obscenity or sacrilege in any hotel room in NY City, one cannot in any hotel room enjoy a mild English pipe tobacco and chat with a friend. Read Tolkiens "The Scourging of the Shire" in Lord of the Rings for what I think should happen to the moral idiots responsible for this state of affairs.

God fear’in; pipe smok’in patriarchs:
Hilaire Belloc; Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati; Tom Crean; G.K. Chesterton; J.R.R. Tolkien; Evelyn Waugh; etc...

Friday, November 5, 2010

October Fun


Trunk or treat.




Mila as St. Agnes and St. Francis by her side:






Seaworld. Cool.


Orlando. Cool.









Making wine.



October saw a LOT of action! A visit from Nonno and Nonna was just the beginning. We went to St. Augustine and we went to Seaworld. It was amazing but now I know the real reason why they call it SEAWORLD: those SEA people really want to 'sea' us parents push their kids the longest and farthest to go on as many rides and see as many aquatic creatures before we rush out of the park so as not to miss the shuttle back to the hotel then completely crash, while THEY laugh and cheer and swim in our cold, hard-earned tax-bitten cash! Kids had fun though.
For Halloween we celebrated All Saint's Day at our church, Mila was St. Agnes and Ezra was St. Francis of Assisi and Simon a turtle that followed St. Francis around.
For an interesting take on Trick or Treating we went Trunk or Treating and that turned out to be good ol'fashioned fun! You decorate your trunk and park and kids go from trunk to trunk loading up on sweets.
They will now spend the rest of November forming cavities.
Busy busy busy.

















Friday, October 1, 2010

Happy Happy 5th Birthday










Happy Happy Birthday to our 'little' Mila. After supper, she couldn't possibly wait another minute to open her gifts so we openned them before we had cake. We did miss having family here to celebrate and partake of the festivities but, like I always say, that's the way the cookie crumbles. Until next time...

Sunday, September 26, 2010

Goodbye Age 4!

Little Miss Mila is anxiously awaiting her 5th birthday in a unique style all her own.
I couldn't say it better than Ezra, "me love Mila all much".

And we have lift off!


So Simon has finally mastered crawling on all 4s. His belly is officially off my floors and I am down to mopping them only once a week now because of it. :) I have just one thing to say: trying to record a baby crawling at the surprisingly fast speed of 3 maybe 4 miles an hour is NOT easy! It all happens so quickly, what you see is what you get and that is a whole lote of cuteness! My favourite parts are his hand-to-floor smackin' sounds and waddling bottom...LOVE it! (Richard loves his mop of hair).

Giddy'ap!

They ARE smiling... on the inside.



Ezra would make a great lil' jockey, wouldn't he?

Mila is happy despite the devastating news that Chance is in fact a boy.

Brave little people.



Busy busy week! I was sick for most of it but I rallied through just in time to take Mila on her scheduled trail ride at the Diamond D Ranch in Jacksonville. Fun was had by all ... except for Chance the lazy old horse Mila was riding. Right now, I am preparing Mila's cake for her birthday tomorrow, 5 already! Really? Anyway, check back soon for more photos of the big day's events.

Friday, September 17, 2010

All is Calm on the Homefront

This is such a cute shot... Richard likes it best because it hides his man boobs.
He is a slugger indeed! 9 months. really??
Ezra and Papa went to Gold Head State Park for some Boy Time. This is them having their picnic on a decaying trunk.


Mila in her uniform at 'school'. Happy lil' thing isn't she?


Hello Y'All!
Well, all the kids are presently asleep.... so here is my chance to update the blog ( just another excuse to avoid folding my mound of laundry).

Here it is:

I have started homeschooling Mila. We are 3 weeks into it and it's going really well for both of us. The routine is good for all of us. I don't get much trouble from Ezra or Simon, so that makes it a lot easier. We do the basics like Reading, Writing, French, Math, Religion and Salvation History :)
Ezra is talking a lot more these days, actually a little too much... this morning he said the 'potty' word "Shut up" and got soap in his mouth because of it, courtesy of his daddy.
Simon is so darn cute he's my hefty and glad baby. He's very eager to walk and absolutely loves music or being sung to.
Richard's work is in full swing and keeps him very busy, but he enjoys his work. He's happy and I am happy for him... now if only he'd finish his dissertation!
All in all, everyone is settling in nicely and Richard and I could get very used to living here in Middleburg...go figure.

Friday, August 20, 2010

Two brothers

Hello all. Here are a couple of shots of Simon and Ezra both at 8 months old. It is hard to believe they come from the same parents!!! Ezra was 17 pounds sopping wet, at this age and Simon is tipping the scales at 23 pounds! Both are so darn cute though! Check out the video of Simon army crawling, it is too funny! Simon hasn't been able to lift his big belly off the floor so he is forced to drag it along everywhere he pleases while Ezra was practically flying through the house at this age.
Miss y'all!







Saturday, August 7, 2010

Into the thick of things...

This was not supposed to be the first picture you see, but since I can't figure out how to rearrange the pictures, it is. This is the Master bedroom, that is, Master Simon sleeps here. It does have its own bathroom, which I love!!! Along with the beautiful tile flooring ( I am practically singing!)
What a beautiful shot of Richard fishing with the little ones. No bites but a sweet moment in life.

Another nice shot of Mila and Ezra not drowning.


Great swing in the back yard (needs a lot of love though).



Mila and Ezra were extra affectionate on this day, so sweet!




I know, I know. It's been forever since we posted a new blog entry. A lot has been going on. Richard has accepted a job as Director of Religious Education here in Middleburg, FL and officially begins this Monday. I've asked Richard to please post a new blog entry and since he hasn't I am taking matters into my own hands to post details and accompanying pictures at the behest of Colette Meloche and Lisa Stalnaker. We are now entering, if you can believe it, week 3 of our new home in Middleburg. I am happy to say that half of the boxes are unpacked and discarded while the other half haunts me in the garage. The house is comfy and cozy and very country (I love the country-style window treatments and the doors themselves). The house is a 2 bedroom 2 bathroom 2 car garage ( with no room for the actual cars themselves) situated on a 1+ acre quasi-fenced in lot. It has a large pond in the back and mammoth live oaks that shade the front yard. It is a very quiet road we live on that was just recently paved. The name of the road ? Sunrise Farm Road - doesn't that just say it all? The kids are settling in just fine and I am becoming a familiar face at the local Walmart. I am loving my very first dishwasher I barely know what to do with the extra time. We've met a great and kind family who lives down the road, they have helped us out in so many ways, not least of which is by renting this house out to us in the first place. They have 9 children and one on the way. Mila has made fast friends with her girls. Although we miss our dear friends in Lehigh something fierce. On a happier note Simon only woke up twice last night! Praise be to Jesus! (I still woke up 5-6 times out of sheer habit...darn it). He will be 8 months on the 11th and is army crawling all over the house. He is a very strong boy! Stay tuned for more pictures and videos. I promise to better keep you all up to speed on the happenings here in the 'burg... until then miss you all and thinking of you often.

Home sweet home

Extra large kitchen, thank you very much!

Extra large yard with Oaks , Yay for us and the kids...Boo for Richard and his push lawnmower.
Tell me you don't absolutely love those doors!


Enter friends and family.




Why yes that is a flat screen above the fireplace (not ours) but we like it just the same...



Monday, March 22, 2010

Ezra's 3rd Birthday





Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Baptism






Here are some pics of Simon's Incorporation into the Mystical Body of Christ. His godmother made his Baptismal vestment, perhaps it is foreshadowing of his future vocation?