The Family Letter

…well, okay, nowhere is probably more accurate, at least on this block. But hey, St. George's is in the news again.

And yes, that shuts the house down, too.

Although I did not realize it until early evening, when people began commenting on it at a social gathering, St. George's was in the news yesterday.

It is a good, if short, piece that appeared on the front page of the religion section Saturday. All facts are, I believe, spot on. And yes, they even used one of the photos we supplied.

Since we're tucked away at the very end of a dead-end street, it is good to stand up from time to time and wave. *OVER HERE! THERE'S A CHURCH OVER HERE* I'll confess, too, that seeiing postive press is a nice change.

Yesterday was a good day, adding to my list of things to be thankful for. I'm thankful for days to sleep in, with absolutely no need to get anything done relating to work. Thankful for a gym that's open on holidays, and for the continued ability to run and not feel like I'm going to collapse when I'm done¹.

Thankful for parishioners and friends, especially new aquaintances. Dinner last evening was on Hospital Point, Naval Station Pearl Harbor. About five families came together in one of the backyards right on the channel into Pearl Harbor and shared dinner. We then all processed to another part of the Point for dessert with even more families, and more desserts than I've seen in one place in a while.

Sunset over Pearl Harbor Channel

Thankful for being able to stay up a little later to finish a book with no redeeming value, and sleep in a bit again this morning. Shortly, though, one has to head over to church for a bit to meet with a reporter doing a story on said church for a local paper. I'll add that to the list of things I am definitely thankful for!

Thankful that I do not feel compelled to be at some mall or the other at 5 a.m. Maybe one of these years I'll start offering a "day after Thanksgiving" service as an alternative to the consumerism normally celebrated today. Hmmm…

Happy Thanksgiving again!

UPDATE: Found another thing to be thankful for: That this one wasn't as big as the last one!

1. Though still need to work on endurance. [back]

I may or may not have posted on this before, but I have a trouble tire. Kind of like a trouble child, but inanimate and round. For months now the left front tire has been going flat. Not really slowly, just… Suddenly flat. It'll be fine for a week, a month, then I come out and there it sits, flat.

The first time was right here at home, and I missed an appointment because of it. I had the car taken to a Firestone dealer on Hickam AFB to have the tire patched. They looked and looked, and couldn't find a leak, and suggested it had been done as a prank. I bought a portable air pump to keep in the car, just in case.

A week later, it was flat again. I inflated it myself and went my way. Two weeks later, flat. I went to General Convention. Came back. Flat. I took it to the car dealer. No leak, they said, sorry. I took it back to Firestone. No leak, nothing for us to fix. That time it went about 6-8 weeks with no problems, so I figured it was over.

But lately I've been reinflating it again. A few weeks back another driver pointed it out to me on a busy street. Yesterday I drove on a full tire to see Bond. When I got back to the car, it was completely flat. Full to flat in 3 hours. That's not a slow leak.

So today I tried Lex Brodie's, a local tire place that I've heard very good things about.¹ I explained all of the above, and they took the car into the shop for a look.

Less than an hour later: "Sorry sir, we couldn't find a leak." *sigh* "But… We did change out the valve stem just in case that's the problem. There's no charge."

So I'm back to driving around waiting to see what happens this time. If it continues to go flat, I guess I'm down to thinking there's something wrong with the wheel..?

1. And based on my experience today of professionalism, hospitality, and friendliness, I'd recommend them too. [back]

So, I went to the new Bond flick this afternoon. I shall attempt a quick review without giving too much away. If you're worried, however, or one of those folks where any detail is too much… Go see the film. Definitely worth it. Now, stop reading.

I confess that when I saw the ads months ago I was skeptical. The new Bond actor didn't even look the part. He's tall, looks like he spends a lot of time at the gym, and may or may not have much going on upstairs. Oh, and blonde. I can say definitively, having seen him in action, that this was a new sort of Bond. Lots of what you've come to expect but also a lot of new twists to the 007 personality as well. He's more action than style, a bit more shoot-first-ask-questions-later, and a lot colder (I'll let you see for yourseif about that last). Consider as well that in the first few minutes of the film he isn't even a double-oh!¹

One thing that disappointed me was the lack of an immediate action scene, where Bond faces down death by doing a dozen impossible things before the opening credits. There was some of that, but it was in flashback, and it was minor. The rather impossible–and incredible–chase-on-foot sc