notinKansasanymore

Yes, it was after her husband made the solo transoceanic flight. It was "the Lindbergh Baby Kidnapping." The plight of the baby and the family held the entire world spellbound for some time, beginning in 1932. As I recall, the ransom was paid, but the baby was not returned, and his body was found sometime later that year. A local handyman was convicted of the kidnapping and murder. Nobody ever viewed celebrity in the same light after that; bodyguards for the wealthy became popular. America began to lock its doors and windows at night. You know, one nice thing about New Knoxville was that we never locked our doors. I certainly lock mine now. Anybody got a joke, or sumpin'? Love, niKa

My little boy asked me: "Mom, why are all of the other numbers afraid of Seven?" "I don't know," I said. "Why?" Big grin from him. He smirks: "Because Seven eight Nine." I never saw it coming. Must've had glitter in my eye. :P-->

Prochaine: I love your Lindbergh quote. Isn't that the poor woman whose baby was taken and killed in the famous kidnapping? And we think we have troubles; all we did was join a cult. That's nothing, compared to what some people have had to live through.

Thanks, Exie! We've had so much rain that we haven't had too many hot days. It was the coolest June that I can remember. Happy Thursday night, everyone! There will be an aftermeeting; everybody bring your backjacks and pillows; could be a long one. Coffee is allowed; maybe Tommy will bring refreshments.

No, Tommy! No! There is way too much stuff here. I have to go through about 75 boxes from the garage within the next couple of weeks. Stuff-be-gone; that's my new motto. That's why the nursery school is getting the anonymous donation. Goodwill, Prevent Blindness, Vietnam Vets, Cerebral Palsy; they're all my good buddies now. Just stand back, buddy; watch the junk fly. Love, niKa

We have hundreds of socks; we've never thrown one away. Now, socks that MATCH . . . oh, that's a different story. One day, very soon, the local nursery school and kindergarten will open up one morning with a ton of abandoned socks on their front stoop, with a note that says "Puppets in Training." All they'll need is buttons and markers. And glitter. Nothing happens around four-year-olds without glitter. How do I know? I'm a veteran of the glitter wars. It's pretty, and messy, and pretty darn messy. But it's realllllly, reeeeeeaaallllllly shiny. :)-->

Today, toh-YONE, if you will hear my voice, you will hear it saying: 1. " . . . (drums and guitar intro) . . . I want to hold your ha-a-a-a-a-a-and; I want to hold your hand." 2. "You're not home from a trip until you unpack, and have washed and put away the clothes that you took on your trip." QUICK, class: Which of our two July 9th Birthday Boys said each quote? No peeking, and neatness counts. ;)-->

Happy Fourth of July, 9th Corps and Interlopers. I hope that your day is as sparkly as a Roman Candle bouquet. Love, niKa

Well, I'm not a Nazi or a Communist. I'm a fifth-generation Texan, and a thirteenth-generation American. I think Bush is just as crooked as this documentary makes him out to be. It's not because I watched that little old documentary. If I disagree with the President, does that make me un-American? Or does that make me more courageous and patriotic than people who think we have the fox guarding the henhouse, but don't speak out? Part of being American IS to speak out. If nobody does that, you might as well call this Communist China.

Can't breathe; laughing too hard. They can go WHERE? Hoooo-HOOOOOO. Sugar-coat it, okay???

I respected how he showed 9/11 only with sound, against a blacked-out screen. We've all seen that enough to know how horrible it was. I also thought that it was very important that he showed the horrors that the Iraqi civilians are going through, however, in living color. We need to see what they are living with. I felt that he didn't show the families of 9/11 because we didn't have a choice that those families suffered. We do have a choice that the military families lose their children. Well, that's all I've got to say tonight.

Well, I would think of something to type, but I'm laughing too hard.

I saw it, along with my husband and several of our friends. Afterwards, we came to my home, grilled some fish, made some drinks, and had an impromptu wake of sorts. Yes, any American should see this film. Any American who isn't afraid of a good discussion. Any American who isn't comfortable with the cult of total lockstep agreement with our current president. Certainly, any young person considering military service should see it.

Happy Thursday morning, everybody! I'm dancing in the kitchen with YOU!

Yup. And he didn't need no stinkin' PFAL, either.

Hi, Russ. Are you who I think you are? niKa

Ahhhh, that's better. Just got back from a week fishing and hiking in Colorado. The air is rare there, mon frere. Here, it looks like there was a lot of rain! We are now back to the packing and the preparing to move. We sold or gave away all of the old furniture; now, we're off to get stuff that really matches (what a thought)! We will not actually move down the street until August. We just like to prolong the pain this way. Ooooooooooh. That's niiiiiiice. The brook trout say hello. The elk would have liked to say hello, but they're kind of shy. Fellowvisitor, you have fun, now. Tom, get a raft, my friend. Love, niKa

Excie, I wondered where you guys were getting that phrase. I would never have thought that Mrs. W would say that to anyone! Her husband, on the other hand, was another matter. He once stopped the choir in the middle of a rehearsal, pointed out the color of my brand new slacks to everyone in the auditoriumm over his microphone (they were purple, by the way), and then said (still over his microphone) "that's the ugliest color I've ever seen." I was completely mortified, and he didn't give a hoot. What an a$$. Another time, I was the presenter to give him a gift at a Word in Business conference. It was New Orleans; we gave him a very nice package of seafood fixings. Instead of accepting it graciously, he turns to me and says (over the microphone) "I absolutely hate this stuff!" What a spoiled brat of an a$$. Wow, Excie; you brought back some memories there. This place is cathartic. Moving sale tomorrow; got to get back to packing boxes and pricing furniture.

I know that Bill and Mrs. Bill are in Tejas, but what about Chuck and Mrs. Chuck? Has Fastbuck EVER gotten into the computer age? These little chicks have gone out from the shelter of mah wings. I seek for them, as for a lost sheep. -->

Ahh, from the ends of the earth they come. Welcome, Zorro; Do you remember how to string chairs? There's room at the cross for you. love, niKa

There are so many boxes that I can't stack boxes any more. I'm taping things up in my sleep; the cats are staying clear. Got rubber bands on my braces today; I may be old, but my mouth is only twelve. :)-->

Bought 52 more boxes today; many are already packed. Last week, I went through the first 25 boxes like they were water. When we returned from our interim year, I moved everything that I owned in two footlockers. I felt then that it was just too much stuff. What in the WORLD am I doing with so much stuff? Garage sale this Saturday, by the way. Furniture, anyone? There won't be any PFAL books; I either gave them away or burned them, years ago. I may have too much stuff, but I have my priorities straight.

Happy Memorial Day, everyone! God rest the souls of our valiant ones, who gave their lives in battle.

Did you tell Cyndi to come on over to the cafe for all the latest? I'd buy her a glass of tea, for sure.

WOWburger: Hamburgers served at the Rock Of Ages. WOWmobile: any old, beat-up automobile, generally second- or third-hand, driven by a WOW ambassador (it was the only car that they could afford, because they spent most of their time doing ministry work, rather than working to afford a decent car). HQ: Headquarters of the Way, in New Knoxville, OH. Rock of Ages: Week-long gathering of the faithful followers of TWI, held in August at HQ. Sometimes attended by (reportedly) 20,000 people, in the heyday of the Way. Utilized (supposedly) "largest bigtop tent in America" as primary meeting space. Followers filled area hotels and motels, and a very large tent-camping area on HQ grounds. Corps Week: Week-long gathering of Way Corps members and graduates, held on the same grounds as the ROA, one week prior to ROA. Included events such as teachings and single's dances. Corps Weddings: Mass weddings, held at The Way College of Emporia, one day after Corps Graduation, with as many as 50 couples. Corps promised not to change their marital status during training, so people waited until the day after training ended to marry, and VPW would hang around for a day, to perform the ceremony.