Halloween

Nancy got the candy this year for the kids. She got a brand I don't like because, "you won't eat it," she said.

My grand kids are really grand. They told me about their costumes and all the candy they plan on getting.
I told them about what it was like in my day.
"Years ago" I said, "kids used chalk on Halloween. They'd mark up a man's pants if he didn't pay off." "Really?" they asked.
I replied, "Yes, that's right, and one kid liked it so much he grew up and became a tailor."
They still think I'm a little strange!

The perfect computer?

They've finally come up with the perfect medical computer. If it makes a mistake, it blames another computer!

With our government's system, they only have one man who runs the programs. Last week he ran Dumbo, and the week before, Fantasia.

Here is what the government was really hoping to get with medical software:

The salesman is justly proud of his new product, and tries very hard to sell it to the VP. The Veep is insecure about investing so much money. To egg him on, the salesman invites the VP to ask the computer software any question.

The VP types, "Where is my father?"

The machine responds in a tenth of a second: your father is in MICHIGAN.

The VP says, "This software is a bunch of junk"

"Try asking the same question in another way."

The VP types: "Where is MY MOTHER'S HUSBAND?"

The machine answers: YOUR MOTHER'S HUSBAND HAS BEEN DEAD TEN YEARS. YOUR FATHER IS IN MICHIGAN AND JUST LANDED A TEN-POUND TROUT!

Who I am in Christ

For those of you who are believers in Christ, I thought you might enjoy a little reminder of who you really are. For those of who don't believe, well, you could be these things if you so choose.

John 1:12 - I am God's child.

John 15:15 - I am Christ's friend.

Romans 5:1 - I have been justified.

1 Corinthians 6:17 - I am united with the Lord, and I am one spirit with Him.

1 Corinthians 6:20 - I have been bought with a price. I belong to God.

1 Corinthians 12:27 - I am a member of Christ's body.

Ephesians 1:1 - I am a saint.

Ephesians 1:5 - I have been adopted as God's child.

Colossians 1:14 - I have been redeemed and forgiven of all my sins.

Colossians 2:10 - I am complete in Christ.

Romans 8:1-2 - I am free from condemnation.

Romans 8:28 - I am assured all things work together for good.

Romans 8:31-34 - I am free from any condemning charges against me.

Romans 8:35-39 - I cannot be separated from the love of God.

2 Corinthians 1:21-22 - I have been established, anointed and sealed by God.

Philippians 1:6 - I am confident that the good work God has begun in me will be perfected.

Philippians 3:20 - I am a citizen of heaven.

Colossians 3:3 - I am hidden with Christ in God.

2 Timothy 1:7 - I have not been give a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind.

Hebrews 4:16 - I can find grace and mercy in time of need.

1 John 5:18 - I am born of God and the evil one cannot touch me.

Matthew 5:13-14 - I am the salt and light of the earth.

John 15:1,5 - I am a branch of the true vine, a channel of His life.

John 15:16  - I have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit.

Acts 1:8 - I am a personal witness of Christ.

1 Corinthians 3:16 - I am God's temple.

2 Corinthians 5:17-21 - I am a minister of reconciliation for God.

Ephesians 2:6 - I am seated with Christ in the heavenly realm.

Ephesians 2:10 - I am God's workmanship.

Ephesians 3:12 - I may approach God with freedom and confidence.

Philippians 4:13 - I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Waterton Canyon bike ride

Sometimes you go to a place with a specific thing in mind, but something else happens you didn't expect. In our case today, we wanted to see the fall colors in Waterton Canyon and go for a bike ride. We did do all this, but then there was this sign.  Hmmm...  Let's see a bear in the area? We've seen a bear of here before, but isn't it time for them to hibernate? So, we started to look around and then...

Right in the middle of the road was this rattlesnake. It looked like most of his rattles had been chewed off or something, but it was definitely a rattler. Yesterday, Nancy and I were biking after work near Chatfield and a rattler coiled up and almost bit her. Now another! We no longer cared about the bear, but avoided the rattlesnake.

The scenery riding up Waterton Canyon was beautiful. The trees are changing at lower elevations now, and it's magnificent.

Once in a while we'd stop to take in the views (and check for snakes). The last time we came up here we saw elk tracks and lots of big horn sheep.

Nancy's new bike is great and took up the hill with little effort. It was a great outing and we hope for continued summer like weather to keep up saddled up and on our bikes.

Fall Colors

Nancy and I drove up in the mountains today to check out the fall colors and the aspens changing. It's been an unusual year because of all the rain and the trees are changing a little late, and at odd intervals. Our first stop was at Kenosha Pass, for photos.

While we were at the pass, we walked a few hundred yards up the Colorado Trail to get some more photos. What a beautiful place this time of year! We also enjoyed spectacular views of South Park and the morning sun striking the yellow and golden leaves.

After taking our last photo we drove up to Fairplay, then we took Hwy 9 over Hoosier Pass (which is on the Continental Divide at the Northern end of the Mosquito Range), and all the way back down through Breckenridge. What a beautiful part of Colorado. Our goal? Get to The Butterhorn for breakfast in Frisco! We made it there but didn't beat the crowds. Oh well, it was worth the 30 minute wait. Then, we drove back to Denver in time to watch the Broncos outscore the Dallas Cowboys 51 to 48. Whew!!!  That was a close one!

Parmalee Gulch

I went hiking this morning with my friends on Parmalee Gulch Trail at Mt. Falcon Park. It had snowed yesterday but the trail was still pretty good and not too muddy. As the day progressed, the clouds went away and blue sky dominated.

We saw quite a few deer on our hike and the dogs were ready to charge off after them. I told the dogs that the deer really don't care about you, they only care about a buck. They paid no attention to me!

SNOW!

We had our first snowstorm of the fall this morning. The photo below is looking out back, from the porch. It's not really cold yet, I think the low was about 34 this morning. You know it's really wintry when you comb your hair outside and it breaks.

Nancy's flowers were out front and were bearing up under the cold snow, but they seem to be surviving. Just a few weeks ago it was flooding and raining in Colorado so much I saw a meadow lark putting sandbags around its nest! Now this! But not to worry. Tomorrow, I'm putting on my shorts and going for a hike in the mountains with friends.

Obamacare and accountability

In 1995 Congress passed an accountability act to fulfill a promise made the previous year for the Contract with America. The act required Congress to apply the same civil rights and labor laws to themselves which they require of citizens. It was designed to change the "one law for three, one law for me concept." Evidently, that has now been thrown out. Senator Chuck Grassley recently said that "the more Congress experiences the laws it passes, the better."  I couldn't agree more.

So, clearly, the Democrats won't eat their own cooking! We have to use it, they don't. Hypocrites! So, if they don't want it, then what's wrong with it? If it's so good, why don't they want it? Hmmm....