Return from the Shenandoah.

(Updated September 7, 2006)

The Labor Day weekend trip to the Massanutten region was great. As with most vacations, they never seem to be long enough.



I remained on edge for the first couple days, thinking about my upcoming work week (pretty lame, I know), and then I finally let go of the stress on the last day (meaning today) and enjoyed my time with friends, even if the weather wasn't cooperating.

We had some great fellowship time.

There were plenty of opportunities to see these creatures, especially young females and their young, and these creatures up close in our backyard or in the park. Although I have watched the latter animal numerous times and merely considered it as "rodentia", it didn't occur to me that these animals make sounds until today.

Weird sounds. More like screeches and clicks.

Another observation. I was surprised to see that certain leaves on some trees are already turning yellow and orange.

You know what that means. --- Autumn is quickly approaching. I'm excited. It's one of my favorite times of the year.


During the holiday weekend, we went to Hank's Smokehouse for dinner for some good ole' slow-cooked ribs. They were definitely worth the wait and mess.
Popular with the locals, we waited for a half hour in line. They also have a nice but limited selection of wines to compliment your meal.

I especially liked the roasted vegetables as a side order. They went well with my wet ribs. Even the so-called creamy cole slaw (I'm not a fan of the stuff) was tolerable.

I finally got around to reading Charles Stanley's The Blessings of Brokenness. So far, it is a good read and is written in an easy digestible format. The author writes about his own brokenness in a relevant manner that is quite relevant to the reader. I was surprised to read about his own experiences growing up in a broken home.