| | Despite the fact that I feel as though I've been wading through bone-weary exhaustion lately, July seems particularly auspicious this time around. I'm not sure why. Perhaps it's the resurrection of Captain America, or the fact that I finally got my hands on the new America label from my favorite cigar company. Or maybe it's just that Soren turns two tomorrow.  But when I was a kid, the Fourth of July seemed a tedious holiday at best: hot, muggy, too full of relatives, and ending with a late bang. Now, though -- as I become progressively more "strict constructionist" in the political leanings of my cantankerous old age -- it actually means something to me.
Not that things are lightening up, mind you. Today alone I've got three different Eucharist services, at least one home visitation, and a pre-Cana session with a soon-to-be-married couple. One of these days I've got to tell my thesis advisor that there ain't much gettin' done with regards to that Masters.
Other people's lives are interesting, though! The Big O relates for us a tale of Marine Corps legend: it seems that, as part of training Marine medics, instructors bring out a live goat and then shoot the goat in front of them. The medic's aim is then to save the goat's life -- that's the test. Apart from making PeTA apopleptic, what makes this story truly remarkable is that there's apparently one goat that's gone through this six times. Big O extrapolates:
That's right- they don't let him go. They just shoot him again. And again and again. We talk about someone getting shot six times, we usually mean that someone put six bullets in them- not one bullet, patch him up, trot him back out, another bullet, etc. This is one hard goat. Do other goats whisper his name? Do they defer to him in goat meetings? Or does it go the other way? Does he curse every time they grab him? "Me again, no way! No f***ing way! They always pick me! Take Clive, he's a bastard anyway- even his wife doesn't like him!" I wonder if he has a blog?
Meanwhile, the parish Women's Group is making 20 gallons of homemade ice cream for the upcoming Independence Day festivities. (It's also New York Mills' 125th anniversary, so they're really playing this one up.) And the Men's Group has put together what may well be the largest float in the parade around an enormous yellow Newfoundland combine. Sucker's huge. The sign on the side says, "St. Peter's Lutheran Church. We Combine Fellowship and Worship!" with relevant information following.  I'm curious as to whether or not the Shriners will be scooting around in the parade as well; I know the summer's a busy time for them.
Nonsequitor: Ah, Scientology. You're the freaky Internet gift that keeps on giving.
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| | Posted 7/1/2009 9:05 AM - 7 Views - 0 eProps - 1 Comment
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