Hello Everyone,

Just a word of explanation about some of the subjects in this week's edition. The Church Mystery Dinner was something arranged by the Pheros. Basically, some people were hosts and some people were guests, and the Pheros mixed and matched us. The mystery part was, for the hosts, not knowing, until that Sunday, who they were having and, for the guests, not knowing where they were going. It was a great idea. Thanks, Pheros for arranging it. I think everything else is pretty much self-explanatory.

Another thing. This edition of the Sat. Even. Post carries good news and bad news, just as any good newspaper does. I figured I'd give you the bad news first...

Obituary Column

Moody, the guinea pig, passed away one cold blustery morning this fall. The rodent patriarch is survived by a whole cage full of descendants as well as his bereaved owner, Grasswoman.

The funeral procession started out at the barn...

...and ended under the ole apple tree in Grassroots Cemetery, where the deceased now lies with many late members of the small pet species.

The Day the Camera Came

Charity said "Humph" and went back to her book.

But later she built this - just so I that would have something impressive to photograph.

And Mervin did this - just so that I would have something graphic to photograph.

And Candace made these. It's very obvious why - just so that I would have something delectable to photograph.

Dad didn't even say "Humph" but kept right on reading his biography on the Roosevelts.

Later, though, he had to rescue the camera from a dangerous amateur (you know... the kind that don't know what anything means but start changing all the settings anyway).

"Wait for lessons, son. Wait for lessons."

Then, because he had to wait for lessons, I had something belligerent to photograph.

I tell you! The threats to a new camera from brothers! Clayton tried to drive his fist through the end of the lens the very first day.

Christian, at least, seemed to take things calmly and continued his job of picking up rocks.

SEEMED

All this photography starts to get to Dad:

*defensively* "This thing can take pictures too you know."

Finally. Somebody posed.

Candace was so excited when she first got her hands on it that she sprouted wings. :)

Would someone tell me what's the big deal?! It's just a camera.

Look Who's Here!

Mr. Raine! He's back on the blog! And he brought one of his ideas with him. You'll just have to wait and see.

Mercy to Martha: "Since I gave you this, you need to give me a hug."

That was an actual quote, and this is the actual hug.

Conrad finally gets his "lessons."

Hmm... let's see... what could I convince Emma to buy today?

(Out in the store.)

Emma, this book is about dinosaurs big enough to eat you!! Don't you want to find out more?!

Emma's not buying any of this.

They actually got Emma interested enough to look through a photography book. Photography? Who would have thought.

Faith planning mischief with the label printer.

Mischief with a capital M. (Enlarge to read label.)

By the way, this is the first giveaway in the history of this blog; I'm giving away the Raines' camera. Wonder what they'll say? ;-)

This is just what I needed.

Let me introduce you to the pros, veritable veteran quilters.

These pros know exactly which finger the thimble goes on.

(Please tell me you can hear the sarcasm.)

They know which is the best "thread" to use and which "scissors" cuts with one clean snip.

They know which are the finest, most precise tools for measuring a single stitch.

"Quilters never lie... they just go to pieces."

I tell you, they could not keep straight faces. I have more pictures like this than I do of anything else...

The satisfaction of a job well done.

Talk about a job well done... just get us started. (Just boasting.)

Pride goeth before a bawl.

Mrs. Raine - one of the few sensible people in our two families. I mean, really, she uses a needle when she quilts.

Mystery Sunday

The mystery of what Mr, Jackson is talking about.

The mystery of what Kara is looking at.

And the real mystery - the mystery of where the Claytons (and everybody else) are going for lunch.

"To get to our house, you go down Schoeneck Road, you turn left onto Indiantown Road, then you keep going until..."

Dad draws a blank on what road we live on.

Mr. Einwechter knows exactly how to get to his house. I mean, nobody ever forgets such a thing right?!

Mr. Phero: Just so you know, everybody, I'm the one who put this whole thing together.

You mean they gave you the Einwechters and the Mills?? No fair!

Somebody told everybody to bring enough dessert for everybody that was going to be at somebody's house so that nobody would have to go without. In the end, everybody's dessert ended up being enough for eighty somebodies. It's amazing how much of of everybody's eighty dessert servings were eaten by only thirty somebodies. In fact, it's scary.

Showing the girls the store... "We have that one at home."

Abigail, you would have to say that; it's what everybody says that comes in here.

"And we have this one and this one and..."

*hopeless sigh* See. I told you. Everybody says it.

Well, uh... Hi yourself, Philip.

Scott is initiated into the mysteries of CatchPhrase.

Let me guess, Josiah. It's a three-word phrase.