Friday, May 30, 2008

Flash

I found out today that there is a vulnerability in the Flash player if you don't have the latest version.

You really need to check which version of Flash you are running (on all browsers you have installed) Firefox's flash can be a different version than IE. And when you patch one, that does NOT patch the other one. You can check which version you are running at http://kb.adobe.com/selfservice/viewContent.do?externalId=tn_15507&sliceId=1

And if you need to upgrade to the latest version you can do that at
http://www.adobe.com/shockwave/download/download.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash

BTW, when you check, the latest Windows version should look like WIN 9,0,124,0

Monday, May 26, 2008

Cub World Camping Trip


Armor
Originally uploaded by jarrard@swbell.net
Over the weekend, we had our camping trip to Cub World at Zinc Ranch. It was a lot of fun.
This year, we camped near a castle they have built there, so they had the boys make swords, shields and swords. My wife and I made his sword and shield. It was really cool and he likes them very much. Then Friday, I made his helmet. It wasn't as cool as I would like, but its not bad. It even has padding in the helmet. He was happy with the set, so we were ready for our camping trip.

So, we went Saturday morning and had a great time. The grass was WAY high, but the castle rocked!!! The kids had a great time storming the castle and fighting for ground. It was an awesome time. Saturday, my boy got hurt though. He was at the castle playing and basically ran into a pole. I'm not sure if it was inside or out, but he gave himself a little shiner.



Inside
Originally uploaded by jarrard@swbell.net


Outside
Originally uploaded by jarrard@swbell.net

Memorial Day


IMAG0216
Originally uploaded by jarrard@swbell.net
Every year, Floral Haven raises hundreds of casket flags of US servicemen who's flags have been given to them. There were hundreds of flags all over. It was a wonderful site!

On Memorial Day, they lower all the flags, and it's a huge undertaking, so they have invited all the Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts and Brownies to come help. This is the second year me and my boy have been able to go and help take down the flags.

This year, we started with my grandfathers flag. He served in the US Navy and died 10 years ago this summer. It was very heart warming to see my son and his friends lower my grandfathers flag and fold it.

Saturday, May 24, 2008

Camping trip?

We woke up to rain this morning. Rain and camping just doesn't mix. It's not too bad if you set up dry and are there long enough for everything to dry out before packing up. As it is, the ground is probably already soaked.

Well, here we go.

Friday, May 23, 2008

Better gas mileage

As everyone knows, gas now costs an arm and a leg. Last week it cost me over $100 to fill up both vehicles. This is just pretty crazy, and I know it's not going to get better. Also with all the ethenol the gas companies are putting into the gas, my miles per gallon has dropped.

The gas mileage usually runs between 22.3 and 27.7 mpg. I think once I've had the car to over 30 mpg.

I watched a news story a couple weeks ago about slowing down would help with fuel efficiency, so I decided to give it a try. I decided that I'd not drive faster than around 62 mph.

After the first tank of gas, I got 29.5 mpg. Yesterday, I just filled up from my second tank, and I got 30.2 mpg. It really does help. At least for the first 2 weeks I've tried it, I've raise my fuel efficiency by around 10%. That's about a 1 way trip to Tulsa I'm saving each week. Over a months time that will save me enough for 2 round trips to Tulsa! Which is close to half a tank.

And the truth is, you don't lose that much time going somewhere. At 65 mph you can go 65 miles in 1 hour (hence the catchy name). But at least on a daily basis, I'm not going 65 miles. I'm going about 25 miles or so. So it takes me about 1-2 minutes longer to get to work than if i drove 65.

For the moment, I plan on continuing to drive at around 62.

Thursday, May 22, 2008

Overwhelmed

Do you ever have so much to do, you just completely and utterly overwhelmed?

On the bright side, with this busy weekend coming up, hopefully I'll have some good blog fodder.

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

How does your garden grow?

Well, I've had 2 posts today cause I've been reminded that it's been over a month since I last posted. I'm not sure it counts but I've thought about it a lot.

Anyway, My garden is doing pretty well, though the brussel sprouts didn't come up.

I found it very amusing that I already have 3 tomatoes and 1 jalapeƱo. The corn is doing nicely as well.





Spelling Words

Now that school is about over, I wanted to share with everyone this WONDERFUL piece of software I found a little over a month ago. It's called My Spelling Words.

My boy had been having some problems with his spelling words in school. In fact, it was getting worse. Before I found this program, the last 3 tests were F, F, D. The conventional ways of writing your spelling words out over and over just wasn't working, at least for him.

So, I did what any good geek dad would do, I hit Google and that's when I found this program.

The reviews of it were great, but I don't put much faith in reviews that are listed on the software's own web page... who knows i they were really written or not.

But it had a 30 day free trial, so I figured what did we have to lose?

First week using this program to help him study his words, he made a 100%!!!

WOW!!! But was it just a fluke?

Week 2, 100%, Week 3, 100%!


At this point, I figured it was worth the $20. But it continues.


Week 4, 95%, Week 5 100%

Needless to say, I can't say enough good things about this program.

you do need a sound card and a microphone if you are going to use it.

Friday, April 11, 2008

Dusk Fishing


IMAG0138
Originally uploaded by jarrard@swbell.net
Saturday evening my boy and I were fishing late, and as the sun set behind the hill, I noticed how beautiful this view was, so I got my phone and took a picture.

You may have to click to enlarge, but the colors are just amazing, well, in my opinion they are.

I was excited about how it came out.

I was sad that I lost a fish in the process.

Thursday, April 10, 2008

Geocaching

I first heard of Geocaching from Steven a couple years ago but didn't have a GPS to give it a try. About a month ago, I got a new cel phone that runs Windows Mobile and has a built in GPS in it (more on my phone later). So, after searching a bit on Geocaching and for some software that I could use with geocaching, my boy and I went for our first hunt.

We had a blast! I had found a cache that was close to the house, and went up to see if he was up to go on a treasure hunt. Not only did he say it sounded fun, but he put down his DS, and picked out something to leave in the cache and came happy as could be.

When we found the cache, he wanted to go find another one. Since I only had the one loaded in the phone, I told him no, but we could do more later.

I've got 4 more loaded up and ready to go.

As we were leaving, we caught a great sunset.


UPDATE:
I forgot to mention that this was the cache we found.

Tuesday, April 08, 2008

Storms

Well, it's 3:45 a.m. About an hour ago if that, I was awaken to tornado sirens.

I get up, and turn on the TV and check the computer to see whats going on. Sure enough, rotation west of Sperry, headed this way.

I watch the TV for a bit to really make sure that it's headed this way.

Let me explain for my non-Okie friends, tornadoes can go in a V shaped path from the point of the rotation. So, paths can very a pretty good distance, and even though you are in the path, if you are on one of the outside paths, then, you're pretty safe... if you are in the center, well, not so much.

We were in the center of the path.

So, I woke up my wife, and we watched the weather reports for a while. We didn't want to wake the kids for no reason. I don't want them to feel like we cry wolf or in the case of my boy, grow up scared of storms (And in my bedroom every night it storms).

Things were going ok. It was on track straight for our town, but no rotation had been spotted, and it seemed to be weakening. I was feeling pretty good about going back to bed. Then they cut to a storm chaser*. He said he was a bit east of my town, and was watching the storm. He saw confirmed rotation above my town! Hello, that got my attention, so I did what any self respecting redneck would do, I walked out on the back porch to see for myself.

But when the winds got very strong and hail started pummeling the house so I came back in. Then the tornado indexes shot up on the storm (they had dropped low) and the storm chaser talked about seeing a power flash in town, and another. Did you catch that? IN TOWN.

I was looking out the window at the same time looking for his power flashes, and then I saw one! It was either AT the church next door, or across the street! About the same time my wife said OK as I said NOW!

I hollered at my daughter to get up and head to the basement and I ran up the stairs and grabbed my son and we all ran to the basement! I got my daughter under the stairs wrapped in a blanket. My wife sat down at her feet and our son crawled up in her lap, and they wrapped up in a blanket. I stood posed to cover them up if necessary... then I realized, I didn't have a blanket to protect me from anything.

So, again, I did what any self respectin redneck would do, I came upstairs to get one, and since I was upstairs, I might as well look out the window. I took a quick look, and then as I headed to get a blanket, I grabbed the remote and turned up the TV nice and loud so we could hear it downstairs! I grabbed a blanket, and went back downstairs. I wrapped the blanket over my back, and was prepared to throw myself on my family to protect them from anything that might come.

We waited for a bit and listened... and waited. Then I did what any self respecting nerd would do, and pulled up the radar on my phone. It looked like it had passed, so I came back up and verified it was good, and the family came back up and everyone headed back to bed.

Except me. I decided to blog. I've been in many storms in my life. Gone to the cellar more times than I care to count, but I don't believe I have ever been this scared.

As I sit here typing this, another round of VERY heavy storms above the house. I keep hitting save just in case I lose power.

Anyway, it looks like that's it. Guess I'll watch a bit more TV and then try to go to bed soon... the alarm will go off before I'd like it to.

(oh, and the hail was about pea sized or so)

*Storm Chasers - again, for my non-okie friends storm chasers are people that are a few fries short of a Happy Meal, and when strong storms come out, they get in the cars and chase these storms. Some chase from behind, some from in front! They have their phone, and cameras and other high tech gear (now anyway), and report into the TV station what they are seeing. Now, don't get me wrong about saying they are a few fries short. They really do help the stations let people know whats going on.

Sunday, April 06, 2008

Garden and stuff

Yesterday (Saturday) I decided to get the tiller working again. The pull string broke last year, and I said I'd fix it before the Spring.... well, Spring got here, and I didn't have it fixed.

So, if we are going to have any veggies, I have to get the tiller fixed, or break out the hoe and get to work. So, I go to Atwoods and get a replacement, I get home and finally figure out how to change it out.

While doing that, I realized the belts are in sad shape. So sad, I'm surprised they didn't break instead. That got me to thinking, so I checked the air filter, and it was in sad shape as well. So, I take them off and head back to Atwoods.

They no longer make the same type of air filter, but i found one that was similar, and got it. But I don't know the length of my belts... so I walk around looking for the tape measures. I then try to measure the belts. I go back to the other side of the store, and get the belts.

After getting home and trying to get the belts on, I realize that one belt was to big, the other, too small. So, I cut them and measure them... sure enough, one was 1 inch to large, the other 1 inch to small. Since I was going through all this trouble, I checked the spark plug, and I'm surprised it could spark.

Anyway, I finally get everything replaced and put back together, and couldn't get it started... I gave up and went fishing. Got 2 small perch.

Today, after church, I got back out there, and emptied out the old gas, and put in fresh, and got it to start up. So, I got the garden tilled. In celebrations, I went fishing. Didn't catch anything. Because of everything that has been going on, and how hard this week has been for my wife, we stayed home to spend some time as a family, and we went ahead and planted the garden. We have corn, and brussel sprouts, jalapeƱos, and tomatoes. We already have some onions, cilantro, and oregano going. My boy wants some cucumbers, but I need to till up some more dirt before I can get them planted.

Thursday, April 03, 2008

More Prayer

Last Tuesday, I asked for prayer, and I thank you. Today I ask for it again, but for a different reason.

Yesterday morning (Wednesday), Treiton passed away. He was the sweetest 6.5 year old I knew. He was funny and brave. He enjoyed life and lived it to the fullest.

Please pray for his family and everyone who knew him as they morn his passing. Our heads tell us his in a better place now. He's no longer in pain, and is in the presence of our Lord. But our hearts miss him terribly. And for my wife and I, we see our boy, and see what his parents will miss.

His funeral is set for Saturday.

Saturday, March 29, 2008

Debt

Well, on October 15th, 2002, we had around $31,000 in debt, most of that credit cards. We actually had more, cause we had the house and the car, but we had 31K of stupid debt.

Today, 5 years and 5 months since we started, we made the last payment on our stupid debt. And let me tell you how good it feels! It's incredible!

We still have a car loan, and our house payment, but everything else is paid off!!!

Well, I'm going to get off here and go see about buying that boat I saw for sale.

Just joking. Actually, going to finally start up my 401K again at work, and adding to the car payment to get it paid off faster, and also trying to get some money saved up.

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Fishin

We went fishing today. I'm really enjoying the Collinsville Lake (Pond). It's nice to be able to drive to the lake, fish, and be back in 1:15, and fished for about an hour.

We did pretty good. I caught 4 fish, and my boy caught 1. 1 crappie, 1 bass, and 3 perch. All too small to keep, but it's always fun catchin. I took pictures of 4 of the 5 fish, but too small to mess with putting up here.

The weekend calls for rain and cooler temps, so probably wont go out this weekend.

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Prayer

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. Eph 6:18 (NIV)

I know many that read my blog are Christians, and I ask each and every one of you, right now, to please, take a moment, and pray for a little boy named Treiton.

He is the son of my wifes life long friend. He has been battling cancer for a couple years now, and had been doing well. Tonight, he's fighting for his life. We don't know what the problem is. We know his kidneys aren't working well, his blood pressure is down and his heart rate up. Last I heard, they think an infection may be causing it, and with his weakened immune system, it's tearing him up.

He is one of the most precious kids I've ever had the privilege to meet.

Our God is alive and well! He has made us, and can heal this little boy. I believe in the power of prayer, and at the same time my heart breaks for this little boy. Younger than my own boy by a year or so.

Also, please keep his family, and especially his parents in your prayers.

Sunday, March 09, 2008

Hair-less

Or maybe less hair would be a better title.

I got all crazy this weekend and shaved.

About 2 weeks ago, I shaved my beard back into a goatee, but today, I shaved almost everything else off.

Back in September, I started growing out my goatee into a beard, and didn't mess with it until the day after Thanksgiving. I trimmed it down, and kept the beard trimmed until Saturday when I shaved. I took pictures then, so you can see the before here.

And here is the after.....





wait for it.....





ok, you ready?




Here you go

(Click for larger view)

I realized that I have had either a goatee or a beard for over 11 years!!! My wife had never seen my upper lip. Every time she looks at me, she laughs. She hasn't decided yet if she likes it or not. I had a lady at church tell me today, I look about 10 years younger. I don't know about 10 years, but I will agree I look younger.

Friday, March 07, 2008

Ram it?

Today, I went out to lunch with a few of the guys at work and as we were walking to the car, we passed this Dodge truck, and well, I guess the tag and pictures say it all.



For those that can't read the tag, it says "If you can't Dodge it, Ram it!"

Looks like he did.

Saturday, March 01, 2008

Spring fever

I guess you'd say I have a full case of Spring Fever. After the fishing trip this morning, my boy and I washed the car and the truck... Planning on charcoaling some trout on the grill later.

It's a beautiful warm, sunny, windy day. It's 3:21 and 73 degrees.

I'm really hoping all this activity will help me get my strength back from being sick all week.

Fishin

It's been a long week with both me and my boy having the flu. So, today, we got up, ate some donuts, and went fishin. We went to the Collinsville Lake to give it a try. Not quite sure if I'd really call it a lake or not, but it was a place close by to go for a nice little fishing trip.

We had fun, and my boy even caught a little bass.

It's days like this that build memories.

(click for a larger picture)

And yes, I have seen bait larger than that fish.