To the Faithful Few...

I've finally done it: I'm moving. I like the options and ease of formatting of Wordpress, so this blog will exist there from now on. This will stay here for those of who you don't check the other one, or for those who just generally don't like switching bookmarks. So, to all you who actually visit, thank you, and hopefully you'll keep reading. http://mauveavenger21.wordpress.com

Vacation, Part 2: Bunk Houses and Boston

Another great couple days of Shank Family Vacation '08 (SFV08, henceforth). Rainy and cloudy, but great. We started out driving up to Booth Bay Harbor, a quaint little town up the coast a ways from Portland. There were a few shops and stores, but the real appeal was the delicious lobster we had for lunch. With good sweet corn and melted butter. MMMmmmmm. Heavenly. We drove back down to Portland and caught a ferry across the harbor to Peaks Island (pretty much the only way to get there). Another very cool experience, especially in the foggy/misty weather.

Peaks Island had some artillery guns posted on it during World War II, probably something during World War I, and definitely a regiment station for the Civil War. The headquarters for the 8th of Maine is where we stayed last night. The host was a trip. A piece of American history himself, he told us all about the history of the island, why prostitutes are commonly referred to as 'hookers,' and plenty of other random things. He used to train horses and was a professor at Penn State for a while. Probably 16 or 23 other things in his life, too. Anyhow, we ate dinner on the island and found out that the population of the island drops from 4,000 during the summer to 800 in the winter. I guess it gets cold or something.

After spending the night and catching a quick breakfast, we caught the ferry back to Portland. We hung out in the port area of Portland, checking out the shops and various local attractions. It was pretty cool, but some of the shops I wanted to go to were closed until later in the day, and we had things to do. Namely, getting to Boston.

We got here around 1:30, set up camp at our B&B, and headed into downtown. We ate a late lunch at some Italian place, walked around a bunch, rode some elevators up very tall buildings, saw some sights, and eventually ended up in Chinatown. After dinner, mom and dad did their own thing and the boys took the T (Boston's subway) out to Harvard. We walked around the campus, did some more aping of public statues and memorials (something we're making a habit of this time), drank some coffee, and listened to a guy play guitar and harmonica in the street. He was pretty darn good.

Tomorrow we're doing touristy stuff, but as always, trying not to look touristy. Dad and I are going to hit the Sam Adams Brewery, Mom is going to try and find an art museum or something, and I don't know what Daniel and Jared will do. Clam chowder is on the docket, as well as the Freedom Trail. Hopefully tomorrow will be a little sunnier, but it doesn't look good. I do know that tomorrow night we're going to try and see the Blue Man Group. OAR is playing, but the concert is about 40 minutes out of town and we don't have the transportation. Oh well. I guess we'll just have to settle for Blue Man. I love vacation.

Vacation, Part 1: Barber Shops and Christian Science

Yay for family vacation! Seriously, I love our vacations. Two years ago we went whitewater rafting on the Chatooga River with a little backpacking, last year we did a little more backpacking and spent a few days up at a very nice cabin in the mountains near Boone, and this year, it's even better. Let me give you a little jealousy-inspiring taste of our day.

We got up at the awful hour of 5 this morning (don't be jealous yet) and drove to the airport in Raleigh. From there, we flew to La Guardia, and after a very short layover, on up to Manchester, New Hampshire. The second flight was on this tiny little dual-propeller plane. It was awesome. A little nerve-wracking, considering that the blades were going at 2500 rpm (rough guess) and were about 3 feet from the side of the airplane, but cool nonetheless.

After renting a car, we moseyed on over to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, one of the coolest places I have ever been. I'm not even kidding. Coffee shops, breweries, used book stores, public art, and all right on the coast. And the weather! After two months of air conditionless South Carolina sticky heat, the cool ocean breeze of New England was a thing out of a dream. We had lunch at The Portsmouth Brewery, and it was delicious. I had a pulled pork sandwich (very tender, and very good) and a Black Cat Stout that complemented the sandwich marvelously.

After hanging out in downtown for about an hour, we drove on up the coast, passing through small towns, stopping to take a picture or two of the Bush's coastal estate (not the picture featured to the left), and finally ending up at The Morrill Mansion. Me and the brothers are in the Morrill Suite. Oh yes. Be jealous.

After getting settled here, me and the brothers went for a walk down Congress St. Nothing spectacular (lots of things were closed by the time we got there), but we're looking forward to hanging out closer to the port tomorrow. The city seems like Maine's Asheville. There's even a local brewery that we might get to take a tour of.... We got to our restaurant (I can't remember the name) and had trouble deciding what to order since everything sounded wonderful. And we were not disappointed. My cod/sausage/potatoes/clams/peppers were delightful, and everything else I sampled was just as good. Oh, and the Nut Brown Ale I had with the meal was another terrific match.

We got out of there about an hour ago, then pretty much came back here. With such an early start to our day, we're all pretty beat. Daniel is taking a bath using the complimentary herbal bath salts (what a girl), and Jared is watching Liar Liar. Needless to say, we're all having a wonderful time on our first day of vacation, and are looking forward to a fantastic week. Tomorrow we'll hit the coast a little more, and tomorrow night take a ferry out to one of the nearby islands to camp for a night. Thankfully, I brought my pipe.

Sunday Hymn - When I Survey the Wondrous Cross

Well, camp is over, working for Dad is over, and family vacation is about to begin. The book I'm taking along to read on the plane, in the car, and through whatever other means of transportation we may employ, is John Stott's The Cross of Christ. With that in mind, I thought it fitting that this Sunday's hymn be one that focuses on the cross.

When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.

Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the death of Christ my God;
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to His blood.

See from His head, His hands, His feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingled down;
Did e'er such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?

Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small:
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.

Sunday Hymn - Rock of Ages

This was sung in church this morning, and it was a great pre-year preparation for me as I go back to the 'real' world.

Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee;
Let the water and the blood,
From Thy riven side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure;
Save from wrath and make me pure.

Not the labour of my hands
Can fulfill Thy law's demands;
Could my zeal no respite know,
Could my tears forever flow,
All for sin could not atone;
Thou must save, and Thou alone.

Nothing in my hand I bring,
Simply to the cross I cling;
Naked, come to Thee for dress;
Helpless, come to Thee for grace;
Foul, I to the fountain fly;
Wash me, Saviour, else I die.

While I draw this fleeting breath,
When my eyelids close in death,
When I soar to worlds unknown,
See Thee on Thy judgement throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee.

Sunday Hymn - Praise to the Lord, the Almighty

This morning, I have the privilege of attending a Sunday morning worship service put on by Camp Hope's two-weekers. Two week is a session of camp for campers that thrive in the camp atmosphere, or those that have been coming forever, and they stay for (you guessed it) two weeks. The upshot of that is that they are all there Sunday morning, an occurrence that doesn't happen the rest of the summer. So, they do a church service.

I was going to do All Creatures of Our God and King this morning, as a reminder that no matter what your mental capacity, everyone is called to worship God: it's our purpose. And honestly, I know of no men of more tender heart than those Hope campers. Their capacity for love is deeply convicting. But, because that song was up here three weeks ago (give or take), here's a similar one.

Praise to the Lord,
The Almighty, the King of creation!
O my soul, praise Him,
For He is thy health and salvation!
All ye who hear,
Now to His temple draw near;
Praise Him in glad adoration.

Praise to the Lord,
Who over all things so wondrously reigneth,
Shelters thee under His wings,
Yea, so gently sustaineth!
Hast thou not see
How all your longings have been
Granted in what He ordaineth?

Praise to the Lord,
Who doth prosper thy work and defend thee;
Surely His goodness
And mercy here daily attend thee.
Ponder anew
What the Almighty can do,
If with His love He befriend thee.

Praise to the Lord,
O let all that is in me adore Him!
All that hath life and breath,
Come now with praises before Him.
Let the Amen
Sound from His people again,
Gladly for aye we adore Him.

Sunday Hymn - O Love That Will Not Let Me Go

This Saturday was the hardest Saturday of the summer for me. I had one kid this week (because of unknown issues, I can't post his name or picture) that was just... hard to let go. Because of his home situation, he has been in children's home after children's home for the past 5 years. Even though he sees his mother and brothers from time to time, because of the family history, he hasn't been able to live with them. Maybe it's for the better, maybe it's not, but the point is, he doesn't really have a home.

When he left today, we took a long walk from the play area to his car, and he just began to weep. "I don't want to go. I don't want to go." he repeated. He hugged each of us (his counselors) fiercely. I told him that "no matter what, that here he is loved and here he has a home." Weeping, he got into the car. And, weeping, we waved him off. I love every one of my campers, but when you get one who you know is going back into a poisonous situation, it makes the parting all the harder. But even though we can't keep them, I'm comforted knowing that there is a God who loves them, no matter what.

O Love that will not let me go,
I rest my weary soul in thee;
I give thee back the life I owe,
That in thine ocean depths its flow
May richer, fuller be.

O Light that followest all my way,
I yield my flickering torch to thee;
My heart restores its borrowed ray,
That in thy sunshine's blaze its day
May brighter, fairer be.

O Joy that seekest me through pain,
I cannot close my heart to thee;
I trace the rainbow through the rain,
And feel the promise is not vain,
That morn shall tearless be.

O Cross that liftest up my head,
I dare not ask to fly from thee;
I lay in dust life's glory dead,
And from the ground there blossoms red
Life that shall endless be.