Bureaucrats - Bah Humbug! and other things.

Yes, I'm alive and fair-to-middlin well, thank you very much!

As you're all aware by now (or should be) Alycia, Danny and Taylor have been back in Canada since the end of July and I have been (and still am) very happy about the matter.

The main reason they had to come back to Canada was to renew their Visas to stay and work in the UK.

And now is the time for me to get MAD!

Well, it seems that some Power-hungry bureaucratic underling at the British High Commissioners Office in Ottawa has decided to DENY their Visa applications!

Now it was a hard decision for me to make, but I have joined a group called "HELP BRING DANNY, ALYCIA AND TAYLOR BACK HOME"! Seeing as how the group was formed in the UK, that's where HOME is!

The group is located on FACEBOOK, which not all of you are signed up on! And even if you are on FACEBOOK, you may not have got the message!

And now, something to get you happy again- Pictures:

The New Roughrider Fan!

Danny, 1 day after arriving in Canada!

Alycia's new photo ID!

That's it for now. I know, it was rather quick, but Remember

GOD LOVES YOU!

(even if you are a bureaucrat)

I HAVE RECEIVED THE CALL TO SPREAD THE NEWS!

That's right, I got the call yesterday!

Alycia phoned and now I get to pass on the news and tell everybody what has been happening during the last week (or what I can remember and get right)!

The major topic was about our amazing Danny! He had his surgery on Tuesday (that's when they implanted the "revealer" - not collector like I mistaking called it last time). It was a local procedure which means he was awake but not feeling anything - local freezing, or so I believe. [Well, our Danny decided to test out the system and had one of his heart stopping sessions whilst on the table (some guys will do almost anything to get attention - just ask me)! The doctors and staff jump started our guy and there seems to be no effect (other than nerves getting frizzled)!] REFER TO THE COMMENT SECTION, AT BOTTOM OF BLOG, FOR CORRECTION!

But when Danny got home and the freezing started to wear off - well the first few days were not the best of times! There has been quite a bit of pain and discomfort! He has not been able to do anything like drive, help around the house, carry things, get groceries, and worst of all, he can't hold Taylor! - much to his and Taylor's displeasure! But he has been getting better with each day - when Alycia phoned yesterday, Danny and Joey had the game box going and were catching up on some of their old moves!

At least Danny will be able to get some rest over the next couple of days because all the LifeFORCE Teams are finished and have gone their separate ways! The debriefing finished on Tuesday and by Thursday they were all gone - someone else drove them to the airport and such!

This has meant that Alycia had to pick up her pace around the home and discover some new joys of parenting - such as making meals with a baby in her "arms", getting out for groceries with a baby in her "arms", cleaning the house with a baby in her "arms", doing laundry with a baby in her "arms", taking care of a baby with a baby in her "arms" (now that would be hard)!

But overall, things are going great! The mad rushes are over, their both catching up on the paper work, burning DVDs, preparing presentations, and looking to the future!

The brightest light in the near future is that they will be back in Canada on July 22nd! They managed to move their travel date up a few days and Taylor's passport came in the mail, so it's homward bound in a few short weeks! Danny will be staying in Calgary for a bit to do some LifeFORCE work, but Alycia and Taylor are coming straight down to Regina so they can get a head start on all the hugs, kisses, ooohhhs and aaawwws, tears, laughter, and swapping of stories with family, old friends and neighbours!

Now I know there haven't been any pictures for awhile and there aren't any new ones now, but that's beside the point. I've gone back over a couple of Alycia's albums and found some older and newer pictures that I thought could be added to this edition, so here we go:

A.

B.

C.

D.

E.

F.

G.

H.

I.

J.

Now you've probably noticed that the pictures have been identified by letters, but there are no captions! While, there is a reason to my madness (so said King George). I am going to put a list of captions below and what I was hoping you would do (if you want and have the time and like skill testing contests and, and, and,) is fill up your coffee mug, get a piece of paper and pencil and match up the pictures with the captions! Now, doesn't that sound like fun? OK, maybe it doesn't, but I'm just trying to get you to waste some more of your time that could be better spent than relaxing!

So, go ahead, enjoy, take your time, work quietly - but no cheating! The answers are in the comment section.

(1) I had THAT in my mouth! (2) "ROIDS" win every time! (3) That was some lunch! (4) Oh Look Dear, matching luggage! (5) What do you mean - were's my ID? (6) Don't you want one just like me? (7)Which is the real WAX comic? (8) Must have been something I ate! (9) Out there somewhere! (10) Aly oops!

Until next time, remember: GOD LOVES YOU!

THERE'S EVEN SOMETHING FOR THE GUYS IN THIS ONE!

Hopefully, I've got everyones' interest peaked with the title! But guys, just stay cool and you'll get the news in a bit.

And for you women, please do not skip to the end and spoil the men's fun!

As with the previous submission, there's not to much in this edition as well. Just a brief update on the what's, where's and welfares of our favourite family in the deepest, dampest, darkest, etc., etc., etc., West Midlands, UK!

Our lovely Taylor was in the clinic on Monday (just a regular check up) and she's now a healthy 10 lbs 11 oz! The nurse is coming - or probably has been - to the house today for another check up! I have been informed (by an unimpeachable source) that Ms DeLong is the perfect baby! Sleeps alot of the day and night (unfortuneatley in 3 - 4 hour spurts), receives nourishment several times during the day and night, and enjoys life to the fullest (in some cases the fullest diaper) in between all this sleeping, slurping (burping, sneezing, and clearing of sinus cavities)!

A word of encouragement, for LifeFORCE UK, comes from the news that 2 more schools have expressed an interest in getting involved with Project Gambia! But the main problem still lies with the fact that corporate and government funding, i.e.: grants, is next to impossible to get! It seems grants are only for in-school presentations; in the UK projects; or buying the odd box of crayons! Funding to help students get those crayons to The Gambia doesn't seem to be available!

On another encouraging event: LifeFORCE teams have finished their "tours of duty" and are joining up in the UK for the-end-of-the-season debriefing! It was decided to do the wrap-up in England this year because about 90% (my guess) of the young people are from the UK and sending everyone to Calgary and back to the UK would have cost a little more that just having the leader of LifeFORCE (Lindsay Hodges) come to the UK! So that's what happened. Lindsay is now in Wednesbury (sleeping on Alycia and Danny's chesterfield) for a few days! Danny was a blurr in motion yesterday (but then again, when isn't he?)! He went to London in the morning to pick up the team from Canada and then had to go back to London in the afternoon to pick up the team from Malta! The team in the UK actually finishes their tour today, so it's going the be a very interesting weekend and first couple of days next week! There is bound to be some stories coming out of that!

Now then, as for Danny! He is scheduled to have the "collector" (I hope I got it right) implanted in his chest on Tuesday, May 20th! As that is right in the middle of the debriefings, I wouldn't be surprised if they won't have to sedate him a little be more than normal and then strap him to his bed if order to keep him from running all over the place!

Alycia is going to go the the doctor again about the trouble with her vision! The treatment for that old tumour is still playing games!

So, let's keep both of them (plus the others) at the top of our pray chains, requests and devotionals!

Now for a bit about the blog! You may have noticed a second link to another photo album and how at first it worked, then didn't work properly, then didn't work at all, and has now been deleted! There is a perfectly good explaination for that! IT DROVE ME NUTS! After several conversations, discussions, arguements, and threats between myself, the computer, the album program, and the blog program, I decided to take a break and go watch the grass in the backyard grow while I let my ego and hand heal (I was surprised at how well my computer monitor took that right jab and some slaps-up-side-the-head)!

But, seeing as how there aren't any new pictures for me to post anyway, I won't be facing any aggravation for a little while longer!

I hope you are as happy as I am, to see that Alycia got an update on her blog site (refer link at left)! I enjoyed it immensely, until I realized that in 1 fell swoop she has overshadowed 4 months of my hard fought-for accomplishments and efforts to keep you all up to date - how can I ever top those mental picture of used diapers; "fresh linen" air spray; and twin jets of stomach overflow shooting from 2 tiny nostrils!

Well, once again I thank you for your time and will leave where I left you at the beginning - the title! Now gentlemen, I must congratulate and thank you all on being there for your wives as they ooohhed and aawwed, chuckled and nodded their heads at what usually ended up as series of stories for them! I know there are only a few "guy" things in those earlier bogs (besides the mad rush of Danny), so here we go - this one is for you:

Men of all ages, take heart - Shania and "Mutt" have split!

Until next time, remember: GOD LOVES YOU!

ONLY ONCE A YEAR CAN THIS HAPPEN!

In an effort to try and make this edition at least a bit more interesting, your going to have to wait till the end to find out what I mean with the Title!

In the mean time, I hope you are all doing well and have had a wonderful and enjoyable week! Mine certainly has, along with the usual bumping into walls, doorways, and tripping over shadows!

It's been almost a week since I've heard anything from England, so this edition is going to be a lot shorter than others! There aren't even any pictures! But please, don't leave now and I will explain!

Dave and Ruth left the UK last Monday, so they should be back in Canada (somewhere) by now. While in London Alycia, Danny and Taylor went to the Canadian Embassy to finish applying for Taylor's passport, so Alycia's hoping they won't have to smuggle her in a suitcase when the time comes!

Also, while in London, they met up with Danny's sister, Beckie, and her boyfriend and spent the day together! They all went to Madame Toussaude's Wax Museum (through most of which Taylor slept)!

But now it's just the 3 of them trying to get into a regular routine of taking care of Taylor, taking naps, catching up on phone calls, taking naps, catching up on e-mails, taking naps, carrying on with LifeFORCE and Church work, taking naps, catching up on sleep and taking naps! Nothing really major!

Alycia had sent me a couple web site addresses, where she has her FACEBOOK photo albums! I had tried to link the sites into the blog, but once again the blog worked it's mysterious mannerisms and the links didn't work! Now the FACEBOOK sites have 'timed out' out and even I can't get to them anymore! It seems the only people who can see all of Alycia's collections (and they are beautiful to behold) are those of you who belong to FACEBOOK!

So, that's about all there is! I told you there wasn't much this time! I guess this is just really to let you all know that we are still around and ready to 'go-at-it' at a moments notice!

Now for the moment you've all been waiting for - WHAT DOES HE MEAN WITH THE TITLE? Well here it is, courtesy of My Dad! What is so intriguing is that this expression can only be used ONCE A YEAR - and today is the day! So if you wait till tomorrow to read it, you will have missed the significance! ARE YOU READY?

MAY THE FOURTH BE WITH YOU!

Until next time, remember:

GOD LOVES YOU!

It's KETCHUP Time!

Is everbody ready?

That's fabulous, because it's actually CATCH-UP TIME!

OK, everybody together now, 1 - 2 - 3: GROAN!

Yeah, I know, I know! But that's about how I feel after the last couple of days! But more of that later!

By now you've found the photo album and realized it's just an accumulation of all the photos that have appeared in the various blogs (more or less). This way, if you want to look at a particular photo, you don't have to go searching through the different blogs - just check out the album! I just thought it might make it easier to admire the center of attraction (and all this time you thought it was my extraordinary style of prose and whit)!

I'm not totally up on how the album site works yet, so it's just a case of experimentation when it comes to doing things with it! But I'm working on it! Hope you enjoy it!

Anyway, back to merry ol' England (or close anyway)! Danny is in Malta right now, helping the LifeFORCE team get adjusted to a different pace of ministries! He went down last week and should be home tomorrow!

My brother and sister in grandparenting are still (reportedly) having a terrific time! Although Grandpa Dave is still waiting for some warm, dry weather (I can relate to that - anyone else?)! Alycia says that they have discovered the IKEA store, it's within walking distance, and they offer a cheap breakfast with free coffee refills (although the coffee cups are about the size of a child's play-set-sized-tea-cup)!

The Health Services person came the other day and Taylor weighs 9 lbs 2 ozs and is eating (?) constantly! But I'm pretty sure she takes a break now and then!

That's pretty much it from the UK, so I'll tack on the latest pictures (already in the album):

A. Sweet!
A.

B. Sweeter!

B.

C. Sweetest!

C.

A. The Name Says It All!
A.

B. Life Is SO Hard!

B.

C. Aw, My Usual Postion!

C.

This next photo needs a bit of an explanation: it seems Danny has the camera with him in Malta and so when Taylor started to smile, Alycia couldn't use anything else but the camera on Danny's mobile phone! Afterward, when she had more time, Alycia took this picture of the mobile phone! Ingenious and inventive!

A. A Picture To Phone Home About!

A.

And that's it from the UK!

Alrighty, it's later and now I'm going to keep you amused and amazed at the fun(?) and games(?) I had getting the photo album the way it is!

To start with, the album host is 'Picasa', which is inturn hosted by 'Google'. Now, the blog site, 'Blogger', is also hosted by 'Google'. It seems that you can't use different passwords for the different sites as long as your e-mail address is the same! So I used my blog password to set up the album - and 'Google' (being so kind) automatically uploaded all the photos from the blogs into the album! That seem OK and saved some time - until I noticed there were duplicates, and even triplicates, of some photos! That's where the fun started! You cannot delete a photo from the album without having it deleted from the blog! So when I deleted an extra copy of the photo from the album, that photo disappearted from the blog! When I put the picture back in the blog, you guessed it, it was back in the album as another copy - AARRGGHH!

After a few days of playing around with that issue, I got it so I had an album that I could upload to and delete from without affecting any blogs - but now I can't remember how!

RATZZ!

Then, I couldn't get an album for just viewing - it keep showing up with all the 'edit' functions! And I'm not about to let some of you nice folks in on that - sorry, but that's the way the diaper gets changed!

Anyway, after several more attempts (over a few more days) - EUREKA, I HAD IT! But I can't remember how I did that either - DOUBLE RATZZ!

But, there is now a photo album that works (for the moment) and I'll enjoy my success and keep trying!

Now the appearance of this blog will probably not match what I've entered it as, but I'm getting used to that as well!

This experience brought to mind the following Bible verse. It's from the NIV translation of the Holy Bible, from the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 6, verse 34:

"THEREFORE DO NOT WORRY ABOUT TOMORROW, FOR TOMORROW WILL WORRY ABOUT ITSELF. EACH DAY HAS ENOUGH TROUBLE OF ITS OWN." Undoubtebly, I've taken that quote out of context, but I do not think that's the first time it's happened with the Bible!

Well, I think that's enough for now, so until next time:

REMEMBER - GOD LOVES YOU, AND SO DO MANY, MANY MORE!

IT'S SHOW AND TELL TIME!

They say 1 picture paints a 1,000 words! OK, then get ready to read 19 - 1,000 word (give or take) Chapters in a New Short Novel, about a certain DeLong familly in Wednesbury, West Midland, UK!

1. On Cloud 9!

2. It doesn't look like Mom's; It doesn't feel like Mom's;

and it sure doesn't TASTE like Mom's!

3. A Couple of Busy Bees Getting Some ZZZs!

1 2 3


4. A Winter Wonder Land!

5. Two of MY Favourite Ladies!

6. The Polka Dot Bandit!

4. 5. 6.

7. Very Proud, Very Happy Grandparents!

8. This isn't what I usually get from Mom!

9. Why do I Always Seem to be Sideways?

7. 8. 9.

10. Hey, That's Cheating!

11. This Looks Familiar!

10. 11.

12. I Told You Not To Do That! 13. Aw, Gramma to the Rescue!

12. 13.

14. I'm Warning You!

15. Giggle, Giggle; Tee Hee! Gotcha!

14. 15.

16. All This Work! Of Course I'm Tired!

17. Come Any Closer And I'll Sneeze!

16. 17.

18. Gramma's Getting Good At This!
18.

19. But Dad Wins The Prize!
19.

As far as 'word pictures', you can tell that nobody has really been taking time off! As a matter of fact it's the week of Taylor's first month's check-ups! From what Alycia says, everything is going great and all's well in every department! It's the samo-samo, everyday routine of mostly mayhem and panic, interseeded with brief spurts of chaos! But they do have a fair sized fan-club to keep happy - don't they!

There will be, no doubt, more and more as time goes on! If some of you worry about how much sleep Taylor's getting - don't! Having heard (and been there - got a few T shirts), in a few days, weeks, months, years, decades, these times will be remembered with fondness. It seems just like yesterday when I was in one or two of Alycia's present positions ... enough of those thoughts, I leave them for some dark and stormy night!

One thing that I will admit now is how much Alycia must have worked over the years to put all her blogs together - especially with so much more going on! Having been doing this blog for the last couple of months, I think she's got the easy part now!

To those of you who enjoy the efforts - ENJOY THEM MORE!

So until next time, REMEMBER: GOD LOVES YOU!

What Country Are We In Today? OR Is There Anybody Home At Your Place?

I thought it might be time for me to check on a couple of things before someone else checks on a couple of things! Not about anyone in The U.K., but for someone here in Canada!


I could get morbid and ask about the Donner Party, but that could be closer to what's been happening to me this last week and a half! OK, OK! I got morbid! - maybe a little gross as well - sorry, but I'm having trouble thinking straight! Better stop now before I dig it to deep!


This has not been a fun few last days - to say the least! On Tuesday, last week, I lost some weight when I feel off of the front stairs! Just a couple of grams of skin and such from the knee and shin on my right leg! Fairly sure I broke a bone (or two) in my left foot, judging from the feelings every time I move the foot - not to mention the swelling and lazy, hazy, colourful shades of spring (or sprung) that covers that part of the left foot!


When I got to see my Dr., he called me a F.O.O.H.S.H. and sent me for some x-rays! For some of you less technically minded F.O.O.H.S.H. stands for 'Fell On Outstreched Hands Sure Hurt' - or something along those general paths of pain!


X-rays came back clear - as in no broken bones in hands! Just very swollen, very little strength, hardly any movement, but lots and lots and lots of shades of blue, black, brown, green, orange and some I didn't recognize!


I had been going out for some groceries and apparently misjudged my first step! It seems that it's Muhamed Ali who floats like a butterfly and stings like a bee - I float like a brick and got all the stings!


It's a good thing I had my Cellphone with me - the place I came down in couldn't be seen from the street because of the snowbank and I don't think anyone around could have helped me up anyway!


Lottsa fun when I called 911 and said I'd fallen down and couldn't get up - not even a chuckle from the operator! Things got better when the EMS ambulance showed up and I ask them if they were " ... going my way?"


I don't know if I had broken a rib bone when I fell, or from when the paramedics lifted me off the gound and onto a chair, but that's when I felt the new pain in the new place! You know - 1 - 2 - 3eee!


Anyway, my Dr gave me a prescription for some heavy-duty pain killers and they seem to be having a side effect on me - and that's for sure, for sure!


There seems to be a the possibilities of hallucinations with these pills and is that a lot of fun! Never know how many faces and such there are in the bathroom floor covering!


Someone has mentioned that there seems to be a more than usual 'fuzzyness' to my speech lately and I seem to have some memory lapses - but I think it's just the patterns in the linoleum flooring!


Anyway, things seem to be getting back to normal (that could be dangerous space) so let's just see what happens as it happens!


Dave got to England on Monday - four days ago already - so everyone there is still busy catching up, down, leftways, rightways, backways, and forways! Alycia had a bit of a head cold so Taylor was "playing with her food for a night or two" which ended up with the laundry machines being put to work once or twice! I havn't got it allright yet, but it will get there - I'll just attach a few more pictures to finish this blog off and then it's off to slumberjay world for me!

So Until next time: REMEMBER, GOD LOVES YOU!

The Next Best Thing To Having Her In Your Own Lap!

If you thought the still pictures were good, then these will get you absoultely dancing in your chairs! Just make sure the dance is a slow number - wouldn't want you to spill your coffee!


This first number is called: TAYLOR 1:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7356552556721633041

The second is: TAYLOR 2:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1255310096332949611

Can you guess what this one is? Your right, it's: TAYLOR 3:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6748907648221717098

Moving right along - this award winner is named: TAYLOR'S HIC UPS 1:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6264203590845491295

And last but not least, in the series of internationally acclaimed motion pictures is: TAYLOR'S HIC UPS 2:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2070760724475802393

Keep those OOOHHHHs and AAAWWWWs coming along with them-there "ISN'T SHE SO CUTE!"s and who knows what will happen!

BUT, UNTIL THEN REMEMBER: GOD LOVES YOU!

Still Going Strong and Then Some!

YOU CAN QUOTE ME ON THIS!

"start quote
Good Morning!


I'm on the computer! HOORAY! I can communicate with the outside world for a few minutes! So here's a quick update...


Things are fantastic! Taylor is sooooooo cute! She is a great distraction from the massive sleep depravation we are all suffering. She is such a good little girl though. Rarely does she really get upset or cry hard. She'll squawk and voice her complaints, but that usually means she just wants to be cuddled or fed. Even in the night, she never really cries. We haven't had to pace the floors with her or cast out any demonic spirits - you know the usual. She's settled into life around here pretty well. She doesn't make a huge fuss when we change her anymore and she loves bathtime, except when I take her out of the tub. And she loves to snuggle up to soft toys, clothes, and skin. She likes to cuddle up to Danny's face after he's shaved! It's sooooo cute!


She started smiling a few days ago and that has been a huge highlight for us! She makes so many funny faces like she's really trying to talk but nothing's coming out yet. Overall, the loudest noises she makes comes out the other hemisphere of her body (just like her father). I swear, she has such forceful, explosive poops that NASA could use the raw power to launch it's satellites into orbit. Hmmmm, that may have been too much information...


As for the rest of us: Danny's "burning the candle at both ends" as he's running a kid's club at a church this week with the LifeFORCE Team. Schools have the week off because of Easter (comment about the British slack education system here) and waking up with Taylor and I three or four times in the night. Today's an especially long day for him as he's at kid's club from 9am until 2pm, then he's leading our youth Bible study group at the church from 7-9 and then our last Project Gambia group comes back tonight at 1am and Danny has to pick a couple of our leaders up from Stourbridge and bring them back to Walsall. YIKES! Ruth and I are thinking about breaking one of his legs so he has to stop and rest! I think we'll have to break both legs though to get the message through!


I'm doing pretty good, just really tired. Everyday I'm more mobile, still stiff and sore but no where near as bad as it was. The stairs are no problems at all, I just don't like them. We have had a lot of company and phone calls from people (understatement of the year). We had Saturday and Sunday evening off from visitors, but we've all been too exhausted to make any phone calls, so please excuse our anti-social behaviour. But I'm sure you understand. The weather has been stupid here. Yesterday it rained, then snowed, then rained and snowed at the same time which soon turned into sleet and finished itself off in the form of hail. And plus the wind. I'm getting cabin fever here waiting for the sun to shine so we can go for a walk or for Danny to come home and take us out - even to the grocery store! If Ruth wasn't here, I'd be really going stir crazy! At least I've had a lot of laundry to keep me busy!


Ruth is doing, uh, let me just check. Hmmmm, judging by the 9 ft wide smile on her face, I think she isn't minding holding Taylor for me while I write this email. She's responding very well to the intense baby-therapy we've put her on. No, both Danny and I are so grateful to have her here! I've been having so much fun going through all the little baby outfits that people have given us with her!
Speaking of baby outfits, let me tell you about scratch mitts. First off, they're too big for her. Second, I have so many of them! I could have had a pair of twin octopuses (octopi?) and still have backup sets! And sleepers? How hard are the snaps to figure out on those things? Who designs them anyway? Mensa?


Danny and I have figured out that Taylor has a bigger wardrobe than both of us put together, a nicer set of wheels to ride around in than we do, and is more popular in three secondary schools (which is high school) and two elementary schools than we ever where in one school. She's off to an awfully good start!


Well, I should go wash myself up for the day. The midwife comes for the weekly visit today. She'll weigh Taylor so I'll have to give you the new details!


So until my next 15 minutes of freedom, take care and God Bless!

Love always,

~Alycia & Co. xoxoxoxoxo

PS - Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that we took Taylor to church for the first time on Sunday. She slept most of the service (so did I...) but then woke up hungry so we spent the last part of the morning upstairs in privacy. Then she was back asleep. She didn't wake up once during a round of "Pass the Baby" after church!
end quote!

OK, NOW FOR THE IMPORTANT STUFF!

A. HORTON HEARD A WHAT? B. WHAT A BUSY DAY! C. I WONDER WHAT I CAN GET WITH THIS LOOK?
A. B. C.

D. WE ARE SO COOL! E. YUP, SHE'S MINE! F. I'M JUST SO CUTE!
D. E. F.

G. GO AHEAD, TELL ME HOW CUTE I AM!

G.

REMEMBER: GOD LOVES YOU!