An Artist to Boot, Must be Rodeo

So we’re getting in the car, my son and I, to go to the church for the Friday night Akathist Hymn. My girls, mom to boot, were headed to Huntsville for DOWAMA Winter Camp (Texas Style).

Before he goes to close and lock the gate, my son throws into the car his DSI and one cowboy boot.

I back the car up; he shuts, locks, and joins me in the car. Knowing he was probably planning to serve as altar boy, and noticing his feet sported Converse sneakers, I assumed he planned to change into his black boots at church.

I said, “Son, you only brought one boot.”

“I know,” he said, “I only need one.”

I looked at him and, with the skill of a father, raised one eyebrow.

“Dad! I’m not going to wear it,” he said.

I raised the other brow.

“I’m going to have a drawing contest … it costs one dollar to enter and the person who draws the best boot wins all the money.”

I said, “Son … ain’t nobody gonna give you a dollar to draw a boot.”

He said, “Okay, fifty cents.”

“Ain’t nobody gonna give you fifty cents!”

He smiled and said, “Okay … okay!”

We’d gotten about a half mile down the road and he said: “One penny?”

🙂

Penny Loafers I’ve heard of, but Penny Boots?
(As far as I could tell, the boot spent the night in the car, no portraits, no pennies.)

Oh, by the way … save your pennies: the Rodeo is comin’.

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Repeat Visit to Orthodox Urgent Care

In my daydreaming I saw myself walking down a long white hallway and asking a doctor if he’d be willing to give me a tour of the facility …

“Sure,” he said, “this way.”

Our first stop was at the room of a man who was obviously suffering some sort of mouth wound. The doctor motioned for me to enter and, as I did so, I said: “Hello, I’m Fr Joseph …”

“Kleesed to eat you; ny nay’yin is k-hjon.”

“Hi, John,” I replied, “what happened to ya?”

“Gjaoghoamboenvofnbod. Fnofenvefkojnvdjkoafnvkdfajnvdfk. Jvnvdfjkfnvdfaoknvnknvfdonvdafon …”

I couldn’t understand a word he was saying. In my fantasy, I looked back toward the door and the Doc was gone.

“Keese a kayker, kleese …”

“A piece of paper? Sure – here ya go” I handed him a pencil and a piece of paper and he scribbled:

Pew. Prostration. Pow!

“Yikes!” I said. “So you went to do a prostration during a Lenten service and forgot there was a pew back in front of you?”

He nodded.

In my fantasy, the doctor reappeared and said: “It’s a common injury this time of year, especially following the Sunday of Orthodoxy Vespers where folks visit other parishes that may be appointed differently than their own.”

My host, Nick, returned to the table and …

The Orthodixie Podcast on Ancient Faith Radio.

(Don’t forget: Next week, the Orthodixie Podcast is on The Tonight Show!)

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Bishop MARK – Sunday of Orthodoxy, 2010

His Grace, MARK, Bishop of the Diocese of Toledo and the Midwest (Antiochian Archdiocese), was in Houston for the First Sunday of the Great Fast.


My plan was to feature many pics from the day’s events; I had all the women in my house bring their cameras …


As it turned out, a new computer program (which, I might add, stinks) and I did not play well together. Which leaves only the three shots seen here …


… even a profile of the soon-to-be-8 photographer!

Anyway …

You can access Sayidna MARK’s Sunday of Orthodoxy sermon at St George Antiochian Orthodox Church — HERE.

The homily during the Pan-Orthodox Vespers for the Sunday of Orthodoxy, hosted by Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral, may be heard HERE.

All podcasts of the Orthodox Clergy Association of Southeast Texas – HERE.

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LENTEN RECIPE: Shrimp Rice

I‘ve posted this before, but the wife brought the dish to last week’s Post-Pre-Sanctified-Potluck and it was, as usual, a hit. Enjoy!

2 lbs. shrimp (raw)
worcestershire sauce
2 c. chopped celery
1 c. chopped green onion, stems and all
1 c. green pepper, optional
2 c. uncooked rice
add black pepper to taste
2 packets Goya Ham flavored concentrate (Lenten)
or crumbled bacon when not fasting

Peel shrimp and soak in worcestershire sauce (enough to cover) for 1-3 hours
Cook 2 c. rice in 4 c. water until done. Move to large bowl

Sauté vegetables in vegetable oil until soft. Move to bowl with rice.
Drain excess sauce off shrimp, coat shrimp in self rising flour and brown in oil in same pan in batches adding oil as needed to prevent sticking and burning.
Drain on paper towels and add to rice & vegetables with a generous amount of margarine (about a stick) and ham seasoning.

Mix gently but well.
Put into a 9×13 greased dish.
Heat until warmed through (about 20-30 min. at 350) when ready to eat.

(My wife adds: I have cooked the shrimp in my Fry Daddy before, instead of in the pan, and it works fine.)

Image Source

Recipe courtesy of Mary Deane of Pawleys Island.

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Bishop MARK in Houston This Weekend

At the invitation of the Orthodox Clergy Association of Southeast Texas and with the blessing of Bishop BASIL of the Diocese of Wichita and Mid-AmericaHis Grace, MARK, Bishop of the Diocese of Toledo and the Midwest will be in Houston February 19-21, 2010.

SCHEDULE

FRIDAY, Feb 19 – Akathist Hymn to the Theotokos at St George Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church, 6:30 PM; His Grace will speak following the service.

SATURDAY, Feb 20 – Soul Saturday Liturgy at St George, 9:00 AM; Great Vespers, 6:30 PM.

SUNDAY, Feb 21 – Hierarchical Liturgy at St George, 10:00 AM.

Sunday evening, February 21st, Triumph of Orthodoxy Vespers at Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral, 5:00 PM; Bishop MARK, preacher; reception to follow.

ClergyGOLD vestments.

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