I really appreciate all the updates. Thanks, Tom, for the big news.. that you are "officially" dating. Did you have to file something? And thanks for the pictures, Ingrid, John, and Lynda. I remember you pointed out the peeling paint on your siding when I was last there, but I had no idea you were going to rip everything off. Wow! And, yes, Nancy, we want to hear the whole story of your day.

Today is the Feast of the Baptism of Jesus, and I was slated to play the rainstick on a couple water-oriented numbers at church. I only had a small one, bought for 99c at the Goodwill, and when we were at the Mall of America last night decided to look for a better one. We checked the Discovery Channel store (negative) and were on our way out when Liv grabbed my arm and said, "Rainsticks! Spirit of the Red Horse!" I thought she had gone crazy, but she had seen a woman with a Spirit of the Red Horse store bag with a rainstick sticking out of it! We were right near the store, so went in and purchased one. The salesclerk probably didn't understand her sudden run on rainsticks.