Patronal votive statue of Saint Francis of Assisi (Detail)

Patronal votive statue of Saint Francis of Assisi (Detail)
Originally uploaded by Seoirse

In Port Glasgow, the Parish of Saint Francis of Assisi has this lovely statue of their patron.

Founder of the Franciscan Order, born at Assisi in Umbria, in 1181 or 1182 — the exact year is uncertain; died there, 3 October, 1226.

Prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury,pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.


O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen

A faster way to blog

I now have a tumblr blog called abitdeep. Tumblr is a faster blogging format for those who just want to post a link, a quote, an image, a video, a list, an mp3, or chat session, etc. It's template designs are pretty nice and customizing the CSS is pretty easy for those with skills. The problem with blogging is timing and content. Sure we all have something to say, but do we really need to write it down and broadcast it to every visiting IP address.

My last post on abitdeep was linking a new magazine we were introduced to (even though it has been around since 1974 called The Sun.

I also posted an image of Lucas and I in Blair Valley during a Yellowknives event. So check out abitdeep and if you're interested start your own tumblr blog.

encompus espresso

encompus espresso
Originally uploaded by colorcritical

So we bought this on sale at Starbucks. It is regularly $1,400.00 and we got it for like $450.00. So we got a deal right. It has already saved us several hundred in Starbucks Doppio Espresso's.

Actually the machine is quite nice. It makes single, double, and regular espresso. It can foam cream for Latte's and Cap's and it's all very automated. All we have to do is clean it.

I clean it and well sometimes so does Fabrizio. It's actually a pretty great thing to have access to espresso whenever you want it. It is also easy to have too many which is what sometimes happens to me.

I drink too much espresso sometimes.

Cafe Chloe

Cafe Chloe
Originally uploaded by colorcritical

Lunch is so important. Today we ate at Cafe Chloe in Downtown San Diego. www.cafechloe.com

This is the steak salad with fries and I highly recommend it. Read the full review on yelp.

I had two and half cups of coffee which I think was too many....

California - The Golden State
Originally uploaded by colorcritical.

My grandfather Ralph O. Stephens also known to many as "Curly" worked for Southern Pacific Railroad in Los Angeles for 40 years. He retired in the early 80's and died a few years after.

I remember going with him to the Los Angeles rail yard where he would show me off to his friends and show me where he worked as an mechanical engineer. I was too young to really appreciate his work but I was facinated at the size, sounds, and power a locomotive could muster.

There is a mystery to railyards. Every time I visit one I feel it's energy. I mostly think it has to do with thinking of Curly. Others feel something when they visit even though they can't quite put a finger on it. Perhaps it's the modern archaeological remnants of the industrial revolution. Well here is to you Curly, may you rest in peace for all eternity.