Please, Anna....won't you come back in?

June July 2008178, originally uploaded by James Hemsley.

Anna had enough of the cold water and refused to get back in the pool. We had to do a lot of coaxing to get her back in!

Interesting Quote

"How dare you suggest that we, in the freest nation on earth, live in tyranny? How dare you call yourselves patriots and heroes? I say to you, all of you, there is nothing patriotic about hating your country or pretending that you can love your country but despise your government. There is nothing heroic about turning your back on America or ignoring your own responsibilities. If you want to preserve your own freedom, you must stand up for the freedom of others with whom you disagree, but you also must stand up for the rule of law. You cannot have one without other."

Any guesses as to who it is? Bill Clinton.

Marie Heidemann visists from Alaska

2 months old098, originally uploaded by James Hemsley.

Marie, Chiara's former assistant at the University came to visit from Alaska. She is also pregnant and will give birth to a girl pretty shortly.

If They Can't Get Hurricane's Right for One Season, Why Global Warming?

Finally, somebody has asked the question (at least in a fairly well-read publication): If scientists can't even predict the year's hurricanes, why should we trust anything about the long-term forecast of global warming?

Vaclav Klaus Responds to Criticism

The President of the Czech Republic responds to reader criticism of his article form last week here.

This guy really is on to something and seems to be a voice of reason amongst people who believe in the religion of environmentalism.

The President of the Czech Republic is My Hero

This man, Vaclav Klaus, is one of the most outspoken proponents for economic freedom and he speaks out against tyranny in its modern form: Environmentalism.

Read his short opinion article to find out his well-thought out beliefs on the subject. Hopefully some of our American leaders will follow his example and come to their senses.

More Flowers

Parent Visit002, originally uploaded by James Hemsley.

The previous owners did a fantastic job at planting hundreds of perennials. It has been enjoyable watching what comes out of the ground.

Beautiful Flowers at the House

Parent Visit001, originally uploaded by James Hemsley.

Here is one of the flowers blooming at the house.

Linden Court

Spring 2007006, originally uploaded by James Hemsley.

Some people have asked to see what our house looks like from the outside. Well, here you go!

Google Earth Airplane Application

Wow! This is really neat. You can download the data from online sites that track the location of airplanes in the sky. Then you can import the info as a layer into Google Earth. Voila! You can see the airplanes in real time cruising above the simulated planet! Wow!

Looking Toward the Master Bedroom

Bathroom1004, originally uploaded by jmhemsley.

The final shot in this series. I hopped you enjoyed it. We couldn't have done it without the help of Peter Hemsley, Jim Hemsley (Dad) and Vince Jasinski. Thanks!

Another Toilet Shot

Bathroom1003, originally uploaded by jmhemsley.

You can see the base boards that Peter helped me install. Also, the bathroom has been cleaned a bit, so is more presentable.

Completed Shower

Bathroom1001, originally uploaded by jmhemsley.

Chiara chose a glass mosaic tile pattern for the eye-height band in the shower. We have a rain fixture, another must for Chiara (and, I must admit, myself).

New Toilet and Sink

Bathroom Remodel004, originally uploaded by jmhemsley.

The toilet we installed is shorter than its predecessor. We also installed a glass sink with a modern fixture. Chiara wanted to have all chrome fixtures and was aiming for a modern bathroom.

Bathroom Mirror

Bathroom Remodel003, originally uploaded by jmhemsley.

Dad installed a medicine chest mirror and this really cool light above it. You can also see the smaller window installed on the outside wall. This helps with the space issues, as now it is more proportional.

Nearly Finished

Bathroom Remodel001, originally uploaded by jmhemsley.

Chiara and I hired a tile specialist to do the shower, as I was worried about the quality of doing the work myself. He was quite reasonable and did a fantastic job.

Bathroom So Far

Bathroom Remodel008, originally uploaded by jmhemsley.

Drywall and Dewrock up.

Floor Tile

Bathroom Remodel007, originally uploaded by jmhemsley.

Dad did marathon tiling work as the clock was ticking for them to return home.

Tile Work

Bathroom Remodel006, originally uploaded by jmhemsley.

James working on the some of the tile with a diamond drill bit.

Appropriate Christmas Present

IMG_2521, originally uploaded by jmhemsley.