Holiday Report, Part 1

If I don't take a few minutes to blog about Christmas I'll miss the window all together! It was just as holidays should be -- filled with family, friends and fun with just a bit of traveling thrown in. (The best excuse I have for not blogging. I didn't send cards this year either, but I don't have a good excuse for that yet. Don't worry, I'll think of one.)

On Christmas eve we hosted the annual party, a holiday get-together which has been a tradition for more than 30 years. It started with just ourselves and the Shaffers. Both of us far away from family, wanting to keep our kids home for Christmas morning, but finding out that made for a lonely Christmas eve! So began the tradition -- my dear friend Nadine would ready her house and plan fabulous hors d'oeuvres. Gary built fires in both the fireplace and the woodstove. We would eat and sing Christmas carols, enjoy each other's company and try to keep the kids reasonably settled. Our small group grew to include the Fergusons who didn't have family nearby either. And then the Thayers, Parsons, Thumms joined us. This year (and last) our pastor and his family joined in. Some of our kids are married and having kids and our gathering continues to grow.

A couple of years ago we decided my house had more room for parking outside, and maybe a bit more room for people inside, so the party changed venue but stayed the same. The deal used to be Christmas eve at Deenie's, Christmas dinner at Betsy's. That's reversed now. Let me tell you how nice it was to laze around all day on the 25th and then go over to my friend's house to eat. Nadine is like a sister, a really, really good sister. I have some great sisters, but Deenie, she's a friend who sticks close like a sister. Don't think I don't know how lucky I am!

Enough talk -- here's a glimpse of the fun.







Next blog will cover our family Christmas party at my brother's house in the Poconos!

Going, Going, Soon to be Gone

We're selling Christmas trees like crazy. I can't imagine there's anything left to choose from out in the fields. I asked Tom if he'd consider taking down the signs when he comes home from work today.

Then an aquaintance called and ask if she and her husband could drive out to the Frasier Fir field and get a tree. Oh dear... I told her that we were so busy over the weekend I didn't think she'd find anything suitable at this point. She & hubby were not deterred. Sure enough...a little bit later they came to the door to pay for the big green fir tree they had in the back of their big red truck. She assured me there were more to choose from...don't take your signs down yet, she says. People really like to come out and tromp in the fields and cut down a tree, she says.

Alrighty then...the signs will stay in place for a few more days. But I'm cautioning people not to pay until they find a tree they like! ...oop, just a sec, here's another customer.

Yeah, well, that guy insisted on paying upfront. He said he got two trees yesterday, and now he's got his son-in-law, daughter and couple of grandkids here to pick out their tree. "Don't worry," he says. "We'll find a tree. And we've got to hurry before we run out of daylight." I called out a thank you and Merry Christmas. He returned the Merry Christmas greeting and said thank you for growing the trees.

Isn't that nice? People really are (for the most part) nice, and good, and honest. Sometimes I run an errand or I'm out in the field and someone will get a tree and slip their $$ in the mail slot. Really! Other people tell us they've been coming here for 15 years to get a Christmas tree. Really? I didn't know we were selling them 15 years ago. Time sure gets away from ya.

As for me...I'm rather neurotic. Why am I so worried people won't like their Christmas tree? For heaven's sake -- they are the ones picking! They sure don't have to buy one of our trees if they don't want to. Still, I fret.

But it is ridiculous to worry about that. Look how happy these kids look. They came with their parents, grandparents, the little doggie and a big truck to accomodate their big tree. This is what it's all about!

Getting Ready

The house is decorated. Two big trees are trimmed. Manger scenes are carefully placed. We're getting ready. I can hardly wait.



Advent...
...Awaiting something special...eagerly anticipating...
We're preparing to celebrate in honor of the coming King, born all those years ago, humbly, as a baby in a manger...So that I (and you too!) could be reconciled to God. Imagine that!

God, the creator of the universe and all that's in it -- our heavenly father -- wants to be close to his children, so He became a child! That's hard to fathom, but what a joy to embrace!

"Pleased as man with men to dwell, Jesus, our Emmanuel."

Happy Holidays!

I missed a Happy Thanksgiving Day blog. So here's a note to cover that, belatedly -- and to wish you well for this happy time of year. It's the big pick-me-up before what can sometimes be a downward spiral through a long cold snowy winter in these here parts. But for now, the snow is welcome. It ushers in the Christmas season and up until mid-January it's a lovely sight. Mid-February it becomes tedious. Mid-March is like, enough already. And snow in April makes you either laugh or cry; there's no in between.

This year the snow came early, and it's gorgeous. See!




There is so much I'm thankful for... playing in the snow with a child, a warm cozy house, a mellow little dog at my feet, Christmas trees all lit up, good food, hot coffee, hot tea, hot chocolate -- any kind of chocolate!, a view of the creek, colorful birds at the feeder, icicles, a fire in the fireplace, fleece blankets, popcorn, movies to watch, family, friends, company who drops in unannounced. (Just let your kitchen be messy and someone's sure to drop in. That's why I hardly ever tidy up the kitchen -- always hoping for company!)

I'm thankful for the opportunity to take a walk in the snow, which I'm off to do right now. And as much as I like that, it's children who really know how to enjoy the fluffy white stuff!

My House is Falling Apart!

Years ago -- like 33 of them -- when we moved into this old farmhouse, it had its problems. The house I mean. It was a hunting camp and summer home, and it was rustic. In other words, no heat, questionably potable water and not enough of it, no septic, antiquated wiring. It had been a well loved place to visit just as it was, but not very likeable if you had to live in it as is.

Some friends helped us make the place more liveable. They came in those first few weeks that we lived here with their two little children. Their two and our two were playing on the old hardwood plank floor when one of the little ones called out in considerable consternation, "Betsyhenningyourhouseisfallingapart!"

It was true. Over the years the chestnut planks had swelled with moisture causing the tongue and groove joints to heave. Then in dry weather they pulled apart leaving gaps, where, if it weren't for the thick cobwebs, you could see straight down to the cellar. So maybe one of the cracks swallowed a small toy or something. Whatever, it certainly excited the poor little girl.

She's all grown up now, but we still get a kick out of remembering the story. The floor is better, although not perfect. I recently put some masking tape over the very spot that caused the ruckus way back when. She still refers to me fondly as Betsyhenning... And in more ways than one, myhouseisstillfallingapart. Wish I could fix everything with a piece of masking tape.

The late great Erma Bombeck

From Erma’s desk...

“When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, ‘I used everything you gave me.’”

I love Erma Bombeck's writing. She's my hero.

Take a Mulligan

That's what our Pastor titled Sunday's sermon. It's worth a listen, if you've got a few minutes. (click here and do dat --listen).

I come from good golfing stock (Hi Mom and Dad!) so I knew right off what a mulligan was. A do over. A second chance.

Pastor Cliff's message was good. Spiritually speaking I took a Mulligan years ago. I came face to face with Jesus, asked for a fresh start at life, and got it. Turns out there have been lots of stages and phases in life when I really wanted (needed?) another mulligan. And I can have spiritual do overs, second chances over and over again. It's all about repentance and forgiveness, and our God is ever forgiving. He offers us a mulligan.

But on another level -- there aren't do overs in the physical world. No mulligans. If there were I'd like a second chance at oh so many things. School, growing up, teen years. Not that I want to repeat any of those the way it was back then. But I'd love to take the experience and maturity I have now and do my younger years again. I'd like to marry (the same man) again. And have little babies again. The exact same ones -- and maybe a little girl thrown in for good measure). I'd do it all so much better (me thinks). But shucks, no can do! Who was it that said, "The trouble with youth is that it's wasted on the young." ???

Don't Like the Weather?

Just wait a bit. It'll change. I caught the change on camera.





Yep, one day we had snow that lay inches deep, and the next thing you knew, it was 70degrees and sunny. My first thought about the snow was, Oh good! Now I don't have to rake the leaves. No such luck, we got a second chance when the ground dried up and the rest of the colorful leaves fell off the trees. These lovely girls on my porch swing aren't just friends, they're my raking crew. Best of all, the little ones will work for Lucky Charms. What a deal.

The respite in weather meant I really had to get at that bushel of apples on the back deck. But there was help for that too. The little blondie in the middle was here to visit on applesauce day.



She turned the crank on the handle of the squeezo for, oh, thirty seconds or better. And she used the wooden plunger thing-a-ma-jig to push the apples down while I cranked the handle for 2 minutes without stopping. The rest of the time she entertained me by playing close by -- stopping frequently to tell me I was doing a great job. Good help like that is hard to find.

Why wasn't Tom helping with the raking or the applesauce making? Because there was hunting to be done. He had to go get a turkey for our Thanksgiving dinner... Mission accomplished.

A New Day

Today I only have tears of joy. I can't believe I've been priviledged to see our country accomplish what I trust will be an amazing act of healing and unity. John McCain's concession speech was truly gracious. He said that he will continue serving this great country and will help the new administration in any way he can. And he encouraged his supporters to do the same. (Reminiscent of "Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country.")In his victory speech, Barack Obama said, "I didn't win this election; you, the American people, did." While McCain had just finished saying to his supporters, "You did not lose this election, I did." Two magnanamous remarks from two remarkable men. Neither of them had to be that humble, but they were. Both of them embody the spirit of America and embrace the ideal of government for the people, by the people, and of the people.

I, for my part, feel happy and peaceful as if all is right with the world. My trust and hope is not in Barack Obama -- My trust and hope is in the giver of all good gifts, God our Father. In my heart I believe He smiled on us and said this is the man who will come closest to carrying out my plans for you American people, at least for the next four years. (See Romans Chapter 13, "...there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.")

We're not the chosen nation, not the chosen people, but God has indeed blessed America. I'm going to take time today to thank Him for ever so many things!

Happy Birthday

35 Years ago I had a little baby boy. He grew up. I hope he's having a happy birthday today...wish I were there. Instead I think I'll have Tom take me to the movies. Perhaps we'll go see "W" to celebrate the 35th anniversary of our first son's birth. I think he'd like that.

Fall chores

After a cold snap and snow earlier this week, we've got balmy, sunny and absoultely gorgeous weather today. We're getting lots and lots of winterizing chores done. And by we I mean Tom. After hunting this morning he cut and stacked wood, put away the outdoor furniture, grill, hose and window air conditioner. Now he's got the leaf blower going in reverse, sucking up leaves. But I haven't exactly been vegging. I helped him a little, and did my own indoor chores. Now I'm heading out to cut back the mums and cover them with pine branches so they'll grace us with blooms again next year.

Meanwhile the house smells wonderful because there's a turkey roasting in the oven. This is thanksgiving month. We're starting early! There's a lot to be thankful for -- and giving thanks keeps the pity parties at bay.

To Your Health

To get a flu shot or not? My Natural News friends say NOT. In fact they give six reasons why NOT. I'm getting more scared of Big Pharma day by day. Perhaps we should all be more scared. Meanwhile, Sheryl Walters, who wrote the article I linked to above -- and I might as well linked to here again (click) -- says, rather than getting a flu shot, build your immune system. Here are her tips:

Make sure that you get plenty of sunshine over the winter research continually indicates that the winter flu is often a result of vitamin D deficiency from lack of sun. If you live in a place without sunshine, take cod liver oil, find a place that offers sunshowers (natural tanning beds), and if it is sunny go outside as much as you possibly can no matter how cold it is. Raw, unpasteurized milk is another vitamin D abundant food.
·Exercise, exercise, exercise! When you get out and get your body moving, you are much less likely to get sick. Yoga, for example is a fabulous way to get fit, relieve stress and boost the immune system.
·Eat plenty of immune boosting foods such as garlic, vitamin C containing fruits and fresh green juices (broccoli, cabbage, cucumber and celery.) A diet rich in live foods is a sure way to stay healthy all year long.
·Cut out sugar. Sugar suppresses the immune system and causes disease. Today there are so many wonderful healthy alternatives such as agave nectar and xylitol that it is totally unnecessary to ever consume sugar.
·Deal with emotional stress. Anger and stress suppress the immune system. Yoga, meditation, counselling, natural therapies and plant medicines can transform stress and help you live with abundant health in mind and body.
·Get plenty of sleep. A lack of sleep suppresses the immune system, but is a reality for millions of people. Find ways to make life less hectic so that you have more time to catch those zzzzs.

Guess What!

Can you guess what I see outside my window? You won't believe it! I can hardly believe it. SNOWFLAKES! They're pretty, they're fun, they're dancing around, they're not sticking -- thank goodness. As entertaining and amusing as this is, I'm not ready for snow on the ground, not ready for snow in earnest. But I was so surprised and excited I just had to take a minute to tell you...it's snowing.

Who's in Control?

Top 10 Predictions No Matter Who Wins the Election

1. The Bible will still have all the answers.

2. Prayer will still work.

3. The Holy Spirit will still move.

4. God will still inhabit the praises of His people.

5. There will still be God-anointed preaching.

6. There will still be singing of praise to God.

7. God will still pour out blessings upon His people.

8. There will still be room at the Cross.

9. Jesus will still love you.

10. Jesus will still save the lost when they come to Him.

God approves this message
and, don't worry, He is in Control.

Hiking

A beautiful October day in PA -- here we are with family taking a hike 'round about our old stomping grounds. It was fun, invigorating, and nostalgic. More than 35 years ago Tom and I used to stroll hand in hand and sit on the beach in the sand. Right over there.

What Am I Looking For?

A friend left a comment on one of my previous blogs and said...something like...I don't think you'll find the change you're looking for. (That was in regard to my candidate of choice for president, Barack Obama.)

So I thought about that. What am I looking for? Well, truth be told, I'm not looking for anything. My hope is in the Lord, and I've found that. But, perhaps I'm hoping that Christians won't compromise either of the two greatest commands given in the Bible*** for the sake of a political stance. I see our country in trouble in some ways that could be fixed with the right leadership -- God willing. After studying the situation the best I can, trying not to be swayed by fanatics on either side, sorting through half-truths to uncover the whole truth and looking at all of the issues, I find that Barack Obama comes closer to being a good, righteous, and godly man than McCain does. (Neither one is God or our savior. Neither one is evil incarnate either. The end of the world probably won't come because of one of these men. Although if it's God's timing, neither one of them will stop it.) There are only two candidates, really, and the responsible thing to do is make a choice and vote. Neither one of these men will solve all the world's problems, nor all of our country's problems, but hey...one of them is going to be president. I said this before, it really is a free country -- isn't that great??? -- I get to vote for the candidate of my choice and so do you! Whoever wins on November 4th may not change the country much, but he'll be our president...the person of authority over us...by God. And I'll respect that.

Aren't these exciting times? For those of us who aren't rooted here, those who are on a spiritual journey, just passing through, these are exciting times! I can't wait to see what God does with all this.

***"Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength and mind... love your neighbor as yourself." Jesus

Fish Stories

Everybody who threw in a line caught a fish!





The neighbor caught a fish and gave it to us. It was the biggest fish caught, and that's no fish story.


And the wittle guy threw sticks.

That's Debatable

One last(?) political blog before I post more pictures from Connecticut. Previously I said I had good reasons to be an Obama/Biden supporter. The reasons have not changed nor have I waivered. In fact, I've been pushed further left by Righties. Well meaning friends, attempting to sway me, have appalled me with prejudice and misinformation. But I only want to expound on one issue. Abortion. That was the one issue that made me uncomfortable with Barack Obama. Turns out all I was uncomfortable with was the Christian propaganda (lies) on the issue.

Abortion is a terrible thing. No one would deny that a woman considering abortion is in a difficult place. Physically, emotionally, spiritually and probably financially, she's in an incredibly difficult place. There are literally two lives hanging in the balance when a woman finds herself in a crisis pregnancy. I am pro life, and I care every bit about the mother's life as I do the innocent baby's life.

For all of my adult years I've cast my votes based on the single issue of abortion. For all that time the number of abortions has not diminished. 3 1/2 decades of Pro-Life office holders haven't helped to save the lives of babies. They had their chance and they didn't succeed. I'm voting for change for the sake of our economy, health care, tax relief, and education, and for the sake of our country, for the sake of middle class people, and yes, for the sake of little babies who might get a chance at life if their moms are given opportunity to step back, think, and make a good choice.

Speaking of health care -- please read this from Whymommy's Blog.

Peak Leaf Season!

We had a delightful road trip to Connecticut during what the weather man told us would be the peak leaf peeping weekend. What artist could improve on or add to the colors God painted in the leaves of maple, oak, birch, beech, black cherry, walnut, ash, even aspen trees? Magnificent shades of orange, red, gold, brown and green dotted hillsides all along the way. And the reward once we arrived at the lakehouse? ...reflections in the water of all those colorful trees by day and moonlight shimmering on the lake by night. Yes indeed, it was too beautiful for words. So perhaps I should stop trying to capture it in writing and download a picture or two (of the hundreds we snapped).

On the way.



The house.
The dock.


The view from the dock.

And some of the key players.





Good times. Good company. Nice lakeside cottage. Phenomenal scenery.

Officially Fall

The leaves are turning color and falling off the trees. The weather is fristy frosty cold in the mornings. It's dark before 7 o'clock in the evening. We're closing the pool.

The fall colors are gorgeous, the cold mornings are invigorating, getting dark early makes for relaxing evenings to read, visit, or watch a movie. But I can't find a positive spin to put on closing the pool.

Then again, I have to confess it is my idea to close it this week rather than waiting until the end of October...Because... It's too much work to uncover and clean out the leaves for a quick swim. It's too hard to close when the air is any chillier than it is right now. It's too wasteful to run the heater keeping the pool at a comfortable 84 degrees when the air is 32 at night and 60 in the warmest part of the day. So alas, we're saying good-bye to swimming until next April.

Whatever will we do for exercise? Rake leaves, cut fire wood, and walk the Johnstown Road. Yep, that's what we'll do.

...Waves...of Circus Dreams

October through May, months and months of work in the big (c)old barn! It takes real dedication to work through the frigid Pennsylvania winter in a building with no heat. And when he was all done, our artist friend, Ron, dismantled his creation and transported it to the convention center some 30 miles away and reassembled it.
Let's see...this thing goes somewhere around here...

Zzzzip, there goes another week; it was a wonderful week though. As predicted we had beautiful weather. It's supposed to rain later today, and that's fine too -- except it may keep us from working in the tree fields on Saturday. Oh well.

I made a quick trip this week, a few hours southeast, and the scenery along the highway was fabulous. The mountainsides were all shades of green dotted with red and orange. Simply gorgeous. The splendor of God's handiwork never ceases to amaze!

Speaking of handiwork... an artist friend of ours set up shop in our barn about a year ago. He was working on a huge sculpture and needed big space, high space, lots of space. It was so much fun to watch his creation take shape. But that shape made out of wood and metal, rivets and screws, would be hard to describe. He's an abstract, modern artist. The title "Riding Waves in Pursuit of Circus Dreams" is its description. Imagine splashes and bubbles and amusement park rides done up in bold happy colors. I'll see if I'm allowed to post a picture of it and you can see for yourself. After it was built, painted, polished, numbered, dismantled, transported, and reassembled at its real home, a convention center--9 months worth of fiddling around...I mean working on--we were going to be sad to see our artist friend pull up stakes. No worries. He's taken on more b-i-g projects and still comes by. We call him our resident artist. Who knows, maybe he'll pave the way for our artist son to move close by and set up a studio in the barn. You never know, it might happen.

BONUS DAYS!

Last Saturday it rained all day, and the forecast called for rain all this week. But it was w-r-o-n-g. How great is that? Hot, sunny, and a bit muggy on Sunday, perfect for enjoying another day around the pool. And it sure wasn't wasted. The neighbors came over with 6 kids. What fun!

Then, as predicted, the winds began to blow in the evening. (But not until our church picnic was very nearly over -- wasn't that considerate?) It was a fierce windstorm, knocking down trees and causing power outages and phone outages. Nothing but inconvenient for us, and only a little inconvenience at that.

Leaves fell like crazy. It's not fall yet, but they fell anyway, carpeting the lawn and filling up the pool. Tom spent more than an hour scooping the worst of the mess out of the water before letting the automatic cleaner and filter take over. He's so diligent and patient that way. Me? I was crying the blues...it'll never look nice again! But guess what? I was w-r-o-n-g. The pool is as pristine as ever and we're still swimming. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday were gorgeous days. Today...fabulous.

AND the forcaste says we'll have beautiful weather through Sunday. Here's hoping it isn't w-r-o-n-g!

Just for Fun

Momsense by Anita Renfroe. Click here if the embedded link doesn't appear below.
I remember those days!

Rainy Day

I'm not complaining. Watching the news I wouldn't dare complain -- my heart goes out to all those people who have been evacuated. I'm so sorry for what they'll have to return to...devastation. The storm is heading our way but it'll be nothing more than rain and wind by the time it gets here. We're supposed to have rain all week long. Still, I'm not complaining.

It was in the 70's today and rather muggy. Tom couldn't work outside so he helped with housework. Good deal for me! Then in the afternoon we went for a swim. After a few laps in the pouring rain, I thought, gee I better get out, I'm getting all wet! Wait a minute???

Yeah, that's right I usually do get all wet when I swim, so???? Swim away. It was really refreshing and invigorating. And considering the alternative...I certainly wasn't going to get exercise by going for a walk!

Now off to bed. Tomorrow is Sunday. I can't wait. Church is awesome, good friends, good times sharing and singing and always a good message. It's refreshing to be together with church family in God's presence. I bet He likes it as much as we do! I hope our worship makes God smile tomorrow. Maybe my anticipation is making Him smile even now.

Good night all.

What's More Funner than Politics?

Anything!


Like... sitting on the porch swing and watching deer in the front yard.

Or looking out the bedroom window and seeing wildlife in the back yard.

Most fun of all,
............watching a little guy enjoy the pool!
________

________

But I don't know,
.............eating an ice cream cone is pretty fun too!

No one ever gossips about another's secret virtues (Bertrand Russell)

An excerpt from David Brickner's Jews for Jesus Newsletter (click here to read the entire article):

Proverbs 18:21 tells us, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit." How true! Words that roll off this two-ounce slab of muscle and mucous membrane have an inordinate capacity to affect lives. Consider for example, the speeches of Nazi miscreant Adolf Hitler, contrasted with those of statesman Winston Churchill, during the Second World War. Both were eloquent orators. Hitler, on one side of the Channel, used his words to lead a nation into devilish crimes against humanity. Winston Churchill, on the other side of the Channel, used his rhetorical skill to lead a nation to the highest and most noble sacrifice, to England's credit in her finest hour.

We need to be discerning about what we listen to and what we are quick to believe. The Talmud asks, "Why do human fingers resemble pegs?" and then answers, "So that if one hears something unseemly, one can plug one's fingers in one's ears" (Ketuvot 5b).

We need to be especially discerning when it comes to negative or critical remarks, because those are the ones that people love to repeat. Bertrand Russell once dryly observed that no one ever gossips about another's secret virtues.

They'll know we are Christians by our love

I got an email today. It was a smoke-screen, nasty attack on Barack Obama's family. It had nothing to do with politics and everything to do with prejudice. Isn't that a shame? Did you hear Barack's response to the news of Sarah Palin's 17-year-old daughter's pregnancy? He was a gentleman. The favor was not returned in regard to his own family history.

To my Christian friends who want to expound politically and enlighten me, please stick to good reasons like Obama's stance on abortion, anything not based on the color of his skin, his relatives' beliefs, his childhood, his mother's sins, and his name. To use his family pictures in a hateful way is an inexcusable thing for a Christian to do. It is possible, and more effective, to state your convictions without sharing dirt or taking cheap shots. If people will know we are Christians by our love, make no mistake, they'll know we are hypocrites by our lack thereof.

While campaigning against Jimmy Carter in 1980, Ronald Reagan asked, "Is our country better off than it was 4 years ago? Are you better off?" The answer for most Americans was apparently, "No." And he won the election handily. I'm using that question and changing 4 years to 8 years, and the answer is a resounding NO. (My previous voting revolved around the single issue, pro-life. There are no fewer abortions for having a pro-life leader all these years. We have to think of a better way to save babies than relying on the lip service of politicians.) So hey, it's a free country. I'm going to exercise my freedom and vote for a change in party leadership.

I'm still avoiding sharing my good reasons...for now let's just say I'm audacious enough to hope.

The Sun Will Come Up

Every day, and every day...the sun comes up, and all things look fresh and new. Tom gets up to see the sunrise frequently. Sometimes he walks to the top of Yankee Hill Road where it meets Henry Road and watches the sun come up. I'm in bed finishing the last minutes of a delicious 8 hour sleep...so he brings me pictures.

Isn't it amazing?

Someday I've just got to get out of bed and go see that for myself. Do you think Tom would like my company? Probably not, because, once in a great while he wakes up Grumpy. But most days he just lets me sleep.