A Great Book

As I was looking through old pictures, I found some from a book that Dwight and wrote years ago.

We moved from New York to Seattle around the time of my brother, Nathan's, birthday. While on the road in our huge moving van, we stopped by a Walmart, where we happened upon the perfect gift- a huge pillow shaped like a fish. We knew that we had to buy it for Nathan, since he loves fishing. As we continued our drive, we decided to write a book for Nathan about how we caught the fish.

We had some unexpected delays on the trip, including breaking down just outside of Omaha, Nebraska. After making a trip to another Walmart to get supplies for our book, the moving van broke down again. We had to stay in a hotel just outside of Wyoming, which happened to be right next to a pond.

We started taking pictures, with no idea what the story would be. While we were taking the pictures, a man came running over from a nearby gas station to find out where we had caught such an incredibly huge fish. I was a little embarrassed when I told him that it was a pillow.

We finally made it to Utah where we finished the book.

So, posted below, is one of my favorite books. If you want to enlarge any of the pictures, just click on it.

The Adventures of KnuckleBilly Finn and His Cousin Shannan Dowa

One day, KnuckleBilly Finn decided to go a fishin'. So he grabbed him a branch and he made him a pole and he went a walkin' down the old gravel road to the wide Mississippi Mud Pond.

KnuckleBilly wasn't fishin' for no ordinary fish. He was after the gator-huge monster Mississippi Mud Fish.

But, the Mississippi Mud Fish ain't no ordinary monster fish. Yuh have to be patient as a tick on molasses and smarter than a cotton gin.

So he a fished and he a fished and he a fished...

On a sudden! Y'all monster huge Mississippi Mud Fish done took the bait hook line and chigger! KnuckleBilly yanked with the force of a mighty rooster! What a terrible fight it started. First, the Mud Fish jumped clean clear of the pond and flew into the tree in order to better study its enemy.

Then, quick as grandma's knittin' the Mud Fish sprung from the tree and took Knuckle Billy by the throat.

But, KnuckleBilly was trained in the ways of Mud Fish Fighting. Employing a seldom used Mud Fish Fighting maneuver called a grab-yuh-by-the-spine-and-jam-yuh-face-first-into-the-

turf-till-yuh-beg-for-mercy-tae-bo-wax-on-wax-and-shine-the-
grasshopper-slamma-jamma!

KnuckleBilly was mighty in skill that day - oh yes!

He tied up his prize real good and posed like a purty spring lima bean for cuzin Shannan Dowa to snap a photigraf.

At first, KnuckleBilly wanted to eat the Mud Fish fresh.

But then he hatched a better plan, to bar-B-Q that Mud Fish with a sprinklin' of red clay nuggets and a touch of the ivy.

What Fer! Outta the blue, that Mud Fish done raised open his suction cup like mouth and yelled,
"KnuckleBilly! Wait, don't eat me! I'm a smart Mississippi Mud Fish and I will bring you good luck if you will be my bestest friend."

So, KnuckleBilly and the Mississippi Mud Fish decided to become fast friends.
"By the way," said the Mud Fish, "My name is Jed."

KnuckleBilly and Jed started on the long journey home together.

KnuckleBilly, Jed and Shannan Dowa was so excited for the big trip. But it was a long trip so they decided to get out the super-half-speed racing bike and travel first class, southern style!

Shannan Dowa peddled KnuckleBilly and carried Jed.

But she was a goin' too slow, so KnuckleBilly took control of the bike and carried Jed.
Shannan hoofed it.

KnuckleBilly got tired of carryin' Jed when there was a perfectly good Shannan Dowa about.

But KnuckleBilly is a headstrong boy on a bike, so Shannan Dowa yelled him to "Don't go yonderly thither, y'all is gonna fall!"
KnuckleBilly yelled right back, "I don't! Watch!"...

Jed now knew he had to be the one to take control of the bike, since it was a might too risky for KnuckleBilly.

Finally, Jed, KnuckleBilly and Shannan Dowa made it home. But Jed was dehydrated as a bucket of corn meal and tater peelins' by the time he made it to his new house. So, he took a snooze like old rumply snail skin.

Then, he played KnuckleBilly in a game of Strateegoat.

Finally, Jed settled down in his splendid new home and lived happily ever after, surfin' the net.

Charles Dickens

This week, I finished reading A Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens. At first, I was a little overwhelmed by the writing style. I would read a few pages or paragraphs and then have to stop and look up a word or two in the dictionary. But, the more I read, the more I liked the writing style. Charles Dickens was able to say something profound and moving in just a small sentence. I enjoyed reading this book and had a hard time saying goodbye to the characters, especially Sydney Carton, who had a small, but significant role in the book.

My favorite Charles Dickens book is The Life of Our Lord. This was a work that was never meant to be published. He wrote it solely for his children. He wanted to teach them about Jesus Christ. He thought about publishing it, but decided not to. In fact, he didn't even want copies of the original manuscript to be taken out of the house. His family cherished and protected the manuscript. His youngest son, Henry, left the choice of whether or not to publish the manuscript after his death, to his wife and children. It was published in 1934, a year after Henry's death.

I love the simpleness of The Life of Our Lord, especially after reading A Tale of Two Cities. Although Charles Dickens was capable of writing profound and imaginative words, he used a writing style that even his youngest children could understand. From these pages, I can tell that he was a man of great faith, who left something that was more important than money or fame to his children.