castles. for some reason growing up - if you would have asked me the question "if you could go back in time to be anything, what would you be? well i would have almost always said a knight who lived in a castle. maybe this is where i get my love for castles from. well - that coupled with the fact that they just dont exist in america. so lately i have been on a spree to see some of the ones here that are really close and i have just been too lazy to go see. im not going to take the time to tell you the histories - but i will link them so you can read them for yourself. it is quite amazing how many castles there are just here in the czech republic. castles, castle ruins and chateaus basically - that some people call castles as well. i visited Konopiště with bekah last weekend and Křivoklát with jeff this weekend. They both were really nice - but i think that Křivoklát was my favorite of the two. the town below and around were so cool. well - enjoy the pictures. and if you want to see all the other castles and ruins and other things here in the CZ republic - check out this site.

(just some more ammunition that you will have on me linds...)


Konopiště from the distance


Konopiště side view by the moat


two of the towers of Konopiště


Konopiště in bloom


other side of Konopiště


Křivoklát walking up


Křivoklát looking up from the main path


how often do you get to shoot a crossbow in a castle courtyard? (Křivoklát)


lookout on Křivoklát


looking up from the town on Křivoklát

june 18th - father's day. man this weekend flew by. and once again - nice to be reminded by some folks back home and the adverts on the net that it is fathers day in america.

not sure what to say about my dad. as much as my brother and i may clown on him and give him a hard time - it is pretty hard to overlook the fact that i could not have asked for a better father and friend. growing up i usually wondered what in the heck i had to do this and that for - and why he was so adamant about so many things - but now i know. he just loved my brother and i. and more than that - he loved all of my friends pretty much as if they were his own. looking back now i see the willingness to do anything for anybodys kid. anyone needed a ride to scouts? call fred. anyone need a chaparone for a trip? fred was there. (although he got banned from church trips because of a small flatulance problem..) no signs of selfishness there in the least. yeah - he may have been pissed at me for coming home when i was like 13 with an earring - but after we had it out - he didnt care anymore. he has even put up with mine and my brothers friends for all these years - which is no small feat in itself - and he still ended up with more hair than both of his sons... i may even would go so far as if to say he valued my opinion after that incident. over the years he has helped me see so many different things in a light that on my own, i wouldnt have been able to. i may never read zig ziglar like he wants - but he still gives great advice. he taught me how to play baseball and took me camping. i have always said that if i could ever be half the man that my dad was - then i would be doing alright. he would never admit that he was anything special, but the truth is that he has always been my hero. in so many ways i still am a kid wanting to be just like his dad.

thanks dad for showing me a small glimpse of what my heavenly father is like and thank you for giving me something to look up to. cant wait to see you and hang out. love ya...

so maybe some of you know and some dont - because i probably have been a terrible friend and not kept in touch as well as i should have - but i am gonna be home on july 8th.. this is coming so soon - and i am really getting excited to see everyone. it will have been a year. wierd in a few different ways. one just because i have never gone that long without going home. the second is that it seems like just yesterday i came here. time has flown by and i have been loving it. (well - besides a few tough weeks after lindsay took off back to nashvegas.) I have a ticket back to Praha on the 8th of September. So I will just be chillin for the most part in the sweltering heat of MS. I hope that i get to see loads of folks when i am home - but i dont have a car anymore - so i am not sure how much running around i will get to do. So anyway - come on by the folks house and see me if you can. I most likely will be there for all of july. august i will be going here and there to weddings, visit people and maybe take a road trip or 2. so anyway - just wanted to let you guys know - for anyone who cares. that is about it for now - nothing profound to say really (wait...not sure i ever do) so i will make this short. enjoy your weekend - i know i will...

btw (josh) - it wasnt that cool here when our team got killed by the czechs...


Thomaš actin a fool...