May 13th,2008; This morning we have a cloudy sky, with temperatures expected to rise to 19°C again by this afternoon. Night time temperatures tend to drop between 3°C to 6°C with clear skies. That powerful 7.9 earthquake which struck China yesterday caused huge amount of devastation and deaths. Most of the office buildings, factories and schools were full of people when the earthquake struck. Rescuers are picking through the rubble of collapsed homes, schools and office towers. The official death toll from that earthquake is around 12,000,00 according to Chinese officials. Meanwhile, heavy rain is making it difficult for rescue workers to reach the epicentre of the disaster. A lot of the county roads are badly damaged and are almost inaccessible in many places due to the heavy rain. Military personnel were forced to turn back in some area because it was too treacherous to get to. Aftershocks also rattled the region today, creating panic in the city streets. U.S. Geological Survey measured the shocks between magnitude 4 and 6. In the meantime, our Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Maxime Bernier said Canada is ready with humanitarian assistance of tents, food, clean water and medicine when they are given the green light to enter the country. China's officials declined any humanitarian assistance from other countries, stating that it has all the equipment and resources to handle the situation. This is China's worst earthquake in three decades. Previous to this earthquake, Cyclone Nargis had ripped across the coast of Myanmar (Burma), and had brought misery & devastation to tens of thousands of people. So far, officials have refused to allow humanitarian assistance into Burma. Burmese generals had said no foreign aid workers are allowed in Burma.

I can't wait for the time I can purchase a wilderness plot of land so that I can build that log cabin on it. But that won't be until the spring and summer of 2010 CE. Until then, I can only keep dreaming about it. I sure do not want to focus on all the death and destruction that is going on, because that is just too depressing to think about. I have no interest in hockey, baseball or in any of those kinds of sports. Not even when I was a child or teenager, had I any interest in sports. Girls? I have no luck in that department, and do not expect that will change any time soon. That is my fault, because I am not aggressive enough to impose myself upon women as most men do. I do not flip out or get all bent out of shape every time I see a pretty woman. Besides, most of the women around here are either married or are single mothers with a child or two. At this point in my life, what with my intention of working towards my dream to build a log cabin in the wilderness, I do not want to get involved with a women with children. Only to be a casual friend with them. Besides, I am sixty-four years of age and I am still attracted mostly to single women around the age of 20 to 40. So I have cut down my options of finding a women to share my life with, pretty greatly or next to impossible. Be that as it may, them’s the breaks. It is that or nothing. Maybe I should get back to painting, but there is no incentive in me to do that. Artist material around here is pretty expensive and I do not have the money to waste on it, especially if I can not sell my artwork. Maybe I will learn to play an organ. Irene had given me a small organ that she was going to throw out, but I had salvaged it. I had not much time to pratice on it. It works well sinced I had repaired it. I have always liked the sound that comes out of an organ. Then I can always try my hand at playing the guitar that is hanging on my wall and sing "Home on the Range". Then again, Buddy might have something to say about that. I do not think I would make a good singer, especially if I have to carry a tune. I can't stand that hard rock or that rap crap, one hears on the radio. I would rather listen to Beethoven, Bach, some Movie Themes, and organ music. I even like some folk and country music. But none of that "Your Cheating Heart" or "You left me for another man" type of crying in my beer songs. Besides, I can't stand the taste of beer. I would prefer a nice glass of red wine, especially with a meal, or sip on a smooth Canadian Club at a beach watching the sunset, or sip it by a fireplace in the winter. Preferably with someone one can have a good, interesting conversation with. When I look at Buddy, I always wonder what he must be thinking about, if only he could talk.... Well, Journal, I must end this little talk and take Buddy out for his morning walk and run. He is still quite bulky to what he should be for his pedigree. While I was running Buddy on his exercise program, I had made up my mind that I will no longer divulge any more information on the things of GOD, or what is going to happen concerning the near future. I had already divulged enough information on these topics to warn people of what is to come and what to expect. The rest is up to individuals in what they do, or do not do. Buddy and I had a good run along the waterfront to City Hall and back. Hopefully, that will knock off a few pounds from Buddy. We are expecting to have rain tomorrow, which will be good. At least it will keep the forest from drying out, and that will help prevent any risk of forest fires. I see that there is more talk of gasoline going up to $1.50 a lt. They do that so that people will not be shocked when the price of gasoline do go up to $1.50. I wonder how high will the gasoline have to climb up, before something is done to put a clamp on it? Will see. I had helped Irene and Woody today with some task that needed to be done. It at least gives me something to do and it keeps me young and trim. As soon as I get a long beam from woody, I can replace the broken one in the garage shed. It had broken due to all the weight of the snow on the roof. It had buckled the tin roof and broke one of the rafter beams. Another small job that needs to be done. I had received a letter which had informed me that I will get a new lens for my right eye. While I can see fairly well from that right eye, things do look a little fogy compared to my left eye which had received a new lens. I can see real clear through that left eye now. Once I get a new lens in my right eye, I will have clear vision in both eyes. That will be GREAT, having nothing to obstruct my vision. I thank GOD we have such fine doctors/surgeons who can do this kind of work, which give sight back to people.