Dog Days

Wiki says: "Dog Days" (Latin: diēs caniculārēs) are the hottest, most sultry days of summer. In the northern hemisphere, they usually fall between early July and early September. Dog Days can also define a time period or event that is very hot or stagnant, or marked by dull lack of progress. The name comes from the ancient belief that Sirius, also called the Dog Star, in close proximity to the sun was responsible for the hot weather.

Well, folks, we are in 'em. The hot and languid summer time. The most miserable time of year in SC. Our main activity these days is napping.

Also, once the Tour de France is over, there are NO sports to watch on TV, so boredom knocks on the door daily. All bike riding must begin before 8 a.m. and end by 10 a.m., for me at least. And it is a joy to get in the Y pool at 1:15 three times a week.

To put a more positive spin on this time of year, in Alan's family is it also Birthday Season. From mid-July to mid-September, literally half of his family (8 of 16) has a birthday. Usually that means a lot of getting together to celebrate, like we did last night for Anita! Big meal of fresh, homegrown veggies. YUM!

Thank God for air conditioning!

Mind Blown

Please notice the post below. At 11:35 a.m. last Friday I was saying how excited I was that the best is yet to come. HA! How little did I know.

The NewSpring Volunteer/Vision event Friday night was off the charts, unbelieveable. God did a miracle and I got to be part of it.

Our Greenwood home group has been having a terrific summer, meeting, serving, giving, learning together, and praying. We even sent our pastor, Perry, a bunch of thank you notes for his 40th birthday and a Top 10 list of why there needs to be a NewSpring campus in Greenwood. So Fun!

A few weeks ago he said he'd be announcing 2 new campuses this summer, and we discerned by careful questioning of staff that Greenwood was third on the wish list and wouldn't be getting a campus. But then Perry asked a few Sundays ago if someone would please give $2 million dollars so we could open three campuses instead of just two.

Last Monday, the 18th, someone did! Of course, we didn't know this until Friday night. Our home group was sitting on the 4th row when he announced the new campuses in Spartanburg and Myrtle Beach, and then told about the gift. We started freaking out, that he was about to say Greenwood.

He said it had really been on his heart ever since a HOME GROUP sent him a Top 10 List. By then it was obvious and we were freaking out - loud! On the 4th row. So he called us out and said YES, Greenwood would be getting a NewSpring campus in 2012.

Of course God wants people in Greenwood to meet Jesus and be in a relationship with him that will change their lives. Not that anything we did "changed his mind." But we showed we are ready. Not just by saying we wanted it, but by SERVING. And God blessed us.

Greenwood will never be the same. I can't wait to see the difference in my community.

The Best Is Yet to Come

July 26, 2010 was Alan's second "first day" at Fuji. Coming up on the first anniversary of our return to Greenwood I have to say I am thankful for how our life has changed in the last year, but I am even more excited about what is ahead.

We all turn in to our mother

I just talked to my mom on the phone. She and my sister left early this morning and drove to Tennessee to visit her sister. When Mama got on the phone she said "I reminded myself of my mother. She used to get so excited about traveling that she couldn't sleep." That explains how she was able to get moving at 5:45 a.m. today. At 83, she has become her mother.

I see the road ahead.

And I'm OK with it. I didn't know my grandmother very well, but I think she must have been an amazing woman and someone I would have liked very much.

Lizard Lizard

That is, a plastic lizard that Alan fishes with. Last night about 8 we took the kayak on the pond. He caught two bass. A 1-lb on a stinky plastic worm and a 2-lb on a plastic lizard. That fish almost jumped in the boat with us.

But he was nothing like this monster, a catfish Alan caught on the plastic lizard about 3 weeks ago.



This guy weighed almost 26 lbs. I named him Abraham, the patriarch. Who would have imagined a fish this big living behind our house? When Alan hooked him, he pulled us all over the pond until he was tired enough for me to get the boat to the bank so Alan could get out and haul him in. He rolled his fat belly up against the side of the boat and I thought he was going to push us over.

Of course, we put him back and hope to catch him again one day.

Colorado Vacation

Well, here are the pictures from camping.

Headed west on I-70 we were amazed at the amount of snow still on the peaks.

At the continential divide, Loveland ski area, Eisenhower tunnel.

Then after the tunnel, west into Summit County. Then left at Copper Mountain resort on Highway 91, over Fremont Pass at the Climax molybdenum mine (where we first rode a snowmobile) into Lake County, and almost to Leadville before turning right onto Highway 24, over Tennessee Pass into Eagle County and finally a left into Camp Hale. Still following Wayne in the camper, into Camp Hale, and up the valley to the group camping site.

What we went for - fishing the East Fork of the Eagle River and Resolution Creek. Beaver dams create good fish water. Alan took these shots while he was out, alone, so sadly, we have no pictures of the intrepid fisherman.

He did encounter some sheep and captured the view. But that's not the whole story.

We had a fabulous time with our friends. Sarah says 79 campers this year. Four families cancelled at the last. 12 dogs on this trip and LOTS of children - 35 to 40 but who can count 'em? The kids started cooking with us this year and it was great to have their help in the kitchen. I made Mama's banana pudding on Sunday. No high altitude adjustments necessary. The firewords in Leadville on the 4th were terrific.

We made it 4 nights, in a pop-up (out?) camper with a heater that we shared with the McNealys. Sort of a shower on Monday in the Eye's RV, but I was SO happy to get clean Tuesday afternoon when we got back to town.

Also scored some great new Ecco shoes, 2 pairs each, from David at his new job. I love to buy shoes when I travel. We didn't get to see everyone we wanted to while in Colorado this trip, but it won't be our last, so maybe next time.