Summer Time

Summer seems to have 'officially' burst upon us with temperatures in the high 80's, thunder storms, and humidity that coats your skin like oil. It's not the August summer - languid and breathless. This summer has a kick in it's step that allows you to enjoy sweating outside. It's a gentle country summer.

Not like what my son's going to find with a NY summer - stifling heat rebounding between tall buildings and the air full of the smells of car exhaust, exotic foods, and sweat. He's off to NY for a five-week mission trip to set up Christian groups on college campuses. I guess we'll learn all about it by reading his blog http://tomkuell.blogspot.com/.


This is Tom with his girlfriend, Lauren. It seems like just yesterday I was pushing his stroller in the department store, and he was blowing motorboat sounds with his lips. Then he was swinging at a wiffle ball we tied to a tree branch so he could practice batting. He grew into a pitcher, a bright student, and a wonderful young man. God has filled his heart and has blessed him.

I'm going to miss him this summer. It's the first time he's going to be gone for so long (except for college) but I'm sure I'll adjust. Thankfully, my younger son, Jim, is still home. He'll take most of the mushy-gush hugs and kisses with good humor. After all, he'll miss Tom also.

One of my friends is thinking about arranging a day trip with our horses for the day Tom leaves for NY. What a terrific distraction this will be. :^)

Friends are wonderful. Family is a blessing. I love every moment of my life!

Motivation

Or rather lack thereof. I've been having issues ever since we had to roll back the clocks an hour. I awake with my novel characters cavorting around my brain - banging into various nerve endings, sending my arms and legs shooting out from beneath the covers. Not really, but they're trying to get me out of bed in the middle of the night so I can tell their story. And I'm not about to leave the soft comfort of my pillow.

But then, when I finally arise after slapping the snooze button at least 10 times, I must rush to work. Then I rush to my home office and work some more. Then the guilt speaks in its creepy little voice, "You haven't exercised all week. You haven't walked the dog today. Are those cobwebs hanging on the light? Why haven't you worked on your novel? It's almost June and you promised yourself you'd have it ready to submit."

ARGH!

So here I sit, doing some work, taking a break and writing this blog, and now returning to my work.

I'm going to stare at my friends Laurie and Bonnie, both of whom have published works, and see if their faces will inspire me. :^)

Rain, rain, go away

Memorial Day weekend - incredible! We had one of those Time Paradox thingies going on at our house. It gobbled up the past couple of months and left us here, in the future, in the rain.

Remember when Memorial Day weekend was the official kick-off of summer? When you'd rent canoe, grab your tent and cooler full of beer and head to the water...any water?

I remember one time running the rapids on the Delaware River then pulling off to the side and setting up camp for the night. Unfortunately, it was near railroad tracks so the rumbling roar of the train rolled me out of my sleeping bag at 3am.

These days there's work. And responsibility. And chores. Why is this? When did the practical stuffy adult take over the fun-loving youth?

Sigh. Guess it happens to all of us. Running to our cars when it's raining and we don't have an umbrella. Or grumbling when the checkout line is long instead of striking up a conversation with a stranger.

My body may be aging, but I'm going to fight turning into an old fuddy-duddy.

I'm going to saunter outside, tilt my face toward the sky and let the rain fall into my mouth.

Happy Memorial Day. And thanks to all our fallen heroes who helped give us our freedoms to write silly blogs such as this.