The Not So Lazy Days of Summer

While it’s technically not summer just yet it sure feels like it. It has been hot! Vicki was telling me she heard on the news our temps have been 15° above average for June.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY! Sixteen years ago today was another warm day. I remember parts of it well as it was the day Vicki and I got married. Actually, I remember most of the day very well -- I was just so nervous I can’t remember the ceremony. In all those years I’ve never had reason to say to Vicki, “Find that tape and prove to me we got married.” She is a wonderful partner to share life with.

I know where I want to take Vicki to celebrate our anniversary, but it’s going to have to wait until next month as there are too many things on the calendar at present.

SWIMMING/TWILIGHT CAMP UPDATE. Last week I mentioned the kids were all taking swimming lessons from Morgan and the boys had Cub Scout camp. It was a good but tiring week for all of us. The kids slept well every night.

Morgan is a very good swim instructor. Saturday afternoon the kids and I went over to swim with the Totten boys and I could tell a big improvement in all three. Jenna’s and Ben’s swimming skills were good from previous experience, but I could tell she helped them get better. Nate, on the other hand, was a big improvement. I definitely don’t feel like I need to hover around him any more. That’s not to say I’ve thrown caution to the wind, but it’s a nice thing when you know your kids can take care of themselves in the water.

The boys also had a good time at camp. We dropped the boys off and ran errands Monday through Thursday evenings, but Jenna and I stayed for camp Friday evening. I was very impressed with the activities they had lined up. At the end each boy got a paper to give to their den leader telling what they accomplished at camp toward their next badge. Ben and Nate have both picked up a few belt loops and are on their way toward other things a Webelo and a Wolf need to do. They also had a lot of fun along the way.

TAXI SERVICE. Aunt Mar has a standing appointment to have her hair done every Friday. Over the last few months Vicki has begun to go with Mom and Aunt Mar for this appointment to lend a hand. Now that the kids are out of school Aunt Mar has a full escort service. I even met them at Shoney’s for lunch last week.

WORK IS NEVER DONE. This year it has not worked out for me to be off much during the summer. Vicki has also needed to put a lot of time in at work now to get ready for taking a group of kids to camp and then put on VBS -- both events are next month.

Joe

The First Week of Summer Break

In some ways I feel sorry for my kids. When I was a kid our summer break lasted three months. My kids get eight weeks, and one of those precious weeks is already gone.

HOLIDAY WORLD. As I mentioned last time, Wednesday, May 26, was the last day of classes. Vicki surprised the kids the next day and took them to Holiday World (see www.holidayworld.com/). They put on swimsuits and loaded up in the van for a day trip of amusement park bliss. They came back telling that they rode every water ride in the park. The Wildebeest, dubbed the longest water coaster in the world, sure made an impression on all the kids. I think they ignored all the roller coasters. It was a great way to start the summer.

REUNION. I did not go to Holiday World with them as I was in Wichita, Kansas, attending another 73rd Bomb Wing reunion. I flew out there Wednesday (May 26) and came back late Saturday. I had a great time seeing old friends again this year. One of the highlights of spending time with people is sharing a meal and talking with them. I will always remember the meals I shared with the Agees, the Bartholds, Paul Linden, and Bob Stangland. Mr. Stangland was the only member of Dad’s crew present this year.

We went on a tour of the McConnell Air Force Base this year. While there we got a chance to crawl around in a KC-135 and meet some of the crew. They allowed us complete access to the plane so I went everywhere from the pilot’s seat in the cockpit to the boomer’s position in the tail. (The KC-135 is a tanker for inflight refueling. The boomer is the one who operates the refueling boom that drops down from the rear of the plane.)

After lunch we got to tour a B-29 named Doc. Doc is being restored by a private group there on the base. Touring Doc was very special for me because this was the first time tail section was open on any Superfortress I’ve had the opportunity to crawl inside. (The engines had been removed so the cockpit was filled with weights to keep the nose wheel on the ground.) For the first time in my life I got to climb in the rear door and sit in my dad’s position as right gunner.

It was still a bit hard to visualize what it was like in the plane during the war as practically all the equipment has been stripped out. For example, there were no seats or gunsights at any of the gunner’s positions. Even with the plane fairly empty it was cramped quarters. I even crawled back to the tail gunner’s position. It was tight for me to get in there. I can’t imagine how men like Mr. Stathas did it in flight squeezing between ammo cans and such with oxygen bottle in hand and a flack jacket and parachute on.

I’m really looking forward to next year’s reunion. If everything works out I will be commuting to Nashville!

MORE CLEANING OUT. The Jones family took advantage of the Memorial Day weekend and came up here for a final clean out of Pauline’s house. This time they rented a trailer and took things back with them they wanted to keep. All that’s left now are things Vicki wants to keep and some furniture to be sold.

THE END OF BASEBALL. Ben played his last baseball game of the year Saturday. I think he enjoyed it in spite of the fact they didn’t have a winning season (actually, we saw the five run mercy rule, which Nate called the mercury rule, used a lot to keep our opponents from running up the score). He did really well for his first year. What made us proud was that he ended the season with a couple of singles. Going in to this final week Ben only got the bat on the ball once, just barely tipping it for a foul ball. He did get to walk several times and got practice stealing bases. Once he even stole home but the batter didn’t step out of the box so the umpire didn’t allow the run to count.

Thursday night Ben hit his first single. It was a grounder to center field. I think he was on second when their team got their third out for the inning. On Saturday Ben hit another single. This time it was a grounder to right field. He eventually stole his way to second and third and scored a run when another batter walked with the bases loaded. A respectable way to end a first season of baseball.

A BUSY WEEK. The kids have a full slate of activities on schedule for this week. Morgan is giving swimming lessons this summer. The boys are signed up for 45 minute lessons with her every morning and Jenna will follow them with 20 minute diving lessons. The boys also have Cub Scout camp this week. We signed them up for a different camp this year. This camp is in the evenings (5:00-9:00) at Moss Wright Park in Goodlettsville.

Joe