The Half-Way Point

Our heat wave continues. We had a bit of a reprieve earlier this week, but by Wednesday the temps were back in the triple digits. And to add insult to injury, what afternoon thunderstorms have popped up in the area have all bypassed Cross Plains. I hear thunder rumbling in the distance now. Maybe, just maybe...

TIME FLIES. Last week marked the half-way point of the year. It also means the kids’ summer break is half over. I was thinking about that as Nate and I were turning into the parking lot at church. Spying the school bus he rides parked in Lynn and Alice’s yard across the road I said, “Another five weeks, Nate, and you’ll be riding that big, yellow bus again.”

When Nate didn’t answer I looked at him to see if he had heard me. Seeing me glance his way he said, “You sure do know how to put a guy down, Dad.”

A QUIET WEEK. When I first looked at out summer calendar I called last week our down week. This is the one week in our summer break where we are all at home and we don’t have any local, daily activity. Granted, I am back at work every day and Vicki is gearing up for VBS at church, but we’ve been able to enjoy evenings at home watching movies or I Love Lucy episodes we rented from Netflix.

The same can be said for our Fourth of July. The only things we did was go to the Kilgore Remembrance ceremony that morning and take supper over to Mom and Aunt Mar’s that evening. We didn’t even bother to drive up to Cross Plains for fireworks. The heat had a lot to do with that decision.

ONE HAPPY MAN. I will never forget the smile on Carl Swann’s face as he drove up to the Kilgore Remembrance ceremony. I think I’ve written before that he purchased a restored Willys Jeep last year. He was driving it when he arrived at the cemetery Wednesday. It looked perfect with the two American flags he had attached to the back corners of the vehicle. We asked him to park it next to the highway to show it off which seemed to please him to no end. I wish I had remembered to bring my camera.

SCOUT CAMP. Of course, the busy summer schedule resumes next week. We took Ben to Boxwell Reservation for Boy Scout Summer Camp this afternoon. Among all the regular camp activities we will be doing work toward six merit badges: First Aid, Fishing, Indian Lore, Leatherwork, Space Exploration, and Woodcarving. He comes home Saturday morning. At least the weather forecast shows cooler temperatures on the way!

Joe