Whirlwind Days

It was approximately ten days ago that Wife and I left home. We attended two weddings, Wife visited varied friends and family in Arkansas for a few days while I worked in Memphis, and we picked up Younger Son at camp in Missouri. We returned home today to find a house still standing. Older Son, Daughter and Ralph the Dog seemed to have managed OK in our absence.

Younger Son seems to have grown a foot while he was gone. Other than rash from poison ivy he contracted and one night he spent in the infirmary, he loved every minute of it. We were so glad to see him and he was happy enough to see us, but he would have been just as glad to visit a bit, then send us on our way. Alas for him, it's back to reality. We are all helping him with "re-entry" and he'll be fine. Do any of my blogger friends know any good home remedies for poison ivy? It's not itching anymore but still looks awful, kind of like scabbed-over chicken pox. I have only had it one time in my life, despite doing lots of camping as a youngster. I was about 28 when I had my one and only case and I remember it was so bad I had to go to the Dr. and get steroid shots. Younger Son's is not nearly that bad. Other two offspring have never had to deal with it.

School starts in only three more weeks here. Our local school administration has been trying for years to push the so-called balanced calendar (a/k/a Year Round School) on us, which we have succesfully fought off. What they have been able to do, however, is push back the start date ever so slightly and this year we start Aug. 11! Ugh! Daughter will leave in a few weeks to go back to college for Rush. Older Son will stay with us, of course, he having boomeranged back to the nest a couple of months ago. It has been one whirlwind of a summer but that's just where we are right now.

Wife was furiously taking mental notes at the two weddings we attended, putting herself in the place of both mother of the bride and mother of the groom, just so she will be ready if/when her time comes. No, nobody in the family is engaged or anywhere near it, but I'll hand it to Wife -- she has always been prepared.

Both weddings we attended, one in Arkansas and one in Missouri, were beautiful affairs but I'll say this about the Arkansas event. It was in JULY in ARKANSAS and a big part of the reception was OUTSIDE!!!! Are you kidding me?! Was I sweating like a pig just walking onto the lawn and seeing tables and chairs set up as if they expected I would remain there?! I made a polite hello to the bride's father, congratulated him, visited the beer table, then swifly made my way inside where I remained for the duration. Sorry folks, but heat, humidity and I just don't get along too well.