Muggy Musings

Sure is muggy out today. We had yet another thunderstorm this morning. This rain just has to stop! The run-off from Red Rock Lake is creeping up West St. here in Swan and into the city park. The stop sign at the end of West St. has only about 5" to go before it's completely submerged. There hasn't been this much water in town since June '08, when there was tons of flooding across the Eastern half of the state.

I've pretty much been up since 5 am when the storm awakened me. I hurried out to the back room to shut off the computer. Then, I couldn't get back to sleep, which was probably good because David had to come in my room twice to seek assurance that we weren't about to get blown away in a tornado. Then, I heard Sam from the top of the stairs, "Sam scared shunder!" Ugh. They both got settled onto the couch and then fell asleep there. I finally drifted off to sleep and then my radio came on at 6:30 - breap! breap! I always have it set on the radio, but some kid messed with it yesterday and had it set on the alarm! I had it set early because I had an 8am hair appt. scheduled (why do I do that to myself?). I was so tired by then I decided it really wasn't important that I walk in with freshly washed hair, so I laid on my hearing ear for another half hour, trying to block out Dr. David Jeremiah talking about the Millennium on Paul's radio.

Well, I haven't gotten any more comments on my latest FaithWriter's story. I think I had better resign myself that I'm not going to do as well this week. Or maybe everybody is on vacation and can't take the time to check in an comment...I think I'll go with that one! :)

That's Ben and David a couple of weeks ago on Promotion Sunday with their Sunday School certificates. With a certain amount of fear and trembling we had Ben promoted this year to the Jr. High class. He's using deodorant and it won't be long before he has to shave, so we needed to get him out of the Jr. class! But we are going to delay having him start youth group for one more year. There's enough new stuff coming at him right now.

Last week Sam was running around the house, naked on his bottom half. I was doing something outside while he was in the house alone (I know - not necessarily a good idea!). When I came in I told him it was time to get a pull-up on. I got one out of the drawer, but Sam lifted up his shirt, which had been covering his lower half, and announced, "Already got one, Mom!" And sure enough, the kid had gotten his own pull-up out of the drawer and put it on all by himself!

Later that same week, I spent a laborious half hour matching and folding socks (I think I'd rather clean the bathroom than do that chore!). I got several neat stacks of matched socks and carried out a number of them to the back room where the laundry baskets were. I put the socks in their respective baskets and in walked Sam, arms full of my previously-folded socks. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry, honestly! All that work...but he was so proud of himself, being a big helper!

Well, that's all I know for now, I think. We're headed to Council Bluffs this weekend. It's the annual Heywood Family picnic, which we don't really make a point to attend. I don't know the majority of people there, honestly. Paul's dad is one of 16 children and that alone would make it hard to keep track of who is who. But now most of those kids are already great-grandparents so there are multiple generations that show up at this picnic, plus there's all kind of divorce and remarriage situations, so I have no idea who belongs to who. But for some reason, they are making a really big deal out of it this year and all kinds of people are coming into Iowa for the picnic. I'm really not sure why. But, since we haven't been back since December, we figured we'd go. Have I mentioned my intense dislike of being outdoors in the summertime, particularly when I'm expected to eat outdoors? Yeah, I'm not much of a picnic person...

I have to figure out our camping trip, too. With Will working, our summer weekends are just disappearing. To save money and because Paul doesn't have as many vacation days as he thought he did, and because time is at a premium with this basement and addition project, we're only taking a long weekend for a camping excursion. We're just going to go to Lake Red Rock and then take the boys to the Knoxville Race Track. That one doesn't really excite me either! But I'm a little out-voted in this family...However, Kathy and I are hoping to meet up in Omaha for a shopping day before school starts, so the summer shouldn't be a complete loss!

Well, I need to leave shortly to take Ben to Social Skills. I should try to get Sam down for a nap, too. He's been awfully demanding and whiny the past couple of days. That, in turn, tends to make me demanding and whiny! Well, that,and Ben has been up to his old tricks the past few days...grr - that kid! If he lives to adulthood, it may be a miracle!