Rollin', Rollin', Rollin'

I looked at the calendar Friday and said, “Self, this month is going to be over before you know it.” In fact, I suspect summer will be over before we know it. I have a week of meetings, next week is bible school at church (and my birthday) and then we have a week between the end of bible school and the start of our trip. Teen Angel starts college two days after we get home from Europe, and woops, there it is, the end of summer. Why is it summer moves so much faster than the other seasons, especially winter? Winter is at least eight months long, isn’t it? Anyway, things are rolling along, and it seems our weeks are as full as ever.


We had a great Fourth of July which translates into the fact that we had homemade ice cream and no one lost a toe, a hand or his eyebrows to the annual driveway fireworks show. We had quite the show this year, between the stuff Teen Angel bought and the trunk full of explosives our next door neighbors bought in Missouri. There were four people out there lighting the assortment of fireworks, which made for a pretty show but left our roofs covered in bits of paper. Since everybody stands out in his yard, eating and watching the lights, we’re thinking that next year we should just make it official and have a block party. I’m not bringing the subject up again anytime soon though, because I’ll just end up getting nominated to plan it, and I need at least one activity in my life where I just show up with my broccoli casserole and enjoy someone else’s organizational skills.

We had an official Independence Day party at our house this past weekend since that’s when our friends were available. That was successful, too. Meaning everyone had a good time and no one got hurt, unless you count that spectacular fall Hubby had on the wet concrete floor of the Man Cave. The only thing damaged was his pride and one really cold longneck beer. We didn’t have fireworks at that party because honestly, that group (and I’m including us in that) should not be trusted with beer AND explosives. Plus, we figured our neighbors wouldn’t appreciate back to back weekends of us scaring their dogs and keeping them up late with loud noises.

And that brings us to today, which is Holy Mackerel Next Week is Bible School and Hula’s In Charge of Decorations and Hasn’t Done Anything About it Yet Day. Y’all know how I love bible school, but it has really snuck up on me this year. Our theme is 80’s Rock N’ Roll which is just the best theme ever in my book. I get a little misty eyed just thinking about it. In fact, I’ve been looking for my old 80’s concert t-shirts to wear but haven’t found them yet. There’s my REO Journey Wagon series and the original Police Synchronicity Tour, among others. I don’t think I have the Joan Jett shirt anymore, and I can honestly say getting rid of that is probably on my list of Top 10 Regrets of my 20’s. Right beneath the curly perm/big hair bow thing. Sigh. Sometimes we just don’t realize what we have until we lose it. On a positive note I did find my college coed intramural volleyball championship shirt AND my college pom pon squad tights with the hoof prints on the butt. Score!

This Friday, I have a mini reunion of some girls I went to high school with. That should be fun since it’s the folks we all really want to spend time with and none of the people who drove us crazy in school and that we would have to smile and pretend to be nice to at a full blown reunion. That’s followed up on Saturday by Teen Angel’s first roller derby bout. She’s very excited about it. Now, I’m excited for her, but the mother in me will be watching with one eye squeezed shut, worrying that every time she bangs into someone or takes a spill that teeth will go flying out or an ankle will crack into pieces. It makes me very nervous, despite all of the protective gear. And finally, before the month ends, our Bunco group will have its annual slumber party, which usually involves desserts, adult beverages and Guitar Hero, karaoke and maybe even a little Bunco. It also means I need to start training my body now for staying up past 1am because that birthday between now and then? That’s just one big reminder of how much older I’m getting. The next few weeks will be busy, indeed. I need to plan our itinerary for Europe, order some money belts and stock up on some stuff Hubby can eat while we’re gone. Otherwise, he’ll end up malnourished from a diet of Sprite Zero and Pringle’s potato chips. And I need to think about what we’re going to do for Mama’s 70th birthday, which is just around the corner in October. Weeeee! The fun never ends around here. And did I mention I’m shooting a wedding this fall?