JOURNAL 6/30/2007

Worked from 9:30 until 6:00. Saw a beautiful King Snake in front of Coulter Lodge. Ashly Riley and Katy gage came up to visit Sarah in the morning and stayed until after lunch. Barbecue at the Shirleys for dinner. Talked with dad briefly on the phone. He called to tell me that Don Parker wanted the metal I had piled up above the boat house out at the lake , and I told him he could have it.

JOURNAL 6/29/2007

Worked from 7:00 until 5:00. In the evening met Dick Beggs in Pine Cove. He had told me about a friend of his who wanted to get rid of an old propane grill. He and I went over to their house and retrieved the grill. It is certainly used, but appears to be in good enough working condition. Saw two deer in the north end of camp in the afternoon. Read U.S. News and World report before falling asleep.

QUESTION OF THE DAY

If you had to go without either socks or underpants for the rest of your life, which would you choose?

WE RECEIVED A LETTER FROM JOB TODAY!!!

QUESTION OF THE DAY

If a song began to play every time you entered a building for the rest of your life, loudly proclaiming your arrival, which song would you choose as your entry song?

ST ALBANS...AS I REMEMBER IT.

ST ALBANS... AS SARAH REMEMBERS IT.

JOURNAL 6/27/2007

Worked from 6:45 until 5:45, with a short break in the afternoon. Sarah went to Palm Springs for a doctor's appointment for Jack and Nancy watched Bowden and Lucy while I worked. Lisa tagged along with Sarah and they had dinner at the Yard House before coming back up the hill. Had a wonderful staff Bible Study in the evening. Long days and grumpy Jack have Sarah and I feeling very tired.

JOURNAL 6/26/2007

Worked from 6:45 until 5:45. Nanny left for home after dinner as she has to report for jury duty in the morning. Nancy has agreed to watch the kids tomorrow while Sarah goes to Palm Springs with Jack. Finished "The Long Walk" by Slavomir Rawicz in the evening before bed...an amazing story! Jack was cranky today, but that seems to be par for the course.

JOURNAL 6/25/2007

Worked from 6:45 until 5:45 and then again from 10:00 until 10:30 at night. Long day, but fortunately Nanny is up for a visit and to help Sarah with Jack. Jack was grumpy today, whivch Sarah blames on some Mexican food she ate. Sarah is grumpy as well, which I blame on Jack being grumpy, which in turn I blame on the aforementioned mexican food. I am in fairly good spirits today. Talked with Mom in the afternoon and got the latest report on the new Septic System out at the lake. Bowden and Lucy enjoy having Nanny up for a visit.

A LULLABY FOR JACK (VERY MUCH A WORK IN PROGRESS)

An eye! An eye!
With which to spy
The wonders God has made.

In firelight
And birds in flight
His handiwork's displayed

An ear! An ear!
With which to hear
Of Christ who loves you so.

Who gave his life
In sacrifice
To make us white as snow.

A foot! A foot!
Which you should put
Upon the narrow way.

To flee from sin
And live for Him
Each and every day.

A voice! A voice!
How I'll rejoice!
How happy I will be...

To hear you say,
"Lord, come what may
Your follower I will be."

JOURNAL 6/24/2007

Sunday- went to church. After church went out to lunch at La Casita. Jack merciffuly slept through lunch, which was good because Bowden and Lucy required some policing. Talked with Rosie for a while in the afternoon. Buried the legs of the new swing set, and leveled it out. Nanny arrived in the evening for a visit of somewhat undetermined length...probably a few days. We are hoping she can stay through Wednesday when we have a doctor's appointment for Jack in Palm Springs. It would be nice to have a baby sitter for Lucy and Bowden.

A BOUQUET OF WESTERN AZALEAS FOR MY DEAREST

At the north end of the camp a trail enters the shady arbor of towering pines and cedars and winds its way beside a boulder strewn stream for a short while before petering out after a few hundred yards. For me one of the most anticipated signs of spring in the San Jacintos is the blooming of the Western Azaleas beside that trail. I took Bowden and Lucy for a walk up there a couple of weeks ago and brought back a bouquet of them for Sarah. They are the most pleasant smelling wild flower I think I have ever encountered, and they grow so profusely up there that everything smells of azaleas- like flavored air. It's very nice.

THE NEW SWING SET!!!

Last Thursday, Umpa and GG surprised us by coming up for a visit and to see the new baby. They brought with them a swing set that one of their tenants had left behind. On Saturday afternoon I put it together, and today Sarah had Bowden and Lucy don aprons from the kitchen and give it a good scrub with soap and water. Bowden and Lucy love it!!! They especially enjoy the "Rocket Rider," which Bowden says makes him feel like a cowboy. Their mutual fascination with the rocket rider resulted in that being the most thoroughly scrubbed portion of the swing set. Lucy also appreciates the slide, which is at least twice as tall (and therefore twice as fun) as her old slide. Our yard has never been more fun and is increasingly becoming ideal kid habitat.

JOURNAL 6/23/2007

Today was my day off. The summer staff hiked up to the tram today and we drove down to Banning to meet them at Sizzlers for lunch. Before meeting them at Sizzlers we helped drop off a car for them at the bottom of the tram, and did some shopping for necessaries at Target. Bowden picked out a toy with some money Umpa and G.G. gave him for his birthday. I also bought some brake pads at an auto parts store. Keith offered to help me install them. In the afternoon I put together a large swing set next to our house, which Umpa and G.G. had given to us after it was left behind by one of their tenants. They brought it up with them on Thursday when they came up for a visit and to see the baby. Bowden and Lucy "helped" me put it up. Spoke with John and Mom in the afternoon. John is heading out tomorrow for a week of camp meetings in New Hampshire, and work on the septic system at the lake house continues and is almost complete according to my report from Mom. She also read me a couple of letters that Job had written them from boot camp. It sounds like he is doing well...or as well as can be expected rather.

CONVERSATIONS WITH LUCY

"Lucy, I think you look like a Tate."


"Nah...I'm cute."

DEER HUNTING WITH ISHKUDAH

Chief Thunderbird made an appearance at Bowden's Birthday Party and distributed the popcorn balls for which he is famous throughout the San Jacinto Mountains. Chief Thunderbird, played by none other than the incomparable and good-natured Grant Jaffarian, mysteriously appeared from the surrounding forest after being summoned by our drum and led the little Indians on a deer hunt .



Using methods known only to him, Chief Thunderbird skillfully tracked the deer to a spot next to Bear Creek, where it was found browsing beneath the pines.





Upon finding the deer any semblance of an organized hunt fell away and Bowden and his friends resorted to their most primal instincts. They quickly abandoned the cheap plastic bows and arrows and used sticks, rocks and little rubber knives to bludgeon, stab and crush the poor deer. It was very Lord of the Flies and a little disturbing to watch. Bowden knew that I had put the goodie bags inside the deer so he very determinedly set about cutting a hole in it despite my suggestion that he try and shoot it with an arrow. "No Daddy that won't work!"



Eventually I pronounced the deer dead, and gathered the hunters together for a group picture.




Then I hefted the mighty buck over my shoulders and carried it back to camp.



After gutting the deer, I pulled out the goodie bags and distributed them to the very excited kiddlings. It was a successful hunt.




Unfortunately though it looked more like a gangland beating than a deer hunt, but Bowden liked it, and it was a lot of fun.

AN EXCERPT FROM "MY DAYS AS A GEL TECH"

She walked the street like a hunted thing,
Or maybe she was a-hunting.
With girls like her it's hard to say
If they are predator or prey,
But to be safe, I thought it wise
To look away and close my eyes.

BOWDEN'S BIRTHDAY PARTY WAS A SUCCESS. THE DEER WAS STALKED AND DISPATCHED. THE BEFEATHERED LITTLE INDIANS WHOOPED HOLLERED AND ATE CAKE!

I just haven't had the time to post pictures yet, but they will be coming soon to either my site or Sarah's.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BOWDEN!!!