Trying to find Humor in the Heatwave

Getting ready for the parade...

 It's next to impossible to smile on a day when it's 95 degrees Fahrenheit at 9 o'clock in the morning. It's next to impossible to get excited about it being mid-summer when the forecast says the high today will be 109 F with a heat index of 115 F. It's hard to even think about tomorrow when the guy on the radio says tomorrow's temperatures are suppose to be worse.


I mean, my insides literally feel like they're baking themselves into haggis. How much worse can it get?

At least we still have electricity and somewhat of an air conditioner and box/ceiling fans. We're blessed compared to many who lost power in the recent storms. But still, I'm praying for rain and looking toward the skies and sighing a lot. When? When will it rain or at least cool down to say... 92 F?

 
Still, I've tried to find a little fun in all this sweltering heat. Independence Day started out in the mid-80s, so I figured I could make it through a two mile jaunt called the Webster Groves Independence Day Parade. I didn't go it alone, of course, as I accompanied the Greater St. Louis Ghostbusters along the route. We passed out candy and flyers for the upcoming unofficially first-ever Ghostbusters sci-fi con, Ecto Con.



Check it out. You know you want to... I promise, it will take your mind off the heat.


Because on a day like today, who you gonna call? I hope not the A/C repair guys but the Ghostbusters! :-)

Hot Time in the City

Hot time! Summer in the city--back of my neck gettin' hot and gritty!

Yeah, it's summer, it's sweltering, and my melted brain has resorted to quoting (badly I might add) lyrics from a classic top 40 hit. It can't get much worse than this, huh?

Well, all hasn't been that bad this summer. The handsome man and I celebrated our first wedding anniversary on July 3rd. Yipee!! We still haven't killed each other (yet) in spite of the heat. The honeymoon keeps going on and on.

Revisiting the scene of the crime--er, our wedding in the park gazebo!

And we've done a bit of "time-traveling" again at a regional historical re-enactment. Here are some photos from the first ever "Muster at Forest Glen". It was held at a very lovely park near Danville, Illinois, and a good contingent of French and Indian War re-enactors showed up (in spite of the horrible heat and humidity) and some of the public did as well, too.

Discussing topics of high importance--like how to avoid the French field surgeon who'd bleed you to death!

Drilling before the battle.

You try smiling in the heat in all these layers. Our ancestors were first-rate masochists!

Big cannon goes KA-BOOM!

Diana demonstrates the art of spinning to eager young minds.

Adrian hits the bullseye with his tomahawk throw. Don't mess with him, Frenchpersons!

The British contingent at colors.

As soon as it cools down here, I promise to write something more coherent. In the meantime, all we can do is sit and fan ourselves silly... There's really nothing else one can do when it's 110 degrees in the shade, is there?

Alive and Well and Living in a Cleaner Home...

I got some print copies of my novel LOVING WHO. Looks nice! Available at Amazon, too.

I know it’s been a while—almost two months since I checked in. Forgive me. It’s been stressful, but I’ve made it through to the end of May and happy days are right around the corner.

My fiancé is arriving this week! And I’ve been cleaning house like mad. I’ve not had the energy to do so recently, and I pulled my back out a few weeks ago, but somehow piece by piece I’ve picked up around here. Now to tackle the vacuuming… That might just send me back to the chiropractor if I’m not careful.

I’ve not done much in the way of creative writing, but I’ve been watching a lot of DVDs from the library lately. They’re free and if they’re not quite “latest releases” that’s okay with me. I’ve not been to a movie in the theatre in eons. Well, I’ll take that back. I did see one new movie this past month, Star Trek.

What did I think about it? Hmm… Do I give a spoiler alert or assume you’ve seen it (or heard all about it) already? I hate to spoil a movie for anyone, so I’ll take a neutral position. I’m withholding my opinion on it until I see a sequel. There’s got to be a sequel… It just seems too obvious they introduced all these characters in less than two hours not to bring them back for another two hours of action. Action junkies will love this new incarnation of Star Trek. Fans of the classic series might have a few quibbles with a few plot points (I did), but overall I think its heart is in the right place.

My heart is getting back to its “right place” too. Once my fiancé is here we’ll be planning our wedding in earnest. The Fourth of July is our tentative date. Why not celebrate Independence Day with a wedding? The fireworks are built in!

It’s shaping up to be an exciting summer. Hopefully I’ll find a moment free to do some writing, too.

Summer Causes

So far this summer, I've been involved in a number of "worthy causes", fundraisers, or charitable events. Here's a bit about a few of them.



This event wasn't exactly a charitable event, but it was fun. The 8th Regiment of Missouri Volunteers (Civil War reenactors) help to open Grant's Farm for the season and the new Ulysses S. Grant Museum at Whitehaven National Monument across the street.



I walked the full route of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Awareness Walk on June 16th in downtown St. Louis. This year the walk didn't go past the Arch, much to my chagrin. In past years I help to entertain walkers by singing with my chorus, The River Blenders. Since our director couldn't make it this time, I took up my writing pal Debbie Hull's offer to walk with her Jazzercise group from St. Peters. I realize now that I desperately need to get in shape like these gals!


(A fun fact: There was approximately 75,000 in attendance at this year's walk. And I'm the one wearing the white t-shirt and big straw hat.)






Another annual summer cause I like to help out with is "Taking Jesus to the Streets" a street-festival/Vacation Bible School that is put on by Bethlehem Lutheran Church, St. Louis. Each week, the BLC singers, helpers and volunteers go to a different neighborhood on the northside and share the Gospel through song and skits, arts and crafts, snacks and prizes. It's a lot of fun. And you meet some great kids.


A new project I helped out this year was a "Don't Go to Church (Be the Church)" project to help put insulation in the ceiling of the Peace ESL Center on S. Grand Avenue in the city. It's an older brick building in the heart of the immigrant community of St. Louis. They have a "computer lab" of old, donated PCs to help teach newcomers computer and English skills so they can find work in their new country. I'm glad that I got to help out at this great community center.





Probably the most enlightening experience of my summer so far has been going out one evening with the "Extreme Faith Ministry" group from Faith Lutheran Church in Oakville. Every other Wednesday, this very organized group of believers goes into the city and feed the homeless and other street people. And is it ever appreciated!

At the first stop on the corner of Locust and 14th Streets, we fed about 150 people. The organizers then bought some more food to go from there into the abandoned warehouses along the river--right next to the Arch. Yes, within a yard or so of the National Monument sleeps several dozen people in an old warehouse without windows, lights or running water. And many of the homeless are working--they just can't afford the high rents to live in the city. The visits and friendships are as welcomed as the food is, too, I learned... And sometimes after these homeless people get back on their feet financially, they come and help out with Extreme Faith Ministry as well.

That's my summer so far... It's always good to get out there and see what's happening in other parts of your community. I suggest you give a try yourself and see what happens.