CYC ya

This Sunday, Abby and Alex will be off to CYC camp for a week. I'm not sure who needs the time away more, them or us. I love them to death, but it will be nice to be teenager free for a week. I'm sure they'll have lots of fun.

Camping over the 4th was a good time. The weather was perfect for the most part. It was fun to see everyone.

In the past year, there have been some changes both in my circle of friends and in my family. It's changed the whole feel in the time I spend with them. During my most recent fishing trip, two out of the six of us had become bachelors in the past few months. One due to divorce, the other to death. The whole atmosphere was different. Some for the better, some not. Just different.

With the July 4th campout, it's always been my family, and my sister's families. This year it changed. One family was not there, due to separation. It changed the whole feel of the weekend. Again, some for the better, some not. Life can be funny.

Peace-
Matt

Solstice

The longest day of the year was yesterday. The hottest was today (so far).

We had our last softball game on Saturday. The girls played great and improved a lot since the first game. It was a fun season.

We'll be camping at Lake MacBride over the 4th again this year. I hope this constant rain stops by then.

Happy Belated Fathers Day guys!

Peace-
Matt

Parade

This is Cambridge Jubilee weekend. My softball team will be riding on a fire truck in the parade tomorrow morning. They're excited. Should be fun.

The kids are out of school, eating like there's no tomorrow, bored out of their minds (supposedly). It's humid out there too. Summer is here.

Peace-
Matt

Three Day Weekend

Nate and Glenda came up for a visit this weekend. It was great to see them and is always a lot of fun.

Peace-
Matt

Therapy

The 14th annual Troutslayer fishing trip was last weekend. This year we decided to stick close to home and camped out at Red Rock Lake in Southeast Iowa. As usual, it was great to catch up with everyone. Didn't catch many fish, but that's not why we do it.

Peace-
Matt

Sly

Eleven days until the annual Troutslayer fishing trip. I'll be gone May 14-19.

Angie and I got married 21 years ago this Thursday. Happy Anniversary Baby!
Should I have listed this first?

Softball is going well. We're all still having fun.

We have foxes living in our back yard. The hole was originally dug by a woodchuck. That s.o.b. ate all the sweet corn in my garden one year. I went out to pick it and the woodchuck got to it the night before. The foxes kicked him out last year and are back again this spring. We saw them tonight for the first time.

I saw one of Abby's track meets for the first time this year. She finished her arm of the 4x100 in first place. Fast kid.

Peace-
Matt

Play Ball

Angie's Uncle Tom passed away this past Saturday. Tom was her Dad's brother. He was 70. There was a world of difference between the funerals for Maureen on Saturday and Uncle Tom on Wednesday. Maureen's was packed with people, had a dozen priests, and the Bishop there. It was very emotional. Tom's was 15 minutes long with just close family there. Both of them made me think a lot about the people in my life. We tend to worry a lot about stupid meaningless stuff. It's easier to think about and to try to control. How we treat and affect and love others is what really only matters. Global warming doesn't matter, or taxes, or dirty dishes, or dandelions. It's the people around us that give our lives purpose. I hope I can remember that for more than just a few weeks this time.

Our first softball game is tomorrow. Should be interesting. 7 & 8 year old girls just can not throw and catch well. There are a couple on the team that do pretty well some of the time. They all need a lot of work though. Don't we all.

Peace-
Matt