August 31 - “Squozen”

We were back at the two and a half mile mark yesterday. That checked off about 7,000 steps or so. 

 But back at home we dove into some more outdoor “activities.” The project of the day was trimming the runway Wisteria bush in the back yard. I had to squeeze into a pretty tiny space with our loppers.  And it was plenty hot back there, “squozen” between the bush and the fence. We got it done, though. Even had time to enjoy a quick chat with our neighbors when we finished. 

I got to watch a few minutes of the Texas vs. Ohio State football game. Sad ending for Texas. But Little Archie did pretty well for his first game as starter on the big stage. We also watched a game of Banana Ball. First time I have seen one go to the tiebreakers. And they had to do all three of them before the Bananas pulled it out in the bottom of the ninth with a grand slam. 

Last night I had an unusual event. I officiated at a reenactment of a wedding I did on the beach 25 years ago. I have joked about that wedding being “the wedding from hell” for, well, 25 years now. Everything you can think of possibly going wrong … went wrong. But after the service the bride hugged me and said,” That was the most beautiful ceremony I have ever seen.” Guess after that, it wouldn’t have mattered what I did last night. All went well though. We got them all reenacted and renewed.

John‬ ‭13‬:‭34‬-‭35‬ says, I give you a new  command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you must also love one another. By this all peoples will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.

Father, thank you for the good weather for that service last night. And keep Cailyn in your hands. Amen. 

August 30 - “DEXA”

Great start to the day yesterday. I couldn’t find the newspaper. Used the porch light and my phone flashlight. That could only mean two things. Our delivery guy was very late or … the paper was stuck up in the tree. I searched the branches for a while, but finally decided to wait for daylight. Sure enough, when the sun came up, there it was. Just high enough for me to reach on my toes. Thanks for the memories, Paper Guy. 

Chris won the doctor day appointment yesterday. Well, not exactly doctor. She had some kind of scan done - dexa, maybe? Something about bone density.  She gets one on a regular basis, so no particular other reason there. 

I stayed home this time. I woke up with a queasy stomach. It got better … up until I had some lunch. Apparently, queasy stomachs and Chef Boy-R-Dee canned spaghetti and meatballs don’t go well together. 

I did manage to get started on the jigsaw puzzle Chris got me for my birthday. 1500 pieces, but they are kinda big. So the border covers almost my whole table. Guess I’ll be working out of box lids again. 

Proverbs‬ ‭16‬:‭3‬ says, Commit your activities to the Lord, and your plans will be achieved.

Father, thank you for being with Chris through that scan. And thanks for helping Cailyn feel up to going to school. Amen. 

August 29 - “Shady and cool”

OK. Here’s our action-packed summary of the day. We started it out by walking two and a half miles. Yep. Added a half to our usual. We’re not being speedy or anything, but we are getting some steps in. Of course not the ten or fifteen thousand we averaged in D.C. and Virginia, but we’ll take it. 

My next move was a haircut. After being gone for a month or so, I was really getting ragged on top, especially in the beard department. Suzann got it under control, as usual. 

Speaking of under control, guess what greeted me when I pulled into the driveway? While I was gone, Corey snuck across the street and mowed our grass. That’s one great neighbor over there. Thanks, Corey. 

I stayed home for ten or fifteen minutes, but then it was time for me to leave again. This time I was headed to the dentist. No problems this time, though. It was just time for a regular tooth cleaning. Got a “clean” bill of health (see what I did there?). 

Back home we watched the Astros win. Always a pleasant experience. We even spent some time hanging out in the backyard on the porch swing. It was really shady and cool for a change.

Ephesians‬ ‭4‬:‭32‬ says, And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.

Father, thanks for the shade and the cool. Please keep your eyes on Cailyn. Amen. 

August 28 - “Thunder”

We walked two miles yesterday. Easy peasy, after all that walking we have been doing over the last three weeks. We did have one item of concern, though. We were surrounded be some big thunderstorms. They alternated sounding off the whole time. Didn’t stop us, though. We pushed on through. The rain did come shortly after we got back inside. Not a lot, but it did wet the grass down. 

After the excursion I did some more work on completing the will madness. Even got to chat with a Seaside trustee (Glenn) about that part. 

Speaking of that will stuff, I think we have reached the final phase of distribution. Kel is in touch with the appropriate financial guys to get the transfers to Seaside taken care of. We talked to our guy to get the ball rolling there. Maybe we really are almost done. 

Deuteronomy‬ ‭31‬:‭8‬ says, The Lord is the One who will go before you. He will be with you; He will not leave you or forsake you. Do not be afraid or discouraged.

‭‭

Father, we’re still praying for Cailyn. Hold her in your hand. Amen. 

August 27 - “Chris’ turn”

Chris’ turn. She had an appointment with her PCP in the morning. She is watching a specific kidney function result on blood tests. One of her heart meds has that issue as a side effect. We’ll see what it shows and what steps the cardiologist might want to take. 

Meanwhile, I took on the task of catching up on yardwork. The grass was pretty high, and there has been a lot of rain, so it was a little wet as well. But I finally pushed through the back yard and moved to the front. 

Everything was going well, albeit very hot, for several passes over the grass. And then … the mower stopped. That’s all. It just stopped. And no amount of tugging could start it up again. It was like it couldn’t find the gas. 

Thinking the tank was empty, I filled it again. No help. All still on full stop. I finally gave up and did weed eating and edging. Still need to get the front yard mowed. I’ll worry about that another day. 

We’re still watching the developments closely in Cailyn’s health saga. She’s under the care of the best possible medical specialists, we’re praying for them as well as her. 

Isaiah‬ ‭26‬:‭4‬ says, Trust in the Lord forever, because in Yah, the Lord, is an everlasting rock!

Father, again we lift up Cailyn and her docs to you. Grant them wisdom and gentleness. Grant her healing. Amen. 

August 26 - “A cute young PA”

First stop is for me this time. Appointment at the orthopedic clinic for someone to check out the pain I’m having in my thumbs. 

I saw a cute young physician’s assistant. She was really personable and seemed quite knowledgeable about arthritis in the hands. She did the inspection and found the spot that hurts. Showed us the x-rays, too. She didn’t mention the tiny fractures the radiologist saw, though. Guess they are secondary to the pain I’m having. 

In a nutshell, my sequence of treatment is: splint and physical therapy, steroid injection, surgery. She said I could skip ahead to surgery if I wanted to. Or even get the shot sooner. Nope. Not yet. So, therapy and extra hand appliances it is for now. 

Malachi‬ ‭4‬:‭6‬ says, 

And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers. Otherwise, I will come and strike the land with a curse.

Father, please give a special dose of spiritual wisdom to Cailyn’s doctors so they can figure out what’s going on and how to deal with it.  Amen. 

August 25 - “A Master Storyteller”

We made our way out to Seaside for church. Been a while. There were lots of people there, though. I counted at least 75. Great crowd for us. 

After church we went to a luncheon honoring long-time Seasider Doug. He has always been a master storyteller. And all it took was a few questions here and there, and Doug took off on another of his stories - detailed stories. An  dad of course it was good to see all the others there to fete Doug. 

It was kind of weird not to jump in the car and drive a few hours. Instead Chris took a nap. I watched the Astros game and the Little League World Series championship game and read through the newspapers we missed. Nice afternoon. 

Isaiah‬ ‭40‬:‭31‬ ‭says, but those who trust in the Lord will renew their strength; they will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not faint.

Father, thanks for you for home and church and friends. Bless Doug in this new phase of his life. Amen. 

August 24 - “Toward Galveston”

We pulled out of Baton Rouge (Port Allen, actually) around 8:45. Time to head toward Galveston. 

We almost took a detour to check out the Tabasco Factory. Even made the first turn. But it meant a 45 minute detour one way plus however long the tour would take. Well save that one for another day. 

Other than that, the road was flat and straight all the way into Texas. And speaking of Texas, once we crossed the border a strange rumbling began in both of our stomachs. A rumbling - a longing - for Whataburger.  Did you know that there was no Whataburger off of I 10 through all of Beaumont? Shame! Found one in Winnie, though. Welcome  to Texas. 

A few Whataburger Jrs and milkshakes later, we were back on the road, more focused than ever. Well, at least “more fuller” than ever. 

We stopped at HEB and picked up some flowers for Cailyn. As Chris said, “She’s been sick.” We also added a few packages of Joyride to “sweeten the pot” so to speak. While there we saw some friends who we generally only see at random places around the area. Great to see y’all, Paul and Carolyn. 

We got there before they did - Nathan and gang, that is. We did sneak in and avail ourselves of the facilities. We also let the dogs out, just to be useful. 

When they arrived Chris finally got the lowdown on Cailyn’s recent sickness. Of course the fact that Cailyn was standing right there didn’t hurt her encouragement level. We even got to see Gavin. It was great to see them all and get those hugs we need. 

And when we got home, guess what greeted us? Well, I mean besides Corey and Janell and Brennan and Freddy and the little puppy they are fostering. There on our lawn in brightly colorful letters was “Happy Birthday.” And inside there were banners hanging with “Feliz Cumpleanos” wishes, along with a card and a gift card to Chris’ favorite Mexican restaurant, all from our home group. Sense a theme yet?  My favorite, though? The table was covered with a variety of my stuffed animals, all wearing tiny sombreros. Sigh. Familia.

Romans‬ ‭12‬:‭12‬ says, Rejoice in hope; be patient in affliction; be persistent in prayer.

Father, thank you for friends who are close like family. Bless them. Amen. 

August 23 - “three states unlocked … again”

We were both up early, chomping at the bit to get at those scrumptious hotel waffles, I guess. I made a valiant attempt to down a few bites of the scrambled eggs, but … not happening. Done with them. Let’s head south and west!

By around 9:30 we were making our way through Chattanooga, looking for the exit that would shoot us briefly through Georgia and on into Alabama. As always, Chris handled the driving with great skill. I stuck to the navigation arm of the operation. 

Speaking of navigation, we were sent on a detour near Gadsden, Alabama. We saw such exciting sights as sheared sheep and chickens and horses and a train and a house on a hill. And finally we made it back on the interstate. Not sure what the detour was all about. 

We stopped at a rest stop just outside of Tuscaloosa. Sure, it was to pull out something quick to eat for lunch, but really? I just wanted to say “Tuscaloosa.”  

Back to navigation. Our phone gps was going nuts just past good ol’ Tuscaloosa. Recommended a detour. Then said to continue. Detour. Continue. We decided to stick with the big semis. They stayed on the interstate. There was a pretty big delay. First we came upon a wreck, then several miles of roadwork with only one lane open. It finally cleared out, only to back up again. And again. Come on, Alabama. Choose one spot and finish it. 

We were pretty hungry when we got to Hattiesburg, Mississippi. That’s originally where we were gonna stay the night, but Chris really wanted to press on. Something about laying eyes on a certain oldest granddaughter. 

So we killed two birds with one stone. We made a Joyride run at the local Target. That’s the only state we missed (not counting the few minutes we skirted across the tip of Georgia) on our Lynchburg trip with Micah and family. It took some searching, but we were successful. They even had Gummy Busters. Woohoo!

But we were still hungry. I checked my Around Me app, and found a McAlister’s Deli. Again, it took us a while to find it. It was hidden inside the local mall. But the potato soup and club sandwiches really hit the spot. 

Finally we hit the road again, only to be greeted by a light but steady rain. All indications were that it was going to be our constant companion for the next couple of hours. So the call of the afternoon became … be careful. 

Not to worry. We pulled into our final hotel of this journey before dark. And we made it all the way to Baton Rouge. Not as long a day today now. 

Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭33‬ says, But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.

Father, thanks for watching over us driving in the rain yesterday. Amen. 

August 22 - “The Flood”’

I forgot to mention a nice little detail about our stay in Lexington. The hotel we selected was a Hampton Inn. Brand name, right? Pretty much know what to expect, right? Well …

This one was a historical building - an old plantation that had been transformed into a hotel. It was actually kind of amazing. The lobby and breakfast areas were fill of gorgeous antique furniture. Breakfast was the same old hotel food, but the environs were very nice. 

The only issue came when we went into our room. Well, our bathroom, to be exact. Chris noticed some water on the floor and followed the trickle to the trash can next to the toilet. I moved the trash can, and water streamed from under the wall. Not a good thing. 

I called the front desk to report the flood. She very calmly issued us a new room, and instructed me to come get a new key. Hope they had a plumber on call. 

Oh, and we found Stonewall. Well, the rest of him. His tomb in the middle of the town cemetery is the town’s number one tourist attraction.

Well, as it turned out, ol’ Stonewall is not alone there. Well also found Robert E. Lee, but we couldn’t visit him. He’s in a school chapel and they were doing welcome days, so the chapel was closed to the public. Maybe next time, Rob. 

From there we needed to make a quick Walmart run. The nearest Walmart, however, was about an hour away. And it just happened to be in a little larger town called Lynchburg. Hmm. Sounds familiar. 

Yep. Before our Walmart run we made a Micah run. Took him to lunch at Chic-fil-a. Hey. A grandparent’s gotta eat, right? It was really good hearing about his first week of classes and the early plans he is pondering. Chris said it wasn’t quite as hard to say goodbye this time. He’s doing fine. 

After Walmart Chris announced that she was done. She was ready to go home and do it by the quickest route possible. We studied the map a bit in the parking lot. Finally we settled on a general plan of direction. I waited a while before actually booking a hotel in Knoxville, but it got done in plenty of time. 

That was one long stretch, though. We stopped once at the Tennessee border to walk around some. Then we HAD to stop again in Sevierville for gas. Why here? Buc-ees! Yep. That grand Texas institution snuck out of state to help us feel more at home. Thanks, Buc. 

‭‭1 Thessalonians‬ ‭5‬:‭16‬-‭18‬ says, Rejoice always! Pray constantly. Give thanks in everything, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Father, thank you for watching over this long leg of our homeward journey. It’s not over yet. Amen. 

August 21 - “Bull Run or Manassas?”

Just five minutes from our hotel was the visitor center for Manassas Battlefield well, it would have been five minutes, but the road was down to one lane. Period. Took more like thirty, but we made it. 

First on the agenda was the visitor center. They had an amazingly informative display of artifacts and a huge interactive map explaining the first battle (there were two. The North called them the Battles of Bull Run after the stream/ river they had to cross. To the Confederates it was the Battles of Manassas, after the nearby town).

Then it was on to the hike. This one was a little over a mile, but it was through recently cut grass. And it was misting again. To make that long story short, our shoes and socks got drenched and matted with loose grass at the same time. Yuk. 

We did see some interesting places of interest on the hike. My favorite was the statue honoring Stonewall Jackson. This was the battle where he got his famous nickname. Now there’s a big bronze statue of him on a horse. 

That hike was all related to the First Battle of Manassas/Bull Run. There was also a driving tour that encompassed the second battle. We did some of that one. Best part to me was getting to walk across the actual Bull Run (it’s a wide stream/ tiny river) on a bridge that was reconstructed from the actual bridge present at both battles. 

Next was .. well, it was lunchtime, so we went to nearby Cracker Barrel. Got a free drink for being in their club. Found out o also have a free piece of cake as a birthday present. I’ll have to get that next time we are there. 

Our afternoon took us West again. There was one more battlefield and a plantation site on Chris’ radar (read here, “in the National Park book”). The visitor center for the battlefield was a small room in a strip shopping center. It did have a knowledgeable ranger, though, and one of those interactive maps that told the story of the battle. Ingenious Southern battle strategy. Had the battle won but quit too soon. Lost the Shenandoah Valley and the South’s primary source of grain/ food. The war was over in just a few months. 

From there we went to the plantation that was the headquarters for the Union forces. We missed the last house tour, but we did roam around the grounds. And Chris got another stamp for her book.

Finally we attempted a surge to the south and west - back toward Texas … sort of. We spent the night in Lexington, Virginia. Wait! There’s something important about that town. The rest of Stonewall Jackson’s body is buried there. That’s our quickie goal for the morning. Find the grave. Take a picture. Then get outa town. 

Why the hurry to leave? We may or may not have a luncheon engagement with a certain grandson today. Gotta run…

Psalms‬ ‭119‬:‭105‬ says, Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light on my path.

Father, thanks for that Ranger in Middletown. He was really helpful. Amen.