August 14 – “Tricks of an Islander”

Started a two-miler with Chris yesterday.  Actually it was supposed to be a three-miler, but we fell a little short.  It started raining.  Ordinarily that wouldn’t be a problem, but we were talking to Josh on the phone as we walked.  That and it really started coming down hard.  Chris finished out the full two miles by walking around in circles around the house.  She is quite the determined lady.

 

It was fun talking to Josh and all his kids.  Seems they want a dog.  The kids … not so much Josh.  Which is kind of funny, because Josh was always the major animal lover growing up.  He was always the one who patiently trained our dogs.  Guess he feels like he doesn’t have time for that any more.  He is still pretty creative in his appreciation of the animal kingdom, however.  While we were talking about dogs, he diverted attention by pointing out a squirrel on their back porch.  Luke told us that was his current pet.  I asked if he had named the critter.  Yep.  Ready for this one?  His name is Vrent.  That’s right.  Vrent.  Odd, but … I love it.

 

Chris took me to Saltgrass for a day-before-birthday lunch.  We had a gift card we needed to use.  The food is always good there.  Chris had chicken (of course), but she could eat many of her green beans.  Way too much salt for her.  I had surf and turf.  Same thing I order every time we go there.  I eat the shrimp and bring the steak home for a meal the next day.  In fact we had plenty of leftovers.  That way we don’t really have to go out anywhere on a Saturday.  Tricks of an Islander.

 

Last night we continued our date.  Well, I had a meeting at church first.  Then we went over to JeMocha Bean (I still think that is an awesome name for a coffee shop) to listen to Jim and his band play some music.  Kel and Christina even joined us.  We are beginning to recognize some of the regulars.  It helped when Ray announced to everyone as we walked toward our car, “The preacher has left the building.  Time for the real partying to begin.”  I ran back and asked the crowd what I had missed.  After that even the ones I didn’t know bade us farewell like we were besties. 

 

Luke 11:13 says, “If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

 

Father, thank you for Vrent and Chris and Ray and all the coffee shop regulars that make an average day something special.  Amen.