Enjoy it While it Lasts

This is the week that summer vacation ends for most American students, including my grandson who will enter the eighth grade this fall. I remember eighth grade. I had this huge crush on a girl in my class, but I was too shy to even talk to her. That was my last year at a country school. The next year it was off to Ephrata High School, and growing-up time. But, that's another story for another time.

This was a quiet summer for me. I read a few books, finished a few projects, and spent a lot of time at my computer. Mary and I didn't take any trips this summer. She's having a lot of problems with arthritis. We will see the doctor again this coming week. I hope something can be done to help her. Constant pain can be so debilitating. We'll see.

This summer has been a painful one for our country. George W. and his loony advisors have gotten us into a fine mess. The stupidity of the Iraq debacle is beyond belief. Add that to the huge tax cuts for the rich that have left our states in near bankruptcy, and I think the American people better look elsewhere for leadership.

Weather-wise it has been a strange summer. What else is new? What with global warming, our weather is just getting weirder and weirder. We had a lot of rain and high humidity this year, following a winter of record snowfall. That followed a year of the worst drought in recorded Pennsylvania history. Who knows what this winter will bring? Whatever, Mary and I will return to Florida on November 1. We usually arrive in Venice on All Saint's Day. The nice part about that is we are on the road on Halloween and we miss all those little urchins begging for candy.

The most exciting thing that happened to us this summer was the purchase of a new car. Our old Toyota pickup was 11 years old and beginning to show its age. So, we broke the bank and bought a brand new Toyota Sienna minivan. I am still learning how to use all the gadgets. Opening and closing that power sliding door is a huge turn-on. I never had a car with electric windows and door locks before. It is a lot of fun, but what happens when it is 11 years old and they start to fail? I guess I'll worry about that when the warranty runs out.

My dear mother-in-law will reach the age of 94 on October 20. What a remarkable woman she is. She has bad knees, but still walks with a walker. Her eyes are beginning to fail, but she still reads her Bible every day. She turned all her financial affairs over to me this summer. It was a big relief for her to get rid of those worries. We see her every week while here in Pennsylvania, and call her regularly when we are in Florida. She is in assisted living and well taken care of at Brethren Village. I only hope that I can adapt to old age as well as she has. God bless her, she's very special.

To those of you going back to school, have a good year. To those who are still working, hang in there, and to those of you who are joining me in retirement, keep on trucking. Life is too short and too precious to spend our time complaining. Keep a song in your heart and a smile on your face.

- The Old Professor