On the road with the Doctor
We get to rent a free movie once a month from Movie Gallery, so in July we rented "After the Storm." It was not what we expected; perhaps it was better. We’d never heard of it before, but it was based on a short story by Ernest Hemingway. So now that’s on our reading list!
We had a really GREAT time at Fripp Island, SC, with lots of family for a week. My parents, sister, and two of my brothers and their spouses and children and DirtBag and I rented a huge house, complete with bicycles and golf cart and right-across-the-street beach access. When the high tide took away our beach, we could either head farther north on the island for more beach or go to one of three available pools. I got lots of reading and visiting and soaking up vitamin D (aka “sunshine”) done. Everybody sorta did his own thing throughout the day, and we generally ate supper together. We ate out once at the Shrimp Shack on St. Helena Island. And my aunt, who owns Little Judge Island, also off the coast of Beaufort, SC, invited us over on Friday night for low country boil. The food was delicious and the visit was refreshing. On Saturday we stopped briefly in Beaufort to take in some of the Water Festival and shop at Boondoggle’s.
Hey, guess what video I watched on my anniversary? But I get ahead of the story. That morning we ate the DirtBag special (fired eggs, grits, hash browns, bacon, juice, and coffee). We went on a great bike ride along the Greeneway in North Augusta, Broad Street in Augusta. One of the gifts I gave Monte was a copy of the video "Howards End," starring two of our favourites, Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson. So I thought we’d be watching that in the evening. He surprised me with one of his gifts to me: "Space Cowboys." A fun day! God is good.
We recently welcomed a new set of wheels into our family. Daughter received a 2002 Saturn coupe as a graduation gift for a job very well done. Because she earned a full scholarship, we won't have to be paying college expenses, so we can afford the car (I think we're coming out ahead!).
They're ba-a-a-ack! My parents and daughter arrived safely back at Atlanta airport from West Africa. Mom and Dad have been in Burkina Faso on a year-long missions assignment. Daughter visited with them for two weeks. I'm hoping to see pictures soon!
We never got around to seeing The Castaway on the big screen, so we rented the video. DirtBag really enjoyed it; I thought it was OK but certainly not Academy Award material. I had no problem with a guy talking to a volleyball named Wilson, but I think when a intelligent, caring human being buries the body of an associate and spends four years on a deserted island that the thought or questioning of a Supreme Being or Creator would come to mind. Bro Lee says "Relax, it's just a movie." But if I invest the time to watch the movie, I think it should have some redeeming value. "I think, therefore I am."
DirtBag and I had dinner earlier in the summer with the Hansom Wheels, the Columbia scion of the Sherlock Holmes Society. Meetings always begin with the call to order ("The game is afoot!) and a toast to THE woman (Irene Adler, Holmes' very worthy FEMALE adversary in "Scandal in Bohemia").
Recently I had an opportunity to lunch with the Red Hat Ladies of Augusta. You remember the poem that begins, "When I am an old woman... I shall wear purple
With a red hat which doesn't go, and doesn't suit me"? Well, these ladies are not waiting til they're old to be outrageous! Their credo includes the statement that they don't need to please other people or live up to their expectations. It was a fun time; I met some interesting characters. I think I'll buy a red hat for my mom and take her next time!
Nephew Christopher, nieces Leah-Papaya and Anna-Banana, and I drove over to Columbia on June 19 to shop at Five Points, join son Lane and girlfriend Sally at Groucho’s for lunch, then visit the SC State Museum.
When I took daughter Twyla to Atlanta airport to fly to Burkina Faso, West Africa, on June 12, I used that opportunity to visit Carriage House Imports to drool over and test drive a new C240 Mercedes. So many impressive new features!
DirtBag and I have only made it to the movie theatre once, so far this summer, to view a new movie. After rewatching The Mummy at home on video, we then went to see The Mummy Returns. Unlike many sequels, this one is as good as the first.
My first official summer event was a trip to Piccolo Spoleto in Charleston, SC, on June 6. My former piano teacher and I first drove to Wild Dunes to visit my Aunt Charlotte. The next day we packed in several performances, including an organ concert at Cathedral Church of St. Luke and St. Paul, lots of walking and browsing, and delicious places to dine.
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