Summer Shower's

An early Summer shower. Tonight while sitting in my (still) new hearth room, I was on the computer with the deck doors and windows open and talking to a friend on the phone. The rain started and it is such a tranquil sound to me. Lately in the Midwest we've been having downpours and thunderstorms, and the chance to listen to raindrops splashing on the deck tonight was musical.

My favorite time to listen to evening rain showers is when I'm at our cottage in Canada. The cedar shingles receive the raindrops and transfer the music to those of us in the cottage, and the sound is one of my favorites. You can also always hear the waves either lapping or crashing on the beach a hundred or so yards away, like the purcussion or baritone section. Random windchimes from the cottages add an occasional and mystical melody. There truly is nothing better. When I'm stuck in landlocked Missouri, I'll recall the sounds of those waves when I can't sleep and channel that rhythmic lullaby. I'll be back in August to yet again be reminded by the fact that my memories don't do these sounds justice.

And then....

Then there are the nights like the 2006 "All About Us" party at Diane's cottage when it was a full-blown storm...and we all braved the elements and showed up. Laurie and I looked like a couple of drowned puppies when we got there. We were drenched to our skins, despite rain gear. That held up quite poorly under the horizontal rain the wind was pushing at us. So we laughed and giggled and splashed our way to Diane's. Our arrival was just in time to help stem the floods of water entering her cottage that was being literally pushed under door jams and overflowing full window ledges...right onto her floors. Before long there wasn't a dry towel in the place, then the rain slowed, more girls showed up, then the rain stopped and the rest of them showed up...and for a while it was "all about" Kelly and Laurie walking the furthest and in the worst of the storm. But after a while it was "All About Us" - the beach girls of Inverhuron enjoying ourselves. We ate and drank and danced and talked and shared silly stories and made wonderful memories - and plan to do it all again. 2008 will be the fourth such event. I'm already looking forward to it!

Red Belt

The martial arts have always been a bit of a mystery to me. When I worked at the Rec Center, there was a Tai chi class offered, that always sounded like it would be perfect for me. But I didn't have time to slow down that much! Now as a Mom, I'm experiencing Wu Shu Chinese Martial Arts through Jack and Lindsey. And last week Jack tested for and received his red belt in Wu Shu. It was quite an occasion. He has been through two sessions of the class and has just started his third. Lindsey has just started her second and will test for a belt the next time around.

One of my favorite things about the kids being in martial arts is when they come home and become the instructors - and teach me how to do the moves. And another favorite was this shocker: The kids and I were shoe shopping for Lindsey one day. This can be an ordeal, and Jack at one point said "I'm getting frustrated! I need to meditate." And he sat down in the middle of the aisle, crossed his legs, relaxed his arms and closed his eyes. A few minutes later he got up and joined us again - - and he was far less frustrated! Which meant I had a better experience that day as well. I'm sure there are some ancient masters I should be thanking somewhere!

Here are some photos from Jack's big day. Each student had to enter the room and perform their standard moves from memory and then do a complete routine choreographed to show off the moves and motions they have been studying. He did great!