Heat Wave

It's been a summer for the record books here in the middle of the U.S., and I'd really like to say goodbye to it.  How hot was it?  It was the fifth hottest summer on record for Wichita, Kansas, since 1888.  Our temps were in the 100s, while our heat index reached as high as 111 one day.  And, of course, my a/c decided to go out during the first part of it.  I was every so grateful when it was fixed again!

But it hasn't been a bad summer, in spite of the heat.  Before the really hot weather hit, the grandkids and I walked to a nearby park most mornings (pictured).  Later, when the temps started going up, they were excited to try the interactive fountains at another park, where kids are allowed to play and get as wet as they can.  We visited the city's water treatment center, complete with fun crafts for the kids.  They even fed ducks and geese their lunches, more than once.  Because school started on Monday, and I'd promised them a return trip to one of the big parks, we did that last Friday.  The plan was to take the 30 minute pedal boat ride, but not for me to do most of the pedaling!  When we finished that, they talked me into 18 holes of miniature golf.  Heat index by the time we drove back home?  105 degrees.  But we not only survived, we had fun!

We're hoping there'll be no more heat waves, but if there are, we have plans to go ice skating soon!

Father's Day

Since yesterday was Father's Day, I thought I'd share some photos from our visit with my husband's 92 year old father at his home in Denton, Texas. He's one of the people responsible for me writing about small towns and the people who live there. He and my late mother-in-law told wonderful stories of growing up in Texas, southwest of Fort Worth. He lived in an area near Dennis, TX, on the Brazos River. He called it the "Big Valley," which is the equivalent of bottom land for those of us more familiar with large rivers. The house he grew up in is still there, in the photo on the left.

My mother-in-law spent the first 17 years of her life in Lingleville, TX, which is near Stephenville. She grew up on a smaller farm with much poorer soil, less water and more rocks. It was a tough life which she escaped though education, attending college where she met my father-in-law. Many of the stories he's told us through the years centered around people they stayed with and knew, distant relatives and friends of friends who helped out.

Yesterday we had a great visit, heard a few more stories (and some of them the second or third or tenth time,) and watched our grandchildren play in his spacious home. We treasure these visits and I always take lots of photos because I want the girls to remember their great-grandfather, whom they call "Dad." I doubt that they will remember the stories, but I have plans to record them on my Flip video and store them for the future. After all, Dad probably only has 10 or 20 good years left! Happy belated Father's Day to all the dads and to everyone who no longer has their dad to visit and listen to and get advice from, I hope you hold on to the all the good memories forever. Perhaps when the girls are older (like 25 or so!) I'll suggest they read my books for the essence of the stories from their great-grandparents and so many other Texans I've met in the past 39 years.

And a special memory of my dad, Art Chancellor, on one of our trips to the Smoky Mountains. I miss you, Daddy.