More Holiday with Family

Yesterday afternoon we did get out on the water. Actually it was one of the Army Corp of Engineers parks adjacent to one of the dams on the Snake River just a few miles above its conjunction with the Columbia River. David launched his boat and with almost no fussin' around, we were all aboard and outof the little sheltered harbor. Soon we found water calm enough for the twins to take their first stab at knee boaaaarding -- Wheeeeeeeee!

It took no time at all for the girls, each in turn, to master basic knee boarding and love it. All the other adults took a turn, but wise ol' Papa John protected his bones and sinuses, kept his dignity, and stayed dry to boot. Actually, the twins were very impressive for first timers. Good job, girls.

This morning David took me flying. We departed Richland where his little shared Cessna 150 is hangered, and flew southeast over the Blue Mountains to La Grande, OR, where we landed, strretched and hit the vending machine for lunch snacks. After topping off the fuel tanks, we continued about fifteen minutes further and circled Irondyke Bible Camp up above the neat little town of Union, OR. Returning on about the same route as before, we were back to Richland in an hour and forty-some minutes having had many wonderful views of farmland, forests, mountain ranges, wind generator towers, a sternwheeler tourboat on the Columbia River, and several impressive angles of David's house and office building. I like flying, and David is a splendid pilot. He has accumulated a number of hours of cross country flying this weekend which is to his advantage too as he prepares for further training - this time in instrument flying.

The afternoon was filled with kids and activities centering on birthday. David and Becky Reeves, home from Kara, Togo, for the birth of their fourth child, were here to visit. Ice cream cake, and gift openings, and more swimming, and launching water balloons, and a dinner of tri-tip steaks and King Crab legs plus fixings filled out the day and the waistlines. A little time was spent on sorting through photos of the last couple of days, and just resting up from an overdose of festivities was all we could manage for the evening. Superman, the newest version, will have to wait for us in another theater on another day.

Squeezed in between all the activities have been hugs and lovin', special moments with each of the kids and grandkids, quiet periods of rest and a little reading, and more sharing and doin' chores to help each other out while we all enjoy Camp David, Kennewick style.

And tomorrow is the Fourth of July. Of course, we have been on holday since we arrived in Kennewick, but tomorrow we will reflect on the broader meaning of our flag and nation, and upon our role as responsible citizens. I just hope my neighbors at home are more responsible as citizens this year than they were with their expensive and excessive fireworks last year.