July Fly By

Well, our son turned 10 in the middle of June, but due to his and our family’s schedules, his party was set for July 12. I would like to say that the party went off without a hitch, however, that is not necessarily the case. Within the week before the party, we noticed a weak spot in the metal lining of our pool. It is an above ground pool that is partially sunk in our angled back year. Now, this spot was so weak in fact, that it had actually cracked the metal. Rust was a be contributor. We were planning on getting through the party and then mending that part of the pool. Well, it is the day of the party and I was observing the children in the pool. I was looking at my daughter when I noticed that the water around her was sinking… I started wondering how in the world they were causing that effect. Upon closer review, I notice that the pool has blown out the side and is now flooding, literally, the bottom potion of our yard. It was frustrating but funny, too.

We decided not to try to mend this break, but rather replace the pool. My husband and I pulled out the old pool, he dug more around it and we and his family put in the new pool that Thursday. It was fabulous. Our backyard is getting back in shape now and the new pool is really cool looking.

One of our neice’s had a bowling party for her birthday on the 19th. She got lots of cool stuff and the kids really enjoyed bowling with their cousins. Me, my husband, his brother, sister and their spouses played a couple of games too. It was a good time!

It was great having something like that in the middle of the day on July 19th. Why you might wonder, well, Dad passed away on July 19th, five years ago. And my oh my a lot can happen and change in 5 years. I miss my dad on a daily basis. Everyone says that will get better, but it has not yet. There are days, of course, when it is harder than others. I can be having a great day, then hear a song or see something that reminds me of him. I can still hear his voice at times. Words can not truly express what it feels like, even now, for him to be gone. I wish so badly that my children were able to be around him longer, they were his pride and joy, as were us kids. I still grin when I see the word Goodwrench printed somewhere, that is the CB handle he called my husband. I still look in the driver seat when I see a truck like his. I still yearn to sit on an old wooden swing in the evenings and just talk to those I love. How I wish I could talk to him face to face again today. What would our lives be like now…

Well, the 23rd and 24th marked an important meeting at work. It was a Board of Directors meeting, but not just any BOD meeting, no… this one was in our newly constructed BOD Conference Room. It is magnificent and a huge undertaking for our company. They did a beautiful job.

This past weekend was the Lackey Reunion in Haskell, Texas. It was a great time. It is always so nice to see folks that you do not get to see more often. I wish more of my branch, Lewis Lackey, were able to come this year. I miss seeing them on a more regular basis. Our branch is doing the invitations and entertainment at next year’s reunion, so maybe the couple of ideas we have had in recent years will get to play out in some way next year. Keep you fingers crossed that we come up with something that everyone will enjoy.

I am looking forward to our weekend. The current plans are to spend the weekend with my father in law and his wife at their timeshare near Lake Palestine, around Rusk, Texas. Hope the weather turns out and our plans go as expected!