1. What do the words 'freedom' and 'liberty' mean to you? Does your mind go more in the direction of not being persecuted or discriminated against or does it head in the direction of doing what you please?
I have always loved the work of Norman Rockwell. These paintings depict the 'Four Freedoms' identified in President Franklin Roosevelt's State of the Union Address in 1941.
Freedom of Speech
Freedom of Worship
Freedom from Want
Freedom from Fear
These are the things that come to mind when I think of 'freedom.'
2. Nathan's sponsors a hot dog eating contest every 4th of July. Last year over 40,000 people attended the event and almost 2 million watched it on TV. The winner ate over 60 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes. How do you like your hot dogs?
I like my hot dogs grilled, plain, on a bun. My best hot dog memory is of helping with concessions when I was in high school and Miss Richey grilled hot dogs on her little foil-covered charcoal grill. Those hot dogs were the best. A beautiful spring day, a baseball game, track meet, or tennis match, and perfectly grilled hot dogs. Mmmmm.
3. If you were going to enter an eating contest what would be on the menu?
Ice cream. Definitely ice cream. I would really like to try The Comfy Cow Sundae Challenge at the Comfy Cow in Louisville. I'm sure I couldn't finish it (and I would be embarrassed if I did), but boy, does it look good. You can read about a guy from Australia who recently completed the challenge in just 59 minutes. Impressive.
4. Do you run your house more as a dictatorship or a democracy?
It depends who you ask. :)
5. Where was your favorite summer place when you were a kid?
I don't think I had one favorite summer place when I was a kid. Some summers, we drove to Vermont to visit my grandparents in their summer cottage on Lake Willoughby. I liked that, and I think the memories of Weatherlee Cottage are what gave me the desire to purchase a lake house of our own.
I went to camp some years, but I didn't have one camp that I returned to every summer. My friend Ann and I tried several different camps, and always had a good time. In high school, I attended FCA Camp (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) at a couple different locations.
The picture below is at Fort Scott Camp, near Cincinnati, Ohio. When I googled it just now, I learned that it closed following the summer of 1988. That's me, back row, far right, with Ann beside me. Looks like pig tails were the style of the day.
Most summers, I remember fun, lazy days, Bible School, riding bikes, playing in the hose, and good ol' summer fun. The picture below was from a backyard carnival we (my mother) organized to raise money for Crossroads Rehabilitation Center. I'm in the center, behind the cashier and her little helper. You can see my brother driving the tractor for wagon rides. I believe we raised $60.
6. Do you have a guest room? Would you want to stay there?
We have bedrooms that belonged to the children, before they grew up and moved out (most of them anyway), still decorated in teddy bears, lambs, and cowboys. So if you don't mind that, you are welcome to visit. One of these days, I'll get to work on that project.
7.
Next Wednesday America celebrates her independence. Do you have any
special plans for the 4th of July? If you live outside the USA when and
how does your country celebrate its own patriotic holiday?
Our town has a little Fourth of July Parade which was started by a mother for the kids in their neighborhood. It has grown each year, and is a homecoming of sorts for families who gather to take part in the tradition. It is still mainly a children's parade, and kids decorate bikes, trikes, scooters, pets, strollers and wagons to make the trip down Franklin Street to the square. The fire truck leads the parade, and the VFW Color Guard, and there are bands, tractors, floats, and horses (at the end, for obvious reasons).
I participated each year as a child, working for days to decorate my bike with crepe paper and flags. The picture below was 1971, I believe, and the neighborhood kids gathered before the big event. I am in the middle holding the dog (of course).
This was a couple years later, when we got to ride with friends on the garden tractor and wagon. I am on the fender of the tractor rockin' the braids and red knee socks.
Fast forward 20 years or so, and our own kids were parade participants. This is 1991, with the cousins in a wagon pulled by Sally the pony.
Here we go!
Cousin Brian is leading the pony. Good idea. :)
Baby Adam, just 8 months old, was too little for the pony cart, so he got to ride in the antique buggy.
1992, same time, same outfits. If I went to the trouble of stenciling all those shirts, we might as well get two years wear out of them! Haha.
Fast forward to 2007, and our son Andrew is driving his son Matthew on his antique tractor.
I had to include this one. Morgan has been gone a couple years now, but he surely was showing his patriotic pride!
This was 2008, another tractor ride for Matthew and his daddy.
This picture is from 2009. Matthew was taking care of Emma before the parade started.
Then he took his usual position on the tractor with his dad.
Jon was modeling a vintage shirt. I think it's the same one Jim was wearing in the 1992 photo. :)
Jon and my dad, a.k.a. 'Boomie', in the matching shirts.
And Jennifer with her pup, Emma.
Since we bought the lake house, we have elected to miss the parade and enjoy the lake instead. This year, with the 4th falling mid week, we may be able to enjoy the parade and then head to the lake for the weekend. Hopefully the gang will all join us there!
8. Insert your own random thought here.
Molly is the sister of my daughter-in-law, Darci. Molly is facing a big surgery next week to remove an acoustic neuroma, and I would welcome you to join me in prayer for her.
Molly is a daughter, a sister, a niece,
wife to Nick,
and Mommy to these three cuties.
They were beginning the process of adopting a little girl from China. That has been put on hold until she recovers from the surgery. She has started a blog, and you can read her story here.
Thank you for your prayers.
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