Reflections on a Summer

At long, summer's end--we write again... I guess our vacation didn't seem as interesting to us as we thought it might, but for those who would like to know, a brief update about our summer vacation:

*Lots of traveling-we have been in Toronto once (with Amanda Backale for ICS convocation and our anniversary); stopped through NW Washington (for a going away weekend extravaganza with the Hansen clan); drove overnight to NW Iowa and a stop over in Des Moines (again with the Hansen clan, this time settling in, and hanging out with the Van Til's, respectively); drove up for a wedding in Holland, Michigan (Lori and Steve Evenhouse); went to a family reunion in Sterling, Illinois (Yvana's side); and of course visited SW Chicago numerous times for graduations, convocations, paper presentations, birthdays, library booksales, and just to get away and spend time with our friends out there. Okay, so we didn't go to any really exotic places, but considering work schedules (see following) it is really pretty amazing!

*Catering at Fay's Porkchop BBQ-this is mostly Mike's baby, though I got to put a couple hours in here and there--lots of weekends of work here too, fundraisers, the Steam Power Show, and private catering jobs (and taking some food home for the family! :))

*French 101 and 102--Yvana's non-paying job for the summer, though it kept me quite busy--feel free to ask me about the past/present participle or the subjunctive mood, or any of various tenses: past composite, imperfect, present perfect and also various limited vocabulary related to weather, fashion, current events, colors, and pleasantries, and I will feel free to pretend I know what I am saying...

*Reading--We both had an opportunity this summer to spend a bit of time reading (fortunately my time was spent simultaneously soaking up some UV rays, and Mike's was in a van driving to work, or at work in front of a blazing grill), both for work and for pleasure. Mike's top three books this summer were: In the Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco, Interpretation Theory by Paul Ricoeur, and The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion. Yvana's top three: Gilead by Marilynne Robinson, Simone deBeauvoir: A Critical Introduction by Kate and Edward Fullbrook, and High Fidelity by Nick Hornsby. These are listed in no particular order, of course.

Well, there's the run down--We are leaving for Canada again in just over a week, and hope to update you all with exciting things then! Blessings to everyone as they get back in the swing of a school year, or as they continue working as Fall approaches--hope to hear from you all soon!

Y