It’s summer in full swing now.
Memorial Day weekend has come and gone. At my house, that’s the first of the major summer parties. The combination of the Alumni Banquet and Queck Reunion brings a house full of cousins. Friends join in as well for the banquet pre- and post-parties. And I think it’s safe to say this year a good time was had by all.
It’s a gloriously hectic time of food, conversation, a lot of laughter, and maybe a cocktail or two. (Doesn’t every family make hazelnut martinis at 11 p.m. on Sunday night just because they’re talking about hazelnuts? No, it wasn’t my idea. And, yes, they were marvelous.)
I don’t mean to imply the true meaning of Memorial Day is lost on us. We have many veterans in my family, and we honor them by fully enjoying the many freedoms they (and others) helped us obtain and retain, ever mindful of the cost.
The hectic air was enhanced this year by a computer crash the week before. Not only did I really not have time for multiple trips to Des Moines to the Apple Genius Bar and hours on the phone with tech support, but it was a stark reminder of just how dependent on this little machine I have become. This is where I work. This is where I communicate. This is my filing cabinet and planning notebook.
Two words of advice to users out there – BACK UP. I did. I was. And even if reinstalling the back up to the new hard drive was an adventure resembling satanic torture, I am well aware it could have been much worse.
Although my banquet-planning cohorts waiting and nail-biting at the 11th hour to see if we would have printed programs may beg to differ. What’s an event without a little drama?
And I owe special thanks to a couple of editors who were extremely patient despite their own looming deadlines.
Needless to say, this past week has been about restoring a bit of normalcy – on all fronts. Four days behind on work; a tired old body with a disabled connection to healthy food, drink and exercise; and about three inches of sticky on the kitchen floor – and I still can’t stop basking in the glow of the good times.
Now, that’s a life worth living.
And so June begins.
I sent a story out first thing this morning and will spend a couple days on the road this week. It’s time to start rounding up Day Trips for The Iowan, and the 4th of July PR schedule is in full swing. There are some special summer projects coming my way, and the quest for the latest beef info never stops.
God willing, the coming weeks will be filled with radishes and sunshine and many, many productive hours.
Celebration preparations will take center stage again at the end of the month, with another pack of cousins due for the 4th of July – when I’ll be immersed in the town’s party plans as well as my own.
I’m hoping for just as much fun and maybe a little less drama this time around.