Joplin Journal Volume 11-7, Issue 1

From the Editor's Desk:

Happy first of July! Happy Canada Day to those in Canada! I can't believe it's July! Where has the year been going? It would seem like May except for the HOT summer weather. But summer also means watermelon, ice cream, and staying inside out of the heat. Okay, maybe you don't have a problem with the heat, but I do. It also means time to start thinking about ideas for a Christmas play.

Weather Report:

Like I said, it's been HOT. The last two days have been over 100º and humid! Today there's a 50% chance of showers, unless they've changed it. Maybe the rain will come and help cool things off. I'm glad I got the yard mowed on Monday when it was still really nice out. It was actually in the 60s when I started mowing.

"Genius Burns":

I have managed to keep writing. One day I actually wrote over 2k words! Haven't done that for a while. I finished a short story, am still working on "Monday's Mystery" and have written some of some other short stories just to change things up a bit. But since Writing Camp has started today, I'm hoping to get more consistent writing done.

Project Prognosis:

Let's check in on my projects, shall we?

• Work on Blog Posts for 2023 – I just have links to add to one July post and they will be done. I have almost every post for the rest of this year at least figured out, some are drafted, some are just scheduled (with a blog title and one line about it), and others are completely done.
• Update Website – I'm going to need to update that!

Visitors:

Grandpa and Aunt Marty came down last Friday. Well, Marty dropped Grandpa off at Jimmy's so he could work more on helping them trim trees and clean out vines. Kinsley chattered away to him, but since Grandpa was working without his hearing aids in, he couldn't hear her well enough to understand her. So, Kins, being the kind of girl that she is, went to Mommy and Daddy separately and said, "Grandpa needs his earbuds in so he can hear me!"

Marty came over here and went out to lunch with Mom, and did some sewing projects with Sarah. Later, Jimmy & Joel brought Grandpa over. We ate an early supper and they headed back to KC.

Whispering Winds:

Last week Lucas attended camp. This week James and Krista left their role as staff and switched to being campers with Joel. But today they return to their camp crew work, and Joel comes home. I didn't get to talk to Krista and James about camp on Sunday (they came home from camp for the weekend), but it sounds like they are enjoying it. Hopefully I'll get to talk to Lucas and Joel soon.

Babysitting:

No babysitting this week. We are supposed to have the kids one evening next week.

The Music Stand:

Tomorrow is the day the small orchestra (two violins, a flute, trumpet, & trombone) join the piano and organ in playing during church. It's going to be fun playing for congregational singing! Then I should have a music break

KDWC:

Writing Camp officially started today! We have the largest number of campers and aunties we've ever had! Right now we are starting camp with 138 girls from around the world. We have girls from Estonia, South Africa, Chili, Australia, China, Canada, and the United States that I know of. There are some busy writers right now. I'm hoping to get 1k written today.

Independence Day Picnic:

Tomorrow afternoon/evening we'll have a church 4th of July picnic at the home of one of the families from church. We'll take the water rockets again. The kids (and even the older ones) love making and shooting them off. I'll take a bunch of magnetic water balloons. (Seriously, those things are the best! You can use them over and over and over! They don't hurt. You can fill them in seconds. All you need is a bucket or kitty pool full of water and you can have the most enjoyable water balloon fight ever! And it won't have to end when all the balloons break.) There will be baseball, food, and hopefully some fireworks after dark. Just hoping it's not too hot and humid.

Sewing Room:

I don't know what Sarah is sewing now, but she is staying busy.

Read Another Page:

Summer Light audio is ready for purchase! You can find it on Audible HERE. You can go listen to a sample anyway.

Teacher's Lounge:

Closed for now.

Book Nook:

Not as much reading this time, so fewer books to share. But I am 20 books ahead of my "reading schedule" to read 150 books this year. Here's my list.

Cindy Ellen (fun fairy tale retelling), On Which Side Were They? (short but good), Sand & Mistletoe (yes, it's Christmas), Unwrapping Christmas (okay), Friends and Enemies (fun Christian western), The Exact Truth (reread). I did finish another book, but I haven't written a review for it yet.

Farewell:

Happy Canada Day! Happy Independence Day! Happy Summer! See you all next time. See, I refrained from using a 4th exclamation mark. :)