Wannaskan Almanac for Saturday, July 14

It's another Saturday on this 14th day of July here at the Wannaskan Almanac. It's been a hot one this past week. If there's one gift nature has given us this summer it's this: no mosquitoes. We have spent almost every day or night outside enjoying the yard due to the dry weather. For the non-Wannaskan area readers, what I've just written would normally sound ludicrous. A night in northern Minnesota without bugs? Preposterous!

But, it's true! The fireflies (or are they lightning bugs?) have dominated the bug scene so far this summer. I am wishing for a bit of rain, though, for the farmers, but admittedly, just enough to water the crops but still keep the mosquitoes at bay.

It's Week 7 of Summer Vacation. While we've been enjoying all kinds of adventures in our household, I hit Week 7 with a bit of trepidation. What could I possibly have to write about this week? The shininess of summer has worn off. We've segued into house projects. For the most part, we've settled into the comfort of summer's relaxing rhythm. We even hung up a hammock. With all this drowsiness, what could possibly be newsworthy in Week 7 of summer vacation?

I will tell you.

Today, is the apex of summer vacation. With seven weeks behind us, we stand on the mountain top, surveying our progress and taking in the view. Looking back, we're surprised we toiled up that mountain. It hardly felt like work. In the early days, the kids clambered up the ascent like mountain goats, eager for new adventures. They found their tempo and hoofed it through, one foot in front of the other, committed to the climb. These last two weeks felt a little more arduous, maybe even a smidge dire, as we feared the worst: boredom.

Ah, who am I kidding? The kids are luxuriating in their laziness and it's me who's feeling the dire and counting down the weeks. Seven more weeks of summer vacation?! Are you kidding me? What are we going to do for SEVEN more weeks?! SEVEN!!!!

The first thing I'm going to do is take a deep breath and enjoy the view. This summer hasn't been lazy; it's been laid back. And so fun. Swimming, trampolines, bike rides, children's theater, movies, camps, campfires, road trips. A new floor. The living room rearranged. The front closet cleared out and organized. Aaahhh.......

The second thing I'm going to do is take stock. Tomorrow, Sunday, we begin our descent. Easier in some respects, but hard on the knees and toes in a way different than the trek up. We have seven weeks to zigzag back down this mountain and get the most from this amazing hike before it's back to our regularly scheduled program of life.

On that note, just when I thought I would have nothing to write about, Week 7 provided a bounty of Bs!

Brewing Beer - The week kicked off with hubby brewing. Locals know this is his favorite hobby. While other men talk fishing and hockey, my guy can wax poetic about beverages. He's come a long way from his very first batch, which we named "4:00 A.M." because that's how late he stayed up to finish brewing it. He understands the taste buds of our local fans and has scaled back the hops while still paying homage to his favorite brew, Bohemian lager. If you're reading this, consider it an open invitation to pop by anytime for a cold one straight from the keg.

Berries - Just when I feared summer vacation would bring on the blues, (I mean, really, 14 weeks of summer?! It's a long time with 5 kids.) I peeked at the raspberry bushes. They were laden - no, burdened - with berries! Boom! After picking the first raspberries of the season, I bundled up the bunch and we headed out to Beltrami Island State Forest for some blueberry picking. Now, I know the locals are tight-lipped about these things, but I'm going to tell you: the crop is brilliantly abundant this year! The forest is bursting with blueberries. There really is enough for everybody, so come on out! After buttering up a local, she revealed that the blueberries should be in good form for about another week. Oh! And the bugs! Zilcho! I don't know if I just got lucky, but there were no swarming mosquitoes. (Okay, maybe not none, but considerably fewer than normal.) I will gladly take the loud, yet harmless, buzzing of flies over mosquitoes any day.

BattleBots - Folks, I'm completely hooked. Our family has become an ardent fan of the Science Channel, in general, and to this show in particular. With kids participating in Lego League and Robotics, this show/competition/tournament, takes it all to a whole new level. Sure, I saw the Big Bang Theory episode when Barry Kripke challenged Sheldon and his crew to a bot battle - but I didn't realize it actually existed. Brilliant! I was rooting for End Game who came out strong but then took a beating from Bite Force and it broke my heart when the Duck got brutally bucked by the Bronco.

Buddies - When I was a kid, I remember bursting through my aunt and uncle's door at full speed. "HellOOOO!" Doors weren't locked and we never knocked. (Until my aunt asked me to.) We popped in and neighbors dropped by. This week, our neighbor and her kids came over at 9:30 p.m. The grown-ups enjoyed a beer while the kids splashed in the kiddie pool til little bodies began to shiver with the setting sun. Last night, friends came out bearing gifts of pizza, kid-size sports drinks in blue and pink, freezer pops, play dough, and a toy horse and lizard for the littles. We talked about the wife's upcoming trip to Czech Republic and the husband was kind enough to take a spin in the hammock at the insistence of the little who were completely buzzed with joy. We feasted on blueberry-rhubarb crisp and basked in summer's beauty til dark. (Then we watched another episode of BattleBots.)

Fun Facts from the Kids

"Hey did you know the daddy long leg has a really venemous bite but it doesn't affect us because they can't get their mouths around us? he said, as his younger sister screamed at the creepy crawly making its way over her white plastic chair.

"Hey, did you know green blueberries are poisonous?" he asked as the toddler munched on a few green blueberries. Yikes! I googled this and it appears that, no, they are not poisonous, but here's a short, informative video about a plant lookalike that is poisonous that can grow right in there with blueberries.

"JP2 camp is what grounded me in my faith. I mean, I had a faith already, but this made it stronger. Every kid should go to JP2." - From the daughter who just returned home after being on the service team for the camp.

Computers

Hello, it’s David again! So, as you know, a couple of weeks ago, I got a new computer which I used to write my part of my mom’s blog last week. What I want to write about today, is about the computer.

                The computer’s name is “Davids-Albert-PC.” Yes, it has a name. Every computer needs a name. It’s a Dell Inspiron 11 3000 Series. Yes, it’s a long name for the type of computer and yes, I know I keep saying “yes.”

                How I got the computer was a very weird process. I was in the cities to visit a friend for the week. About two days into the visit, he was getting a new TV (FYI he is not a kid. He’s about 70). A little bit before the visit, my uncle had heard about my computer plans, so he recommended a computer for me. The Dell Inspiron bla bla bla.

When my friend (names cannot be mentioned) and I got to Walmart to pick up the TV, he saw that the computer that my uncle had recommended was on sale for almost 50% off, and that he would get a clearance for it. I didn’t know about the computer until he went to the front desk and said, “And to add to the TV, I’ll take that Dell Inspiron for Dave.” Or, something like that. Yes, he called me Dave, and I was shocked. Pure shock. I had no idea he would get me that computer or any computer. I didn’t know what to say. I had never been so shocked in my life! I wasn’t expecting to get a computer till after my thirteenth birthday!

 After a couple of hours, I finally got over the shock. I set up the computer and throughout the week I added some tweaks to make it cooler.

So, that’s a little bit about my computer and how I got it.

Until next time, David

P.S. It takes 1.6 million pounds to crush a 2-foot-tall concrete cylinder.

On This Day

Historic Highlights (credits)

2016 - Terrorist Attack in Nice, France Kills 85 and Injures More than 300 People
The attack took place during Bastille Day Celebrations, when a 19-ton truck was driven into the crowd. The attacker was eventually shot by the police.

1965 - Mars flyby of Mariner 4
The American spacecraft became the first to take pictures of another planet and send them back to Earth.

1958 - Coup in Iraq
Abd al-Karim Qasim, a brigadier in the Iraqi Army staged a military coup in Iraq, overthrowing the Hashemite monarchy. The Iraqi King Faisal II, the Crown Prince Abd al-Ilah, and Prime Minister Nuri al-Said were assassinated during the coup. Qasim took over the position of Prime Minister, which he held until 1963. The coup also led to the dissolution of the Arab Federation of Jordan and Iraq.

1957 - First female parliamentarian in the Arab world is elected to office
Egyptian Rawya Ateya became the first woman to be elected to the National Assembly.

1789 - Storming of the Bastille
Bastille, a prison housing only 7 prisoners at the time, was stormed by a crowd calling for the closure of the prison. The storming became the central event of the French Revolution.

Happy Birthday to You!🎶 

1918 - Ingmar Bergman, Swedish director

1913 - Gerald Ford, American politician, 38th President of the United States

1912 - Woody Guthrie, American singer-songwriter, musician

1911 - Terry-Thomas, British actor

1862 - Gustav Klimt, Austrian painter, graphic artist

So, peeps, we may be at the apex of summer vacation, but get out there and make the most of it. There's still so much to enjoy. Seven weeks to be exact!

Kim

P.S. She-who-asked-not-to-be-named passed her driver's test.

Bonding time with the baby.