A Birthday and the Bee

Evelyn and I were up after 7:00 this morning, to do our 30-minute walk in the coolest part of the day. As it turns out, perhaps dusk would have been almost as cool, because a few rain drops fell from a sky that had been overcast since late in the afternoon. But by then we were out of the house at Cindi Cooper's 60th birthday party for Dan.

Happy 60th Birthday, Dan!

It was a great evening--wonderful food from City Barbecue, plus add-ons from Cindi's kitchen. Texas sheet cake (two kinds!) and ice cream for dessert. And then Minute to Win It games in the family room (60 seconds to perform each trick, appropriate for a 60th birthday party. And the winners of each round each got baggies with 60 M&M's). Cindi really did a lot of work to prepare a fun evening--all the food plus all the props for the games plus counting out those groups of 60 M&M's!
Evelyn and I went to first service and were home shortly after noon--after brunch at Bob Evans and a quick stop at Meijer's for a newspaper and some odds and ends. I moved hoses from tree to tree and watered all the plants in pots outside. It was not as oppressive today as yesterday--that's good!
This afternoon I read a proof and wrote a draft of an editorial for that issue--the last issue in August and our last weekly issue! (Back at the office, we're beginning to discover a routine for creating a monthly instead of the weekly issues that Christian Standard has published since 1866.)
Last night we watched a video I had bought and thought we'd send to Wendy in Africa. "Bee Season," according to my quick read of the cover, was about a dad and his daughter and her quest to be a winner at the spelling bee. It starred Richard Gere, and I thought it would be something Wendy would enjoy watching. But since you have to open the videos and repackage them so they don't look new before you mail 'em to Africa, I decided we'd watch it before sending it on to her.
Well, let me tell you, "Bee Season" is one weird movie. I can't really explain what it was about, except to say that the young girl's progression through higher and higher levels of spelling bee competition was a backdrop for profound family dysfunctions, a mother who ends up in a mental hospital, a son who joins Hare Krishna, and a dad dabbling in mysticism characterized by gibberish about truly hearing God speak to you. All this, plus a disturbing scene that was supposed to depict what happens when God finally breaks through.
"We'll not be sending this to Wendy," Evelyn said. Really, Wendy, I don't think you'd enjoy it. And if any other dear blog reader sees "Bee Season" for $5 at Kroger's, spend your money instead on a good magazine!