Monday with Lisa

D.E.A.R. Season

That's: "Drop Everything And Read.

The Unexpected Carnival: Keeping It Interesting

The Pontotoc County Fair is held in Ada every fall on the grounds of the Agriplex, and we usually ride the rides, but this parking lot carnival was unexpected. We decided to give it a whirl, though.
A year and a half ago, Emilio and Nina enjoyed the Shock Wave and the Pandemonium at Six Flags, but something about this Ferris Wheel made Nina squeamish, so she parked it with Aunt Carolyn and the rest of us waved to them from above.
Pablo elected to accept the Pirate attraction challenge.

He later emerged alive.

Nina elected to ride this dragon, and Pablo lobbied his way into the seat in front of her.
It didn't take long for those smiles to start melting. Remember: Nina handled the Shock Wave and Pandemonium with no problem whatsover.

They lived to tell the tale.

Storytime

Pablo loves to read to Nina.

Diary of Wimpy Kid is a favorite.

Dr. Benton's March to the Convocation

The Honors Convocation always takes place on the first Thursday of the fall semester. This is the 10th annual Honors Convocation. Dr. Mark Hollingsworth has played the bagpipes at every one.

This the 30th anniversary of ECU's Honors Program. I am the third Director of the Program, and this is my fourth year in that position. This year, Dr. Hollingsworth, now Dean of the College of Health and Sciences, wrote an original composition for bagpipes titled "Dr. Benton's Convocation March." It is "dedicated to Dr. Benton and the students in ECU's Honors Program." Before this year's March began to presented a musical transcription of it to me on a scroll tied in tartan ribbon. He later told me that the pattern on the tartan was of the Gordons,, his anecestral clan on his mother's side. He told everyone to "step lively" as we headed out. That's Dr. Carl GIlbert, the new Dean of the College of Health and Sciences, and this year's Convocation keynote speaker, on my right. President Hargrave is on my left.

During the Convocation ceremony, Dr. Hollingsworth was introduced, and he played the full tune. On my right is Brittany Jolly, the President of the Honors Student Association. On my left is Linzi Thompson, the HSA Vice President. At the end of the front row to my left, sitting next to Dr. Gilbert, is Dr. Ken Andrews, the 2015 Honors Teacher of the Year.

Me: "That may be the catchiest tune I've ever heard."

I brought the scroll home unopened.

Now I need to get a recording of it.

It's staying here for now with some other friends on top of our piano. I pay have to get another copy and get it framed to put in the Honors Office.

Exploring new paths

We have second graders

Pablo may look too cool for school in this photo, but he and Nina were both very excited/nervous about the year ahead.

Nina's First Concert: A Tribute to the King of Rock 'n' Roll

After visiting Elvis's birthplace in Tupelo in May and listening to the "Essential Elvis" CD we gave el abuelo, Nina jumped at the opportunity to see Travis LeDoyt's tribute to young Elvis at Ada's very own McSwain Theater, which was once managed by Mae Boren Axton, co-author of Elvis's first number one hit, "Heartbreak Hotel." When the show started, Nina couldn't stop dancing. Fortunately, we had aisle seats, so I encouraged her to take advantage of that. She did. We didn't know then that she would soon find herself locking eyes with the Man of the Evening.

New Couch, Day Two

With furniture models.

Interstate couch hunters

Need a buddy to drive from Oklahoma to Nebraksa Furniture in Texas to buy a new couch because somebody's brother broke the other one by jumping on it from the top of the hallway partition? Nina has got your back. An "Into the Woods" soundtrack and a short nap makes the ride a little smoother.
How about this one?
And a chair to go with it?

Sold!
Well shopped. The last time I went couch hunting, we ended up buying a house. Fortunately, Nina kept me in line this time.I think we deserve chow mein and a swim in Brian's pool.

Summer Saturday Nina

Nina's first yoga class

When Mari and Nina got back from White Rock gym, where Nina experienced her first yoga class, they showed me some of their poses. My friends at Internets Research have suggested that this pose is a variation on the Marichyasana.

Pabi's back!

There was a big hole in the house where the silence came in during Pablo's absence. We're very glad Aunt Carolyn brought him back to us to fill it up. The adventurer brought stories with him of late-night swims under starry skies, missing keys, rock-repelling windows, dinosaur digs, Legoland-gift shop bargain-hunting, Kingdom quests, ceiling-scraping towers, and food court Sun chips. And Aunt Carolyn says he was a perfect gentleman.

Pablo's first overnight

It was hard leaving Pablo behind in Fort Worth when we returned to Ada, but we were sure that he'd have a blast with Aunt Carolyn--swimming, museuming, and maybe even meeting up with Granddaddy and Grandmother to visit Legoland for the first time. This is the first time Pablo has ever slept under a roof without either me or Mari, and he's going to do it twice in a row!

Strange nocturnal creature

This little fella turned up a Grandmother and Granddaddy's house after we came back from Laura and Omar's wedding shower at Aunt Carolyn's, where Mari and I played "The Newlywed Game." For those playing the home game, the answers are: a) Avalon; and b) either Kathy's Song or The Theme from Mission Impossible, also known as my cellphone ring tone.

¡75!

Pablo has a ticket to ride

Forty-eight

Highlights of the day: a park walk with Lisa; a Ticket to Ride (Germany) game with Lisa, Melissa, Olivia, and Emilio; game gifts from 3GC ("The Alhambra") and BL&O ("Forbidden Desert"); birthday wishes from Spain; Mari's gazpacho and butterbeans (not mixed together); lemon/7Up cake; a much-appreciated cash influx from Mom and Dad; FIFA 2015 for the XBox and watching Emi play as FC Barcelona; and the BluRay disc of Into the Woods, which we watched together to cap a very fine day.

Cousin Time

They see fireworks