It’s official–today is the last day of summer! Where did the season go and what in the world has happened to me? As Yoda might say–Serious blogger I am not. But this may be the time to jump back in with a re-cap of the whirlwind adventure called MY LIFE–Summer 2021. So . . . hang on!
Back in April, when my hubby and I returned from Florida and just after Easter, I ordered our e-bikes from Electric Bike Company. I knew they would be here in time for my 60th birthday in May and that was the way I wanted to celebrate the momentous occasion–old lady on pedal assisted bike! Can I just say–Best. Purchase. Ever! We are enjoying rides and have put on many miles (like 389 so far!) and many hours of bike riding this summer. We can zip along at 25+ mph and still get exercise with the hard and fast pedaling. Okay, I confess. There are times I just use the throttle and catch my breath going uphill. Scott is a speed demon and I can’t always keep up, but it’s such fun to ride into town together for a cup of coffee and sometimes a treat from the bakery. I bought handwoven baskets from a Portuguese artist on Etsy. She custom made them because of the extra width needed over the battery.
In June, we loaded up the car (and airplane) with nephews and headed to Kentucky! I drove–he flew in 1/4 the time. Destination Creation Museum and Ark Encounter. It was our third time at the museum and we are never disappointed. But this time we wanted to share the awesome experience with family. From the entrance, where the colorful displays discuss dragon legends as evidence of man and dinos interacting, to the educational movies on creation, to the 7 C’s of History (Creation, Corruption, Catastrophe, Confusion, Christ, Cross, Consummation) this place is definitely worth visiting . . . again! We always learn something, see new exhibits and get our questions answered by Ken Ham and the Answers in Genesis folks.
Isaiah and I barely escaped the T-rex! 
Only one door! (see John 10:9) 
Good question. Interesting answers. 
The gang at the Ark!
July brought us back to the World’s Busiest Airport–Oshkosh–and AirVenture. It was great to get back to normal with our 11th year volunteering in departure briefing/forums and seeing our once-a-year friends. The airshows were as thrilling as always and, other than a midnight tornado touchdown a few miles from the event, the weather was perfect! Our young nephew, Isaiah, has joined us for the past couple of years as a volunteer and loves working beside his Uncle Scott in pre-show maintenance and with his Aunt Pam as a “forums host.”
Friends from Nebraska visited in August and it was great fun showing them the area and just being together. Some highlights–sitting on the deck in the warm morning sunshine, sipping coffee and planning our day, going on the Pictured Rocks Boat Tour, reminiscing about bierocks and feed yards filled with beef cattle and Kansas, where we first met. What a story that is! And what a blessing they were to two discouraged pilots who were grounded by five days of freezing fog awhile back. It was so fun to reconnect with this brother and sister in Christ!
Shortly after their visit, Scott had successful gall bladder surgery and I headed off to the Faroe Islands while he stayed home to recover. Yes, I did feel a little guilty at not being the doting wife to my husband during his recovery, but the trip had been planned since May and he was just going to rest for a few weeks anyway. All was well and we stayed in regular contact via phone calls on my satellite phone or FaceTime calls on my cell. A dear friend came along for one week and I stayed for three weeks. Let me just say–I wish I were still there!
It was a dream come true! I had wanted to experience what it would be like to live in that lovely little country of 18 little islands (17 are inhabited). I have good friends there and so I was able to rent a small house in the village of Funningur, rent a car (manual transmission), attend church (most are Lutheran), a birthday party, a fellowship meal and program, and share some meals with “vinur mín” Alis and Martin, Sasi, Magni, and Gudmar. I consider them my Faroese family and enjoyed seeing them in person after three years of “virtual visits” via Messenger video calls.
For further, more in-depth details of my time in the Faroes, I will blog over the next couple of weeks–sharing my journal entries during that wonderful trip. Suffice it to say, my time there was beautiful, peaceful, restful, sweet, fun, and so memorable.
Oh my! The food I ate–pilot whale meat, Fulmar bird (seagull), cod, fish balls, smoked salmon–was a deliciously novel culinary experience. It was hard to leave and return to the USA on September 10th. If my husband had been there with me, we just might still be there! There was freedom (no masks, no social distancing, no fearful looks, no condemnation between vaxxed and unvaxxed) and yet there was common sense in dealing with Covid. They test all who enter into the country and then again four days later. (Tonsil swab not sinuses) The 30-minute documentary Together in Isolation explains well what they did as a country to fight Covid. Such a sensible response and now they live their lives freely and without stress!
Pilot whale tastes like liver 
Fish balls and sweet mustard 
Seagull sort of tastes like duck
And now I’m back–yes, back in the UP, back to my routine, back to blogging. Summer has gone too quickly. I’m starting to take my plants off the deck now and think of fall activities and chores to prep for winter. It makes me a bit melancholy. But then I remember my blessings and am so thankful as I recount what the summer of 2021 has brought. It’s been good!
Heart to Heart 