Long Hollow

Ping-pong season has arrived! Afternoon temperatures are still flirting with the 90's, but cool fronts have pushed the mosquitos and most of the humidity off of the front porch, so Tom set up the table Saturday afternoon and we played for the first time in months, listening to music and talking about random stuff while we hit the ball back and forth. 

We don't keep score. We have no rules at all. The object of our game is to hit the ball back across to the other side of the net. It doesn't matter how many times it bounces or if it bounces off the wall or if it bounces at all.

The thing is, if it gets past you, you're the one who has to chase it down and pick it up. Oh, my back! Great incentive.

 I decided in the middle of the 'game' I wanted a photo of the ball bouncing at me.

Tom, bless his heart, never protested as I asked him to hit it repeatedly toward me and my camera. And I kept trying, even though it meant I had to chase that ball down every time.

Alas, I never got a clear shot. In fact, except for the one above of the ball rolling toward me, I only captured it in one other photo, and it's just an orange blur. It was just too fast for my trigger finger.

Other than that, it was the perfect way to say goodbye to the sun on a Saturday afternoon.

Here are some other sweet! moments from the past week…

Tuesday: kids checking out books at school libraries; catching up on a week's worth of email; a friend bringing you a hot cup of tea when you're freezing; remembering to get your dress from the cleaners; a walk in the rain with your puppies after work

Wednesday: two of your photos, blown up onto a stretched canvas, arriving in the mail; a webinar on writing children's books; decluttering a corner of your house; laughing with your husband over a new "Modern Family" episode

Thursday: preparing for a school book fair; helping a friend celebrate the 10th anniversary of her business; an afternoon walk with your puppies; a call from a dear friend, just to catch up; finishing the design of your business cards

Friday: shopping at school book fairs; the tinkling of homecoming mum bells; playing ping-pong on an autumn afternoon; finally watching "The Cider House Rules"; a call that your zoom lens is fixed and ready to be picked up (again!)

Saturday: sleeping in; the sight of your son stepping through the front door on a quick visit home; a walk with your puppies, husband, and son before heading to work; finding fossils; your team winning its football game, after a little losing streak

Belle's happy to see him, too!

Sunday: attending Mass with your husband; burros grazing beside the highway; meeting a woman who is producing a documentary on child trafficking in America (more on that later!); the sight of momma cows leading their babies along a fence line; a glimpse of deer disappearing into the woods near your house; a call from your oldest baby

Monday: the moment the sun first peeks over a hilltop into your hollow

I hope your past week was full of sweet! moments and you discover even more in the coming week!

P.S. I'm headed to Houston today to be with my mom and dad as Daddy goes in to get the blockages in his carotid arteries removed (again!) Please keep all of us in your prayers, especially Daddy and his doctors! Thank you!