Oh what do you do in the summertime?

I just downloaded some pictures and videos from my digital camera onto my computer. I had forgotten already some of the things I've been doing this summer that I've never done before.






I went to the Days of '47 Rodeo with my friends - Stephanie, Shana, Christy, and Hailey. It was fun. Those cowboys really know how to ride. I didn't know that Rodeo was a way of life. These guys do it for a living. It's pretty intense.

I entered my first 5K this summer. My nephews Oscar and Zeke did it with me. It was the "I am the Future" Days of '47 5K. I'm so proud of those two boys. Zeke was so fast that he got way ahead of Oscar and I. I had to call his mother and my mother who were waiting at the finish line. I told them "I lost Zeke. Look for him at the finish line." My mom started from the finish line towards us and found him along the way. I was so happy she found him. He just barely turned 6 years old. That's kind of young to be on your own on a crazy day in the city, on any day in the city for that fact.



Let it be known, that I didn't lose Zeke because I walk too slow. I tried to catch up with him, which leads me to why I'm proud of Oscar too. Oscar was the one keeping me from catching up to Zeke. I'm proud of him for the fact that, in the end, he made it to the finish line.


Oscar was not moving. He was finished before we even went a block. I had to slowly drag him the rest of the way. We stopped every 4 yards it seemed. We were the last to make it to the finish line. He mumbled the whole way about how much he hated himself for entering the 5K with me. His mom had to come walk him the last block and a half. She coached him. She runs marathons, so she knew what to do. They even made plans for the day when Oscar would run a marathon with her. I couldn't believe it. He wouldn't even walk half of a mile without stopping to say how tired he was. I sure hope his mom can get him ready for a marathon some day. I'd be delighted if he could do the 5K with me again next year. I don't know if I dare. I'll have to make sure there's someone to go on ahead with Zeke.


It was a fun experience registering and getting our packets. Oscar was so hyped about it. I was hyped about it. It was Zeke that we were worried about, and he ended up running/walking the 5K all by himself. I was carrying his water, he didn't even have that with him on his walk, and he still kept going ahead of us until I lost him from my sight. Wow. I'm sure glad he didn't dehydrate.


We stayed and watched the parade after the 5K. My sister and mom set up chairs for us. I missed most of the parade due to another first for me. I got to witness a woman high on drugs, at least that's what my sister said was wrong with her behavior, stand right in front of me. Shortly into the parade this lady comes pushing her little girl in a stroller and stands right in front of me. It was really sad and a bit scary. I tried to encourage her to shade her daughter's head with the stroller shade thing. She couln't even concentrate. She kept talking to someone who nobody else could see. People were really getting frustrated with her. The police even approached her. My main concern was that it was a hot day and she was saying something about fireworks. I didn't want her to keep her baby in the sun the whole day. I used my camera to film her strange behavior. I wanted to have documentation, if it was needed to help her daughter. I kept watching as she would go to feed her daughter or give her daughter a drink. She couldn't hold still long enough to finish the job, or she dropped the food everywhere. She would pull it out, wait one second, and then put the food back in the back and continue to pace back and forth talking to the unseen. She had a couple cans of Coke, she kept drinking from. She got her drink but couldn't hold still long enough to let her daughter drink anything. I don't want her to loose custody of her daughter. I just want her to have help, if she'll accept it. She wouldn't let any of us help her. I asked the police officer if he was watching her still. He said that he was and that he had the same concerns I did. She took off after the parade. I don't know what became of her. I prayed in my heart that the police in the area would be able to notice if she needed some more help throughout the day. I heard her say how she felt guilty and she wondered what her support group would think. My sister said that she wasn't necessarily high at the moment, but that her brain had been damaged as a result of heavy drug usage. She wasn't in her right mind any more. It was sad.


On a brighter note, my dad and sister were watching a movie called "Song of the South" tonight. I've never seen it before. I could hear part of it as I've been making some preparations for our camping trip tomorrow. I always wondered where Brare Rabbit and the song "Zip-a-dee-doo-dah-Zippity-eh" came from. Now I know. I can't wait to watch the movie. It sounded really good.