from Lakeland, Florida

This week we are in Lakeland, Florida, visiting my FIL and helping him sort through, discard and pack the contents of his house in preparation to selling it. It is a slow process, and he has been working on it since he decided to sell the house last January, but progress is being made as we are down to the last winnowing of keep for one of the children or for use in the retirement community or box up for the auctioneer to sell.

The Katy Flatland Ride that we did last Sunday was fun. I was disappointed that I was not recovered enough from my allergy/sinus/head cold to feel energetic about riding 100 miles in the heat and so opted to do 43 miles instead. At the end I felt like it was a good decision/compromise. I could have probably done 50 miles but 100 would have definitely wiped me out to the point of set back. As it turns out, flying out 48 hours later, while unavoidable, since plans had been made in advance, was not the best of options either, since I ended up with ongoing pressure and pain in both ears and a headache which has only started to ease in the last 24 hours. Tomorow we fly back to Houston so I am taking anti-hisitmines and aspirin, hoping to make a pre-emptive strike on the nasal and sinus issues.

During the cross country ride, my riding partner Janet Bee and I made a game of collecting pithy siyings found on church signs. Here in Lakeland, I have been able to expand the category to pithy signs found out and about, including church signs.

For example:

The local dry cleaners store has a sign which says "good manners are like dry cleaning, they both iron out the wrinkles."

A local sewing machine and vacume stores' sign says "housework is like stringing beads on a string without a knot."

The local Baptist campground says "get active, doing beats stewing."

and the local liquor store, specializing in wine sales has a sign which says "apparently what has happened, is."

deep, man, deep.

And although somewhat scary rather than pithy, there is also a BIG billboard ouside the closest church which says "and be sure to join us at our EVANGELICAL PROPHETIC PRAYER RETREAT."

hmm......