Roasted Chicken

It’s not particularly uncommon for the Fourth of July to be a very hot day, often with a thunderstorm thrown in for good measure. There was no thunderstorm this afternoon but it was certainly hot, about 100°F here. We are thankful that we did not lose power in Friday night’s storm. We pretty much stayed in indoors all day today. I decided to roast two chickens, stuffed with a rice pilau. They turned out quite well, if I say so myself. They were basted with a garlic and lemon sauce and were very flavorful. The rice had currents, almonds, and onions and was flavored with allspice.

Making Ice Cream

Although the chickens were very good, there’s no question that the highlight of the evening was the homemade ice cream. Normally it’s something you’d do outside but it was so hot, we figured we’d stick to the inside for that, too. Our power went out just as the ice cream was getting good and thick. We decided it was close enough to being done that we’d take the paddles out and cover it with ice to harden up a little more. Thankfully, the power was only out for a few minutes, so all was well. The ice cream was as good as I remember it. Family members will know what I mean when I say it tasted like 1414.

Timothy

There was a surprise birthday party today for Timothy. Unfortunately it started while I was still at work so I wasn’t there for the “SURPRISE!” part. When I did get there I asked Timothy to look surprised for a picture and this is what I got.

Outdoor Church Meeting

Because of the damage from the storm Friday night much of the area is without power. When our church is without electricity it is not only without light and air conditioning, it is also without running water and toilet facilities. Rather then “forsaking the assembling of ourselves together” (Hebrews 10:24-25) we met in the back yard of one of our families. Special thanks to Amanda and Dave for their hospitality and willingness to host us all. Thanks also to everyone who came, in spite of the heat, and worshiped with us.

We are not a particularly formal church to begin with but as you can see, everyone was quite casual, dressing for the heat. Dave and Fiona were spraying water from spray bottles, which felt wonderful. Thanks also to those who adjusted the service to the situation and to Mike for his message to us from the Word. It was a special time and one we will remember with fondness.

Fleeing Tim

I had a nice time at the graduation ceremony and party for a friend named Tim. At the party, some of the younger kids thought it would be fun to chase some of the older kids with swords. Who hasn’t thought that, after all. Here, the guest of honor is being chased around his back yard by someone who may speak softly but who carries a big stick (or sword).

Dorothy and Friends

We dropped Dorothy off to go to camp this morning. It was nice to visit, however briefly, with a few parents we haven’t seen in a while. Naturally I took a few pictures, including this one of Dorothy and four of her friends. Everyone was excited, including some parents who were taking advantage of a week without kids. Of course we had to go from there to work, which did put a little bit of a damper on our enthusiasm. Still, they do pay me for my work, and I’m quite happy to have a job, if truth be told.

Kendra and Dorothy

Dorothy spent much of the day with her friend Kendra, who met her at grandma’s house. She rode over on her new bicycle.

Fernando Ortega

What a treat it was to go hear Fernando Ortega this evening in a benefit concert for Rockville Pregnancy Clinic. He has such a beautiful, smooth voice and his songs paint wonderful pictures in my mind. I just made a CD with MP3 versions of all of our Fernando Ortega and Chris Rice albums and put it in the car on shuffle. It’s surprising (or perhaps not) how often one of his tunes comes into your head. I suppose that’s a function of how well you know his songs, of course. Anyway, if you have the chance to hear him, I recommend you act on it. This was our third time and by far the least formal. I had a great time with great friends and wonderful music.