Fourth of July

We got up this morning and went tubing- way too much fun- on Bull Shoals Lake. Dad rented a pontoon boat and we loaded the three kids, Cary, Daniel, Mom, Dad, and me onto the boat... I tubed first, and they tried really hard to get me off, but didn't succeed. Cary tubed with both of the girls- Sophia and Ava, and then we stopped so that Nolan could fish. He wasn't successful, but it gave us time to swim in the lake. The water was PERFECT. About 80 degrees, not too hot or cold, clear, clean, and very open.

We got back to the cabin and changed, hurrying over to Burpee's house for the picnic (which we were already late for). Ann had not been feeling well, so Betty stayed behind from the boating trip to take her to the hospital for some antibiotics. This is the message we got going over Lead Hill (only place w/ reception!). We got to Burpee's and had a BLAST. It seemed like everyone was there (about 80 people total) and I migrated towards the horse folk. It seems so strange, but despite discipline and geographic differences, we have a lot of the same feelings towards horses. While we were at the picnic, we got word that Ann's condition was much more serious than the flu. She would have to stay the night.

Ella Marie saved me a piece of cake, and she told Tina where it was. Betty was in the kitchen doing dishes, and when we snuck in to grab one of the six pieces, people came out of the walls! That cake was GONE in under ten seconds, no joke. Then, one of the uncles brought out homemade moonshine and dared the male Californians to drink some-

Poppy had told Charlie that I wanted to drive a big truck, so he let me drive to the back of the property over the rough terrain and four wheel it- it was so fantastic... but it was real truck, not like these wimpy things we have in CA. Of course, I was the brunt of a lot of jokes because I can't drive a "standard" (or stick shift). We headed over to his farm (next door) and got to meet "the Belgians" (I had heard so much of their size from Tina- and they lived up to it!) . Mom went into his house and reminisced as it had formerly belonged to their grandparents. I also got to meet Daisy- the pug- who is about as cute as can be. It poured rain tonight- just came down in buckets, and then let up...

Cary is spending the night at the hospital- we are all very worried that Ann won't be able to travel. The doctors have said she has emphysema with pneumonia.