My back is a bit better today. I go in for more massage therapy Friday morning. My back is sore from the massage I received yesterday morning. She asked me if I had ever had any shoulder or neck injuries. I said “No, well.. I did have a bad bicycle wreck ten years ago when I flipped over the handle bars and had a concussion and broken rib. I guess I could have hurt myself when I did the triple gainer on the ski slope and popped my ACL, but I didn’t break my neck or a leg or an arm.” She told me she felt scar tissue around my left shoulder. It sure felt better after she worked it over.
I knew my back was hurt Sunday afternoon when I stepped into Mr. Baker’s pool. The water was so cold and I winced my back. Seems like several times when that scenario happens I get a catch or have a muscle spasm in my back. It is so wonderful that it waited until Sunday afternoon. For the past month, since I got home from Holland I have worked like a Trojan cleaning around the house for Andy’s return home and graduation ceremony/celebration. He missed commencement because of his study abroad program. We had the party Saturday night.
I had a lovely group of folks.
The Lord sent a rain shower minutes before the first guests arrived cooling the temperature around my house to the 70’s. It had been in the 90’s. I was amazingly for me organized. Sarah showed up at the last minute to tweak and put a “Andy” display on the front door. Cy finished up the video slide show with his friend, Guy, who played music for us and Katy had come over that afternoon and cleaned my room which was the one thing I hadn’t had time to do. Andy himself had gone to pick up the meat I ordered. Wendell tweaked the yard.
Our menu was smoked chicken, pulled pork and beef brisket, strawberry spinach salad, baked beans, potato salad and chips, coconut, chocolate and lemon cake with chocolate and strawberry homemade ice-cream. I had some who didn’t come, but also had some surprises which exactly equaled the number I planned for. We had left-overs, but not unmanageable. Wendell is duty bound to finish off the ice-cream.
Guy played Pomp and Circumstance on the piano. The crowd gave attention to Andy who descended the stairs in his graduation regalia. Wendell awarded the degree and Grandman Bob gave the commencement speech. I liked what he said. He told Andrew that out of all the honors he has received through his life, his Awana 1st Timothy award was the one he was most proud of, and that God’s word in his heart was a lifelong reward.
Cy and Guy played congratulatory videos from Andy’s college professor, Dr. Stewart, and his eagle scout troop leader, David Kimbrough. David Kimbrough reminded Andy of a float trip. The water was cold and Andy was blue when he got out of the canoe. The troop built a fire and wrapped him in blankets to warm him. David said he had worried about having frozen some of Andy’s brain cells. Then he said, “But your mother tells me that you graduated summa cum laude in physics, so I don’t think I need to feel guilty about that anymore.”
Dr. Stewart sent warm wishes telling Andy he was missed at commencement. He told him his honors thesis was the first one ever defended from Amsterdam in what looked like a dorm room, but turned out well. He wished him luck at USC where Andy will be studying for his masters in the fall and wanted Andy to keep him informed about his career path and personal life.
We showed pictures of Andy from birth to today.
Andy flipped his hat and we put candles on one of the cakes and sang Happy Birthday to him. People gave him lots of cards and cold hard cash. He certainly appreciated that because he came home from Europe on $$empty.
