As has been my practice, I've taken a bit of a break from the blog over the summer to refresh just a bit.  And what a wonderful summer it has been.  I pray that summer has also brought you joy and renewal.

This summer we followed a more systematic plan, Diane and I setting aside every Friday to do something we haven't done before.  We don't follow this practice every summer but every once in a while, and we invariably appreciate having taken this approach.  Again, it isn't every summer or even every other summer, just when we feel the particular need.

The whole thing started about 30 years ago, early on in our marriage when our son was just a few years old.  For some reason, I decided as summer approached to plan something 'special' for every Friday of that summer.  It could have been driving all the way into Saginaw to take C.J. to the Children's Zoo or as simple as a picnic and time at the beach in Caseville.  One thing - I never told Diane what I was up to.  Each week I simply said, "Hey, how would you like to...tomorrow?"  At the end of the summer, I let her in on what I had been doing.  She hadn't caught on to the fact that this was all planned, but looking back she was overjoyed that I had made the effort.

So what's all this have to do with "The Bozo Awards"?  Absolutely nothing.  Except that as I type this we are on a family fishing retreat in northern Minnesota with Diane's family.  The Wurdeman/Rotermund/Strohacker family fishing retreat, begun in June of 1975...and going ever since.  In fact, Diane and I spent our first anniversary in a rustic cabin with her family 36 years ago.

Lots of traditions have grown up over the years, one of which is awards, something I began about 15 years ago.  Largest fish, smallest fish, weirdest catch, best hand of cards, a traveling trophy with little plaques on it to keep track of the biggest game fish from each year's retreat.  And, of course, The Bozo Award.  It all began when I won a Bozo the clown doll from one of those machines where you put in 50 cents and try to pick something up with a claw.  I'm pretty good at that thing and usually have the back of my Blazer filled with my winnings.  The Bozo Award goes to the person who does something unintentionally during vacation that gives us the biggest laugh.  This year, the winner was obvious from day one.  Even with the vacation less than half over, it will go to Diane's mom.

The first morning of this year's gathering, Diane's mom came into the living room of the cabin and began telling us how hard it is for her to see when she first gets up in the morning.  She talked about the newspaper being fuzzy first thing in the morning, about things being blurry, a film over her eyes, going to the eye doctor to have it checked out.  People asked questions and offered thoughts and solutions.

After about a half an hour, Diane's Aunt Liz came out of the bedroom she was sharing with Mom (they're sisters), and she said, "Ruth, are you having any problems seeing?"

"Why yes, how did you know?  I was just telling the kids about how difficult it is for me to see clearly first thing in the morning..."

"Well," Liz answered, "I don't know about other mornings, but THIS morning I think it may have something to do with you having on MY glasses instead of your own..."