The One With God's Nomads...

Travel back in time with me again as I try to catch you up on some other recent happenings. Almost three weeks ago now, Howard and I hosted a total of 16 people at FFV for our first-ever summer BBQ/picnic/gluttonfest. Other than a poor excuse to fellowship and eat lots of food, it was a good-bye party of sorts for the beloved Appling family. And lest we forget, Christopher Hart's birthday. The chickens to which Howard laboriously cooked, for fun, prior to the big day led to robust and all-together yummy results. The important thing was that it was cooked all-the-way on the inside. We can't say that, however, for Jim's Pepto Bismol-colored jumbo burger. I think he was so hungry by the time the food was ready that he didn't mind scarfing it down. The chef sends his apologies, kind sir. Aside from the massive amount of chicken, beef, and brats cooked, there were plenty of desserts, corn on a cob, veggie kabobs, and salads. It really was the ultimate smorgasbord.

Here are some highlights of the glorious day:

1. Wanda's incredible "whatever it was called" dip for tortilla chips - too bad there were no chips left to enjoy the dip (the chip-hoggers shall remain nameless).
2. Sue's shocking news of her being on the Scientology Newsletter mailing list.
3. Don borrowing 1/4 of our DVD library and returning them without any children's bite marks on the cases.
4. Wolfgang not telling the neutron joke.
5. A group of us huddled around the big screen watching the Discovery Channel in HD and the behemoth-sized manna rays swimming. Don remained mesmerized by this channel for a few hours afterwards; no movement whatsoever. He told me that he visited England without volume.
6. Ethan "Allen-Christopher" Hart being scared by my 16-year-old cantankerous cat. OK, that wasn't a pleasant highlight, but the boy knows now that Murphy doesn't like it when you play with his rubber doo-doo.
7. The two H Girls (Hannah and Holly) playing the mess out of those badminton rackets and shuttlecocks.
8. Howard being the neophyte to his new Charmglow grill and managing to cook all of the food that he did.
9. Katherine Elizabeth Hart's brats cooked in Old Milwaukee's Best. You heathen!!! Not the fact that you used beer; which we all know gets cooked out...but the fact that you admitted to using an inferiro-tasting beer such as Old Milwaukee's Best. Not that I drink beer to know which kind is good or bad. It must be a Crawfordville thing.
10. Holly's beautifully-crafted cake for Chris' birthday.
11. Wanda thinking that Village Inn was a "Mom and Pop" restaurant.
12. Charlie Brown having maximum zest the entire time he was at FFV while Mrs. Wolfgang stayed calm, cool, and collected.
13. Crustin actually helping with the preparation of food.
14. A game of Battleship between me and Crustin. It was painful to watch and experience. For that I apologize.
15. And lastly...nobody knew that all meat products were dog- and cat-based. Ruff and meow or something like that.

Applings (PT, Wanda, and Charlie Brown): All of us in Tallahassee will miss you. I say this straightforwardly and without any reservations. You guys have been such a blessing to me and to all of the members at First Christian Church. May His everlasting peace and wisdom follow you abundantly - even if you guys are His nomads. A home this place will always remain for you Appling folks. We have treasured your presence in our hearts. Come back soon. Come back often...

~KH

Nacho Libre (viewed on 6/17): 8 Turkey Legs

The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (viewed on 6/17): 7 Turkey Legs

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