We all need a vacation.

Late yesterday afternoon, the hubby, the dog, and I got home from our camping trip. We had a wonderful time, but when I crawled in the camper in the evenings, instead of writing, I spent all that time journaling about our day and going through the 200 pictures I took each day. Hard to believe we were only gone a couple days. It was so hard to come home.

I have been vacationing in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula ever since I can remember. My parents would go up there camping at least once a year. There was a time when my kids were little and my first husband wouldn’t go anywhere, that I didn’t make it to the UP, but as soon as I ditched the first husband, I started going again. I am so grateful that I was able to convince my second husband to give camping a try. He now loves the UP nearly as much as I do.

And then there’s my dog. He wears himself to an absolute twig, trying to see it all and swim in the lake as much as he can. Such a goof.

It was a good vacation and I needed it, so I am not going to feel like a slacker for not accomplishing more of my goals.

I. READING

A. Weekly goal

1. Read my assigned blog posts as a ROW80 sponsor.  I may have skipped some posts on Wednesday, as we didn’t have WiFi where we were.  

2. Read ten hours a week in one of the books I am reading.  I finished Beth Camp’s “Years of Stone” – I need to write a review of it this week. I haven’t read much else because – see above – plus a friend gave me a three-inch ring binder with the memoir of a friend of hers and I didn’t want to take it camping or start something else.

B. Goals for the Round                           

1. Have finished reading five books.  I have finished two, “The Boy at the Museum” and “Years of Stone”.   

II. WRITING

A. Weekly goal

1. Finish writing those last three chapters in my novel, “Tale of an American Woman”. I did finish one more chapter. Looks like I still may have three left, we will have to see.

2. Edit “The Early Life of Jesus in 40 Days”, the second book in the Bible Stories in 40 Days series. Haven’t started yet.

3. Write two blog posts here and three posts to my other blog, The Dino Chronicles. Umm, I don’t think so.  

B. Goals for the Round.  

1. Have finished the first round of edits for “The Early Life of Jesus in 40 Days”. No.

2. Start editing my novel.   No.

III. REACHING

A.      Weekly goal.

1. Promote either one of my books on one other site or in person.  No.   

2. Comment on my assigned blogs for ROW80. No.   

3. Research markets for an hour. No.

4. Walk several streets of town, taking pictures and blogging about it.  No.  

B. Goals for the Round

1. Have submitted three pieces somewhere. Still at one submission, which I heard back on already and it didn’t make the cut. Oh, well, it was a poem, and I just don’t always ‘get’ poems, but I do keep trying.  

2. Have sent a copy of “The Early Life of Jesus in 40 Days” to my clergy-friends for their input. No.  

3. Have finished walking every street in my town.  No.

IV. PERSONAL

A.      Get in Shape

1.       Continue exercising four times a week and running three times a week. No, not even close, but did a lot of walking on vacation.  

2.       Keep off that five pounds I worked so hard to lose. Gained three on vacation.

B. Nonprofit – Tumaini Volunteers

1. Host another picnic or other friend-raiser. Hopefully August 17.  

2. Attend a craft show to sell our Kenyan crafts. My sister is going to see if she can get us in at the Flea Market in Wausau on Labor Day weekend.

 Dino's first swim in Lake Superior. 

 "What is wrong with this stupid stick? Why is it so long?"

 Dino trying to shake off some water. He pretty much stayed damp all day. Can't believe how much hair he left in the truck.

Oh, you want to see more than just my dog? This is of Great Sand Bay near Eagle Harbor. See why I love it up there?