I hope you readers are all having a great 4th of July. If you’re an American, you may be celebrating Independence Day with a parade and/or a barbecue and/or fireworks. If you live elsewhere, this may be just another work day.
I’m going to a potluck at my church later this afternoon. Afterward, many (if not most) will head into town to watch the fireworks. They are expecting upwards of 20,000 people in Ann Morrison Park for the event. I won’t be there, however. I’m coming home so I can do any last minute packing. I’d love to go to bed early. However, it isn’t going to happen. I’ll have family dropping by the house late this evening.
The alarm will go off at 4 a.m. tomorrow, and I’ll head to the airport after 5 a.m. I’ll probably do some sleeping on the plane. It’s a four hour flight from Boise to Atlanta. The direct flight only exists in the summer, so I am thankful for that. And once I step off the plane, it is pretty much go-go-go until I return to the airport next week.
Friday I’ll be in a one day workshop/seminar with Donald Maas. I’m told by those who have attended his "intensive" weekends that I’ll come away really inspired. I sure hope so! I’m going to the Christy Award banquet on Saturday night. I’ll have lots of friends there to cheer for and can celebrate no matter who wins. Sunday there is a media breakfast to attend in the morning and a publisher’s dinner to attend in the evening. Monday I have breakfast with my agent and one of my editors, check out the convention floor with a couple of my buddies, meet with another editor, meet with a friend I haven’t connected with in several years, and then off to another publisher’s dinner. Tuesday I give a morning devotional, followed by a signing of Return to Me and then a signing of Trouble in Paradise. The day will end with me having dinner with my pastor’s wife. She and her husband, my pastor, are there because of the environmental book he’s written. I told her it was really something when we have to fly from Boise to Atlanta in order to have dinner together.
While I’m gone, Boise is supposed to hit temperatures from 107 to 110 degrees. Atlanta isn’t supposed to be that hot, but it doesn’t cool off much at night and is so humid. It could be just as bad as those 100+ temps, even though "it’s a dry heat." Thank God for electricity and air conditioning. I hope the family and the dog get through the heat okay.
If there’s a chance, I’ll try to post a photo or two from the ICRS convention.
-rlh-
