List of what I did this summer:

Attended the medieval conference in Kalamazoo where I gave a paper on Beowulf in the 21st Century to a packed room.

Presented in Houston at the Johnnie Harris Writers’ Conference on Who Is a Hero and How Do We Know? Using Joseph Campbell’s Monomyth to Examine (and Create) Heroes. I looked at Beowulf and The Aeneid in light of Campbell’s monomyth presentation in The Hero With a Thousand Faces. I received a lot of positive feedback from the community on the presentation.

Wrote a chapter on Beowulf and The Aeneid for The Hero’s Quest from EBSCO. My section is “Epic Quest II.”

Wrote a review of Bruce Thomas Boehrer’s Animal Characters: Nonhuman Beings in Early Modern Literature for The Journal of the Fantastic in the Arts.

Participated in a Christian retreat in the hill country, Ancient Wells I. This was four days of worship, quiet time, play time, and teaching. It was a rich blessing and I am delighted I was one of the 40 people invited to attend. My son also attended.

Took part in a Project Appleseed weekend, where I learned to shoot my rifle better and discovered that even though I was a history major as an undergraduate, there was a lot about the Revolutionary War that I did not know.

Purged and decluttered a house of 3200 square feet for a move into a 2200 square foot house. Gave away 29 boxes of books to the local library for their book sales and took eight car loads of household goods to the thrift store that supports the local abused women’s shelter. Also gave the church twelve pieces of furniture for their annual garage sale.

Packed half (or more) of the items left and moved them in three shifts (so far!). Since R is staying in Houston for ten months to complete his paramedic school, I had to determine what he needed and what I would need and try to separate stuff out equitably. That was a challenge. I did get most of the books!

Unpacked at the new housed. We have an amazing kitchen. It’s what sold the house. Set up a guest bedroom so friends can come visit. (We’ve already had a few say they will be here various times throughout the fall semester.)

Got the old house repainted and recarpeted for sale. Getting the house painted and seeing to other items that need work.

Soon I’ll be unloading the last ten boxes for my office and getting my office into shape.

Aside from that, I’ve visited with lots of friends, taken my dad out to lunch twice a week while I was still in Houston, gone to antique shops and garage sales, and read some books for fun.