Summer is the time when many of us are apt to cut loose and seek out a little adventure.   I am no exception, and this summer’s adventures were full of surprises!   First, I found that I was scheduled to be half way around the world in Indonesia; yep, Jakarta, two days after the most recent hotel bombings.  I know it sounds crazy, but my youngest son (26), his sweetheart and friend were waiting for me- so what’s a mama to do?  My second surprise came at 3:30am at the San Antonio airport when I found out that the airline had not received payment from Expedia- so after a grueling bunch of phone calls and a day late, I began my journey.  Not knowing how we would be received on Java, my group took sensible precautions and stayed in locally owned, modest hotels. We were pleasantly surprised by how genuinely gracious the people were, Muslim, Christian, Hindu and Buddhist alike, and how clean and welcoming the hotels and public areas were everywhere we went. The bazaars, great (insanely inexpensive) savory meals, and the beaches of Bali made for a delightful adventure in spite of our initial concerns.

Back in Texas, I squired my granddaughters to the annual Wynne Family Reunion held at a lodge on Lake Buchanan.  On our first evening there, while milling around with her cousins and listening to a Cowboy Poet perform, granddaughter Kelsey (9) was struck by a rattle snake. Yes, bitten by a rattle snake, right there on the patio with 40 other people.  We raced to the hospital where anti venom was administered, and were medivaced to Dell Children’s in Austin.  Kelsey is a rock star patient, making a full recovery . OK, terrorist bombings, and rattle snake bites make for a bit too much adventure, even for me!