Sad to say that summer is on its last leg and the structured portion of the year is about to commence. Soon the pools will close, the schools will open, and the kids will have to be tamed again. No more staying up late and getting up only when the craving for Fruit Loops becomes unbearable.

I’ve had a good summer. We left Rapid City on June 5th and plan to return August 15th. In the time in between we’ve put on a few miles, seen a lot, did a lot, and enjoyed our extended stay in Lignite.

The kids have enjoyed the freedom a small town allows and I’ve enjoyed the safety. It’s going to be like penning up wild horses when we return to Rapid City where they are constantly under my direct supervision. I know I’ll be hearing “Why can’t we live in Lignite?” for quite awhile after our return.

It will be especially hard on Jackson whose bike hasn’t stopped the whole time he’s been in Lignite. If you’ve seen him lately you probably noticed his stylish hairstyle. For some reason he wanted a mohawk, and for some reason I gave him one. Dawn and myself agreed that he could keep it for a couple of weeks, but it may have to be removed sooner. The mohawk seems to have adjusted his attitude in the wrong direction.

Sierra isn’t quite as active as Chief Jackson, but she found plenty to do in Lignite also. Bingo with Great Grandma Helen, hours of “Animal Planet”, and keeping Grandma and Grandpa company at the store. The profit margin at DJ’s will increase dramatically without the grandkids daily ration of candy and snacks.

I’ve spent the past week playing in the dirt at an archeological dig on Beacon Island by New Town. This was my first experience volunteering for such a thing and I found it to be quite enjoyable and interesting. I had no idea how much work was involved in field archeology. My hand modeling career will have to be put on hold until my blisters heal up.

The site we were excavating is a 10,300 year old paleo-indian bison kill area. To get to the bison bone you have to use a hand trowel and work your way down anywhere from one to six feet. Being a good Catholic I was somewhat conditioned for the constant kneeling and standing.

Kneeling in the dirt scraping soil for a week, eight hours a day, under the blazing ND sun may not be everyone’s choice for a good time but it sure beats working. It was just amazing to think that the bones I was touching were over 10,000 years old and also to think about who the people were that touched them then.

The dig was interesting but not as fun and dangerous as the glow ball golf tournament I played in Columbus last weekend. Swinging clubs, hard flying objects, high speed carts. Mix those with, well whatever you mixing, and you’ve got a recipe for fun. I think Tiger Woods is planning on adding it to his tournament schedule for next year, but I don’t think he has the liver for it.

Enjoy what’s left of the summer…or right.