Hello from Highland Lake

Ryan, Ross, Katie (Ross' girlfriend), and I left Collegedale on Thursday night to drive down to Alabama for the weekend. Thanks to us getting internet installed this week - I can post and check e-mail! Ryan's parents have been here all week celebrating their 30th anniversary. Here are a few pictures of the fun we've been having.

Ryan's second run since knee surgery a year ago.

I think they look a little too comfortable.

This was a short run - Ryan fell off and his shoulder got pulled backwards by the water so he was done.

More ball-games

Our summer softball games are now into tournament time starting Monday. Here are a few more pictures that Ryan took when he got back from Minnesota.

Here's me behind bars at second base. I've played lots of positions this summer. Second is one I had never played before and I had a learning curve during the game.

Having Dean Magers umpire always makes for some interesting conversation. The night before when Ryan wasn't there I was greeted with "So where's Hot Lips?"

Hollie winding up with me at second

The best hit of my season so far - right down the left field line. My tongue is NOT out in this picture Stephanie! Ryan got me some batting gloves for my birthday so I'll get to try those out next week. My hands are so small they are a Youth Medium!

Running to second on the next play - Robin (Hollie's aunt) is going to third where Laurie Minner (the orchestra conductor) is playing. That team is made up of lots of Collegedaleites of different ages and boy can they hit! Hollie has taken Mrs. Minner to a full count at least 3 times though!

Ryan and I went golfing (my first time playing on a course!) for my birthday yesterday and no, it wasn't Ryan's idea. We went to Brown Acres.

Ryan wearing his American Cancer Society shirt from the Minnesota tournament with his birthday present - a new Adams hybrid.

Time for putting

I didn't make it - Ryan's turn - I think he made it

My turn again.
The grass really was this green thanks to all of the rain we've gotten recently. Its really beautiful out there and the weather was PERFECT, not hot and there was a nice breeze. The grass is amazing too on the greens, its so soft and squishy like a carpet!

Teeing up - and about to lose two balls to the pond. Apparently I just couldn't hit it as though the water wasn't there.

The ball is about to skip three times across the pond and hit the other side.

And.... in the drink...

I didn't keep score - I thought it would be too depressing - but I must admit my first 9 holes of golf did go better than I had expected! Now maybe I'll get better and better! Maybe there will be a Knight parents vs Knight youngsters beach tournament in the future.

Summer ballgames

Since we apparently can't have an entire week without doing something extraordinary - Ryan got some free tickets secondhand from a member at the golfcourse where he works to go to a Braves game on Monday night. So after Ryan finished his last Praxis exam (YIPPEE!) we jumped in the car and headed for Atlanta, arriving just in time to get to our seats for the national anthem... except that the security people refused to let me bring my bigger zoom lens inside. Apparently they thought I could take good pictures with it or something. ;-) So we had to walk the entire way back to the car to put it away and THEN back to the park. This must be a new policy since both Carrie and I have had our lenses inside before.

We knew we had better than usual seats but we were shocked when we were checked through some security doors into a private section of the ballpark with air conditioning, carpeting, historical pictures and paintings, and lots of eateries selling pasta and other fancy food as well as the usual stadium fare. There were also leather chairs and big screen TVs for watching the game - why wouldn't you just go outside and watch it in real time???

Then we got to our seats and found that we were right next to the press and announcers!

What a great view! Just high enough and right on the first base line.

Ryan's wearing the white hat with the navy blue shirt and sunglasses on his head.

Bobby Cox sends the pitcher out... the Braves were playing like they were hot, tired, and losing, all of which were true. Nobody made much effort except Jeff Francoeur who caught a nice diving ball in right field. They lost 12-3 to the Cardinals.

The next night it was time for me to play. I've been on Hollie's Grace Healthcare team in the Collegedale city league this summer. We had a doubleheader this night.

Lining up for prayer

I played left field the entire first game next to Jordan. This was much more fun than playing in the mud hole around first base or playing catcher in the second game - it had downpoured earlier in the day and the field was so goopy you had to be a ballerina to run the bases without a wipeout.

You can't tell but the shortstop Annette had a mud pit to contend with too.

Batting with Lisa on deck

This may give you some indication of the conditions we were playing in... MUCK and GLUE!

Mom and Dad sing while we blow out the Unity candle

Mom and Dad sang this song at their wedding in 1976!

The getaway

Hopefully this video will work so you can see the golf club salute at the end of the reception from our wedding!

Beach = waves, wind, sunshine, and a good book

Sunday morning we flew down to Orlando Sanford Intl. Airport for our last hurrah of the summer! We were certainly glad we flew instead of driving! Hollie picked us up at home at 9:30 AM to head for the Chattanooga airport and we were at the beach by 2 PM - definitely better than driving the day away.

I think I was kinda pictured out this week so I really didn't take many terribly exciting pictures. Instead I read over 300 pages in 4 days while sunning myself on the patio and jumping in and out of the pool or ocean. But here's what I did take for your enjoyment... slightly out of order...

A beautiful sunset greeted us our first night

Valeri, Stanley, Aunt Vicki and Uncle Andy bringing in the sail boat

There's always lots of good eating at the beach!


And its usually Uncle Andy's birthday.
"Happy Birthday to ME!"









The other thing you're sure to find during beach week is lots of games.

Ryan and I lost yet again in shuffleboard

Here is the only picture I'm in from the entire week

I enjoyed watching Ryan and Ross play tennis from my shaded perch on the 5th floor with my zoom lens.

Robin's boyfriend Eric joins in a family game of Pegs and Jokers

Our last night together the cousins + spouses + Eric got together for a little 7 Up. It was a blast!
We got a little crazy - so crazy Zach rolled himself a paper cigarette for this picture. I have to confess - I was the one that found the ash tray.

Sometimes picture taking is useful - this picture solved a dispute over what Aaron actually bet.

One night we went out onto the beach to take family pictures. We borrowed this beach wheelchair from another family in the condos. Isn't it neat? Gramma and Papaw so generously make this week of family fun possible!

Today we left the beach at 7:30 AM and were back in our home by 12! Although we're sad to see perhaps the most fun summer of our lives end, I think Ryan and I are both glad to be at HOME for a few weeks back to back!