June 26th Challenge

Hi, it’s Christina –

I’m back. Saturday was spent cooking, Sunday was the party, Monday I was in a coma and yesterday I spent getting caught up on all the things I neglected in the week leading up to the party.

The party went well. With the ebb and flow, we had roughly 100 people during the course of the day. We did have a storm scare at one point, but everyone worked together and got everything inside the garage (they actually picked up the food tables and walked them around the house and into the garage because the tables wouldn’t fit through the back door). Because we went through all that, the storm passed without incident, where two miles down the road they got rain, hail, lightening, etc. We lucked out.

 

Because of the time of year, I knew some folks would not be able to come to our party because they had other graduation parties to attend, which was the case for several. What surprised me was how many people could not come because they were attending memorial services and wakes; I’m talking five different people. Very sad! Then we had the smattering of folks who had lame excuses (trust me, the excuse was pathetic and it came from someone who should have bent over backwards to be able to attend, but I will not elaborate), folks who said they were coming but never showed up and those who never even bothered to rsvp one way or the other. On the other hand, I completely forgot to invite a few people who should have been invited and I feel absolutely terrible about it. Whatever, it was what it was, and everyone seemed to have had a good time. The biggest hit of the party was the phenomenal cake! My only regret was I spent so much time with the food, I really didn’t get much time to socialize with the guests and I only got a few photos of the event. I’m hoping other party goers took pictures and are willing to share.

So how have y’all been? Have you been writing? At the party, someone asked me if I was starting up the blog again because they missed it (which was nice and a bit surprising because I did not know she was following the blog). I told her yes and asked if she would be participating, to which she just simply smiled. Eventually …

On to the long overdue challenge.

 Your last challenge was:

 

Everywhere I looked all I saw was…

 

Everywhere I looked, all I saw was a sea of red. The procession, two by two, stretched for what seemed like a mile if not more. They walked side by side to the familiar tune of Pomp and Circumstance; some chatted, some hid from the cameras, some hammed it up for the crowd, and most had huge smiles plastered upon their faces. The smiles were justified. These five-hundred and ninety-seven kids persevered where others fell short. They worked hard and earned their moment to shine.

 

The speeches began, some funny, some disjointed, some poignant. The beach balls and other unmentionable inflatables bounced through the graduates. The choir sang. At last, the presentation of the diplomas was upon us. Each name called and greeted with a cheer from a cluster in the audience. The graduate received his or her diploma in their left hand and shook several hands with their right before making their way back to their assigned seat. After the last name was called and the student was seated, ominous words were spoken, “May I present to you the graduating class of 2013.” The announcement was met with thunderous applause as an eruption of red graduation caps filled the air.

 

 

OK, no more graduation stuff from me, I promise (at least not for another four years when I'll have one graduating high school and two graduating college).

 

Your Next Challenge is:

 

Boy, that was stupid.

 

You have 10 minutes (be honest). There is no right or wrong, just write. Spelling and punctuation don’t count and NO ONE is allowed to criticize what someone else has written. Go.