After a slow start to the year and a busy spring, the Spearpeople are enjoying an excellent summer! It started Memorial Day weekend with a fun D.C. visit from Jim's parents, taking in Smithsonian offerings, good food, and generally hanging out. From there we carried on into June with a Cook family gathering on "our" turf - a camping weekend in Virginia's Shenandoah National Park. A carload and an RV-load of Cooks made the overland trek from Texas, and Richmond family joined us as well. We camped it up in high style, with 3 tents, an RV, and a cozy room at the Big Meadows Lodge for Mom. A good time was had by all, despite somewhat soggy weather. We spent the week of July 4th at the Spearman's mountain hideaway in western North Carolina, an annual tradition that we've really come to treasure. Sylvan showed his hiking chops on two challenging woodland walks to waterfalls that were worth the effort - combined almost 10 miles of hiking! We also canoed, biked along Railroad Grade Road, and enjoyed having no defined schedule. This past weekend we continued the family festivities with a trip to the Chambers (Jim's family) Lake Gaston house for another annual tradition, gathering with extended family for boating, dock lounging, and time with cousins all around. Sylvan's social cup has been filled! All of these activities and gatherings have been fantastic, but the true highlight of the summer was getting to meet Ricochet, the love of his young life, in "person." Richochet is a very special therapy dog from San Diego who surfs with people who have experienced trauma or disabilities. She is featured in Sylvan's FAVORITE movie, Superpower Dogs, which he has seen 3 times (and counting) at the IMAX theater. If you get a chance to see the film you really must, it's truly special, and now nothing can compete with the way this sweet Golden Retriever has taken hold of Sylvan's heart. We can hardly get him to take off his pink vest (fleece lined, no less), which matches Ricochet's in the movie. He is constantly playing out storylines with her and her trainer Judy, which emerge from his vivid imagination. Suffice it to say this kid needs a dog... But momma says no way no how, not with 2 cats! So the dream lives on for now.