July has been a full month: a road trip to Jacksonville for my brother's birthday, a 4th of July with the family, and a World Cup that had two teams to root for in this house.
Here is how it all went.
July Life Updates + The World Cup
Road Trip to Jacksonville
We went to Jacksonville for my brother's birthday and got to see my nephew. It is about a four hour drive each way, so it was a Friday-through-Sunday trip, and we celebrated America's 250th, which was a lot of fun.
My wife missed the last couple of times we made the trip. This time she got to come along.
The Water Slide
My sister in law got a water slide for the kids. My nephew Julian, their son, is two. There was this big dragon water slide and a pool, and all the kids were running around that thing having a great time.
We do not get to spend enough time with Julian. It is good to connect with family and I wish I did it more often.
Best Eats
We went out to dinner at a restaurant called Mezza Luna, which is in Jacksonville Beach. It was really good. Probably my parent's favorite place.
I like to go to breakfast at a place called Vicious Biscuit. But my parents are creatures of habit and they like to go to the same places. So we went where they wanted to go, First Watch. Also a fine spot, but we have them in Jupiter so it feels less special.
Mahjong Night
It is great spending time with family, and we played mahjong, which is fun. Mahjong is a Chinese tile game. It is like cards, except you play with small tiles that look like dominoes. There are suits, Bamboo, Dot, and Crack instead of Spades, Hearts, Diamond and clubs. Nick Gray recently shared a guide which is amazing for anyone looking to start.
First time playing in more than twenty years. My wife had never played at all. My mom has a set, and it is actually in an alligator skin case. That's how fancy she is.
My Brother
My brother recovered from leukemia. He is still dealing with some after-effects, but for all intents and purposes he is healthy and doing well. Happy 40th, Brother!
Well enough to travel, too. He and his family are on a trip to New York right now, and my parents are watching Julian while they are gone. We got to watch Julian for a few hours while they set up for the party and that was awesome. The highlight of our trip!
The World Cup
The other big thing this month was the World Cup. We were following two teams in this house. My wife is from Colombia, so Colombia matters here, and we were both rooting for the USA.
In the very first game the USA played, the announcer said something like, of course, the USA has no chance. And I took that personally. Then they play the game and immediately it is boom, boom, boom, three goals. One got called back and they scored another right away. At least that is how I remember it. It was a whirlwind of a game.
I am sitting there thinking, well, I do not know soccer, but it seems like they have a chance. They are playing really well.
Then that last game, Belgium just really knocked them down. Four to one. Colombia went out too, on a 0-0 tie and accumulated penalties against Switzerland. With both Colombia and the USA out, there is less to follow.
What's Next
The garden is still going, and there has been more pineapple harvest since the last update. Only two more "on the vine" so to speak.
Check back soon for more updates on the family, the garden, and the business.