Good evening, my friends. I could start by talking about how the summer is flying by but I want to be more optimistic; it is still July so start living for the moment! Also, start living for this Thursday Rundown because I have five topics ready for you…

Sloan’s First Time Bowling – Although we took Sloan to a bowling alley a little over a year ago, last Friday was the first time she bowled herself. Going on the adventure was my idea, I thought the new 810 bowling alley right by CCU would be a great environment for her to hit the lanes for the first time. We set Sloan up with a bowling ramp, an aid that allows those not strong enough to hold/throw a ball to just push it (unfortunately, they are surprisingly inaccurate). Even with the gutter balls and frustration of having to take turns, Sloan had a blast. As for Sid and I? Let’s put it this way…it was a lot of work!

Sloan bowled for the first time this past weekend at 810 in Conway.

Screaming Ice Cream Deal – Every weekend, Kroger and Fred Meyer stores offer really good deals on a particular item. The latest featured product was ice cream! Cartons of Kroger ice cream were on sale for 99¢. These deals always start on Friday and end on Saturday. After I worked out on Friday morning, I stopped by the Kroger right next to our house on the way home. Not wanting the best flavors to be picked over, I waited in the parking lot until the store opened at 6 a.m. I went right inside and purchased five cartons (the limit) from the fully stocked coolers. Our freezer is now crammed with ice cream and Sloan loves the Unicorn Swirl flavor I purchased just for her.

he five cartons of ice cream I bought from Kroger on Friday.

Christmas in July – There is no denying it, Christmas in July is more mainstream than ever. For example, Hallmark is showing holiday movies non-stop this week and today Sloan’s daycare had a Christmas in July celebration. Personally, I don’t like it. Not only is it not Christ’s birthday in July, but I feel it cheapens the Christmas spirit in general. The anticipation and joy of the holiday should come once a year, not twice. With that said, in exactly five months we will be celebrating the real Christmas.

I am not a fan of Christmas in July.

Bicentennial – It is not unusual for someone to ask Are there actually any Catholics in South Carolina? Well, the answer is yes, in large part because there are Catholics everywhere –– to the tune of 1.2 billion on the planet. But, in relation to this country, there are fewer in this state than others (10% of South Carolina citizens are Catholic, ranking it 40th in the United States). With that said, the Diocese of Charleston, which covers the entire state, has a very rich history. We just started celebrating our bicentennial anniversary. The yearlong series of events and observances will culminate on July 20, 2020, with the celebration of the diocese’s founding by Pope Pius VII on July 11, 1820. The history of the Diocese of Charleston, especially those first years, is fascinating, and would be of interest to Catholics and non-Catholics alike.

The Diocese of Charleston is celebrating its 200th anniversary.

National Refreshment Day – Out of the 10 or so “national days” being celebrated today, National Refreshment Day is one of them. Earlier this year, I wrote about my top five favorite refreshments. On the list was the Sonic Slush. It just so turned out that I finally had my first Slush of the summer this past weekend. After a long and hot (but very fun) day on the boat and at the beach, we went through the Sonic drive-thru. I got blue coconut and Sid ordered grape. Because we didn’t need another mess in the back seat, we got Sloan water. Although I can’t speak for Sloan, our Slushes sure hit the spot!

I happily sipped my blue coconut Slush this past Saturday.

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Another summer weekend is on tap. I suggest you spend it in a swimsuit, not a red and green ugly sweater. Talk soon. Don’t Blink.