It has been a very busy summer very busy indeed. Let’s start in June. I taught summer school (7:30-11:30 every morning) and took 6 hours of graduate classes. So that was pretty much my June. And yes I know that is not much but I still have a month and a half to write about.

July started off with a bang, me and in-laws loaded up and went to Germany. What can I say it was like being in another country. We spent 8 days in Germany. Got to meet some more in-laws and drove just over 1,000 miles in southern Germany. Had a great time and of course time really flies when your in another country (their 7 hours ahead of us, no wonder time went faster). I would write more about it, and if you really want to get into what we did and where we went I can e-mail the book my mother-in-law wrote about the trip.

The rest of July I spent around the house doing husband house stuff. I did redo the landscaping in our front yard and rested my eyes a lot and tried to help out my wonderful wife as much as I could.

August started of okay, but last Sunday Heather’s (my beautiful wife) grandmother died she was 91. This last week (and the weeks to come) have been hard for Heather and the family. Last week a good friend of mine Kevin Lawson lost his grandfather 86 years old. Heather’s grandparents were married 66 years and Kevin’s grandparents were married for 65 years. I have been married 1 year and 2 months…….now I thought that was impressive and to some degree making it through your first year of marriage still married and liking your spouse is impressive, but I have to tell you being married for over 60 years is of the most impressive things I have ever heard of. What a great testimony for the rest of us.

I also went back to work this week. We get kids next Tuesday the 15^th and I do believe I am ready. Of course it does not matter if I am ready or not kids will be staring at me on Tuesday either way, but I am ready. Oh, I almost forgot I am not coaching this year. I am finishing up my graduate classes and I will not be coaching. The hardest part about not coaching is figuring out what to call myself. Coach Ratliff doesn't seem right yet it sounds so good. Just something more to ponder. Well I have better get to bed. Oso looks tired.

Hope your summer has gone well.

“Whenever I play with him, I usually try to make it a foursome – Ford, me, a paramedic, and a faith healer.” Bob Hope on golfing with former President Gerald Ford