Wed. evening

Great morning at the desk. Not much to do so I really did some searches on the internet. Then the afternoon was crazy. I got things ready for soup kitchen tomorrow. Counted bags, restocked the shelves, brought cans to the kitchen to open tomorrow morning etc. I stopped at McFarlings to buy Pepper. We buy it in 7.0 lb cans and it cost almost $50.00. Horrible. It disappears faster then ice on a hot day. Then on to the post office to mail North Notes. Back to church with mailing trays and met our coffee lady and got coffee and cups for Sunday from her. Talked to Rick a bit about candles. Then off to GSF for coldslaw for tomorrow. Lettuse is so expensive but the coldslaw cost as much as lettuse would have. Then to Sarah Ellen's house to look for a cell phone lost by John Stroh. Didn't find it and SEM was at the airport. Stopped at Once Upon a Child for a little toy for Andrew's Holloween and then to the grocery for a sweet potato to give him. I thought that was appropriate for a 11 month old. He was a little monkey tonight. I was so happy to get home at 4:30. SEM called from the airport and had a list of things to do that she didn't get finished...ex. wash out of the dryer, food in the refrigerator, bananas on the counter, trunks to take to the med center and a few other things. Got supper on and sat and watched TV. Pacers one their first game in overtime. I hope that isn'f a fluke! They have a long way to go to get me excited with all the stuff they have pulled the last two years. Almost all of those nuts are gone and we have a new coach. Maybe there is hope. Went to bed and couldn't sleep so it's computer time again. I've got to get my ducks all going the same way to put this mind to bed. Oh, the kids came around 7:30 also.

Today is Tuesday.

Loved the day. 5 of us worked on North Notes this morning getting it ready for mailing. A dear little lady came to church from Chicago with her daughter who attended a meeting at church sponsored by the humane society on dog fighting. Lots of animal lovers were there as well as vets and police. The mother, Haddie worked with us on the mailing and also helped Patty and I with All Saints Day set up. What a delightful new friend we made. We told her she needed to commute to North on Sundays. We probably will never see her again but she and we have made a wonderful memory for each other. The church space is ready for Sunday. That's a good feeling. We took all the Kenya lesos down and then got a call from Second Presbyterian Church preacher David Berry who wanted to borrow them for their Sunday's service. He is connecting the people of western Kenya working with Orphans and Vunerable Children to All Saints Day. So...I delivered them to that church this afternoon. Those Lesos are really traveling around telling a great story. After delivering the lesos, I came home and took a long nap. That seems to be happening when I watch TV for some crazy reason. Spending tonight at home. Yahoo. How abouot those Packers! Made me nervous and I went to bed at the beginning of overtime.

Go, Go, Go, COLTS!

Now just weren't they awesome! So steady. Just like Dungy! They are such fun to watch. This next Sun. should be really, really interesting with hard hearted N. E. I think the disposition of these two teams are as opposite as one can be. Ours is a great team problem solvers for one thing.
Church again yesterday. It was an early morning again with Hospitality time set up and handbell rehearsal. We arrived at church at 7 am. That's EARLY but necessary. Handbells rehearsed at 7:30 and the prelude started at 8:20. Handbells played...Womens choir sang, Catherdal singers sang, talented organist played and great sermon on including all, once again. Our church budget for next year is 1.4 million and last Sunday's pledges brought in 1.2. Great start toward collecting the remainder. People have a super committment to North's programs. We're not there yet but closing in on the target amount.
Today, I'm taking it easy. Tomorrow Patty and I are working at church on visual arts. All Saints Sunday is next Sunday and there will be lots of white hangings with candles for those members who died this past year joining other saints not with us. Kimmy, I'll remember your wonderful grandmother at that service. She is living with the sainted ones in glory as the song goes. I love the church calendar year that comes and goes and then repeats it's self over and over with rich memories. It's a never ending calendar. All of our Kenya reminders will be taken down but not forgotten.

Friday Night

Thursday was one of those more than full day. Left for the soup kitchen at 7am. Made a whole lot of soup. It's the last Thursday of the month and I know it will be needed. Also chopped lettuse and got the pastries ready to serve up. I heard later in the day that every drop of soup was eaten along with everything else we fixed. We usually are open from 11 to 12 but ran out of food. We probably fed 70 people with take home food as well. Then...I left at 9 am and spent the morning and most of the afternoon with Sarah Ellen, shopping, shopping. She always has a huge well organized list and she tells me what it is and then I try to drive to the stores in a logical sequence. Wooo...did we HIT the stores. I can't tell you how many but we got most of what she had listed. I got home at 4 and sat down and fell asleep! Up again for farmers market at church. It was the last one of the year. The vendors were invited into church for a pizza party and I made coffee and sat and visited with them during the supper hour. Then off to choir practice. Today was a very quiet peaceful day at church working the front desk. Not many phone calls and no staff was in. I did more shopping by myself for SEM...took it to her house and that was about it for the day. Had yummy bacon, lettuse and tomatoe sandwiches for supper. Probably the last tomatoes from the garden. Tomorrow not much planned but will do shopping for hospitality and collect from Panera bread and probably do some setting up for Sunday at church. We really are short of Hospitality workers. One person is in the hospital, another two are gone and I have early bell practice for church. We'll be jumping through some hoops to get all of the work accomplished Sunday morning.

Good day.

Yesterday, I changed my drawers from summer to winter. And...unloaded some things at Goodwill. So happy to have that finished. I need to do the closet soon. It rained for much of the day. The kids came for supper and I played with the little guy. He is so much fun to watch. I found two toys at Goodwill that he had great fun with. We all commented on one which has drums and music to it saying that Jacob will love to dance to the music. Today is working at thc church desk and hopefully in the flowerbeds again this afternoon. I think the rain is past.

Wooo. Wooo!!!

How about those Colts. I was a bit off in anticipation. Carolina next week and then New England. One at a time. Our welcomed rain continues today. It's slow and gentle. My dad always said that winter could not come until the creeks were full. That was his almanac perdiction. He could have written his own book with all his sayings. Nothing on the calendar today. That's a first in a long time.

Go Colts

Goodness...I hope tonight goes well. There's nothing like Monday night football. This could be a great game. Wonderful Sunday service. Music, music, music. And 4 great testimonies on generosity. It was a great morning that tuckered me completly out of energy but worth it.
We sang both services and had a gang buster hospitality hour. What fun.
Today I visited the ENT doctor again about my worn out salivary gland. The decision is to take it out! There have been reminders of past events with soreness and the doc said that the gland is very tight and not working as it should. Surgery will happen Nov. 13 if all goes as planned. It will be wonderful not to think of some unexpected happenings that are quiet painful coming on at an unexpected time. I should be well enough to head to Georgia the next week. Yahoo. And...playing with the Michigan boys will just be the icing on the cake while they are here. What fun to think that all the little cousins will be together for a few days. Cleaned up some flowerbeds today. Our two trash containers are jammed full so I needed to stop. No place to but the clippings until the trash man comes tomorrow.

Saturday...

We had a wonderful time at Doris' luncheon. Jim Stroh and I talked about Kenya. Four of Doris' friends from Trinity joined us. We had lots of great questions and just a whole bunch of good talk. This morning we're making coffee for the orchestra people to have during their break, getting some baskets and stands in place for the service tomorrow and singing and singing. I'm hoping to get some things in place for hospitality time since tomorrow our preparation time for that event will be limited. We're both singing at both services. The rest of the hospitality committee will carry on in a splended fashion, I'm sure. Tonight it's the regular run to Panara. They are very generous. The church people are gathering in bigger numbers in the Community Room and it's really promoting conversation time that allows people to meet those they don't know. I hope this afternoon to clean out more flower beds. It should be warm. We have a family of 5 deer living in the neighborhood. My sweetpotato plants have provided lots of good munching. I also found 5 Monarch catipillers on the rue in the herb garden. Poor things. I'm trying to figure out what to do with them. It's getting cold. If I figure out something it might include taking them to Georgia over Thanksgiving.

Wow...It's Friday already

Time flies. Wed. I worked on the desk, shopped at Goodwill in the afternoon and then Bell practice in the evening. We are playing the 12 days of Christmas. It's a crazy piece on bells...time changes from 4/4 to 3/4, key signature changes from sharps to flats. It's so much fun and keeps one on their toes. Lots of good laughs when the unexpected comes up. Thursday was soup kitchen. Lots of good help and a lady from Kohls came and volunteered 5 ladies from the store to work with a contribution of $500.00 everytime they work. One never knews what surprises will come. That is a big one. Farmers market and then choir practice. Lots of music in the Sunday service along with a small orchestra. It's pledge Sunday. That's always an exciting time. Today, I'm working the desk again at church and at 12:00 I'm going to a luncheon at Doris Douglas' house. She invited a bunch of ladies from Trinity Ep. Church and she wants me to talk about Kenya. I gave her table cloths, pictures and a bunch of other Kenyan things. She's really excited about the luncheon. I worked in the garden a bit yesterday. We've had rain and the warm weather continues. I cut down a bunch of things that I usually let winter over. Cleaning up the beds already and will probably move somethings if I have time this afternoon.
I think I heard Jacob on the answering machine. What a guy. Tomorrow, we have a big choir rehearsal in the morning with the orchestra.

Unplanned Tues.

Well, Patty has not resurfaced from her jury duty as of 8:30 pm. I would think she was NOT dismissed. Probably tuckered out to say the least. This should be a good story. So...no Christmas planning. Cleaned the gourd/tv room. Threw out a bunch of stuff and rearranged gourds. Makes me feel better. Then a early afternoon snooze. And an invitation to the kids to come for supper was accepted. Had a great time with them and the little kid. He is little but great body control. Fun to play with. Time for bed soon.

On to the next thing!

Yesterday, after a short trip to church to finish the putting away jobs, I came home and slept for the rest of the day. Just tuckered out. Last night Judy A. and I went to Greenspace and heard a wonderful program on the life of Monarch Butterflies. Just before going I took a quick walk through the woods that Greenspace is clearing out. We're spending about 35,000 dollars on restoring this woods that is filled with honeysuckle. UCK. We now have a woodland garden, fern walk and a redbud walk. More work to do but it's becoming a pretty little spot. Eagle Scout projects abound in the woods. Today...Patty and I are meeting to plan the Christmas visuals. I feel we're a bit late already on this project. Patty was called yesterday for jury duty this morning so that has put a crimp in the works but hopefully will not delay us all day. We're getting the furnace cleaned today. It's still quite warm but probably not for long. We haven't turned the furnace on yet. That's always delayed as long as possible. Wow...Eric had a great day yesterday.

An UNBELIEVABLE Weekend

What a blessing. Sat. night's Kenya Gala was just wonderful. 900 people attended at a new downtown hotel. Great food, great pictures and great Kenya stories. The committee brought over 5 Kenyan Doctors from Eldoret. It was JUST WONDERFUL. There were about 24 North people attending. Wooo. Woooooooo.

Then...Sunday at church. Great African anthem, benediction and sermon on generosity. The dinner was stunning. The meal was catered with new potatoes, pea pods, a beef and chicken wrapped in a very light filo dough and baked, salad with rasins and walnuts and red cake. The tables had black clothes to the floor with a bright African Leso overlay, grass centerpieces and Eldoret pictures in black frames along with gourds and black chairs. Even tightly managed Mabel Hohlt thought it was stunning. Wooo. We scored big time with Mabel. Joe and Sarah Ellen talked and showed slides. This function was part of our finance drive theme of Generations of Generosity. And their talks reflected that in no uncertain terms. It was a day filled with great things.

Now I'm on to ironing all the Kenya fabric we used. I'm about half way done and the day will include holding the iron and thinking about yesterday and all of it's perks. Hind sight tells me that my idea of going to Michigan and not following through was the best thing I could have done for me for today and the rest of the week. This old body needs time to catch up with its self. That's what today and tomorrow will be used for. The memory bank is full and it has been a wonderful unbelievable weekend of blessings for me as well as the church folks and Kenya. Yahoo!

Relaxing Day

Can't believe I said that. But it's been a very easy day. Messed around this morning doing some clean up in the gourd/sewing room. It was a mess. Still not what I want but it's getting there. The gourds that were in that room are now at church for table decorating. This morning I went to church and finished the centerpieces for tomorrow's dinner. That was fun. Gathered some other things that will be used. It was slow and easy. Watched a little of E. Michigan and Ohio State game. Bought a pair of shoes for church. First ones in a long time. The last pair were given to me before JB's wedding. Haven't spent much on church shoes in a long time. I think these should last at least 10 years. That would be about $10.00 a year spent on shoes. The next big thing is the IU Kenya Gala at the downtown Mariott Hotel tonight. That should be tons of fun since I'm going with Mary Jo Stinette. Great food and great company and great entertainment. What could be better. I'm wearing my Kenya made dress. Daddy will be doing the Panera Run by himself. He rather do that any day then sit at a banquet. I did do some set up for tomorrow's hospitality time. Fricks are not going to be at church and if we get finished with hospitality set up early, daddy and I will sing at first service. That's if we finish early. That means an early Sun. morning up and out the door again. That's it for today. I feel a sleep coming on. Now that is a relaxing thought.

Been a While

And not because I've been sitting on my tush. The thought has occurred that I was not as busy when I was busy at school. It's out of control at some points. Got to work on balence.
The big push this week is getting ready for the Sunday Mamlin Dinner. That means a whole bunch of stuff like all the centerpieces for 27 tables. I'm almost there and that's made me busy. 27 grass and live forever arrangements, 27 pictures to put in frames, at least 35 gourds washed, stained, sealed and waxed. They are beautiful. Lots of Kenyan fabrics washed and ironed that will be used for a whole lot of things. Such a good feeling to know that I'm ahead of schedule. Sem and Joe missed their flight to Indy this morning so they will arrive this afternoon. Patty H. and I are getting transportation to Joe at the airport. I'll finish up the arrangements later today, I hope or tomorrow morning. Tomorrow evening Mary Jo Stinette and I are going to the Kenya Gala down town. It probably will be the first and last one I'll go to. The food sounds wonderful. Then Sunday is the big dinner here at church. Set up is Sat. night with 12 people getting the dinner together following the fund raiser called Designer's Closet with great used and new clothing that raises big money for Colburn Place, a renivated school down the street for battered women and children. Families can live there for 2 years until they get back on their feet. The clothing selection are ones that professional women would wear as well as lots of fancy things. The attendance has been wonderful. It's a three day sale that usually results in over $20,000.00 being raised. I bought my winter coat there two years ago. I thought I would go to see the Mi. kids but life is to hectic and that's when accidents happen. I'm staying home and being safe.

Tues. night already.

Well...bummer. The Cowboys won. Didn't deserve it. Not even close to earning it. Today the temp is super. Feels like a little bit of fall coming on. I pulled up some deadbeat zinnias. Took the PT Cruiser with 4 new tires to the Mamlin Garage, took gourds and lesos to church for centerpieces at the dinner on Sun. My weeks to do list is getting shorter. Went to a long UMOJA meeting about mission work in western Kenya. Very interesting. Loved every minute. I got home at 6:45 and daddy said the magic words...Let's go to S and S. Tomorrow is working at the front desk, setting up for bell practice and B and B Thursday morning. Kimmy, are you have withdrawal? So glad Melissa is better but I hope she still takes it easy.

Monday Noon

It's hot, hot. This should be the last day of 90 degree heat. Thank goodness. Yesterday was a great day as usual. Hospitality time was really busy. The room was stuffed. That's the way we want it. There are 15 minutes between first service and Sunday School and I'm hoping that people are not late for class. There now are 6 on going Sunday school classes for adults that are pretty full. Spent the rest of the day on my tush either sleeping or watching football. Go Colts. I could not believe that the Packers lost after I went to bed. What a bummer. Oh, well, the Bears coach is a good friend of Tony Dungy, the Colts coach. They worked together at some point. Do the Michigan folks know that Detroit stinks?

This morning I cleaned more gourds. I should be finished soon with all the gourds hiding everywhere. Got to stain and seal and wax them. Took the PT Cruiser in for a tire check and it needs two new ones. I'll call Leslie this afternoon and give the report and hopefully by tomorrow noon the car will have two new tires. Then I want to get it to the Mamlin house asap. Chalk one thing off the list. The list is way to long but I'll keep working on it.

A great day.

Last night was a not much sleep night. 5 hrs. just doesn't cut it so I finished up sleeping late this afternoon. I hate those wake up at 4am nights. Went to the store this morning and then off to Christian Theology Seminary for a 4 hr. choir retreat at 9:30. Lots of fun and lots of laughs and great singing in the chapel and rehearsal room. We're going to have an interesting year of song. We picked up a cute little car for Sarah Ellen borrowed from the Knoxes. Just 20,000 miles on it. I'm always surprised at the excess cars people for some reason hang on to. SEM will have it's use until Oct. 1 when they return to Kenya. Hefners are loaning Joe one of their cars. So...the Mamlins have wheels when they return to Indy Friday morning. Thank you, Thank you people for your genorosity. Got back home around 3:00 and then it was nap time. This evening when it gets a little cooler, I want to finish staining and sealing and waxing the gourds we are using for centerpieces at the Mamlin dinner next Sunday. I have about 20 finished already but need more. One never can have to many gourds! And then Doug and I will make our Panera pastry run at 8:30 for Hospitality time tomorrow at church. Off to bed and up at 6 am tomorrow ready to go!

It's TGIF

Wooo...I've had some busy days. Wed. was a blurrrrrr. It's interesting to me that big church people just find it difficult to understand that it's a good thing to remember where things belong and then put it back at the right place. Wooo. We could hire someone just to do put away stuff. It's a constant put away job. Yesterday was B and B and we had plenty of people to work. Early afternoon I went to see Ida and Lanny. Ida had company and I told Lanny I would take him out if he had a place to go. He said drugstore. Well, Ida finished up visiting real quick and said she was going along. I really wanted Lanny to have time by himself but it didn't work. So after the drugstore visit we took a long ride through the country. I enjoyed it and I think they did to. Back home for an hr. and then had an Advent/Christmas worship planning meeting. After that it was choir practice and bed time. Wow...for a change I slept till 6 this morning. That was a huge change from the past weeks. I'll take it. Today, I'm on the desk at church and then meeting with AnneMarie about posibilities of centerpieces for the Mamlin Dinner on the 14th.
I think that's all for today. That's enough. Tomorrow is a four hour choir retreat at Christian Theology Seminary. Sunday...church!

Tuesday is OVER!

How fast time flies. Took it easy this morning. I think my antibotics are making me sick to my stomach. So...I'm going to skip tomorrow morning and see what happens with the pills in the evening. Got off to a slow start. But...by 8:00 am I was on the way to church to get the church monthly newsletter in the mail. I have about 6 ladies that show up to work and it's just a time of talking with the oldest who is 95 and still driving...the next one is Mabel who will be 90 real soon. I said...great Mabel. We'll have a party in the parlor for your birthday which always happens for those who make the 90 marker. Well, that was the wrong thing to say which didn't surprise me one bit. She wants no part of a church celebration. She says that is a dumb idea. She is one tough opinionated ladyand has been a church member all her life. Then the next two are in their 80's and the rest of us are young whippersnappers. It's always fun to talk over old times. This afternoon I cleaned the kitchen, swept around the house, had to take the sweeper to get a new belt and just mainly kept the activity level low. The weather is wonderful with fall temps a little high but littly humidity. My neck is really doing well. I just pray that continues until I see the doc the 22nd of Oct. One can never tell when these glands will try to push though a stone again. I'm having trouble staying awake past 9 pm. Missed most of the football game last night. Bummer.

It's Monday

Where did the weekend go? Now to catch up. Friday night Eric and Kat stopped by after attending the Carmel Football game for just a bit. And...we got to play with Andrew. He's WALKING. What a hoot. That's such a mile marker in my book. Layed around Sat. Loaded up at Panara Bread for Sunday morning gig. Sunday during the 9:45 hr. we shared our Kenya experience with the church. A huge crowd in Fellowship Hall. I think Joe and Sarah Ellen Mamlin have given our church such a good Kenya foundation about what's happening in that part of the world. And...we just put another layer on top. We showed our DVD and then three of us told stories about our experiences. We all went out to Stake and Shake after church with Kat's family. Then it was FOOTBALL time. Colts won again in case you needed to know. This afternoon I'm leather dying gourds. Haven't done that for a long time. I think we'll use them for center pieces for the Mamlin Sunday Dinner. I also finished ironing the last of 20 lesos that Ellen Daniels-Howell brought from Kenya for the church dinner. We have enough! They will be part of the table covering. Jaw/neck feels better. Yahoo.