Saturday morning

Yesterday was catch up day getting over Thursday's soup kitchen day. Seems the body just takes a little longer to rest up. I'm hoping that there is not a repeat next week with New Years Day holiday. Time will tell. I've got to do a better job of body control.

I worked at the church desk answering the telephone and talking to a few folks that came by. Almost all of them wanted something we could not give them such as rent money, clothes, bus passes. I referred them to other agencies that might provide help. Our funds are gone for the month. The office staff usually has all the publications done for the weekend on Thurs, such as bulletins etc. But the copy machine was being repaired and finished at noon. Then...it was print, print...bulletins...happenings(a weekely newsletter)...and North Notes. I left after the bulletins were finished around 2:30. Didn't do much in the afternoon. Watched the Pacers last night for about 10 minutes...Fell asleep around 7:30...not by design. Today I think I'll take down the tree and get the house in order for January. We'll do another Panera run tonight. Always interesting to see what the results of that run might be.

What a whirlwind!

It seems like ages since I've recorded anything. Let's see. Christmas Eve. We went to two services, the 7:30 and the 10:30. Missed the 5 pm and folks at that service said...where were you? Good grief! They have got to get a life of their own. 7:30 was a little sparce in numbers. But...the 10:30 was magical as it always is. The music was some of the best and the readings and message was all that it should have been. The church was full. We got home around 1am. I was a little wired so finally to bed around 2.

Christmas morning the Michigan kids arrived I think around 10:00. We had a light lunch and Jacob and Adam opened their stocking gifts. Eric and Kat came at 4pm and then the big times began. It was so much fun to see the grandchildren really get it with all the wrapping paper. Well, the big kids were also fun to watch. We ate around 6 with Pasties shipped in from the Pasty Central Kitchen at Kearsage Michigan. It was suggested that Pasties become a tradition. I think it's a great one since the cook loves being on vacation. We had the big sizes and for the most part...all were members of the clean plates. We missed eating on the Michigan picnic table.

The day after Christmas we did a bunch of talking and Kimmy and JB took back the coffee pot that was my present that had missing pieces. They also got my last years Christmas toaster replaced with a new on since the old one went on vacation after 10 months of working. Wooo, Wooo. The JB family took a walk and played on the playground equipment. The day temps were really mild. We all played for hours with Jacob's new cars...Mater was the favorite. Eric, Kat and Andrew came for supper and we had the Indiana works...turkey, corn for Kimmy, mashed potatoes for JB/Eric/Kat and Kimmy, stuffing, Eric's favorite that most of us ate, pickles for Kat, cranberry sauce for me and apple pie for all. I thought the big kids would be unable to move from the table but they managed. ALL the food was no where to be seen. They ate it all. I do have a bit of turkey left for us.

This morning JB and family left for Michigan. They are stopping in Fort Wayne to see JB's college roommate here from Colorado. Dave has yet to see the kids. Doug headed off to excise and I to Bread and Bowl. I never have seen so much donated bread in my life. The freezers are full. Everyone had a loaf in their take home bag and there was even more bread around the room for those who could use more. And...6 garbage bags of bread went to other soup/kitchens, rescue mission places as well. It was a morning of hard work getting everything in it's right place. We had a record number of visitors fixing about 80 bags with 3 take home soups, pastries, two salads, cabbage and lettuse and a loaf of bread. I felt like we were feeding the 5000.

I forgot to mention that we dove into big sweet rolls that came from the Hilltop bakery at Lanse, Michigan. That was another well enjoyed treat.

I do think life is quieting down for all of us. We're back into our routines or getting slowly there. It's been a wonderful three days again with the family. Christmas 2007

Two more sleeps

I love Christmas for many reasons. And there are only two more sleeps till Christmas morning. Yahoo. Presents are wrapped and the groceries are here. Tomorrow I've got to get organized in the kitchen. Shouldn't take long. I treat myself to little work on Christmas Day. It's playing with the grandchildren day~ Michigan kids should arrive sometime Christmas Day. And the Eric family will be out for supper and gift opening if we can wait that long! Today was a huge Panera day. The truck bed was full with some stuff stacked on top of other stuff. We had a great crowd that seemed to have a great time visiting with each other. I can't tell you how many pots of coffee Doug made but I bet it was close to 15. The bells played both services which makes for a very full morning when one tries to be at two places. The music was fabulous. Sermon was another winner. Colts also were winners. Tomorrow evening we probably will be at two services, 7:30 and 11pm. And then the kids will arrive sometime in the morning. I think we might even sleep in. Now that's a novel idea. Tomorrow, I'll get the gifts around the tree. I even bought bows this year. Now that a first. Woo...wooo!

Decision made!

That's right...I made the decision to take it easy on my neck this Christmas. No singing in the choir for sure. Wasn't as hard as I thought it to be. And...I feel good about it. Doesn't mean that I won't be at church, just not in the choir. The choir is accompanied by a small orchestra and it will be beautiful. There is something magical about Christmas Eve.

Bread and Bowl was yesterday. We had a busy morning but LOTS of good help. It couldn't be done without a host of people. I worked at the desk yesterday afternoon. Two little Jr. High kids...one of them a North church kid that I have known since birth got expelled from school for fighting. Their mothers are the best and had them come to church all day yesterday to work together. These little kids have been friends for years but the North Church kid was to fast to react to what he thought was going on but really wasn't going on. We had a great working day with a whole bunch of conversation about the cause of the event among other things. Little Ben really squirmed his way through the conversation. And preacher Kevin talked about some uncomfortable times in school with a fight. The boys worked in B and B and then prepared candles for Christmas Eve. It was just a delightful teaching afternoon with a whole bunch of love flowing through the conversation. Supper was served at church by another group of folks for the neighborhood folks. And then it was choir practice where I sat and listened. Such a treat. The day started at North at 7:45 and ended at North at 9:00 pm. A long day for sure but a good one that took a ton of energy. I also had an encounter at the desk with a gentleman who insisted that I was going to give him $20.00 for a taxi ride to Plainfield. North does not meet those kind of transportation needs and that also was a VERY interesting experience. He told me that he would have me fired! That conversation started at 4:30, continued through the dinner hour with other church people and finally was over at 7:30 with a conclusion that was not positive for the wishes of the man. It's really interesting to hear what people think the church should do no matter what. I gave him some alternatives which he thought were terrible ideas. Working at the desk brings an unbelievable variety of experiences. Some you can believe and some that just are unbelievable. Makes for a very interesting day. This morning is my regular morning to desk volunteer. I need to look for candles for the choir to carry, place altar flowers, answer the phone,talk to people who come in off the street at this time of year looking for help and set up bell tables for Sunday morning. There must have been a reason for getting all the shoping and gift wrapping finished last week.

One Christmas day surprise was delivered to our front door yesterday. Yahoo. It's a fun one.
The family will love it. I LOVE SURPRISES for them!

Wed...

Half way through the week. Feels already like a week of at least 8 days. The volunteer church job was CRAZY today. 4 phone lines ringing. People lined up at the counter with questions and the a lack of planning on the staff's part about Christmas services. I guess they were surprised that Christmas is back again. As I remember it comes every year. So I ordered candles for Christmas Eve and then went downtown to pick them up, got baskets to put them in among other things all on top of what I usually do every Wed. to get ready for soup kitchen Thursday. This could have been done in July! How I get into this is beyond me. Always covering for people trying to keep the wheel greased. Just tuckered out. Bell practice was the refreshing moment of the day. We are ready for Sunday morning service. Should be lots of fun.

monday evening.

Eventful day. I went to Dr. McSoley (ENT) for a discharge. He wondered how my neck was and I told him that I wished it was better. Well, the short story is that head and neck surgeries take a LONGGGGG time to settle down because of blood flow to that area is rich, and that part of your body is never still, such as swollowing, tongue movement, jaw flexing, saliva glands working etc, etc. so healing takes a long time unlike a leg wound that is in a quieter area. He did suggest a cortisone shot to break up scar tissue and promote healing at a faster rate. I thought about it for a minute or so and then said...go ahead. My first choice was to tough it out but then better sense said...go ahead. It was two sticking hot shots in the neck. I thanked him after it was over for taking care of me and he said thanks doesn't often happen after a shot in the neck. I am deeply indebted to doctors that get me out of trouble. I'm so glad I was not born in the 1800's. What a bummer. Come to think of it...I'd probably be dead by now. I took two little girl outfits that I sewed to my friend Nancy Jo in the church office for her great granddaughter. Ruffles are so much fun. Attended Greenspace tonight and saw raptors and owls. It was a good program. Now Monday night football. Yup...another game to watch.

Sunday.

Snow...Ice...and a little wind. That's what we got. Not as much as predicted but it was enough to slow everyone down. Lots of churches canceled but North carried on with two services. About 40 at first and about 120 at second. That's a good guess. Doug and I made the Panera run last night and come home in the ice storm phase of the evening. This morning we left around 7 and it took just 40 minutes instead of 20. Keystone...a divided highway wasn't plowed and if one followed the tracks in some cases one was off the road. It was a great way to start the day. Doug and I set up the Community room for Hospitality and finished around 8:30 as we usually do. Just worked a little harder and a little faster. One Sunday School class carried on but the rest of the folks just hit the pastry table and the coffee bar. Watched and still watching football. Looks like the Colts are trying to loose. There are so many hurt players so it's a little more difficult for PManning to get the job done. Loving the things that keep me warm...blankets...hot drinks...hot water bottle and anything else I can think of. It's an evening to just hunker down.

TGIF

That's the truth. Friday's on the desk at church are usually a bore. Well, today that was far from the case. It was a #$%^#@ Day. Wow...other people in the office couldn't believe the day. The phone rang...Childcare workers came in to get their checks...People were looking for all kinds of help related to money. Usually the staff has the day off but they came in so...made coffee for everyone along with hot chocolate. Shepherd people did a concert for a nursing home. Bulletins needed to be printed...Happenings needed to be put in baskets...I enlarged some music for me for Christmas Eve service, fixed the flowers for the altar and picked up 4 red carnations for 4 new babies. I can't relate it all but it was not a boring day. I must report that I sang at choir rehersal and NO sore neck! Wow...wow! That's something for all to celebrate. This evening I went to Meijer to grocery shop. Haven't done that in a long time. Of course the store was stuffed. It seems that the weather man is saying that we could have up to 12 inches of snow by Sunday. Now isn't that a shocker for Indy. Two guys shopping at Meijers had two shovels in the cart and they were heading out to the beer aisle. Made me laugh. I filled the gas tank, stopped for some fabric to make something, groceries are on the shelf and we are all set! The snow is to start tomorrow morning but the predicition is that it will really get going by Sat. night. I'm wondering if we will have church. Remember Michigan kids...this is Indy. If we get 12 inches...we are stuck for a few days. This should be fun. We just might skip the Panara Run. Remains to be seen. Pacers are on and I've got to go!

Bushed in Carmel

Today is soup kitchen day. Lots of work but lots of help. We served about 50 folks who also took soup home. We had a winning combination. The additional bit of work was the delivery of food from McFarlings for the next month of Bread and Bowl. It amounted to about 1200.00 dollars. Lots of work putting food on the shelves where our cooks can find it. But Thomas and Marilyn and I got the job done. It's an energy sucker tearing all the boxes down as well. I had one solid nap already and it's only 2:10. So...this afternoon I'm not asking much of myself. I need to return something I bought for Eric and I did have some boxes saved at church for gifts but forgot them. They probably will get pitched. That's life. Yesterday 13 soup kitchen workers celebrated Doris Douglas 88 birthday. We had a blast and I had such yummy corn soup and fresh grilled salmon. It was delicious. It was a very special day. Bell practice was very good. I think we'll be OK on December 23rd. Tonight is choir practice and I'm going just to see how the music comes out of my mouth. So...it's another cloudy day in Carmel, not to cold and a little bit damp. Doesn't look or feel like Christmas. We escaped the ice that so many people got. I remember a huge ice storm just a few years ago. The worst was the cold house and cold food that just seemed to go on and on. Oh, yes...the noise of the chain saws everywhere taking care of broken down trees and power lines. Wasn't fun.

Today

Well, it's pea soup weather. Fog and rain and it's that all over again. Temp. in the high 50's. It's bug growing sick time. I just about finished Christmas shopping today. Wow...never have been at this place in December my entire life. I'm getting so excited and waiting for Christmas morning might be hard at this point. I just need to forget about some stuff. This Christmas should be as funny as a barrel of monkeys. Three little boys. What fun. There will be lots of surprises for the big kids as well as the little kids. I'm watching the Pacers play tonight. That is if JT can stay out of jail. I just wish some of the players would grow up. What did their parents teach them? Sounds like not much. JT takes such dumb risks. This is the third time car chasing after someone that fired shots at him. He should have been in bed! It was 3:30 a.m. Bad boy. Tomorrow morning I'm working at church and then good friend Doris Douglas is taking 12 Bread and Bowl workers out to lunch. Isn't she a good woman. She is celebrating her 88th birthday this weekend and is just as alert as can be. We have such a good time together. Bell practice tomorrow evening should end the day.

Patience

That's what I need. Singing a Christmas songs just pulls out the hotwater bottle for a very sore neck. Yup...I know...Christmas will come next year and all will be well by then. I'm learning that the neck area is a very complicated place in my body.

The preacher talked about silence and singing calls for silence this year. That's so unusual for me having sung in a choir since highschool. Humm. That's 53 years. I guess one Christmas in silence won't hurt although it does hurt in a different way. Church service was especially well crafted yesterday. Great sermon engaging the mind, youth and adult handbells...(adults is me!) great hospitality time with the hospitality room stuff full of anything but silence, wonderful Advent, Christmas hymns, super unbelievable organ postlude with the WHOLE congregation seated listening to end the worship hour. That's a tradition started about 3 years ago and this Sunday's worshipers were most attentive to that special closing time. Oops...a baptism and the liturgy that goes with the lighting of the Advent Candles. See what I mean!

Then...I watched three well really five...clicking back and forth...football games. And...the Colts came through again. It was a very lively game to watch although I need to admit that I missed most of the second part. Sleep took over having started the day at 5:45. It's always an early call for church but this was really unusual because of a bell practice called at 7:00. Uck. But necessary.

Today I want to wrap gifts and do a bit of shopping. Almost finished. I love to think of the excitement that family brings on Christmas morning. Yahoo. That also comes after another short night after mid-night service. Oh, well...who needs sleep? That can happen later in the day.

TGIF

Well, Friday is here. The weeks seem to fly by faster than 40 years ago. Yesterday was Soup Kitchen day and we did our Christmas give away with socks stuffed with toiletries and gloves. We had a great little appreciative crowd. Last night was choir practice. I took it easy. Neck is still a bit sore. No need to rush. This morning I'm working at the desk at church. A group is getting ready for Jubilee Christmas Celebration tomorrow morning. The church folks are providing baskets of food and toys for 35 families located at Coburn Place just down the street. It is an old school building remodeled for single mothers and children who are victums of a battered relationship. They are residents for 2 years receiving housing and a chance to get back on their feet. I think all the mothers are working at this point. Our contribution makes their money stretch a bit farther.

Wed. morning surprise

I woke up a little later than usual and notice immediately that the large beautiful pine tree just outside the window was covered with snow and slowly blowing in the breeze. It made for a beautiful picture. Yes...the first snowfall of the season is here. The morning walk to the mailbox for the newspaper was quiet and cold but not to cold. It will be even more beautiful when the sun arrives.

But...last night the Pacers lost but we still had a great time. Seats were awesome. People around us were fun to be with and the fourth quarter was really exciting with the Pacers pulling ahead with some great shots but like Baltimore...just not able to hang on. Little 6ft. 3 Steve Nash has about two times the energy of Kate (one of JB's dogs). He never ran out of energy. Now...Sunday...Baltimore can just go away when the Colts play them. That would just be fine but I think they will really be tough coming off the N England game. Off to church this morning and this afternoon, I SEWING!

Tuesday Afternoon

Cool weather here. Feels like winter. dah! It's December. Did a little Christmas Stocking Shopping today. I'm just about finished. I think this year I'll turn the wrapping over to Doug. Wow...that would be a first. I'm doing a little sewing for Andrew. Reminds me of sewing about 30 years ago. Same old same old as JB would say. Tonight we're going to the Pacer's game. I'm really looking forward to this. I told Doug we're leaving early. I want to make this an evening to remember for me at least. Andrew stopped by this afternoon and tried on my sewing adventure. I need to shorten the pants...NOT surprised. He is such a short little bundle of energy and so much fun. Kat is going back to work on Monday. It's a new adventure with Andrew and I have no reason to doubt that it will go well. So disappointed that Baltimore just couldn't put New England away last night.

The weekend

Yesterday was a gray rainy day. Perfect for sewing stuff. I finished the banner for the west entrance at church and hung it this morning. Just in time for Advent! I also filled the stocking order from Kimmy for Adam and Jacob. That was tons of fun. Any more projects, Kimmy? I have them ready to mail tomorrow. Doug and I did the Panera run and had a whole bunch of pastries for church this morning. The first Sunday of Advent is always so much fun with just an added touch of energy spilling out everywhere at church. The 40th annual party for Special Adults was held last night. That's an event that brings about 200 mentally challenged folks to church for food, dancing, santa, gifts and more. There is never a problem to get our church folks to work at this event. If there are 200 guests, it takes at least 150 church folks.
Tonight is our annual Advent Festival for church folks. That involves a huge pitch-in along with 5 different mission projects in various parts of the church. And...the morning church service reflected the season of Advent and it's 4 Sundays of waiting for the birth with advent candle lighting, good music and sermon. Our decorating efforts through out the church lastTuesday is the icing on the cake. Sat. our youth baked cookies to sell that funds their program during the coming year.
It's something like 10,000 cookies. They do this at a school and the organization of this effort is just tremendous. And...most people went home with boxes of cookies. So lots of energy went into this Sunday. And...then the Colts won! I always try to watch Eli Manning and the Giants and they won their game in the last two minutes.
The sore neck is still hanging around so I didn't sing and will continue to think about what I can do to get it to calm down. I have a dentist appointment next week and I'm beginning to think that changing that would be a good idea. I just don't want to risk stirring things up more than necessary. I haven't passed the 4 weeks since surgery so I'm feeling that this probably is a normal recovery.