The rest of the week.

Left off with Monday...Tues...we spent the morning with a project that needed to be finished that Sarah Ellen requested.  Then...off to Georgia early afternoon.  We stayed overnight south of Nashville.  Met up with everyone around noon at the monastery.  Off to the grocery store and back to 5 days of visiting and eating and a little walking.  Just a wonderful Thanksgiving event that we all enjoyed.  The group was a bit small..just 9 of us.  Several of the monks came to visit which is always a lot of fun.  Dee has such good friends.  We headed north this morning at 8:30 and arrived home at 8:30.  Mountains were beautiful. rain was NOT.  But now I can sleep in my own bed.  I like that.  Tomorrow?  Not thinking much about that.

Another week.

Woo...I hate how fast the week disapears.  Another gang buster.  I'll just start with Sat.  Got Kenya things together in suitcases and headed on over to All Souls Unitarian Church with decorating stuff.  Sunday to church by 7...got hospitality going and then choir and then church.  It was All Saints Sun.  Great sermon and wonderful music as usual.  Then off to get ready for the banquet that honored the Umoja project in Kenya that feeds school children for many their only meal of the day.  25.00 provides food for one child for one year.  We had over 100 people there to celebrate the program and raise a little more money for the program.  The place looked like a bit of Kenya and the food was all Kenyan.  Lots of fun with friends but I was BUSHED.  Home and in bed by 9:30 not even unloading the van.  So...Now comes Monday...today.  The van got unloaded and by 7:30 was off to church to decorate for Advent and Christmas.  8am...arrived and got a whole lot of preporation finished for the crew that arrived at 9.  And we worked until 12 with everything completed.  What wonderful worker bees.  They worked all the details to a t.  And...sanctuary, chapel, gathering place, parlor and west entrance looks Adventy!  Is that a word?  Probably not.  By request...over 100 nativities are in every nook and cranny.  3 large wreaths are hung 14 banners are hung.  I am very happy with the results.  Woo, woo...lets hear it for the workers.  This afternoon worked on a long shopping list for Georgia celebration, visited Doris and did a short shop at the grocery.  Tonight some washing...tomorrow completing a project for Sarah Ellen and by noon or so...hope to be on the road.  I will be so happy to be in that car and on the way south for Thanksgiving with the Russell family at Conyers Georgia.  Home next week.

Tues.

Today was a walk in the park.  Well maybe.  I worked for ME!  That means that I cleaned the sewing/TV room.  And the living room.  Woo...messed up right.  There were bags of matchbox cars that have been collected for about 2 months.  Counted them with 99% donated by Larry S.  to be sent to Kenya for children hospitalized.  Larry's count is up to 350...Woo. Larry is a really, really good guy in my book.  For a few months he brings me 20 each Sunday.  I told him it would seem that there is a car fee to enter the church building.  Crazy Larry.  Then it was sorting craft supplies that Larry bought at a garage sale.  Two boxes of good stuff that will also go to Kenya.  Next job...unpacking and repacking things that will be used to decorate for a banquet that will support hot lunches in 18 school in western Kenya.  25.00 provides a lunch for 1 child for a whole year.  Send money!!!  I'll pass it on.  Lots of things are packed for that event and ready to go next Sun. afternoon.

 I did a bit of collecting dead stuff from the garden.  It's called cleaning up the garden or something like that.  And painted some curly willow branches white for church decorating.  Woo...next Monday is the big day of decorating...I should use the word HUGE!  Wreaths are ready...flowers ordered and my hope is that all is in place for the work day.

This afternoon I spent about an hr. with Doris again.  We listened to the Messiah for a while. And then she said...I want to hear you talk.  Funny Doris.  Tomorrow I'm working about 4 hrs at church at the front desk.  I'm taking my knitting.  Oh, yes...I finished touches on a bunch of knitting.  Xmas stuff...Kids.  Starting to think about our Georgia trip next week.  Need to make a grocery list if I have time.  NO time.  Also going to try to make pie toppings.  Could make pie making easier.  Yup...this clan of folks can eat more apply pie that I can even imagine.  So..it's time to sit and watch TV if I can find something.  Knitting will continue.  It's 7:10 and I've already had an evening nap.  Now I'm good to go.

Another week.

Woo...for all you younger than I folks.  The weeks tend to speed up as one gets ????? .  You can fill in that word.  So...the same thing happened this week.  So...here's the current week's rat race notebook.  I think I'll spare only sat. and today's race.  My friend Diane invited me to sell stuff at her Sat. Club House Xmas sale.  She makes jewelry.  Beautiful jewelry.  And I do fabric and another friend does pottery so it's a great sale.  But it was a bit slow Sat.  Her clubhouse is quite hidden which might have been the problem but...it was fun.  But...the afternoon proved to be the race part.  Grandson Andrew is now 10 and his party was on Sat.  So...that happened at 1...then a call from Doris Douglas' daughter  Nancy asked that we meet her at 2  at the Forum to pick up some things that were promised to us from her mother Doris.  So...at 2 we loaded the van with a variety of stuff...one being a sewing table and a New Home Sewing machine.  It's a Japanese beauty.  Does tons of stuff but unfortunately didn't come with a book.  So...eventually to UTube for some great explanations. But...after unloading all the other stuff...back to Diane's to participate in the sale and then pack up...Then a visit to Doris and home around 5:30...Woo...that's a big woo.  And of course off to Panera to pick up pastries for church.  Now that was a FULL day.  This morning we picked up a parishioner on the way to church.  Waldeen helps us with hospitality.  Her car is being repaired.  Busy morning as usual...Waldeen went to first service...Came back to the Community to work with me and I asked if she was feeling well.  She just wasn't her self.  Well, she was pretty pale for her brown skin.   She has had bypass surgery a few years ago  so...We got the parish nurse to check her out and then it was 911 and off to the hospital for her.  Pray for Waldeen.  As the ambulance was leaving the church...6 of us who were with her formed a prayer circle in the portico.  A prayer for guidence and healing.  Then...off to choir practise...second service was a service of health and heeling which was just so full filling.  Goodness knows...I needed that.  Then...home by 1...playing more with the sewing machine trying to fill a bobbin.  Off to Joan Fabrics for some help...stop to see Doris which today was very quite...thirsty.  I fed her a lot of ice.  She chokes so easily.  Not a whole lot of conversation.  We listened to some of the music I recorded at church this morning.  She shared how much she misses music.

So...the hope is that now it's 5Pm  the plan is to sit in my chair with my feet up and stay real  quiet for a spell.  Oops...forgot that after Waldeen went to the hospital I meet the Sr. hi kids and we moved a whole bunch of nativities from the attic to the first floor  We have over 100 that we line the sanctuary windows with for the month of Dec.  Last ;year was angels and the people were a bit miffed.  So...this year we've had people tell us.that they want them back.  So...Dec. thinking is in earnest.  As I look at the calendar for the week.  Humm...the beginning is pretty clear...the end is a mess once again.

Stuff is happening.

Well...finally a Friday.  I do like Mondays better. Friday means I need to get ready for Sunday.  That always takes some thinking.   So...what has happened...This week I've begun Advent decorating for church.  That has meant that three days this week were spent at church making two huge wreaths for the sanctuary...white/gold with white silk poinsettia and one huge wreath for the west entrance...blue and gold ribbons plus silk flowers.  And I've got all the greenery ready to go outside in the front and back of the church.  And a few more things finished.  Such a big job in a big church facility.  One of the big jobs is to just get everything identified as to needs...and then create.  Another friend is working on some other things that need to be completed.  There is more to finish...the big put up day is Nov. 21 when a crew of retired folks will come to church to get everything in place.  And then on Nov. 23rd we're off to Georgia for another huge family Thanksgiving.  So Advent must be finished before we go.

Then in between all that where hours are available I've been visiting almost every day my dear 95 yr. old friend Doris.  She is in a retirement home just a few miles from our home.  She has taught me everything I know about liturgical art.  I've made banners and worked with her for years with seasonal decorating at church.  Such a special lady who wants to be on her way to heaven but is here.  And I feel blessed to read many passages of Jesus Calling devotionals to her when visiting.  I love her with all my heart.  She still shares encouraging words.  Once again her mind is clear most of the time.  That was not the case a few weeks ago.  So happy that she is back with us again.

Our huge musical Sunday for stewardship gathering for next year was a tremendous success.  Music still worms it's way through my head.  The theme was a festival of hymns with beautiful arrangements.  A short sermon and I counted 11 hymns throughout the morning.  It was grand.

Sunday is All Saints Sunday...Some preparation for that was arranging large containers of sand that will hold candles placed there by congregants in memory of a loved one after taking communion.  We started this tradition last year and the request to continue this tradition came from many participants.  It will be a good Sunday.

Today the Grandsons came over to spend the day.  There was Monopoly, a very long walk for the old folks while the grandsons rode their bikes.  About 2 hrs of play at the park,  We dug all the carrots that Noah planted last spring.  It was a very good crop.  And there was time to do a bit of knitting.  Christmas presents are coming.


So...that's just a bit of my life.