Indy is having so much fun with the Superbowl. The town is sparkling with excitement and all the new and fun things that will be happening before the game. Everything is happening in the downtown area. Streets are closed, lots of stuff for the fans to do and lots of places to spend money. Woo...Let the fun begin. Weather has been warm for winter. Lots of rain yesterday and very little cold weather predicted in the next week. Georgia street has been completely redone with a grand boulivard, overhead heaters, a huge light show and just tons of other stuff. The city looks ready.
On the other hand...Yesterday's soup kitchen was stuffed to the rim with people. I think it was one if not the one biggest day that I can remember. We served lots of people. Last night was a big choir rehearsal. This is our Sr. Ministers' last Sunday at North. So...we're pulling out all the big guns. One anthem has handbells, organ, piano and choir. Woo...So...we're pushing him out with a bang. Our new minister Darren Cushman Wood's first Sunday will be March 4. Feb. will have our associates preaching and I think there is a visiting minister as well. We're moving on, very, very sad to see Kevin leave. He will be the CEO of the Meth. Hospital Foundation, a good job for a great guy. So sad to seem him move on but so happy to have had him for 6 years. We were blessed.
Still working on quilt patches. Such fun with so many great colors that support my visualness. Is that a word? Spell check says not but I'm keeping it. Did another meal for Ellen and Todd, made her a pillow to sleep on for days which she does after chemo which was yesterday.
Friday, January 27, 2012
Monday, January 23, 2012
Been a while
Time or maybe over time to write again. Less stressful week but I can't help thinking often about good friend Ellen who has begun a very intense program of chemo. Very intense. She is such a trooper but I'm the sad one thinking about her long unexpected journey into cancer...so I try to do things that make life a bit easier for her. The crockpot is busy, I made some hats. Her wonderfully curly black hair is gone at this point. And I'm delivering on Thursday a pillow with patches of flower garden quilt pieces to her place of treatment. Surprise Ellen. She sleeps a lot after treatments which occur every two weeks at this point. So...I'm hoping she has sweet dreams.
Ellen has taken many trips to Kenya with the Central Indiana, Western Kenya project called Umoja. I took one trip with her. She is a most talented person who thinks methodically outside the box and then acts on it with great success. Prayers for Ellen Daniels-Howell. She invited about 30 or so friends, she belongs to many bookclubs, to attend what she called a hair cutting afternoon at St. Lukes Meth. Church. Lots of wonderful poetry, prayers and music and then Ellen sat in the center of the circle with her beautician who shaved her head because that is a medical recommendation when hair starts to fall out with chemo. Some tears, some laughter, refreshments and great conversation that will allow us all to travel with Ellen in the months ahead. It was a wonderful woman's moment to be together. So prayers for Ellen and all of us who will be with her in the months to come. There will be about 4 months of Chemo if I have it correct, then surgery and then radiation. It's a long journey.
My sewing machine is home. It is so quiet when working. I think it enjoyed it's renewal. I'm enjoying it as well. I'm learning to quilt with the machine using free motion. Lots of fun. I'm also working on flower garden patches. It's ALL handwork which I started when the machine was gone. I'm loving it as well. My mother made me a huge quilt of more than 81 flowers before we were married. It's looking faded and worn and NOW I'm realizing how much work it must have been. What a mom!
Tomorrow is an eye doc. appointment at 8:20...I'll be up and out of here early. Wed. I'm back in bells, Thurs once again is Soup Kitche...Diane is back...Wooo...and choir. And in between I'll be making flowers with fabric. Snow is gone..none to come that I know of.
Ellen has taken many trips to Kenya with the Central Indiana, Western Kenya project called Umoja. I took one trip with her. She is a most talented person who thinks methodically outside the box and then acts on it with great success. Prayers for Ellen Daniels-Howell. She invited about 30 or so friends, she belongs to many bookclubs, to attend what she called a hair cutting afternoon at St. Lukes Meth. Church. Lots of wonderful poetry, prayers and music and then Ellen sat in the center of the circle with her beautician who shaved her head because that is a medical recommendation when hair starts to fall out with chemo. Some tears, some laughter, refreshments and great conversation that will allow us all to travel with Ellen in the months ahead. It was a wonderful woman's moment to be together. So prayers for Ellen and all of us who will be with her in the months to come. There will be about 4 months of Chemo if I have it correct, then surgery and then radiation. It's a long journey.
My sewing machine is home. It is so quiet when working. I think it enjoyed it's renewal. I'm enjoying it as well. I'm learning to quilt with the machine using free motion. Lots of fun. I'm also working on flower garden patches. It's ALL handwork which I started when the machine was gone. I'm loving it as well. My mother made me a huge quilt of more than 81 flowers before we were married. It's looking faded and worn and NOW I'm realizing how much work it must have been. What a mom!
Tomorrow is an eye doc. appointment at 8:20...I'll be up and out of here early. Wed. I'm back in bells, Thurs once again is Soup Kitche...Diane is back...Wooo...and choir. And in between I'll be making flowers with fabric. Snow is gone..none to come that I know of.
Friday, January 13, 2012
An emotionally charged week.
A lot of things have happened this week or will happen that usually don't happen. Thank goodness. Some weeks are like that even in Astralia. (Alexander and his horrible, terrible very bad day...You might or might not know the book)
Tomorrow is the memorial service for Jon Walters, former minister at North. He died very unexpectly at the age of 72. Jon was a very, very interesting person who gave much to the church. His latest ministry was in Mississippi but he died on Dec. 26th while visiting his daughter here in Indianapolis. So many ministers knew him and the visitors will be many with the service tomorrow filled with great music. Jon was first a music major at IU filling the bass quartet position here at North. He was famous for singing Elija. He looked like what one thinks Elija looked like. Then another minister friend died unexpectly on the 11th. Great friend Max Case. Doug and I have know him for at least 35 years. Max had a wonderfully friendly attitude about almost anything. So easy to talk to and so interested in what everyone was about. And thirdly... this week good friend Ellen D-H. started 20 weeks of cemo. She is the Umoja director here in the states and I have traveled with her to Kenya. Just a great lady who was scheduled to make another trip this weekend with a wonderful group of VIP's here from central Indiana. She had been planning this trip for two years. It was a huge disappointment for her and husband Todd and one that has shaken the foundation of what one thinks will happen and then discovers a serious detour is in the plan. If all goes well she should finish all treatments by Sept. It's a long trip down a new road.
And fourth...Michael who was a Bread and Bowl visitor starting a AA group at North about a month ago died very unexpectly. I announced his meeting Thursday at B and B and we learned of his death the night before around 4 Thursday afternoon.
But on the other hand..Mary V. finished her cemo this week...Rang the "I'm finished" bell and then went home to a bottle of bubbly as she reported. Her doctor thinks she will have at least two years of relatively good health but surgery that was performed was not as successful as should have been. Sunday we should hear who our new minister is for North Church. It's a done deal and we'll know more on Sunday.
Today was the yearly physical and I think all is well as far as we can determine. I need to call a few other doctors for follow up but am not anticipating anything but good.
John Martin...a real charactor...who rode to church on the church bus has been placed in a secure section of the nursing home where he lives. He certainly was an interesting person that taught North a whole bunch about tolerance. John had some mental challenges. Those being exhibited by yelling out during the church service...he loved music...with no doubt in anyones mind John would yell out after any organ piece...THANK YOU MARTIN...(the organist)He was always a few paces behind when it came to litergical readings and that always was very apparent because his volume was always turned up. Well, it was not safe in so many ways for us but that is now true where he resides so the worship service will be a bit different allowing us all to know that John is not on the bus...not in the pew with Eric G and not waving to all during the service. North has a whole list of charactor persons during the 43 years that we have been at North. John is one of them and there will be more as time moves on.
Now some other stuff. Soup Kitchen was fun but lots of work...we were short on worker bees...I'm back in the bells for a while filling in now for Katie who has serious eye issues...borrowed Beth's sewing machine to make a flat Ellen who is traveling with the VIP group to Kenya. They will take pictures with flat Ellen and send them to friend Ellen who is preparing to send cancer out to a black hole. Started making flower garden patches because I can do those by hand. Sewing machine should be back at the end of next week. Pacers won and lost some games. I U won and lost some games. I'm off to the Y for a spell.
Tomorrow is the memorial service for Jon Walters, former minister at North. He died very unexpectly at the age of 72. Jon was a very, very interesting person who gave much to the church. His latest ministry was in Mississippi but he died on Dec. 26th while visiting his daughter here in Indianapolis. So many ministers knew him and the visitors will be many with the service tomorrow filled with great music. Jon was first a music major at IU filling the bass quartet position here at North. He was famous for singing Elija. He looked like what one thinks Elija looked like. Then another minister friend died unexpectly on the 11th. Great friend Max Case. Doug and I have know him for at least 35 years. Max had a wonderfully friendly attitude about almost anything. So easy to talk to and so interested in what everyone was about. And thirdly... this week good friend Ellen D-H. started 20 weeks of cemo. She is the Umoja director here in the states and I have traveled with her to Kenya. Just a great lady who was scheduled to make another trip this weekend with a wonderful group of VIP's here from central Indiana. She had been planning this trip for two years. It was a huge disappointment for her and husband Todd and one that has shaken the foundation of what one thinks will happen and then discovers a serious detour is in the plan. If all goes well she should finish all treatments by Sept. It's a long trip down a new road.
And fourth...Michael who was a Bread and Bowl visitor starting a AA group at North about a month ago died very unexpectly. I announced his meeting Thursday at B and B and we learned of his death the night before around 4 Thursday afternoon.
But on the other hand..Mary V. finished her cemo this week...Rang the "I'm finished" bell and then went home to a bottle of bubbly as she reported. Her doctor thinks she will have at least two years of relatively good health but surgery that was performed was not as successful as should have been. Sunday we should hear who our new minister is for North Church. It's a done deal and we'll know more on Sunday.
Today was the yearly physical and I think all is well as far as we can determine. I need to call a few other doctors for follow up but am not anticipating anything but good.
John Martin...a real charactor...who rode to church on the church bus has been placed in a secure section of the nursing home where he lives. He certainly was an interesting person that taught North a whole bunch about tolerance. John had some mental challenges. Those being exhibited by yelling out during the church service...he loved music...with no doubt in anyones mind John would yell out after any organ piece...THANK YOU MARTIN...(the organist)He was always a few paces behind when it came to litergical readings and that always was very apparent because his volume was always turned up. Well, it was not safe in so many ways for us but that is now true where he resides so the worship service will be a bit different allowing us all to know that John is not on the bus...not in the pew with Eric G and not waving to all during the service. North has a whole list of charactor persons during the 43 years that we have been at North. John is one of them and there will be more as time moves on.
Now some other stuff. Soup Kitchen was fun but lots of work...we were short on worker bees...I'm back in the bells for a while filling in now for Katie who has serious eye issues...borrowed Beth's sewing machine to make a flat Ellen who is traveling with the VIP group to Kenya. They will take pictures with flat Ellen and send them to friend Ellen who is preparing to send cancer out to a black hole. Started making flower garden patches because I can do those by hand. Sewing machine should be back at the end of next week. Pacers won and lost some games. I U won and lost some games. I'm off to the Y for a spell.
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Sec. Sunday
Interesting week of getting the church Advent/Christmas back in the box. What a job. Today the highschool kids at church helped with moving all of the above to the room over Kevin's office. That involved moving a whole bunch of things up a long flight of stairs. Thank You kids. The storage room is in pretty good shape although a few minutes there would help a whole bunch. Two more wreaths to pull apart and I think the job is finished. Hospitality started up again today which meant a trip to Panera's last evening and a 7:00 trip to church to get hospitality off the ground. We were closed for two weeks. Missed choir rehearsal because of moving stuff so it was a great day to sit in the pew with friend Ellen. She is the Umoja coordinator here in the states and had a trip planned with a group to Kisuma, Kenya next Sunday. Well, it was discovered that Ellen has breast cancer so Thursday she will begin cemo instead. Treatment will continue for at least 20 weeks...surgery and then radiation. So...this will be a very long time of working toward wholeness again. Prayers for Ellen Daniels-Howell. Watched the I U basketball game. They won...watched football games...Denver won...My sewing machine is at the fixit shop for it's yearly checkup. So...I started doing handwork meaning the beginning of a flowergarden quilt or something depending on how I hang in there. It could be a project that could take years if I stay interested. That's everything in a nutshell. Well, not everything but enough for now.
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Wed. after the first.
The new year is moving right along as it always does. Monday was a day to sit a bit, run the sweeper, work out at the Y and thanks to JB...we ate at Steak and Shake at NOON. That's a first. Made two more hats. One is for our parking lot man at church. Another for a cancer patient. Yesterday was a church day putting Advent and Christmas back in the box. Woo...that was a busy morning and one I wanted to pass quickly so Alan and I worked ourselves into an afternoon of trying to relax. Well, that didn't last to long. Went to the Y and then to 5 Goodwills to look for a suitcase to send things to Kenya. Well, ofcourse at the 5th one I found a practically new suitcase with great wheels for 19.00 bucks. Infact it was the only suitcase I saw in all five stores. So...that was called success. Made another crockpot meal which was yummy. Started the evening falling asleep in the chair and then to bed! Today is my morning to work at the desk which I am doing as I write. Things are pretty quiet here. Two more things to move to the storage area and I can start thinking about Lent. Woo, woo. That's pretty easy.
Sunday, January 1, 2012
New Years Day!
WOO...has it been fun or what? Crockpot got a work out, Steak and Shake got a visit. Two days at the Children's Museum, one of those days with the COMPLETE family and fun entertainment here at home with the Mich. family. Pancakes for every breakfast, stories read, trip to Lego Land after church this morning,was just a smiggin of the excitement. The toys have been sorted, a MI. blanket found and getting the house settled once again is nearing the finishline. Colts lost their last game...should be an interesting off season of recruiting. So...now on to the Pacers Basketball. Another big IU win. Woo...something to get excited about after the poor old Colts season. Come on Payton keep on getting well. No snow...warmer than usual and almost didn't need a coat for church.
I took Kimmy to (MY TITLE) Last Chance Goodwill. She loved it and we took JB back to see it yesterday. Kimmy bought a very good namebrand coat among other things for under 5 bucks. Yesterday a pair of cord. jeans for Adam and something else for 54 cents. Most impressive shopper she is. I bought another wool sweater to felt and made a hat for friend Salome. I'm sure there will be more trips when they are back in Indy. The second sweater I bought to felt I decided to wear it instead of felting. Woo, new threads to me. So...time to sit a spell, I can feel a sleep coming on.
I took Kimmy to (MY TITLE) Last Chance Goodwill. She loved it and we took JB back to see it yesterday. Kimmy bought a very good namebrand coat among other things for under 5 bucks. Yesterday a pair of cord. jeans for Adam and something else for 54 cents. Most impressive shopper she is. I bought another wool sweater to felt and made a hat for friend Salome. I'm sure there will be more trips when they are back in Indy. The second sweater I bought to felt I decided to wear it instead of felting. Woo, new threads to me. So...time to sit a spell, I can feel a sleep coming on.
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
It's Tuesday
Time is dragging. I'm really, really ready for family. Our well defined traditions are changing which means more change is in the air. Sunday was quiet. Monday was quiet. So far Tuesday is quiet. Yesterday I got on the road and shopped at my favorite store...Last chance Goodwill. That place is so entertaining. Yesterday the store was crammed with Mexicans just having a blast looking through stuff and doing a super rescure job. It was a whole family affair with lots of very well behaved children sitting in grocery carts...Some for hours. It's a place that one pays by the pound and not by the items. So...lots of bargins. One is never sure what one will find. I call it a huge garage sale under one roof. I found some new to grandsons toys. I've returned to Goodwill the little baby things. No little babies. Did a little cleaning this morning. Boring, boring. Planning to go to the Y. That probably will be the entertainment for the day. It's snowing with it sticking on the trees. Pretty, pretty. It's not supposed to last because the temp. is pretty warm.
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