Wonderful, Wonderful!

We had a wonderful week in Georgia. We left Indy after church on Sunday and after completing another Advent job Sunday morning. A great bunch of Sr. Hi Kids moved many nativity sets from the room over Kevin's office allowing people to put them in place in the sanctuary yesterday. It's that thinking ahead skill that really got a bunch of work druing November. So...off to Georgia not realizing how tired I was. I slept Sunday afternoon for hrs. and hrs. We stopped for an overnight stay just north of Knoxville, Tenn. Doug's shoulder was not being nice at that point and it was dark and rainy. Not a very nice drive. Then on to Georgia on Mon. morning arriving around noon. The place is beginning to feel like our home away from home. The family retreat house is a very old farm house that has it's charm in it's own way. There are leaky windows, uneven floor with soft spots here and there. Lots of space and it always seems to be like it was the first year we visited Dee. It's unbelievable accommodating. Dee stopped by in the afternoon and the mending began after getting the sewing machine settled in the living room. There really wasn't a whole lot to mend but there were pants to shorten, buttons to sew and seams to stitch. We ate our meals at the retreat center...Yoohoo...no cooking. A real vacation. We walked to the new Heritage Center...It's an amazing place with a wonderful bookstore, refreshment center, bonsai shop and plants of all ages and sizes and then to a history of the monastery. The barn part of the center displays how the monks lived after moving to Georgia showing monks living quarters in the barn as well as pictures of building the current monastery. What a wonderful way to explain who they are and what has happened in the past for them. It's a great history center, Dee along with others having much to do with the written words of explanation. We helped with fudge making one morning, watched biscoti being made all of which is sold in the store. Brothers stopped by from time to time. Rick and our Michigan Jared family arrived Wed. afternoon. Jared always stops at the Lego store so Jacob and Adam promptly put together their newest Lego cars. It's interesting to see how quickly they follow the directions allowing their cars to become a reality. Jacob and Adam and Eli quickly seemed to find their favorite porch to entertain themselves. We talked, ate, watch the kid entertainment, laughed, walked, and shopped during the next days. The weather was a treat with sunny clear days with blue sky in abundance. For the first time we were able to take advantage of the screened in porch. We had lots of pretend restaurant lunches with the grandsons there. Gathering bits of Georgia also was a part of the weekend. Pinecones among other things came to Indiana via the truck which was packed to the max and will find a home here and at church. Saturday evening found us picking up toys, cleaning out the cupboards anticipating a busy Sunday morning when beds were stripped and the door was closed with all of us back in our vehicles driving to the gate with a collection of memories fresh in our minds. Georgia and Conyers and another monestary visit has enriched us once again. Feb. 29, Dee or Cassian will be making his final vowes and once again we plan to make a trip to Georgia. Rain followed us home ALL the way. We stopped for an overnight at Berea. The next morning we visited a coffee shop for a little breakfast in the center of town, walked the street in the rain looking through many shop windows and then by 9 we were back on the road hoping that the bumper to bumper traffic would be less. In some cases it was and in others it wasn't. We took a wonderful road through the hills of Kentucky off the beaten trick arriving at Madison, Indiana. Woo...we found the howlers and hills and beautiful horse country in Kentucky. At 3pm we pulled into the house on Hillsdale, unloaded the truck, stretched a bit and finally with a very cold wind at our back were off to Steak and Shake for supper with memories of another time in Georgia with family. Snow is predicted for tonight...Maybe 3 inches. We're not in Georgia anymore. Thanks you Dee for another visit. Love to you.

Woo...made it!

I made it to Friday morning. That was a huge goal. I think the church decorating stuff is in place for a work session when I'm in Ga. That was huge. And it will continue after arriving back in Indy on Nov. 29th decorating other areas at church. Brought back lesson writing plans. Uck.

I have my sewing stuff packed ready for the Monks mending basket. Should be interesting to say the least. Dee has arranged for us to have a few meals in the retreat center. Fun, fun. I'm lovin it at this point. Today, I'm running the sweeper with the idea of getting this place in some sort of shape. Might even get the tree up although that is not a high priority as it was last year. I'm packing my electric skillet and rolling pin. That takes care of delicious easy pancakes and great pie making. So...what else is there in life? We're having crockpot meals with turkey from the big house. We'll fix a few other things. Even better then eating is seeing kids from Mich. and brother Rick from Richardson Tx. and ofcourse Dee.

Back among the living

Woo...I am so grateful. Yesterday morning was a huge bummer of a do nothing at all morning following a way to many days of doing everything.

By afternoon around 2 I decided to try the Y with a bit of walking. Well, surprise, surprise...after walking for 30 minutes...spinning for 15 and working on the machines I felt like a new woman. How does that happen? This morning I did some major cutting out of fabric for a summer wall hanging I want to put together the week after Christmas at the home of Becky R. She has an annual sewing retreat at her house where people bring machines and sew all day. Never did that with others and should be fun. So...most of the parts are ready to go but got to do a bit more to complete the hanging.

This afternoon it's Y with an update of machines to use. Tonight I'm meeting with a group of church ladies to bring together plans to update the community room kitchen which is completely, I mean completely worn out. Doors are falling off the cupboards after being reattached way to many times. Will the update happen? Well, someone needs to find a ton of money...NOT me. We're doing the "what do we need" part. That's needed before...how much $ do we need. There are two ladies on the committee who have done a ton of restaurant/kitchen planning and who have actually worked in restaurants. We are blessed...I hope. So...easy day so far and should continue.

Tomorrow morning I'm working the church desk. Thursday morning is Soup Kitchen. Friday is button up all the stuff needed for the first Sun. in Advent and then Sat...pack for Georgia. Sun. morning church and Sun. afternoon...we are on the road. Yahoo...Georgia, here we come. See you Monday afternoon. We're out of here for a week.

Wooo...

I'm getting way to old to be so busy with stuff. Today is catch up time...do one thing and sit for 30 minutes...one more thing and sit for 60 minutes. After a crazy week, Sat. and Sunday continued with the same theme. The memorial service and reception for Ross Faris was attended by at least 500 people. Just covering all the bases along with two other people was a bit much. It was an 8 am to 2pm event. Yesterday was just about as busy with serving apples and cider (from the reception...Ross was a huge gardener and farmer's market guy) along with all the regular Sunday jobs and then singing for two services. It was a great anthem and we had a guest organist from Spain...Unbelievable. At 3Pm we attended a grand birthday party for 5 year old Andrew. LOts of fun and I didn't need to do one thing. Kat, as usual was well organized. The 20 little church friends and some parents had a great time as well as Andrew's grandparents.
Today I started thinking about Georgia and decided on food. It's going to be simple crockpot stuff, pancakes and carry in pizza among other stuff. I'm shopping in Conyers for what we need. I'm not stressing out about Georgia. That's it for now. Back to the chair.

Woo...busy, Friday for sure`

Sometimes it's better not to know what is in store for one on a given day. This week seemed to have a lot of that. For instance...today the first thing I did was make a list of things that needed to happen today with a time beside the event. I'm on schedule. It involved the Y...taking trunks to the airport for Eldoret, making a bag for Andrew's 5th birthday presents which is today...going to the funeral home with my neighbor, and then supper at S and S with the birthday boy and his family. That took some doing but all will get done and the schedule of times certainly made that happen. Two trunks left today. Yahoo. Only 5 more to go. I think we are in pretty good shape with the possibility of all trunks shipped by the end of January. If that happens it's a very good thing. Tomorrow will start early with work at church for a memorial service for Ross Faris. His death was very unexpected and will be a loss for many folks. Ross was a pioneer in farmer's market work. He raised the best vegetables and fruits supplying many restaurants in Indy as well as his market work. So...that will take care of much of tomorrow at least until 2pm or so. We had the first snow of the year two days ago. So exciting just to see the white stuff floating around on the breeze. I worked on Advent things that will get us through the first Sunday of Advent in fine shape. More will happen after we are back from Georgia. So...another busy week. Life is good.

Cloudy Monday

It's a gray day with some rain here in Carmel. Not enough to keep me at home. The goal for today was to work at church, putting away All Saints Day and then moving on to Advent. I got both accomplished, storage rearranged to be more efficent and boxes, bags, old grapes pitched. The storage room looks much better and should be a refreshing change to start Advent. It would seem that if I need to depend on myself, I am able to work ahead better rather than waiting on others to work on their time frame. Maybe not a work saver but it seems to be easier for me. Our Doris card sale continues to grow every week. I think we are up to about 3500 cards with more to come. So...now it's Birthday Shopping for Andrew who will be 5 this week. Wow...seems like he was only born a year ago. Two disturbing deaths at church last week. One a community guy who joined church was getting off the bus and was hit by a truck, the other Ross F. was in a very freak bicycle accident. Such unexpected deaths. Sewing as usual learning how to machine quilt with many different patterns. Fun to do. I had three sets of placemats that all needed quilting so it's been lots of fun practicing. I'm learning. Off to the Y for the daily walk.

Wed. at church

Really sort of nice to just sit a spell. Yesterday afternoon I helped Sarah Ellen finish closing up 8 trunks that will eventually be sent to Eldoret. What a job. Sem said getting them all closed up allowed her to get to bed at 2:30 THIS MORNING. She was working on a presentation she needs to give to the US ambassador upon arriving in Nirobi. In the past she has not gone to bed the night before leaving for Kenya. How does she do it all. It's impressive and I could in no way keep up with her. She is taking 4 trunks with her and I will try to find someone eventually to take the other 7. Joe took 3 with him as well. So...we packed a lot of stuff. Today is always a bit sad knowing that I won't see her for another 6 months. It's great to have such a good friend. I need sponsors to send me back to Kenya. The next time would be for 2 months. Doug hasn't heard it yet but with little money...he doesn't need to worry. So...shell out folks! I get lonesome for that place. I've been doing a bit of sewing learning how to do machine quilting. Its fun and I think easy to do on small pieces. Big pieces are more difficult. I'm waiting on dimensions to do the next 4 wall hangings for the treatment rooms at Moe University. I continue to meet the quota of filling garbage cans with trimmings from the garden. There still is lots to do. I'm thinking about Advent at church and typed up some instructions for folks who will be working while we are in Georgia for Advent's first Sunday. We'll finish up decorating when we get back. I need to think about the Xmas Tree at our house. Always great to come home after Georgia and have it finished.