"Thank God for Luther"

What am I doing up at this ungodly hour? Of course, no hour is really ungodly, but the way I feel right now is very very close to that. My chime clock in the dining room told me it was an hour later than it actually is so I got up and turned on the computer as well as "Fox and Friends"----or so I thought! Normally I wake to "The Beltway Boys" but instead the annoying Greta was on, interviewing the Palin family. By this time I've about come to and remembered the time change from overnight. But that doesn't alter the fact that I'm up and at my machine in the near middle of the night!

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At this moment an ad is playing for Travis, featuring Jessica and him, and later the entire family, filmed on the property here at The Club. Some of the still shots are of Travis as he served as Mayor and on the Town Council, and his voice-over tells about growing up in Orange Park, graduating from OP High, meeting his wife, and so on. It's a lovely ad and I hope those opposing Travis see what "family' actually means to Jessica and him, since their main issue against him was his support of the Dog Track and Poker Room. Mainly the opponents are folks who live on the road which runs behind the Track who fear traffic and noise problems. Since its inception, I don't believe it's been a problem and I'd be more concerned, if I lived over there, about the resulting traffic and such from the added multi-unit housing being built on Moosehaven property. Talk about a gamble!

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After my tender massage yesterday I headed up to Office Max to get a few supplies. In order to attempt at cleaning off this desk and table, I needed to get an additional file basket to be dedicated only to church papers. Even after having invoices and receipts filed away, I still have piles and heaps of "homeless" church papers. Not Bible study pages but rather information and such from Outreach or other projects in the works. I have some hanging files which are shaped like pockets to hold stuff like this. My commitment this week is to deal with much of the junque on my desk and table prior to Judy's arrival. And, yes, I had this same commitment prior to Lisa and Lynn's visit in August. The spirit is willing but the flesh wants to run the other way!

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Being in an office supply store is very dangerous for me with my love of paper and pens and accoutrement's but I exercised amazing restraint. Found my wire basket, which matches the others I already use, some legal-sized paper plus white cardstock for sign-up sheets and notices. Since I'd already decided to do a CHRISTmas newsletter this year, I saw some lovely pre-printed papers so grabbed a pack of that as well. Yes, I could have designed my own and spent time hand-stamping the images and so on, but opted for the stationery store paper and will personalize it with my words instead.

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In yesterday's mail I found an invitation for my niece, Tina's, baby shower in late November. It's the day before the Ladies' Advent Service so I will need to think long and hard about going down there for the shower. Marian, my sister-in-law from South Florida, is planning to be there for ThanksLiving anyway so the timing was perfect for the shower. I haven't seen Marian since her mom's funeral in August of 2007 so I really must be organized enough to go down there and spend some time with her, and Tina, of course.

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After I sent off the Flock Talk newsletter yesterday afternoon, I took to my bed to watch "The Piano" and become one with my heating pad. Even after the massage my shoulders were achy and besides that, it just feels so darn good to lay with that warm pad under my shoulders on a "chilly" afternoon! Jennifer had called earlier to see if I wanted to meet them for dinner after they got their oil changed and, of course, I did! They were going to O'Charleys because kids eat free, and every penny counts these days. I had the most delicious pretzel-coated chicken tenders appetizer as my meal, with enough leftover for another meal. That's the good thing about dining out, I get two meals for the price of one! Oh, oh, oh, plus I ran into an old friend of mine from Johnny Carino's, Janet, who used to take care of me and Martie, or whomever was with me on their patio, for our afternoon refreshment on hot summer days! Since they closed up, Janet's been around at various restaurants, settling now at O'Charleys. Can't wait to tell Martie I ran into Janet! I told Janet I haven't had an Italian Margarita since Johnny's closed! "Oh, Johnny, we hardly knew ye!"

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When I digress, like just occurred, I think of the first time "The Maestro", Robbie, read my blog. He told me, "You write just like you talk!" Ya got that right! Back to "The Piano"......not sure what to say about it, besides "that was weird". Talk about dark! If any of you have seen it and have something to say to me about it, please do so. I can't really tell you what I feel. Some of the scenes were more than a little questionable and hardly fitting for the period, I'd say, but added the potential for more drama I guess. Not being all that sophisticated a person, sorry, but it was just okay to me. I can chalk it up to having seen it and can also chalk up could have lived without it. Not so "The Bucket List!"

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Speaking of The Maestro, today is our big, big day worship-wise!!! We are celebrating Reformation Day with two services, the first being at my own church and the afternoon song and devotional service at Victory, across the river. I simply cannot wait to sing "In Christ Alone" in the echo chamber of Victory. We have three anthems we are singing with combined choirs plus Victory has a hand bell choir, Suzanne playing her viola, and of course, their organ and grand piano. Let the heavens rejoice! And, as our now-deceased member used to say: "Thank God for Luther!"