Sorrow of sorrows, disappointments heaped upon disappointments…..there was absolutely no way we could get to Sheboygan to see Gabe in his first Sunday school CHRISTmas service today. The primary reason I came so far ahead of the holidays was to attend that special major event in his life, and mine, which made me all the sadder.
*
Instead, we bustled about here getting ourselves ready for worship at First German which thus far hadn’t cancelled services this morning. Alayna went out ahead of time to start the car and clean the windows off, somehow managing to rock and maneuver the car toward the side door to pick up Mom and me. We could open the door from the building about 12” before the drift stopped it but Alayna took the broom from Mom’s car and swept a path as best she could against the wind so we could get out. Oh, brother! My friend, Jennifer, from church, you just have no idea what it’s like to negotiate in the weather like this! I hope you never will, either!
*
The good news, of course there is always something good to be found, was that First German was using the Morning Praise Order of Service today. I love being part of this service, and then the choir was singing the psalm today so Alayna was going to be able to participate after all. Linda was up in the choir loft but Lynn was not, as she was still snowbound. Linda and Tom got out because "Mr. John Deere" came to the rescue and got their driveway plus probably six more in the neighborhood cleaned out before dawn. Tommy loves his new toy---can’t wait to see what he does with it in the summer time!
*
After worship was Bible study, with a look at Genesis, which is always quite interesting. Linda, Lynn, and Alayna are going through the same study on Thursdays with Kathy Wedland, making them doubly wise regarding this book. Linda asked if we wanted to go have breakfast since we were already out and about, so she drove us to Country Kitchen. When we got out of the car there, parking right by the door, the wind was so powerful it took our breath away. Alayna had control of her grandma so she wouldn’t tip over but wow, what a strong wind, icy at that! On the radio, Jill said as we drove over, it was a 30 degree below zero wind chill effect which might account for the chilled bones we had.
*
As we enjoyed our breakfast, Alayna casually mentioned having to be at work by noon so we had to hustle finishing our meals and paying the bill in order to get her to work. Linda dropped Mom and me off at church for her car and then brought Alayna back here to Mom’s so she could change clothes. At church, the wind blew the door shut before Mom had her leg in and she couldn’t push the door hard enough to get the leg into the car! Finally, the wind rested enough so she could maneuver the car door, or I’d have had to go around and pull it open once more. Linda took Alayna to work just as Mom and I pulled into the parking lot, taking any available space. We had to navigate through the tire tracks Linda's car left to walk to the door, all the while being slapped in the face with icy wind and snow. Gotta love it!!!!
*
As I sit here writing, I glance to my right in order to look out the window but the entire pane is covered in ice. The door to the lobby was blocked open with snow but when we got home, I pushed it around with my foot in order to get it mostly shut. This apartment building management is shameful to say the least but we are most thankful for the man with the plow to come make a path for us. He doesn’t do the shoveling, only the plowing portion of the clean-up. We can’t even take the garbage out to the dumpster because it’s heaped full from not being dumped in a couple weeks. What should be an automatic weekly thing is now on the “when the tenants call to complain” basis. Ugh! The common area floors are filthy and I might even go out later and sweep a bit because I can’t stand it. This is why I toyed, already last September, to sell my condo in FL and move up here to get my mom out of this ‘lack of management’ establishment. We all regret now that we made such fun of the in-house manager when she was still alive and running the joint, because this place was well-kept and neat as a pin under her reign of terror. Of course, living through this wretched winter weather the past couple days has really changed my mind about moving here, and I can’t help but wonder if my Florida friends had anything to do with managing the weather here for me!!!!!!
*
Instead, we bustled about here getting ourselves ready for worship at First German which thus far hadn’t cancelled services this morning. Alayna went out ahead of time to start the car and clean the windows off, somehow managing to rock and maneuver the car toward the side door to pick up Mom and me. We could open the door from the building about 12” before the drift stopped it but Alayna took the broom from Mom’s car and swept a path as best she could against the wind so we could get out. Oh, brother! My friend, Jennifer, from church, you just have no idea what it’s like to negotiate in the weather like this! I hope you never will, either!
*
The good news, of course there is always something good to be found, was that First German was using the Morning Praise Order of Service today. I love being part of this service, and then the choir was singing the psalm today so Alayna was going to be able to participate after all. Linda was up in the choir loft but Lynn was not, as she was still snowbound. Linda and Tom got out because "Mr. John Deere" came to the rescue and got their driveway plus probably six more in the neighborhood cleaned out before dawn. Tommy loves his new toy---can’t wait to see what he does with it in the summer time!
*
After worship was Bible study, with a look at Genesis, which is always quite interesting. Linda, Lynn, and Alayna are going through the same study on Thursdays with Kathy Wedland, making them doubly wise regarding this book. Linda asked if we wanted to go have breakfast since we were already out and about, so she drove us to Country Kitchen. When we got out of the car there, parking right by the door, the wind was so powerful it took our breath away. Alayna had control of her grandma so she wouldn’t tip over but wow, what a strong wind, icy at that! On the radio, Jill said as we drove over, it was a 30 degree below zero wind chill effect which might account for the chilled bones we had.
*
As we enjoyed our breakfast, Alayna casually mentioned having to be at work by noon so we had to hustle finishing our meals and paying the bill in order to get her to work. Linda dropped Mom and me off at church for her car and then brought Alayna back here to Mom’s so she could change clothes. At church, the wind blew the door shut before Mom had her leg in and she couldn’t push the door hard enough to get the leg into the car! Finally, the wind rested enough so she could maneuver the car door, or I’d have had to go around and pull it open once more. Linda took Alayna to work just as Mom and I pulled into the parking lot, taking any available space. We had to navigate through the tire tracks Linda's car left to walk to the door, all the while being slapped in the face with icy wind and snow. Gotta love it!!!!
*
As I sit here writing, I glance to my right in order to look out the window but the entire pane is covered in ice. The door to the lobby was blocked open with snow but when we got home, I pushed it around with my foot in order to get it mostly shut. This apartment building management is shameful to say the least but we are most thankful for the man with the plow to come make a path for us. He doesn’t do the shoveling, only the plowing portion of the clean-up. We can’t even take the garbage out to the dumpster because it’s heaped full from not being dumped in a couple weeks. What should be an automatic weekly thing is now on the “when the tenants call to complain” basis. Ugh! The common area floors are filthy and I might even go out later and sweep a bit because I can’t stand it. This is why I toyed, already last September, to sell my condo in FL and move up here to get my mom out of this ‘lack of management’ establishment. We all regret now that we made such fun of the in-house manager when she was still alive and running the joint, because this place was well-kept and neat as a pin under her reign of terror. Of course, living through this wretched winter weather the past couple days has really changed my mind about moving here, and I can’t help but wonder if my Florida friends had anything to do with managing the weather here for me!!!!!!
2 comments:
Hi Kim,
Pastor's sermon this morning was based on similar events that you described. All the hours put into practice for a Christmas Eve service, only to be missed by inclement weather.
He concluded his sermon, saying not to be disappointed by the "little things", there are always the unexpected events, but focus on the gift we've been given. I've paraphrased that miserably, as I was daydreaming quite a bit this morning, but I did catch the beginning and the end.
Ironic, you would describe the same situation, missing the Christmas program, that the sermon was based on this morning.
Hi Suzanne,
You are correct about focusing on the 'little things' about CHRISTmas instead of recognizing the birth of the Savior. But, I'd have missed out on this horrendous weather if I came with Justin today instead of last week, if if if if.....
Like I told the Pastors yesterday at F. G., at least we sang Morning Praise for the service which sort of soothes the boo-boo of missing Gabe in his CHRISTmas program.
Gordy told me about you playing the viola for the caroling portion of yesterday's events, thanks for that!
Now, young lady, no more day dreaming in church!
Hugs,
Kim
Post a Comment