Sunday evening coming down

Poor Joanne! She has to get up extremely early in the morning tomorrow to report for Jury duty downtown in Jacksonville, as she is still a registered voter in Duval. She called the appointed number tonight to make sure she needed to show up and the message said all those contacted must appear...by 8:30 a.m. They park at the football stadium and are shuttled over to the courthouse, having to be front and center for duty promptly at 8:30! That means she has to leave home at least by 7:00 a.m.! Joanne plans to go to bed early so she can get up easily in the a.m. You sure don't want to mess with City Hall, or the courthouse!

*

This a.m. I picked up the beautiful cake and table decorations for the New Member Welcome, plus three cases of soda, at Publix. Spring green was my color of choice and looked quite festive when completely set up. The three new members posed with the cake and then it was cut and served. I had a helper come to move the line along after the kids were done picking out which piece they wanted, with my "emergency cake" not needed to be cut into. I was concerned the 1/4 sheet wouldn't go all the way around, but it did, just barely!

*

Janet was waiting less than patiently for these festivities to be over so the room could be set up for our 60 ladies coming that afternoon for the Mother/Daughter event. Tables were set up and chairs put in place. Judy J. was my "mom" and we were allowed to sit at the "VIP" table because I was the one leading the prayer. We had ladies from the sistering congregations there, too, which was wonderful. We had all finger foods, no silverware, including sandwiches, mini quiche, and desserts. The fashion show was a hoot, with funny outfits made up. For instance, a T-shirt with tea bags attached to the bottom of a shirt; a "ball gown" which was a formal with all sorts of different balls attached to it; an "evening gown" with nothing but stars decorating the dress...see the pattern? It was just a hoot with little girls and no longer young women serving as models.

*

Just prior to the event getting underway, Kathy B. got a phone call from the school where she teaches, reporting that there was no school for the next two days because of the flu! She did not know if it was preventative or if a case has been discovered, but Lynn, our Pastor's wife, was so relieved to have two days off! She also teaches and has been working some long hours recently, getting things ready to wrap up for the end of the year. She said she was going to sleep all day tomorrow....or at least late! Kathy B. is joining us for lunch but not Bible study because she, too, wants to sleep! I have such a good life, sleeping anytime I want to----well, almost anyway!

*

The choir sang twice today, once singing the psalm with the congregation plus the response after the 2nd reading. Suzanne said when she was singing the words as part of worship, she got a bit choked up. Guess I am rubbing off on people! "Every knee shall bow, every tongue shall sing that Jesus Christ is Lord!" We also sang "Draw Near" as the first communion distribution hymn, followed by "I Am Jesus' Little Lamb", since it was Good Shepherd Sunday. Oh, dear! Carol knew it was a funeral hymn and she came to sit down next to me. She reached over to pull out a hymnal and said, "We can do this...." and proceeded to sing along. Nothing came out of me but tears, and then it was my turn to go up for communion. I was mopping as I made my way from the pew and up the aisle, and Janet reached over to squeeze my hand as we stood to go to the rail. Kristi was behind me and patted my shoulders. It was under control through the Sacrament and when I got back to my row, I reached over to get a tissue from the MIDI speaker. Kristi came along and gave me a giant hug, and then, when Suzanne came back, she hugged me, too.

*

I just cannot help it, and I imagine folks think "Isn't she over this yet?" or similar thoughts. Though Timmy died just over 8 years ago, but it feels like yesterday sometimes. I certainly know I have nothing to fear for my child, he is safe with the Lord, as Jesus' little lamb, but I still miss him terribly. And am sad he is gone from me. "....and when my short life if ended, by His angel host attended, He shall fold me to His breast, there within His arms to rest." And some might wonder why this makes me cry? REALLY??? I am also quite moved by the expressions of love, comfort and concern from my friends, and that is why I love them all so much!!!

The little "bad" elf on my shoulder....

........says, "Oh, go ahead and blog, you have time...." while the Good Elf tells me to remember my new discipline...

*

I will, I promise to keep an eye on the time. This morning I must stop at the Argyle Publix to pick up the cake for New Member Welcome on my way to church. I am also getting a plastic table cover, paper plates and plastic forks so all can be wrapped in the cloth and disposed of, for quick cleaning. I will not have to worry about cleaning up too much because there is another function this afternoon, the Mother/Daughter Spring Fling! Janet is the hostess for that and it is going to be a hoot! We are having a fashion show complete with comedic outfits, featuring McDonald's wrappers and something with bells attached. I cannot give away too much, only a tickler to get the ladies to come. Not a problem, there are 60 signed up!

*

Yesterday was wonderful, just wonderful! After a lovely morning at home, I quickly straightened up my room to avoid further criticism from my housemate, and then concentrated on The Palace Press. A much shorter newsletter than the church letter, it does not take me very long to get it out the door. Or off the keys as it were. Now that the roof and elevator project are completed for the most part, there are fewer "fires" to put out. We are gearing up for the painting and sealing of cracks, etc. on the exterior of the building. This will certainly cause some fireworks, expected or unexpected. When approached by several people to serve on the official Board of the condo assoc., I respectfully declined, not wanting to give up my "role" as peace keeper, or disinterested third party, as the case might be. Hugh compliments my work on the newsletter, telling me that no one can tell "what side" of an issue I am on based on my writing. Only what the information is, stated in a somewhat straightforward manner. "We report, you decide": I learned well!

*

Once that newsletter was completed, I needed to only print one off because Gus does not have Internet to receive his. I delivered it to his door and left for Lake Asbury for Hanna's birthday party. I was thinking about Tarren as I drove, as she is Hanna's godmother. If they hadn't moved to IL, I bet they would be at the party, as well. I had printed off directions from our buddies, Mapquest.com, to help me find the neighborhood where Janet and Suzanne live, because I can never remember if they off the road by Winn Dixie or beyond W/D. It was beyond, but the quest directions took me halfway to Penney Farms before I just knew this was not right. Ricky's parents live down this way so that is why I have trouble remembering which is which. I turned around and managed to find their house with little trouble, once putting the goofy, messed up directions away. I think we all have Mapquest nightmares to share, right Linda?

*

The birthday party was underway when I arrived but I managed to find a seat poolside and enjoy the warm weather. John was cooking hamburgers and hot dogs, Michael running forth and back to get things, and Judy was swinging on the swing with Teresa. The kids enjoyed the pool and the water slide Judy brought with her. It is the inflatable type with water running over it, and the kids come down into a pool of water at the end of it. I got a firsthand look at some of the kids Suzanne tells me about from the neighborhood, and even got to see a real life Barbie doll mom! I tried to see if her feet like the doll's feet but didn't get a good look....

*

Suzanne's aunt Virginia was there, too, and it was so nice to see her again. She had been a member of G.S. years ago and I remember helping to serve for her hubby's funeral. It was the same day we had a little flood at the office, cannot remember what caused the flood, though, and I had to leave the clean up to work for the funeral. Funny how things connect in our minds---the funeral and the flood. Virginia has since remarried, and I got to see her daughter and granddaughter, too, who used to live in Scotland.

*

After the birthday party, I headed the rest of the way to Clay Hill. I consider Suzanne's an oasis, a place to rest on the way out there! It is a much shorter drive when you have a place to enjoy food cooked on the grille (hot dogs!!) and some cake and some laughs. I arrived a bit after the planned start time for the festivities at Woodruff's and was met by Louise and Fred when I pulled up, as they had only just arrived. Fred used to work with us at Rosewood and had done some of the remodeling and the A/C at my lake house. It had been a while since I had seen him, but I see his daughter-in-law with some regularity at political functions and such. Louise and Beth are both Stampin' Up people so we had lots to discuss, especially during National Scrapbooking Month!

*

Fred can certainly bend an ear and as he sat next to me on the picnic bench chatting, Louise piped up that Fred should give someone else a chance to talk to Kim! Wow! There are some people that even though you do not see them every week or month, or whatever, once back under the same tent, as it were, it is like no time has passed at all! It was great to see all of these folks again, Jimmie's side of the family, including BoBo, his sister, with whom we spent an exciting weekend during Hurricane Francis in 2004, when all sought refuge in Middleburg. Jimmie's mom was there, too, during the storm. I recall that Lisa (the bride) had wanted to put Granny in the closet when there was a tornado warning, and Justin was going to help put her there for safe keeping. We never did go to that extent of keeping her safe, but I chuckle now at the idea of it.

*

Anyway, BoBo was there and Jimmie's other sister and his brother, nieces and nephews, etc., plus Brenda's usual clan whom I get to see with some frequency. The kids had a good time driving the golf carts around the property, little girls driving the cars, unreal! The main recreation events were two "horseshoe" type games set up, with ropes connecting golf balls which are then tossed toward horizontal bars (PVC pipes, Middleburg-style) painted with fluorescent colors. The balls, if they connect with the bars, wrap around and points are scored based upon the color of the bar, and if it stays wrapped or falls off. They played all afternoon and into the dark, trying to light the two areas with car lights which blinded those not playing. The "Boss Hogg" cooking team, JD and his grandpa, prepared marvelous bbq food, a real treat for us! Jason and Lisa opened their wedding gifts and read their cards aloud, which were just lovely. They are so happy, and I am happy they finally got married!

*

Brenda told the story about how they went to the pastor where Bren has been attending church, now immersed up to her eyeballs in church activities. Jason and Lisa began going too, and when they talked to the pastor about getting married, he had some tough questions for them. In answer to their question about whether he would marry them or not, he said, "No, not under the circumstances." What had to change? They had to live apart and abstain from *** for at least a month before he would marry them. Brenda broke out in a cold sweat because she sooo wanted them to get married by the pastor, but they surprised her by saying to him, "We can do that." And they did! Lisa went to live with Brenda's parents down the road, and the two of them kept their vow to abstain and not live together. I am proud of them both, because it meant so much to them to be married in the church, with the Lords' blessing, and now mine!