If you recall, my week started out with a thump upon learning of the drownings of the two little girls in Argyle, not far from my church. I am yet heartsick for their family, knowing the long road toward regained footing they face.
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Monday night brought the church ladies were over to hold our Ladies' Group meeting and a social event which was just a smash! A great balance for the sorrow earlier that day.
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Tuesday and Thursday were the water aerobics classes and the special social time this offers, especially with Maggie and Randy, the Cole Porter guy. Wednesday our plans to hold Happy Hour at the neighboring establishment fell flat due to the deluge which rolled through right at the time we were to meet. I had gotten my hair cut that day and stopped to see my friends at Hang Ups. It was a delightful time but since I had to stop at the store, I had to leave before the heavens opened. But just barely! As I drove toward home, the heavens again released its overflow of accumulated moisture on us, complete with lightning flashes and thunder rolls. Late into the night this continued making our plans null and void. No worries, always something else to do instead!
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Thursday were plans to go with a group to Koko's but for one reason or another, the rest dropped off, leaving Kathy B. and I to enjoy the nice lunch. We both had "business" at Great Hang Ups and it was nice to visit once more in the week. Dee had left only moments before we came in to be with a friend whose husband was in the hospital (next to the word "FRIEND" in the dictionary is a picture of Dee!) so we missed her. Julia was happy to see us, though, and Kathy talked to her about some potential commissioners for the gallery. That evening was the themed dinner with only one empty place left at the table. Still some delicious leftovers in the fridge, waiting for me to polish them off!
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The pool was visited as often as possible this week, between storms, and Saturday was nearly a day-long event of pool time. Although I was out of the water to eat my lunch, the hot dog and pasta salad, most of the 5-6 hours I was out there was spent baking in the water. Hiss, sizzle, hiss as the sun did its thing to my skin....Jessica, my upstairs neighbor, asked me if I was trying to change my race by getting so dark. Miss Chardonnay and Jessica played several hands of Rumikub and were later joined by Ashley Rose who came down to "play" with us. She has no swimwear so could not swim at all, but burns extremely easily, even sitting under the umbrella she was red! Later we reconvened on the 2nd floor sundeck until just before dark. I love spending time with my neighbors and friends! And witnessed three weddings between Saturday and this afternoon!!! Cha-ching for The Club!
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This morning I attended Bible study and worship at Victory. It had been my plan to do so and to have the Vance's there was simply the icing on the cake, as it were. The Bible study was a repeat of the study I attended during the week, before summer began, The Truth Project, with the theme today being about "The State: Whose Law?". I know Justin would have been extremely interested in this topic. While in the class I got a text message from him, asking me to the movies and setting up a time for them. He did not know I was at Victory---SURPRISE! He just said, "Okay, I will see you in a few..." and he did!
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The service was wonderful, with singing "Just As I Am", and finishing with "In Christ Alone". A couple people on Facebook reported either singing or having it played for them today as well. Such a perfect hymn, and I could hear Duane's voice coming from behind me. We sit up closer so Justin can hear better, this time on the piano side as Rachel was absent today. Victory also welcomed a large number of transferred members, the majority of them from "my" church, so they had 23 people lined up across the front....and Pastor got almost all the names correct!
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Justin and I hung around after church (really?) so I could get a picture with the Vances. He said normally he just leaves but today Justin didn't mind hanging out and talking with some of the guys in the 20 Something group he is part of. I got to see many many people there I know, and since we usually attend on Saturday evenings when they have worship, Sundays bring everyone together at once. A good amount of hugging and hand shaking went on, plus I got to hug on a little fellow whom I will miss at Good Shepherd....Zach told me once that he had two friends at church---his grandma and Miss Kim! Sweet boy!
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After church we took my car over to the Mall to grab some lunch before the movie. As he got into my car, the music came on rather loudly, and he asked, "What kind of hippy music are you listening to now?" since he knew it was not Sarah Brightman. I explained it was Leonard Cohen and he was hardly a hippy, he usually is sporting a full suit and fedora, and is 75 years-old now! He would have been more of a beatnik in his day, more a poet/song writer than singer, which came later.
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Justin and I had lunch at Steak 'n Shake, with me having something from their new menu, a Wisconsin Butter Burger!! Like Culvers! According to Justin, they even matched Culver's font on the menu, and the flavor was all that I remember of my last butter burger. No need to go up to WI just for a decent butter burger! Which leads me into the movie we watched, "Julie and Julia"!!! My, how we laughed! Julia Child, played masterfully by Meryl Streep, can talk of nothing but butter, and we could hear audible ooohs and aahhhs as the actresses/chefs prepared the most marvelous looking delights onscreen. Justin kept giving me the elbow when he saw or heard something from "Julia" that reminded him of me, like her expressions and her sense of humor. At points he was even stamping his foot with laughter, it was such a great movie!!! It was so good, in fact, that as we walked out, I told him, "I almost feel like cooking!" We had a great day together in worship, singing "In Christ Alone" (I saw him doing some quick blinking at the end of the hymn....my boy!) and then our fun afternoon....can't ask for much better than that!
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Back to Cohen: I knew of his work since the late 60's when the female folk singers I liked covered his songs. My bro-in-law David, gave me a CD he compiled of our "old favorites" last summer, containing music from when Lori and I were younger, like the late '60's. He included some sung instead by the original artist, which totally changes the impact for me, as compared to hearing it sung by Judy Collins. It seems my upstairs neighbor, Michelle, is also a fan of Cohen's music, and I boldly asked her if I could borrow her CDs to load onto my computer for listening at home. Justin played a song for me on his iPhone, asking if I knew the artist and of course, I did! It was Bob Dylan and he said he is loving Dylan's music more and more these days. Talk about an old hippy! I am loving this as he discovers now the music I grew up on!
