Or, Mundy Thursday, as one of the church signs on Kingsley or Blanding read, according to one of my friends. I wonder how many denominations recognize this day and how many will attend the services being offered....My gang is going tonight but first we are meeting for dinner at a new place across from the hospital called "Waters". It used to be sushi/Japanese place but now serves 'Northern and Southern' foods. I asked Twila which country it meant and she said, "Here! America!" Get out!!! For real? This should prove interesting! I wonder if they will have perch and deep-fried cheese curds. Or, by north, do they mean New England, I wonder? I will check it out and report back!
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As part of our worship tonight, Kathy B. and Suzanne will be playing some of our more recognizable Lenten/Holy Week hymns including Suzanne's favorite "Were You There?". She plays the viola beautifully, and adds so much to the worship. At the close of the service some of the altar guild ladies will be stripping the altar area of all adornment, significant and moving, pointing to the humiliation Jesus endured at the hands of the soldiers and Jewish leadership before His crucifixion. This year I am sitting it out as I was not there Sunday to practice, so for the first time in a long time, I will not be part of the event, for lack of a different word. Carol told me on Tuesday that she has not been part of the altar stripping for five years but next year, she is putting herself back in. It is such a beautiful yet poignant demonstration, so much significance.....And then the grandeur is returned on Easter morning when the altar area is dressed in white and lilies adorn and the music is joyful...He is risen, he is risen indeed!!
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Last night I read a couple chapters from my "It Happened in Wisconsin" book. This book is one another reader would have torn through but I am reading in segments at a time. I picked it up because it has a dark green cover with yellow dust on it, and I wanted to wipe it off. Somehow I managed to read a couple chapters, including the one where Ripon is declared the birthplace of the GOP. No mention of the cookie factory, however. It was also, prior to the GOP, a hotbed of communism, strangely enough, until the commune leader moved to CA. Go figure!
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Earlier I was reheating some leftovers in the microwave oven and as I stood by the stove, waiting, I saw that it was once more coated in yellow pollen. This is unbelievable. Even my black framed metal doors are covered in yellow and while I would like them cleaned off for when company comes on Sunday, it would be fruitless to attempt at this point. A good rain (I can't believe I said that!) might help plus a windy day to move it along would be good.
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Last night Brenda came over and had a drink while we chatted in the river room, enjoying the view. Today is her birthday and she is taking the day off to celebrate with her daughter, plans unknown as of last night. Lori had repaired some antique earrings for Brenda and I gave them to her when she came. She loved seeing them refit for pierced ears and hopes her daughter will appreciate them as much as Brenda does. They belonged to her grandmother, I think, so they must be at least 70 years old at least. Brenda also tapped into my DVD collection for her weekend viewing since she has no cable TV at her house. She thanks me all the time for introducing her to the library for her DVDs so she does not have to spend money renting things to watch. At her daughter's house, when dog sitting, she gets to watch cable TV, but not at home. So, she took along several movies and I told her that this would be my insurance that I will see her again soon! One must really pin her down!
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The TV she and her housemate watch is my 'old' one, weighs about 300 pounds, which I replaced in 2006 after I moved in here. Justin wanted an HD TV and I was under the impression that the entire world was converting to digital in 2007, so wanted to beat the rush. Well, only now did I get the digital converter box on my TV, but at the time, we had a special box or two from Comcast to get the HD look and such. After Justin moved out, I turned that special equipment back in since I did not 'need' bells and whistles, especially since I watch mostly in my room anyway. So, when I got the new TV, Carey, Brenda's friend, came to get the old one, and needed a dolly to move it. Justin and Rick helped Carey load it up here but I do not know who helped him unload it once he got it home. Justin thinks that is the TV we used in the Street of Dreams house back in 1995 but is more likely to remember such details than am I.
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The Clay County Fair is going on now and my friend, Jen, said she thought they would go one day. I am not up for that, not even working in the Art Guild booth this year. Some good county fair food would be nice but we will see. A barge is making its way down the river, or rather, up the river, plus a few other vessels have passed through. The river is glistening and flat, must be no wind at all according to the palm trees outside my window. Today I will go visit my lady friends at Great Hang Ups and get over to Publix to grocery shop. Justin asked me to buy some Country Crock Mac 'n Cheese for our feast so I will comply as one of our guests is a remarkably picky eater. I wish the Hilchey's could come for dinner but they are unable to do so this time. Olivia is staying up in Knoxville for the Easter weekend, having only one day off from college so it was not worth it. She graduates in May so every moment counts now.
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Yesterday I enjoyed a marvelous lunch with a bunch of ladies from church at Pengrees. Our 'guest of honor', Lisellette, actually beat us to the punch and picked up the tab. Twila, Gretchen, Ethel, Judy J., Jackie, and me. Three of us had the patty melt, cooked to perfection and Ethel ordered a chef's salad which was served on a turkey platter!!! Talk about huge! Twice this week I ate with the salad eaters again!!! Ethel had been gone to South Dakota for over a month, helping to take care of Darwin's brother and his wife. The wife ended up in assisted-living, with Darwin and Ethel taking care of that move, plus the brother, who had a remarkable recovery after being on a ventilator, was moved to a nursing home. They had to take care of all his business, etc. and came home here to rest up! No other family was available to assist so it was all on them.
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The last of my mailings went out yesterday before I went to Pengree's so I can now breathe more easily. Whew! Of course, with Holy Week activities picking up today, it will be more busy but not requiring too much of me besides singing and greeting. Oh, and church cleaning! Somehow I landed the job of cleaning before Easter. No pressure....but I want everything to be nice for when company comes, hopefully, on Sunday! I will have to remember to pace myself when vacuuming at church, and not get crazy with the vacuum cleaner, as is my tendency. I should go and do that tomorrow morning or Saturday so it stays nice for Sunday. I am getting so excited for Easter!!!
