Today was a scheduled work day at church to get the yard ready for Easter. We were allowed to make contributions toward the purchase of mulch and flowers. I did that since my yard work days are behind me, in more ways than one. I was going to let my checkbook do the work for me until an e-mail arrived yesterday informing the members that it was an inside and out work day. Oh, now that's different!
Justin told me last Sunday how awful the property looks and what a big difference Raymond and he could make if they had the chance to do so. I offered to buy some of their time if they could swing by to do some work during their already packed schedule. Justin said he'd look things over and get with Will to see what could be done.
Mike is saying, "Oh, Kimmie....." In the background is Renee, spreading mulch
He got back to me a few days ago saying they could do an hour's work on Thursday as their route took them that direction. One hour and they can do a whole lot, mostly grooming things, like edging and blowing. I am getting the 'discount' rate for charity, according to his boss. Nice! Mike S. and Justin talked about all this and are going to coordinate on what and where their attention will be needed. Mike S. does this for a living as well, so those two guys are a good team!
Since this was now supposedly an 'inside' day too, I went over with my spray bottle of multi-surface citrus Pledge with the goal of wiping off the hymnals and Bibles. My personal mission is to have no sticky handmarks on the covers. When I arrived, people were quite busy with weeding and mulching. I walked around and greeted everyone. Janet looked at me with my bags of stuff, and my Diet Coke. "You look so fresh, with your bottle of soda...You know where we want to put that bottle of soda?" (She is so earthy!) I laughed and said, "In the fridge?" She mocked me, saying I was a prima donna which prompted me to sing that song from "The Phantom of the Opera". She was not amused! I told her if she wanted me, to look in the church, but I wouldn't tell her what I was doing. No one else was there for 'inside' cleaning. Guess that was misprint or something.
Mostly I was alone in the sanctuary, listening to Sarah Brightman on my iPhone as I sprayed and polished. Pastor and Nathan, his son, were working on the MIDI and speakers for next Sunday's outdoor service, so I kept the volume down. At one point, Pastor thought it was me doing the singing. Now that's a compliment!
Here find Janet, Ellen, and Judy working on the beds along the side of the church
After Pastor went outside it was just Nathan and me. I showed him the filth I was getting off the pew books and he was surprised to see how much build-up there is. It's been a few years since I've done this the last time (I do 'my' hymnal in 'my' pew as needed).
At one point I could hear lots of voices in the breezeway but figured folks were taking a break. Pastor poked his head in and invited busy Nathan and me to join the rabble for lunch. I sat next to Janet to eat and she sneared at me, "You're still fresh..." and I said, "Minty fresh!" Such a girl she is!
After lunch the crew got busy again, as did I, listening to some Leonard Cohen while I worked. Carol came in to do some altar stuff so we talked for a bit, me multi-tasking. But, before I got to the end of my project, I ran out of Pledge. Nuts! I have about three rows to go plus the scattered hymnals and Bibles so will have to pick up more citrus cleaner (should be minty!) and finish the task during the week. I am such a prima donna!
