Visits

This is the amazing pear tree that I was telling you about. Too bad you can't see all of the butterflies fluttering around it. They really like the pears.

I went and visited at the nursing home in a neighboring county today. It was especially poignant because I was visiting my uncle. My mom's brother. He served twenty years in the Marine Corp, two tours of Vietnam and it really was painful seeing him laying in that bed. My soul is hurting right now. He is a remarkably luck man. He served in the war and never got hurt. Came home and was hit by a drunk driver in Hawaii. They were going to amputate his leg but they were having an orthopedic surgeon convention and they came together and saved it. He's a fighter. He hopes to go home on the 21st. I pray that comes true for him.

I called the band director today because my child came home crying last night. This girl plays four instruments, three extremely well (violin, oboe, piano). He has her playing the bass drum during marching season. He moved her ahead of her class last year and yesterday said it was a mistake since she didn't know the clap rhythms. I called him about her oboe lesson but asked him about what happened. He apologized for getting "caught up in the moment and not talking to her privately." He said it appeared, "that she listened to the others and then memorized the rhythm." Doesn't surprise me, she learned to play the violin before she could even read very well. I said, "Well, if you need to replace her with someone else for the good of the band, I understand." And, it wouldn't really matter to me because she is so busy anyway that she does need to cut back. But this was a little tongue in cheek because I know how desperate he is for musically talented kids in the band. I'm not a mom that interferes in her school life very much. I'm involved but if she gets in trouble with a teacher, I almost always back the teacher up but she was crying. And this wasn't the instrument that she signed up for, he wanted her there. Plus, I know that embarrassing her in front of her peers will not get the results that he wants.

Her new dresser was delivered today. Almost without mishaps but they ran it into the only picture that we have ever taken together at a professional photography studio. I tried to catch it and got my finger sliced open from the glass. It damaged the portrait but I scanned it into the computer so it is salvageable. The frame was very, very inexpensive so that doesn't matter. In fact, I have another one in the kitchen cabinet just waiting for the next school picture. Finger bled forever and went through two paper towels that were wrapped around it.

Finished shampooing the carpet. Getting up all the stains from the old leaky a/c unit. Have a bad headache though (stress I think). I sure don't want to go to the band booster meeting tonight and then help them at the tail-gate party fundraiser tomorrow night. I'm being bitchy but it is raising money for the HS students to go to Disneyland. Bitchy, bitchy, bitchy. Well, I have to run to the school and take Ryss' oboe. This was a last minute visit by the woodwinds instructor.

Day's End

This is a view from the top of Ryss's corn snake "Dot". She is leaving for a new home after over five years. She is over four feet long and has been one of the easiest pets we have ever owned and is going to a good home. Ryss just doesn't have the time to properly care for her any longer.

I worked out for 1 1/2 hours today. Did my regular Pilates workout and then my friend came over and we worked out even longer. I feel pretty righteous - not any lighter but righteous. But today I was watching CNN and saw this news story about a guy whose lungs were damaged by inhaling the fumes from his microwave popcorn. Granted he ate popcorn several times a day but this was very strange but that isn't the interesting part - immediately after hearing the story I had the worst craving for popcorn and had to make some. Didn't inhale the steam from my fat-free popcorn but I did eat a bowl.

Thought I better check on my financial aid for my D.Min. program today. Was informed that everything is in order and that they will send me some money after the 30th of this month. Excuse Me. My week long stay on campus begins on the 9/24. How am I supposed to pay for the hotel, travel, etc??? Oh, that's right she says, you are starting school before that - "YES" (you dunce). They are going to check on advancing me some of my student loan money. I hate being so needy but I am a single-parent, student pastor and barely scraping by. We didn't even go on a week-end trip this summer because we couldn't afford it. There is no way I can rent a hotel for an entire week without some up-front money. I was happy that I could afford to buy all of the books in advance. Anyway pray for me. Hopefully, they will help me out. I'm wondering if I should email my plight to the director of the program. Any advice out there??

I was vindicated today. Told Hard-Headed Child that volleyball would interfere with cheerleading, she argued and argued but I prevailed. They are actually canceling the squad tomorrow at the game because all of the girls except my child can't be there - they have a volleyball game. Hmmph..... told you so.

Admin Council went very smoothly. It is back to normal after the whole "remodeling of Sanctuary" controversy. I was very leery, though. The SPRC Chair even said during her report, "The rest of you really don't realize all of the work that the pastor does behind the scenes". Felt good but I'm not sure that some of those present were convinced but it still felt good. Everything is now approved and in place for the Mother's Day Out Ministry. Hip, Hip, Hurray!! Good thing because my article about it came out in today's newspaper. And they put it in big headlines about the fold of the paper (not on page one but big headline).

I will have three hours tomorrow to finish up my sermon and to blog, surf the net, shampoo the carpet because they are delivering the new dresser. So blog something interesting for me to read. They called for directions and were supposed to call back with the 3-hour window, but didn't. Maybe they will come early so that I can get to the Nursing Home before the afternoon nap.