Sunday Church and Going Slow

I rose late again and was happy to find the coffee (from Steve and AJ; thanks!) waiting for me. I was up a bit early to write the blog before church, but with the service now at 11 for Beaverton’s First United Methodist Church, it was not a hardship. I wrote and had a banana for breakfast with the coffee. Deborah and I spoke a few times. I did my usual doom scrolling. I sense that President Trump is looking to control the news cycle with all sorts of outrageous behavior; anything to coverover Epstein and affordability reporting; Wallpapering President.

Here in the local area, and across Northern California, it is a mess of rivers overflowing their banks and roads breaking up. I am not headed to the Oregon Coast anytime soon in Air VW the Gray (and I try to find a working charging station there). I am staying home of late.

With the blog done, I showered and all of that, and dressed in a tie and my newest hat from the UK. It is more my usual look and fits well. I put Pastor Ken’s gift in the car and headed to my church.

(my new hat after church)

I checked out the new counter and saw that the sink and dishwasher were installed, but not ready for use. I did receive, and I knew this time would come, complaints and statements that the work made the church feel more like a Funeral Home than a church. That we should redesign the cabinets, I heard questions like why were the windows not redone, and other lesser complaints. Why do I avoid doing projects and teaching at churches? There was no wonder in my mind about that again.

Still, most folks loved the refreshed spaces, and I was happy with the work. The work incorporated everything I covered in the plan and matched the drawings. Just a few items and I am free!

I ushered and was not too busy with various folks who walked in from the street. We had our usual folks getting coffee and some donut holes. I welcome them.

Dondrea gave a marvelous sermon about it being the shortest day of the year and that we should seek light and those things that bring light into our lives. That, despite all the terrible news and events, both nationally and personally, we need to seek the light, and it will be better for the search.

With that and all the ‘input’ I received, I left a bit early after church ended. I went home, talked to Deborah for a while, and then had a late lunch or early dinner. I fried a steak in a cast-iron pan and then baked it in the oven until it was medium (I was aiming for medium-rare, but I didn’t time it right). While I liked grilled better, my grill needs to be replaced (it is rusting away now), and it was interesting to try this method. Just salt and pepper. This method is also reported to work for frozen steaks.

I baked and microwaved a potato and chopped veggies for a nice dinner salad. The steak was huge, as was the potato, and I cut them in half when done and put them away for another meal (the cold steak was good for breakfast). Deborah and I reached the current Matlock episode and enjoyed it together, making comments on the phone while we watched a nearly synced play in Oregon and Michigan.

I planned to clean and pack, but my colon and its contents had other plans. I spent most of the day reading and going slow (and never far from the bathroom). And while I would prefer a more normal process, the choices were few with colon cancer, and my truncated colon most of the time works as expected. And it could be my diabetic meds reacting to the heavy dinner and wine with gaming, and my lack of sleep.

I watched more Halo and liked it better as the story started to make more sense and the characters became more sympathetic. I did the sweeping and mopping in the kitchen. I got the Friday Laundry finally done (just in time for Monday’s).

I had some cheese (I have an excellent selection from the Cheesemonger at Market of Choice) for a snack. I paid my Delta Dental bill. On Monday, I have the last of the year requirements, as I am booked for the rest of the days of the week and then I am in Detroit. I returned to my polite British murders and read until I nodded off (imagine me wandering through the British village where the murder is set).

I turned off the light and slept most of the night. No dreams are remembered.

Thanks for reading!