Sunday Just Church and Home

I woke up closer to 8, coughing but not as bad, and at first felt quite well. It is fading, but I know better than to believe it is gone. It fills my day with coughs, and I take cough meds all day. They mostly work.

I rise, reheat the coffee, and find my almond-filled croissant I made the night before. Still good. I like chocolate better, but these make a good change. The squirrels are busy, hiding nuts in the backyard and collecting leaves for their dreys. The roses have slowed as there’s less light, and the climbing rose has two canes over the top of the fence, but then they seem to freeze at that height. Mister Lincoln has two stalks rising to bloom again before winter slows, and most flowers then melt away in the wet before they open. No rain is forecast for a week. I’ll likely get a few more lovely blooms before the rains set in.

I spent the first hours of Sunday writing the blog, not very long, as the cough and my slowing down to try to stop it made the day less interesting. I managed to finish it before I needed to get dressed to be on time for church. Gray slacks, white shirt, pride tie, and a green sweater vest. Black leather shoes and gray/black patterned socks to finish.

I arrive too early and spend part of the time chatting with Deborah. We try to start and end our days together when we’re apart, and we often chat while driving. I then head to the nearby coffee place, Ava Coffee, and get a London Fog. I managed to resist the pastries, cakes, and muffins filling their case. There was no apple strudel.

I returned to First United Methodist Church and noticed that the new lights had brought all the colors back to the sanctuary, and the side lights now looked pale and unneeded. Before, the side lights seemed to glow because it was so dark. The carpets now look less dark (and less clean). Hmmm. More work.

A visitor came in, said she was happy to join us, and then started demanding and collecting social media and personal information from folks. I later refused her as she was leaving; she tried to guilt me into it, then all but threatened a bad review. I have seen this before with salesfolk showing up for a few visits to collect contacts. It is an old-school con, now made easier with iPhones.

Dondrea gave the sermon, and it was, with some irony for me, about including people not like us. Dondrea suggested, like in the story of the dinner (Luke: 14-15-24), that we include people we do not know and bring them in. That, with the start of the Revival, we be inclusive.

Coffee and Brian, the choir director and organist, played roaring music; it didn’t quite shake the new light bulbs loose, but it was strong and loud while still being edgy and friendly. Very interesting piece. Find the sermon and Brian’s playing here.

I headed home and had reheated Chinese-style food for both lunch and dinner. Deborah got the gift I sent her. Both goofy and practical. From Who Give A Crap: 48 rolls of bamboo-made toilet tissue, with each roll wrapped in an image of a US National Park. She loved it. They have single-ship and subscription services. I sent a single shipment.

I am re-reading American Civil War history as I head to the Franklin Battlefield next week. I wanted to tour it after reading the story: The Confederacy’s Last Hurrah by Wiley Sword. The battlefields (Spring Hill, Franklin, and Nashville) have not been saved, but some pieces are available as small museums and views, and I have a Grayline tour on Wednesday. I also left Thursday open if I need to return, but I will likely try Cheekwood Estate instead, a Gilded Age mansion now a garden and art museum. Uber out and back. Dinner and maybe some local music after that.

I watched the next Terminator movie, #3 Judgment Day, my least favorite of the series with Arnold. It seems like a redo with better acting, a female Terminator, better music, and better special effects, but with a really inane storyline. Best to ignore it. But a few fun lines like “She will be back” did make me smile.

Hot tea and lemon are my prescription for the evening, and I keep up the cough meds but reduce it to one pill during the day. I down the nighttime liquid stuff and soon slip into a dreamless sleep. I slept until sunrise.

And that was Sunday. Thanks for reading.