Like a chicken with its head cut off, running around erratically, that's a little bit like what last week felt like. Actually, my days were not erratic, but rather methodical. It's just that I was juggling multiple tasks, like in the days when I was a working woman. Not like the days of retirement. And especially not like the days of Covid confinement. I find joy in purposeful busyness, so it was also a joyful week.
Monday started with a UMW meeting. Our task was decorating valentine cards/envelopes for River Oaks (assisted living) residents. Terri, card maker extraordinaire, had made beautiful cards. We added a message and signature and decorated the envelopes. Fourteen women gathered around tables sharing laughter. We even ended with a little bit of serious discussion about our new direction and what near-term projects we want to tackle. One will be to host the Wesley House "Grannies" for lunch and bingo. Wesley House Community Center serves the low-income Lonsdale/Burlington/Mechanicsville neighborhoods in Knoxville. Our monthly collection of Vienna Sausage goes to their programs. The "grannies" all live on a very low fixed income, basic social security or SSI. They enjoy a meal and bingo at the center every Friday and love to take road trips to area Methodist Churches for their Friday fun. We have hosted them at Trinity in the past and have taken a meal and bingo prizes there to share with them. Bingo prizes are valued household items, like paper goods, soap, detergent, toothpaste - things that SNAP doesn't cover. We also set a date for Friday at 10 am to deliver our cards at River Oaks.
Tuesday held a very exciting adventure. Laura had tickets for Amanda and Claire to go the Hamilton (live musical, not movie) at the Tennessee Theater. Claire could not make it home, so I volunteered to go with Amanda. The Tennessee is described on its website like this: The magnificent Tennessee Theatre first opened its doors on October 1, 1928 and was hailed as “the South’s most beautiful theatre.” A major renovation and restoration was completed in 2005 and the Tennessee is "world-class performing arts center, hosting a wide variety of events and performances, including Broadway musicals and plays. We ate at Bistro at the Bijou just down the street before the 7:30 performance. The theater was magnificent and the we enjoyed the performance. It was a real adventure for me as I'm not accustomed to going out in Knoxville at night without Bill.
 |
| The stage is set and the orchestra is tuning up in the pit. |
 |
| We had good seats in the balcony, near center. The odd theater lighting gave everything a red glow. |
Thursday after Yoga, the Energizer group (mostly the same people) had a pot-luck lunch and bingo. Kathy and I enjoyed lunch but skipped the bingo. I took a bowl of egg & olive salad and crackers. After we got home, I took Bill to pick up the X-terra. The repair estimate was $4500, but does not have to be done immediately. He is going to get a 2nd opinion. That is a lot of money to spend repairing a 2008 vehicle with 178,000 miles, but to replace it would be $30,000+.
Friday I went to town again, this time to meet some of the UMW women to distribute cards at River Oaks. We had 50 cards, one for each resident. Five of us split in different directions and visited briefly with those who opened their door or called us in. For the other, we left the card on the mailbox. The brief visits were meaningful, but sometimes painful. We get a taste of what might be ahead of us. While I was gone, the man came to remove the downed and damaged trees on our west and front. His crew was just finishing as I drove up.
Bill wanted to take the X-terra to the Oak Ridge Nissan dealer for a diagnostic and estimate, but first he wanted to talk to the service manager in person. We went to lunch first at El Cantarito, our new favorite Mexican restaurant in Oak Ridge, then to the dealership. He was satisfied with the conversation and made an appointment to take the X-terra in next Wednesday.
Even with all that, we were home in time for me to make a start on the garden work while Bill did some other yard work. I was able to work for about 30 minutes before my back started bothering me. I need a weed-eater for the next jobs, but ours is broken. Bill has ordered a part to fix it, but it hasn't come yet.
Since we had a big lunch, supper was Ukranian Borscht that I had frozen a few weeks ago, with fresh cornbread.
 |
| Sage had been pruned but not cleaned up. |
 |
| Okra stalks have been removed |
 |
| Broken limbs and dead trees removed |
 |
| The area looks very barren. The stump will be removed on Saturday |
Saturday I stayed home and didn't work too hard! I prepped the Crunchy cole slaw that I'll take to church tomorrow.
Sunday was no sabbath day this week. My SS lesson was on the very hard teachings found in Matthew 5, as the Sermon on the Mount continues. You have heard it said....but I say... Jesus gives us an impossible standard to live by. But again, he is changing the emphasis from action to intention. It is not enough to just be good externally, we need to have a heart of love for others.
During worship, we dedicated Hygiene Kits that are going to Family Resource Center to distribute to teen students who are in transition and lack personal hygiene items. They may be in foster care, or homeless or have lost their belongings in. After worship, we had our monthly Meet & Greet fellowship meal with a Valentine theme. Fun and delicious as usual.
Later in the afternoon, we went to the Brock's to celebrate Wayne's 78th birthday and later watch the Super Bowl. Kathy had ham and a variety of cheeses for sandwiches and I took French Potato Salad. Aiden ate supper with us, but skipped the game. The Matzeks - Laura, Mike and Amanda stayed for the first quarter of the game and Bill and I stayed through the half-time show. Kathy and I managed a bottle of wine and a bottle of champagne between us.
No comments:
Post a Comment