Another Gorgeous Day!

Yesterday Dee went to her work out at Contours, and I went golfing with a clergy friend, Tim. He'd gone to high school with Chris at Treesdale and Chris had suggested I invite Tim to play golf. I did, and we did.

What a beautiful day! The Fall colors are ramping up each day and some of the settings are spectacular. The 75 degrees were very enjoyable. Tim is a very young pastor (He's younger than my daughter.) and enjoys what he does. He'd played golf in high school, but got away from it and doesn't have much time to play now. (I know how that is with ministry.) We had a good time chatting, losing and finding golf balls and relaxing during the day. He seemed to really appreciate getting to play at Treesdale. We both hit some nice balls and scored about 100.

When I got home, Dee and I hung out and worked on some curtains she'd purchased for the bedroom. After we got one up and stood back to look, we decided the color wasn't right. So after dinner we took them back to the store, and then stopped at Barnes and Nobel for a coffee and to check out the various books. I bought a book called "How to Wow"

It has lots of little insights into how to put your best foot forward. Much of the stuff is common sense that really isn't very "common", but seems to make sense when you think about it. I'll throw out some of the gems here from time to time.

We also had a nice talk with out neighbors over the deck railing. They like to play Scrabble and invited us to play with them some time, and I'd mentioned the Wii, and they'd never played that before, so we hope to have a game nite with them in the near future.

Dee and I finished off the evening with hot tub and wine party for the two of us under a bright moon. It's always chilly when we go out to get into the tub, but very comfortable and nice when we get out of the tub. It's like being on vacation when we use it. Afterward we watched a new episode of the television series "Life". What a great day !

The GPS has been selected !

Interestingly, yesterday's Pot Gazette came out endorsing the opponent of the politician I heard yesterday. Hummm.

Yesterday was one of the prettiest days I can recall. The air was clear and crisp and the colors are starting to pop off the landscape. I golfed at Treesdale while Dee worked a few hours. Wished I had my camera! Afterward I went and had lunch at the Cafe where Dee works. Then I went to a place called Golf TEC to see how they give golf lessons. They use computers and body sensors and video cameras. It's indoors and they have various "packages" that include lessons and practice time on the equipment. Interesting concept. It's about 10 miles from my house. A little expensive, but I thought I'd check it out as an option for the winter.

After dinner, Dee and I went to pick up some "Keurig Coffee K Cups". We have a machine and like their coffee and the ease of preparation. She uses Bed Bath and Beyond coupons to safe a few bucks on the purchase. I also checked at Costco on a Navigon GPS system that Costco had on sale. It turns out the sale price is for online purchase. But it does look like a good system. I've decided to get it and cancel my OnStar turn by turn monthly subscription. This particular navigation GPS has Life Time Traffic Alerts as well as text to speech features. I was going to go for the Garmin 260w but like the traffic alert feature this one had and that it was free. Also, Kerri said Costco stands behind their electronics very well.

During the afternoon, I'd received a call back from the Beaver Butler Presbytery from the Executive Presbyter. We're going to get together for lunch next Tuesday. I'd written him about my move to the area and interest in pulpit supply. I called the Methodists twice and left messages and no response as of yet, whereas this guy contacted me the next day after I sent an email.

Politicians !

Yesterday we just hung out in the morning, and then Dee went to get her "infrared wrap" and I went to Rotary. At Rotary we had a local politician as the speaker. A lot of people liked her, but I knew going in that she's not the one my neighbor supports. It's amazing how each side has such strong feelings about the integrity of their own candidate and the lack of integrity of the opponent.

It was an interesting process to sit there and know from the start that "this person is here because she wants something from you". As opposed to being there to inform, to thank, to inspire or even to persuade. A different mindset sets in as you listen. For me, I even had trouble listening. Hummm interesting dynamic.

I had planned to golf afterward, but it was raining and it looked like it was going to rain the rest of the day. So I went home and practiced my Bogmeister songs with the ipod and sheet music. Later Dee arrived and we decided to go out and pick up some things she needed. Afterward, we had a fantastic roast beef dinner at home, that she'd cooked in a crock pot. The meat really was delicious. Just the right size for us, and she'd gotten it at the place where she works.

In the evening her friend Kathy G. called. They talked forever, and I did a spiritual gifts inventory at www.churchgrowth.org (click on Spiritual gifts and take the free survey) for our next class at church.

Printer Woes Solved

Yesterday while Dee went to work, I was able trouble shoot the pinter problem I had. Turns out it was a bad print head. Kodak will send me another one to replace it in two days. Whew! They include a new color and black and white cartridges for my inconvenience. (The print head just arrived UPS.) I also practiced using the microphone Susan loaned me with the laptop computer. It plugs directly into the USB port and I can record what ever I want to say or sing. I practiced singing with the barbershop songs and then played back the recording of the song with me singing my part. A good tool for learning to hit the right notes.

Then I set off for nine holes of golf at Treesdale. The trees are starting to change color and "wow". I had a very good round for me and was pleased with the way I was hitting the ball. Later, I went to the Methodist Conference Center offices in Cranberry. I figured they may have some leads for pulpit supply in the area. They gave me the names of two "superintendents" - one for the Butler conference and one for the Pittsburgh conference that comes all the way up to Cranberry. I'll contact them and see if I can get on a "pulpit supply list" for their areas. I also finished reading "The Shack" a novel by Wm P. Young.

Later in the evening we watched NCIS and a recording of "Chuck" that we'd recorded from Monday. We didn't watch the debate but did catch a little of the wrap-up afterward.

"Christmas In October"

Monday we decided to get some things done around the house and then headed out to Freedom Square Diner for their luncheon specials. We always seem to get a good value for the money. Afterward we stopped at Joann Fabrics and picked up some paint for the wooden Christmas Tree that had been repaired. (It broke during the move.) The color matched perfectly.

We spent the afternoon touching up the tree and getting things (decorations) ready to take to the "Christmas In October" open house of the Bogmeisters.Then after dinner, I packed things up (including the chocolate peanut butter treats we'd made) and headed for the open house. Our dress of the evening was black shoes, socks, slacks and belt with white long sleeve shirt and red scarf. They provided the green ties and red Santa's hats with white faux fur. Very festive. However, when we loaded the tree into the car, it broke again under it's own weight. So we decided to throw it away. Tra-la.

The open house went very well. There were eight guests there who wanted to give singing for fun a try. A couple of them had very nice voices. The idea of the open house was to invite them to sing with us for the Christmas Holiday season. We'll do a "Tour de Butler" one day of various venues including nursing homes, and maybe schools and the Mars Youth Home. Several locations have already contacted us, and others are in the process.

When I got home, I worked on a problem that developed with our printer. Still haven't figured it out. So I had to email the documents I wanted printed to myself, so I could print them on the printer up in the loft with the laptop as ashort term work around. I think I cliked a box somewhere in the properties area and now the printer goes through the motions of printing, but nothing appears on the page. Auggggh! However, I suppose in the scheme of things it's really no big deal and just "small stuff." As in "don't sweat the small stuff."

Sunday - a Day of Rest ?

Go Steelers !

Sunday was a busy day us. Dee went to work at 8AM and I drove to Aliquippa to reach in the morning service there. I spoke from Luke 15:11-32 and used the "biblical storytelling" skills I'd developed many years ago. (That's where you memorize the day's scripture passage and then "tell" it rather than "read" it. ) Then the sermon is based on the passage told.

Many years ago I used to do that weekly for about 4 years. It was quite a discipline to memorize the entire reading for the week's text, but it actually helped me to get inside the scripture for the day. It forced me to think through the context as well as the nuances of the text for telling. (This practice came from my study of the book, Biblical Storytelling, by Tom Boomershine.

After speaking in Aliquippa, I drove to Ikea for their famous Swedish meatball lunch. Then drove to the 171st Air Refueling Wing of the PA Air National Guard base to lead worship for the unit there at 3PM. It's always good to visit with my old friend Fr. Jack Fitzgerald. I used the "biblical storytelling" approach there as well.

Back home, Dee had prepared a great dinner in the crock pot for us of turkey kielbasi and sauerkraut. Later we made some special holiday cookies for the Bogmeister "Christmas In October" open house on Monday night. We decided on a ritz cracker with peanut butter treat that was dipped covered in chocolate. (She put some parafin in the chocolate so it would set.) Yummm.

Afterward, we watched the Steelers defeat the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday night football.