A Snow Squally Kind of Day

Since Dee worked yesterday, I was in charge of running around to pick up items we'd seen before in stores and decided to get, However, I began the morning by creating a flier for our Bogmeister show on December 15 at Pine Richland Elementary School. I made a couple of rough drafts and then sent them to the director so she could tweak them as she saw necessary.

I also began reading through old sermon files to see which ones I thought were good for future use and updating. I rather enjoyed reading my old sermons. They had stories in them and illustrations I'd taken from life and so reminded me to things that had happened to me over the years. It's funny how some of them I recalled instantly just by the titles.

I'd talked with my mother on Monday and she seemed to be doing well. She went up to the senior center since the snow wasn't sticking to the street. She said she was glad she went as there were four students there for her line dancing class. (She told them to call her if it ever snowed and they were not going to be going out in it. That way she'd not make the trip for nothing.) I reminded her that she should be about out of medicine and that it is time to refill her prescriptions. She mentioned that the doctor's office called and asked her to come in for a check up. The appointment was for Monday, but she called and cancelled it because of her day at the center.

When Dee got home after work, we had a delicious pot roast (PTL for the crock-pot.) with baked potato and corn. Yummmm! During the evening we watched some of our favorite shows on television - "Eli Stone," and "NCIS". The temperatures were in the 20s all day blustery out, so I pretty much laid low for the day. Although it was good to get done, what I did get done.

We're looking forward to Kerri and Patrick's visit next week for Thanksgiving. She sent some pictures of their new condo. It really looks nice. It's in Ashburn, VA and had a fenced-in back yard as well as three bedrooms, and a finished bacement. It looks something like our place with hard wood floors. They plan to move the week of Christmas so we're planning to go down for that. We'll plan to find a place for Bonz while we're gone. We decided not to take him this first time since there will be lots of activity unpacking and moving. Kerri is due about the middle of April. We're to find out tomorrow whether it's a boy or girl.

Our First -- Hot Tubing in the Snow

Yesterday we took our time in the morning doing things around the house. I straightened my files of stuff I brought from NJ. I'll likely use them over the next years and so I wanted to put them in order. Dee went to Contours for exercise. After she came home we had some fantastic soup of beans we bought at the church's SERRV table. Dee added some ham to it and it was superb!

After lunch I took her car to the Saturn dealer for a 3,000 mile tire rotation and oil change. Later we continued our search for garland for the stair case. We decided on some really nice ones at Costco. They'll do the job just fine. Now I just have to order the "garland grabbers" from QVC and we'll be all set.

In the evening I went to Bogmeister practice. I'd been working with Bill, a new singer who can't read music. He's been coming regularly and making slow progress. Last night, we put the sheet music down, and tried it without looking at the words and notes. Just looked at the director. What a difference! Bill made a quantum leap forward in hitting the right notes with the right words. PTL! He still has a long way to go, but I know he enjoyed it much more last night and he now has hope that he can do it.

I decided to pass on the "milk and cookies" at Ol' Uncle Bob's with the guys. Instead I came home had Dee and I enjoyed a Merlot in the hot tub watching the moon rise. Although there was snow on the deck and ground and it was 28 degrees out, the hot tub was superb!

Preaching and Visiting in Penn Hills

Our first snowfall greeted us on Monday morning.

Saturday and Sunday just flew by... On Saturday we decided to go to the German Marketplace and festival in Harmony, PA. It was a rainy overcast day for the most part. Yet, we got so see some of the craft buildings and we ate at the Harmony Inn. It's a very old building with lots of rooms and the rooms were used for dining. It's the first time I ever went to a restaurant and had to walk up a long flight of stairs to our table. It was a very quiet place. As it turns out the food was okay but the service was below average. Later we walked around the town and found a place called Otto's that was an ice cream shoppe with lots of Christmas items and also a decent menu. We thought we might try it sometime.

On the way home we stopped at a couple of places looking for Christmas lighted garlands for our staircase Bannister. We found several, but haven't chosen one yet.

On Sunday I had to preach in Penn Hills and a nondenominational church. The service lasted about an hour and forty-five minutes so I dropped Dee off at the mall en route (where she met Lisa S. and Kathy N. for breakfast and gabbing. The service I participated in was nice. Lots of singing. They projected the words to the songs on a screen. There were about 8 musicians up front (clarinet, trombone, couple of guitars, drums and keyboard player in addition to two singers). My role was to give a children's talk and the sermon. I thought it went well.

My contact at that church handed me my little burgundy New Testament. It seems I left it at the Penn Hills Baptist Church when I preached there. And the pastor from that church gave it to him to give back to me. (I wondered where that little NT went. I like it because of it's compact size and yet larger print type.) It was good to get it back.

Later I met Dee at the Monroeville Mall with our friend Lisa. Eventually her husband, Dennis, arrived and we had a great visit right there in Barnes and Nobel. Time wore on and it was about 4 pm when we arrived back in Mars. Since I hadn't eaten lunch yet, we stopped at Smokey Bones, had a great dinner and one of the meals along with dessert were free. Aren't coupons the greatest! We also tried a short cut home and found that it was about 7 miles shorter. (We got off the turnpike at Butler interchange (instead of Cranberry), drove up route 8 and turned left at the big Methodist church, then right on Merriman, and left onto the red belt and then right on Babcock, left of Valencia-Mars Road to 228. It sounds confusing, but the latter part is a familiar drive for me as it goes past the Pine Richland Elementary School where my Bogmeister's practice every Monday (and where our Dec. 15 Christmas Show is going to be held.) We finished off the evening watch the Steelers eek out a vistory over the Chargers. GO STEELERS!

It was a blustry snowing day yesterday with no accumuliation. This morning (pictured above) there was snow on grass and cars. None on the streets. It's the first real snowfall of the winter season.

Golfing on Nov 14 in Pgh. - Amazing

Friday was a beautiful day. I went golfing for 9 holes and Dee went shopping. I'd planned to just golf by myself, but when I got there some of the rangers I work with were golfing so I joined them, and then we went to the Brush creek Inn for some libation. A nice time of fellowship and getting to know them better.

Afterward, Dee and I connected at home where I had a late lunch and then we rearranged our "office area" a little so it looked nicer. We also puttsed around the house and then after some evening television, we enjoyed the hot tub again. It's nice to finish off the day that way.

A Relaxing Day and Lunch with Friends

Since Dee didn't work on Thursday, we were able to go to lunch with our retired clergy friends Bob and Ed and their spouses Vivian and Lois. It's always good and refreshing to get together with them for lunch and good conversation at Olive Garden. We compare notes on retirement, our denomination and our families, as well as philosophize about national events. Time seems to fly by while we're with them. Lunch always takes about two hours.

Afterward, we did some shopping. I bought a microphone that plugs directly into my laptop. I want to do some recording for this blog and other things and had heard that this microphone, called a "Snowball", is supposed to be a good one. Dee did some shopping for Thanksgiving and we looked at some garlands for Christmas decorations along the staircase up to the loft. We treated ourselves to a coffee at Barnes and Nobel and then went to a "Half Off Bookstore" right across the street from B&N. I bought a couple of books; The Defining Moment by Jonathan Alter (FDR's Hundred Days and the Triumph of Hope) and a book on Presidential Anecdotes . I thought the former would be a good read as we anticipate Obama's new presidency and the latter would be fun to read about little known stories of former Presidents. Both of which would add to my understanding of American History.

We didn't get home until dark, sop I took Bonz for a nice walk while Dee prepared dinner. The we watched a movie called "The Contract" with Wesley Snipes. Good story. And closed out the evening with "Life on Mars", a weekly show we enjoy watching.

We also learned who the new pastor will be at Seaview. As it turns out, he's an old friend of mine from NJ. He's been in the ministry for many years and will be a good choice as they move into the future. Church life has changed over the years and no pastor has it easy. He is as well equipped for the task as anyone, and I'm sure he'll lead them well. As it turns out, he interviewed for the pastor position at Seaview many years ago prior to my going to that church. For whatever reason, he wasn't called. Now, fourteen years later, the time has come for him and the Church. I wish them well.

Wow! I'm Now a "Man of Note" !

Monday Dee went to the receptionist job and after much prayer and discussion decided to tell them that it wasn't working for her. They'll want her 5 days a week once the current receptionist goes on maternity leave for possibly up to 12 weeks. She talked with her manager at the McGinnis Sisters and they wanted her to come back and were willing meet a couple of requests she had. She likes the people there and enjoyed the work.

I took my Saturn Vue in to the dealer for the oil change tire rotation and "recall" items they needed to check. In and out in under an hour. Very efficient. Then, Monday night we had Bogmeister practice as we get ready for a Christmas Show for friends and family on Monday, December 15, at the Pine Richland Elementary School. The price of admission is some canned goods which will be given to a food pantry in the area. Practice went well and I was given a"Man of Note" pin for recruiting our newest member. The man of note pin is a tie tack with the number 1 on it. Here's what it looks like. Then, yesterday I picked up Earl C. to go to the men's Bible Study breakfast (just muffins). We watch a short video of instruction and then discuss the issues it raises. We're going through the Old Testament and yesterday was on 2 Samuel and the stories of David. Afterward, the pastor gave me the list of people he like me to call on (folks who haven't been at worship for quite some time) and he had some business cards made for me that say "Minister of Visitation." Cool. These are people he's like to follow up on, but just doesn't have the time to do so. I'm looking forward to it and we'll see how it goes.

Then, I picked up Dee and we had a nice late breakfast at "First Watch". During the day, Dee and I did a little shopping (I stayed in the car and fussed with the gps device I recently purchased. At home, we spent the afternoon on home maintenance and cleaning issues. I saw an job listing for an adjunct faculty for a "Creative Writing" course at the local Penn State Campus and so I applied for it. (I've already heard back that the position has been filled but they'll keep my resume in their "active" file. Whatever that means.) We closed out the evening with some lightly breaded (actually crushed saltine crackers) fish and veggies; some television; and then a glass of Chardonnay and a dip in the hot tub. Very nice.

Pancakes Washing Dishes

On Saturday we went to the Rotary Pancake Breakfast with Russ and Kathy. I stayed to help with the breakfast by clearing tables and then by working in the dish washer section pre-rinsing the plates etc. for the dish washing machine. Lots of fun. We served about 700 people breakfast by the time it was over. Then, Dee picked me up and we did some shopping with lunch later at her favorite Chinese restaurant.

On Sunday we went to church. The adult choir sang a patriotic cantata, "Land of the Free". It was well done and some children sang with the choir. The kids were especially amazing because they had it all memorized, probably because they were too young to be able to read the words.

Later in the day I just crashed awhile, read the newspaper and worked on learning some music. Dee went out in the afternoon and shopped for groceries. While she was gone, I began watching the Steeler game. We watched the disappointing end together. We watched a movie we'd recorded called "There are Butterflies in the Air." A good story about three sisters and their efforts to bring justice to the Dominican Republic by ousting a dictator. It was based on a true story and was well done.

Dee went back to the Receptionist job on Monday morning to continue the training to replace the girl who will be out for a maternity leave. However she has reservations about leaving the other job. So she has to make a decision about which job to keep and how many hours she wants to be working in the weeks and months ahead. I've started getting ready for preaching next Sunday at a church in Penn Hills that is non-denominational. A friend from my Pittsburgh days called and said he heard I was doing supply preaching and that they had a need for a speaker on the 16th. So why not?