A week in review

On Sunday, Jules and Jill drove me to the Digby boat, with much laugther and hi-jinx along the way, and the attempt to visit farms (it was "Open Farm Day") that were not yet open to the public. On the boat I got my usual seat and fell asleep almost immediately. When I awoke several hours later, the boat was PACKED full. 3 bus groups plus normal traffic.

I love the boat --- it's 3 hours where I can't do anything but sleep and relax, because trying to read, work, or even sit upright to carry on a conversation makes me feel sea-sick.

I was retrieved from the boat by Paulette at the appropriate time, and whisked off to the Young abode for a whirl-wind visit. I stayed over night two nights and was gone by mid-morning Tuesday, but it felt once again like I had been there for a week or more. This is wonderful, but it allows short visits to be very fulfilling.

At the Youngs, I engaged in the following activities (this is not an exhaustive list, nor in order):

1. Played guitars with Ebby and Meg
2. Played piano/violin with Sheila
3. Ate fibre cereal without milk
4. Ate fibre cereal WITH milk (Paulette brought me the gift of skim milk on Monday!)
5. Watched and laughed at ridiculous YouTube videos with Sheila, Dan, Meg, Eb and Gracie
6. Watched some episodes of the Cosby show late at night
7. Did math, including a speed math test, which I finished but did not win.
8. Got my ears pierced --- Gracie held my hand.
9. Treated the girls to Wendy's.
10. Made posters for Sheila.
11. Listened to Nate read.
12. Got locked out, so went to play on the beach with the girls.
13. Went to Walmart.
14. Made Ebby cut my hair (because she'd never done it before).
15. Saw Fin, Zara and Emma.
16. Helped with a large puzzle of the world that fills most of the kitchen floor, and learned the Fiji is in the South Pacific.
17. Stayed up until 2 a.m. on Tuesday watching Stephen King's The Langoliers, which started out as intriguing and funny, and turned into the worst movie ever. But when it's that late at night, you can't stop laughing. Dan woke us up with Rice Crispies the next morning: "HORRIBLE CEREAL NOISES".

Daniel was a victim of a drive-by shooting - he and Fin were walking down the road and someone threw a basketball at them (a yellow, smiley-face basketball, ironically). Dan had to get his hand x-rayed, but it seems to be doing better now.

My ears are doing fine. I had them pierced 3 times before and they always got so infected I had to give up. Not this time! I am determined!

On Tuesday I went to MusicStop to visit with Geoff Banks, and was then picked up by the lovely Carolyn Myers and taking to spend a few hours at her house. Her children have just started homeschooling, 2 in French. I spoke the best French I could manage with ridiculous results. There was also a great deal of annana consumed, and the playing of baseball badminton. Good times had by all.

Then off to Beulah for ministerial, which was much more like camp and Bethany than you would think a meeting of district pastors would be. The new card played a lot of cards. The old guard probably prayed for their souls for allowing the devil's cards to be brought onto the hallowed land of Beulah. I didn't go to a lot of stuff; I was mostly there to see Lynnette, and I also got in a visit with Megan Stephens. But it was good to renew some ties and make some new ones.

Some philisophical issues were raised which I will address in another blog post.

Thursday we went back to the Youngs so Paul could so some adjustments on Ebby's electric guitar and I could pick up the items I had left behind and finish off the skim milk. Then to Bethany to pick up a chord chart and visit briefly with Jane Higle, then to Salisbury Irving for lunch, then on to Paul's parents in Lower Sackville.

Friday we awoke, went to XS Cargo to buy me a flute, which they had none left of, then to Future Shop where I purhased two seasons (almost 5, but I couldn't justify the expense) to the X-Files for $20 each. A good value. It was pouring rain, so after that I refused to get out of the car again. The car heater had us dried out 2 hours later or so. Yuck.

It is good to be home. Very good. Our house smells like litter despite cleaning it and airing the place out, so that will have to be dealt with. But the cats are happy to see us, and I'm just glad to be back in this place (the town, not the litter house). I stopped by work on the way, and found out I have 9 weeks of funding starting October 15th, and that I can work during the next two weeks to bank hours if I want to take time off during the 9 weeks. This is a good deal.

Paul and I may be foster parents for cats and kittens. More on this to come. I also picked up two new web sites for work, which will keep me quite busy.

Now it is Saturday. Today I will go out for lunch to celebrate a new friend's birthday, watch "Once and Again" on DVD so I can start passing them to my boss Joelle, who will simply LOVE them (I got her hooked on Grey's, so I know this is right up her alley), and deal with the litter smell. And then the week will be over.

:)

I'm on steroids

A lovely steriod nasal spray, that is. I'm going to have the buffest sinuses in town. Woot woot.

I have to do an hour or so of work tomorrow, then I'm off for two weeks --- my funding is up, and my new funding will start then. So I finally get my "vacation" that I planned to take when I first got here! But I don't even really need it. I wanted to take a break because I needed to destress and heal, but I was able to do that IN my job. I am so blessed to have a job that allows me the flexibility to work when I'm well and rest when I'm not; it has made all the difference. I am very aware that this is providential --- how many people have this kind of schedule? It was just what I needed.

Sunday morning Jilly is taking me to the boat so I can go to Saint John and visit my "family" there. Then Paul will drive around on Tuesday and I will join him at Beulah for Ministerial (and watch the House premiere with Lynnette!). On Thursday, we'll go to his parents for overnight, then head back home. At first I was disappointed with how it worked out, because I would have loved to take the whole two weeks in Saint John. But when I thought about it more, I remembered that, hey wait, I love it here in Woods Harbour. I think it will be fun to have a week off and be able to take walks with Esther and have people over and go to the bank to talk about mortgages and maybe explore some of the places I haven't seen yet. Lord willing, it shall be swell. I wish I could bring my "family" back with me, though.

I learned CSS at work, and made a few websites with it. Very nice... or so I thought until I tried to view them on our Mac -- it MANGLED 2 of them. So now tomorrow I will have to try to edit code until my PC and the Mac can both view the sites properly. Silly Macbook. Silly Safari.

I have a secret prayer sister! I know that doesn't seem like a big deal, but it was a nice surprise (no one asked me if I wanted one, and I hadn't been here when people were matched, so it was unexpected), and I've never had one before, except for at BLEC. I get prayers AND presents! And my name was spelled with stickers! STICKERS! It was SO NICE. I wish it wasn't a secret, though, because when Paul brought the stuff home, I got all blessed and wished I could have hugged the person and let them know how much it meant. Esther, if you know who it is, will you tell them for me?

HOUSE HUNT UPDATE - the house referred to in the previous message did not turn out to be what we had hoped. Really NICE, but not enough house for the money they were looking for. We looked at another house that someone had flipped, and it was WAY nice, but still too much money, and not with a finished basement. Another house today - the price is right (assuming we can get them down a bit) and it has real potential I think. It has a basement rec room with a little bar counter in it that would be great for youth. (No, not to ply them with alcohol.) The real problem is that the people are smokers. Anyone have any insight on how long it takes for the smell of smoke to exit a house? We could obviously rip up the small amount of carpet (just on the stairs, I think), but will that do it?

I guess it's in all of Canada that first time home buyers only have to pony up a smaller percentage for the down payment on a mortage, and can borrow against your RRSP to do it. BUT Is it true that you can't borrow against your RRSP through Wesleyan Pension? I think I read that on someone else's blog. That would stink.

Oh, I didn't switch to Geico, but my car insurance seems ridiculously low; I just received the documents from my broker in Saint John, and it was less than $800 for the full year, full coverage on a new car. I was expecting it to be a lot more, and was concerned about adding those payments to all our other ones. But this is TOTALLY doable --- I was able to write a check for the full amount! Total blessing.

I am so happy here. I know I say that a lot, but it just blows my mind. The glass-half-empty in me keeps waiting for something bad to happen. And maybe it will, but I won't be able to deny that for these months at least, I have been completely content.

Saturday

We want a bigger house. Not even for us - we're quite comfortable in our little rental; it's just the right size for two active cats, a caged rodent, and two less-than-active (at least in the home) adults. We have a nice yard, a nice view, and great neighbours all around us.

The problem is that Breakfast Club will start soon, and if God blesses us with lots of teens, we're not going to have any place to put them! The church is a good size for the number of people that attend, but space on Sunday morning for something like Breakfast Club just isn't there. Or even for a laid-back youth hang-out where relationships can be built.

In essense, we want a ministry house. I never thought I would - in Saint John after a stressful day I wanted nothing more than to lock myself in my apartment and not let anyone in. God is healing me and changing me.

This morning we're going to view a house that is very near the church, actually closer than we are now. Even while we were candidating, we always said "this is the house we want", but never went inside. Well, it's still on the market. So we still say that, every time we drive by. We keep checking it on the internet, hoping the price will drop. And while we couldn't afford it with our debt load, God has been known to do a lot of impossible things to advance His Kingdom. So if you think of it, pray for us. We don't want to make a rash decision and get so buried in debt we'll never be able to dig out, but we also want to have faith if this house IS God's will for us, that'll he'll provide in an impossible situation.

22 teens came to the pool party, and a good group to the movie as well. These are exciting times!

I have to go now, because I have two seasons of House for the weekend, and "need" to get through them so they can be returned to their "rightful owner" (who is not ACTUALLY the rightful owner, and who has lent me these in secret hoping that the REAL rightful owner will not request them back before I'm done with them (the rightful owner being the ex)).

So today will involve watching HOUSE, then viewing the HOUSE. Then grocery shopping. Then watching HOUSE. Then cleaning our HOUSE (because frankly we've both been so busy it's gotten disgusting). Then watching HOUSE. Then going to dinner at Pizza Delight with Esther and the church and not-church women she invited. Then back to the HOUSE to watch HOUSE.

BBC Blogging Day

It's today. I am blogging as ordered.

Sheila is at Bethany now; it's weird to say "they grow up so fast" when I've only known her for four years. She's entering the same program I was in - XD. I wish I could be there to help her navigate the first few days. Overwhelming.

Still love my job. Still love my life. Still love my new friends.

Paul held his first youth event last night, and 13 kids showed up. We don't know how, but yeah. 13 mostly random, unconnected kids. God is good. Tonight, event #2 - Pool party and BBQ. Tomorrow, event #3 - Last minute school shopping and movie (Mr. Bean) in Yarmouth. Pray for us!

Ab

I'm not huge on playing in Ab. Or Eb, Bb, Db, A, or B. Today I was on the worship team playing piano both in the morning and the evening. I've been really greatful for the opportunity to play; it has happened so infrequently over the years where I could play without singing. I like it alot. Peter has really been stretching me by asking me to play in some of the keys listed above, and it's really good for me. Tonight I had the special triumph of sight reading a piece in Ab that I didn't know while playing it in G --- it was one of those moments that I wish Mrs. Weatherby and Gayle Callaghan and Sheila Young and my piano teacher growing up could be there to witness.

I've determined to myself that before Exalt! next year, I will be able to play in every key by ear --- Abby, I will be banning the transpose button; I only wish you could be there --- and that my note reading (which right now is probably at a first grade Conservatory level... if I'm generous to myself) will not only be passable, but practical. I don't think it's wrong to rely on my ear as much as I do, but I think I owe it to myself and to the people who's teams I will be on in the future to stop copping out and get down to work. I don't know whether I"ll have the discipline to achieve it on my own, so I may end up taking lessons, if I can afford it and if a teacher will take me.

Tomorrow is supposed to be lake day, when I get on the tube with Esther and Jill respectively and yell "FASTER" to the boat driver. I've been flu-ish, but I'm determined. Unless I'm barfing, or sure that my germs will infect the populous, or unless the Lord speaks to me audibly and tells me to stay put, I'm going. (Spoken like a true lying wimp)

Sheila goes to school tomorrow --- why am *I* nervous?

Fibre-cakes

I've tried and failed several times to blog about my week back in Saint John, and I'm going to give up now. I don't have the words to describe the feeling of "family" and "home'. And I certainly don't have the words to describe how I can feel happy both here and there. So just know that my kids dyed my hair pink - just a few strips. And some orange as well. And that Evelyn is going to be an awesome guitar player. And that Sheila is starting college in just a few days, and I wish I could be there for her. And that Gracie let me cut her hair (my first hair-cut ever). And that I love my roommate. And that I love the Youngs, and the Myers. And that I'm going back in September for another visit.

Some good news --- I can keep my doctor in Saint John! I talked to Nova Scotia Heath, and to my doctor, and both are fine with it. My worries are melting away!

My cholesterol is ridiculously high, both good and bad (like, good is supposed to be 3, and I'm 5, and bad is supposed to be 4, and I'm 7... I think I got that right), so I need to go hard-core on a heart-healthy diet. I would be on medication, but since I don't have any other risk factors (I'm not old, my weight is perfect for my height, etc.) diet is the first go. High fibre, low fat. Unfortunately, I don't eat a lot of junk to begin with, so there's not a lot to cut out --- just a lot to add in.

So far, I've switched from butter to non-hydrogenated Omega-3 loaded margarine, and from 1% to skim. I've also bought one of those high-fibre cereals that tastes like health. Today I ground some of it up and mixed it with pancake mix, and it was yummy. I am also going 100% off of deep fried, which will be hard for me, because I love chips and fries and battered seafood, even though I don't have it all that often.

4 months from now I'll get retested. Hopefully things will be dramatically enough improved that I can welcome back the deep fried. It's possible that stress had a lot to do with it, so now that I'm no longer stressed about essentially anything, perhaps things have already improved. 4 months without fries. I wonder if I'll be able to do it. I don't want to cheat at all, because a heart attack is near the end of my list of fun things to do.

Did I mention my hair is pink? Bright pink. Vibrant.

I found out that my work end date is actually September 21st, which works out better because it means I can go to ministerial at Beulah...which means I can stay for extra days and visit. This is good news.

On Wednesday, I have a meeting with an organization that counsels and finds grants for young entrepreneurs. I'd like to open my own business doing printing and web design, just something to do on the side since there's no where around here that's doing it. Maybe. We'll see.

I like peaches. There were peaches at the Youngs. I miss them. (The Youngs, not the peaches.)

Paul has his first youth events next week.