Ten-Finger Exercises

A churchy day

Because Fr. Steve is in Florida handling his mother's affairs and her funeral this week, we had another "supply" priest. This one is a woman who helps in a variety of ways when not "supplying" other places. She is currently between jobs, a difficult place to be. I'll call her Martha.

I got there at 7 again to open the church. (Are you old enough to to remember hunting for a "church key?" I've got one on my key ring!) That's kind of an eerie feeling, walking around in the dark church, turning on banks of lights and unlocking doors. Plugged in the coffee, etc. About 7:30 the first lay reader showed up; and 7:35 the senior warden came, surprised that I had everything going. (I always do, whenever I've been asked. I don't know why that surprises anyone. Someone else came last Sunday too, to do the same job. I've never not done it.)

Anyway, the senior warden said he wondered what we'd do if the priest didn't show up. Martha had said she'd be there at 7. (Good thing she wasn't waiting on him to open things for her. He wasn't there then.) Yes, I had. We would have no choice but to do Morning Prayer. So by 7:40 I was re-reading the lessons and trying to think of something I could whip up for a sermon. Much easier lessons this week than last, thank goodness.

Martha arrived at 7:50. The windshield wipers on her car broke, and it was dark and really pouring rain, which forced her to take it nice and slow. She announced, at announcements time, that it was a good thing she got there safely because I was about to have a heart attack thinking I'd be in charge. REALLY!!! not!

She had a good, although long, sermon, and everything went well. She didn't interject a collect in the prayers where the priest usually does, like last week, and I once again picked up and went on. This time though she had one, just wasn't quite ready yet, so it came at a slightly different place in the service.

At 10:30 she forgot to have the ushers bring up the collection plate and began the communion service. I went 'Pssst!' and pointed to them standing at the back of the aisle ready to come down, and she fitted it in, also in an irregular place. It all worked out okay. She told me she had enjoyed working with me, and I had with her also.

Bill and I went to breakfast to a place that still has some low carb entries on the menu (not for much longer though.) It was nice not to have to try to ignore toast or pancakes or hash browns. Bill has been doing quite well at it and has lost eleven pounds! His blood pressure and blood sugar are both down a lot. We'll see. Gosh I hope it works out somehow! He got another pilot to go flying with him yesterday in our plane, so he was in good spirits last night.

We watched the movie Cellular last night and really enjoyed it. It's a thriller from the first scene, and has some great humor in it too. Sure, there's some blood and guts, and the plot is improbable; but it was fun.

This afternoon we went to a harpsichord and viol gamba concert of baroque music. It was wonderful! It was a heady spring song with hints of clover, daisies, sunshine and frogs, finishing with strong notes of powdered wig and satin breeches. The larger harpsichord had a mountain scene painted inside the lid. The viol gamba is an instrument that dates back to the 15th century and looks like a cross between a cello and a guitar. It has seven strings and a high bridge, but also has frets.

Off to cook some low carb dinner: shrimp and peppers with bok choy and--zucchini!