(face plant)
What a good day!
I was up at 3:00 and made good use of my time by working on the week's sermon which surprised me by coming together easily. That says nothing about it's actual delivery on Sunday morning. "Many a slip 'twixt the cup and the lip." But it was nice to have one fall in place like that. It's communion Sunday, so the morning has special weight.
Took a break mid-morning to do an easy 12 miles on the bike, and actually got a little chilly. It was only about 60 degrees when I left and the wind chill effect of riding was enough to make my toes cold and nose run.
Mid-afternoon I started installing the carpet in the VW. I'm really happy with the way it turned out, but that may change after the effects of sniffing the contact cement have worn off. Wow!
I feel some pressure knowing that once the carpet piece (8 of them in a Beetle) and the car's surface make contact there's no adjustment, no going back to get it right. I guess that's why they call it contact cement.
It's a slow process, both because I work carefully so as not to make mistakes and because after it's applied to both surfaces the glue has to set for 20 minutes before setting the carpet piece in place.
While I was working Noel stopped by. He lives on the next block down with his wife whom I've never met. Noel stops in anytime he's on his walk and sees me working out there, and we visit for a bit. I really like Noel. He's 79 and has ALS. He was diagnosed five years ago and has outlived the dr's predictions, but the downward slide is picking up speed. He has no use of his hands; his arms hang limp at his side. He's from Minnesota and they go back there every summer. He grew up on a farm and has ridden horses all his life, but took his last ride about six months ago. Finally sold his horse which made him sad. Now he goes for a walk every day, which is how we came to be buds. Before he leaves the house his wife puts his hands in his pockets so the dead weight of his arms doesn't pull on his shoulders.
But today Noel surprised me. He pulled up on a single speed trike! His determination is an inspiration. He sits on the large seat and lifts his right leg over the low bar. Then he twists his torso quickly to the left and "throws" his right hand so it lands on his right knee. He lifts his knee so that his hand is over the handlebar and then uses his fingers, which still have some strength left, to grab ahold of the grip. Do the same thing with the left side and he has both hands and both feet in position. Off he goes!
Impressive.
Today I told him about having restored a couple of 100-year old houses and starting a handyman business when we moved out here. He asked if I still did that kind of stuff, and because I knew where this was headed I said yes. "Do you have things you need done?" He chuckled and said he's discovered that almost every task around the house requires the use of hands, so the answer is yes.
I will be honored.
Such a nice guy, and I really do enjoy our visits.
Plus, I'm representing. Noel has a bad taste in his mouth about Christianity and church for reasons I don't know. He knows I'm a pastor; I talk about Pathway from time to time. So I'll represent and see where He takes this.
Pam's schedule is a little different this week; she's working today's 12 and another tomorrow, and then has Saturday off. (Usually she has Fridays off.) She plans meals so that whatever we have for dinner on the day's she doesn't work includes enough leftovers for me to have the next night when she does. My skills are limited but I've mastered the microwave.
I told her not to worry about my dinner for tonight and tomorrow night.
"Why?"
Note: because of her dietary restrictions I eat what works for her. No big deal; I'm NOT a foodie. There are some things she can't/shouldn't eat and so we don't have those. Except tonight.
I'M HAVING PIZZA!!
OK, it's frozen pizza from the grocery store but it's pizza, and I've had a craving for it for weeks.
So in a few minutes I'll stretch my kitchen skills to the max and turn on the oven. When it's up to 425 degrees I'll pop in the DiGiorno's, and 25 minutes later sit down to some Thursday night NFL and hot, cheesy, greasy, doughy pizza.
Yeah, it's been a very good day.
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