Once again I must start with an apology. I believe that my blogging skills are, at best, always going to be mediocre. I do, however, promise that I will not update you moment for moment on the last two or three weeks. What follows will be just the highlights. From this point forward I will see what I can do to update this thing at least weekly, again with highlights. Perhaps from there I can resurrect the other blog sometime in the near future.
A lot has happened since I last posted. My first Sunday went well. The sermon was well received and, almost as importantly, felt good to me. It never ceases to amaze me at how comfortable I can feel preaching. It just feels downright right, even good. Now all I have to do is keep it up. (I preach again this coming Sunday, and am not as firm in my message as yet, so we shall see.)
That Sunday afternoon (again I remind you that it was my first Sunday) there was a cook out/pool party at DougÂ?s home for the choir. Midway through the afternoon Katie, DougÂ?s wife, asked if I minded saying a prayer over the food. Doug, she said, was having intense pain in his side and went in to lie down. I prayed the food in and then went to find out more. A doctor came by and said he thought it was (excuse my spelling) diverticulitis. A little late the pain was back, and much worse, so he and Katie went to the ER. Donna B. (a parishioner and nurse) and I went along in my car.
At 2000 Doug was released. TheyÂ?d given him morphine and run a bunch of tests, thinking by the end of the day that it was kidney stone(s) and nothing more serious. He was given pain medication and told to go on with life.
Monday is my day off so I didnÂ?t go in but I did stay near the phone just in case. That evening, just before my first (!) vestry meeting Katie called to say that Doug had been admitted. The pain was back and even worse. I attended the meeting (run by the Senior Warden, as is proper). Fortunately for my state of mind they tabled the discussion of General Convention until Doug could join us (the October meeting will be interesting, and probably long).
Tuesday I visited Doug in the hospital. Yes, you heard me. My boss, the rector, was my first hospital visit! He was feeling much better and only hanging around for more tests. Wednesday I attended the Deanery Clericus in Grove City, PA (as in the college). I called into work near the end of the day. Doug was in! We did Thursday morning Eucharist together (I preached a Â?9/11Â? sermon), but he was in some pain. He made it through a funeral just after that, then Katie, Tina (church secretary), and I all encouraged him to go home. He did. I was again a solo act on Friday, and did some more hospital calls (another part of the job I get energy from). Nothing big happened Sunday.
So, quite a first week! Things have been a bit more subdued since then. What else have I done? The apartment is getting better. ThereÂ?s only one pile of boxes left, and thatÂ?s all in one room (guestroom / office). Most of the things are books and school files, and I am waiting to paint my work office before I move all that stuff into church. Once those are gone IÂ?ll go through what remains.
The living room is still a bit incomplete. IÂ?ve got one love seat with cushions from two patched together, which makes it comfortable for one person. I did some research last week and discovered that it would cost nearly (or over) $1,000 to get new cushions for the remaining love seat (still stored at church) and have the whole thing reupholstered. Yikes! Today Doug approved the purchase of a new sofa at $509 + $75 s/h. IÂ?ll get it on order tomorrow morning. The new cushions for the one IÂ?m sitting on now are still six to eight weeks out, and I do not know how long the new one will take to arrive (same company, http://www.cratefurniture.com/). Until then it will be a bit hard to have company over, unless they donÂ?t mind pulling up a bit of carpet.
The general sense of being overwhelmed has mostly receded. It only comes in small packets now. I believe that has a lot to do with being more settled at home. A lot of that has to do with the kitchen. IÂ?ve been cooking, made a few loaves of bread, rolls this weekend, cookies last weekendÂ? In general I think cooking makes a place feel more like home to me. Of course, hanging a lot of stuff on the walls and getting the plants off of the floor helped, too.
At work things are picking up. I was planning on wading in a bit more carefully than I have been. IÂ?ve already done the invocation and benediction at the annual AA banquet, seem to be waist deep in the youth group (the newly formed senior section, which is semi-splitting from the younger kids), and am teaching the YAC class, also newly formed (Young Adults in the Church, the last phase of J2A, Journey to Adulthood). I know zip about the whole program, so IÂ?m just doing my best to prepare for the next Sunday. I donÂ?t really have a good overview yet, and I think thatÂ?s important. If I can get to a training session on the program I will, but I seriously doubt that will happen.
Other highlightsÂ? I established myself at a local doctor (D.O.) last week. Had to get a basic physical with blood work and all. I will call tomorrow just out of curiosity to see what came of that, though I expect I would have heard by now if there was anything negative. Today I visited a dermatologist to ask about my face (yes, I know, thereÂ?s no cure for uglyÂ? ha ha). It gets really torn up every time I shave, unless I go every other day (which really isnÂ?t possible all the time, and I havenÂ?t even been able to skip on my days off because IÂ?ve had some meeting or another). The nurse practitioner that saw me recommended changing blades daily (I need a cheaper brand!) and prescribed some medicinal face wash. I canÂ?t fill the prescription until my medical insurance card arrives (soon, I hope), but I have two samples. I seriously hope they help.
IÂ?ve been paid! Consequently I also paid off half of the loan for my bed and a large chunk of the loan dad gave me to help get settled. One more paycheck should do it. Then perhaps I can get a piece of furniture or two to round out the apartment. Maybe. IÂ?m real reluctant to spend right now. Still in post-new-life recovery, I guess. I did open a savings account for tax money, since the church isnÂ?t withholding taxes. IÂ?m not sure if I should ask them to or not. Doug doesnÂ?t have it done, but they said they would if I asked.
IÂ?ve been going to the YMCA somewhat regularly, in and around the evening meetings and the general feeling of exhaustion some nights. As I figure out a routine that will get easier, even if this job is rarely routine. 
I did get a little hiking in on Monday, since I actually had the whole day off (wow!), but just a bit. I also visited the Grove City Outlet Mall (talk about your center of commercial activityÂ?big, perhaps running alongside Easton Town Center, but with less class). Monday was, in general, a good day. Relaxing, entertaining, good food and outdoors time. Early to bed. Good.
I preach again this coming Sunday. I was to preach on 5 October, but Doug has two weddings and a funeral (maybe; hey, wait, isnÂ?t that a movie?) on Saturday, so I switched so he could take it a bit easier on Sunday morning. I havenÂ?t a clue what IÂ?m going to preach on yet (wait, I said that earlier), but will work on it tomorrow. Saturday morning IÂ?m going to a stewardship training session at the church in Hermitage. The diocese if offering it for free. After that IÂ?m free until Sunday. IÂ?m hoping to have next Monday all off, too, but weÂ?ll see. ThereÂ?s a meeting in the evening that I donÂ?t feel I need to be at, and IÂ?ll check with Doug tomorrow. I think we can split this particular task a bit. Doug see