When the Homily is about Immunology

Timber!

A busy weekend it 'twas. Besides having a houseful (and RV parked outside) of guests, we managed to get a great deal accomplished. Our guests included Sue's mom and Aunt Carol, my mom and her husband Willard, and my sister and her boyfriend Chris (and kids).

On Friday Rade and Jenny Davis helped me to replace the front two windows on the house. The old windows' seals had been compromised and were an awful sight, and one of them had a significant crack as well. I was surprised at how easy the job was and was thankful for the assistance - especially given the terrible weather: rain, wind, and cold. Also, that morning, we had two cords of wood delivered - hopefully to be the last time I buy wood.

Saturday had my sister and her boyfriend Chris showing up. Chris brought along a new-used chainsaw he'd gotten and seemed anxious to fire it up. We went down to the already felled tree on the northwest side of the property, but found that it was probably not going to be much use. So I showed him around the rest of the property and we found a tall Alder that appeared to be on its last legs (or roots). So Chris's saw roared to life and he laid it down exactly where we had decided would be the best place for it to fall.

What a tremendous crash it made - likely as loud as some of the gunfire from the weekend before. Chris then began cutting it into burnable sized rounds while Sue and I hauled the pieces off to the woodshed. We were not able to get them all...my back had had enough and I figured once Willard's RV was moved I could get the truck back there and get the rest in one shot. That tree will provide a significant amount of firewood for us next season. And, as a bonus, as it fell it completely took out a clump of young maples, which Sue will now use to make roosts for the ever growing chickens. When all is said and done, I have a pretty darn full woodshed.

Sue has pics and her side of the story HERE.

Sunday we headed off to church as usual. Afterwards St. Elizabeth had their annual meeting and somehow or another I was nominated and accepted to attend the Diocesan Meeting or Assembly to occur next February (I think) as a representative or delegate or something - I really need to get my facts straight! Anyway, I am fairly sure it will take place in San Francisco (but maybe not) and we are to elect a bishop to replace Tikhon who is retiring - this week I believe. I'm honored, even though I have no idea what I'll be doing. I reckon some OCAer in the blogging world will set my facts straight before I get a chance to talk to Fr. Christopher...also, if it is in San Francisco will I need my passport to get back into the United States?

Fr. Christopher mentioned something during the meeting that had actually occurred to me earlier that same day. While ideally one will always feel needed by a Parish, there is little doubt that the acuteness of that need is felt more in a smaller mission. This is especially true in a fiscal sense, but also true in other senses as well. Amidst a larger crowd one may not feel so compelled to step forward and help or perhaps one might not feel it so critical to make their tithe. But, in a smaller mission, you really do feel the needs...it draws you in and more swiftly gives you a certain sense of investment in the effort.

Anyway, to top the weekend off, Sunday night the girls starting puking. They had Sue up most of last night and so I hope to speed through work today as swiftly as possible in order to get home early. Hopefully, this little bug will not work its way through the whole family, but if I know our luck...the Technicolor yawning has only just begun.