Senior boy leaves😢... a junior boy arrives! ☺️
Good morning from NYC! Some snow still left on the ground, how be it, fairly dirty and nasty by now! But I'm here to say, there is something magical about the snow falling at dark in the city! Saturday evening, I was drawn to the windows time and again to look out and view winter wonderland! It was fun to watch some dancing and sliding down the center of the street, while said persons were taking videos of themselves frolicking in the snow!! Today though, a beautiful sunny day , although I notice as I glance outside, it's becoming less sunny!
Jesse Barkman left us early on Saturday morning, Papa and I said goodbye in the kitchen and somehow Mama manages to shed a few tears and her voice gets a little shaky. We will miss him much and already have!! He was a good guy, as they all are!!
Our new boy is Jordan Ensz from Grandview Idaho. His parents are Charlie and Lori, Lori's parents are Jim and Lena Rose Giesbrecht...if I'm not mistaken, Carlos and Judy Ensz are Charlie's parents. Jordan flew in early evening on Saturday and we love him already! He appears to be a super fit into the unit.
Back to last Monday, evening was spent at home. The guys and Ron spent most of the evening, picking songs and practicing for Wednesday evening call-out. Well I do think Jesse picked most of them, as it was his last sing out. Alot of the songs, were old time favorites from the quartet book. As I listen, I thank God for giving us this time in our lives!! Unit life is filled with many blessings!! ☺️
Tuesday morning, Ron went down to Rogers and they went over the books.... Elsie came up to our apartment and we talked over menus for upcoming meals. @ 12:30, we left the house, got to the bus stop, no bus in sight and so we decided to walk the 30 minutes to Lincoln! A good invigorating walk, the chilly wind pushing us from behind. Sang with the boys, it almost seemed like we got more no's today, but we did sing a fair bit too. The patients get handed a tract, and it's always rewarding, as you walk away, to look back and often the patient is looking at the tract, may the good seed continue to be sown. Once home, I quickly baked a pan of monster cookie bars, which I found out, was a favorite! In the evening, was Bowery Mission for mens service, up in a upper room. We sang 5 songs Jesse had some thoughts on prayer and then another 5 songs. The men often call out the selection of songs and some heartily sing along! Good visiting with a few after service...one man lingered quite awhile and he has 3 toddlers back on Staten Island and he called them crumb snatchers!!! 😂 Clay and Dana also joined us and Clay had closing remarks and prayer
Jesse picked Katz for supper, as he had never been there! They specialize in HUGE pastrami sandwiches! Us couples share the sandwich. Upon leaving, a few of the guys spied a gelato place....In it's name was laboratory... Roger took off on a dead run and the rest of us followed. Not all bought gelato though, we stood around and admiiref those that did!!! Some interesting flavors....the whole place had a aroma like a dairy though!! Maybe my imagination was working overtime!!!
Wednesday, a normal day at home, with laundry and supper to cook for guests after Bible study. Jesse wrote his last lesson, titled Our Trust. Dede, Eric and Alistair were the attendees, besides Clay's....and us all. A most interesting discussion, with our 3 attendees, it led briefly into politics..... Bible study isn't usually full. Sing out at 8 and then Alistair came upstairs for supper. Dede came up to say goodbye, but she had homework, so left. Had sloppy joes, Alistair had 3....I love feeding guys who eat!!! Also had baked mac and cheese and fruit. Almond cream pie dessert. Rogers came up also, Roger ate some food, but Elsie had strong will power and did not! They ate supper early with Eric!!!
Thursday morning, we went shopping!! It had snowed and sleeted and was a sloppy mess, but I wore my moisture proof boots and got along fine
Target and BJ's were our shopping stores. BJ's has a serious lack of carts, so....in the parking garage already, you see somebody coming, wheeling his sometimes over loaded cart, and you ask, can we have your cart? Only to find out, if you can understand them, that someone else already asked!!! So you finally go in the store and follow someone out to their rig, you may or may not help them put said groceries in rig. We do express pay, and you can only pick up 30 items, then you have to have that scanned at front door and then you take groceries out to mission van I wish I would have counted, how many people approached us for our cart... maybe 10 and you get these queer looks, you STILL need your cart, you are going back in for more??? As we checked out the 2nd time, a couple stood with us while we did self pay, then followed us to our van and then took our cart! It's a whole new ballgame to shop here in the city!!! I cooked supper for a lot of the rest of the afternoon. We invited Kendon's to come join us for supper, they had been sick and wanted to tell Jesse goodbye. We had country style ribs, flavored mashed spuds, green salad and buttered and warmed French bread...Rice Krispie bars and ice cream. Another fun evening!!
Friday...3 guys off to Bronx pantry and Jesse stayed home and tore around.... finished packing, went shopping etc. in the evening, was Jesse's eat out....he chose Skirt Steak, Ron and I had never been there....but man was it good! We left Sugar Hill at 5:25...Jesse had invited Rogers and Alistair to go along. Alistair met us there. We had to wait outside for awhile, for a table for 9. Just 1 menu, green salad, steak and unlimited fries.....ah, super good!!! They do bring a dessert cart around, but good sense does say no!! ( Back to the menu here at Skirt Steak, they do have a secret menu, available upon request! ) Got back on the subway and headed home.... Roger slipped into Foodtown and bought Snickers and Mango ice cream. They brought it upstairs, where book signing, street sign signing and gifts were being given! Jesse had bought all the boys, including Ron, a T- shirt from the Harlem fire station. He gave me a vintage tea towel, far too pretty to use!
Our morning started at 4:15 on Saturday!!! Grief!! Breakfast was at 5:15, toast, cereal and fruit smoothies. Guys took Jesse to the airport, Papa and Mama stayed home to start laundry. Jesse's room needed cleaning, plus all the bed covers and sheets etc. Ron cleaned his room....Dexter moved into Jesse's room, Wade over to Dexter's....so laundry.... while the house was quiet and dark, we tried to continue our night....but I might have barely knocked it off, when the guys were home! 2 of the guys zonked out on the couches and 1 went upstairs, to start his chores, then later he was lost to the world!! The morning went on and on...... lunch was easy....had way too many country style ribs and flavored mashed potatoes from Thursday evening, so warmed that all up. Guys went shopping in the afternoon...also trying to get chores done, and a plan for the night time activity and got that set up! Showers and off to the airport....guys dressed up like business men this time....hats, suit coats, not suit pants though....and ties they bought!!! They came scrambling down, when it was time to go....and still had to look at videos and descriptions of knotting a tie. Ron and I finally went down to the van... Jordan was in on time....the guys went on ahead and Papa's hang back..... because I'm a dead give away!! But the guys and Jordan were not locating each other and Jordan spied us first!! Jordan was laughing, because he thought those 3 guys must be it, but hadn't went up to them!! Stopped at the going home restaurant, Jackson Hole and Ron and I shared a burger and later a shake! Spent the rest of the evening, back at the house... Jordan unpacked and they played a game!
Sunday, what a quiet and relaxed day! We were only 18 for worship and lunch! Clay and Dana had company, Brandon and Trish Johnson from West Union Iowa. Brandon's Dad is Terry Johnson, Orval and Myra's son...I went to school with Terry!! Kendon had opening to SS, Brandon, Clay and Dexter all had sermon thoughts. My turn for me and Ron and I put 12# of roast beef in, plus carrots and onions. We baked the roast all night. When I got down to the kitchen at lunch time, the oven was stone cold! I could touch the rack, no problem! So carrots went in the microwave, then a kettle....and were still crunchy, I said that is why we have teeth! 😜 Roast was heated back up and gravy made!!! All is well that ends well!! We wonder if the power blinked or something!!!!!!! Afternoon, Clay's and Brandon's did their own thing, Kendon's went to Central Park to see the snow. We went to Chelsea Market...and boys followed us there, later Kendon's came too. A neat shopping experience!!!! We all had snack at Joey Bats!!!! We also stepped inside the Starbucks Reserve.... home... Kaitlyn's turn for supper, pork tacos with cabbage salsa and I helped her with a fruit tray. Bars for dessert. Leftovers from lunch. Yummy! Spent the evening at the house....boys down to Rogers to discuss tract work and put together some tracts.
So goes another week on record!! A nap is calling my name, so I think I will respond!
One sees the weirdest clothes, the homeless begging, one just stopped in front of Ron and I yesterday on the subway....and was mumbling....and he just stayed right there!!! Ron and I were squished on the seat, so he couldn't get to his money or your money....so finally he had me dig in my wallet....only after we handed him a bill, did he move on!!! I wonder how long he would have tested us??? Another one, had his small speaker, cranked loud and obviously had the vibe!!! Singing, much jamming.... looking at himself in the subway glass, then jiving his way off of the train!
Sirens have become a way of normal life We hardly notice them at times....our ears grow dull of hearing....
This evening is Tribeca, so service there and eat out!!
So long from the city that never sleeps!!!
Love and prayers, Carol