Goodbye Alex 😢 Hello Shane 😊
Good day to all! The calendar announces that it is the first day of Autumn 🍁!!! Happy Fall!! The weather is cooler and we are loving that!!
I'm home alone, Ron went with Spencer and David on tract route. A driving route and in the Bronx, I do believe! Beings it's Monday, the washer and dryer have been my companions!! I ate some lunch, a little of this and a little of that! Did a little house cleaning and got groceries etc around for supper.... spaghetti with meat sauce, Caesar salad, green beans and fresh baked bread. ( If I remember, more on that later. ) Home this evening...
We said goodbye to Alex, early morning on Friday. We had started with the tears already on Thursday.... Alex's gift to Papa was a NYC t- shirt and his to me....was a tote bag, had been looking at them, a vase of flowers and chocolates 🍫. ( My boys will keep me never wanting, when it comes to chocolate! ) Alex and I stood at the kitchen counter and visited a bit and cried...he says I will probably bawl like a baby, once I'm gone! I walk over to the stairway yet.... when the guys are man handling the heavy suitcases down and I holler another bye....best to you!! Ron and I go to the window and watch the guys walk to the van and then Ron tells me, they are gone! And just like that, another 6 months has went by....and we are left with all the memories, the crazy things they said and did and we love again and again!! One song says, it's the love I feel that makes me cry!
And then on a early Saturday evening, with happy and anticipation filled hearts, we go to LaGuardia. We go with 3 guys who are dressed differently than most days! Truly this time, it was a knock out!!! I won't describe too much, cuz some things are just for Sugar Hill....😂 But let's say, when Ron opened the front door for us to leave....my throat caught in my throat a bit and I was about to say....there is some men sitting on our steps.... only to realize I happened to know these guys well. Shane Dyck from Ballico was on time, he left behind Dad, Donavon, Mom, Shawnell and 3 siblings if I have it right. ( Greg and Gloria would be his grandparents!) The 3 aforementioned guys after some time all introduced themselves....and we met and welcomed Shane to NYC!! Headed to Jackson Hole for supper and then on home! We invited Roger and Elsie up to meet Shane and spent rest of evening, relaxing... guys gave Shane a tour of the whole place and then of course in the night was the normal interruptions, I'm always impressed, that in the morning, they come down smiling and are very good sports about it all!! Shane hasn't been to the city before, so this will be fun! This morning Shane had devotions, ( we give no breaks! 😃) With a big grin, he told us, that his first evening/ night he was here...he had been worried about it all, and he opened his Bible and it fell open to the verse, Take no thought for the morrow.... verse above that one was, But seek ye first the kingdom of God and that had been comforting to him. I think he fits in nicely and we already love him. Devotions can be a special time here! Sometimes Mama even gets tears in her eyes!
Last Monday evening was Alex's eat out and both Ron and I guessed correctly of where we were going...yes it was Skirt Steak alright!! Yummy supper! Then went to Anita's for gelato yet. Roger and Elsie joined us for the eat out!
Tuesday really turned into a day off....Ron got a text message from Stacey over at Lincoln and wanted the boys to help with a event and hand out the ice cream. So that knocked out singing for patients.... after we had enough of being inside, Ron and I went to walk the High Bridge...a 30 minute walk to the bridge, walk across the bridge and back and then the 30 minute trail home! Spencer's turn to cook, he breaded chicken tenders and baked them, made ranch potatoes and cut a watermelon 🍉 later after supper, David cooked up some custard and we ate it with ice cream! Practiced songs in the evening!
Wednesday morning started with both Ron and I hearing the door bell buzz at 5:45. Our alarm was set to go at 6....we didn't investigate, so who knows? Normal day of work for Ron and I and Bible study in the evening! Tyson wrote a lesson on The Precious Blood of Christ! We had 6 attendees, Julio...a guy new to us, met Roger on a tract route, Alistair, Peter, Tony, Eric and Dede!!! Had some very interesting discussion...and thoughts to digest! Sing out went fine... supper was waffles and sausage and Tony brought a strawberry cheesecake. After our late supper, we cleared the table and had book and sign signing! They also gave Shane a call!
Thursday of course is shopping morning! Got that all taken care of ...we all left the house before 4:30, Queens bound. Got off the subway train by Woodside and felt like we were in a foreign country! Truly, a whole different vibe then where we live!! That part of Queens is diverse!! Met Bernice at Woodside and then we embarked on our walking tour. She showed us the apartment where the unit used to live, then we walked in Chinatown and Little India, we passed by the Philippines and idk where else! We went into a Indian grocery store, super interesting! Laurence met us and we dined in Jackson Diner, Indian cuisine! AND it was so good! Ron and I shared chicken masala with rice. Laurence's had some cashew korma or something with rice. Boys ordered goat curry, baked cheese, lentil soup and a meat platter. Breadbasket was full of Naan, both garlic and plain and something called Partha? I think 💬.... plus they brought us out a appetizer of some real thin cracker type something, super good with some sauces. David was with his family in India, while a child....as missionaries....and he ate with his hands. Waiter was beyond tickled....he stopped by to ask us, how it was? We replied in the affirmative and then he seen David eating with his hands and he got a big grin on his face and said, " it was very good! Now, go wash your hands!!!! 😋" We walked over to Laurence and Bernice's neighborhood and then toured a park and a Asian store....the one with the awful fish smells and meat that you don't see in a normal supermarket!!! Off to Laurence's, had lots of fun....she had made some raspberry quick bread and so we ate again....guys toured their apartment and she autographed some of her books for them! We laughed and talked and enjoyed and then bid them goodnight and headed home! A spot opened up beside me on the subway train home...and Alex came to sit with Mama!
We already talked about Friday morning.... guys were back in good time for biscuits and gravy and then off to work! Ron and I had a busy day at home.... guys hurried home from work and quickly showered and we left the house around 4:20, Fleetwood bound! Traffic was crazy, frustrating and ever so slow at times! So it took us till 7 to arrive! Occasion was a fish fry, put on by their youth... fundraiser for Christmas outreach! Roger and Elsie borrowed Clay and Dana's car and went earlier in the afternoon already. Kendon's also went! Elmer and Mary Ellen were outside waiting for us!! 🤗 Went in, paid the suggested dues and sat at tables. Row by row, you went to the kitchen for your plate. Catfish from MS, breaded and fried to perfection, hush puppies, baked beans and coleslaw. Tres leches cake for dessert, which I left alone....I had more fish and hush puppies instead! I can hear people saying what???!!!! 🫢 The youth all sang 5 or so songs and it was heavenly! Our guys helped too. Then was just a time of visiting, very enjoyable! Around 10, the youth just had the gym cleaned up and volleyball net was going up! Our guys already mentioned something in the van as we were driving over...so we said there might have to be a compromise!! Which was, Rogers and us taking the van home and guys bringing Clay's car home. We got home at 12:45 respectfully and guys arrived at 2:30. We so enjoyed the Fleetwood/ congregation feel and vibe and the boys loved playing some ball! 😁
We didn't get up with the roosters on Saturday morning, breakfast was at 9:45!! Boys had cleaning chores, moving to different rooms for 2 of them.... getting ready for new boy and so all 5 of us were home all day! ( Friday evening, when guys came home in a hurry, they told me, that they brought home a box of dough and it needed to be in the freezer. So I ran down stairs to take care of it...yes 50 frozen loaves of Italian bread....all we have to do is raise them and bake them and eat them!!!!! Sent home by Dede from the pantry, they can't use a donation like that for handing out food. ) Anyway back to Saturday, I let raise 2 of the loaves and it makes beautiful bread and very yummy. For lunch I made a Charcuterie board, with fresh bread, salami and smoked turkey, cheeses, 2 kinds of grapes, tear drops and gum drop grapes. Crackers and a biscuit type cookie. Fun!! David in his lunch time prayer, thanked God for the Charcuterie board!!!! 😁 We left the house at 5:30, airport bound and already talked about that.
Sunday morning, alarm rang off at 6, Ron went down and out to grill/ smoke 8 pork tenderloins and I baked a dob cake, got a shower, and made breakfast. Baked oatmeal, muffin tops, cheese, fruit and yogurt. We were 19 folks in church today, with #20 joining us for closing prayer! Kendon's and us helped the guys sing at 10:15. Had 6 attendees.... Opening by Laurence, SS and us ladies had quite a lively discussion and then David brought good sermon thoughts...Draw nigh to God and he will draw nigh to you! 11 minutes long, Tyson says! 😊 Roger added and Kendon had closing prayer. Lunch was pork tenderloins, potato casserole, cabbage green salad, bread, dob cake with ice cream. Ellen brought chocolate biscuits candy.... In the afternoon, it was a toss up, what to do...be with Laurence's or be with Kendon's and the guys....? Since it was Shane's first Sunday that won out! We invited Laurence's to join us, which they declined!!! 🫢We went to the Financial district and walked and looked up .... went to the coffee shop, Conwell? The one in the old bank 🏦....Ron and I each had a matcha latte. We then walked over to Elevated Space...a park on top of a building...very lovely. Lovely views of the East river, water taxi's, we watched a helicopter come in and take off, The landing pad was a Pier. We watched a sail boat unfurl another sail on his boat.... there was this rather large area of artificial turf that the guys, Kendon, Olivia and Thomas run all over. Yes, we get excited even about artificial turf!! 😂 It was so neat to watch the children run and play....Kendon would lay down and the kids would just fall all over him!! Caught a train to the Oculus from there and on home from there. I asked Shane, whether he liked it? Awesome was his reply! I made supper, chicken and bacon quesadillas, caramel with apples, grapes, Frito corn chips and leftover dob cake and ice cream. Spent evening at home.... singing was done....out of books and projector. I wouldn't trade some of those evenings.....Ron also had to clean the mini split....it developed a clogged line and so water dripped out, where water should not!! So cleaned it with vinegar.
Last load in the dryer...yay!!
We are delighted to understand that new missionaries will be coming in November! Names forth coming sometime!!
Love and prayers, Mama Carol