Sure Happy It's Tuesday

Sometime in the last three years of wedded bliss, my lovely bride reminded me one could say one "uncolorful, descriptive adjective" describing the fecal matter of a housepet, or horse, or even a bull - but only on Tuesdays or Thursdays, ergo: S ure H appy I t's T uesday/hursday.  today was such a day.  Having celebrated the 4th in fine style (more about that later) - had to get back to work this morning. well, with the warm day that it is supposed to be I opened the office sliding door to the atrium.  as the morning grew on I began smelling something that seemed awfully like dog poop.  I thought to myself, did somebody leave their dog in the atrium and it decided to relieve itself near my office door?  I looked and looked, but to no avail.  I sat back down at my desk, working at my computer, and lo and behold the smell was getting louder!  so's I finally look down and notice my right shoe.  somehow I had managed to cover about 3/4 of the sole of my shoe, as well as having it squish up the outside of my shoe.  I have dog poop on my carpet, on the plastic rug protector, in fact I have it everywhere.  I take off my shoe and it is terrible!  I hold it away from my body  and remove it to the outside of the building.  I find a brick wall (on which to slam the shoe) and a stick (with which to extract the mess from the tread), and begin the clean-up operation.  I put the shoe back on my foot and walk to the nearest grassy area (to do the old 'rub, scrape, and clean' process).  I do the best I can, go back to the office and get back to work, but the stuff is ingrained in the carpet enough to hold it's odor.  I go to the restroom to get some paper towels, wet them, and all they really do is tear apart with the friction of the carpet nap.  this is getting worse!  now all I have is messy "pooper mache". I live with the smell for the rest of the day. 

hopefully I remember to take a can of "Smell-Out" with me in the morning.  So began and remained my imperfect day.  But the conclusion of the day hadn't arrived ... yet.  so, I'm walking the dog about 9 pm and we travel about 8 blocks.  Sunny needs to relieve himself during the walk, which is pretty typical - and I am ready with a poop-bag.  He leaves his mark, but tonight it's rather juicy, and that presents an unforeseen predicament.  I put the bag over my hand, and begin picking up the mess, but with it's softity (that's my new word) I kind of have to scrape the pavement to get it into the bag.  well, the pavement is rough enough so that my ring finger scrapes the surface from inside the bag; the bag tears, and now my finger is "dipping the dew" as it were.  I start laughing and can't wait to get home and tell my lovely Karina about the "perfect End to a most Imperfect Day" (she had heard the office part earlier!)  so, once again I can end this tale by saying Sure Happy It's Tuesday ... and to think, Thursday is just 25 hours away.

Talked to Kristi a few minutes ago.  "have you seen the news?" she said. not knowing anything she told of this massive dust storm that came though Phoenix.  I quick went to YouTube and found THIS.  pretty awesome, huh?

Sunday was a delightful day.  had the "wrap-up" to our VBS at Sunday worship.  All the decorations were still up; we used several DVD songs with the congregation;  had the kids come forward for those songs and do the actions.  the people really got into it!  VBS had 5 themes - God made us; God listens to us; God watches over us; God loves us no matter what; and God gives good gifts.  I did a little meditation with God made us and God love us; the children's message covered God listens to us;  the Scripture lesson covered the "watching" and communion was the "good gifts" part.  The meditations are posted - please note they were presented about 20 minutes apart.  Again had a lot of neat comments on the service - even one person said "I've been on that plane!"  (you'll have to listen to know what that means.)

the weekend provided opportunities for YARD-WORK!  we got out the chain-saw and delimbed trees all over the back yard; got out the chipper and made mulch of all the branches/pine cones/ over abundant flowers/ weeds and the like.  Got the deck scrubbed and ready for "sealing" for the season.  got the lawn mowed (at the proper height) and everything is looking great!  the veggie garden is super - had radishes and beets and lettuce; the apples look great, but the pears are a little sparse.  am truly amazed at the growth back there.  Karina's the gardener, by the way ... I just write about it.

the 4th we crossed the border to go north to Washington - (maybe 30 miles); celebrated with the Waetjens (Ray and Judy - he had Lin's service and married us) at the Schultzes (Tony and Renell, and MIL, Alma who lives with them) in Battle Ground.  Had a great afternoon; sat and talked - I think the last time we were all together was last 4th.  Karina brought the salad - from our garden; Judy brought the strawberry shortcake; T & R provided the rotiserried beef roast. We had to leave by 9:00 - K had to be up and going today at 5 (Yuk!).  Got home and watched the fireworks (on TV) from Fort Vancouver - (we'd driven past the park getting home) and appreciated not being in the traffic. Was mid 80s on Saturday; 70s Sunday and mid80s again today.  truly lovely weather!

tonight we did our monthly volunteer meal service at the "Transition House" in downtown Portland;  we've done this together since we've been married, Karina has done it for nearly 20 years.  I only mention it because the agency moved into a new city provided housing development called the Bud Clark Commons.  Clark was a former mayor who always advocated for the homeless and oppressed - truly a wonderful testimony to Clark and the city for it's care and concern.  hope other cities are doing the same thing for those in need.  The old Transition House was not very pretty - just an old remodeled warehouse that had a room with 40 bunk-beds (80 clients) that served also as a dining room and TV room.  the clients are always appreciative - we notice that there are younger and younger men (the economy is still pretty devastating in the corporate world out here) - but many are being "transitioned" into new jobs and vocations.  really quite a process. 

getting ready for Sunday and the Gospel is the Parable of the Sower ... always hard to preach on something so familiar!  but that's what keeps the job exciting!  we'll see what happens.

love ya.

K & D