Friday, December 13, 2024

Three Beautiful Things 12-11-2024: Wednesday Morning Eucharist at St Mary's, Darting Around Eugene/Springfield, Terry and I Were Unsupervised Ha Ha!

 1. I started my Wednesday by going to the weekly Wednesday morning Eucharist at St. Mary's Episcopal Church. Rev. Ryan Baker-Fones was this morning's celebrant which was especially fun for me because around thirty or so years ago, Ryan was a Shakespeare student of mine one quarter at LCC. As it turned out, his mother, Leah, was also in one of my classes, not Shakespeare, but research writing. 

I hadn't been to a service since some time before the pandemic struck. I quarantined myself with some strictness when the pandemic was at its hottest and I got out of the habit of driving to Coeur d'Alene to the closest Episcopal Church, St. Luke's.  

I loved being back in the loving arms of the Eucharistic rite. I was stirred, actually moved by the familiarity of the liturgy.  All those words I've heard repeated and repeated myself so many times sink into me a bit deeper each time I hear them and speak them. They sunk in a bit deeper today, especially during prays of preparation for taking Communion and during the prayer of thanksgiving afterward. 

Because not many Episcopalians live in the Silver Valley, the diocese closed both parishes here -- first in Kellogg and then in Wallace. 

I understand. 

Now, I've got to get back into the routine of driving to St. Luke's in Coeur d'Alene on Sundays again, weather permitting, and return to the liturgical rhythms and the kind spirit of Episcopalian worship. 

2. I left the church, returned to the studio apartment, having checked out but, as usual, I also left a jacket behind. I retrieved it. Then I ran errands. I bought a Fitbit charger at Best Buy. I bought Debbie some Hazy IPAs at Bier Stein. I returned to the Starbucks on 7th I used to frequent and purchased a latte for the road. It was fun driving routes in Eugene and Springfield  I used to use frequently to get around and a fun way to end my Eugene visit.

3. I then drove back to the Turner's house in Gladstone. Nancy is helping her sister after surgery in Boise,  so Terry and I were, as he put it, unsupervised. Ha ha!  

We had the house to ourselves. 

We really tore it up. 

We yakked for a while and then headed to a food truck pod in Oregon City where I enjoyed my first ever Nashville hot chicken sandwich. 

Terry had walked and played eighteen holes of golf earlier in the day. 

I'd been running around Eugene and Springfield and driving on I-5 and I-205. .

So both of us turned in around old man o'clock -- about 9 p.m.

I slept restfully and peacefully in preparation for my Thursday drive back to Kellogg. 

No comments: