Victoria home, insights, classes and early dark

Belated relaying one of the things Mama and I enjoyed during the Thanksgiving holiday was having a fire in the opening in our back patio that we use as a burn pit. The night was quiet, and the wind was still when Mama and I took time to sit by the fire. It was a bit chilly, but we had wraps and blankets to cover up as needed when the heat from the fire was not enough to warm us sufficiently. We had the house to ourselves. Victoria was in Honduras and the Thomason’s had gone home. It is always relaxing to watch a “campfire” burn and we were able to make the most of it that night. Soon, we will repeat the activity as I try to burn through the last of the rotting firewood pile we are cleaning up.

Mama and I missed the service last night because Victoria’s flight was due to arrive at DFW at about 8 pm. Mama had offered, albeit halfheartedly, to make the run by herself so that I could go to the special service. However, with her difficulty and discomfort driving after dark, I knew it would be best for me to do the driving. We made the most of the appointment stopping enroute at Costco to look around and wait out the hour or so we had to spare. We did not purchase much but we did renew our membership for the coming year, so the stop still cost us almost one hundred dollars. From there it is a short trip to the airport, and we were parking just as Victoria texted that her plane had landed. Mama stayed in the vehicle as I went in to greet Victoria – mostly because Mama did not want to put on a mask. I did not wear a mask as I waited during the time it took for Victoria to come through the security doors and as we waited together a long time for her luggage to be spit out onto the carousel. We were home a little after 9:30 pm.

I was happy to be there to greet Victoria, but I regret missing the last service where Bro. Harding was preaching. The insights he had given in his sermons were both encouraging and instructional. One thing he shared was that among the members of Congress if they receive ten phone calls speaking to an opinion or concern about a bill being considered, they will either reevaluate or reconfirm their position on that bill based just on those ten calls. Our communication to them is monumental and we need to be proactive is making those calls to make our voice heard. With that information, I am getting together a list of our representatives and their contact information so I can be one of those ten callers when the opportunity arises. In light of the upsetting things happening in our government right now, we need to remind our representatives that they work for us. They serve at our pleasure and their appointment is not for personal gain or political power but to hear and respond to our interests. Sadly, we have lost that perspective. It is time to regain our authority in our government and making a few calls is a good starting point.

I will begin an OSHA class this afternoon. It is a 20-hour class with four hours happening today and full days of instruction on Thursday and Friday. Where I am sitting for those classes is a little over an hour away so I will have a few late evenings and a couple early mornings, but it should pass quickly enough. Successfully completing this course will extend my trainer certificate for four more years. Probably well past the time it will be an actual benefit to me or my company, but that is how the time is calculated. There is some angst at my employer because a class scheduled for Friday was cancelled to free me to participate in a company-wide get-together and now I will miss that event for a totally different reason. I will find a way to absorb the sorrow at being unavailable to participate. Not! But it is a little saddening for those who sought to ensure I was free to do so. I appreciate their thoughtfulness, but that foresight cleared my schedule to attend the class I am required to take for my trainer certification. So, it all works out well – mostly.

Because darkness comes so early now, I will not be able to get anything done on the farm – at least any outside chores – through the remainder of the week. In fact, in an attempt to make it to church this evening I will shave, shower and dress for church to attend the 4-hour class this afternoon. Since I will be between Dallas and Ft Worth for the class, I will have to go through the evening traffic when I am dismissed from class at 5 pm. If I want to go to church, I have to go straight from class and hope to make it to Decatur before 7 pm.

We will see how that works out, but I am going to give it a sporting try.