Sunday, October 30, 2011

Another Weekend

Up and in the kitchen by 8:30 to help get things ready for the Ulster Fry for the Men’s Breakfast. Women are not invited but Deirdre cooked up the soda bread and bacon and eggs and the rest of it. It was all carried from the kitchen to the Training Block to be served and enjoyed by the men. We heard it was a good turnout but not sure how many attended. Following the breakfast, Corky taught.

The women, (Deirdre, Sarah, Jenn {all from MH}, Jennifer and Michelle {from the CSI team} and Bebe and I, went out for our own Girls’ Breakfast at a tea room in Dundrum. We had pancakes and coffee before our trip into Newcastle to the Wool Shop! I bought more yarn, Bebe bought more and Jennifer and Michelle bought knitting needles and yarn. They liked the scarves Bebe and I are making and wanted to learn!

Then we joined the men at Castlewellan at the Peace Maze. It is the largest hedge maze in the world, I think. The team did the maze and Jenn brought Deirdre, Bebe and me back to MH. Bebe and I had done it last year and it was very windy today. We were hoping that the wind would die so that the fireworks would go as planned later tonight. Back at MH, we rested a bit, and then began preparations for lunch and some things for tomorrow’s lunch.

A late lunch was served at 3 pm; then at 5 we went back to Newcastle for the Halloween Parade.  Some of the kids from Cross Point joined us. As we walked from the minibus to the main street, I commented, “I wonder if we’ll see Leonard?” One of the teens turned around and said, “You mean the hobo??” She seemed surprised that I knew about him.  The parade was even better than last year with a band of bagpipes, a band of accordions and drummers, several primary schools, floats and the “Druids” on stilts. There was a Harry Potter float. There were bird costumes. The “birds” had a wingspan of 12-15 feet and were flapping them…very interesting costuming. Again, like last year, the event was mostly families and there were lots of strollers on the promenade. The prizes were given for the various costume categories, a couple of quizzes were done and finally at 7:30 the fireworks began. It was a 25 minute program of great fireworks! The DJ said the crowd was even bigger than last year. Afterward there was a 20 minute walk back to the minibuses. Foot traffic brought the vehicle traffic to a standstill on the main street and several side streets as the promenade emptied. As we drove out of town, we stopped at Kairos to pick up 8 teens. More are waiting for a second vehicle. They’ll be joining us at the BBQ and bonfire.

Alas, there was no “Leonard sighting”.

On the drive home Deirdre mentioned that a whole generation of folks from North Ireland grew up never seeing such a show. During the Troubles, fireworks were banned so from 1974 until about 2000, there were displays. Now adults are as enthralled as the children.  When you read about things in the news such as the Troubles in Ireland…..it just cannot give the whole picture. News accounts cannot possibly show how every aspect of life is affected. That was a sobering moment for me. Those twenty five or so years have changed this culture for many decades to come.

Richie’s BBQ included the kids from Cross Point and the youth from Kairos. A few community people were also invited. The turnout was very good….about 50 youth plus another 20 adults plus team and staff. They grilled burgers and sausages and served them in baps (buns are sweet rolls). People stood around the grills and ate outside at 10pm. Then we gathered inside for music and a short sermon. Luis played the guitar and sang. Jennifer sang. Aidan (a teen from Cross Point) played the bodhran (Irish drum). http://youtu.be/oyPBtExE4W0  The link is to the song, not the drum. Then Corky preached about the man at the Beautiful Gate. It was beautiful how the music and message came together. Jennifer told us later that they had not coordinated it….but that’s just how God works.

Over the course of the evening I had some significant conversations with a leader from the Jesus Army, a young man whose family felt led to NI by the Holy Spirit, and was able to encourage a young woman concerned about the youth in her church.

It has been a long day that began and ended with big meals. But then didn’t Jesus often minister at the table? Tomorrow will include worship at three churches but it will start one hour later as N. Ireland “falls back” tonight. Yep, we get an extra hour of sleep after this long day. Woo hoo!!

Sunday

Our two morning services were planned at Church of Ireland, Maghera, and Newcastle Baptist Church. However, flexibility is the key. We arrived at the Maghera church for the 10 am service. It was communion Sunday. The pastor asked for two from the team to give a short testimony and for someone to share music during the communion time. Jennifer did the music and it was incredible. Her voice is rich, the words were edifying and the acoustics in the 18th century stone church with 40 foot ceilings was outstanding! It was such a blessing that the pastor asked if we could go to the 11:30 service at Kilmegan Church of Ireland. He also has a circuit of churches. Richie modified our plan, notified Newcastle Baptist and we were on our way.

The church at Maghera has the ruins of a tower built in the 12th century. The church itself was built in the 18th century. On a wall is a granite plaque with ten or twelve names of men who were killed in WWI. There were several with the same surname. These churches are about 3-4 miles apart and a similar plaque was at Kilmegan although it had nearly thirty names. What a great sacrifice this area made for the sake of freedom. 

A stained glass window at the front of the Kilmegan church was installed in 1887 for the Jubilee Year of Queen Victoria. I would guess that the church is even older than that.

Todd, on the team, was greeted by a woman who said she is 67. He thanked her for the hospitality and she shared that she only learned two years ago that her father had been a Yank. Apparently he was stationed here in 1943-44 and had a girlfriend. It’s interesting that her mother kept that from her. This woman said she has learned that she has half brothers and sisters in the US. Since she found that she has an American heritage, she makes an effort to be kind to American teams and tourists who come.  I wonder how much of that is also our heritage throughout the world….

The church building at Kilmegan is a bit larger than Maghera and the congregation also a bit bigger. The Maghera folk numbered ten or twelve and the Kilmegan group was about thirty. A gentleman at Maghera had shared that the church is getting smaller as people die. I could see no evidence of a concern for evangelism. I asked if they had considered uniting with another congregation. True to form of folks in dying churches in all countries and cultures, his answer was “we can’t close the church!” The sad thing is that it already is, he just doesn’t know it.

The services at the two churches were identical, same hymns, same liturgy which was from the 1662 Common Book of Prayer (!), same sermon, same pastor. The Dundrum/Newcastle/rural area churches combine for Sunday evening services when there is a fifth Sunday in the month. This pastor also serves the Church of Ireland, Dundrum. He will not close that service to join in the community. And he did not announce Fifth Sunday in either of the morning services. Isolation will not help any of his parishes to grow or attract new people.

We came back to Murlough to have a sumptuous 2 pm Sunday dinner. Roast, potatoes, peas, carrots, and an assortment of desserts. That was followed by cleanup…the whole team pitches in with each meal.  Jenn took a few to see the Shilladay home, some napped, and I helped Michelle learn to knit! It was a relaxing afternoon.

By 6:15 we were back on the minibuses to go to Newcastle for Fifth Sunday. The Newcastle Centre filled up with about 200 people. There was a great cross section of ages. Luis and Jennifer joined the worship team and led in some powerful music. Corky preached about “Be the Church”.”We need to be known for our love, not our address”, “the church has left the building and is out in the streets sharing Christ”, and “what would the church look like if everyone were as committed as you are in these four areas: attendance, service, prayer and tithing?”  It was great to be in a multi-church meeting although it was mostly the Baptists and Presbyterians. Most of the Methodists are very old and the Church of Ireland is not participating at this time…..prayer needed here!

 Tea, coffee, biscuits and trays of desserts were served. Then we walked down to a pizza place. They had seating for 12 and there were 16 or 18 of us so Richie ordered “take away”. When the boxes started coming, Corky prayed over the food and we just stayed and ate. A few more of “our party” came in so we had quite the time for an hour or so. Everyone else who came in HAD to take away their pizza!  The first load was back to Murlough House by ten pm.  Another run was made and everyone was home before 10:30. Whew….what a day!!




Thursday, October 27, 2011

Little Suzie---the Suzuki I drive
Richie asked if "anyone" has driven into the curb. I told him 'not on the driver side'. I had to 'fess up and told him it was only the first day I was driving. It took me a while to get used to how close I was. It seems that the curb side rear tire has a big "bubble" on it. He said it is a wonder it hasn't blown out. But God is good and we have been safe and I no longer am hitting the curbs!
This morning Bebe said she wanted a picture of herself in front of Murlough House and at the sea. We checked the time of high tide and then went for a walk armed with cameras! The sun was shining brightly...no rain in sight. I took pictures of her on her camera and she took pictures of me on my camera. We learned last year that we had more photos of one another than of ourselves so we're being intentional about getting ourselves in our own photos this year! Murlough House is at the end of a one mile tree lined drive.
The address is Keel Point and the house is at the end of a peninsula on the Dundrum Bay.
The sea was beautiful! It was just before noon and the sun was bright. Walking back we were able to see St. Donard's peak in the Mournes. Just a lovely day! Today we didn't meet anyone at the sea or on the boardwalk. That is unusual. Because the property around MH is a part of the National Trust, it is a public area. We often see folks with dogs or prams. They even take the babies for walks when it's raining! They simply put a rain shield around the pram. One afternoon we even saw a reclined wheelchair with an older woman all bundled up and her family taking her for a brisk walk.
You can see St. Donard's peak in the photo at the left. And isn't the green grass luscious looking? The brownish is the heath, I think!                       The CSI team from Georgiana UMC in Florida is here. Jon Clark accompanied them. Bebe and I helped Deirdre prepare lunch and tea (a light supper at 5). After lunch I was in the office with Sarah when Alan came in to ask if he could see her after he spoke with "the Americans". He met with the team for a devotional time. It seemed a bit odd to have him refer to them as "the Americans". Of course, it's what they/we are. It just made it obvious that we are the foreigners here.
I'm directionally challenged so I don't know if this is the "west wing" or not. But I'll explain the rooms on this end of the building. The top floor, extreme left is the sitting room in the flat. The second window is Deirdre's room, the third is the sewing room/w.c., the fourth and fifth the women's toilet and shower rooms. The main floor would be 1-2, Richard's room, 3-4, the room Bebe and I shared for 2 weeks and 5, the washup room/dishwasher room. The lower level is the craft room, the library and the larder (pantry). My room is on the back side of the house opposite the flat's sitting room.

The cat who typically spends a lot of time sleeping in the area outside the kitchen window made an appearance in front of the house. I petted him a bit and then he got cantankerous wanting to scratch me. Of course he tried to run off when he saw I was taking his photo.

Alisdair at Street Ministry
We ate a bit early so the team could get the kitchen chores finished and head to Belfast for street ministry. Bebe had plans to meet with the Kairos folks again. I boarded the mini-bus for Belfast. We first stopped at a church to get a few instructions from Leslie who has been doing this faithlfully for several years. He gave us a brief sketch of what to expect and we were off. We walked about 6 blocks and "set up shop" on a brick paved street that is limited to pedestrian traffic. Luis brought his guitar. He and Jennifer were singing. Then Alasdair used paint and a large sketch pad to illustrate his short talk. An attorney named Stephen gave another short message and used a type of flannelgraph board with pictures. Leslie asked me and Jon to be prepared to answer some questions about our own faithwalk. Our group made up the basic crowd but also made it easy for others to stop and join. There were several who did stop and we were able to share with them, give them a tract and pray with them. Most of the people were under 25. However, I had the opportunity to talk with a 75 year old man. He had lots of reasons why he didn't need church. It was an interesting conversation. I found that he is Scotch Presbyterian, raised in the church but almost a humanist now. I answered his reasons with scripture and he continued to talk. As we ended our time together, I asked him if I could pray for him. He was open to that. I would ask you to pray for James Hill as God brings him to your remembrance. Also pray for Leslie and Stephen who are faithful in this ministry. And pray for Alasdair, Sarah and Daniel who travel weekly from Dundrum to Belfast to share. The people are very open to this kind of ministry and as we debriefed, Leslie told us of many who have come to know the Lord through this work.

We stopped to visit another ministry, the Jesus Army. They do a similar type of work in Belfast. There are several who live in a communal setting. At the end of our visit there, the director had prayers for me and others laid hands on me. I'll share more about that another time.




Catching Up

Sunday
After a phone call or two, we found out some times for worship in area churches. Our choices were Newcastle Baptist, Presbyterian or Methodist. There is also a Presbyterian in Clough (“clock”). The Methodist in Dundrum and Downpatrick were joining the Newcastle congregation today for the circuit meeting. That’s where we decided to go at 11:30 a.m. We arrived in the rain, parked about half a block down the promenade and made our way with the cold wind chasing us! The church is on the main street and is enclosed by an iron fence…very 19th century!

The organist played “Danny Boy” during the prelude. We asked one of the staff here at Murlough later and she said there are hymn lyrics to the melody. I wasn’t aware of that at the time and thought maybe the Irish just liked “Danny Boy”.

They served a light lunch and insisted that we join them. It was finger sandwiches of salmon or egg salad or lettuce and tomato. They also had lovely desserts cut into small individual portions. All of this and the tea was served on delicate pink flowered china….no styrofoam for this church! We visited with several, some of our One2Four folks were there, the daughter of Laura Swartzendruber—Kokomo 1st Presbyterian, the pastor’s wife and others. I chatted with a couple who have a caravan (camper) at Newcastle. They are from the Republic of Ireland. They suggested several places we might want to see. I mentioned the high prices in Northern Ireland and the wife said they are higher in the Republic. They cross the border to buy groceries! Maybe these prices aren’t so high after all

Monday
We met with Alan at “half two”, another way to express 2:30. He had some ideas for more ways to connect with the community. He suggested that I might want to help with some brochures and fliers. He approved our idea to write letters to all of the One2Four people. After our meeting, we composed two letters, one for those who attended last week and one for those who did not. (We had a list from Deirdre.) We included fliers for the Christmas Lunch/Dinners that Murlough House will be offering….a 4 course meal for £ 18 lunch and £22 dinner.  That kept us busy until after 7 but they were ready for the post office.

Tuesday
Bebe went to the Kairos prayer meeting. Kairos is a ministry that reaches out to addicts, the homeless and others. Alan thought Bebe would be helpful to them because of her experience at the Kokomo Rescue Mission. I dropped her off, went to the Wool Shop (I’m becoming a regular customer!) and then to the Post Office. I saw the sign but couldn’t find the door to the Post Office. Finally I went inside the Hallmark Shop and at the back was the post office!! I didn’t have postal codes for all the letters and was chided a bit by the clerk. He sort of harumphed and said "there are four Newcastles in the UK".  However, he turned out to be very helpful and said if I just added "County Down" I would not have to call the number to get all the postcodes. I had 44 letters and bought 48 second class stamps plus ten postcard stamps for £ 20 and some odd pence ($32). From there I went to a couple of shops, and then met Bebe at Maud’s for a diet Pepsi! We have only had 2 soft drinks since I arrived! We made a couple more stops and then home to Murlough.

The bed and my electrical jungle!
View from the bed
Sarah has moved out of the flat so Deirdre and I are moving in. I boxed up my belongings and Bebe and I carried them up the back stairs. My room is 6 ft x 15 ft with one electrical outlet. I have two UK strips connected to reach so I can plug in a bedside lamp. I also plugged in a convertor and my US outlet strip. Years ago my daughter Ricque was a student at the University of Mississippi. She had a similar electrical jungle for her microwave, refrigerator, word processor, etc. My Uncle Jim helped her with something and commented that it was “an electrician’s nightmare”. He was an electrician. I had to think of Uncle Jim and what he might think of my wiring!!

Even a tiny room is nice...I have graduated from 3 drawers to 9 and now have more than I need! The wardrobe is obviously antique. It appears to be hand carved. The downside is that the hangers of today are bigger than when this wardrobe was made and the door will not close. The room is on the corner so I have two outside walls. The window is single pane (required to keep it historic…) and drafty. The lace curtains are lovely but don't do much for the draft. Deirdre recommended that I use a hot water bottle for the bed. I did and it was nice to have the covers warmed!  I slept very well under two duvets!

Wednesday

Bebe moved from the room we had been sharing to the room upstairs that Deirdre moved out of. She packed up this morning and we carried her things up. I located a power strip for her so she also has an electrical jungle...tho not quite as bad. This house was apparenly wired when electricity was first introduced and one outlet per room seemed to be more than adequate. Times have changed but the wiring has not.

The team from CSI is arriving today and four couples on Friday. We will have to use the coffee bar, a nice sitting room and small kitchen in a building detached from the manor house but just behind. I went out to check it and spent an hour or so cleaning.

Deirdre asked us to go to the Oasis and make up a room for more guests coming over the weekend. We took off but missed one turn. Pretty soon we were utterly lost. (I don’t feel too bad about getting lost. This was only my 3rd time to drive to the Oasis….Jenn has lived here almost 2 years and got lost a few weeks ago!) We were in the hamlet of Maghera (Mock—hair—rah with a real guttural sound on the ck) so I stopped and went into a pub for directions. I had no road numbers or road names…just “the Oasis”. As it turned out, the bartender lives “next door to the Oasis” which probably means a few hundred yards as there is no house close by. Anyway, he gave us excellent directions and we made it. We couldn’t get the keypad to work so after a phone call, we returned to MH. Richie said the door sometimes swells when it rains and we just needed to PULL HARD! {Note: The Oasis may be an old pub/inn...or not so old. It has six bedrooms with bath upstairs. The downstairs has a breakfast room with kitchenette, a full kitchen, a dining room, a bar and a "library" or game room. We had the One2Four there and a group of ten or twelve could easily be accomodated in the bedrooms. It's about six miles from Dundrum...out in the middle of pastures. Beautiful area!!}

The team had arrived when we returned and Deirdre had lunch prepared so we served the team and ate with them. Then Richard joined us (for sheer strength) and we returned to the Oasis. He punched in the numbers and yanked on the door and we were in! While we made up beds, Richard did some work on the grounds. We were soon off to Castlewellan to pick up some wood for a project at MH. As we went into Castlewellan, I had to downshift a couple of time for the steep grade. Coming out of town it was hard to keep it down to the speed limit…a nice steep hill! Incredibly the road is rather straight. Richard called it curvy…vertically curvy! He does have a way with words!
Our ministry may seem scattered but it seems to me that a part of it is to encourage those who are here fulltime. Thus far, I believe we have been doing that with Sarah, Joan and Deirdre. Our assistance to Alan with the AIM conferences and our participation in staff meetings has also been a part of ministry. I recall a sermon Lou Herchenroeder preached years ago about Caleb and Joshua holding up Moses' hands with the staff. Sometimes our call is to hold up the hands of those in ministry. Our time here will be short (ten weeks) but whatever we can do to assist in the work through Murlough House will ultimately bring glory to God...and that is our primary call.

Saturday, October 22, 2011

Canes, Crepes and Chutney

Array of canes at the craft bazaar
The big event of the day was the Craft Sale in Seaforde. We had been told there would be a "run" in Dundrum today so we should be prepared for that as we drove through. It was an 8 mile run and apparently a part of it was by the sea. As we sat in the "nook" of the great hall, we saw runners coming up the Murlough Drive and diverting at the boardwalk to go down to the sea. Driving through Dundrum wasn't too bad as most of the 600 runners had completed the race.

We arrived at Seaforde in just minutes. Clough is about a mile beyond Dundrum and Seaforde is just after Clough. The sale was held at the YFC building....Young Farmer's Club. Jenn's pies and breads did well, not a complete sell-out but a good start on her little business. Bebe and I enjoyed seeing the other crafts and foodstuffs. We bought chutney (Aubergine and Apricot, Rhubard and Ginger, and other varieties) and Butter Fudge..ummmm. I also bought a cane. I've begun a collection so wanted to add one from N. Ireland. I priced shillelaghs last year and they were dear! There was a stall with handcarved canes and walking sticks. The blackthorn was about 25 lbs (almost half the cost I saw in the souvenir shops). The one I selected is wild cherry and the handle is made from banksia nut.
Banksia Nut at back and cross section pieces.
We had a light lunch of tomato and cheese crepe! The crepe grill was huge and it was fascinating to watch her pour and smooth the batter for the thin, thin crepes! I would show you a pic of the Butter Fudge but alas, there is nothing left for that!

Friday, October 21, 2011

Thursday was a day for R & R. Bebe and I rested and enjoyed the day. Jenn came to bake for the sale at Seaforde on Saturday. She has started a business, "Pie in the Sky" and is selling pies, breads, cookies and muffins. She is striving for a healthy product. She had a "boot sale" earlier in the month however it was held indoors (Boot being the trunk of the car. At Boot Sales, typically folks go to a carpark and open the "boot" to sell their wares.) She did well at the Boot Sale even though her specialty was Pumpkin Pie. Apparently the Irish have not even heard of using pumpkin for pie. They must have been quite good as there is a Craft/Bake Holiday Sale at Seaforde on Saturday and she was invited to come and bring pies! All day Thursday, she was busy scooping out the squash, rolling out pastry and measuring, mixing, baking and packaging pies.
   She made seventeen!

After they had cooled, Bebe and I helped her package them. In the meantime, we just kept her company. (Note the baby bump on Jenn...due in February!)
Our evening consisted of not much else...reading and crocheting. We did turn on the heater so we could enjoy the small sitting area in the great hall. The sitting room is so big and often very chilly. This little area is "just right".  Richard was very kind and not only made tea for us but delivered it down the long hallway. Richard is very good to make tea often. I asked him one morning just how much he drank. His first answer was "12-13 cups a day" but then he qualified it. I'm not sure how much he drinks but he makes it often and for that, Bebe and I are grateful!
(I am not able to get this pics where I want them. I tried....)  On Friday we decided to go to Newcastle for a bit of shopping. We also did some research for activities for the One2Four. Our stops included two shoe stores (and I bought a pair of fleece lined slippers...my feet are warmer tonight than they have been the whole time I've been here. Great purchase!!), two accessory shops and a great find in a scarf, two "About a Pound" stores (similar to Dollar Stores), a hardware and an electrical (looking for a convertor), Sugar Island Jewelry (to see if she'd like to give jewelry making classes..she would not), Tourist information center (to check on possibilities for day trips for the group), the library where we were able to get a borrower's card and we each checked out books about Ireland!, lunch of Ginger Squash Soup with homemade wheat bread and a cherry scone, and then Beulah, a Christian bookshop, looking for a book suitable for our potential book discussion group. The clerk recommended War and Grace, stories of faith from WWII. There are many short stories. Finally we went to the Woolen Shop. I needed more yarn for the afghan and I bought some for a new knit project! Because there is one hour parking on the streets of Newcastle, I had to move the car twice. I want you to know that I parallel parked! That is quite the feat considering I did it on the "other side". I'm becoming quite adept at this other side of the road business!

We had some great chats with clerks and business folks. At one of the shoe stores, the fellow told about hunting rabbits at Murlough and bagging 60 per day...because that was the limit! The fellow at the bookstore told us about his trip to Florida for Christmas one year. The librarian told me that if we walk down the beach a bit, we should be able to see the seals across the bay. Frances at the Wool Shop was very hospitable. She gave me a knitting lesson! They all ask what part of the US we are from! Wonder how they know?

As we walked along the streets, there were plants displayed for "winter gardens"--primroses, pansies, dianthus and several colors of heather. Beautiful! We left Newcastle (and did not see Leonard today!), stopped for petrol and then back to Murlough House. Richard had prepared lunch so we had leftovers for an early supper. Jenn was baking zucchini bread, raspberry muffins, oatmeal chocolate chip cookies and peanut butter cookies. She packaged up everything and left Murlough House smelling absolutely wonderful. However, she did not leave any peanut butter cookies.



Thursday, October 20, 2011

Bits and pieces

When Ken welcomed the folks at the One2Four yesterday, he told the story of meeting me at the door of Murlough House. He told the crowd that there are interns at Murlough House that are on the same side of 25 as all of them! Later one sweet gentleman had his arm around me and said to Deirdre, “we’ll be taking more interns of this sort!”Later when I spoke I mentioned that we all are part of the ‘Invisible Generation’…even many churches have programs for the young, for the moms, for the women, but few just for the seniors. I could see heads nodding so I believe it’s true here as well.

Yesterday Bebe chose not to go to the craft class because of leg cramps. She was ok while sitting but the standing and walking were painful. I’m sure it’s from all of our kitchen work and we’ll be able to recover in the next several days. However, this morning I asked about her cramps. I told her I thought they had jumped into my bed as I awoke in the night with severe leg cramps. We shall drink more water and take our magnesium!!

Driving to Kilkeel last week I pointed out the palm trees to Bebe. Doesn’t seem like this cold and blustery place would have palms but there they are all along the coast and even inland a bit. The Oasis is about 4 miles in and there’s a palm tree in the flowers! 
The plan for today is prayers at 11 and a meeting with Alan in the afternoon. Between that perhaps a walk, some reading or a well deserved nap!

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Table Ministry....

The first thing this morning (Tues), 10 am, was staff meeting. It was a recap of last week’s events and a look ahead at those scheduled in the next two weeks. Murlough House will also offer Christmas Luncheons and Dinners in December. This will be advertised and hopefully the local people will become more acquainted with the facility and the ministries. (And I’m just realizing what that might mean to me…prep work!)

View from the kitchen sink
After the meeting we began work in earnest. It was prep, prep, prep, prep and some more prep!! Wednesday is the One2Four and we are expecting 55-60 guests at Oasis.  Deirdre has worked hard all day and Bebe and I have helped until we couldn’t do any more, took a rest and helped some more! There are five big Shepherd’s Pies ready for the oven, a giant pot of potatoes peeled and sliced for roasted potatoes, four large bags of carrots peeled and sliced ready to cook. We’ll also serve green beans.  There are two trifles, a pear/red and black currant crumble (in an industrial sized pan), shortbread, pear tarts and gluten free cookies.

We have washed pots and pans and measuring cups over and over and over! (Richard keeps a few pots of flowers in this little passage way so that we have something pleasant to see as we wash dishes...and Richard does his share too! The cat is named for the Bronte sisters' brother--can't remember the name.) The only time I breathed in the outside air was when I answered the door bell three times for three different guests. When Ken arrived, he said “I heard there are new interns here”. I answered, “Yes, I’m one of them”. He was a bit surprised that I was not in my twenties which is the ‘normal’ age for interns. The Advisory Board had come for a meeting but Kieron had not put it on his calendar. Bebe and I served tea, shared our story with the board and came back to more kitchen duty! However we made a couple of contacts for how to work with seniors!  One on the board is a retired doctor who arrived on his bicycle. It’s at least a mile or more from Dundrum out to Murlough House. He walks with a cane but apparently that doesn’t restrict his cycling.

Shoeboxes for Samaritan's Purse
Wednesday!! The work on One2Four was from before 9 am until after 4. We finished up cooking, packed up all the food in three vehicles and took off for the Oasis. I followed Richard on a different route than the one we took Friday. Des and Irene had set up all the tables with linens, cutlery, glasses, and fresh flowers (greens from Irene’s garden supplementing the purchased miniature carnations). I set out the pens I had brought with “Murlough House” on them and Des put out our information survey forms. Then the guests arrived! Several brought shoeboxes for Samaritan’s Purse, Operation Christmas Child.

After lunch was served, I told them a bit about me and Bebe and explained the purpose of the surveys. I also told them about the Christmas Lunches and Dinner to be offered at MH. Then the entertainment….a retired surgeon brought an array of “instruments” explaining tone, rhythm and such. He used a garden hose, a piece of pvc, a balloon, a penny whistle, a violin and a cornet. It was a nice program!!

Then came the washup and loading everything back into the cars. Deirdre left us to go be with her daughter who is having a baby tomorrow!

Back at MH, we unloaded and put away the leftovers, the clean pots and pans, the dishes and the other supplies. Then Bebe and I compiled the surveys. We found that this group is very interested in day trips and even had a few suggestions. We hope to get at least two arranged in the next few weeks.

Jenn Shilladay was invited to have a booth with her pumpkin pies at a craft show in a nearby village this Saturday. I thought it would be good to pass out fliers about the Christmas Dinners so I asked Sarah if I could make one. She gave me all the information, we had it approved by Keiron and will get that run off tomorrow.

Jenn invited me to go with her to a craft class at the Presbyterian Church in Newcastle so at 7:15, I was off and down the lane. Bebe opted not to go. The craft class was nice and I met a few folks. We did some painting on glass and made a Japanese “ball” out of folded paper. We came out of the church just at ten. As I was warming up the car, I spotted Leonard walking down the street.

Newcastle is only 4-5 miles away but about 15 minutes. The narrow winding road runs along the sea part way and is a nice drive. Really nice.

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Stones and stuff

Monday was a blustery day with the trees in the garden swaying the whole day. In the afternoon there was a downpour at exactly the time we decided to go to Newcastle so I could go to a Woolen Shop (yarn). The lady was quite accomodating and showed me all kinds of new yarns and threads. Some are craft styles that I haven't seen in the US. The unfortunate thing is that it appears that they are only suitable for knitting. I may have to relearn that skill as I love the way it works up!

The day was spent in resting from the weekend and getting caught up with Bible reading but I did get outside when it was only misting to take a few photos. There is one flower that looks much like our Mystery/Resurrection/Surprise Lilies. I asked Richard who gave me the Latin name for it first. Then he said it is called Autumn Crocus so I google'd it and here's a pic.

Richard is quite an interesting fellow. He is the gardner/driver/handyman. He has an extensive vocabulary and keeps us entertained with his droll sense of humor. He is working on the C.S. Lewis Garden in his spare time. When the garden is leveled and ready for plantings, he will add a door as in the wardrobe to Narnia and you will go into the forest through the garden. I did spent a few minutes in the Amy Carmichael Garden yesterday. Lots of delicate flowers.
Richard the Gardener

Not a useful pic with the darkness and no perspective.
Bebe had asked about the hawthorn tree a few days ago and Richard said he could take us to see one. We were too tired on Sunday but said we'd go today. He said there is also a circle of stones where the hawthorn is located so we were up for the journey! He preferred to go at about 6 so he could finish the outside work and because he felt that the site was even more lovely in the waning light. That proved to be about 30-45 minutes later than optimal. We drove to Downpatrick and then out to the rural area, parked along the side of the road and walked up a cow path that was about 5 feet wide. This fact will become more important as the trek continues! Keep in mind that it has rained most of the day with that torrential downpour in the afternoon. The cow path was bordered on one side by a stone fence and the other by a wire fence and there were trees growing in the fence rows. Between and on the trees were brambles and thorns. The beginning of the walk was easy enough and we stopped to see the hawthorn tree. Then we continued down the path and the slosh in the middle became softer and softer. I opted to walk in the twelve inches to the right of the path steadying myself by grabbing hold of the tree limbs occasionally. Too often my gloved hand grasped the briars! And more than once the overhead briars caught in my hat. Richard noticed and pulled out his hand shears and began clearing a bit. The trees and briars made a canopy over the path and we could tell even in the 'tunnel' that darkness was falling. I asked the ubiquitous question, "how much further?" and received the "not so much" answer. We continued. And then there was a small turnstile gate and we entered the field that held the Ballynoe Circle of Stones. As Richard said, "it is no Stonehenge". Yet it is an impressive sight, about 100 feet in diameter with stones from two feet to two metres high arranged in a circle. There's a mound in the center and the outlying stones. It is believed that they were placed over 5,000 years ago. It would be a spectacular sight to see as the sun rises...but you won't find me making that trek!!

We made our way back through the turnstile and now UP the path. We slipped a bit from time to time but again grasping the foliage and using the stone fence for balance, we managed to make it without sinking too much in the sludge in the middle of the path. It WAS worth the fifteen minute walk to and fro. It is an incredible sight to see. I cannot imagine how a people with no machinery other than the basics of a lever, etc., would have been able to move such stones. This site is compared to Cumbria (for those of you who are archaologically inclined).

Richard drove us to Asda, a grocery in Downpatrick now owned by Walmart. Our expectations were too high. They did have a few appliances so we could tick a couple more things off our list. They have a very interesting way of trolley management. In order to get a cart/trolley, you insert a pound coin(worth about $1.40 USD) which unlocks the chain. When you return the cart and lock it up, the pound is returned. There were no stray carts in the carpark (parking lot). There was however a raised curbed area. Bebe was walking ahead of me with her purse and a bag. I saw her stumble and thought she was going to recover and not fall but she didn't. She continued to stumble and then tumbled scraping her face on the curb as she rolled onto the asphalt. She sat up and was bleeding. Richard went back into Asda to get tissues and we went on to the car. The bleeding stopped but there was a mess. It didn't seem bad enough for an emergency room visit. We got back to Murlough House to a cleanup and some ice. Today (Tuesday) her eye is swelled a bit and already bruised to a black and purple. Her cheek is just green. Her elbow is swelled a bit and bruised as well. However, we are grateful that she didn't break an arm or a hip!

Pray that our stumbles and tumbles will all be minor! Pray for healing and rest.

Sunday, October 16, 2011

The Weekend....

View from Oasis toward Mourne Mts.
Friday was a long hard day. Bebe and I cleaned the Oasis and washed dishes for the 60 guests we expect next week. The kitchen there is not regularly used and seemed to have not been cleaned in a while. Just a lot more manual labor than either of us single gals were used to doing. I slipped on the freshly mopped floor and took a tumble. I thought  I might have aggravated the weak knee but it seems to be normal. The whole body aches so the knee feels ok.
The Oasis

 We ate an early light supper of parsnip soup with ginger and then wonderful warm from the oven chocolate chip scones!  Who would have thought parsnip soup could be so good!!

In the evening we prepared for a youth group coming in for a weekend event.  Deirdre made even more scones…chocolate chip, cinnamon and fruit. The group arrived at about 8:15 in an eight car caravan. I greeted them at the door and I was impressed. Practically every teen greeted me and all were courteous and smiling. They met in the common room for “house rules” and then tea and scones. Very gracious!

Bebe, Richard and I went to Tesco’s in Newcastle with a list. This is a small Tesco and they didn’t have small appliances (we need a hair dryer) or other “household” items. Still it was good to get out-- even in the damp night.  As we were driving through Newcastle, Richard said “that looks like Leonard…..because it is!” Yes, we had a ‘Leonard sighting’.
Deirdre in the kitchen!

Saturday…

We were in the kitchen by 8:30 to serve breakfast at 9. Cereal , toast and juice but that’s still a task for 34! We helped prepare lunch of roast pork, roasted potatoes, mashed potatoes, mixed vegetables, broccoli, and corn. And then for dessert there was a choice of Plum Crumble or Apple Crumble with Warm Custard Sauce. The plums were from the Murlough House trees and a bit tart so the custard smoothed it out nicely.  After lunch we took a break and then packed up to go to Lisburn for a meeting with AIM and Martin Goldsmith. It was a mini-missionary conference with the couple from the work in Madagascar and then Martin sharing about missions.

A young fellow named Davey was the missions “clerk” at the church. He helped us set up the hospitality area with tables for tea and biscuits and more tables for Martin’s books and yet another one for the AIM literature.  Bebe and I had to make a food run across the street and down a bit for sandwiches for the musicians and more milk for the tea.

The meeting went well. There were 75 or so in attendance; the music was quite contemporary.  It was a good evening and the social time after was nice. Most came for tea and visited with the Aulds and Martin.
The vehicle we brought was a small sedan and comfortable enough for the four of us. However on the return trip to Dundrum, there were six of us. The back seat with four adults was a bit cramped! For just a few minutes, I thought I was back in Kenya! We did take turns breathing. : )  

As we came up the lane to Murlough House we saw several rabbits, then several metres further on, another half dozen or so and then another bunch. Alan said that a while back there was a problem with rats at the Murlough Preserve so the government put out poison. The foxes got into the poison and were decimated. Now the rabbits are multiplying like…well, rabbits!
Sunday

The breakfast duty was easy and a couple of the leaders from the retreat helped us with lunch so it all went well. Bebe and I got the credit for the wonderful meal Deirdre had prepared for us to finish: Chicken Supreme, Rice, Green Peas and then Jelly Roll and Ice cream.  The teens stripped their beds and Bebe got the laundry going. The kitchen was cleaned and we put away things that were out of place. Richard offered to show us a hawthorn tree we had inquired about but we told him we were simply too tired for the walk. Kindly, he prepared tea for us so we sat in the front hall for an afternoon rest.
We did our last hospitality thing for the Missions Conference meetings with Martin Goldsmith. We went to Newcastle at 5:30 but the centre wasn't open. We did spot Leonard!! Another sighting!!  Alan suggested we might want to take a walk while he set up the books at the church. We went down the main street to Maud's for a cup of coffee, then walked back along the sea on the promenade. At one point I stopped to take two photos...to my right, the Mourne Mountains...to my left, the Irish Sea...Imagine!

We walked back to the church for the service. It was rather international. Besides the two American guests, there was a couple from Latvia, a couple from Switzerland and some missionaries from the Philippines. It was Harvest Sunday and the church was decorated very nicely with not only beautiful hydrangea (and I mean stunningly gorgeous!) on each pew but also fruits and vegetables plus grain and bread. I think Harvest Sunday is observed in all Irish churches but each one decides which Sunday in October. The music was good, led by two young people and accompanied by guitar.  After that we were transported to Glenada Centre to set up for the tea and biscuits with a q&a period with Martin. Then home to Murlough House by 11 pm.  We plan to sleep in tomorrow!!
Hope to hear from you! You know my email and my FB so send a message!!

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Still settling in

Thursday, October 13, 2011
Yesterday was interesting. First I awoke at 5:30 a.m. If you know me at all, you know that was abnormal! But with the 6 hour time difference, I was awake. I showered and came back to the room. Bebe was still sleeping so I took a wee nap, then got up just before 8 for breakfast of scones and tea.
Bebe and I were given a task by Deirdre, the cook, to core and quarter the pears she had poached in ginger sauce. After that we had apples to peel, core and quarter. Most of the apples were the size of a small egg so we had a lot of work to do. Both the pears and apples come from the trees here at Murlough.

Later we decided to take a walk to the sea. We were about to go out the door when the bell rang. I let in the visitor who said he came every Monday and wanted to see Jo. Jo has been in the US for about 2 weeks. He made his way in the entry hall and down the grand hall to the office.  I followed him in. Deirdre suggested that we visit with the fellow before our walk. Bebe went off to fix a pot of tea and I sat down to chat…or rather to listen. He asked where I was from and “Indiana” brought on a wealth of information and unrelated facts from him.  “Hoagy Carmichael is from Bloomington. Of course, there’s a Newcastle in Indiana. There are 11 in the US.” I mentioned that Cole Porter was from Peru. He told me it is pronounced “Pee ruh” in Indiana. Then he leaned back and looked at me and said, “you must be a lot older than you look”.  Bebe had arrived with the tea and biscuits (cookies) and he quickly drank up two cups noting that the biscuits were soft and should be thrown out but not in the dustbin. They should be thrown out for the birds and then he ate a couple more biscuits.  He spoke briefly to Richie and then was out the door.
Jenn wonders if he might have Asperger’s. I think he could be a savant. He doesn’t like to answer questions but asks many. He met Chris, a young man who is helping in the kitchen. Within a few minutes, Leonard (the old visitor) had sorted out Chris’s family on both sides.
Besides being savant-ish, he is quite the character. He has bushy white eyebrows with a few wild hairs nearly four inches long. His face needed a shave. He wore no hat; his sandaled feet had white socks on wrong side out. His pants were baggy and his sport coat badly soiled. He could have used a bath.

Jenn said he stops by nearly every week and usually on Monday. There’s a special Facebook page for “Leonard sightings” as he lives in Newcastle but is seen all around. If Bebe had not gone for the tea and biscuits, he would have asked for it.

He’s a friend of John Moxen’s. To complete Leonard’s ensemble, he wore a pair of binoculars. He didn’t answer my questions about whether he was bird-watching or not. Jenn said Leonard is the one who has compiled a list of 40 or so birds that can likely be seen at Murlough National Preserve.
After the visit with Leonard, Bebe and I set off down the lane to the boardwalk to the sea. It was early afternoon, maybe 2 pm so we only met a handful of walkers. Some were alone, one had two dogs (one who stopped and greeted me) and there was one particular couple. She carried a walking stick. I asked if it was collapsible, a very nice stick and useful in the rocks. She said it was and made her way up the rocky beach. Trudging along several metres behind her was her hubby, huffing and puffing to keep up. He said that he was also collapsible! I think she had set a pace a bit too fast for him.

I met the gal who comes in to clean the rooms after teams leave. Bebe said her name was Chevan and I asked “Chevan” to spell it…it is Sioban, very Irish. Sweet girl!!

I’ve met many people, full time and half time and volunteers here at Murlough House. It’s hard to keep them all straight but this is only my second day. An interesting thing at breakfast---I had yogurt and tea. Deidre came in and fixed her cereal, puffed rice, and added a roasted potato from last night’s supper…these Irish and their potatoes!!

Thursday

Bebe at the Hole in the Wall
After breakfast Bebe and I made a list of things we’d like to see around NI. Richard the gardener helped us. We decided that since we didn’t have much scheduled for today, we would take a drive through the Mourne Mountains. Richard helped us find maps and off we went. Bebe handed me the keys so I did a round in the driveway to acclimate myself to the steering wheel and we headed down the lane. The 5-speed isn’t the problem. I have some troubles getting to close to the curb but mostly it’s the turn signal! I keep turning on the wipers. We headed to Newcastle looking for a “hole in the wall” (ATM machine). Bebe was out of pounds. We tried two machines and both refused her card. I was able to get funds from my card so we had money for lunch.  Then we traveled on down to Annalong for lunch at the fish place where we ate last November. Neither of us remembered it quite correctly and we passed it twice! Bebe called Deirdre to get precise directions and there it was!! The Galley has great fish with a “Pensioner’s” portion.

We went on south toward Kilkeel with the sea on our left and the mountains on our right. According to the map we were to continue on B27 but we couldn’t find a road sign to turn off. We continued and ended up at Cranfield Caravan Park, a camper park. I pulled over to look at the map and a red Royal Post car pulled up alongside us. The mailman got out and came round to my side. At this point, I think I had again turned on the wipers and then choked the car so it died. He asked if we were having troubles and I told him I couldn’t understand the car and I couldn’t understand the map. He said “oh you’re Americans” and I said, “yes and I can’t understand the language here either!” He said his brother has a girlfriend in Indiana on Safari Street…did I think I knew her? We asked what town and he wasn’t sure….funny. Then he said ‘she’s a hairdresser’ like that would help. Finally he remembered it was Muncie so we told him that was rather close but no, we didn’t know her.  He was very kind and helpful. He told us where we had missed the road and gave directions. He kept saying I had to go down to hell and if I missed at the bottom of hell, then I shouldn’t go up to hell……finally, it dawned on me he was talking about the hill. The turnoff was at the bottom of the hill, just a wee bit past the light. If I missed the turn, I would be going up the hill. Well, I missed the wee turn….it was quite wee….and did go up and back down.

But now we were going through the Mourne Mountains…absolutely stunning! Irish stone fences and hedges and quaint cottages and then wonderful new homes. Lots of fields of sheep and green, so much green. The mountains are beautiful. The roads are narrow and winding with me putzing along at 30-40 mph but wonderful! It was a lovely day and a fine time in the mountains. Bebe said it reminded her of Austria. The clouds hung low over the peaks.

Back at Murlough House we had a quick supper of scrambled eggs and toast and then were off with Alan and Martin to Kilkeel Secondary School for a presentation. Bebe and I set up the display table for AIM (Africa Inland Mission) and greeted those coming in. There may have been 200 by the time it began. It was sponsored by the SUNI…Scripture Union North Ireland. SU seems to be like Campus Crusades or Youth for Christ…a group of teens. These kids lead in music, scripture reading and prayer. About half of the attenders were adults. After the missionary from Madagascar and Martin spoke, there was small group prayer, and then the teens read from Revelation 7. It was moving.

Back at MH by 10:45 after a stop for petrol….don’t complain about the price of gas!! It’s 136p/liter here which figures out to $9.21/gallon.

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Journey, Day 1

Preparing to travel, I realized I had some coin from the previous trips to Ireland and Amsterdam so I gathered up all my change to sort out the pounds, pence and Euros....


Off to a “good” start! We had been on the road about twenty minutes when Donna noticed something on my hand. It was from my handbag…it was disintegrating. Why I didn’t notice it when I packed it is beyond me. However, it was just falling apart so we made a quick stop at Target in Westfield and I bought a new bag, transferring things in the car. The new bag has lots of pockets and zippers and compartments. Much better than the one I discarded and better than the several I have at home!
Donna and me at the airport..with the new bag!

 
We (Dave, Donna and I) then made a breakfast stop at Bob Evans. Of course, there were issues with servers. Everyone thought someone else had that table. After two requests for someone to take our order, the manager came and apologized, then comp’ed our meal. That was not the intent…we only wanted service but she insisted.  So it was a great breakfast at a great price!!  We spent a few minutes together at the airport shopping, and then our farewells and I made the trip through security. One agent leaned into me and I thought she was going to ask to do a ‘pat down’. No…she commented…”I see you must love purple. I can tell by your purple clothes, your purple coat, your purple bags and even your purple laptop.” First time purple has ever got me through security!!
I had weighed my big bag about ten times and kept taking out one more thing. However, both checked bags made it through the weigh-in without a problem. I thought I had to pay for the second bag but no charge was made. We’ll see if I have to pay to claim it in Dublin. 
We saw what appeared to be Buddhist monks from Nepal, European Roman Catholic nuns and some Old Order Brethren going through security when I did. None of them were on my flight; however, I did get the redneck with the big belt buckle that said Sheriff Dept. He and his wife were sitting in row 18 as was I. When I leaned in to drop my purse in the seat, they put their things in the overhead above my seat and then said to me, “we are in row 18” expecting me to get out of their way!  Their seats were across the aisle, not the seat where I had placed my things, and of course, there was not room for my bag so I trekked back up to row 15 to stow my stuff. When we landed in Chicago, this couple bounded out of their seats even though row 18 is the very last row. They seemed to be in a real hurry. But when I got to the moving walkway on my way to the international terminal, there they were! Standing in the center of the walkway blocking anyone who might want to get around them.  I lost them somewhere.  You know, if you’re going to travel, you might consider some travel etiquette.

Chicago ORD is big! I walked the length of Terminal C, then towards Terminal B, up the escalator, across the street in the covered walkway, down the escalator, to the train and then rode past Terminals 2 and 3 and got off at Terminal 5. It was back up the escalator and through security. I overheard someone ask about food so I did too. No food available past security so I did a turnaround and went to the food court for a veggie falafel.  Back through security and down to gate 5. I think this may be a new terminal. I’m at my gate with almost 3 hours to kill and no wi-fi and the battery dead on my cell. I packed the cord to it in the checked baggage so I’m pretty much here reading…
All of this and I’m not even out of Chicago…..

The trip from Chicago to Dublin was uneventful. The two seats next to me were not occupied so I was able to have some wiggle room! We arrived thirty minutes early. I realized that I had not asked if I should wait at Arrivals or go to the Car Park. I decided to wait and to not be concerned until thirty minutes past our scheduled arrival. I was right. Richie was there at 9 for the 8:35 arrival time….thinking it would take that long for Passport Control, Baggage Pickup and Customs. So with a body that thought it was 3 am, we set off. It was drizzling rain and about 60. We made a quick stop about halfway for a caramel latte and arrived at Murlough House before 11. Richard met us at the door with a pot of tea and a wry comment of “welcome to the land of mediocre weather and continual damp”. Bebe was waiting inside the door with a big hug!!  I was introduced all around to Sarah and Deidre and Alan and John. Jenn was also in but I met her, Richie and Richard last year.  Martin Goldsmith, an evangelist from England, is here for a week. Bebe said the devotions this morning from a verse in Habakkuk were wonderful!
Bebe showed me to our room and then we got a cup of coffee and just visited a bit. She told me what she has been doing the last two weeks and gave me an overview of what’s happening this week. She showed me which bathroom we will use, reminded me of where the laundry room is, took me through the library (in the basement), the craft room and the larder (pantry). She got a quick lunch from the ‘left over’ refrigerator and joined Alan for ministry in Belfast. Deidre prepared lunch and those of us at the house ate together.  Jenn and I did the dishes and then I unpacked.
It was still drizzling rain but I took off for a short walk through the woods to the boardwalk and to the sea.  The natural thing to do when I returned was to take a nap….to let the body catch up with the clock!

The little nap was four hours....I feel refreshed but awoke at 8 pm for toast and tea and now a bit of bloggin'.  My pictures from the walk and the sea are not cooperating in the loading up just now so I'll add those another day. It is wonderful!!

Sunday, October 9, 2011

28 hours to Dublin

Yes, it is coming soon! If I've counted correctly and adjusted for a 6 hour time change, I shall be in Ireland in just 28 hours! The last few days have been full and I will be started this journey somewhat tired but I will get to sleep on the 8 hour flight, right??

It's not easy to know just what to pack for several weeks. This is the coldest climate I've packed for. Previous extended trips were to Kenya, Belize and China....all warm to hot. N. Ireland will be cool and damp even cold and wet. That means layers and layers....and coats and sweaters.

I'm looking forward to rekindling friendships with the staff at Murlough House...I met several last year and I understand there are new folks too. I'm looking forward to seeing the kids at Crosspoint. I'm looking forward to seeing the countryside. I'm looking forward to finding Quakers in NI. I'm looking forward to helping expand the Senior Ministry. I'm looking forward to driving on the left side of the road. I'm looking forward to another Halloween parade complete with fireworks! I'm looking forward to a bit of sight-seeing. I'm looking forward to working with Richie and Deirdre and Jenn and Alan and Richard and Bebe and all who are in and around Dundrum. And mostly, I'm looking forward to what God has in store for me in this another beautiful place of his creation.

Everything is packed and by the door. The alarm is set. The ride to the airport is arranged. Farewells have been said. I've been prayed over. Woo hoo....28 hours and I'm there!!