Bowling. And...

We’ve been on the go at least the last four days and nights, so I haven’t been able to chill on the couch. Probably a good thing. Thursday night was the Braves game and Avett Brothers concert.

 

Left work around six on Friday (I think). Got home and Ceil was talking to M and his friend. Ceil wanted to go do something. Nothing good was playing at the dollar movie. Ceil has long been wanting to go bowling, so I suggested it. She was excited. We were both starved, so we grabbed dinner at Pizzeria Lucca at the Roswell Square. While we were there a Bad Boy Buggy golf cart parked next to me. The people had driven it to pick up pizza. No license plate. When they left they had put the pizza in the basket on the front.

Next was bowling at Stars & Strikes in Sandy Springs, just across the river. We went in with no coupons, but since it was Ladies Night we were able to rent shoes and bowl three games for less than twelve bucks. The place wasn’t packed, but over half the lanes were filled. Not like the lanes in the old days. Music blared over the loudspeakers, often interrupted by announcements and trivia questions. I knew several answers but didn’t know where to go to answer. ESPN aired silently on the TV screens.

The bowlers were are ages and races. A group of black ladies to our left, a group or two of white guys further down to our right. Way down on the left was a couple of Hispanic families. Later a black guy with his own shoes and ball practiced to our left, then he was joined by several buddies. We were placed on lane eleven next to a family of WASPs.

The only ball I could find that would fit my big thumb was a 14 pounder. Not wanting to throw out my shoulder, I took it as easy as I could. My only goal was to roll the ball down the middle, which I did with middling success. Made two or three strikes or spares per game, and hit 100 in two of the three games.

The couple next to use left and I discovered a 12 pound ball I could use – and I threw a strike with it on my very last roll. If only I had found it earlier. Ceil didn’t do as well, but she had a great time. She even squealed with delight when the clerk told her it was Ladies Night. Didn’t get home until ten.

After two busy nights, on Saturday morning I had no trouble sleeping past 10:30. I cleaned upstairs and took a shower, so I didn’t go downstairs until almost one. Washed three loads of laundry and helped Ceil clean up the garage. Got a lot done. Took a carload to Goodwill. Still can’t get my car in the garage.

 

At 5 pm we went to JFBC for a sendoff of a young couple from our Sunday School class: Randall and Hannah. They’re headed overseas. The JFBC kitchen provided dinner: BBQ pork and chicken, some good coleslaw and baked beans, and peach cobbler and vanilla ice cream. Also salad and rolls. Several of their friends came from around the Southeast, from as far as Texas. It was a sweet time. One of Ceil’s art students had come. She was born with one hand, so Ceil introduced her to Hannah, whose baby girl hand just been born without a hand. Ceil’s student had recently been contacted by an ad agency in New York, and she’s now appearing as a model in several ads for clothes.

 

People were telling encouraging stories about Randall and Hannah, and there were many. Very encouraging. They had helped guide another young couple through rough waters – marriage-wise, financially, etc. The couple had a baby, and the baby had to stay in ICU. The couple was walking through the hospital when the wife saw the husband pull something out of a trashcan. When they got on the elevator the husband whispered to the wife “I just found a bunch of money in the trash can” and held up a stack of hundred dollar bills. “Count it!” It was $1,600.00. While the wife was thinking about what they could spend it on, the husband said “I think we should give it to Randall and Hannah.” The wife thought “of all times to be obedient, why now?!” They gave the money to Randall and Hannah, who were in the process of selling all their possessions so they could move overseas. They were having a yard sale, so Hannah went to the gas station to change a hundred to smaller denominations for give out as change. All of a sudden police surrounded the store – the bills were fake.

 

At 7:30 we drove over to Perimeter Mall. I was thirsty so while Ceil was shopping I cashed in my Chickfila calendar card for a free soft drink. We were halfway home when Ceil realized she had left her phone in the store. We barely made it back before they closed. Had to gas up the CRV on the way home, so we didn’t get in until after 9:30.

 

Saturday one of Will’s teammates wrote me a nice note on Facebook, complimenting me on my blog. I responded, and congratulated him  and his new bride on their recent wedding. Later I wondered if I had used “saw” or “seen” correctly in my message, but what I didn’t do was get his bride’s name correct. Big faux pas.   

 

Saw Mary Ann Hall’s son David at JFBC Sunday morning. He and his wife are expecting their second child this fall. I had forgotten that I had taken him to the Olympics 22 years ago, but correctly guessed that it had been water polo.

 

Bryant Wright very well could have been at SPdL. Yesterday was the last Sunday in his sabbatical. Not sure how often he gets one, but the ministers at JFBC get sabbaticals every few years. This summer our SS teacher got a sabbatical, six weeks I think. I don’t get a sabbatical at my job, though I do get vacation.

 

JFBC has a couple of “teaching pastors” who often fill in when Bryant is out, plus guest speakers can always be brought in. Both teaching pastors are younger and do a good job. They’re often told what to preach on – sometimes controversial topics that Bryant wants to stay away from. Since it’s almost time for deacon and elder nominations, yesterday Stephen Bonham had to preach on church organization.  

 

After lunch I was watching Sean Newcomb’s near no hitter. Ceil was napping, but I had to meet a guy after the Braves game. Couldn’t believe he left early with a no-hitter going on. Arrived at our meeting spot with two out in the bottom of the ninth, so we listened together when the guy got the hit. With Newcomb, Folty, and Soroka they do have three good starters, and soon to be a fourth and fifth with Allard and Touky tossing aspirins in Gwinnett. And the Braves traded for Venters plus they got another reliever yesterday from the Orioles.

 

On the way home I stopped by RaceTrac for an ice cream. Also the library, Kroger, and Dollar Tree. Made for a long afternoon. Watched some Braves postgame and golf.

 

At 7:15 we walked 6/10 of a mile to our friends the Bates house. Their son Preston, a longtime friend of Will’s, had just returned from a year overseas, ministering in 14 countries. Stories of conversions, fellowship, healings, and even the casting out of demons. His group traveled by plane, car, bus, taxi, cargo ship, by foot, horse, and camel. Saw several friends and neighbors we hadn’t seen for a while. Didn’t end until almost ten. Luckily Matthew was asking where we were, and he came to pick us up.  

 

I have my little things I like to check and do every day. If I have a busy evening, everything doesn’t get done. Of course none of what I have to do is required, and I really shouldn’t do it all. Every night I post something to my blog. It’s kinda a creative promise I’ve made to myself, even if only ten people read it. I have a streak going, so I might as well keep going.

 

Then I have my contests to enter. A real time waster, but it’s fun. I limit it to only certain sweepstakes, but right now there are too many. I don’t get it done every night, and that’s ok. Also every day I get an email with a list of new sweepstakes that I can review for any good ones. I try to not fall behind more than a week on those. Found a sweepstakes giving away a refurbished VW bus. That would be cool to win.

 

Lastly I have my Yahoo email to go through. I get over one hundred emails a day, and most need to be deleted. I need to unsubscribe from at least one email list a day. Something else that doesn’t always get done. All this I usually do after supper, when we’re watching TV.