I am getting OLDER..........

This week we went to a 2 day retreat called SEPTEMBER DAYS.....you wimpy slightly older ones were MISSING.  Maybe you are not retired yet..............or is it scheduling an interest?

Some people of a variety of ages LOVED the the retreat, I was/am 'still not sure' but I did carry away an increasing thought towards how the ones in our age range can 'take up the torch' for wider fellowship.  Oh, the youngest was 60 and the oldest was not revealed but likely over 90 as Norman Winslow was 83 on Tuesday and Phyllis Walrath mentioned she is 87!

Tuesday evening a woman said "I remember you from when you lived in Estevan" BLEW MY MIND and messed with my head for a couple hours (yeah I know THAT isn't that hard to do) She liked my red hair!!! As a little boy, it is not quite a bright as it was when I was 10! As I worked through the various thoughts and feelings this triggered it underscored the benefit of investing in each generation younger than our own.  I like to think I am a pretty ordinary and typical  person so if a simple mention of a remembrance has such a positive impact HOW MUCH EFFECT CAN EACH OF US HAVE ON OTHERS?

This is NOT an admonition.  The baton of SERVICE has passed well but that connection I saw among those over 65-70 appears to be fading in those under 70.  Maybe it is in mid process (and I am not good at adult connection as I should be).  Maybe it is a phase or season of our life cycles?

As I write I am not EXCITED about next year's September Days but I do feel a DETERMINATION growing...........

Now I need to get some rest so I can spend Friday evening with our YOUTH Kickoff BBQ......at least 5 grandchildren of September Days attendees will be there!!!

Finally another one.......

Here’s that post for those of you wondering if I was ever coming back

Ah the glory of being a landlord!!  Today has the “what isn’t going to work now” stuff………

We didn’t start out to be landlords but 5 years ago(oops 10) it helped Jay & Julie a bit, then a few months after them a young friend needed a place (not free….at least for the most part)  and then an older friend, same age as us needed a place.  Now she is moving to an apartment of her own that is better suited so we have a young fellow moving in on Monday.

AND SO let’s replace the small bathroom sink and also install a new dual flush toilet.   I take out the toilet then as I lift the new tank out of the box it is FLEXIBLE…broken in 3 or 4 places.  Colleen was out so I called her cell phone so she could exchange the toilet at Home Depot somehow it went to silent mode, Unfortunately I mentioned the FOUR TIMES when she got home.   Guess what?  They didn’t have any in stock until Wednesday.  Did I mention new tenant moves in on Monday? So I will be reinstalling the old one for a few days……ok new wax ring for a few days…….at least it was on sale.

Of course by this time I decided to go ahead and replace the sink, the toilet now waits for Monday morning, not a big enough emergency to work on Sunday.  So guess what #2?  The drain doesn’t line up, THAT close but not close enough!!!  Ok what parts do I have…….NONE, off to the Co-op, don’t have the part I am thinking of so rework the idea 3-4 times in the aisle while Colleen get new caulking for around the toilet and sink.   Now where is my ABS cement……..finally found it Eureka, but can’t open the can!  OLD and DRY so off to buy new cement AND plumbing pipe (gave mine away) and a couple fittings.  Oops Co-op is closed 20 minutes ago.  Maybe Canadian Tire is open, yep until 10pm, better not need that much time!

I AM GETTING TIRED…….but blessed that I know how to do what I am doing.  Well, almost know!

Ok drain pipes cut and cut, drain lines up now……glue, glue…not beautiful, but not ugly either!   Now tighten the tailpiece to the sink, install the faucets and connect the water for a test……NOTE the water was NOT connected until AFTER the drain was fully connected.  Plug down, water filling, water shuts off good, open the drain…HALF of it leaks around the bottom drain gasket, ARGH, double argh!   Ok check out why because that does not usually happen…Maybe it is the Home Depot Special?  We had a working basin and toilet until about noon today……………………………………..

So I have now had TWO Canadian Tire trips one for fittings and one for fix the leaky drain parts.  Guess what #3, yep the drain still leaks, well actually only drips, but now I am tired enough I am wiser to wait for another day.  WISER, well I did start to change the sink and toilet in the first place so wisdom might be in short supply!!!!  

Did I mention they both worked quite well…….just would be better if…………and they will look very good!  Eventually.