Sunday, August 30, 2009

Sunday afternoon, cat on my lap....

a busy week behind me and an open week ahead of me. Sunday afternoons are the best of the best, days-of-the-week wise. I rarely have a Sunday afternoon that requires anything more of me than a nap, a leisurely perusal of the newspapers, and choices about what or where to eat for supper.

Today is a mega-delightful Sunday afternoon because it comes at the end of an exceptionally busy, though enjoyable, week. NOTHING needs to be done this afternoon. Or tomorrow. Or the next day (except putting out the garbage). There's no sermon to write for next Sunday, no board report or newsletter submissions to crank out, nothing.

Of course, I'll be bored in there sometime next week, but right now the idea of all that unstructured time is a bright prospect lying before me. I've resisted making any lists about what I could do or plans about how to use the time. I'm hoping to be able to fritter it away completely, to the point where I feel a little frantic next Sunday about all that has to be done during the coming week.

After I posted last week's sermon, I sat back and pondered the days ahead of me. Monday my friend Sue arrived from Portland and we puttered and pottered for several days together; the most organized thing we did was go to Port Townsend for the North Olympic Ministers' cluster. She left on Thursday and Friday, the Favorite Son, Favorite Daughter-in-law, and Favorite Granddaughter and Grandson arrived for the day.

What a pleasure, to get to spend most of a day with my family! We just goofed around, had breakfast together, did a little sightseeing and shopping, played on the beach, and relaxed. I took them to the ferry about 4, so that they could get back to Seattle in time for some pre-wedding festivities for the FDiL's sister, but even that brief taste of their company was so sweet it has lasted me for days. They brought me a bell from their travels to Switzerland in June, plus a book and a candle. (Now I have to order the movie from Netflix, I guess, as I never saw it in an earlier life.)

Saturday was R's party, and he was having back spasms, so several of us went up to his hilltop hermitage and helped prepare the food. Sour cream enchiladas! Yum! It was a terrific party, but I had to leave early, having double-booked myself for the evening with a church event.

Before I left, though, I got to spend a little time singing harmony with other musicians. There is nothing like that for me, to be part of a group that is in tune with each other, singing the notes of chords that make the human voice sound like angels. With the chords filling the air, I always feel transported into another realm, as though I've entered a place where there is nothing but the music and the faces of those beloved singers.

Such a much of a muchness, as my mother used to say.

5 comments:

Lulu Brown said...

Yay! I too am enjoying a lovely Sunday afternoon. It's cloudy and 68 here in Denver, perfect sleeping in with nothing to do weather. I suppose there's plenty I ought to be doing, but alas, I think the cat needs petting and my magazines need reading first. :-)

Lilylou said...

Thanks for stopping by, Lulu. Do you have another identity as well? Another Denver archyteck?

LinguistFriend said...

That sounds like a good day, although you didn't tell us anything about the lay service.
I miss the earlier interactions with extended family, as in the days when I would read to my own children and those of my ex's cousin, one child on each side, one sitting on my shoulders, one on my lap. That is as close as I can come to the contentment you describe. But don't forget to save some up for those times when it is not there for you, as you tell us at times.

Lilylou said...

The lay-led service using the voice of Don Marquis through characters Archy and Mehitabel was really wonderful. Lots of laughter and some rueful sighs as well. It was done as a low key Reader's Theatre performance, with a husband/wife team doing all the parts. Very enjoyable.

Earthbound Spirit said...

Oh do rent "Bell, Book & Candle." I've it in sections - usually happening upon it late at night during a bout of insomnia, or mid-weekend afternoon when I had nothing better to do but sit down and turn on the teevee! It's fun.