Wednesday, October 16, 2002

Amy & I went to Philadelphia last weekend to visit zha (Matt) and Suzanne. It was a vacation weekend for me so I read, and we ate Philly food, and took some walks around their neighborhood. We also looked around the University of Pennsylvania, in case Amy decides to go to college there. On the trip home, we saw some incredibly colorful fall foliage. Here, the color hasn't yet peaked (they say), but it is also very pretty.

About the missing horse hitch in front of the ATM....
The walkway to the bank that was between the ATM and the horse hitch was an unsafe, narrow, partially-asphalt path that the bank decided to upgrade. It is now a for-real concrete sidewalk and had to meet requirements for handicap accessibility, which meant a wider walkway. Now, there would be no room for a buggy to be hitched safely without being in the street. I wonder if any thought at all was given to the demise of a buggy parking space in the planning and design phase of the sidewalk. It's like a lot of what we humans do--nobody gave it a thought. The sidewalk is nice, though. I will forever regret not taking a picture of the sight of a buggy hitched in front of the ATM.

This weekend, we welcome Ben Alderson into our congregation. Ben is the newly-adopted son of Beth and Larry Alderson who traveled to China several weeks ago to bring him back to their family which includes their birth children, Laura and Brian. Ben's parents have requested a dedication service for him in worship, where parents and congregation will promise to support his growth and nurture in the faith. Then, we will have lunch afterwards (in the Parish House) and greet Ben officially and see the Alderson's pictures from their trip. The congregation loves to celebrate special occasions of all kinds! This weekend is also Rob and Georgia's wedding, so it is a celebration weekend from start to finish.

It's a rainy day in LeRaysville. We have had our first frost this week and expect some snow showers this weekend. The "Ninja mowers" (as we fondly call them) mowed our summery-green and thick grass yesterday, perhaps for the last time this year. There are two riding lawn mowers that make quick and loud and artful and anonymous work of mowing this whole corner, around our house, the church and the bandstand. They buzz around with their mowers and weedeaters with such purpose and efficiency that is amazing to watch. So, we call them the "Ninja mowers." Yesterday, I first knew they had been here because fresh-mowed grass here smells really good--and I could smell it before I saw it.