Monday PM

So this has been a long Monday. Aren't all Monday's this way?

2 can give you the details of her afternoon appointment by her regular email.

I went to Mass by myself yesterday since 2 had a case of bad shrimp on Saturday night. But that meal was planned as there was a bachelorette party (with bus included) for a friend from one of her jobs. It was, "You Maka My Weekend" in RI last weekend.

Anyway, the one interesting moment at church was that I sat in the very back on the bench against the wall and got called upon to assist with the collection. I don't recall having that distinction in the past, and none of you were there to applaud. It may not have been the Communion Dance, but it was participation.

Daddy was a regular usher for the 9AM Sunday service at St. Pat's in Ottumwa when I was growing up. He took the job very seriously. This was before Vatican II, usher badges, handshakes during Mass, and Eucharistic ministers. Latin. Lots of mumbled prayers. Memorized responses in a foreign language. But he and Mother were big believers and it took a long time before they embraced the "new" church in the 70's.

I think I have written about this on the blog previously. Maybe I need to get a Google search engine protocol adapted to 4000 Days for cross-referencing purposes. This also brings to mind the Craig Wilson article in USA Today about the old ladies holding up two or more fingers when one of their group begins telling a story that they have all heard previously.

On my Sunday afternoon ride I stopped and checked out a couple of condos that have been constructed this year. The first is on the DCC road and overlooks the Mississippi and is in a structure that I think has 5 or 6 units. Once inside, I knew that the going was pretty deep with all the hard wood, deceptive size, huge rear windows, and full 3 floor build-out. Did I mention the elevator? It looked nice from the street, but I wouldn't have guessed $795,000. I left without taking the brochure.

The second one was a ranch in a new development on the south side of Forest Grove, just East of the Devil's Glen intersection. This development is a noticeably "down-scale" area with single-family places starting in the low mid-$200's. The condos will be built butting up to Forest Grove in two-unit properties starting around $200K, with an unfinished lower level (no walk-out). The finished portion on the one I went through was only 1500 or so square feet and had a boxy, cheap feel to it. And you won't be able to do anything in the back because Forest Grove is right there and it will be an increasingly busy road in the future (including the paving of it which should happen in a couple of years). There was no temptation to take that brochure either.

My humble abode may be my home for some time to come.

I need to get my yard mowed.

Be careful out there.