time to check in again

I feel like I haven't blogged in a week or more. Where did I leave off? Oh, yes...

Friday night we made it to the carol service here in town. The church was nearly full, though there was only one other family with children. The meeting lasted about an hour, and it was stand to sing a carol, sit to hear a scripture or poem, stand to sing, sit to read. They sang a few that I've never heard, and a few that we knew but they do differently. In Silent Night, for example, we sing "shepherds quake" and they sing "shepherds quail." Away in a Manger and O Little Town of Bethlehem had different tunes than we are used to. But I enjoyed it and was glad we went. After the program they had minced pies and mulled wine. We were taking pictures of the decorations when a lady brought a tray of pies over, so I politely took one, and a couple of the children got one. I've had mince pie before, long ago at Langshot Manor, and thought it wasn't bad. These were SO strong I couldn't take more than a bite. Cedwryck's first bite had him loudly exclaiming, "I really like this!" but he nibbled around the crust a bit and decided he didn't want anymore after all. We walked toward the front of the church, but the smell of alcohol was so strong we couldn't stay. Growing up teetotalers, it's hard for me to reconcile alcohol and church.

Saturday we went to Bury again. It was much warmer this week. We made it to the market, where Bob got some magazines and I got some produce. Nothing amazing except the price - a pound of cherries for 1GBP. mmmmm. We had lunch at McDonald's, listened to the Salvation Army Band, and bought some fresh-roasted chestnuts (yuck!). Then we went to Tesco where I tried to get some lightbulbs, but I got the wrong kind. Then home, and chocolate gravy and biscuits for dinner.

Sunday was church. They had a baptism, which was cool. They don't have a permenant dunking booth, so they set up a portable pool thing over tarps in the fellowship hall. We had our song service, then everyone filed out to the other room and they baptised. There was a brother and sister, a woman, and then a man followed by his daughter and wife. Too cool. Each person was asked if they were saved by Christ, will follow Him and reject sin, then they were dunked, and then members of the congregation were invited to speak or read scripture to the newly baptised. And we all prayed for them. I've never seen it done like that, but I like it.

After church we went to Lakenheath for lunch. We couldn't decide what we wanted, so we just drove around past the various places. The club had no availbale parking. The BX had no available parking (Bob went twice last week to cash a check at the bank, which is across from the BX, and had to go back to work because there was no place for him to park down there); we really didn't want Taco Bell or Burger King; Popeyes had parking but no tables. So we sat there a minute, thinking, and we saw a large group leaving, so we jumped up and ran in to claim a table. Then we had to wait while they cooked biscuits. There was no ice in the soda machine and no napkins in the dispensers when we got there, but both were filled before we left. They were supposed to have a drawing for a cajun turkey, but they didn't. They said they'd do it later and call the winner, so I guess it wasn't us (or they "forgot").

Monday Bob left for work early, waking me up an hour earlier than usual. As half of his men are off for Christmas, the other half has to work extra to keep the work flow going. I bought the girls the computer game Cake Mania 3 from RealArcade. We cleaned, washed, cooked, played outside, had school... I feel like I acomplished nothing other than lots of stress and fussing as this is my emotional time of the month, but I guess it wasn't a total loss.

Today we ARE going shopping for Christmas day groceries and the ever important peanut butter. woohoo, I am SO excited. (Read that in Ben Stein's best monotone)

Okay, William is awake so I must go. Be blessed.