Raven Challenge

Today I face another Raven's Challenge.

This Week's Ten Word Challenge is: plumber, autograph,
Florence Nightengale, a chill wind’s a blowing,
watering hole, sleek, triplets, backwards, surface
tension, parrot

And for the mini: Free estimates,French fries, carpet,
Braille, silver-tongued bandit

The Watering Hole

It was chaos, in Anna's watering hole as she tried to get her three children fed and off to school. Every morning had a bit of chaos, true but this a little more than normal. The pipes broke and that would mean a call to a plumber. The turning off of the water to the kitchen made breakfast a challenge. A thanksgiving to Pop-Tarts was given. They would give more sugar than needed, but there were no bowls to clean. Juice in boxes meant there were no glasses. Anna gave an autograph to her daughters homework report on Florence Nightengale, when the surface tension came. Alex brought in the sleek family parrot Silly without the cage. Anna felt a chill wind's a blowing as the kitten triplets attacked Silly on outstretched Alex's arm, pushing him backward. Alex slipped on some water on the surface of the floor not caught with the mop. Anna's waterless watering hole was filled with feathers, fir, and swinging arms of children trying to catch the kittens and bird to bring order. The plumber arrived as the children exited for school.

Free estimates the Brody company advertised, and Anna called them to come to the house to advise her on what needed to be done to fix the pipes. Jim weaved among the children to come in as they left. He complemented Anna on her children and her home. He gave her an estimate that she could afford, and she signed a contract for the work. The contract was not in braille, she was not blind so that was not needed. Jim left and promptly came back with a work crew. Anna went to the living room and vacuumed the living room carpet. At lunch she went to a close by fast food restaurant and got a hamburger and french fries, and a soda. She placed them on the counter along with her paper game board with the game pieces in it, old and new. She was sure she had won. The crew broke for lunch, while Anna ate hers. When the crew came back, Anna went back to her house cleaning in the living room. The job was done before the children would be home for school. Anna paid the bill, and the crew left. She then looked for the game board, it was missing, taken she believed by the silver-tongued bandit who had just fixed her pipes.

Anna left no time for calm thinking, she rushed to the plumber company that advertise free estimates, Brody. She ranted on and on how they stole her game board. Jim stated he did not know what she was talking about. She received no satisfaction. She returned home and there was someone in her living room. Lance, her husband was sitting in the comfortable recliner and reading the book her son had on Florence Nightengale. He was eating in the living room, against her rules, french fries. Eating in the living room leaves the possibility of something spilling on the carpet. Anna was upset still from the game board loss, the eating of the french fries only added to her anger so Lance felt the chill wind's a blowing toward him. This is not the homecoming reception he envisioned. He could not tell Anna about his conference and what he had learned when she was in this mood. He had an autograph copy of a rare braille book, and photo's of a watering hole in Africa, with sleek cheetahs. His own triplet kittens jumped in his lap, causing the parrot Silly, now in her cage to begin her repertoire of conversation,and the recliner to slip backward. There was a lot of tension in the room, but it broke when Anna saw on the surface of the end table, next to Lance, the game board . She grabbed it seeking to see if they won $10,000. They had not but only a free drink. The plumber was not a silver-tongue bandit after all.

What Parents Do For Their Kids

My son told me about helping his oldest son with his homework. The assignment was to get impressions of deer tracks. This fell of course on a weekend with rain. In the woods they went. The rain was washing away the tracks. They walked and walked. Just as they were about to give up they {my son had all three boys} came upon a corn field. In the corn field tracks were found. Now if they had done it correct they would have had a plastic bag to mix the plaster, and make the impression so as to not make a mess. The bag was forgotten, and a mess was made as my son kept an eye out for the farmer who would get them for trespassing. The younger boys had fun playing among the corn stalks. I do not know what grade my grandson got, but he will have a memory.

The Tire

Friday morning of the day we were going to have the retreat, I found a flat tire.
the tire was fine when I drove in. Well it really wasn't, it had a large nail in it but that I didn't know. It was down to the rim. The car should have a hose to attach to the blowing up device, but the hose was missing. My car was to be used to haul items to the church. I looked for the pumps we had, I would even take a hand one, but I found only the ones used for blowing up mattresses. One of the ladies on the committee said she would come by and use her car to carry some of the items. I agreed, but meanwhile I called the Bergstrom garage. They came blew up the tire and took the car to the garage. Then patched up the tire and returned the car to me at the large cost of $16.00. Impressed? I was but they have always given me great service.

Retreat

The retreat was held on Friday Oct 2 evening and Saturday Oct 3 all day. I was spending all my time preparing for this retreat. Sweet Life Cafe was the name of the retreat. The theme was Jesus is the bread of life. We had a committee of five. The retreat came from Group and it was set up very nicely. The cost of a starter kit was $99.00. Our work came in the decorating. They also had boxes which you could purchase at $22.00 a piece, which we thought was too much for our ladies so we made our own. We also bought bags from Walmart instead of buying theirs. Their bags cost five something for each bag we got plain bags 4 for five bucks. We let the women decorate their own bag. We bought from them besides the starter kit charms and a journal for each participant.
The ladies said they had a good time. The women were divided into groups of four. This was accomplished by having the ladies pick out a mug from a display of mugs. Although the mugs were bought in groups four alike they were placed in the display away from a mug that looked like another. The ladies then found the matching cups and sat in that group.
A blessing we also had was that some men in our congregation prepared the meals and served them.
Setting up took most of Friday. We kept moving the heavy tables trying to find the best place for them. I was glad that no decision had to be made when we cleaned up after.
I am sorry I don't have pictures yet. I was too busy to take them but others did and they are going to share later.
We had a speaker also who participated with the woman. Sometimes the speaker just does her or his speech and then leaves. The speaker was Sheila Luck, she was very good. The men preparing the meal came out to listen to her. She spoke about forgiveness.
In one of the sessions I lead just before breakfast. We had a porridge which is served to refugees made of corn meal , powdered milk, and beans. This was to remind them of the need to feed the hungry. We also made up bags of pancake ingredients covered with a pretty towel including directions and a prayer. These are going to be brought to the people we do not see often because they can not get out by youth who will make and share the meal. Some of the bags with towels will go to the food pantry.
We ended with communion. I made the communion bread.