DONETH

Yesterday was certainly full.

First, we were up at 4 a.m. to get the girls ready to take Su, our S. Korean foreign exchange student, to the airport in Butte. They were all up at moving at a respectable pace and got out of here on time.

She got checked in, baggage loaded, and took off without a hitch, and Mrs. Ref and The Kid were back home just as I was heading out the door to the office. They then took a nap during the first service.

The first service went well. Mark ran Ms. Emily for me and then played acolyte in The Kid's absence. There were two glitches during that service. The first came when I realized I had forgot to set the altar book to "After Pentecost," so the proper preface was all neatly tucked away behind a stack of paperclips. Oh well ... I'll get it next week.

The second was when I lifted the purificator off the chalice and discovered an eight-legged critter large enough to take off one of my fingers crawling around. I managed to shake it off to the ground and crush it into oblivion all without a single "OH SHIT!!!" coming from my mouth. (Okay ... it wasn't THAT big ... but it's not something I need as I'm preparing for communion.)

The second service, that 1865 deal using the 1798 BCP, also went well. The eight actors from the Illustrious Virginia City Players were at church to sing, and that was cool. We had about 40-some people, most dressed in their period pieces from the night before. Mrs. Ref commented that next time she's going to borrow The Kid's volleyball kneepads to wear under her dress. I managed to keep from getting tongue-tied through all those thees, thous, dosts, wouldests and whatnots. And the only glitch was when the organist played the communion hymn at the offertory. But all in all, it went well.

However, I am glad that I don't do that every week.

After service, we hung out in VC for the day and let Mark explore to his hearts content. Pizza and ice cream were also on the agenda, as well as taking in a play at the VC Opera House -- "Foggerty's Fairy" was the name of it, and it was rather entertaining. We also managed to put Mark at the end of the aisle so he could receive some .... special .... attention during the vaudeville variety show that always follows the main show.

Finally home around 10 and off to bed. Because, after all that, I was so doneth.

P.S. I'll post the VC sermon here in a bit.