Bullets

Because that's just how my life is right now:

• Our church shipped 102 boxes for Christmas Child. The teens packed about 90 on Saturday, they were all dedicated at church yesterday, and then Beast and Sparky delivered them to the drop-off point. Another 45 or so were done by elementary school kids at one of the schools in town, led by two church-members.
• Sparky broke the glass on the top of the communion table. He did not have a good weekend, all the way around.
• Last night's high school meeting was terminally chaotic. It needs to not be so rambunctious. It's pure luck that no one was really hurt.
• HOWEVER! We are months ahead on planning for Youth Sunday, the kids are really into it, and we got some basic blocking done on the skit last night.
• Sometime this week, the rest of the shipment of Christmas greens will arrive. The high school group will be delivering them on Saturday. I love these kids, but I'm kind of tired of all this 'togetherness'!!
• Yesterday was Beast's birthday. We're the same age again, now.
• When his parents called, Beast found out that his dad was at the hospital again yesterday morning (though they didn't check him in, just treated and released him), and by the end of the conversation he was urging his mom to go to the emergency room.
• She spent the night in the hospital because they need to run some more tests this morning to figure out what's going on. This is an issue because someone needs to be nearby in case FIL 'has a spell' (in my mom's terminology).
• Beast has taken the whole week off work (as have I). He was going to start moving furniture and tearing out carpet in the living room and dining room today.
• Instead, he may be driving to his parents' house and spending Thanksgiving there. It's good he has the week off, either way!
• Today is my nephew's birthday. He's, uh, 32.
• I was thinking this morning about the names each of my family members are 'assigned' here. They don't fit them at all in some cases. But--having done this once, at least, already!!--I'm not "renaming" them all. It is just funny to think of my brother as Del, or my nephews as Don and Ham.
• I'm reading two really interesting, complicated, books. One is about the Underground Railroad, and the other is a novel about what might have happened if the Plague in the Middle Ages had wiped out over 90% of the population of Europe (instead of 50-60%). I'm learning a lot about early 18th-century migration and the connection between Kentucky and Canada, as well as eastern religious sensibilities and Islamic cultural norms.
• Tonight is a meeting at school for parents of freshmen where we will be receiving propaganda about the new curriculum coming in next year, and can find out about sophomore course scheduling, including driver's ed. Yes, next year this time, Sparky will be behind the wheel. The new rules say that he needs to hold the permit for at least 9 months and complete at least 50 hours of driving time before receiving his provisional license. I'll try to warn you all whenever he's on the road!

I have to get some stuff done this morning.