Good morning, Angels! I forgot to wish you a happy first day of summer last Sunday, so Happy Summer! Make hay! Go to the beach on sunny days! Drink your tea outside! Put your shoes on while sitting on your front step! Summer whooshes past in the blink of an eye, so go out and enjoy it.
Speaking of tea…
I’ve got a full pot. Grab a couple mugs from the cupboard and meet me out on the back deck. It’s a little overcast, but I think the rain will hold off.
Let’s catch up.
Driving standard
I was sitting in a meeting this Tuesday to plan our church’s participation in the PEI Pride celebrations, when I couldn’t help overhear a conversation. Derek, a fellow newbie to the church who had moved to Charlottetown last year from BC, needed help getting a vehicle moved from Moncton. The sticking point was he was having a hard time finding someone who A) had time for a day trip to Moncton and back, and B) could drive a stick-shift.
“I can do that,” I said.
And I could. I had some time off work saved up I could take, and (honestly) I love driving standard. It’s also just one of those activities I’m trying to say “yes” to more often as I push myself to live more of my life away from my safe space between by kitchen and home office.
A few text messages later, and it was all arranged. We’d go Thursday.
It was a lovely day for a drive and a great opportunity to get to know Derek. Is there really a better get-to-know-you space than a road trip? Even the parallel seating, for me, is so much less awkward than face-to-face across a table.
After our friendly drive and chat, I hopped into Derek’s 2011 Ford Ranger pick-up truck, which I was delighted to find was from the era when the Ranger was still a small and cute quarter-ton truck. I see the modern behemoth Rangers and call out to the heavens: “what on earth did they do to you?”
All in all, a nice trip, and a good excuse to make a new friend.
Pigeons
I kept our pigeons in the loft the last year due to fears of bird flu. Pigeons never mind being cooped up, but it always does seem to miss the point of keeping pigeons if you never let them fly. I vowed this summer to let them out more, being careful to prevent them from mixing with the wild bird population.
Charlottetown has had a fair number of raptors this spring, including a pair of merlins I’m pretty sure is nesting nearby, so I’ve been cautious there too. I didn’t want them flying too much before the trees were in full foliage, so yesterday was the first day we opened the lofts.
Predictably, the first thing they did was flew to the neighbours’ yard to have a bath in their puddles from the rain earlier in the day. I didn’t want to push them too hard for any distance of flying, so I just let them hang out in the yard for a few hours. Everyone seemed to enjoy it.
Poppy, especially, was in no rush to head back into the lofts when I called them all back. He spent a good amount of time enjoying the view from the peak of the shed roof.
I kept checking on him every now and again to see if he was ready to come home. About half an hour before sunset, he finally decided to head in for the night. I always feel better when everyone is safe and sound and locked up.
Speaking of pigeons
Speaking of pigeons, we’re spending time with Haley in Dunnock Bay this morning. Haley is the 13-year-old pigeon fancier who is raising her first bird. She and her dad have driven to the ferry terminal to pick up her grandparents, who are visiting from Ontario. While there, they released Haley’s pigeon and are going to race him back to town. Go read it!
Reverend Davy
In one of those funny things I’d have never predicted a year ago, Reverend Dr. John Moses, the minister at Trinity United Church in Charlottetown, asked if I would mind filling in for him next Sunday as he and his wife take a little vacation. John doesn’t have a lot of back-up in terms of local lay ministry or retired ministers who might pinch hit when he’s not available, so I agreed to help. I was honoured to be asked and am only a little bit terrified (but in the good-terrified way).
So! If you’re in the Charlottetown area and want to know what old Davy would do if he was ever unleashed upon a pulpit, next Sunday is your chance! Trinity’s care area also includes the tiny (and adorable) Clifton United in Stratford in the summertime, so I’ll be doing their service at 9 a.m., then rushing across the bridge for the service at Trinity for 10:30. Maybe I’ll see you there? I promise my message will be very similar to themes you’ve read in the Quack. I think paying attention the small stuff works no matter what scale we’re talking about.
And the rest
All the regular things happened this week too. The picking up of spikes from the road never ceases, so I added a few more to my collection. I made some pretty terrific sourdough bread, if I may say so myself. And Erin’s garden is a spectacular as ever with a lot of her flowering friends returning for another year.
That wraps things up from here for another week. It’s going to be a doozy of a writing week here, as I’ve got all my usual commitments, plus a service and sermon to write. That, and, well, if it’s sunny, your boy is heading to the beach.
Have a great week.
Yup, I thought those little Ford Rangers from back in the day were cute too . One of our boys had one & it was great for a young fella getting around! Sometimes wish hubby had one now instead of the big Ram …for a couple reasons !