Black Friday

Three years ago, the kids and I spent Black Friday with my brother in Philadelphia. I knew when I said goodbye to my mom in July 2016 that it would be the last time I'd see her on earth, but I didn't know on November 7, 2020 it would be the last time I would see my mother-in-law just as I didn't know on November 25, 2018 that it would be the last time that I'd see my brother. I miss all three of them. Now for most people Black Friday doesn't cause them to think of the last time they saw a sibling but rather of shopping deals. I did no shopping in person and only the tiniest bit online as the usual deals I get each year on Black Friday (such as bedding for the guinea pigs) wasn't much of a bargain this year. 

Supposedly inflation is up 6%. This number seems much lower than reality. Most of the price increases I have encountered are between 20%-70%. Paul was told this week by the company they buy coloring from that the prices have gone up 22%. The cheapest I could find guinea pig bedding today was $17 per bag (sale price!) whereas I've never paid more than $10 for a bag of it before on sale. The most I've ever paid for a bag of Doritos in the past has been $2.15, but the lowest sale price I've seen for them lately has been $3.50. I've chosen not to buy any Doritos for the last few months, but I will have to buy guinea pig bedding at some point. I recently had Paul buy some ground beef even though he paid 50% more per pound than I've ever paid for ground beef before because we were out of it and I hadn't seen a good price on it since we've been back from vacation. Our home insurance premium has gone up far more than 6%, the price of gasoline has jumped more than 6%, prices at restaurants have gone up more than that, etc. I know it's asking a lot, but I wish the government could be more honest (that's not a complaint against our current administration in particular but rather in general). I'm trying to figure out whether I have to adjust the maximum prices I will pay for things or just hold out for a better sale in the future. Here's to hoping and praying that we never experience hyperinflation.  

Over the last ten years my kids have been involved in the ministries of seven churches - two Wesleyan, two Alliance, one Methodist, and two Baptist churches. I was shocked to hear recently that the Methodist Church that is about 1.5 miles from our house will be closing next month. In the past when I've heard that a church was closing it had a very low attendance for a significant period of time. That is not the case with this church. For example, their children's choir is putting on a Christmas program next month, and there are 30 kids in the choir! Our church is much bigger than that church but our church's children's choir is much smaller. My kids have gone to VBS there every year from 2011 to the present with the exception of 2020 when it was cancelled due to COVID. There is a preschool that meets in the church that has a currently enrollment of about 40 kids. Nadia was in their middle school youth group for about a year in the past. This is the church that sponsors the Kids' Cafe program that provides meals for children at the playground in the summer. The pastor and his wife only moved to the area two years ago. The church was founded in the 1860's, but they'll be closing their doors as of December 27. My heart goes out to the congregation and pastor. This was one of the few churches around here that included grades 7-12 in VBS, so my days of taking the kids to VBS might have already come to a close since Ian and Nadia will both be too old for VBS next summer. 

Church has been the one place my kids have still been going during the last 7+ weeks since we got home from vacation, but that wasn't the case this week. We all stayed home this past Sunday because our church was getting a new floor in the gym (which is where worship services are held). All five of us (plus Milo ha ha) were present in our family room for the streamed service that had been prerecorded. Our church always cancels Wednesday night gatherings the day before Thanksgiving. The five of us haven't left the house together to go somewhere since October 3, but we all plan to go to church together on November 28.

Today I'm giving thanks...

1. That Nadia earned a 93% on her Algebra test on Tuesday. This was a HUGE improvement as she hasn't passed all of her tests this fall. Thankfully I don't have to give her report cards in eighth grade. 

2. I was able to see my friend, Cheri today. I hadn't seen her since the end of July. My niece, Jenna, changed her plans for the weekend last night, which means we won't get to spend time with her after all, which made me all the more grateful that I could spend some time with a friend as I've had very little interaction with people outside my immediate family for the last 7 weeks. Meeting her at Panera was my first time leaving the house to go somewhere other than the hospital since October 6. 

3. I learned about a TV show that was aired about 13-14 years ago called "Roman Mysteries." The kids seem to like it so far, and it has some good historical content.

4. I drove today for the first time since September 12 (not counting the day I drove around a parking lot a little in search of a parking spot at Zion National Park). The good news is that I can do it safely, although my ability to slam on the brakes hasn't been tested. The bad news is that it hurts to press the accelerator. The good news is that I can use cruise control at least some of the time. The bottom line is that I don't plan to drive much until it's less painful to walk and drive, but it's nice to know I can drive if needed such as taking Nadia and Ian to church on Wednesday afternoons. 

5. Yesterday was a very bad day for my foot and ankle. Lately only my ankle has been swelling, but yesterday my foot including my toes were swollen. It's a bad sign when you can't even wear a sock because it's become a tourniquet. I used ice and took pain medication yesterday for the first time in weeks. I was back to hopping part of the day as it was too painful to step on my right foot. I've tried to stay off my feet more today, and as a result my sock still fits this evening, which is good because I really like to wear socks when it's cold outside. 

6. Although we usually see extended family for Thanksgiving, we were able to maintain two traditions - each of us writing a gratitude list in a journal we use only on Thanksgiving Day each year, and having monkey bread for breakfast. Usually, we have it on for breakfast on Thanksgiving Day. I had thought we'd save it for Saturday when Jenna and Toby were with us, but when I found out this morning that they weren't coming, I made the monkey bread this morning. It's a treat that Oliver, Ian, and I really enjoy a few times a year!