Letters from Corner Brook Week 14

Saturday is the second day of the Winter Carnival here in Corner Brook, so the first order of the day, at an eye-popping 10:30 a.m., is a real Newfoundland breakfast at the Salvation Army Citadel. Eggs, fried bologna, baked beans, toast, and “toutons” - pan-fried bread dough, especially good with molasses drizzled over. Yumm. I understand there are stores which sell the dough and all one has to do is fry it up. Mmmmm hmmmmmm.

BUT Yrs. Truly saves room for the Charity Chili Cook-off down on the Majestic Lawn. You can’t really tell it’s a lawn of course, because of all the snow, but the location is well known and the gazebo is actually visible. Seven contenders, from various places around town, present their version of chili, and we the sturdy and trusty, taste every single one. I never knew there could be so many varieties of chili - even a fairly Mexican one with cumin and chocolate, and a good bite that clears the sinuses. Although they are all pretty good, I pick Number 1 - a good, full-bodied meaty chili with just enough beans, and some cheese to go with it. Number 4 is close - sour cream and corn muffins on the side. For a finish, a cup of hot chocolate. The winner??? Number 1. He’s won several years in a row. Problem is the recipe is a total secret. And there is a photo with Ambassador for this year.....

From the chili cook-off we whip up to the Pepsi Centre to see the craft sale. Not really much there - unless you’re into tole-painted wooden replicas of the island of Newfoundland. There are some great-looking baked goods, but the problem is I have a tiny freezer which still sports some baked goods given to “Rev. Fran” at Christmas - plus a loaf of Finnish pulla which is being saved for a dreary day.

Sunday is a beautiful day - absolutely perfect weather. The streets are clear, no snow, and it’s mild and smells almost springlike. Church is packed - several people out who couldn’t get there because of being snowed in, are finally free again! This week we go into the context of “turn the other cheek”, “carry an extra mile”, and “give up your garments”. These are all specifically cultural references for a people oppressed by the Romans, and are - in my reading - lessons in non-violent resistance, not calls to be wimpy. One thing I will say, no one sleeps in my sermons.

After church it’s lunch at Timmies again, and then over to the bottom of Hospital Hill, to watch the “bobsled” races. I put that in quotation marks, because these are home-made bobsleds. While the snow is a little grainy and a bit too wet, it is lots of fun and really well attended. Trying to persuade the congregation that next year we could build a toboggan, challenge the other churches, and call ourselves the “Humber Hooligans”, or something.

From there we scoot to St. Gerard’s School, for the “Leifling” contest. Each year, as well as the official Viking, Leif the Lucky - and the two youth Ambassadors for the carnival, a child is chosen as “Leifling”. They are judged on costume, their answers to questions, style, and a challenge “swordfight” with Big Leif. There are about six kids from Humber United entered, so I want to be there.

Standing around outside at the bobsled races (granted, in church clothes which means stockings and dress pants) I realise it’s a tad chilly after awhile. Yrs. Truly does a quick trip to Mark’s Work Wearhouse - ski jacket and ski pants. Not to be frivolous, but anticipating being up at the ski hill Sunday evening for the fireworks and torchlight parade. Turns out to be a good decision. In the late afternoon, a bunch of us wander up to Marble Mountain, and stake out a table on the third level, for a perfect view of the hills where the torches come down. Dinner (using the term loosely) is poutine, a cup of coffee, and a coconut chocolate bar. The skiers with the torches are amazing; we go outside for fireworks, and a walk around the grounds. In the ski pants and jacket, not a bit of chill. What an absolutely wonderful and fun day!

Monday is “Family Day” - a civic holiday for pretty well everyone except, interestingly, Canada Post. I chat with the postman as he unloads the mail for delivery from the box inside the snowbank across the street. No such luck, he says - they get a day in August, instead of a day off in the crappy winter. Sounds to me like a day off in the winter would go over better.

So this is the one activity of the day, today. Chili and apple crisp lunch at First United Church. My colleague, Myles Vardy, has made his special chili and I intend to be there to eat that particular chili. There are lots of people from Humber. For a mere $7 we get a nice hearty bowl of chili, bread and butter, coffee or tea, and apple crisp with ice cream. You can’t beat that! On the way home I drop off one of my congregation and her daughter at the local park where there is a snow sculpture contest.

Today is Tuesday. A little melancholy today. It’s a year to the day that my friend Gayle in Atlanta died. Last year, since I was unable to get out of Toronto to go to the funeral (horrendous weather), I had lit a candle and sat vigil instead. It’s hard to believe it’s been a year. The music at her funeral was “Spirit in the Sky”; I’ve been singing it on and off all day, and lit a candle again.

It’s snowing again - been snowing all day. Went out briefly for some shopping, coffee with a friend, and as the snow came down thicker and thicker, decide to leave the rest of the shopping till tomorrow......

Took a picture of the snow outside the front door before going to bed. I notice that one side of the car is covered.

5:30 Wednesday morning, the “b’ys” are shovelling the driveway. Just as Yrs. Truly is heading out, the plow comes by. Front end of car covered in crud from plow. OK. A half-hour of clearing crud, five minutes of rocking the car back and forth (and I suspect laying down a little rubber), and we are OUT!!! Yes!!!! Morning in the office, and lots gets done. Cell phone rings - colleague at the other church can’t get a ticket for the cabbage roll dinner tomorrow. I say show up and be fed. Am I going to the Lion’s Club for fish cake lunch??? he asks. Why sure, says Yrs. Truly, be right there. So off we go for fish cakes, baked beans, partridgeberry sauce, dessert and coffee. I am not a baked beans person, but the fish cakes and partridgeberry are great - as is the dessert and coffee.

Wednesday evening and Thursday morning are devoted to making cabbage rolls. Six cabbages - two large roaster pans, and one large casserole dish of small ones. This year, they were introduced (by Yrs. Truly) to sour cream and dill on cabbage rolls. It was a big enough hit that next year there will be more. ....and there’s the promised photo with “Leif the Lucky”. From 4 p.m. to 5 p.m., take-out dinners (100 of them) are picked up, and then from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. two sittings for dinner. Large plate of cabbage rolls, mashed potatoes and turnip, rolls and butter, tea or coffee, and a piece of carrot cake. Where else can you get a meal like that for $10.00???? At the end of the evening, it is clearly a great success - and after it’s over, the Men’s Club comes in to do the cleanup.....and as they say around here "That were some good!!!!!".

In case you think there is a lot of eating, you’re right. Originally the winter festival was a day, then became three days, and finally a decision was made to take ten days in February, which included the Family Day holiday, and provide not only a great celebration which puts Corner Brook on the map, but also an opportunity for the various churches and charities to do fund raising. So just about every church does a dinner, a lunch, a breakfast - sometimes both. Lion’s Club and the Legion, Rotary, whatever - all do something. Each year a different school is featured for the Leifling contest. There are dances for youth and seniors, concerts and a ceilidh.
Everyone supports everyone else’s fundraisers. I’ve probably spent $40 this week on food - but it is all to charities to continue their work.

So another week has passed. Just to finish off, a photo of the snow overhang, from the living room window. Good thing too - overnight there was pouring rain, which cleared the roof somewhat. The plan *was* to have Carnival Breakfast at First United. Five minutes later the weather has become a wild blizzard with zero visibility. So ends week 15.

Letters from Corner Brook Week 13

Well, it’s unbelievable how the time has flown. Here we are halfway through February. At the end of this week, on February 20th, the Corner Brook Winter Carnival begins. If the weather obliges, there is a torchlight parade and fireworks at the Marble Mountain Ski Lodge, a walk from the mill along the stream to the park, church dinners, breakfasts, dances, sports competitions - everything.

Humber United does a cabbage roll dinner. This year we printed 260 tickets - more than last year - and as of February 13th, we are sold out. This week, Yrs. Truly has to go out and buy a roasting pan, and look around for good cabbages. I am doing mine Ukrainian style, with sour cream and dill on the side. Leif the Lucky, Corner Brook’s very own winter Viking, makes an appearance at our cabbage roll dinner - so be forewarned, I intend to get a photo with Leif.

Yesterday was a beautiful sunny day, and was a great lift to the spirits. Today wasn’t. There was snow and blowing snow. Many churches were cancelled - but Humber soldiered on, with a tiny crowd of about 35 stalwarts. Yrs. Truly had managed to leave her robe at the funeral home on Friday, and there was no way to get up that particular hill this morning - so the choir didn’t robe either. It was a less formal service, and several people said they thought it was nice without the robe.

It’s worth pondering. There are those people who insist on the stiff formalities, yet I suspect there are more than a few who don’t. We need to be able to relax into our church a little more, and recognise what we are really there for....and it isn’t how we look. I know the arguments for and against - I am just not sure they are relevant. The choir consistently comments that it’s so hot in the choir loft they don’t like the robes.

In any event, it was fun. The small congregation willingly moved a little closer to the front. Today’s text was from the Sermon on the Mount - the section dealing with the commandments, including divorce. I knew there were people in the congregation who are divorced - and hoped that they would see why the text is the way it is. *Context* is critical - and indeed, those people did see that Jesus was in fact talking about *men* divorcing, in *his* culture.

I have a confession to make. I am getting a shade weary of the snow. Not the snow so much as the SNOWING. It just never seems to end. This afternoon the highways were closed - there wasn’t so much snow falling, as snow blowing all over creation - whiteouts everywhere. The snow I could deal with, if the sky would just clear off and give us three or four days of sunshine. Today I had to shovel the car out of the drive, and then shovel to get it back in again. It’s just a little on the tiring side - especially when I’ve had to do other things as well.

...and yet, I know I was called here, for plenty of good reasons. Some of them are becoming clear, some not yet - but it was the right move to make at the right time - and even living through the kind of weather people in Newfoundland deal with all the time makes me appreciate everything so much more. We just really know so little about the daily life of people in other parts of this country.

I didn’t mention my front door. Went out this morning, and everything was fine. Came home in the afternoon, got the door open, and couldn’t close it. Checked for ice, didn’t see any. Finally, after a mighty slam, it closed. Then it wouldn’t open from inside. Called landlord, who came up and fixed it. Found leak in basement - which turned out to be faulty hose on washing machine. Hasn’t leaked til now.....fortunately under warranty.

Well, Monday offered a promise of some better weather. Growing up on the prairies, in a part of the world where extreme cold and snow were considered normal nine months of the year, the meteorological phenomenon “sun dogs”, or “parhelia” was pretty well known. For those who might not know, I am talking about a time which predates weather predictions via television and computer. Then, the sky was often the best indication of things to come. Yrs. Truly learned early on that in a really bad blizzard, the sky turns a kind of pinkish purple colour at night; that snow can be smelled coming even when the sky is blue; that fluffy small “sheep’s wool” clouds mean rain on the way. Sun dogs generally mean a change of weather, and not necessarily good weather either.....

http://www.atoptics.co.uk/halo/dogfm.htm

...and here’s another piece of information....quite funny.

“While mostly known and often quoted for being the oldest colour depiction of the city of Stockholm, Vädersolstavlan (Swedish; "The Sundog Painting", literally "The Weather Sun Painting") is arguably also one of the oldest known depictions of a sun dog. For two hours in the morning of April 20, 1535, the skies over the city were filled with white circles and arcs crossing the sky, while additional suns appeared around the sun. The phenomenon quickly resulted in rumours of an omen of God's forthcoming revenge on King Gustav Vasa (1496–1560) for having introduced Protestantism during the 1520s and for being heavy-handed with his enemies allied with the Danish king.

Hoping to end speculations, the Chancellor and Lutheran scholar Olaus Petri (1493–1552) ordered a painting to be produced documenting the event. When confronted with the painting, the king, however, interpreted it as a conspiracy - the real sun of course being himself threatened by competing fake suns, one being Olaus Petri and the other the clergyman and scholar Laurentius Andreae (1470–1552), both thus accused of treachery, but eventually escaping capital punishment. The original painting is lost, but a copy from the 1630s survives and still can be seen in the church Storkyrkan in central Stockholm.” This link shows the painting.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun_dog

Yes, so this morning we had sun dogs - and the weather prediction is for a major winter storm coming across the region tonight, with snowfall of up to 25 centimetres. Wow! Like we really need more snow!!!

During the night and again this morning, the snow shovellers had been - and so off I went to the garage, without having to shovel through the ......Oh dear, I hear the plow out there again now ...sigh. While the car was in the garage, the secretary and I went to the office for three hours, and then she dropped me off on the way back down the hill. Diagnosis of car - enormous buildup of ice, snow, sand and crud impeding the wheels - hence the “wobble”. Plus the buildup of ice on the underside was blocking the rear evaporating assembly...which caused the engine to think there was a malfunction and the service engine light to come on. So they hosed all the stuff off the car, and everything was fine. The bill??? $81.93. Then drive 15 whole minutes through more snow, sand, and stuff, to the Home Hardware, where apparently they have snow scoops on sale. They do. So now there is a scoop ready beside the door, plus a new hose for the washing machine.... ....and of course, an Oster hand-held blender, with a measuring cup attachment AND a chopper attachment. On sale. How could one pass it up? I love Home Hardware.

The service engine light??? On again....must be more snow and stuff. Not going to worry.

So I have spent the rest of this Monday doing odds and ends around the house. Dinner was a nice big pot of Finnish salmon chowder with LOTS of dill. There are some days when a fish chowder just really hits the spot.

...and in case the weather is really lousy: lots of food - check; rye and ginger ale - check; warm blankets - check. How lucky to be able to sit in a warm and comfortable house, eating whatever food I like, sleep in a warm and comfortable bed, doing the work I love. Even in all this snow!
Mind you, the car hasn’t been this clean since November.

Friday: where did the week go? The predicted storm never did materialise in Corner Brook, but certainly did around Grand Falls and other parts of the island. Stranded drivers were being rescued from their cars, high winds and closed highways. Corner Brook seemed to be in the eye of the storm. So Tuesday there was work, and in the evening I was guest speaker at a Beta Sigma Phi chapter. Had never heard of this group, until coming here, but here’s a link to this service organisation:

http://www.betasigmaphi.org/

Wednesday evening - the Men’s Club has a dinner meeting. Good United Church food - ham and scalloped potatoes, and marinated carrots; followed by some incredible cherry dessert. After the dinner, some of us clergy intended to be at the General Meeting of the cemetery association; my interpretation of “General Meeting” is that it is appropriate for those with a vested interest in its functioning to attend. Turns out the location for the meeting was changed the day before and not everyone was notified of the change.

Thursday morning on the way to the office, I stop to buy Winter Carnival buttons. The high winds and blowing snow begin - and I wander home for lunch and some reading. Plows have been around, and there is a two-foot-high and two-foot-wide pile of stuff blocking the drive. No way to get in over that, so out come the shovels and scoop, and I clear snow for a good 45 minutes. Prior to the evening Stewards meeting, I also have a meeting with two other people at the church to look at possibilities for new computers. I get to the church, take a good run at that famous parking lot hill, and Oops! I am sliding sideways. At least it’s sideways going up, not down. The good snow tires get a grip, and inch by screeching inch I make it up the hill - in three inches of snow. Administrator grins and gives the thumbs up! By the time Stewards is over, the moon is out and the weather is changing! Maritime weather for sure.

Friday arrives - blue skies and snow melting in the streets. The roadways are visible. My snow clearers were here during the night; as the sun strengthens, the accumulated ice and snow from the car melts. The change is here, I think - there has been a smell of spring in the air. I am spending the day doing next to nothing - finishing some of the household chores, and doing some needlework. Nice to have a day to do nothing quite deliberately.

So I leave this week’s blog with the photo of the Winter Carnival button...

Letters from Corner Brook Week 12

Well, life is certainly anything but boring around here.

Sunday there was snow predicted, but the storm was supposed to go just to the east of us. When I leave for church at 9:45, it is snowing but not heavily....I do make it up the hill into the church parking lot, by shifting into second gear and stepping on the gas. I really need to take a photo of that hill covered in snow, so you get the - pardon the phrase - drift.

In the two hours and a bit which elapse, the snow gets heavier and heavier, visibility poorer and poorer. Because of communion, the service is a little longer than normal, and clearly we need to finish up so people can get on the roads and go. Cut back on hymn verses and a couple of things, and we are done by 12:15.....

There are certainly enough centimetres of snow on the car and in the parking lot to raise at least an eyebrow. Halfway out of the parking lot the tires just start to spin. I spend a good ten minutes trying to figure this out, only to realise I have the hand brake still on. Hand brake off, car moves fine. Ummm, dumb move Fran...

On the way to the usual lunch at Tim Horton’s, I decide to brave the hill known as Premier Drive. It *is* the shortest route, just not necessarily the best. It takes five minutes of crawling, once again in second gear, with the car slip sliding every which way. Likely would have been smarter to go around by the highway. By the time I get to Timmies, we are into a full fledged blizzard. Apparently the storm changed direction and came directly over Corner Brook, turning the predicted ten centimetres into somewhere closer to thirty. Abandoning the plan to stop at Canadian Tire, I just try to negotiate the road home. From Murphy Square there is no easy route, so once again I cut across the top of the hill in blowing snow and whiteouts, over to West Valley and then down into the city again where it’s at least possible to see, more or less.

The last piece of advice I had on the way out of Timmies was “When you get to the Elizabeth Street hill, step on the gas and don’t stop for anything, just keep on going.” I do exactly that. Make it to my driveway, note that the plow has not yet been, turn the car to back in....back in, slide sideways, and ...........

I’M STUCK!!!!! There is no way this car is going to move. The snow is halfway up the doors. A kind neighbour comes and tries to push, but it’s really not going to work. In fact, the car is so close to the tall pile of snow, the driver’s side door won’t even open.

The only way out is over the shift, out the passenger door, and believe me there is no way to do that delicately. Good thing skirts are not winter wear. No point worrying....since it’s not possible to see anything, all there is left to do is flounder (swim?) through hip-high snow to the front door, stagger inside and collapse. Snow all over the back and front of the house, and the evergreen by the deck is laden down. Of course, the camera is still on the front seat of the car. Well, not going out there again for a camera!

By evening, of course, this enormous drop of the white stuff has eased off, and there are my trusty shovellers clearing the drive. They clear all the way around the car so the door will open.

Monday morning dawns clear and beautiful - again. Around 6:30 I am vaguely aware of the two fellas shovelling the stuff from the plow. Back to sleep. Spend a nice quiet morning reading and fiddling with things, noon feels like a good time to go grocery shopping and head for Canadian Tire.

Umm, nope. Car is still stuck. Shovel under the tires and around the tires. Down on knees, butt above head level again, to clear some more of the stuff. Not happening. Clear the remaining five cm of snow off the car. Call CAA. Yes they’ll send someone out within the hour. The CAA call centre is in St. John, NB - and we have a great conversation about how much snow we have both plowed through. Sure enough, the tow truck arrives in exactly an hour, and Yrs. Truly expects them to winch the car out. BUT...these guys are used to Corner Brook winters, let me tell you. He shovels some more snow from around the tires, gets in the car and wiggles the tires this way and that, gets out, shovels up some sand and salt from the roadway and throws it under the tires. Yrs Truly gets in the driver’s seat, he pushes from behind and ......YESSS!!!! We’re out!!!! Oh liberation!!

Well, cut to the return from grocery shopping etc - sun has been out, ice is melting off everything, streets are almost clear. Taking a picture from the roadway gives some idea of the pile - but if you look closely at the pic, that garage roof was totally clear yesterday, and again has two feet of snow on it. The roof of the house doesn’t have as much, probably because the house has radiant ceiling heat rather than furnace heat. You can’t really tell from the photo, but the snow in the front yard is almost to the bottom of the living room window, which is the second floor. My neighbour’s window downstairs on the first floor is buried.

Yes, well - backing in again. This time I line up the car really well, and back straight in, avoiding the trenches from yesterday. Just for good measure I pull out and back in a couple more times, just to be sure it works. It does.

Tuesday noon the ministerial association is having lunch at Humber, provided by the Men's Club of the church. It's a wonderful lunch, but we are also treated to pictures of a trip to a school in Haiti - heartbreaking, but wonderful to see the strides made at the same time.

Wednesday on the way in to the office, I stop again at the docks for pictures. The ferry to Labrador is in, and one of the coast guard ice breakers. Ice is forming on the bay, so they have to be here.

It’s now Thursday evening as I pick this up again. It’s been snowing steadily for the last three days. It’s been another busy week, barely time to breathe - and another memorial service Friday. Spent morning at the office, afternoon preparing funeral service, then picked up one of the younger people from school and went to his home for dinner and some time working on a large-print book to be used in services at Long Term Care. We go around the back way (which also avoids needing to drive up the straight-up hill), and it’s beautiful out there. Another place to go take some pics when the weather is a little better.

Now, dinner is something I haven’t had before. It’s called ‘Fish and Brewis’ - generally made either with fresh or salt cod. “Brewis” is a particular kind of ‘hard bread’ (read ‘hardtack’ - or ship’s biscuits), soaked and then combined with the fish. The dish is generally topped with ‘scrunchions’, bits of crispy fried bacon fat or pork back. It’s just the kind of stuff I like...

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fish_and_brewis

I come home down the hill, and have been aware for a couple of days that the car has an odd kind of wobble. So it may be time to get the car looked at, before something worse happens. My son the engineer says it might be something like a cracked nut in the wheel or something. So - I guess it’s time to go to the car wash, and then take it in for a look-see. Sigh.

Fortunately I arrive just in time for the two snow-clearers - so I move the car out, and they clear the whole drive nice and clean.

Friday there is a memorial service again, so I make my way to the church office to pick up my robe and shoes, and work for awhile. I go via the car wash, hoping that it will remove some of the salt and sand stuff from the car. Well, it does - also freezes the car doors. Manage to get in and out - but the big hunk of ice backed up behind the wheel is still there. Now I know why there’s no point taking the car to the car wash in the winter. Not till the weather is warmer and the snow gone!!!! Also make an appointment to take the car for some attention.....gulp.

Up near the church, there is a howling blizzard. Not bothering to try the hill. The funeral home is not far from the church, but up that famous hill known as Premier Drive....as I get to the turn, it’s clear that traffic going up AND down is stuck....not going to try that either. I go all the way down the hill, get onto the Lewin Parkway which is a much easier drive, and then come DOWN the hill behind the funeral home - a bit longer but much faster and safer. Needless to say it isn’t possible to see a thing - and yet the service is pretty well full.

I struggle home and it becomes clear that there won’t be any entering the driveway without copious shovelling - as I am invited out for dinner and some viewing of the Vicar of Dibley, I don’t even bother to try to get in. Discretion being by far the better part of valour, Yrs. Truly opts to take the back road again - and goes while it’s light enough to see. It’s a smart move......

.....around 8:15, the other guest and I decide it’s time to navigate the road home. Navigate is truly the operative word. There are still huge fat flakes of snow coming down, so that it’s almost impossible to see a thing. It takes over half an hour to do a ten-minute drive (not hurrying by any means), and then a quick spurt up my hill, whip around the corner to see (yikes) that same huge pile of plow stuff. I try, I really do, to get in over it - and get stuck again. *This* time, luckily, two neighbours come to help - the driveway is quickly cleared, and wonder of wonders they even manage to remove the giant chunks of ice behind the wheels. Note to self: go get a scoop, the heck with shovels.

Saturday - today - dawns with sunshine which seems to be continuing. The snow squall warning has been cancelled. As I wander to the back window, there is my favourite cargo ship, the TransFighter, coming up the bay through the ice. I am reminded again of so many friends who make their living on the sea - and the risks they take all the time sailing the oceans - and offer some prayers for all sailors.

Letters from Corner Brook Week 11

I do need to step back a bit and mention the Saturday afternoon glass of wine. It was really to pick up jewelry which I’d purchased at the party mentioned in an earlier post to this blog. Yes there was a glass of wine, and there was food, and (exercising great will-power) I did not succumb to a chocolate cupcake/muffiny-type thing. Unfortunately (or fortunately!) coffee with a couple of shots of something and some whipped cream is also served. Can’t pass that up, even on a Saturday afternoon. Then of course, I need to find my way home and somehow scrape together a sermon. There are those weeks when the sermon writes itself, and other weeks when one has to wring the text like a wet towel to get every drop out of it. A comment and a poem from a colleague on the Midrash discussion list throws all the various bits into focus....whew!

After Sunday service, there is a meeting of the Ministry Personnel Committee. I'd asked to get together so that we would have some understanding of my proposed vacation and study leave for this year. In The United Church of Canada, each congregation is required to have a small group of people called a Ministry Personnel Committee, who act as liaison between congregation and staff. Each year they meet at least once with each staff to air concerns, check how things are going, and they generally field concerns from the congregation. It’s an excellent system because it provides a place where both can express themselves safely. Early on when this system was first put in place, there were some clergy who were offended and intimidated by having such a group “checking up on them” (which is not what it is.). Personally, while clergy are accountable to their Presbyteries (in my case the District) I believe they are also clearly accountable in some respects to their congregations - that is, clarity about expectations, vacations, study times, use of work time. I would not be without an M&P Committee, and if I found a congregation which didn’t have one I’d be insisting they do. It’s in everyone’s best interest in the pastoral relationship.

One of the reasons I am quite happy to have such a group is when there are questions about what the minister does other than Sunday. The clear majority of people do appreciate how busy clergy are, and will bend over backwards trying to ensure their minister doesn’t knock herself out. Yet there are also still those who think clergy only work for a couple of hours on the weekend, and object to study leaves or vacations. In my case, even before the interview for this position, I stated up front that my husband and I had made plans two years ago, for the month of April, - a big wedding anniversary - plans which I wasn’t prepared to change. I am sure that most will understand, but there will be some who don’t - and that’s where the M&P Committee comes in....they kind of run interference.

Meeting over, we all convene at Tim Horton’s for lunch...that’s the Sunday routine!!!! By the time I return it’s late enough in the afternoon that I collapse on the sofa with the fireplace turned on, read, and play on Facebook.

The snow-shovellers have returned. I am able to get the message through that I really need to get out for the funeral Monday - and in no time there they are and the drive is cleared. Early to bed and some reading, and then comfortably off to sleep, planning to sleep in. UNTIL someone calls at 3:15 am to book a room at the Holiday Inn. Umm, no sir, you don’t have the Holiday Inn reservation line, you have a private residence. Did I *answer* Holiday Inn??? NOW try getting back to sleep.....

Monday morning looks pretty good, nice and clear, no more snow - until (of course) around noon. Then the snow comes down, the wind comes up, and lickety split the driveway is filling and the sidewalk path has disappeared. Oh boy...well, I can flounder through knee-high snow to the car. I have to digress here and tell you I am getting really good at this whipping out of a snow-filled drive, and backing in over the crud from the plow. Not only that but backing in without hitting the snowbanks on either side! So, out we go from the drive over about eight inches of snow. Streets are greasy and slick, and the plow has not been around yet, which is really weird, come to think of it. I creep down the hill in second gear, going about 35. Behind me is a rather impatient person in a pickup, who wants to whiz downhill at 60. Sorry, fella, but if you’re going all the way down the hill you’re stuck behind me to the bottom....I am NOT speeding up. On one of the downtown streets, another impatient person in a Jeep whips out from behind the plow, right in my path. Does HE get my horn.....

One of the vagaries of the weather in Corner Brook, as I’ve mentioned, is how it changes from one side to the other. On my side (snow belt) is blizzard conditions and a good pile of squelchy, sandy, salty stuff all the way down. I swear they use enough sand on the roads to make a whole beach somewhere. I bet if they filtered out all the salt and stuff, they really could make a beach down by, say, the cruise ship dock. (Oh yeah!) Downtown is close to blizzard conditions, but up by the church the air is clear and there’s only about an inch of snow. BUT (wait for it) I have to get up the hill to the church parking lot. I see the opening, step on the gas, swing hard over to the right, and up we go - barely. I don’t think I left too much rubber on the tarmac!

The memorial service is small, but intimate. I was surprised that the burial would go ahead, but am informed it’s rare that they don’t. It is snowy and windy up in the cemetery, and I am glad for the extra layers under my coat and robe, but my legs are cold. Note to self: a trip to Mark’s Work Wearhouse for thermal long-johns.

...and I learn something really new and exciting today. In March two oil rigs from the Atlantic side will be here in Corner Brook for a refit. It’s the best port to do it in. There will definitely be pics of THAT to post.

Well, here it is Saturday and I haven’t written anything here since Tuesday. Tuesday. Right. Remember last blog someone called the church in the evening to make an appointment? I wrote it down in my book for Wednesday morning. At that time I was assuming Monday would be a day off. When Monday also had a memorial service, I decided to take Tuesday off. Until at 10 am the phone rang to say my appointment was there. I dive into my clothes, throw on makeup, and dash out the door - and since I was at the office anyway figured I might as well stay on and work a bit. In the afternoon I decide to brave the blowing snow, and go across town to Mark’s Work Wearhouse. Not only do I find those nice warm thermal long undies, I find a couple of sweaters, warm fleece jammies, and a nice white tailored blouse - oh yes, and new gloves. They have a clearance sale on.....

Wednesday dawns clear but there have been predictions of a big storm - this time it by-passes us, and by the time the Board meeting rolls around in the evening, it’s clear and beautiful....and COLD. On with the long undies....and let me tell you, does that make a whole heck of a difference. Never going to be without them again! Nevertheless, even though we didn’t get the predicted storm, we got the usual Corner Brook accumulation - as seen in the pics.

Thursday on the way to the office, I go to the Motor Vehicles office and get my Newfoundland driver’s licence and plates. Woo hoo!!! We have a by-election here on February 15, and I plan to vote. Now I can legally do that! Next step, insurance - but Motor Vehicles tells me that my current insurance will cover me in the interim. The licence is $140 - which seems steep, until you realise it’s good for five years before it has to be renewed.

From work I just have time to gas up the car and grab a sandwich at the gas bar, and dash up the hill to the Pepsi Centre to have an afternoon walk. We do just under an hour, which worked out to something like 6 km - and I didn’t feel it nearly as much as the last time.

Thursday evening we have a Session meeting. This one is interesting, because instead of the normal fast one-hour meeting, we get into a really good discussion about theological language in worship. There are clearly some very different points of view, but people are polite and respectful with each other. It highlights that maybe there is some work to do here in bible study. Not the usual kind, but something more in-depth. It is really good when people are able to express different opinions but maintain respect and care while they do it.

Friday afternoon as I come home, the landlord is up on the garage roof removing about three feet of snow. Darn! I *was* going to get a photo of the snow sliding over the edge. Oh well, maybe you can see it behind the car in the murky photo I took.

So we come to Saturday - sitting with the sunshine coming in through the window, a beautiful bright day. I am about to start the sermon, and am watching one of my favourite movies - A Prairie Home Companion, with Garrison Keillor, Meryl Streep, and Lily Tomlin.

Ice is forming on the bay, with snow on top. The ferry service to Labrador has begun....will try to get some photos of that for next week. Time is really flying!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CCGS_Henry_Larsen
...and so ends Week 11.