Sick sunday singing supper and sitting on my lap

Yesterday was not one of my better days, and today is shaping up to be even worse. I've had a rotten sore throat and sinus thing going on since Thursday night. We skipped a supper out with friends Saturday night so I could get a good night's sleep, and it seemed to help when I awoke yesterday morning. I felt pretty good, but I just couldn't talk very well. Sort of a cross between Bob Seeger and Gollum I suppose.

SINGING
Of course this was a Sunday the normal singer for our worship gatherings was gone. I was going to ask Drew to lead singing, but he and Carrie were greeters, and Jane said they were also not feeling well, so I just scrapped everything I had planned, cut it back to four songs out of the hymnal, and told everybody they would have to sing loud. I didn't play the guitar either because I knew that would wear me out, plus I didn't want to be encumbered by it in case I hacked up a loogy and needed to make a quick exit. So I just stood and sang from the hymnal through my lapel mic, and I felt bad. The last thing I want the song leader to do is draw attention to themselves, and I'm afraid that's all I was doing with my sqeaky, rasping voice. My preaching wasn't much better. It wasn't one of my better sermons to begin with, and I just got drained really quickly. I didn't even bother to talk with people afterwards. For one thing I didn't want to spread any germs, but I also just kinda wanted it to be over with. God love everyone for sticking with me yesterday.

SERVING SUPPER
This also happened to be the Sunday Jane's class was preparing a meal for a transitional living center for women in Fort Wayne. So we went out for lunch with several people from her class. Then at 2:30 we left to deliver the food, set up, and get ready to serve the ladies and kids supper at 4 pm. We had never been inside the facility before, so we didn't know what to expect. There were 10 of us - which was about 5 too many - and it was a pretty small kitchen. So I kinda just tried to stay out of the way. Once the people started coming in to eat I helped get drinks for some of the kids, then I stood out in the hallway with a couple of the other guys. We didn't want to just stand around and watch them eat. But everyone was super nice, and I think it went really well. I felt pretty good up until the end when I started wearing down again. I think they learned that now they can take turns and not near so many people need to be involved each time. Hopefully this will become a regular thing.

SITTING ON MY LAP
When we got back home my nose started running like a faucet again and I was sneezing my head off. I went from not feeling well to feeling downright rotten. And... we had noticed that the last several days Bogie-boy has been acting strange. He was being particularly weird last night. He seems so tense, like maybe he's in a lot of pain; and he barks at just about everything or sometimes for no reason at all now. Finally we laid down on the kitchen floor with him and Jane petted him. I actually thought he sighed his last breath at one point. We finally went back in the living room, and he kept coming up to my chair. So I finally tugged him up into the chair with me. He hadn't sat on furniture in a looong time. He sat on my lap for a while - which looked totally uncomfortable for him - but before long he was snoring away. I don't know... he has sores all over his back legs and underside; His face looks pained; He seems to not be eating very regularly; And it seems he's having a hard time going to the bathroom. We're wondering if it isn't about time to give Dr. Kevorkian a call. The question of putting an animal to sleep and a human are not at all the same to me. There are distinct soul issues. I hate to see the poor guy in such a miserable state. There are no immediate plans, but I honestly wouldn't have been surprised if he were gone when we got up this morning. Which reminds me, he has also started barking during the night and wanting to go outside. He's never done that before. And he's been sleeping in unusual places. Hmm.

Well, today is starting off slow. My left eye is watering non-stop. I am sneezing about every 2 minutes. I've probably gone through half a box of puffs already. Yep... gotta love life on a day like today.

Peace out; and in.