I have been away on holiday and am now "holidaying" at home. Yesterday I had to go into town for a meeting. We met in a cafe and I found I enjoyed the time with people who are on the same sort of wave length and working toward the same goals. It was good to be with these people. I went from there to catch up on the couple whose wedding I took just before I went on holiday. They had a gift for me and had asked for a copy of the service. I was so encouraged by the warmth of the reception and their positive response to my leading their wedding. Apparently their relatives were quite impressed and had requested a copy of the service. From that encounter I called in at the Church to catch up on how Space2B was going, since it was the first day of opening for the year. The man who runs it greeted me with enthusiastic warmth, shaking my hand and smiling from ear to ear. I came home and returned to the renovations we were doing. A friend from Alaska rang. He was passing through town and could he call out. He arrived while I was painting a door. He visits New Zealand about once a year so we don't catch up very often, but it struck me that he just greeted me warmly, sat on a stool and we caught up while I continued painting. We seem to be able to just take up where we left off and drop into easy conversation. Sometimes the people more distant from you seem to treat you with more warmth than the folk you see regularly. I guess I do that with people I take for granted. But I was warmed by yesterday's experiences of warmth and friendship. I must remember to greet others with more warmth, it lifts your spirit when you are on the receiving end.
Renovations...
Over at least thirteen years with Habitat for Humanity I have spent hundreds and hundreds of hours working on other people's houses. My own house is a fairly old not-in-great shape cheap house, though its been adequate for us. We have been here around 25 years and have not done much to the house, except that which has been necessary. Lately we have started to tidy it up, it is overdue for some TLC. The last few days we have revamped the back door entrance way. I installed a bench unit I had built, we painted, tidied up and put new flooring down. It is so satisfying when it is completed. I am still at the stage of going out there and just looking at our handy work. Still it is not startling, but it's been done on a budget and certainly a lot better than it has been. Roll on retirement when I can do so much more.
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| The completed bench unit I built. |
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| Looking in the back door toward the bathroom which we revamped last year. |
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