Eric Bailey's

Well I was going to post about the 40th Anniversary Celebration but I didn't do that before yesterday and then yesterday has left me in a fog still. Yesterday I was sick. It started late Tuesday, I had put Haaken to bed and was in bed myself when my stomache started to hurt. And then I spent the rest of the night either sitting on the toilet or sleeping, for the few minutes inbetween trips to the toilet. The bad thing about being sick on Wednesdays is that I have a lot scheduled for Wednesdays. After I get home from driving bus in the morning, I go to Sherbrooke School to lead the "For the Love of Books" seminars there. Then I go straight from that to the church to lead our Bible study group (11-12). Then it is time to get some food and rest before I go back on the bus (the rest may not happen if I have things on my agenda for the day to get done).

Instead of doing all those things, I phoned a number of people in the morning. I know this because the idea that I did is burned into my memory. The specific memory of the phone calls is not really there. It is kind of like the childhood stories you grew up hearing so much that you can remember them, although you don't remember the actual experience. The memory I have of the phone calls feel like that.

Today I am still a little in a fog. I missed one of the basic turns on my bus route. It was simply a counting error. I count 4 streets and turn at the 4th, but I think I missed counting the first street. I have missed counting it before, but I usually catch the error before I miss my turn. This time I did not. It surprised the kids.

I have less things to prepare for the upcoming Sunday, I'm not speaking, I don't have to teach, and once the program is set I can see if one of the kids will run the powerpoint. Then I can sit with my own kids during the worship. Maybe tomorrow or the day after I will be able to post about the 40th and even hear some other people's comments one what they thought of it.

The is the second weekend in a row that I have gone golfing on Sunday and then Monday. Last week I went with my Father-in-law both days. This week, on Sunday I went with my wife and kids (we only did part of the par 3 not the whole 9 holes). Monday (today) we did the whole par 3. It was fun, and my shots are getting more consistent, but I still need to work at the game to get better. I am not sure that I will be able to get out golfing again this week because of all the activities going on.

The 40th Anniversary Celebration for our church is going to happen this weekend. I got the ad in the paper for Sunday in a free section, but I did not get some of the other things done to get the ad out there. I have more work to do, contacting people who are going to participate in our worship this week, I need to scan a bunch of photos and arrange them for a powerpoint presentation of the modern era (another person who has slides and a projector is going to do up to the mid 80's). Plus I need to try to find photos of all the previous preachers so that I can try to do up some kind of display. We still have class this week. I am teaching the "for the love of books" on Wedndesday as well. I have soccer on Tues and Thurs evenings (last Thurs was cancelled because of rain). Tomorrow I am helping people do some things over at the building. This week is going to be crazy.

Today is my big brother's birthday. Happy Birthday, eh. I always associate his birthday with Mothers' Day since every once in a while they share the same day. I also remember the birthday of a girl in our church because she shares the same birthday as my brother.

Tonight is supposed to be the second game in soccer, but since it is raining and threatening to do so for most of the day, I doubt that we will be playing today.

Tomorrow, if all goes well, I will be back at Sherbrook School (my oldest son used to go to that school) to help them with a program for parents called "For the love of reading." It is a fun program and I am looking forward to meeting parents and talking about reading.

There is much more to talk about, but I don't have the words yet, so I guess I leave this for now and maybe post again later.

Well for starters the game last night was quick. Our team beat up a team of smaller children. There good player worked hard at working with the team, but he had no support. Our players were not amazing but they all ran and they all had a little skill and understanding. I'm not sure of ages but the couple of kids who seen to be younger are a little more skilled. We did well and the kids were proud, but I think that it is only a matter of time until we play a big kid who has skill. When that happens I wonder if I can keep them running like they did last night.

Today I went out and spent a lot of money. I took out the money for the Grey Cup tickets, I bought a gift for mothers' day, I paid the baby sitter and bought some technology for my computer. Now my bank account is feeling a bit more of the strain. It was a fun day. Now to go play some hockey.

Tonight is the first night for my son's soccer league. I am coaching again. This year at least one of the other children is already known to my son, she is in his school and he was even at her birthday party.

This changes my schedule now, I am no longer going to the Thursday night group so that I can be at soccer. Other years I squeezed both the small group and the soccer into the same evening but those days always felt rushed. I think that it is better to just do one, and I think this year it is better to do the soccer. This group can survive and perhaps even thrive without me, and I am already involved in the Wednesday night group anyway.

Unless it rains, I will be at soccer and then I will go with my son to Tim Hortons.