FloodZone: Monday- shopping, VBS, work projects

Jake Chiles and Chip working on the bell tower

     My day started out on a comical note this morning. As we were sitting down for breakfast Chip apologized to the group for in his words ”being a diva” yesterday. We all got a good laugh. Thanks, Chip, we needed a good chuckle.
     After breakfast Joy and I reassessed the shopping needs and headed to Faith, SD (our closest town with hardware store and grocery store--45min. away). We went to the hardware store first and bought supplies for several projects. We created a contraption to raise the entrance gate and a new wheel. We bought paint,a ladder, and miscellaneous supplies to repair the bell tower. After the hardware store we went to the grocery store to buy food for the week. This was no short trip and we came back with the van full.
     Meanwhile back at the church, the rest of the crew was busy working on several projects. Mickie and Betsy were pulling weeds around the basketball court. Chip, Chiles, and Jacob were making two basketball goals into one. Each of the goals had a different issue, but pieced together they made a functional goal. Kevin has already declared that he wants his job to be painting. I believe we will make that happen tomorrow.
     When we returned to the church we had lunch together. Jake, Chiles, and I went to work on the gate. It is certainly better than it was now that we fixed the hinge and installed a new wheel. I need one more piece and it will be done. Now, Chip is working on the bell tower with Jake and Chiles. There are two girls from the community in the fellowship hall doing the tray craft we brought for VBS today. No kids came today for VBS. We will be prepared tomorrow in case they do.

     After dinner tonight I had the pleasure of walking with my new buddy, Kevin, as we were searching for one of the horses that had gotten out. We started walking to the graveyard that is behind the church. It is a deceptively long walk. It it's probably a 1/2 mile down the road although it looks like it is just right there. as we were walking to the graveyard, which was the lady place I had seen the horse I noticed a figure walking through the field also toward the graveyard. As soon as I saw the figure I saw three horse standing by the fence. The man, who I later realized was Eric, the next neighbor down the street, walked right up to the horse and slipped a harness around it's neck and brought it around.
     We were all treated to a full double rainbow tonight and some of the longest shadows I have ever seen. In georgia or shadows would hit a tree before they got that long.
     We met pastor Byron Buffalo tonight along with his wife, Toni, and their soon. He let us know of a memorial service of sorts for a volunteer from pennsylvania. Each year they honor his memory when the group from Gettysburg comes over. (Joy and I had seen the monument earlier and wondered what it was.) He started coming to this area when one of Byron's other churches had burned down several years ago. Now, each year when his group comes they have a time of remembrance for him. We were invited, but got too caught up in our dinner and the beautiful rainbow to go. We hear there will be a small festival tomorrow at the Takini school, which is about 12 miles up the road toward Faith. I think we will try to go there tomorrow evening.