As mia_mcdavid forecast, we had a busy weekend. colgaffneyis basket making workshop yesterday was interesting and fun, although none of us finished our baskets during the day. I worked for another hour or so on mine this afternoon. My hands are really sore from the work. Anybody who says basketmaking is easy has never tried it.

Note on demographics and stereotypes: There were 10 students. Eight were women. Traditionally this was usually a male craft. By contrast brewing beer was often a task for women (think “alewives”), but currently most homebrewers are men.

After scrupulously cleaning up from the basket making workshop mia_mcdavid and I drove to Stillwater, where the Rector of our Church lives. We were invited to a party for newcomers there. There was an hour or so of general socializing, and good food, then we all gathered in a circle to introduce ourselves, and talk about where we had been and how we found St. Mary’s. In addition to LeAnne (the Rector) there were also a couple parish leaders. This party was, gently but unmistakably, a recruiting pitch for deeper involvement in the parish.

I was really OK with this. St. Mary’s resonates with my best experiences about religion and church, going back 40 years to Carleton and Stanford. I feel extraordinarily blessed that mia_mcdavid and I have found it.

Speaking of deeper involvement, mia_mcdavid joined the adult choir at St. Mary’s (the “Magnificat” choir, of course) a few weeks ago. Soon afterwards she hinted that I should join–the choir is really short of male voices. Who?? Me?? I can’t sing. Or can I….? I talked to the Music Director and he thought I could, although I would need some coaching which he would cheerfully provide. So now I am in as well. In fact, today I was 50% of the bass section.

This is hard work, but it feels good. I still have this “Who?? Me??” feeling, but that feeling about being called to do something goes back 2 1/2 millenia, to the Old Testament prophets, and compared to them the risk for me is trivial. So I really don’t have an out :-)>

Joining a choir is something I never thought I would do. Actually, there are several such things that have happened since my 50^th birthday. I am compiling a list. I would post it now, except that I want to go over it to be sure I have not missed something. Watch this space :-)>

The workshop, last night’s party, and church this morning (on top of the change to Daylight Savings Time) meant that we were really on the go. OTOH, driving home from Church at noon today I had the feeling that we were really done with what we had to do for the weekend. During the afternoon I mended some clothes and then worked some more on my basket. Afterwards I did some shopping for dinner. While I was at the store mia_mcdavid called on my cell phone, asking me to buy more potatoes. She asked for red potatoes, but, thinking of haddayr‘s latest story, I suggested Yukon Gold as an alternative. They were just fine.