A long week, but productive

This has been a difficult week, although not all that unusual.

Monday was our feast day, and my day off. However, one of my key staffmembers had taken ill over the weekend, and gone to the hospital. Moreover, she is a key volunteer at our bingo; so I was at bingo both Sunday afternoon and evening, and on Monday evening, to be sure all went well (it did).

I can't say anything exciting or notable happened on Tuesday, just doing the work of a pastor. Managing things in our office, a variety of small things on my desk that I worked on. Wednesday I stay home in the morning and work on my homily. Only this Wednesday, I had several calls. People are tracking me down at home; I don't want to ignore the phone, but I stay home on Wednesdays to work (it can be hard to have any uninterrupted time in the office). Didn't finish my homily.

Wednesday afternoon, I worked on the budget for our Finance Committee Thursday morning at 7 am. That took me right up until I went over for the Bible Study at 7 (I wanted to concelebrate Mass at 6, with the retired priest, but I didn't finish in time). After the Bible study, I went over to the KofC hall around 8:15, and had a beer with them, and some pizza, then walked home. Got to bed around 11 or so, per usual.

Well, that didn't last long. Unfortunately, our parish is in a rougher part of town, and across from the house where I live is a bar. For some reason, when folks leave there, letting out a yelp or a howl is the thing to do -- especially after 10 pm. I've gotten used to that. But around 1:50 am, an argument, below my window, woke me up. "Yeah, and I'll *#$@!ing knock you down, too if you don't !#$%@ing give me the money!" I gave you the @$%@!@ing money!!!"

Police showed up quickly, things calmed down; but I didn't go back to sleep. For some reason, I couldn't. (I've noticed in recent years, I don't fall back asleep as easily.) Wasn't asleep at 3 . . . 3:30 . . . around 4, I got up and lay down in my Lazyboy--maybe I'd fall asleep there? Nope. I was up till dawn.

Thursday was a long day even on a full night's sleep: Finance Committee, Mass, work in the office, a meeting at 10, work in the office, payroll, meeting at 5:30, another meeting at 7 -- really, two -- I was late for the other -- and a post-meeting meeting after that. Home by 9, when I had dinner. In bed by 10:15, which is extremely early for me.

Today I slept late, and stayed home to work (office closed on Fridays during summer). Was going to work on my homily; however, I got some ideas for a fundraising drive I have in mind, so I went with that. That kept me busy for hours. I'll have to finish my homily tomorrow. Tonight, I drove up to Sidney to join a "Sweat and Sanctity" group of young adults there: too late to hear Father James Reutter's talk, but we prayed the rosary and then played ultimate frisbee for awhile. Then home for dinner, and now, surfing the 'net.

There's a lot more, of course, but so much of it is phone calls, talking business (budgets, the school, fundraising, planning) and not very interesting -- and I can't recall it all, now.