Finally saw inside the church

Conditions at 7:00 am - mix of sun and cloud, 17*
Expected later - sunny and 26*


It would take a huge amount of work but it definitely has potential! Last night after work, I met with Robert, the fellow who is in charge of showing the church. I got there first, then he arrived a couple of minutes later. When I got out of the car and introduced myself, I told him a couple of friends were going to try to join us as well. He suggested we go inside and look around while we waited. We were upstairs looking out the front window when the bike turned in the drive, and he looked out, and asked "Is that Bernie Van Gaal......... and Brenda?" I said yes it was, those were the friends I was waiting for.
So they came in and we all looked it over and Bernie brought his measuring tape. It's basically just one big room, so it's like a clean slate almost, you could really reconfigure it a lot of different ways. Bernie went into the cellar with Robert and reported that it was good and sound underneath. It would really take a lot of work, but it would certainly be an interesting project. Now we just have to wait and see how much it would cost to move it. I know that would only be a fraction of the cost for the entire project. Like I said to Brenda, all I need is a small lottery winning. She suggested that if I won a small lottery, I wouldn't need to do this project, but I pointed out it would be something to do. I guess I'm just not yet ready for that rocking chair. I'd really like to be done with the Monday to Friday 9:00 to 5:00 routine, but I'd still need something to do with my time. I'm not going to sit and wait to die - when the time comes, death is going to have to catch me!

After we left, I drove Brenda home and she kindly invited me to supper - new potatoes, fresh carrots (boy were they sweet), yellow beans and BBQ steak. As we ate, we mulled over what "we" could do with the church. I guess my big concern is, it would have been a wonderful idea twenty, or even ten, years ago. What am I thinking to even consider taking this on at our age? But then, I think of Frank Balnar and how he bought his first apartment building when he retired, and look where he was twenty years later? If nothing else, he was a wonderful inspiration to anyone considering a post-retirement career.

Today is the beginning of our long weekend. My goal it to finish the rest of the wood pile. It's supposed to be very hot again today, it's been quite humid the last few days, so I'll see how it is this afternoon. I'll have the whole day tomorrow and the morning on Saturday, at least. I still haven't heard yet if I'm working at the liquor store on Saturday or not. I suspect I'll find out today.

I baked butter tarts last night for dessert at our take out picnic at work today. I dropped some off at the VanGaal's on my way to work this morning. The work is progressing quite nicely on their back entranceway. I didn't know that Bernie had a sawmill. He's cut his own two by fours, and they look so much bigger than a store bought one, because they are actually two by four! I saw the window that's going into the door, and it's absolutely beautiful. It's going to be a really nice space, with lots of nice big windows. I can see a few cups of tea being consumed there!