Stove Woes

We figure that our stove must be 18 years old, as that is how old the house is.  I suppose that one might not expect many more years than that out of an appliance.   This one has been troublesome for a while, at least the oven has been.  We had an oven issue that came from a short in the back of the stove, which Gerry fixed.  We had another oven issue when one of the elements had to be replaced.

Over the Thanksgiving weekend in particular, with 13 people to feed, the oven kept cutting in and out.   But after that weekend, it worked just fine.

Gerry had already determined that the part we needed to replace, the motherboard, is no longer manufactured, and no longer available to order.  That being the case, we decided that we would just use the oven until it died completely.   I was cooking for guests in early December, and once again, the oven was finicky.

On Saturday evening,  out of the front section, where all the electronic parts are, the motherboard, came fizzling noises, which is the best way I can describe the sound.  That was followed by black smoke, and the smell of electrical burning.   We shut the stove off completely in the fuse box.   With Christmas less than ten days away, we needed an immediate replacement.  Meanwhile, we could still cook on the stove top.  That brought on two other of the same kind of fizzles and mini-black-smoke-explosions.

My daughter Brenda has the same kind of stove, and she and I have both observed that if you are boiling something on the top, and it overflows,  getting water into the electronic parts can cause the strange stove behavior.

Sunday, we went to Lowe's. Gerry noted that we need the slide-in kind of stove so that there are no cracks on both sides between the stove and the counter.  They had none in stock, so it had to be ordered.  The one we need could be delivered by December 29th, which was completely unacceptable to me.  I need to produce a Christmas meal!

We then went to Sears and there also,  the kind we need was only available by ordering it.  The date of delivery is scheduled for December 24th!   I am just hoping and praying for the best!  Good weather, early in the day delivery.  So stressful,  but we determined that that was the best we could do by Christmas!

As I have been cooking on the top, I have discovered that the oven is once again working just fine.  Of course, it is completely unreliable, potentially dangerous,  and has to be replaced, but as it soon goes to the stove burial place for its final rest, in its eulogy,  I would say that it should be honored for its perseverance and recovery!

Thank you stove for the service you have rendered.  Rest in peace!

And may your replacement arrive on time!

Thanksgiving Times Three

I sat drinking my coffee this morning reflecting on our Thanksgiving celebrations and their significance.

Our family gathered last Sunday, which is when everyone could be here.  We had a lovely meal, as well as a birthday party for Emma.  It was a great time. Needless to say, my family is the most important thing in my life.

That meant that on the actual Thanksgiving Day on Thursday, Gerry and I were alone together.  I did cook a Thanksgiving meal, though a fairly modest one.  We enjoyed a quiet, stress free, mellow, comfortable day filled with cooking, eating, watching television,  reading and just being together.

Last night we entertained friends whose company we very much enjoyed.  I made another Thanksgiving dinner, this one more elaborate and fancy than the one on Thanksgiving Day.  These friends had never been at our house before, so that is always fun, showing off our lovely home,  and my love of cooking.

As I thought about the three thanksgiving meals, it occurred to me that those represent the three most important things in my life.  My children and grandchildren and their spouses, through whom I am greatly blessed.   My husband and marriage, for which I am deeply grateful.

And friends, both new and old.  We have not lived in one place during our marriage, but have lived in four places---Dryden, Moravia, Fayetteville, and Cortland--due to my years in the ministry.  The disadvantage of moving and changing your place of residence is that you are always somewhat transient.  The advantage is that you are constantly making new friends.  There are people who are dear to us from all the places we have lived and worked.

Family, marriage, friends.  To that list of things for which I am grateful, I would add faith and health.  Both of those give joy and meaning to all the rest.

What A Morning!

Sunday morning was a special thrill for the lyricist (me) and composer (Paulette) who wrote the Thanksgiving anthem, which was sung by the adult choir, the children's choir, and the chorus by the entire congregation.

As noted by Judy Cain's Facebook post [see below],  there was quite an age range, and there were also additional instrumentalists.

Probably six months ago, organist and composer Paulette Fry asked me to select some text from scripture and write a poem, which could become a song.   We had done one other anthem earlier in the year. The scripture I chose was from Psalm 65, a song of thanksgiving.  First came the words, then came the music, which was absolutely phenomenal.  Then came the choir director Sue Bonne and the choir, including the Sunday School kids, working their magic putting flesh and blood to bones.  What a morning, indeed!

To add to the special-ness,  I learned later from Paulette, that she had given flowers in honor of the man who donated the incredible organ to the church.  Usually,  after the service,  flowers are given to individuals who may be ill, or in the hospital, or celebrating a special event.  They chose to give the flowers to me!  So the goodness and glory of the morning are still being enjoyed!

'You know that song, "My Lord, What A Morning!"? That's what it felt like yesterday at UPC Cortland. One of the anthems was written by two UPC-ers, and the choir that shared it with us had an age range of over 80 years, from the 2.5-year-old in the front row to the senior citizens in the back row. AND the anthems were accompanied by piano, digital tympani, percussion, flute, French horn, and glockenspiel. I'm telling you, it was awesome, literally awesome, and I walked out of there well and truly blessed!'         by Judy Cain

We Didn't Know

When I fell in love, I fell hard indeed

with my wonderful husband so dear,

Clueless was I of the perks to come

From marrying an engineer.

He said that he could say the same

The years would prove the teacher…

Revealing that he had surprisingly wed,

A United Methodist preacher.

A master at building decks and such,

Electrician and plumber too,

All those skills were unknown to me

It would unfold, all he could do.

He didn’t know that I would be

A very good tennis partner,

An excellent cook,  an organizer,

A poet and an author.

We didn’t know what the years would show

When I fell for him and he fell for me

But we both believe, 

when it comes to life,

We won the lottery!