All week we've been working on the rummage sale for Emerson, moving chairs (we have chairs, not pews) into alcoves and bathrooms and along the back wall of the sanctuary, accepting bags of clothes, boxes of kitchenware, collections of books, bundles of children's toys, and so on.

That was Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, sorting and hanging and setting up displays. Friday and Saturday (today) we put out fliers all over the neighborhood and opened the doors to all comers at 8 a.m. They came and looked and bought stuff. Lots of stuff.

Today, after we closed our doors, we had to pack up everything that was left, load it into SUVs, vans and pickups and send it off to Goodwill, the Salvation Army, and the local branch of the library.

We were all dog-tired and a bit cranky, if truth be told. I invited the whole crew here for munchies, wine or beer, and pizza. Tempers improved radically after the first few sips and slices, and by the end of dinner we were most convivial, talking and laughing and stretching luxuriously in comfy chairs, instead of walking around, selling stuff, answering questions, loading boxes into vehicles and counting out money.

Bending and stretching, lifting and pushing--tell me again why I felt it necessary to exercise early this morning?

The dinner broke up early, because we are all too tired to party on, even if it is Saturday night.

Tomorrow is another day. Good night, my friends.