My Day (Other Than Needing a Cloak)
Jon and I worshipped at the Episcopal Cathedral downtown this morning and it was lovely.Â? (Pisco, stop dancing around with joy.Â? You look like a dork!)Â? We sat apart (mostly so I could have the experience of worshipping anonymously without being distracted) and it actually worked out well.Â? I was able to do about 90% of the liturgy (including music) without looking at the prayerbook (they used a Sanctus that I hadn’t sung before) and other than not being able to get my kneeler down without it crashing (and making the handsome guy at the other end of the pew snicker), it was like being home.Â? Oh yes… unlike many Catholic cathedrals (and Mormon temples), the cathedral wasn’t HUGE — it was built kind of to a human scale.Â? The stained glass windows were also amazing — the one at the front of the altar area of the annunciation kind of distracted me with its beauty.
The sermon was also not too bad — the preacher stuck to the texts and while there were some veiled references toward same-sex marriage being approved, it was actually somewhat engaging.Â? Oh yes… I made an impression on the celebrant… by walking in the door, tripping on the step, and landing in her arms.Â? (Not that she mentioned it after the service as Jon and I were leaving.Â? Noooooo…)
After getting lunch at the Gateway Plaza, we got roundtrip rail tickets for the UTA system and headed up to Temple Square.Â? We were actually left alone by missionaries — Jon had stayed in his church clothes so he looked professional and people probably assumed that the dumpy woman with him was a convert.Â? (It’s my blog — I can rip on myself as much as I want.Â? Besides, I’m also feeling bloated and icky right now.)Â? I have to say… if the ELCA had the PR people that the LDS have, we’d be the biggest church in the USA.Â? All the missionaries on duty were impeccably dressed and very attractive young women from all around the world.Â? (TheyÂ?hadÂ?flags on their name tags and I don’t think there was a language not represented.)Â? The temple grounds were just immaculate — I would seriously go to the grounds to read or journal if I lived in SLC because it was lovely and quiet.Â? The visitor’s centers were welcoming, clean, and very light.Â? The displays were well-done and there was always someone there to answer your questions.Â? The temple itself was closed today (hellooooo Sabbath!) but I still got pictures of it from a distance.Â? It is massive — possibly on par with Westminster Abbey in terms of size and quite beautiful.Â? Unlike most temples, it actually looks like something churchy.
We rode the UTA to Sandy and back to try and see some more of the city and it was a nice ride.Â? We hit up $tarbuck$ before heading back to the motel and got to witness some SLC police officers dealing with a guy who hadn’t taken his meds and was screaming at everyone.
We’re going to do Applebee’s for dinner tonight.Â? (It’s at The Gateway Plaza and I know I can actually eat the food there unlike most places where portions are too big and the food is too greasy.)Â? God willing, I’ll make it there and back without a problem.
I get to see my kitties tomorrow!!!!!!!!!
There Has to Be A Cloak Somewhere…
Umm… LORD?
Jen!Â? You’re in Salt Lake City and you didn’t fall prey to the missionaries at the temple!Â? Congratulations on resisting the temptation to do all those things you were threatening to do last night.
OK LORD, you’ve known me for like how long?Â? You know that I wouldn’t bring a frappucino onto the temple grounds and ask one of the hot elders to hold it.Â? Then again, you also made it so that all the missionaries on duty today were sisters.
There is a method to my madness.Â? Now what’s this about you needing a cloak to touch?
Well… you know I’m having this problem where it’s week 3 of my period and I’m bleeding severely.
Jen, the woman you’re thinking of suffered with this kind of thing for 12 years!Â? You can deal with a couple weeks of discomfort.
And what about the damage this is doing to my body?
You know that I have my plans for yo-
I know… to prosper and all that jazz.Â? Could we maybe amend the plans so that they don’t involve me fainting from loss of blood or getting majorly anemic?
I’ll see what I can do.Â? Meanwhile, keep up the protein and avoid salt and caffeine.Â? This means no $tarbuck$ or other satanic corporate foods until the problem is resolved.
What if what I get doesn’t have caffeine?
Stop finding loopholes and go take some Pamprin!
Thy will be done LORD.Â? Amen.Â? Over and out!
$tarbuck$ in Utah
So we’re in Salt Lake City right now and I’m on the computer in the lobby of the motel doing Internet stuff.Â? (Haven’t figured out the wifi on my laptop yet.Â? I know… I suck.)
I’ve seen a number of $tarbuck$ in Utah — I hit up the one in St. George today and saw them in Cedar City and at the Gateway tonight when Jon and I went for food.
Isn’t there something inherently wrong with $tarbuck$ in the Mormon Holy City?Â? Then again… I guess Gentiles like me need to satisfy vices too…
Protected: Good News and Bad News
Prayer Request
OK… I’m currently in Vegas and having some health issues.Â? Could y’all pray that they either resolve themselves or that the nice doctors at Urgent Care can figure out what’s up tomorrow?
Lazy Day in SoCal
After beating myself to a pulp last night (and pulling various joints out of place in my hands and legs) while walking to and from the store, I slept until noon today, got In n’ Out (which is just soooooo good for me), and went to my m-i-l’s favorite thrift shop.Â? Lots of lovely clothes — if only I was built normally and not like my dad.Â? They had some truly hideous things which my m-i-l had me try on for fun.Â? (The most interesting: the ankle-length leather skirt — I think the leather looked better on the cow.)
Now that I’ve worked the tension out of my in-laws’ whalebone tabby, I’m going to go swim.Â? Oh yes… my in-laws’ tabby patch cat decided to attack my hair as I was sitting up from petting her.Â? Tabby patches are all the same!
(Speaking of such things, I called my cat sitter in Montana for a “neurotic mommy update” and my monsters are doing fine.)