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Wednesday, April 23, 2014

About the Church Dinners and Free Meals


Church #1
The dinners at the one church are an outreach, and of course, meant to draw attention and members. However, the church ostensibly started the dinners on each Thursday night as a way to do something good for the community. They advertised the dinner for their own church members and anyone else who wanted to come: mothers who were too tired to cook because of a hard day, anyone who had been Christmas shopping and wanted a meal that was not fast food and did not have time to cook; those alone or lonely who needed a bit of fellowship; people who were poor and really needed food; people who had company and wanted a reprieve from the kitchen...you get it.

The workers explained that they were there to serve the food, drinks, and seconds. We did not have to go get anything. They would be waiters.

At first, the meals were really good, not spectacular. Then, over the months the workers just threw out a twice-heated hotdog, all shriveled and hard from the trip through the microwave, a cookie or two, and a tiny bag of chips. They were rude and just stood in a huddle with frowns, trying not to look at us. No, this was the impression of many people. As I struggled to my feet and hobbled to the table up front for more tea, they turned their heads away from me.

Finally, I decided that driving two miles for that kind of food and attitude was demoralizing. Plus, the food had no redeeming nutritional value so that I could ignore attitudes. When we did not have hotdogs, we had fish or chicken patties that tasted nothing like fish or chicken. Or, we had shriveled up tvp patties that were masquerading as hamburgers. I quit going. So did most people. The very poorest people returned each week.

Then, they announced a new day, new time, and new and better menus. The hour was moved up thirty minutes; the day was changed to Wednesdays so members would not be attending Wed night Bible study  one night and cooking and serving the next night. Plus, they figured more church members would attend the dinner. They did. Before, they had five teams that rotated through the weeks, now they have three.

The people I sat with before were just more old women like me who were okay, but they were jealous and gossipy and particularly disliked me. When people sit at a table week after week, things are discussed. They asked me where I worked/had worked. Then, when they learned I had an education, things changed. One could not read above a second grade level; another just learned to write her name, one who is 80+,  just got her first job ever through a program and had never finished hs. Another woman and I had a lot in common, so we talked and laughed, but never left anyone out. "Just learned to write her name" thought this woman was her best friend and I was an interloper.

Two couples and I finally filled that table and the others sat elsewhere, leaving two spaces for others. One husband committed suicide. The woman who just learned to write her name let me come three weeks in a row and ask about my friend and the friend's husband for two weeks, not telling me what happened as the guy lay dying from an attempted suicide and then was buried. His wife had asked this woman to tell me several times what happened and my friend was hurt that I never contacted her. See the spitefulness? The wife in the other couple broke her hip and ended up in a nursing home--forever.

So, now that table of crazy women tells everyone I am taking the guy away from his wife. He is drop-dead gorgeous, but I am totally not interested in anything but friendship. You really know I have affairs with married men and meet them at church dinners! That's my style, yessiree.

He has health issues as does everyone there. So, he got sick of driving about 10 miles each way to this fiasco called a dinner and made him queasy. When people asked why we did not come and said they missed all of us, we cited our health as why we did not come eat and waste our time and gas. I told at last of the bullying where I was the target, at the church and in the community. (No, haven't related all that.) That is when the church members and the preacher, having heard about the poor quality of food and other reasons people quit coming, had a meeting about the quality of the food and service. I think less than one dozen came to eat toward the end.

Yes, some very poor people come to the dinner. Wednesday night, I sat with the man whose wife is in the nursing home, a man whose wife died one year ago, and the minister.  Sometimes, exbf goes with me so I won't have to cook dinner. His lunch that day is always a salad or other vegetables and meat so he will have one good meal if the dinner is not so hot.

Yes, I mostly sit with men. There are a few church women who sit with me some nights, ones I have known for years. The women who were the bullies and critics do not come near me because I have had a word with the church and each of them in private. I am not one to verbally fight or make a scene. It takes a lot of pushing me for me to even approach the offenders or complain. So far, I tackled three and told them to stop. The rest now leave me alone. Okay, it is more like a snub, but that does not offend me at all.

They were pointing and laughing at me, calling me names, and one night covered all the places and screamed for other women to hurry up, "She's coming." They were frantically urging women who were sitting at other tables to move so I could not sit down. It was like a scene from a school bus where people do not allow a person to sit down.  After that night, I sat alone by choice. If I had to do that for peace, so be it. A friend of mine, a guy, sat with them and asked who I was. They told him the things I had heard they said. He related to me, "Mainly that you are always causing trouble and chasing the woman who just learned to spell her name, trying to hit her.  You are having an affair with some man whose wife has cp and in a nursing home. " 

Besides, I heard the woman who just learned to write her name yelling and fist-pumping that they had the best table when two toothless guys sat with her table and I sat alone. There were fist pumps all around that table as she encouraged the group and looked triumphantly at me.  I don't try to sit with men because I sit and they come sit with me for some good conversation and laughter.  One, with wife in nursing home has these women beg him to come and sit at their table said that beyond talk about the weather, they have nothing in common and when he starts a conversation about anything, they just look at him or talk about something else.

Oh, I forgot about the 80+ year older woman. I offered her some eggs back when I had four hens. She reluctantly said she would take them. I gave them to her the next week and received no "thank you." Whatever. These people don't have many manners. Two weeks after I gave the eggs to her, I asked her if she wanted some more. She turned up her nose and made a sour face and said my eggs did not taste right, there was something wrong with them, that her neighbor gave her good eggs. !!! I turned away and never spoke another word to the woman. Okay, so she never looks at me and walks away if I am near. If she is going to avoid me, I will just not speak...lol.

At any rate, the dinner is not just for the poor or hungry even though there are the desperately poor who still manage to smoke, go to movies, and admit to drinking every weekend. I suppose background makes a difference in priorities.  I do see them smoking outside and smell it on their clothing. I have heard their conversations about going to movies and buying video games. Aren't those games sort of expensive?


Church #2
Now, for the once-a-month Tuesday lunch. It is always delicious and nutritious, always a salad. We stand in line inside the church and go through to a window where our preferences are plated for us. We pick up our tea and head to the tables where dessert is behind the plates. Ha, get there early and swap desserts is the name of that game.

The people who attend this lunch are policemen, detectives, vendors from the farmer's market in the summer, office workers, social workers, clients (battered women) of those social workers, politicians before voting times, retired professionals, psychologist friend, business owners, and very few really poor people. It is an entirely different atmosphere with four times the number in attendance. There is a group of people from the church who play stringed instruments and sing church songs and sound like Peter, Paul, and Mary.

I forgot to say that this church has three built-in gas grills on the outside of the dining hall. Some days, we have grilled whole chicken breasts!

I have never had a problem with anyone there. Well, this long-time, well-heeled, retired friend kept asking me to get up and leave the table where we both landed because she had friends show up and wanted them to sit with her. I was in the middle of my meal and sitting with someone. I pointed out the table next to me and said there was plenty of room over there for her friends. "I am happy right here and am in the middle of my meal." I also laughed and asked her if I were not a friend. She is sooo nice to me now and just sits somewhere else and two of the three guys from the Wednesday dinner sit with me when they are present. Then, there are strangers who sit there with me. Or, other random friends who show up occasionally. I found out she is suffering from dementia, so I just am thankful I am of sound mind (I think)...knock on wood.

At both places, I usually bring home enough food for the girls to have two to seven meals. So, it is someplace to go and talk to others and a place for a free meal and hen meals. The company and conversation are more important than the food. Okay, maybe not?

Maybe Church #3
 I can go to a church on Sunday night that requires listening to a sermon. No, thank you. I cannot be bribed...lol. Actually, I forget. I would try it once.

Place #4
Plus, I can go to the Senior Center and play games and eat lunch for $1.25. The meals are pretty gross, lots of tvp and powdered mashed potatoes and no fresh vegetables. So far, there are fresh salads at both the other places. Plus, they want you there at 8 am to play chicken foot or listen to gospel singing until lunch. Nooo....

Now, you know. I don't go because I am hungry for food. I cannot meet elsewhere and talk with the friend whose wife is in the nursing home, also has CP and will never get out. We do talk over the phone, meet in passing at the grocery. There is too much talk now about our relationship! Exbf never talks during meals out or at my house or even when he goes to the two meals I attend at the churches. I do enjoy conversation and laughter with a meal, don't I slugmama?

If I were gainfully employed or had plenty of money, I would still go to these dinners.

Definitely NOT Church #5
There is a church two blocks from me that advertised on a crude cardboard sign a once each week "Soup Kitchen." Mostly, the poor went there. The workers poured giant cans of soup into several electric cauldrons on wheels, the long vats for food. There were regular saltines and nasty cookies plus bottled water and sweet tea. I went there maybe a dozen times. Oh, at first, they had spaghetti every week along with one vat of canned chicken noodle soup. When they quit having spaghetti, I quit going. Only the very poor went there, no problem except I had to try to follow the talk of mental patients. I can do that! Okay, canned soup was the real problem...lol.

For about six weeks, I picked up crackers, nasty cookies, and a bottle of water and went my way. When I figured out the spaghetti was not coming back, I never went back. They finally closed the doors for lack of attendance. Even the poorest of them could eat canned soup at home.

I tried to explain to a man of about thirty-years, one of the church members,  what a "soup kitchen" was during the Depression. He was stumped and had never heard of it. I told him the sign turned people away, people who were older and had heard of soup kitchens, the last resort for the hungry who had no other options.


Once a year Church #5
There is another dinner where I do pay for a dinner that has a silent auction. The purpose of the dinner and auction is to raise money for their food bank. I do donate items to their silent auction as well as paying for the dinner. The first one I went to was a luau and so much fun, well worth six dollars and a 30-mile+ drive. The friend who runs it was shocked I had items to donate and assured me it was not necessary. It was all stuff that was newish and some things that were on the antique side. I was getting rid of it anyway!

So, that's the deal on church dinners. It is not because I am poor or need food. It is good food and free and I can meet friends there for a conversation and laughter. The three guys who sit with me at #1 all said it was not the food, it was something to do--fellowship. No, there are not three guys all the time. Who does not enjoy free and good food and friends new and old? Plus, my hens like the food I bring them.

Your turn
So, I think some of you misunderstood, right? I don't go to eat free, solely. This is all part of improving my social life, seeing people! I have met one guy who seems to like me as much as I like him. We will see. Does your town have anything like these first two shindigs? Do you attend? Or, are the dinners strictly targeted toward the poor like the Soup Kitchen was?

57 comments:

  1. Companionship feeds the soul - which is as necessary as feeding the body.
    The dinners that I am aware of here are targetted at the poor and the homeless.

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    1. EC,
      I do hope the food is good enough for the organizers to consider eating it. Tonight, we had greens beans from a can, boxed mashed potatoes, and homemade meatloaf. My banana pudding had a piece of banana in it! The guy I sit with had a slice of banana and a cookie in it. It was not the most nourishing meal they have served lately, but it is much better than they were for a while. Yes, the companionship was priceless. I met the stepdaughter, her husband and daughter of the guy I sit with. The conversation was priceless.

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  2. I only attend one ... the senior center. I take a class in pastels which is scheduled from 10-2. Of course it occurs at lunch time so I go. I sit alone at a table and gulp my food down so I can get back to class. My companionship occurs during the class.

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    1. Kristine,
      The lunch works out well for your class in pastels. I can see how the class would provide companionship with others of the same interests.

      I cannot take classes in painting because I forget I cannot put my hand on the object or pick it up like I can any kind of needlework or sewing I have always done. People laugh at me for being such a klutz and ruining everything. Aagh!

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    2. kristine, I've noticed that classes are always so long. The older we get, the harder it is to sit for four hours as much as it would be to stand for four hours! But to have a lunch in the middle would certainly help break up the time.

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  3. I don't know of any free or low-priced dinners in my neighborhood. I imagine some are held downtown. It's not something I'd want to do because I feel uncomfortable in groups.

    Love,
    Janie

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    1. Janie,
      I am probably the shyest person I know, but I just do it. My neighborhood and downtown are one and the same. I just went in both places and sat down. Maybe you have a better social life than I do...lol.

      A good friend who worked at the first place told me about it. Another person at #1 told me about #2. I saw the "Soup Kitchen" sign as I drove by.

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    2. Janie. That's exactly my point. I can handle one person at a time - as long as there's a time limit. More than that? I much prefer the sound of the television or radio in the background than listening to chatter.

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  4. Linda I know this is off subject but can you email me back to let me know if you received what you were supposed to....thank you...somebody got the wrong package. Yikes!!

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  5. I figured you went to save money AND visit with people. It was interesting reading about each meal service.

    I've never gone to adinner like this, so I don't know how many/where they are located in my town. *A quick google search yielded no results. The main reason being I'd feel out of place, like if they found out about my job, car, trips I take, etc that I'd appear greedy. *Not saying you or your companions are, I just always envisioned these dinners being geared towards those less fortunate. Plus I would not like if any of these dinners included religious content.

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    1. tlc,
      Your finances are not the basis of your being there. There are many people who have much more than the others. That was the point--this is not for the poor, necessarily.

      One guy who goes there has a new rental car. Some live in 3/4 million dollar homes. That was the whole point--what you have is not an indicator of your attending or not.

      There is a prayer at the one with the gossips and bullies. I just carry on what I am doing, eating, walking, whatever.

      The one with music has church songs played and sung and they invite people to join in. This is not offensive at all the me.

      The Sunday one with the sermon beforehand is not what I am looking for, probably why I keep forgetting...lol.

      The soup kitchen has a lot of "God Bless Yous" handed out. I just keep going.

      The one where I pay for the dinner has a prayer, nothing offensive.

      Some dinners are for the less fortunate, like the soup kitchen. And, they assume if you have nothing, you should be even more grateful for slop.

      Look in your paper for the community happenings, free ads for things like Runs for Cancer, Vacation Bible Schools. There is a section in all papers.

      I probably wear more expensive shoes than most people attending the dinners. So? I buy good leather and wear them forever. You don't have to mention all you do or have. I don't. But, you do and have more than I do.

      I do go for the free food, food I do not have to cook, and for the company. Even if they gave me the food to cook for myself, having someone else prepare my food is a treat, as you surely know from your own eating out.

      Of course, you may find only the venues for the desperately poor. But, look for churches in "better" parts of town. Only the one dinner is for less fortunate.

      Linda

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    2. I realize what the point of the blog was. Just sharing how I've felt/what I've experienced. The general consensus amongst most people I know is that these meals are geared towards those less fortunate as it's coming from a venue I wouldn't visit otherwise.

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    3. tlc,
      Oh, okay...lol. Church? Got it. I misunderstood. Maybe the meals where there ARE geared toward the poor. Only the soup kitchen is geared toward that one demographic. Maybe it is the difference in the sizes of cities where we each live. I look at them as more something to do rather than available food.

      I was talking to the woman in the office at the first church about something else. I complimented them on better food and said something about the quality of food improving. She made the remark, "Well, at least we kept you from starving one night." I bristled and said in a haughty tone, "YOU did not keep me from starving! I have food. I don't come there for food, but I also won't come expecting a meal and get nasty, insulting food!" So, even though the attitude of some individuals is exactly what you said, the minister and the advertised purpose is exactly what I said.

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    4. Makingcentsofitall: Our church offers a monthly meal for its members, then weekly meals for non-members who need fellowship or a meal. It surprises me that so many of these meals are usually scheduled on Wednesdays. It looks like they would stagger the days between the churches.

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  6. My beloved sister worked in a food kitchen for ages. Lordy. Some people were filthy. Some were crude. Some drove late model cars. My sister made sure the food was of the finest quality, and eventually opened her own restaurant on a whim.

    To each their own, but I'm a loner and would prefer staying home to putting up with 1/8 what you put up with in order to be around people. Most of them don't sound like they'd be good meal companions anyway.

    I used to think I was the only loner in the world until I realized that there's no way to count people who are content with their own company, since we are AT HOME. lol

    If I ever felt like I had to have companionship with a meal, I'd either give up talking or give up eating.

    I've also always wondered about food kitchens: HOW do truly poor people know where they are and how to get there? And WHY is it that it's usually a church doing it, when so many of them add the obligation of attending a service.

    There should be NO obligations required.

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    1. I disagree. If they are providing the food, they have every right to put a condition on it. If you don't like the condition, don't bother to come for the food.

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  7. Lotta,
    Lots of people have criticisms/opinions about how I live my life. Well, if there were anyone here in the house, people might not be required at a church dinner. You do have Joe. Tell me what you would do if her were not there. No, I would not pay to have my car towed from the interstate if my husband had equipment to get my car home. No, I would not be doing lots of things if I had money or a social support system. No, I don't have to have companionship with a meal. No, some are not good companions and I am less tolerant than I was when I started this three years ago.

    Actually, you don't really know all that I don't put up with or how many church people and crazies that I offend. Yes, there are places I have left, often places that have nothing to do with free things or churches.

    One guy told me to shut up, that the Lord put those words in his mouth to say to me. Yeah, the Lord told him to hit on me when his girlfriend is out of hearing, too. He keeps coming up to me and talking really friendly like he and I are friends. The next time, I am sure the Lord will tell me to ask him why he thinks we are friends. There is a chauvinist culture here that the women defend.

    I am gregarious. After maybe two weeks of seeing no one but the clerk at Walmart, yes, I do like something different. Try this all alone. You have Joe. I am somewhat of a loner in that I don't have to have contact with others to entertain myself.

    Believe me, there are silent meals here all the time. All the churches require prayer. I just keep eating and watch all the church people who slyly peep and shut their eyes quickly when they see me looking at them. One guy prayed for ten minutes, telling God how glorious he was. He obviously did not know what a prayer of thanks meant.

    I had company here, dozen or so people, and one woman looked frightened and said we should pray. I told her to pray before she got here next time, that she was welcome to go out to her car and pray right then. She came here ever month for three years and never mentioned prayer again. I generally despise people telling me how to manage my interior life and how I should have a relationship with God.

    Poor people know each other since many times they live in the same neighborhoods and have relatives and friends who are poor. Word gets around. There is a community page where free things are posted--walk for a cure of whatever, food banks, free meals, community yard sales, Memorial Day and other services in front of courthouse, yard sales for cancer patients.

    Late model cars? I know someone who rents a car as his best option. Really, he just wants to not appear poor as he attends free dinners. Most of the dinner people drive cars better/newer than my 2000 Malibu. And they have Android phone, iphones, or whatever the latest is. AND, so do their young children.

    Their are obligations at any church into which you step. One church out in the country has the right idea--if you need to smoke, go stand in the weeds instead of on church property. The reason--people throw buts and cig wrappers and the little cellophane and strings to open the pack.

    Thanks for the comment.

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    1. It's good to know oneself. I have always been a loner from childhood upward. I have a limit on how much social chatter I can handle, whether married or not. Some people think mundane chattering helps with digestion. I find the opposite to be true.

      I went out of my way to go to the DESIGNATED smoking area at a community center and one old biddy also went out of HER way to come into my designated space to say I was "fouling up HER air".

      I knew what she was up to the minute I saw her change her course to stumble up to me, so I said "Then either breathe "over there" or stand here and hold your breath."

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    2. Lotta,

      There is a connection close by if a married person wants it. I don't chatter all the time during a meal.

      Thankfully, the science has caught up and implemented practices that allow people to breathe safely.

      Dr. Oz is talking about pain. The specialist is talking about how to read our pain....aaargh. This is hooey.

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  8. this bothers me most that a ministry would treat people this way. they can't really control who comes to eat and how they act but in a way I can understand seeing that week after week and getting an attitude. but for the volunteers to treat people that way and serve bad food makes me sick. spaghetti or veggie soup/bread with iced tea isn't expensive but is filling. add meat when it's affordable. perhaps that first group got sick and tired of the bickering and though crummy food would get them to stop coming...just a guess.
    as for the praying - it's a sign of respect to at least pause whether or not you believe in what they're praying. that's just my opinion but if I'm with a group I try to accommodate as much as I can. Ihad to do that ina yoga class a few times- don't believe in what they were chanting so I softly subbed my own words or prayed silently during the meditation. no one was offended. I don't think I could possibly eat with that group no matter how good the food might be and for bad food? no way. my church doesn't do this type of ministry other than a street ministry where they make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and gather other donated snacks and caravan to downtown area and hand out everything until it's gone- some have even donated dog food for their pets. as far as I know it's all done with love and the people there know when to expect them and no one has mentioned any complaints about the food.
    sorry you can't seem to find a place to socialize but free meal places seem to attract all kinds. I just hate how people think a really poor person should be grateful for crap. it would probably bug me if someone complained about free spaghetti every other week when it's a good meal but no way I'd serve anything I wouldn't eat myself. even a pot of homemade pinto beans and cornbread is a good meal and not expensive - or veggie soup or spaghetti...I would consider those good meals I eat myself but stuff burned or not cooked right is just gross

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    1. Our church collected food for boxes at Christmas. I became really angry at the swollen cans and started throwing can at the garbage can ten feet away. A church member finally moved it closer. Yes, the think that the poor or hungry "should be grateful for crap" is abhorrent to me. I could eat spaghetti once a week!

      If I were going to the two larger towns where I always worked or went to school, I would have my social scene all set. There were parties, funerals, and just hanging out. I went to concerts, plays, lectures, and poetry readings. I met new people all the time. Now, some of those people have died and I am just not around. Plus, I cannot walk even a block without feeling like I will collapse from pain.

      No, I know the people did not serve bad food to get rid of the troublemakers. I cannot eat pinto beans! But, no one ever serves anything but kidney or pinto beans, and I cannot eat either.

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    2. I guess moving is out of the question for you? I was thinking it would be nice if there wre some other avenues for entertainment and socialization - luckily I'm near Houston and we're loaded with stuff - yet I still get bored because I'm basically a homebody- getting back into a church helped me a lot because of the social aspect - I hooked up with a sunday school group that often eats out and visits after church and I really enjoy their company. all kinds but so far no one's been vicious like you've experienced.
      I hear you on beans- I like them and don't fix them homemade as often as I'd like due to my work schedule and lack of planning LOL but I can see how if someone can't eat them it would be a problem. if they could add a decent green salad, dessert,a nd maybe cornbread then maybe that would help then do something different the other weeks.
      and yes it still runs through my head the treatment you talked about and brings to mind other things I've seen for myself with people giving expired stuff and crap - last time I bought for the purpose of giving I followed the set list and they said we could add extras- I only bought what I liked myself or what I thought the kids would like- and I would hope and pray that if I'm the same situation someday that someone woudl do the same for me and with a godo heart.
      Susanna

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    3. Quilty,
      I love navy beans, Great Northern, and blackeyed peas. So, I am not against beans, greens, and cornbread. But, they overseason the greens, so it is difficult to not think about all the sodium I am ingesting. Besides, too much salt makes me sick.

      I used to drive 50 miles for socializing, but so many of my hosts and friends have died. Plus, I am just not up to the trip to have fun.

      Moving would be great, to a town with a university for cheap or free entertainment--bookstores with poetry readings, free lectures, cheap plays. Thanks for you thoughts.

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  9. Hi Linda...are you ok? Storms sounded awful. How come blogger will let you comment but not post? I miss your posts! Carol

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    1. Carol,
      A tornado went north of the city and another went south of the city, so I spent about 8 hours listening to tornado sirens. I miss posting. Yes, I can comment but blogger may shut that down soon!

      Delete
  10. This is great stuff. Thanks for taking the time to detail all of this. I enjoy reading it! Keep it coming!

    I feel obligated to return a church story. I'll try to type one soon on my blog.

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  11. I kept coming to your blog and finding nothing! I didn't think to look in the comments until today. So you can comment, but not blog! Funny! I was worried about all the tornados that have been happening and was worried that something happened to you. I am glad to know that you are alright. Keeping everyone in my prayers. Tana

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    1. tana50,
      Well, thanks for coming back over and over and then searching! I hope this blog does not disappear! One tornado went to the north of the city and one to the south. Since both were in the same country as I am, the tornado sirens went off for hours.

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  12. Miss your posts! Hope blogger works its kinks out.

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  13. tlc and markndebby,
    Thanks. I am going nuts without it.

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  14. Any idea what's causing the issues? I know your blog has always taken a very long time to load, on any computer, compared to all other blogs I read. I usually end up reading from my phone because it takes so long. Is it possibly "overloaded" in some way?

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  15. Good grief! What does Blogger say? I know you would hate to start your blog all over again but I know a lot of us really miss your updates! You may have to begin again! Please don't go away!

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    1. tlc and Janet,
      I have no idea what happened, but it is fixed, finally.

      Delete
  16. Missing you. I hope the blogger issues settle down soon.

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  17. Janet, EC, tlc,
    I am not going away, but it is being resolved, hopefully.

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  18. I , too just figured out to check the comments.. Hope blogger gets their act together and straightened out their mess...miss you

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  19. Looking forward to updates from you soon!

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  20. I try to avoid any social events like this. Our church do lunches for members and guests, but I never stay. I have no desire to chat to anyone! I'm very anti social. The church also used to do a weekly meal and overnight stay for homeless people.

    Glad your blog is back!

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  21. Cool Joe,

    My blog is not back. We all just keep commenting. As you can see, I do like social events. I am quite sure none of these churches would allow homeless people stay the night. Thanks for not giving up on my blog.

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  22. Keep checking in every couple of days with my fingers crossed that you'll be back. Till then....have a great day.

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  23. Hey. This sucks. Hope you're ok and get the kinks worked out soon!

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  24. So what's up with your blog?? I can see it, and coment.

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  25. I was worried about you and I am glad you are OK. Hope your blog issues will be resolved soon. Miss your posts.

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  26. A ha! I wondered where you went!

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  27. PP I wondered where you and some others had disappeared to and discovered I was no longer on the followers list. I have rejoined and hope I stay this time. I think blogger is haunted! ha ha ha ha ha anyway, be safe!

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  28. Are you coming back. Life is quiet without you lol

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  29. Maybe someday I'll try to improve my social life, but I haven't found that I was welcome at any of the churches I've been to.

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  30. Miss you Linda... Will you be coming back?

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  31. Hey, how's the weather? I worry about you through tornado season!

    ReplyDelete
  32. Replies
    1. Linda asked that I reply on her behalf. She said "I cannot even comment on my own blog. I will be back."

      Delete
  33. We miss you, Linda!

    ReplyDelete

Okay, hoping the annoyances have gone away.