daily life as life goes on . . .

Here we stand, getting ready to pack the trailer!  A quick overview of a one bedroom apartment and we all think we can make it fit.  We have packed other trailers before.  But we have underestimated!  And so the afternoon of packing takes a bit longer that we thought.  In the end we find a way and we are ready to head out the following day.

As much as we try to get rid of stuff, more stuff appears.  That’s what I see in the basement of my house.  I have more boxes to go down.  Boxes of music and other paraphernalia from Jill. 

It all adds up.  Until the adding machine stops.  And I realize that something has to go.  We realize that subtraction is what we need to do.  Things have multiplied way too much and now it’s time to take stock and restock.

I’ve had to do that type of evaluation.  I’m expecting a new boarder in a few weeks.  My basement suite has a few things (toys and winter clothes and baby play pen) that can either stay in the suite, or be moved to make more room.  Saturday is my take stock day.  We’ll see what I come up with.  Hopefully I won’t add anything more before then!

As an executor of an estate, you get caught in the machinery.  As you  begin to seek out change of status, or even such a simple thing as getting cell phone funds transferred, you encounter the chicken and the egg!

You need a death certificate – a funeral director’s certificate usually works, but not always.  In which case the wait to process the certificate can take 6 weeks.  Then you need verification that you are the executor.  A will can provide that, but do you want to expose a cell phone carrier to all the intricacies of a will which have nothing to do with them.  So you seek out other forms of verification. 

You end up tripping over what was done last and what needs to be done, and which should come first, and what can wait, and . . .

Now, the banks are getting into more complicated processes.   A few years ago I opened an estate account for my father.  All I needed to do to get money out was write a check.  At the end of the year I completed a tax form to verify any income.  And I kept my family/beneficiaries informed.

Just this past week I needed to open an estate account for probably the one check that needed to be processed for Jill’s estate.  As I set up the account I was told the bank had changed policies.  Before I can take money out of the estate account I have to submit bills and have the expenditure approved by the bank.

They are covering themselves – Revenue Canada is being much more diligent in overseeing expenditures in estate accounts.  Having said that, I wondered how it has come about that the work of an executor is now being taken over by a bank!!

Oh the mysteries of being an executor in today’s distrustful society!!

So, I’m doing some study on the book of Revelation. 

Numbers play a role in that book.  Particularly the number 666.  Some say this related to the evil one – Nero.  At the very least, the number appears to have been understood as dealing with a bad person.

In that day and age, the number was sufficient to lead to a known commodity.  A know person.  A known thing.  Your name could be calculated out as a number.

Recently at lunch, around a table of 14, I asked if we had a favorite number.

As we went around the table, the greatest response is that we had never thought in terms of a number that we liked.  Some came up with numbers attached to sports jerseys, or years of age, or childhood memories.

But overall, our culture has little place for numbers beyond statistics.  There is something mystical about a number being attached to us as a person.  We can’t explain how the number makes us feel, or what it makes us do.  But the number out of Revelation, 666, somehow symbolizes evil.  A number 888 symbolizes completion.  This I do not necessarily understand, but I know history records these uses of numbers.

Interesting that the base of much scientific study, hard numbers, can also be the base of mystery, soft numbers attached to people!

Well, yesterday was one of those days.  Household tasks needed fulfilled.  Wash and shopping were at the top of the list.

Wash is easy.  Put the clothes in to the washer.  Take them out.  Put them in the drier.  Take them out.  Iron those that are creased.  Put them all away.  Done!

Shopping is easy.  Take a list.  Oops – talk to people and meet families and share encouragement with other Christians.  OK, now you pick up the groceries.  Pay for them.  Come home and put them away.

But that got me thinking.  What about all that taco meat in the fridge?  And the apples on the counter? 

So, off to allrecipes.com!  The rest of the day, intermittently, took in the making of:

Apple juice

Apple crisp

Soft shelled tacos

Meanwhile,  I also arranged for a dinner party after church tomorrow.  Looks like 14 of us may show up.  More can be invited – there is space.  Although I may have to find more plates and  cutlery (always paper plates and plastic cutlery!!).

May you day today find space for the enjoyment of the table.  And may friends surround you!