Home Repairs and Elections and Feast Days

I have been up several hours, which isn't unusual for me.  I needed to get some grading done for my online class before the next batch of discussion posts comes in today.  I graded, listened to episodes of NPR's Fresh Air from earlier this week, and watched the moon rise.  The moon is larger than a fingernail, more like a melon slice.

It made me think about the last time I was watching that phase of the moon during its rise--one month ago?  Two?  I was looking out this same window, which was new to me.  It must have been early September.  And now it's early November.

We are further along in home repairs, but far from done.  The Home Depot person comes to measure the kitchen so that we can order cabinets.  Once we order the cabinets, it will be 4-6 weeks before they arrive.  I'm beginning to think that the kitchen remodel will not be complete by Christmas.  I am O.K. with that.

In many ways, we've been lucky.  We've been spending lots of time outside, and it's been pleasant.  We do most of our cooking on the grill or with one burner anyway, so the loss of the oven isn't a big deal.  And if we really needed to bake, we could use the stove in the cottage.

This afternoon, before we retire to our outside evening, we'll go cast our vote in early elections.  Last night, as the sun went to sleep, we looked over the extensive ballot:  amendments to the state constitution, various decisions about the city of Hollywood charter, judges, on and on the ballot goes.  We wanted to make our decisions in advance, where we could talk about them and look up anything that needed clarification online.  It was a pleasant way to spend an evening, but we are odd that way as a liberal artsy couple.

Part of why I'm nonplussed about the slow progress of our home repairs has to do with how strange it is to find myself in early November.  Here we are at the midterm elections.  My brain still thinks it's August.

I keep thinking about elections--that, too, has been a long, slow movement to this finish line.  And then, seemingly suddenly, we will find ourselves done.  Home repairs feel the same way--slog, slog, slog, and then, we have new and beautiful floors.

My brain also moves in liturgical directions.  Today is the Feast Day of All Souls, which is different from the Feast Day of All Saints--for more, see this post on my theology blog.

On this day, as on Halloween, I'd like to be doing something more contemplative:  lighting candles, thinking of those we have lost, maybe baking some bread.  But today will be different.

Voting--it's not a traditional way of celebrating the Feast Day of All Souls, but as I stand in the lines I expect to see, I'll pray the same kinds of prayers.