Good Friday pre-flight

Thursday and Friday include last minute packing, checklists, errands, to-do list compromises, car loading, backtracking, and of course religious observances.

Thursday, our church service is led by our Fond du Lac diocesan bishop, Matt (I’m your supply priest for the evening) Gunter, and our choir adds an anthem to the Maundy Thursday service. Cool piece. As soon as service is over, we beat feet, or tires actually, out to CenterStage rehearsal for some reporting and exhorting (Get Your Membership Sheets Completed And Turned In!), then a quick supper at the Loading Zone, followed by more ante-penultimate prep, with Friday’s service music running through our heads. And a necessary late to bed.

Friday coffee, penultimate prep for the household transfer, and then it’s time to get to church for rehearsal and service, another cool and emotional piece involving the seven words: My God, Why Have You Forsaken Me? Father Jim Trainor is our celebrant. Bishop Gunter is a tough act to follow, but Fr. Trainor is up to the challenge. Our rough and ready choir of seven wishes us a safe journey and in a flash of light and a cloud of dust, we’re gone.

After services on Thursday and Friday, no sticking around for simple supper or contemplation. Too much yet to do with last minute notes to the house sitter, dishwashing, visit to Goodwill, and run to the bank. At 2:29 PM we pull out of the driveway, one minute before the projected ETD for Bloomington, with hopes of ducking the incoming meteorological uncertainties predicted from the West.

Once we are on Highway 29, we reach the point of no return. We can’t think of anything we’ve forgotten…until Stanley.