Over the Stile

Well, I did get home last night, resisted all the fast-food drive-thru's en route, fried myself 7 great big mushrooms, all sliced up, and put them on toast and ate them, and went to bed quite exhausted.

The staff evaluation went very smoothly; great appreciation expressed for the work of our Music Director, and approval for his salary request for next year, not just on the basis that he's a nice guy (which he is), but "because it's the right thing to do, and this is how we treat Our People."

I confess I'm relieved. Budget goes to the full Vestry (session, parish council, whatever you call it in your polity) on the 21st, and now there are three respected members OF Vestry prepared to speak cogently on behalf of this line in the budget, without my having to utter a word.

This is particularly pleasing and calming because Director of Music is also (ahem) son-in-law of six months' standing...
It sure is a help when there is a chart, or a grid, or some kind of authoritative table of numbers, such as the one published by the national College of Organists, that can be cited in these discussions.

Another meeting, extra-parochial, this afternoon. Most Holy and Undivided has two seats on the board of an agency that manages three residences for able-bodied seniors on fixed incomes (we built one of the three, back in the day). I've been a member now for six-seven years, including two as Vice Chair, two as Chair, two as Past Chair -- and this year I've been Secretary, with the help of my laptop, as there was no one else in a position to take minutes. Today the Executive Committee met, in part to set agenda for the full Board meeting in two weeks. And that meeting will be my last.

It's been quite a ride...a forensic audit; criminal prosecution of a former manager (for fraud); a whacking big lawsuit; two formal mediation procedures (one of which settled the lawsuit, advantageously); constant dickering with staff, residents, families, and the provincial government, which owns the buildings and oversees operations. I've learned an immense amount...and if anybody had told me in advance what was going to happen, I'd have run the other way squealing in terror rather than join the Board at all. I've dealt with some really, really good folks -- and some of the other kind too! And I've had the good feeling that what I brought to the table was of value, and even sometimes "just what we needed." Bliss!

I'll miss these folks...but I'm looking forward to two freed-up afternoons per month! Also bliss!