When a day doesn't quite go to plan...
Yesterday, we had a busy morning at Church, with EQUIP, which runs in the morning before Church, where the Christian teens come for ministry training. We've been preparing for mission and learning how to teach Bible stories. Straight after, we raced into the morning service, and after Church, Dave and I gave a presentation on our mission trip to India. It was great to be able to share with the congregation about our trip! We enjoyed lunch together, as usual, and then a bunch of the young people had planned to go bowling in the afternoon, because Rachel's brother was visiting from Tasmania.
We had a great time of fellowship together. By this time, it was about 4:30, and we quickly planned to pick up a couch from Steve's, and deliver it to my new place. In order to do this, we would need a trailer, so I contacted Hayden who was happy to lend us his. We thought through the plans and timing, and knew we would make it back in time for Evening Service.
So, we filled the car with strong men (Lem, Dave, Kev and Steve) and drove over to Hayden's. Gresham helped us find the trailer and drag it out to the car...only to find that it didn't fit onto the tow ball. First problem. So, being the resourceful guy that he is, Dave managed to get access to his cousins trailer. So, we drove all the way out to Ringwood, and picked up the trailer. Then we drove all the way back to Waverley, to Steve's house, to get the couch. By now, it was about 6:15. The boys managed to wiggle the couch out of the house and carry it into the trailer. It was just slightly too big to wedge in, so we had it sticking out one end. Then, we went to rope it down...but Steve had no ropes on hand...Second Problem.
So, we scrounged around and managed to find enough bits and pieces to keep it secure - at least to be comfortable enough to drive it home. By this time, it was 6:45, and there was no way we were going to make the 7pm service. We drove cautiously from Waverley to Balwyn. The boys in the back had three minute shifts of watching out the back window to make sure we still had a couch there. After the time was up, the stop watch would beep and the next in line would groan as he turned around to take his shift! It was pretty intense. We finally pulled into my place, and that's when the real trouble started. The boys wiggled and jiggled the couch all the way up the narrow stairs. But couldn't get it into the doorway...Third mistake. By this time (8pm),we needed to get Kev back to Church so his mum could pick him up, and we wanted to take the trailer back before it got too late. (And I suspect the boys wanted to get rid of me because I was getting a bit stressed) So, after deciding to take the door off, I left the guys, and drove Kev back to Church and then took the trailer all the way back to Ringwood. Unfortunately, I was all by myself...fourth mistake... so Dave's cousin had to get up and come outside and help me drag it up the driveway in the dark! Back at the house, the boys borrowed a drill from Johnny (the construction manager from downstairs), who helped them take the door off, and the arm of the couch off, to be able to get it inside the living room.
By the time I got back home, the girls had returned from Church, the couch was in, and I was exhausted! I'd missed the service, and our friends, the Ellises, who had come to visit that night. But, we did get the couch in, and I do have very generous friends to give up all that time and energy to help me out. Dave said, "It's our greatest accomplishment yet!!"
