I went to the bank yesterday to cash a check.  The guy in front of me must be close friends with the teller because he was telling her about his medical issues and the sharp pain he had in his left side yesterday.

“Yea, I went to the Clinic and saw the the Doctor. I have kidney stones.”

“When is your surgery? Do you want $125 or $145 back? I can’t read your writing.”

“Give me $125. My surgery is tomorrow at 1 PM.”

“Will they knock you out for that.”

“Yes, of course because where they have to put in the catheter, um, you know, well ah, its down there.”  He points.

“Oh -in the pee-pee place.   Oops. I made your deposit but I have $135 instead of what you asked for. Is that okay?”

“I’m okay with that.”

He turns around and sees me so I smile and say, “Am I in bank or a Clinic?”

“Right – we’re here at St. Nicks!”  He chuckles and walks away.

I give the teller my check made out to “The Rev. Dr. Steve Pedersen.”

“Oh, my” she exclaims, “and you are even a doctor!”

“Cash please. I’m in a hurry. I have a patient in my van needing an e plurbus unim hip transfusion.”

“A what?”

“It is similar to a wallet-ectomy.”

“Oh, I hope it goes well. Have a nice day.”

I just love being “Dr. Pedersen” in a blond world…

We had a fantastic time at the wedding today!

First we met eleven family members from far away as Mesa AZ for a noon buffet lunch at “Sweetwaters” restaurant near the hotel.  Great food and lots of fun.

The church is located in a difficult spot behind a K Mart shopping center.  Everyone’s GPS got them lost – including us.  But no one was too late for the service if they left early!!!

I will not lie to you – I was nervous for this event.  Maybe more emotional than nervous so I had to really control the adrenalin.  After doing many wedding ceremonies this was close to the heart to walk to the altar with my youngest son to officiate at his wedding.  Eric got teary eyed at the beginning and so I could not put my eyes to him or I got choked up.  But we go through the service.

Our daughter, Karin, sang so beautifully for the processional and during the candle lighting.  Her voice and emotion goes right to my heart too and that was a big deal.

We then stood in the receiving line and then stood for a gazillion photos.  I checked my watch and it was an hour and a half standing.  My back was getting tired.  It was good to sit down at the reception and visit with friends for church and family and neighbors. The food was excellent.

We also had Jim and Lu come to the wedding and reception.  They were good friends from Union Church back in Monroe at our first church. Now they live up here in Colfax. Faithful Blog Readers, they are!

The matron of honor and Best man really gave wonderful tribute speeches to Eric and Brittany.  Then the party got a shakin’ and a bakin’!

Dance to the music – we all did.  But I had not seen Eric dance like he did.  He was a Michael Jackson on the dance floor with all the smooth moves.  And he and Brittany and their Madison friends had learned swing dancing – was that cool to watch.  I let loose a couple times and really had a joyful time out on the floor with those “young people.” My form of free spontaneous “liturgical dance.”

Now it is five minutes to midnight as I write this blog post.  I am tired but it is the best good tired I have had in a long long time.  God is good.  Thanks for your love and prayers.

I asked, “Do you…?” They each responded, “I do.”  And I thought to myself, “They really have no clue at all what is involved in this institution called marriage.”  God bless them!

Me on the beach in Door County. Last Saturday we had coffee and sweet rolls at our friend Sig’s cottage near Jacksonport on the Lake Michigan side of the Door Peninsula.   It was a peaceful week all around.  The highlight was seeing “Cheesheads, The Musical“ at the American Folklore Theater in Pen State Park.

It is a must see for anyone from Sheboygan – that’s the setting of the musical – a cheese factory in Sheboygan.  Quite a hoot.  They even got the accent down very good, hey.  It is a creative takeoff on the Sargento workers who won the lottery in 2006.  If you are heading up to Door County this summer – make sure to book some tickets for this show!

HERE IS THE WASHINGTON POST’S MENSA INVITATIONAL CONTEST WHICH ONCE AGAIN ASKED READERS TO TAKE ANY WORD FROM THE DICTIONARY, ALTER IT BY ADDING, SUBTRACTING, OR CHANGING ONLY ONE LETTER, AND SUPPLY A NEW DEFINITION.

HERE ARE SOME OF THE WINNERS (some censored):

1. Cashtration (n.): The act of buying a house, which renders the subject financially impotent for an indefinite period of time.

2. Ignoranus: A person who’s both stupid and an BLEEP .

3. Intaxication: Euphoria at getting a tax refund, which lasts until you realize it was your money to start with.

4. Reintarnation : Belief that one will come back to life as a hillbilly.

5. Bozone (n.): The subs tance surrounding stupid people that stops bright ideas from penetrating. The bozone layer, unfortunately, shows little sign of breaking down in the near future.

6. Foreploy: Any misrepresentation about yourself for the purpose of BLEEP.

7. Giraffiti: Vandalism spray-painted very, very high.

8. Sarchasm: The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the person who doesn’t get it.

9. Inoculatte: To take coffee intravenously when you are running late.

10. Osteopornosis: A degenerate disease. (This one got extra credit.)

11 . Karmageddon: It’s like, when everybody is sending off all these really bad vibes, right?20And then, like, the Earth explodes and it’s like, a serious bummer.

12. Decafalon (n.): The grueling event of getting through the day consuming only things that are good for you.

13. Glibido: All talk and no action.

14. Dopeler effect: The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter whenn they come at you rapidly.

15. A rachnoleptic fit (n.): The frantic dance performed just after you’ve accidentally walked through a spider web.

16. Beelzebug (n.): Satan in the form of a mosquito, that gets into your bedroom at three in the morning and cannot be cast out.

17. Caterpallor ( n.): The color you turn after finding half a worm in the fruit you’re eating.

We had a wonderful time connecting with a tradition among Jewish people as we experienced a Seder meal in our church Fellowship Hall.

Jane Davis did a superior job organizing and cooking the meal.  Great volunteers added to a memorable night!

Andy Hopp’s family provided the leadership and we made it through singing the long “Dayenu.”

Did you enjoy the evening?

In February I planted an Amaryllis bulb in a pot at home. I watered it and 8 weeks later I have this magnificent flowering plant in the south window of our family room.  (I am not allergic to amaryllis flowers, thank God!)  And the Mourning Doves have returned to the feeder.  Makes me want to sing…

“Flowers appear on the earth;
the season of singing has come,
the cooing of doves
is heard in our land.”
- Song of Solomon 2:12

It was a bit cool – in the 40’s – as I dusted off my “city bike” to ride to church Monday morning.  But there was little wind resistance and in about ten minutes I had made the commute.  It felt good to be back on the bike again for this season.  It also felt good in my wallet for the good reason of not burning up expensive fuel.  Bike to Work Week is a good thing to get us moving and get us healthy.  This is promoted by the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin.  With gas prices going up you will see more and more people getting on a bike to run errands and save fuel.

I ride a Specialized “Expedition” model which Bill Kohler personally built for me.  The bike rides smoothly and with comfort over the cracks and bumps of our city streets.  If you are considering purchasing a bicycle for yourself or your kids – by all means go see Bill at BICYCLE WORKS in Sheboygan Falls (467-4549) which is right off Highway 23 on Highway 32 by the McDonald’s.  You’ll get just the right bike for your needs and that wil fit you well.  Their moto is GREAT BIKES, GREAT SERVICE, GREAT GUYS!  Stay away from the K-Mart, Wal-Mart bikes – they don’t last and hold up.  In buying a bicycle remember – you get what you pay for! 

Go for a ride – hop a bicycle and feel young again!