Priceless. Every Friday night is "Family Fun Night" -- a different member of the family gets to pick something fun they want to do. Tonight was Emilie's turn. Emilie is a little over 2 years old and she wanted to "Hokey-Pokey." So we hokey-pokied until we dropped. At one point, my wife's former boss, who is now a very Big Shot at the FDIC called to chat (since she was without power). Although my wife would've loved to chat with her -- family fun night takes precedence (a rule my wife is pretty strong about enforcing).

Two pizzas -- $16.70
Root Beer -- $1.29
Telling your former boss you have to go hokey-pokey: Priceless.

Checking in. We're all okay here. Surprisingly, there were no losses of power (although lots of flickering thru the night). My parents checked in from Kitty Hawk and are doing well -- their power was only out for 3 hours and they had no damage. My sisters in Fairfax and Loudoun counties are still without power. We only lost one tree in back -- one that was dead and expected to go.

No showers or tap water for awhile -- but we have a good emergency supply of water on hand.

All in all, this was good -- thanks for prayers.

Update. My sister called about 9 p.m. to say her power finally came back on. We had just talked with my brother-in-law in western Fairfax who was still without power. My wife's little brother, who lives out near Gainesville (and closer to the main path) has been without power or water since 4 p.m. yesterday, but his house made it through intact.

Last, our water came back on at about 9:30 p.m. I'm looking forward to taking a shower. I'll soap up well and brave the contamination risk.

Important Update. Set forth in the comments to the last note is the following message. Because of it's importance, I want to give it added prominence:

My name is Sue Hardman. I am a life long Episcopalian, a former member of Truro Church, and a member of Christ the Redeemer Episcopal Church, however I am also a senior seminarian at VTS, from the Diocese of VA. I can assure you that Dean Horne did not "declare" a quiet day. The quiet day was planned long before general convention, actually it was planned mid-year last year.

Neither students nor faculty are at work, they are at prayer. Given the state of the church, I would say that prayer for the church would be at the top of most our list. I pray that as we take this very rocky journey together we listen before we speak and we find out all the information needed before we write. I pray that everyone does take the time to pray before they gather, even if that time is not on the grounds of the Seminary. God knows we are together in heart and soul. If I could just suggest one thing. Let's leave our own agenda at home, come together with open hearts and minds ready to see and believe that the Holy Spirit is working in the life of this church.

Yours in Christ, Sue Hardman

Travel. I'm traveling this week for work -- I've been working long hours to try to wrap things up before Isabel hits -- I should be back by the weekend or next week.

More of the Iron Boot treatment. A good source* tells me that there is a lot of maneuvering regarding the holding of the main northern Virginia diocesan meeting. Specifically, the meeting, originally scheduled for Church of the Good Shepherd, now scheduled to meet at Virginia Theological Seminary ("VTS") is subject to a great deal of strategic maneuvering. Since the Bishop is scheduling these "community meetings" as merely a show designed to give the appearance that he is concerned about "his flock," he is needing to ensure that we all go along like docile sheep. This is why there are a limited number of appearances. This is why there is limited amount of time. This is why there is limited seating. Yet, the number and degree of passion behind the confessing members of the Episcopal Church is great. Accordingly, although they intend to limit seating to members of the evangelical and charismatic churches, such as Falls Church, Truro, and Church of the Apostles ("COA"), the members of these churches have informally decided to gather together, on-site, and pray together.

A vicar at a mission church has decided to collect names and do some loose coordinating of these efforts and from what I hear* it appears that over 1,000 people have expressed their intent to gather and pray. When the establishment got word of this, they decided to put the clamps on the meeting.


The Very Reverend Martha J. Horne, Dean of VTS, serving at the pleasure of Peter Lee, has announced that the day of the Bishop's community meeting is a "quiet day." This means that there will be no assembly allowed on the grounds of VTS -- students and outsiders are not allowed to gather together and pray or meet (except for classes), and no one not on the list of those meeting with the Bishop will be allowed on campus.

My attitude is "yeah, right -- let an Episcopal Seminary try to keep us from praying." What are they going to do? Lock us up for praying. So be it.

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* I do need to make absolutely clear that this is not something I heard from the clergy or staff at Truro Church. Actually, the clergy are being appropriately circumspect. Also, it needs to be reiterated that this is hearsay -- I have not been able to verify it myself. Nevertheless, I do believe my source is reliable on this, which is why I publish.