Humbled . . .

I have reviled the Bishop of Norwich, in the person of Bishop Côté. He has closed many Catholic schools and sends too much money out of the Diocese. I accidentally ended up at the Confirmation Rites for All Hallows. I thought of leaving but decided to take my glasses off and pretend the Pope was officiating. But . . . here's the kicker . . .Bishop Côté spoke elegantly, simply and well. To paraphrase he explained that living a Christian life is not natural. "What I want to do, I don't. What I don't want to do, I do." That is rather an interesting take on living a Christian life. I stayed for the entire service. I reflected on the age of the Roman Catholic Church and felt as though I were back in medieval times. It was simply fulfilling.

The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are: Wisdom, Understanding, Right Judgment, Courage, Knowledge, Reverence and Fear of the Lord.

The Fruit of the Spirit is: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-control.

Certainly words worth pondering.

This is the day the Lord has made . . .

Let us rejoice and be glad. This is a phenomenal morning in New England: bright, dry, clear, blue sky above, one hundred shades of green, my outdoor violets in riotous bloom, the Live Oak sprouting, the deep rumble of a Harley, the chittering birds. And . . . with all this peaceful, calming beauty Puppy's Pop chose to go to breakfast at Cozy Corner in Wauregan. It was an excellent choice. My egg beaters omelet with peppers was colorful, hot and delicious. Stupendous start to a week of enjoying home and husband. (I should probably lay off the Bactrim.)

Quote: He is happiest, be he king or peasant, who finds peace in his home. ___Goethe

Oddly productive day for three . . .

We were on the road to Sterling Community School before nine this morning. Kiddo did so well yesterday with the little plane that Grampa gave him a chance on one of the big ones. They worked well together and I was so impressed. I was the stooge and camera helper. I hope to be able to upload a couple of photos and a video but . . .it has taken me from 10am to almost 3pm working with a live Microsoft Certified Technician to fix whatever was driving me crazy on the HP. Grampa had to bring Kiddo home without me! Kiddo was quite pleased with his flying and Grampa was impressed with how well he handled the controls. Upon Puppy's Pop's return he headed off to Brooklyn to wrestle with the Club's riding mower. Hours later he returned and it looked as if the mower had won the bout. Each part he attacked just kept getting worse. He was surprised at the amount of worn out belts. The mower is no longer being made and there is nowhere to go for parts. It sounds like the Flyers will have to get a new one. To top off the day we did have a great dinner. I cooked up the two ribs of beef left from Easter and they were just fine.

Quote: At evening, home is the best place for man. Goethe

The right stuff . . .

It seems that the Bactrim is the right stuff for this infection. I am hyper but feeling better. Went for a slow walk at the Yankee Flyers' field yesterday and found some very beautiful flowers everywhere: fleabane, white clover, purple clover, crown vetch, Queen Ann's lace and the prettiest almost red tiny phlox. I think it's phlox but am not certain. All of the flowers were in full bloom and blowing in the tall grasses. The farmer will probably be cutting them when he hays. The reddish phlox was growing in a recently bulldozed spot and I ventured across the sucking mud to pick it. I really did try to get the roots but it broke off. Once I started to get a whiff of the miasma I had crossed I decided to go back to the worn path. When we returned home I put my best sneakers through the wash!

Weather is improving. The sun is bright. The deep blue skies are clear. Nary a breeze.

Quote: Exaggeration, as to rhetoric, is using a vast force to lift a feather; as to morals and character, it is using falsehood to lift one's self out of the confidence of his fellowmen. --There are some persons who would not for their lives tell a direct and wilful lie, but who so exaggerate that it seems as if for their lives they could not tell the exact truth. __Paget

Guess we can call it a "Yay Day" . . .

When we returned from our lunch date at Oakland Beach I had an urgent call from the Medical Center to call them tout de suite. I did. The antibiotic I was originally given was not the right one for the bacteria I had running around so Puppy's Pop gallantly went to pick up the new prescription. Hopefully this one works. I was feeling a bit better but knew I wasn't really well. Now I should start to pick up. Will lay low for another day and expect to pick up Kiddo from his last day of school tomorrow. We have a date with another grandmother to bring our kiddos to lunch at Pizza Palace after an hour or so in the playground. Then he'll be home with us.

I'm still pretty grouchy about the way my phone call was not returned at the Backus Medical Center and am debating calling the office manager. I may hold off because I know I'll go off the deep end. Not looking to get someone fired just want the office help to respond properly to a call. I called the Center Monday at 8:35, they open at 8:30. I left a message on the answering machine explaining that I was really, really not well. Their message said they would return my call. At 9:10 and no return call, I called again, this time for the nurse. Her message said she'd return my call at the end of the day! Brash person that I am I called the receptionist again and lo and behold she answered. I explained I was waiting for her call so I could get a squeezed in appointment to see Jessica. She just flatly said, "No appointments open." That if I were really sick I should come as a walk-in.I asked if there would be a time that was better than another and was rudely told , "No." So I dressed and got there immediately. After that it was pretty smooth sailing. I only had to wait about 15 minutes. But I found the two office workers loud and after I stood up to see what could be making them so obnoxious they closed the sliding window. I guess age is starting to show. I despise callousness and the uncouth. Maybe this rant will suffice.

Quote: Behavior is a mirror in which every one displays his image. ___Goethe

Still feeling like garbage ( prononcé à la française) . . .

Wow, I haven't felt this awful since . . . never. This is a new low. Being treated for a UTI and possible Lyme Disease. I think it's just a horrendous case of a UTI which I haven't had since 2006 and this one takes the cake. I've had to miss seeing my younger sister, taking care of our Kiddo and going to see Mame at Goodspeed. Today I actually did some exercises, put on my face and took a walk around the garden so I know I'm getting better. Found out that we have some honeysuckle bushes growing behind the garage. Also believe we have at least one bat living in the overhang on the garage. Puppy's Pop doesn't believe me yet, thinks the scat is from toads but there sure as heck is something crapping down on the asphalt near my swing. The scat is also up on the swinging doors, therefore, not toads. Many years ago we had a bat right above the Hot Rod garage door and Puppy's Pop put up two boards to give it a proper place to hang. Of course it never returned. But something is now living up there and even with a flashlight I can't see enough to verify my contention that we have bats. But the guano is there, no doubt about that. I'm guessing that they must be healthy or they wouldn't be hanging around. (Pun intended.)

We have so many birds feasting out on the feeders under the spruce tree they have become downright noisy: gold finches, purple finches, nuthatches, cardinals, blue jays, rose breasted grosbeaks, titmice, doves, downy woodpeckers, red-bellied woodpeckers, sparrows, juncos, chickadees. Of course the humming birds are having a blast and so are the bluebirds. A lot of fun just watching and enjoying their sometimes rollicking bickering. I just had to scare off a grackle and some squirrels. We allow the squirrels to feed on the ground but when they get on the feeders we scare them away.

Puppy's Pop went off to fly in Brooklyn and I'm hoping I feel well enough when he returns to take a ride to Oakland Beach for a light lunch at the Top of the Bay.

Quote: A man's ideal, like his horizon, is constantly receding from him as he advances toward it. __W. G. T. Shedd

Oh what a beautiful morning . . .

"Indiana Jones in the Cretaceous Period" by Kiddo with a little help from Mom and Grampa.

All is right in my world. Sixty-one degrees, slight breeze, bright sunshine, clear blue skies, every seed planted has sprouted, older brother is slowly mending from a horrible bout with Lyme Disease, older sister who managed to disappear herself for a few weeks has been found! younger sister and I will get to go to lunch tomorrow, younger brother doing well in Preston, what more can one ask? Kiddo and Grampa have spent lots of time these past two weekends building and painting a small control line plane. They've also gone to the flying field to see some of the guys flying helicopters while Mémé just stayed home and did rien, absolument rien. This dry, sunny weather makes me euphoric!

Puppy's Pop is on his way to the Flying Field while I get to read the Bulletin which is not supposed to be delivered on Sundays! I did call again to tell the paper that we don't get the Sunday edition. This is only the fourth communication they get from us on this subject. Perhaps by Christmas they will cease and desist delivering the garbage (pronounced in French) on Sundays. Oh how I miss the Baton Rouge Advocate. It had real, in depth articles. It was enjoyable, literate, bright interesting to me, Yankee that I am.

Quote: In moderating, not in satisfying desires, lies peace. ___Hebert