fossilfreak

 

340 recordings of 30 types, 62 old SVU. 24% clear.

 

This year, as the kids were in Oregon, I went to the Retreat House for the Triduum Retreat. I'd never even heard of the Triduum until I was in college at the Newman Center. We were of the "go on Sunday and holy days" type, and my grandmother would go to Confession every time she was going to go to Communion. We went to Good Friday services. Lent ended about noon on Saturday so we could pig out on candy! For Rich, he was the altar boy with the priest who went from house to house blessing the bread and salt and eggs and who knows what on Saturdays, and got tips and food from the people. This was one of the reasons he loved Easter. But Father Taylor is the one who introduced me, and possibly him, to the whole cycle of Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Easter Vigil.

 

During our marriage, we usually went to these. I didn't always do them all, and sometimes he missed Good Friday. (At least he did in 2011, and I went and was upset with one woman who decided during what was supposed to be silent prayer to go to the ambo and read scripture.) St. Philomene's Easter Vigil was special, at least until our music director left. (And Vince and Bernadette both agree that we miss this one. Vince went at his church, and Bernadette was singing at the one in Junction City. The Retreat House one was beautiful, but not the same.)

 

So. Thursday afternoon I took the dog to the kennel, then came back to the Air Museum and renewed our membership. Their passes now are virtual, but since I don't have a smart phone I'll get physical cards. (Which came and I printed them out, but the woman who had my old card in her hand really confused it: "Jan and Bernadette Durbin Yarnot." I imagine they'll do.)

 

Then, because I had a little time before check in, I tried a geocache. Without luck, of course. All the caches in this area seem to be missing, since no one has found one since 2016, with the exception of the one I tried. Oh, well.

 

I stopped by the kitchen before I went to check in, to give them a dozen of Monica's oranges. They appreciated it and put them out at dinner, and people enjoyed them.

I checked in, and settled into my room, which was on the ground floor this time. It was 90 minutes to dinner, and also it was 88 degrees, so I changed out of the long-sleeved shirt I was wearing. I still had on the Camino t-shirt, and John asked me about it. He was sitting with Susan and I assumed at first they were married, but then he would sit one place and she another, so I was confused. This finally got resolved Easter morning brunch, when I learned they both are on an interfaith team and go to a lot of conferences where they see each other. She may be interested in him, and I decided over the course of the retreat that he isn't so much interested in people as he is in his prayer life. Still, he asked me about the Camino a couple of times. He had gone to the Santiago cathedral when he was in Spain, but not actually walked the Camino.

 

I went and walked the labyrinth, which I always love. I also visited the library and picked a book that was a bit different, "Until Tuesday." More on this later.

 

 

 

Dinner was pasta and gravy, some meat, salad, and steamed veggies. I took a roll but skipped dessert (which looked WONDERFUL! They all did. I tried to limit my carbs, with dubious success, but at least no desserts (and one tiny chocolate egg which I simply could not resist!)) Father Giltus gave me a big hug when he saw me. I sat with Elaine, and then she and I sat together at every meal and many of the conferences. John sat next to me and we talked some more.

 

I tried to limit my talking to myself. If I like the silence I must stop breaking it!!

 

We had an introduction to the whole retreat, and then the liturgy which started in the conference room with footwashing. I was one of four or so people who didn't do it. It was beautiful though, someone would have their feet washed (one of four stations) and then wash the feet of the next person. Then we went to the church for the rest of the liturgy, the Last Supper. Afterwards they stripped the altar and we left in silence.

 

 

 

I had signed up to come for adoration at 4:30, so I kept waking up every half hour or so after 1:30 to be sure I didn't miss it. I padded down to the conference room for coffee and had brought Belvita to dunk in it as I do here at home, so I was ready. There was one lady who appeared to have camped out in there... she was on the floor praying but later she lay down and slept (and snored!) a bit. There was another woman there when I arrived at 4:15 and the 5:00 woman was a few minutes late, but I made the full hour.

 

Breakfast (in silence) was at 8. This one was in silence, but that fell apart at the other meals, which were also supposed to be in silence. Father Tom kept trying to emphasize silence but it didn't work. I myself stayed fairly quiet, though. Breakfast was yogurt, fruit, scrambled eggs, hash browns, and Raisin Bran. (And, of course, O.J. and coffee!)

 

At 9 we had a Tenebrae service for morning prayer. Father Joe explained about it. It's a monastic prayer. There are 5 candles set up in front of the Crucifix, and at the end of each reading, one is extinguished, until only one candle is left. It is hidden, and there's a cacophony, symbolizing chaos without the light of Christ. Then the light returns and is placed on the altar. I really liked this service.

 

 

10 o'clock was the Stations of the Cross, outside. There were numerous distractions for me: the people who brought their little dog, the 4 year old having a tantrum (but I'd like to bring Gareth next year), a turkey with a limp, some class from somewhere playing noisily before they came to do the stations, people not moving to give others room. Still, it was a good experience.

 

 

Father Tom's conference was on Mark 6:1-6. One thing he said, quoting Jesus, was "My ability to be excellent depends on your willingness to be excellent with me."

 

Then lunch! Like all the retreats I've been on here, the food was excellent. Pasta with marinara sauce, a roll with butter but l didn't take the mashed potato (sigh) 3 bean salad and a VERY juicy apple. Lunch was supposed to be silent, too, but that was beginning to crumble.

 

Afterwards I got an Elf help book for Joanna and then went to "Movement and Meditation" where we raised our arms... it didn't do much for me. Then I didn't want to do the art, so I went to take a nap.

 

At 3 the Good Friday liturgy started in the conference room. It seems there were three Isaiahs spread out over a couple of centuries! Father Tom talked about the "suffering servant" and likened it to the Parkland kids. It's not "why me?" but "who does my suffering help?" In the church we read the Passion narrative, then venerated the Cross, then had Communion. I do not normally have wine, but intended to today (all weekend, actually) but they ran out.

 

I walked around the grounds, .8 miles. This tired me out.

 

Dinner was fish and chips, salad and cole slaw.

 

The evening prayer was for the World. In the part praying for peace I tried to say peace in ourselves, but the word "unworthy" didn't come to me and I mumbled something about feeling incompetent. Oh, well, God knew what I meant.

 

I went to bed about 8:15 but was awake at 1:45 for awhile. Because there was a skunk outside I had to close the window.

 

I was really into the book I was reading, "Until Tuesday" by Luis Carlos Montalvan. He was seriously wounded in Iraq and this is about his recovery, and PTSD, and Tuesday, the service dog who helped him. I commented in my diary about him meeting Col. McMaster. About his disappointment with Obama because he never demanded accountability. "Baby wipes, one of humankind's most under-rated inventions." I finished the book at 4 AM and then was able to go back to sleep. I got up at 5:30 and went to the other building to the library to pick up the sequel.

 

Breakfast was french toast (OK, enough already, I had a piece! But I skipped the potatoes!) sausage, fruit yogurt, raisin bran and O.J. It, too, was supposed to be in silence. The Mindful Movement was walking. I tried, I tried, but I just don't get it. We had another Tenebrae service.

 

I talked to a man sitting outside about the Camino.

 

Father Tom is from Pittsburgh. Also, there's a Passionist monastery in Pittsburgh and I've since looked it up, not really all that far from where Rich grew up. This conference was good except we broke into groups and were supposed to discuss one thing but ended up talking about Jehovah's witnesses, and conversion, etc. This way I was able to avoid sharing, and made my escape for lunch. I really don't do well with group discussions.

 

The Holy Spirit is not a dove, but an EAGLE!!

 

Lunch was salad, bratwurst, sauerkraut, beans and I had a few chips. Dessert looked lovely, too.

 

 

 

My plan was to sit outside and read, but that didn't work out too well. Elaine spotted my Camino shirt and wanted to know all about it, so we talked about that for about 20 minutes. (Poor Father Tom. He kept asking for silence, with very little success.) She apparently hadn't noticed Thursday night, nor heard me talking to John about it. Finally we were through and I went to a bench overlooking the grounds, got settled in, and sometimes looked up to see John walking the labyrinth. Then I had a nosebleed!

 

Back in the room, and since it was a bit chillier than yesterday I put the longsleeve shirt again. I was reading, and suddenly saw John walk past my room holding a water glass. What in heck? (My window was overlooking grass, not sidewalk!) So I asked him later and apparently he had a long conversation at the labyrinth with a ladybug. He didn't see it when he'd finished the walk, but it seems to have hitch-hiked back to the building with him, so he was replacing it "fly away home".

 

Then the fire alarm went off. I went out with my book but without my purse, and mostly without my camera. It did turn out to be a false alarm, but I couldn't get a picture of the fire truck!

 

There was a short conference about the Sign of the Cross.

 

Montalvan's second book (Tuesday's Promise) was more about life with Tuesday, and he decided to have his leg amputated so he could have a great prosthesis and maybe start running again. This was a lot of the book, as well as getting back with his family and going to spend all the holidays together. Also, what to do as Tuesday aged... he was 10 and would soon start slowing down, so they planned to have a successor dog, Promise, who would be trained for two years then join the family and slowly take over chores from Tuesday. The book ended on a very hopeful, upbeat, note. And then the co-author's epilog told of Montalvan's suicide, December 2, 2016. Apparently he was having trouble with the leg, had had orthopedic surgery in Australia and Tuesday wasn't there, and was in Houston for further treatment. Without Tuesday. WHY didn't someone come along to take care of the dog while Luis Carlos was laid up? I'm certain that if the dog had been there he'd have noticed the human's mood and helped. This is so sad. And now I know why these books are in the library. (They were donated by a friend of Montalvan's, but that isn't what I mean.)

 

 

 

Supper was stuffed pork chops. Mighty hard to cut, but tasty.

 

The Easter Vigil Mass started outside, with a fire kindled with flint and steel... Rich always figured that a lighter was flint and steel, but this was a real stone and knife. Eventually the sparks caught. Then I held the book while Father incised the candle and said all the prayers, and then we all went into the chapel. Then he brought the candle in (but I missed the "Lumen Christi!" "Deo Gracias!")

We all had candles, they took the book away from me, and then we took the lights to behind the altar where they were put into sand trays. This is not the usual time this happens, but it worked better with the way the chapel is configured. There were three readings in the dark, then the lights came up for the Gospel! Father Tom read the Gospel of Mark and then talked about it. "When I say 'Jesus Christ is Risen' you say 'Jesus Christ is Risen Indeed!'" And it was pretty much the ending of every sentence.

 

Then it was time for me to hold the book again while water was poured into the basin and Father blessed it, then put the candle into it, then had us renew our baptismal vows. This time everyone sprinkled water on everyone else. They took the book away from me and went on with the Mass. It was beautiful, and I have a second career now, as a book stand.

 

 

We had a social with antipasto, and John wanted to talk to me more about the Camino, but Joyce came up to talk about meditation and he was distracted. I made my excuses and said I'd see him in the morning, and went to bed.

 

Easter morning, up before dawn, out on the grounds greeting the sun with meditative movement. Also admiring the almost-full moon setting.

 

   

 

 

A Continental breakfast in the conference room, then Easter Mass. I wore a skirt. I had the reading from Acts. Father Tom explained each reading before the reader came, and then I wondered if he'd actually forgotten to read the Gospel, as he was down the room folding a sheet with Olivia and then saying "Jesus Christ is Risen!" But when this was done, he headed back to the ambo reciting the Gospel. Then he had a real stemwinder of a sermon. What I took away from it was that Jesus, without the winding sheets, was naked. And it's up to us to clothe Him. Am I ready to be his wardrobe?

 

Again I held the book for the Baptismal vows, and gave it back to Father after he went around sprinkling everyone.

 

John saved me a seat at brunch (yummy yummy) because I asked him to (I had to go to the bathroom first) and Susan sat across the table, so the talk was all about prayer. The night before he said he is going to be a grandfather in November so we did talk about that a little.

 

And so I left, picked up the dog, and attempted to get back to the real world.

 

Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, vol 1 p. 595

31.3 miles

rain rain rain

 

328 recordings of 28 types. 68 old CPD, 1 old SVU. 25% clear.

 

 

Sunday March 4 I went on a WPAC trip for the first time in a couple of years. I had planned to sit in the bus with Thea, and she thought we were doing it too, but Sharon was convinced Thea would be with Donna and she put me with Ray. Uh-oh... while Ray and I have been communicating (ever since I showed him my air museum membership card) lately, there was some tension earlier. As it happened, we got along fine. At the beginning he said "I don't know why I'm stammering" and I said "Apparently I intimidate you. I certainly don't MEAN to" and after that he stopped stammering.

 

We talked books and travel, seeing President Kennedy and other famous people (I had Milton Caniff, and he knew who that was! I completely forgot Eva Gabor) and it was quite entertaining. When the coach arrived in Antioch we stopped at the Lone Tree golf club for their brunch buffet, and all I can say is.. wow. There was so very much food! I didn't wait for the roast beef, but went through a different line, so filled my plate with so very much good food. Thea and Donna had waited for us to sit next to them, and Ron and Gen were also at the table. I had wanted to tell Ron that I walked across Spain, because he always liked to walk. I also wanted to tell him I'd gone to Africa. And I wanted to tell Gen that my Wednesdays were fun, since she had asked the last time I saw them. I still miss him, though I don't think I showed it. I did find his dithering exasperating while he was trying to find the dining room. At one point I pointed at Ron and Ray and said they were the only two WPAC members I'd been geocaching with.

 

I ate a lot, but tried to be carb conscious. I was the only person at the table who only had one dessert! There was a lot of merriment going on when Donna couldn't get her dishes picked up and put them on another table... then the people who had that table reserved came in.

 

I'd noticed a geocache but it would have been too far a walk, so I didn't go for it.

 

Then the driver wanted to show us some of Belmont, but eventually decided there was too much traffic. So off to the Antioch theater where the Zmed brothers did their Everly Brothers Experience show. Not only did they sing the songs, but told us biographical information. It was really great! Toward the end I found myself in tears, not so much crying for Rich (who was later than most of these songs) but apparently for my lost youth. Which was a huge surprise, since this is the first time I've not been content with my current age.

 

And so home, a quieter ride during which I pretty well finished my book.

 

Monday the water people were back, to my surprise. I spent much of the day watching, wondering what they were doing. Finally, as they unloaded the fire hydrant at my neighbor's house, it all became clear. Oh, THAT's what the mysterious "FH" meant!

 

This is when I discovered the VCR control panel and rescued "Lady and the Tramp." I'm not going to try to get it set up with this television, though, but going to wait until I get the white elephant set up. It dawns on me I will need a remote, as well as speakers. I'd thought I could do it by hand but with a VCR and DVD player I will almost certainly need a remote to get to the different INPUTs.

 

The olde movie I watched was "Ball of Fire."

 

I guess I fed Pharaoh twice He doesn't let me know, but then he upchucked. Sigh.

 

I'd dozed off, and Helena called at 9 something, to let me know it would be OK to stay with her in a couple of weeks.

 

Tuesday my Fishdom game finally had something I could play, Herman the crab, so I did that. (I'm saving the main games, which get added 15 at a time on Thursdays, till they open the new aquarium, so I can win their goodies to furnish it.

 

Once again, I skipped the ladies' breakfast. I like the people, but not the restaurant so much.

 

Movies were "Test Pilot" and "Talk of the Town."

 

I took a box of books to the library and stopped at the office. They still didn't have my name badge, so I tried ordering it again. I made my reservation for a gambling trip to Cache Creek casino. They had sent Rich an invitation, before he died, and I thought I could use it but called first, what a hassle, but I have a membership now. But I've only gone there one time, in 2012, so would enjoy going back. Without having to drive it!

 

I then stayed for the board meeting.

 

On the way home I stopped for cuticle cream, because my fingernails are miserable. I couldn't find the sort ot tube I was looking for, so I got Aquaphor which says it's for cuticles, too.

 

And it was a nice call from Vince. I'm actually letting him talk occasionally.

 

The Gummint is suing California over sanctuary cities. Great, I get to pay both sides (as well as the 18 times Becerra has sued Trump. One of which he's lost.) The state is going to pot, and this is how they spend my tax money.

 

Wednesday, my dreams seemed to mix up Eric's page job with Last Man Standing. Odd.

 

Wee Wednesday was about the Faith Ringgold exhibit. We started with the "word quilt" book, then upstairs, in front of the quilt, we had the story the quilt tells.Padreic was interested and talked about the first book but we got interrupted with an unneeded potty stop, and he didn't know about grandma's quilt. When I went back to the Crocker on my own to really look at the exhibits, I bought both those books and took them to him and he was fascinated and loved them.

 

The kids got out early this week, so I was home in time to call the church bookkeeper and get my donations sorted out. I figure the tax people would have taken my word for it, so we'd only need proof if I got audited. However, the bookkeeper mailed the correction right away.

 

I've got a new game, Alice in the Mirrors of Albion. It's a very involved hidden objects game and I was getting frustrated that it wouldn't let me buy hints and kept freezing on me. I deleted and reinstalled it twice with minimal success, but then I reset the iPad and all was well.

 

Thursday, the kids were still getting out early, so we went over to Davis to the Raptor Center. It doesn't take much time to go through, but I think Joanna was quite interested. I walked over to look for a cache but there was a woman sitting in a car there. Then when we drove past she was gone and I said that, but Bernadette didn't stop. Oh, well, I'll look for it when I'm going down to San Jose.

 

Kim wants to meet with Trump! His Gridiron joke, about "how do you meet with a madman? That's not my problem, it's Kim's!" is coming true!

 

 

338 recordings of 36 types. 1 old LMS, 69 CPD, 8 LMS. 23% clear. (Friday's statistics. I start this so early and then get too busy to finish.)

 

Sunday February 18 was great fun. I met my geocaching friend Carol in Folsom. The restaurant I was thinking of turns out to be closed on Sunday mornings. Oops. And she got stuck in terrible traffic so was late, but we finally met up. 

 

Her usual geocaching partner doesn't like walking, and Carol does, so this was perfect. For starters, she'd marked a cache I didn't have listed, so looked for that while I dashed back for my sunglasses. Then off we went, off to the trail. There are no new art works since I was here in December, so no new geocaches. Yet. But there were 4 I was unable to get last time. Carol had found one of those, but not the others. And it was such a pleasant day for a walk. I think she and I should go to the Lafayette reservoir one of these days!

 

We came back in sore need of a bathroom, and hungry, and stopped at Pizza Classico (where I had a salad. Yay me.) All in all, a very pleasant day!

 

I was watching a show about the Galapagos and learned that a volcano there erupted in 2015!  I must not have been paying attention.

 

Monday's only event was that I went to the Newcomer's Dinner. I had called to remind John, so he came. He and Bill (a neighbor, on Pounds Lane) had both gone to Grant High School in the 40s, so they had a lot of reminiscences that I found fascinating.

 

I cleaned out the kitchen pantry (except for the pasta shelf, which I got the next day). SO much vinegar! So much alcohol!  I DID have corn starch after all, so now I have far too much! And so much gelatin!!

 

I've been watching old movies. TMC has a pre-Oscar special, and so many are interesting to me. So I had to cancel S.W.A.T., that I never got into, and cut out a lot of the How the Universe Works segments (all about how the universe is going to kill us... maybe in 5 billion years, or maybe this afternoon.)

 

Tuesday, my USAA subscriber bonus came, which would cover the deposit for Oberammergau. I found out that it's not refundable, but for $200 I could transfer it to another program, which might be useful, if I do it and then go with Father Giltus.

 

I actually made it to the breakfast. I like the people but really am not impressed with the restaurant.

 

Wednesday I had another nosebleed. Sigh. This gets old. 

 

At Wee Wednesday Miss Jill was gone so Miss Michelle was the leader. She did a "criss cross" rhyme and Padreic learned to sit cross-legged.  We showed Mommy when we got home.  It's a lot better when they sit that way so they dont get in everyone's way.  Too bad Arthur doesn't get it, and too bad Arthur's mom and grandmom don't try to get him to behave. 

 

The parking meter acted up, told me I was paid till 11:30, but when we came out at 11:10 it had expired. There was no ticket, but I thought it should be reported.  I tried calling the number on the meter but it continually kicked me off.  Later, about Monday, I reported online. And yet, the next Wednesday a woman was unable to pay at that meter. She has a smartphone so could do it, anyway.

 

Back at the house, I was picking up stuff (Bernadette had turfed out Gareth's room and it looked great) and found Joanna's Thanksgiving list.  She's thankful for Grandma, but not for me. This little girl manages to hurt my feelings on a regular basis! She is still not doing her writing. I keep asking why and she doesn't know. I asked Joan to tell Joanna she, Grandma, would like her to do her school writing. That might work.

 

Thursday I was almost late to the Retreat House, swallowed up by Facebook. But I made it. Again, a huge amount to eat! 

 

I got Pharaoh's DNA kit and swabbed his cheeks. I really am curious. 

 

I have decided not to play the regular levels in Fishdom until they come up with a new aquarium. But I'm OK playing the additional game of Herman (the crab) even if it means (and it did) dropping another league.  They add 15 new games every Thursday, and I've been buying the diamonds at a discount, so by mid-March I should have enough to play the 60 or 75 games I'll have before they go to the "chests." Those games don't let you get new decorations or fish.  When they do open the Wonderland exhibit I can buy a lot of goodies right away.  The fish keep nagging me to go to the store, but I have everything already and the aquaria are stuffed!

 

 

351 recordings of 32 types. 1 SVU, 72 CPD, and 42 LMS. 23% clear.

 

Friday I went on retreat. I went to Penney's in the morning for shoes and also got jammies and slippers. 

 

Gerrie called to wish me luck, and Vince called because this was his first chance this week. (Since I was gone on Tuesday.) The boys are in a speech competition this coming weekend. 

 

I started a Boxcar Children book rather than having Nero Wolfe on my mind all weekend, and left book, and iPad, here. I grabbed a meditation book. Also, at the Retreat House library, I grabbed Thomas Merton's Asian Journal.  It was given to Father Tom on his birthday in 1974, when I guess he was 26.

 

The used books I donated are being sold. 

 

I took Pharaoh to the vet and tried to find some geocaches on the way to the Retreat House. Without success. One was on the other side of the road so I decided to look for it when I left. (Again, no success.)

 

I was reluctant to go this year, and just going through the motions. This didn't last long, however. It ended sometime Saturday. 

 

On the way in, I noted a new garden around the St. Paul of the Cross statue.

 

I was probably the first person there. They knew me. I went up to my room and lay down. In fact, I slept a lot this weekend. 

 

In the devotional booklet in the room for Friday: "Today let us permit Brechero the Gaucho Priest, with his mule and all, to enter the house of our heart and invite us to prayer, to the encounter with Jesus that sets us free from attachments so that we may go out to the street and seek out brother or sister, to touch the flesh of Christ in those who suffer."  Pope Francis

 

The reception was at 5:30. It turned out to be a very small retreat this time, only a few more than 20 attendees. My Camino t-shirt was noticed, and I met a woman, Rita, who actually was in Spain the same time as I was. She had hoped to walk the Camino but had leg trouble, so took the Marian Shrines pilgrimage and was in Burgos, at our hotel, the same day! 

 

I couldn't resist some of the snacks, though of course I should have (trying to lose a few pounds before I see the doctor next week!) Then dinner was cod, kale, salad, and I had no bread, no rice, no chocolate cake. 

 

Father Tom gave the keynote talk. "Do we want to do what we have the power to do?"  He grew up in Pittsburgh, and talked about Kaufmann's at Christmas. Then we had the Great Silence, my favorite part of any retreat. This lasts till after the Mass on Saturday.

 

Saturday I was awake at 3:30 tossing and turning. I went down for coffee, took a shower, ate an apple I'd taken the night before, and my Belvita, opened the blinds, lay down, and had a 90 minute nap.

 

At 7 I went out and walked around the grounds. This led to wet feet and hurting shoes. (I spent most of this weekend in my slippers. Since it wasn't raining, this wasn't a problem.) This turned out to be 1.5 miles or so, to my astonishment. I figured that out in the afternoon, when I grabbed my GPS for another reason.

 

In the Stations of the Cross, I ran into a woman with a dog. I thought she was a neighbor taking advantage, but later it turned out she was on the retreat, and he was an emotional support dog. I try not to be judgy, but besides the dog, she had her iPad, and her Keurig(!) 

 

We gathered in the Chapel for morning prayer, and waited, and waited. Finally a woman suggested we at least say a few prayers before breakfast. It turned out that Father Giltus overslept. He blamed Alexa. I was worried that maybe there was a medical emergency. I thought maybe I would be going home early. (Still fairly "bleh" about being there.)

 

Breakfast was  bacon, scrambled eggs, [I avoided the potatoes, pancakes and bread], oatmeal, fruit, and yogurt. I reported the unlocked door (on the building where I was staying (it was unlocked all day, finally locked at night) and the woman with the dog. 

 

The first session dealt with Mark, chapter 5.  I didn't contribute in the chat afterwards, my problems forgotten. 

 

This has to be my 10th retreat, but I got the 5 times pin anyway, since I'd said it was my 9th. I suddenly remembered that Rich came for the Sunday lunch in 2010, and that was probably my third retreat.

 

I went to the Mass (I had a short reading) and lunch and forgot to turn the heater off. My socks were definitely DRY when I got back to the room. Lunch was hamburger, salad, and chips if I'd wanted them.

 

The voluntary presentation was "introduction to Islam."  Interesting. One of the women really cut loose on them, and Father Tom tried to stick to the religion proper, not the way the Arabs (in particular) practice it.

 

I skipped the Penetential service and Confessions to sleep and relax. I walked the labyrinth, and noticed where the sun was shining. I was totally confused and turned around, so I went to the car for my GPS and learned where north was. I was SO WRONG. I thought my room faced west but in actuality it faced north. So I walked a bit down the road and noticed all the turnings I hadn't really keyed in on before. Maybe now I'll finally figure it out.

 

There was a flock (or a "rafter"?) of turkeys which I was close to. One male was either threatening me or showing off for the ladies.

 

Father Jim presented a meditation about Mary, which was nice.

 

Dinner was deconstructed chicken cordon bleu, potatoes au gratin (I had some) rolls, no, broccoli and no carrot cake for me. Yes, I talk a lot about the food, which is always terrific. I fortunately didn't gain much weight on this weekend.

 

Father Giltus talked about the retreat house and about Passionists. I've never seen him so excited. Then we had the ice cream social. Of course I had a brownie and ice cream.

 

Sunday I was up at 2, bathroom, back to bed till 4:30, coffee, Belvita, no apple this time.  Then I lay down for another hour.  Father Tom at morning prayer: "If you want to know how much God loves you, I'll show you" and turns and points to the crucifix. 

 

Then, the last talk, the final thoughts, Father Giltus gave a little talk, starting with a question he had in the seminary, part of a psychological analysis: "What would you like people to say looking at your body at your funeral?" His answer was "did I just see him move?"  This is good for a laugh, but he grew it into continuing to check that he is moving.  That was the message I took from the 

final thoughts, AM I MOVING?

 

Then, because I had a performance to get to, I skipped Mass and left. We didn't have to make our  beds this time.  I stopped to look for another geocache, without any luck, and then picked up my Very Excited Dog.

 

There were a couple of calls from John, wanting to know more about Sunday Support. I called back, but didn't get him.

 

346 recordings of 61 types, no old SVUs (three scheduled), 51 CPD, and 52 Last Man Standing.

 

I went to Mass Sunday morning (still 4th Sunday of Advent).

I called my sister and had a nice long talk. Bossy! She actually wants me to FINISH the nice long letter I've started to her!

 

Then in the afternoon I drove over to Elk Grove for the family Mass at St. Joseph's church at 4. Padreic was having a tantrum (he has a lot... partly due to his age and I think also he got a bit spoiled, understandably, when his leg was in a splint) over goint to church. But Rob got a smile out of him when Bernadette posed them in front of the Christmas tree.
 

 

 

 

Mass itself went pretty well. There were wiggles and giggles and eventually Bernadette put Gareth on my far side, away from her and Padreic. Then we headed back to the house to admire the gingerbread houses they each made. Bernadette's is even landscaped!
 

 

 

Rob did a creditable job with a Polish-style Christmas Eve dinner... fish, pierogies (potato: Babcha made cheese (dry cottage cheese) and prune ones), steamed cabbage and a delicious mushroom soup. I should have gotten oplatek... next year for sure. Padreic channeled his Djadja, and had at least 7 pierogis! Djadja (Rich) would have been so proud... he so loved his food.

 

I forgot to mention that on Saturday, I took a slight detour on the way home and stopped by Bernadette's neighborhood "House that Threw Up Christmas." Wow. On the way home from church tonight she drove by it, too.
 

 

 

 

 

Christmas morning I played Fishdom, and went geocaching. I got 3 out of 8 attempts. I wasn't stupid enough to go after one, which would have involved climbing a tree. I could do that, but not by myself! (One cache I missed was archived.)

 

I went over to Elk Grove at 3. Joan's plane had needed de-icing, so she was hours late, but relaxing there watching the kids play with the racetrack she'd brought. I gave B&R the almonds, and Joan a pack for herself. Then I gave Gareth and Joanna the presents for their parents that they'd made. Gareth, absentmindedly, almost opened his. The parents were duly impressed.

 

I liked a couple of Rob's toys, a hovering ball and a funny instrument. I liked them so well I ordered them for myself.

 

We watched "A Christmas Story" and chatted, and Rob put together a good Danish meal. I couldn't have the mashed potatoes (I will be SO GLAD when I've had the A1C test. I know I have to be careful but I'd be really glad to be a LITTLE less careful all the time!) But there was a great salad, and meatballs, and veggies. Yum. I skipped dessert (I'd given in with a fruit tart type thing the night before.)

 

After the kids were in their jammies they opened their stockings. Lots of candy and nice little toys including glowing fidget spinners (which they'd played with at Monica's, too.) I'd given B. a little penguin for Gareth's and a horse for Joanna (as well as a lot of magnetic trains for Padreic) and also a notebook and "candy cane" pen for Joanna, which I gave her a couple of weeks ago.

 

And so home. This was the best post-Rich Christmas (it's what I thought I was getting last year, before the whole kerfuffle of them going to Oregon for Christmas.)

 

 

131 recordings of 29 types, 6 old SVU and 29 old CPD. 23% clear.

 

Saturday, Veteran's Day, I only put out the little flag as it was cloudy and possibly would rain. I really have to label my Granddaddy's coffin flag and take it to the veteran's cemetery. (Maybe Thanksgiving if I remember, since I'll be driving down that way.)  They have a bin and will properly dispose of the now-faded flag. 

 

The widowed person's breakfast was good, though it took a long time to get food. I was hungry even though I knew there was a luncheon in my future so had a skillet. Yum. 

 

There was just about an hour afterwards and the next stop was only a few blocks away, so I thought I could muddle about and read my book in the parking lot. After, that is, I stopped to get a card for Genevieve. I did that, and looked at the pet store, but then realized I had to go to the bathroom and decided I'd rather do that at home. I explored a couple of ways to get to the church, coming and going.

 

I was greeted by the Knights of Columbus, including the guy who hadn't known my name. I saw some other people I actually knew. The big surprise was another WPAC woman, who was widowed in 1991! We sat together for the Mass, which was nice. They gave each of us a long-stemmed red rose to remember our husbands with.  We had a wonderful luncheon, roast beef and green beans and mashed potatoes, with ice cream for dessert. St. John the Evangelist 7th graders did the serving and they were great. I chased down the woman who was watching them and asked "are you in charge of the wait staff?" and she rather warily said she was, and I complimented them. And, as I left, a guy who used to sell fireworks with Rich accosted me in the parking lot and said he was supposed to watch out for me (but he was late) and he had enjoyed talking to Rich and arguing with him. "Rich?? ARGUE??" Heh.

 

At home, I sure didn't eat much for dinner. I had bad foot and leg cramps, in the evening and then later they woke me up. (Bananas seem to have fixed it.)