stuff

Harriet, the Parish administrator of St. John's for the last 10 years I was there, and I used to send each other emails with the title "Stuff", because it wasn't about any one thing but lots of things. We still do that, from time to time.

This is a 'stuff' blog. No real central message just a lot of things that are...well, stuff.

Groundhogs
There's been a family or two of groundhogs in the area behind our back yard for years. Part of the little wooded area to the south west of our backyard has been ruined to build a great big honkin' house. So I was afraid the groundhogs would relocate. But out on the deck at twilight I saw one. The thing about the groundhogs that is best is that our neighbor on the west has a mulberry tree that sheds berries in late summer that ferment and the groundhogs eat them and get drunk.
If you haven't watched a drunk groundhog be drunk, you haven't lived....

Princess Mimi
Our daughter's birthday is next week. She has always been my princess. I love her so. Sometimes I just walk around the house looking at all the photos of Mimi and Josh, our kids who are kids no more. My soul soars as my heart aches for the little ones they were. The adults they are are remarkable, precious. But those children, I miss....

Movie Review
You're going to have to look for it, but you must, must see "Moonrise Kingdom". I saw it today and I've already asked Bern to go with me to see it again so I can measure her response to mine, which was it is a wondrous movie. It is in the realm of "Stand by Me" for young actors. It has a drop dead cast and the best sound track I've ever heard. Run, don't walk to find it.

The General Convention...
is over by now and did great things. But in spite of the fact that I attended the last 5 General Conventions--as a Deputy from Connecticut in 2009, 2006 and 2003--I can't tell you how disinterested I am in the whole thing. Being retired has stripped away some stuff that used to inspire and obsess me. How soon such obsessions fall away. I find myself, more and more, only caring about the moment I'm in at that moment. A sort of Zen thing, I guess. How odd that 'the important' can so easily become 'the unimportant'. All that concerns me these days is 'what makes a difference'.

Ireland, here I come
I'm going to Ireland in October to help lead a "Making a Difference" workshop which is based on what I just said above--we tend to think that life is made up of what is 'important' and 'unimportant' but what matters down deep, in the marrow of life, is what makes a difference. These workshops, of which I've helped lead 30 0r more, commence with a painful number of conference calls between all the people involved. Tomorrow at 2:30 pm--7:30 Irish time, I hope I'm right in the time difference--I have a Skype conference call. I am so non-technical as to be considered homo erectius rather than homo sapien, that I've never done a Skype call. Since people from Ireland are involved, I hope to uphold the illusion of American ingenuity and be able to get on and participate. Lordy, lordy....

Well, enough 'stuff' to ponder for tonight. Be well, Umfandusi (South African word for 'good friend'). That is one side of a parting conversation. That's what you'd say to the person leaving. And that person would say to you "Stay well, Umfandusi".

All in all, not a bad way at all to part.

Be well and stay well, good friends.