It was great to have Mimi, Tim, Eleanor and Josh with Bern and me for Thanksgiving! They are almost all I need....
I also, because of Thanksgiving and the Sunday schedule at Trinity and that Wed. Bible Study is cancelled for Dec.--I have almost two weeks without work. That's almost all I need....
But according to the stats of my Blog, Under the Castor Oil Tree, I only need a bit over 3000 more views to reach half-a-million total views.
That's all I need....
His name was Tom.
He was a very successful man. He and his wife lived in NYC and Long Island until they moved to Milton, for goodness sake.
He was 90 when he died.
His son did the Eulogy and made me wish I had known him.
His wife sang a song she wrote for him.
His daughters read scripture.
There was no communion.
He was buried in a grave yard I never knew existed about five minutes from the church.
The area around the grave yard reminded me of my home in Southern West Virginia--so rural, so barren.
I was amazed by it all.
They gave a good donation to the church.
All in all, an interesting day.
It's only a few days away....
Mimi, Tim and Eleanor are coming Wednesday and Josh early Thursday.
John usually comes but he's in a medical center with a broken back.
It will be good to be with them and to eat too much.
Hard to imagine I worked in Higganum for several years.
I couldn't find my way there and came home for Bern to give me directions.
Even those weren't great--so, I was a couple of minutes late for the service.
The alb didn't fit at all--much to big.
I was a nightmare.
But I got through it well
Lots of folk there I knew but had forgotten their names.
Faces, I am good at--not names.
Talked to Mejol, my favorite cousin a couple of hours ago. She's 5 years older than me--and she said the same: Faces not Names.
Getting old is not fun....
I have a funeral tomorrow of an old friend and one on Tuesday of someone I've never met.
I will begin both with this from a classmate in college that she wrote for a man she loved who died in Vietnam.
When people die
It's like a bird flying into a window on the coldest morning
of the year.
When people die
It's like the bears are out of the zoo and
eating children on the street.
When people die
It's like a maniac is in the power station and the
lights go on and off and on
off and on and
off.
When people die.
I think you'll agree.....
Bern and I have two children--Mimi and Josh--and four grandchildren--Emma, Tegan and Chris Bradley and Eleanor McCarthy.
I worry more about them than Bern and I. We are in our 70's and not long for this world. But they have decades to live.
What the new government will mean to them is beyond my expectations.
I long for them to live in the nation I've always lived it.
But I don't know if that will happen.
I pray so....
My right thumb and shoulder hurt from time to time.
The heels of my feet sometime brother me at night.
My knees aren't what they used to be and hurt a bit.
But what hurts is my heart....
My oldest friend is going into a nursing home in Hamden.
I worry about my children and grandchildren.
I hurt about our country and what the next four years will bring.
And I'm 77 and worry about how much time I have left....
Hurt can point us to what matters.
Really.
Try it....
Time will pass--it always does.
What do we need to do and 'be' looking ahead?
We must live in hope and 'do' what hope requires. That means keeping working for the poor, the disabled, the immigrants....
Here's what pisses me off about the whole deal about people entering the country to find a better life--if you aren't a native American--your family entered this country from somewhere else to find a better life.
Bern's family came from Italy and Hungery and mine came from Britian and probably Sweden.
We came here from somewhere else.
And the President-elect wants to send back people who came for the same reason--to find a better life.
Send us all home--though for me it would be generations, but for Bern it would be one generation on her mother's side and she would be the first generation born here on her father's side.
Send us 'home'....But this is 'home' and can be for many others.
That makes me crazy--the deportation Trump plans!
But I'm not as 'crazy' as he is for proposing it......
It's been 9 days since the election.
Donald Trump won. I don't get it--which means I'm on t he outside looking in.
I'm still in shock.
Four years of Trump--who wants Matt Gatz to be Attorney General?
I long to breathe well.
And I can't.
Not yet.
We shall see.
We shall see what we must do.
I hope.
Most days I have what people would consider two breakfast meals.
I'll have an egg with turkey sausage and raisin toast in the morning and bacon and a blueberry waffle with maple syrup at noon.
Does that make me weird or strange?
You tell me.
In today's Gospel from Mark, Jesus condemned the rich and praised a poor woman who gave all she had.
I talked about wanting to be honored and given the best seat. I've been like that.
But now, with the President elect, my friend fighting for his life in Yale/New Haven hospital, my child in a life changing position, my injury still effecting me--I feel poor.
But someone called me about her husband being near death and I was comforting to her.
Even when we are poor--we are rich in compassion, care and love.
Just that.
The unusual warm weather of this week ended today.
I don't like the cold and it is cold outside.
I even have a heater on beside my desk though the house is at 68 degrees.
I also don't have a sermon ready for tomorrow.
Alas and alack....
I need to pull it together.
All is not lost.
The Dodgers beat the Yankees and Trump beat Harris.
But all is not lost.
Have hope and courage and longing.
Ponder how to live the next four years.
Reach for the stars.
You may catch one....
Who knows?
I've had time to ponder the world I live in since yesterday.
Pondering is one of my best traits.
We survived Trump the first time--why not this time?
How many millions of people who voted for him voted against their own best interests?
Pray the Democrats win the House--that will give them a spring-board.
I'm so glad to live in CT--a truly Blue state!
Stay awake and alert.
It won't be an easy ride.
Not only is my oldest and probably best friend on life support in Yale New Haven Hospital. One of my children is facing a hard decision and Trump won the election.
Not a good day, still recovering from a broken thumb and a crack in my shoulder.
At least I have lots of pain meds and wine to get me through.
Things could be worse--though I don't know how....
Pray for me....
My computer is so screwed up it was hard to get to t his page.
I have to use my finger instead of my mouse for most things.
So sorry I haven't been posting--but it is a challenge.
The vote is almost over.
We'll probably know by Friday who will be president.
I'm a mess.
My oldest and best friend is in Yale/New Haven hospital totally out of it. Spine breaks and brain bleeds.
I can hardly believe it.
And Trump may win.
God help u s!!!
I'll try to get things fixed and be back with y ou.
Shalom....
