Memorial Day

 Today's the day to honor those who fought in wars to keep our country free.

My father (God rest his soul) was in General Patton's army in WW2. He lived through it and I was born when he came home.

He never talked about his years of service. He must of saw things that troubled him deeply.

Our 'president' is having people fight on the White House lawn today.

Memorial Day is a day of peace not fighting.

We're going to an old friend's birthday party today.

That seems an appropriate way to honor those who fought in horrible wars for our freedom.

On line I saw our 'president' standing around flags. One had 48 stars instead of 50 and the other had 11 stripes instead of 13.

Is there no one around him that could see those mistakes and help him avoid them?

I'm afraid not.

Very afraid not....

Have a great day and thank God for those who risked and those who lost their lives to keep us free.

My Dumb Phone

 I used to have a 'smart' phone--but it was smarter than me and I never figured out how to use it very well.

So, I left it behind and got a flip-phone, which no one could consider smart in any way.

I believe I could enable it to receive messages, but I've never tried. All I can do is call and be called. If I don't answer, the number that called me comes up and I can call back or not.

Bern does all sorts of stuff with her 'smart' phone. She reads emails, goes on line to look stuff up and even has whatever they call it when you talk to someone and you can see each other.

I much prefer my dumb phone.

I'd even like to be 'phone-less' (which you might call 'phone-ey') but I don't discard my flip.

About once a month I get a call that I am glad to get.

All the other times it's someone trying to get money or make me enroll in something.

When I answer those calls I say, "you're a recording...let me get my recorded voice to talk with you" and they hang up.

A couple even answer, 'there might be something wrong with my mike but I'm a real person."

And I say, "Real Person, whats 5 times 7?"

And they hang up.

That may make me 'dumb' enough to deserve a 'dumb phone'....

dithyramb

 That's actually a word.

"Dithyramb" means 'a wild hymn to the god/godess of wine'.

I sent it as a joke to some folks from the church I serve.

I included the musician.

I thought I'd ask him for a 'wild hymn' for next Sunday.

Dumb thing I do.

I do do dumb things.

Alas and alack.

Betwixth and between.

Yea and Nay.

Stuff like that.

Sing a dithyramb and have a glass of wine....

I hate A.I.!

 Everything I hear about Artificial Intellegence makes me a little crazy.

It seems to be creeping into our lives in ways we don't even know.

For all you know A.I. could be writing this blog!

Not beyond it's capability.

That's the problem--nothing seems beyond it's capability.

We should all be worried.

I'm starting the SHUT DOWN A.I. movement.

Want to join.

I hate A.I.!

Totally.

What's wrong with Human Intellegence?

Except that H.I. created A.I.

God help us!

Really.....

Could we be so lucky?

Much is being made of our President's health--physical and mental.

Some are suggesting he could be removed from office under the Constitution.

I hesitate to wish illness on anyone--but I wouldn't want him to die, just get so sick he had to go to some expensive nursing home in Florida and live to hear all about what people have to say about his time in office.

That's mean, I know. But being a little mean doesn't ruin our democracy--he might!

Just wishin' and hopin'....

 

ticking off the days....

 Two mistakes today.

First, I left the freezer open after getting ice for my coffee in the morning.

Now there is a note on the freezer warning me to make sure it's shut.

Then, Bern talked about putting the air conditioner in our bedroom and I told her I'd help.

She then detailed how I not only couldn't help, I'd get in her way.

Guess she told me.

Sometimes I feel like I'm ticking off the days until I go to the old folks home.

Some days I'm fine.

Others I'm not.

I still go to the store and fix dinner twice a week.

Two out of seven isn't an MVP average.

Tick...tick...tick....

Warm Monday

I woke up at 6:30 am, really early for me. I finished a novel I was reading in bed and tried to go back to sleep and couldn't.

Monday turned out to be warm. It's 80 or so. Tomorrow is supposed to get to 90.

I complain so much about the cold that I know better to complain about heat--you can't have it both ways is what I think.

So, if it were 130 degrees in the shade I wouldn't complain out loud.

Truth is, I'd like it to be 65-70 year round!

Bern thought the Library was going to be closed for a week so I went and checked out so many books I could hardly carry them.

But when I asked a librarian she told me they were changing out the computers and you'd have to check out books the old fashion way rather than on one of the machines.

Well, I have enough to read for a while.

Reading takes up most of my time--besides playing Hearts on-line.

I don't watch TV until 7 pm weekdays for Jepordy (however it's spelled!) I watch a bit of news but our President (it shouldn't be a capital 'P' for him) ruins that most days.

So, welcome Monday! Glad to be around for you....

 

Church today

 It all went well.

Great hymns, open front door, good readers, wondrous coffee hour (the strawberry desert was great!)

I even got away with my sermon.

But I looked around at the crowd and only saw 5  people who I think are younger than me.

I pass a Evangelical church called Cornerstone in Cheshire on my way to I 84. They have four services and a huge parking lot. On the way up they're having their first service and the lot is packed. On my way back the third service is ending and two policeman are there to clear the lot.

What are they serving up?

I should go and talk to them and see what I can discern.

(I may have posted about Cornerstone Church before--I'm a bit obcessed by their crowds.)

Bet they don't have Eucharist....

 

Best Dog Ever

 I don't remember her name when we got her from the rescue group, but she showed fear when we said it, so we called her BRIGIT.

And she is the best dog ever!

Well, except when she barks....

She didn't bark for a couple of years, but she must have 'felt at home' and started barking.

Barking to let us know someone is on our porch is not the problem.

The problem is, we eat dinner in the TV room, She gets a little from Bern's plate but since Bern eats faster than I do, when I finish she starts barking, wanting scraps.

I figured out a solution and it's worked so far.

Bern gets up to leave and I get up as well. I walk to the door to the hallway and either give Bern my plate or carry it down.

Brigit doesn't bark, but follows us and gets a treat from my plate while we're cleaning up the kitchen.

Seems to work.

And restores her 'best dog ever' title....

At Big Y

I was checking out with things for dinner (my turn today!) and heard someone behind me answer their phone and said what sounded like "Hey, Bern!"

I turned around and a man was getting a soft drink out of the cooler and looked just like my son, Josh.

I almost said, "What are you doing here?" when the man turned toward me and had a brown, turning gray beard.

It wasn't Josh, no matter what I had thought, and why would Josh have said 'Bern' instead of 'Mom'?

If I keep seeing my long-dead father on the back deck and my son at Big Y I may have to evaluate my senses a bit.

Maybe the cool, rainy May is a time for seeing what isn't there.

I'll keep my eyes open....

 

Writing my sermon

I wrote my sermon for this coming Sunday today. It's about stories of the resurrected Jesus.

I'm not comfortable writing about the resurrected Jesus because I've never met someone who was dead that was alive again.

Until recently....

I went out on our back porch at dusk to smoke a cigarette--yes, I smoke, get over it!--and saw my father sitting in one of the deck chairs.

My father has been dead for decades and I was both horrified and fascinated to see him.

My heart almost stopped--or beat faster--I'm not sure which.

I turned on the porch light and put on my glasses and saw the various things on our deck and deck railings that made me think it was my father.

Seeing a dead person alive doesn't compute.

It explains why the disciples were so confused by the resurrected Jesus.

They knew it was him, BUT....stuff like that doesn't happen.

We all need to keep our eyes open and our hearts ready to see proof of the Resurrected Jesus in our lives.

Keep looking.

Keep looking.

Then, keep on looking....

 

Don the Dunce

When falling asleep on camera in the middle of a meeting is only a minor one of many offenses, you know you're in trouble.

Our President (it took all my courage just to type that!) is always starting useless wars, insulting women reporters--calling them 'stupid' or worse--getting facts wrong and saying gas is cheap and he 'doesn't think about the financial plight of Americans.

What can be done?

We're on tract to either oligarchy or financial ruin.

Where's the 25th Amendment?

I think it should be tried....

Or else we have 2 1/2 years of chaos left....

That can't go well. 

Mother's Day

 I got Bern a flower arrangement, white chocolates and a card.

She doesn't like white chocolates--so I got them!

Got her some chocolate chocolates when I went to pick up fish and chips for dinner.

Sent emails to my daughter and my soon to be ex-daughter in law. (Don't ask, I'll explain another time.)

Not a very busy day, but I am so lucky to have met her in Latin class when I was a Senior and she was a Freshman in high school.

She hasn't 'made' my life--she 'is' my life....

Happy Mother's Day to those out there in blog land.

 

Sitting around....

No church tomorrow. I'll miss not being there. Morning Prayer by one of the laity. I hope it goes well.

When I don't have church I'm just sitting around wishing I did have it.

I've mentioned that I don't 'go to church' except when I'm celebrating Eucharist. I feel bad about that, but not bad enough to 'go to church'.

So, Sunday is like most days when I'm off.

Just sitting around. Reading David Rosenfelt's books. Playing 'hearts' on my computer. Watching a little TV.

Like I said--just 'sitting around'....

 

Rain and Shine

 Today was one of those days. Rain and then Sun and then rain with the sun shining.

Still a little cool for May--but I'm chilly in August!

No church this week. A long weekend of rest.

Got to get Bern a card and flowers for Mother's Day.

Obviously I don't have much to say--didn't sleep well, as I promised in my last post!

Hopefully tonight I'll snooze well....

It's hard to sleep at night

It is hard to sleep with DJT in the White House (minus the East Wing!)

The war, gas prices, cutting health care, hurting the poor, bragging about a Ball Room that isn't there (and shouldn't be!) and all the other stuff this crazy administration is doing.

My Dad was a life-long Republican. If he were alive today he wouldn't recognize the party he spent his votes on.

We can hope for the mid-terms even with all the rush to re-district on both sides. But there is a long way back to 'normal' in our land.

Hard to sleep at night?

You bet....

 

Catching up is hard to do

 A lot has happened since I was sure people could see my blog.

I had my gall bladder removed after 3 short stays in the hospital. But that gave me a hernia, which the surgeon tried to fix a week ago. I see him today to get his opinion. I have two burns and a massive bruise on my side. I hope he will explain how that happened!

I went to church Sunday and preached about 'the mystery of the Trinity', which is a mystery to this day. One in three and three in one--go figure.

I've done ok recovering from the surgery but am tired a lot.

I have this Sunday off.

I realized I'm still doing priest stuff at 79 (had a birthday April 17!) because otherwise I won't go to church.

Hard to admit that a priest wouldn't go to church if not celebrating.

But now it's out there and I'll keep preaching til I fall over doing it....

Be well and stay well. More later....

I've been writing...

 I've been writing my blog and noone is seeing it.

Just now I found this.

Is this it?

Can you read it?

Let me know.

Thanks, Jim