Could've, should've stayed home

 I just needed a couple of things from the store--nothing vital--but, like a dummy I went out in the rain to go to Big Y.

Even with a raincoat and umbrella, I got drenched getting to the car--maybe 20 feet--and from the car to Big Y--even closer.

So, I got the few things and when I came out of the store, the sun was trying to break through and no rain.

My raincoat is still on the front porch. It won't dry out soon!

Hope you stayed home if you live in this part of CT.

Then a friend who works at Big Y told me most people drown in their car. "They get stuck in water and then deeper water and can't open their doors," he said.

Just what I needed to hear, having driven through a downpour....

 

The World Cup

 I don't get soccer (or 'football' as most of the world calls it).

It goes on forever and there's almost no scoring.

Yet the crowds chant and cheer and sing to whole time.

And videos from Spain showed what must have been 3/4 of the country on the streets in the middle of the night celebrating.

Nevermind the penalties--they run into each other and kick each other all game long...what makes some of that a foul?

But I did like this about the World Cup Championship game--how loudly and long they boo-ed our 'so-called president'.

That may have made soccer my favorite sport....

Sunny Sunay

 Church went well. No musician but we sang "Morning has Broken" for the processional and "Amazing Grace" for the recessional and both went well. But miss Michael a lot....

On the way up to church (30 miles) I was just out of Thomaston and heard these weird sounds (pop, bang) that seemed to be coming from my driver's side door. I was perplexed and worried.

Then I stopped at a red light in Litchfield and after that, the sounds were gone. I think the car I drove behind for 7 or 8 miles, must have been backfiring.

I also got paid for a wedding I did a month ago. I'd let the couple know by email several times and it finally came in the mail yesterday, which I only picked up when I was about to leave for church today.

I love that little church--16 people today but a great coffee hour and lots of conversation.

How lucky can an old guy get?

A great life-long wife, two wonderful kids, 4 grandchildren...all a man could want....

Great sunny Sunday--not even too hot....

Rainy Saturday

I've been inside most of the day.

I wrote my sermon about Jesus sowing seeds.

I know nothing about sowing seeds. I'm a gardening idiot. If it weren't for Bern I'd cement over the yards. But she's in charge--won't even let me cut the grass 'cause I don't do it right.

But I did go out to the drug store to get a perscription refilled. (My computer tells me I misspelled the 'p-word' in that last sentence but I don't know how to fix it.)

I also got a box of large paper-clips. I don't know why but I love having paper-clips and haven't any for a while.

Sermon and paper-clips: not a bad rainy day.....

 

How can this be?

 My youngest child is turning 48 soon.

How can this be?

I was 31 when birth occurred and 48 when they were leaving for college and life of their own.

How can I be this old?

Is the calendar wrong?

Am I in a trance?

My baby is going to be 48.

How can this be????

Smoke from Canada???

 All day the air outside has had a weird yellow-orange color. Very odd, I'd say.

Bern tells me it's smoke from wildfires in Canada.

I looked at the map--seems to me that's quite a distance for smoke to come.

Or else those are some huge wildfires.

I've since heard on radio that the smoke could be dangerous to folks with lung conditions and isn't good for anyone.

Smoke from Canada--who would have imagined that?

Stay inside if you're in CT or anywhere north of here....

What an idiot...

OK, today proves it.

I am a world-class idiot.

Bern told me she'd heard about wrecks in Litchfield and on I-84 and I should leave a little later for Bible Study.

I said I'd leave a little later--like 15 minutes.

Than should have meant 11:15, not 11:45!

I was on the road to Waterbury when I got a call from the church that they were wondering if I was ok.

It was 12:15--class starts at noon.

We called it off.

And I am, without a doubt, a terrible idiot....

 

Not that hot

Weather folks don't always get it right--thank goodness!

It was supposed to be near 100 degrees today but landed in the low 80's.

That would normally feel hot--but not when they told you it would be much hotter.

What should be much hotter is the pressure on our so-called president.

He is bombing Iran AGAIN!

He is attacking our health care system.

He is trying to get our life insurance companies to invest in (his) crypto-currancy (which I don't even understand what that is....)

He is obviously 'loosing it' in many ways.

What can we do?

That's what I keep waiting to know.

ICE is being curtailed in Maine after two killings and much protest.

Why not everywhere?

Life is hard even though its not that hot....

 

Sunday off....

 One Sunday off a month is fine with me. I don't even feel bad about not going to church--I've handled that.

I talked to my first cousin, M., a short time ago. I love her so. She was my companion as an only child. We had 12 other first cousins on my mother's side. I was the youngest until my childless aunt and uncle adopted D. M. and I decided only the three of us--M., D., and me--are still alive except maybe D., who cut himself off from the family years ago, so we don't know.

Talking with her makes me feel young again. Her little dog was in her lap and our dog, Brigit was by my side until Bern came come--then Brigit ran down to greet her.

Talking to M. is a lot like going to church--God is involved....

Grocery Stores

 When I was a teen, I worked in my uncle Russel's grocery store called the H and S. I never did know what that stood for.

Uncle Russel had only two cash registers and I was at one of them. This was before machines charged the price, so I had to ring up every item manually. Russel has a Black man named Gene who cleaned up. He could also find mysteriously unwrapped ice cream bars we would share. I really liked Gene.

I go to Big Y and Bern goes to Stop and Shop. Today I went to Stop and Shop because they have 5 pound bags of ice and Big Y doesn't and we needed ice.

Stop and Shop is so huge it makes me nervous. Oh, Big Y is big--not stop and shop big.

Last week I went to the Stop and Shop in Litchfield on my way back from Bible Study. It made the Stop and Shop in Cheshire look like a Big Y!

But I did get Polar Ginger Ale, hard to find in Cheshire.

Grocery Shopping is both a burden and a joy.

I don't know which is most true.

But Big Y is more a joy than Stop and Shop. 

That I know....

Thursday Blues

 A Thursday with nothing to do except read and go on line and watch tennis.

Well, that's not 'nothing' is it!

Co-co Gauff lost, which disappointed me. Bern was rooting for her opponent for some reason.

Well, Co-Co is young, she'll win the English open someday.

And I love the books I'm reading, mostly Jessica Fletcher and other mysteries. I'm a real mystery guy.

And on-line I learn more reasons to hate our President. That doesn't take long.

So, Thursday isn't as bad as I thought.

I missed two days!!!

How did I do that--I intend to post every day.

Well, maybe Monday and Tuesday found me unconscious in the bed.

No, that didn't happen.

And there was nothing much to distract me.

I just don't know what happened.

Maybe I posted in no-blogger land.

Anyway, today at Bible Study we began looking at the Gospel of Thomas.

Very familiar and very strange at the same time.

But well worth reading.

We didn't get far. (Find it for yourself, very interesting.)

Still next Wednesday to go.

I also want to find folks willing to do the annointing and prayers for healing, so we'll do that next Wednesday.

I'm off Sunday.

I won't go to church.

I'm getting over the shame of only going to church when I'm celebrating the Eucharist.

Just me....

 

Last night and this morning

 Last night a thunderstorm came through dropping gallons of rain and with powerful lightning.

Besides needing rain, it kept people in our neighborhood from setting off their illegal fireworks! Two goods at once....

This morning at church the folks at Trinity celebrated my 5 year anniversary with them--some of the best cake I ever tasted (it was mostly icing!)

Bern cut my hair yesterday and I told her I'd keep count of how many people complimented me on it.

A dozen, just a little less than the 30 folks in church.

The musician was sick, so no music--but it made the service shorter!

No one ever complains that my hair and beard are too long--but boy they make up for that by complimenting when it's cut!

Good night and great morning....

Happy Birthday USA!

 It's the 4th of July for the 250th time.

I love our country but not our administration.

I went out to stores  today and saw lots of folks dressed in July 4th clothes. I had on a yellow shirt and gray shorts--not  up to par with the others.

My 4th of July message is from a Polar Bear on a card I have called "Advice from a POLAR BEAR".

Odd, I know, but read on.

                                ADVICE FROM A POLAR BEAR

                    Live large

            Sniff out opportunities

            Learn some good icebreakers

            Be thick-skinned

            Be fearless

            Appreciate long winter nights

            Keep it cool!

Happy 4th!!!!

Welcome to the Heat

 Coming back from Big Y rather early this morning, I passed a public sign that said it was 94 degrees.

I believe it.

Being outside is like being in a sauna. 

This is New England--I thought we were the land of the cool.

So, drink lots of liquids that don't have alcohol in them and stay indoors as much as possible.

I know I complain for months about the cold so I won't complain about this, just to save my complaining for winter.

But it is hot.

Really hot....

Excuse me for ranting....

 I heard callers on Public Radio today saying they weren't happy to celebrate the 4th of July on the 250th anniversary of our country because of the current administration.

I must agree.

So, don't get me started on all the things I despise about Donald J. It would take up too much of my time and yours!

I simply don't know what it will take to restore our country to what it should be after all he has done to deform it.

My prayer on the 4th and in church on the 5th is God to move in mysterious ways to give us back the land that we love.

What I see in Washington these days is a president enriching himself and those wealthy who support him while letting down the people who need our country's help to live well.

A Republican congressman suggested putting a stop sign in the hand of the statue of liberty rather than a torch to welcome others to the Land of the Free.

We all came from somewhere to get here but the current racist actions against immigrants is dispicable....

I told you to not let me rant.....