One more day

 We're leaving for vacation on Oak Island, NC early, early Saturday morning.

We'll take Brigit to the kennel tomorrow--alas!

So, I only have tonight and tomorrow the blog.

We'll be gone until June 10.

I will miss blogging to you--but not that much since three friends, our daughter, son-in-law and grand-daughter will be with us at the beach.

And it's none to soon.

Since I cracked my ribs, Bern hasn't let me do ANYTHING!

I often said, "I've never been bored."

But I was getting close until Bern let me drive to the bank to get cash for our trip.

All went well.

I am almost always 'the other driver' for the car we rent in Myrtle Beach to drive to Oak Island.

I think I can do it.

Mimi, Tim and Eleanor will bring another car from Raleigh, where they fly to.

I'm feeling fine.

Still some soreness in the rib area, but nothing I can't handle.

I'll post tomorrow before we go on Saturday a.m.

Rhododendron

 We have two Rhododendron plants--two in the front yard and two in the back.

I didn't say "bushes" though the ones in back are. But the two in front could as easily be called 'trees'--they are that tall.

Bumblebees love the blossoms--not so much honey bees.

It's the state flower of West Virginia where Bern and I grew up.

So, it reminds me of my once home from time to time--a place I'll never visit again.

They soothe me, not just with memories, but with present pleasure.

I love them and am glad to share the earth with them.

Two in a row

         Today is full of sun, a slight breeze, temperatures in the 70's and not a cloud in the sky.

    Yesterday was the same. Two lovely mid-Spring days in a row.

    All is well in Cheshire.

    But not in our country.

    Some of the idiots we sent to Congress want to block the debt ceiling rise.

    Whether they are right wing Republicans or left wing Democrats they should be drawn and quartered for opposing the debt ceiling rise.

    Don't they understand what going in default would mean for Americans and the whole world?

    Bern and I wouldn't get our Social Security checks.

    The stock market would crash putting my pension--which comes from stocks--in danger.

    But we have enough savings to be ok.

    But lots of folks wouldn't be. Welfare checks and food stamps would dry up. Medicaid and Medicare would not pay. Money from the government for unemployment benefits and payments to children in poverty would go away. Retired vets and active military would not be paid.

    It would be a world wide disaster since the world economy relies heavily on the U.S. economy.

    Don't they understand that this could put the US and much of the world back to Depression-era situations?

    How do you work in Congress and not realize what I realize?

    Has our country become so divided that we are willing to put our civilization at risk?

    God help us all if the debt ceiling isn't raised....

 

The TV writers strike...

 ...is ruining my YTube viewing.

Most days I watch Steven Colbert, Seth Meyers and both Jimmy's monologues and none of them are doing shows.

Doesn't leave me a lot of viewing time.

On another subject: the U.S. needs to severely limit AI.

I did watch on You Tube a scene of four police officers tackling and handcuffing the former President.

I'd like to see that if it were real--but it was created by Artificial Intelligence. 

AI recreates voices as well.

Chris Murphy, one of CT's Senators played and AI fake of his voice on the Senate floor.

I would have thought it was him.

This could get out of hand real fast.

It needs to be closely regulated if not banned.

(Just AI me typing....)

I haven't blogged...

...because I've been in the hospital.

(I'll spare you the details by coping and email I sent to Trinity, Milton when I got home today.)

 

Dear All--I fell on Sunday and fractured cracked two ribs. It didn't hurt enough the first two days (and I didn't know the ribs were cracked!) but by Tues. I was in such pain I went to urgent care. They send me to Mid-State in Meriden by ambulance because my blood oxygen was 84. They found the cracked ribs but don't handle such cases and sent me by ambulance to Central CT hospital in New Brittian. Which I obviously can't spell!

They did great work and by this morning the pain was controlled, my blood oxygen was 97 and the fluid in my lungs (too painful to cough before) was gone.

So, Bern and I got home at 3:30.

Please let everyone know on Sunday that I'm on the road to recovery.

Also let them know I am not to exert myself for 2 weeks, so, I'm sorry that I can't be there on Wed. 31 at noon.

Steve has the next two Sundays anyway--So that's good for the parish.

We're supposed to be in N.C. June 3 to 10. I won't go unless a Dr. says ok.

That's my tale of woe, but the tale is looking better starting right now.

Shalom, Jim

 

Church today

Today we at Trinity, Milton, honored the mother of Roni, one of our members.

Roni is a drama teacher and she acts in plays around the state.

Instead of the sermon I wrote, I used the piece from this blog, "When people die" and Roni's brother said a few things and I said a prayer to God to receive "Sue" (Roni's mother) though that was not her given name but the one people called her.

Sue had 10 children. The first one died before the second was born. Several of them were there today.

Roni sang the 23rd Psalm to the St. James Aire--a lovely song.

People were deeply moved by the service--and many told me afterwards.

(Part of it was Eucharistic Prayer C--my favorite--that I think they are coming around to embracing.)

But the biggest part was remembering someone none, outside her family, had ever met.

People are moved by remembering the dead.

We all want to be remembered after we die--I know we do.

 

Trying to stay with the weather

After a nice, warm late-spring day yesterday, today was chilly and windy.

Bern even brought in all the plants on the back deck because it could get to 30 tonight.

I went up to Milton, in the hills, and it was even chillier there.

In our Wednesday classes we are alternating between books in the Bible and chapters from my novel The Igloo Factory.

We'll see how that goes.

Bern and I fight over the thermostat--she likes 65 and I like 68. I go to bed later so I always get my way at night.

We're going to Oak Island, NC on June 3rd for a week. Mimi,Tim and Eleanor and three long-time friends go with us. It's always a blast.

 Don't expect any posts that week--I only have a desktop computer, so I can only type right here.

Be well and stay well, Umfandusi.