What Paddy Shot At

Yesterday began badly. I was wearing a wire to check my nightime oxygen levels and it bothered me so much I never slept more than an hour at a time – until 4:30am, when I slept through till 7:05. I was scheduled to do the 6:30am Mass. I was really upset by that. I looked at my alarm clock and after the power outage, I set the time 12 hours off. Instead of 5:40 am I had put 5:40pm. It really upset me BUT God is good because Fr. Percy, who gets up early, went down to get coffee at 6:10am and noticed the chair had not moved, so he came and did the Mass.
Then Joan took me to therapy. It hurt but I do believe the swelling is going down and generally I am in less pain because I do take those pills. I napped afterwards and at 1:30, I got a ride over to hear confessions in Silver Spring. Patrick picked me up around 5pm and we went to supper. I had pork chops and I really enjoyed them. I came home and worked in my suite and went to bed early – I checked the alarm settings.

I got up at 5:40 and packed. When I walked outside, I was stunned by the heat. It was already 80 degrees. I had the 6:30am Mass. Something was wrong with the system. If you turned on the microphones when the air-conditioning was on, then there was a terrible hummmm. The server asked what I wanted to do so that people could hear the readings. I told him to forget the microphones, the air was more important!! In addition, I hadn’t taken a pill, so my leg hurt. I didn’t preach and I think the Mass was over by 6:48.

I came down to the office and took the pill and feel a little better, I have the 8:30 and after that Maggie’s Mike is coming to drive me South. I think I’ll stop over at Maggie’s and then someone will take me to St. Michael’s. I have a wedding rehearsal at 6pm. It is for Kristin Padukiewicz, Muffin and John’s daughter and Beth McCoy’s grand-daughter. The wedding is at 7pm on Saturday. I will stay at the rectory for the weekend. It is all on one floor and Fr. Lee has gone to Seattle to marry a nephew, so I will be the “Father Sub” for the weekend. I have 5:30pm Mass on Saturday and the 8 and 10:30am Masses on Sunday. There are lots of events and some one from the McCoy family will “transport” me around. It will be great to see all of them and catch up on their activities. Also I will try to see lots of my former parishioners. Someone from Maggie’s gang will bring me home Sunday afternoon. I hope my energy level holds out.

Since I have a busy Monday morning with Mass and therapy; I may not write again till Monday. Know that, as always, you and your needs are in my prayers.

The electricity came on around 10pm on Monday, so it was cool again in my suite.
I didn’t do much on Tuesday because I had the 8:00am Mass and then someone drove me to the nursing home where I had a Mass at 10:00am. I came home and just hung around my suite till 5pm, when Patrick came and drove me over to meet Jim Beattie and Tom Duffy for supper at DeCarlo’s. Pat and I picked up Tom as he has given up his car, and we met Jim at the restaurant. I think Patrick really enjoy them. We had lots of funny stories of the priesthood. When I got home, I discovered that the TV and computer were out – that’s why no Paddy yesterday. I watched DVDs as that part of the TV will work.

Today, it is very hot here. I had the 11am Mass and just now the 5:30. Joan came in to work – although we still had no computers – and so for lunch we had New Haven Pizza from somewhere nearby. It was delicious.
Just before Mass, the computers came on line and so that is why I am writing this while still over in the center. I don’t know if it’s working in my suite. When I finish, I’ll go home and finish the pizza and if I can, watch TV. I think they cancelled the celebration on the Mall but maybe I can catch the Boston Pop show. I have the 6:30am Mass tomorrow and then therapy at 8:30. I am looking forwardd to the therapy because my leg has really been hurting – and I did take the pills!!
More tomorrow.

We had a terrible and powerful storm on Friday night. I was in bed and I slept through much of it. I could hear the wind and the hail stones as they hit the roof and air-conditioner. We did not lose power so my alarm worked and I got up for the 8:00am Mass. From many of the people there, I learned that power was out to many people and the traffic lights in our area were out and causing lots of problems.

I worked at my desk in the parish center and went upstairs for the 11am Mass. Again, I heard stories of how many people were effected. I had a baptism at 11:30. Katherine Barley was unconcerned about the weather and she and her family were delightful. Patrick came to help me around the altar and stayed to help me with the wedding at 3pm.

Because of the roads, we didn’t start the wedding till 3:35. After Communion, I got a message that the father of the bride wanted to make an announcement. He said, “As some of you may have noticed, we had a bad storm here last night. We were having our reception at the country club just down Conneticut Ave; but they called this morning to say that they had no power. We are going to the old Ebbit Grill on 15th Street in downtown DC.” I found out afterwards that he had not shared that concern with the bride and just said a prayer and then began calling places all around the city. I was most impressed by the way, people handled these unexpected changes.

The rest of the day, I spent just relaxing and continuing to clean up stuff in my suite. I went through about 100 cards and envelopes and organized them.

On Sunday, I had the 7:30am and 9:00am Masses. My leg was really hurting and I was grateful to Fr. Percy that he offered to take the other three. Maggie had offered to come us and drive me down to St. Michael’s for the retirement party for Shirley Kovich; but I called her and said that I was already exhausted and I thought I’d better stay home. I went back to my suite and worked on the family tree and watched TV. I had set the alarm for 4pm, in case I fell asleep because I was to have a meeting with the people working on the family retreat at Camp Maria on the 12th.

Just before I came over to the parish center, we lost electricity in the rectory. I figured that they were probably restoring power in our neighborhood and had to shut ours off. Well it was off all night and is still off. I don’t know what that means but I did miss the AC last night. I wasn’t worried about time as my first activity is therapy at 11am today and then exposition at 3, Mass at 5:30 and an appointment with a couple who want to get married at BS next year. I am just meeting with them to get the process started; after the weddings that I am already committed to through October, I don’t think I’ll take on any more – except family and close friends. They deserve better and younger!!

So that brings you up to date. My leg is hurting but not too bad. I’ll just keep on “trucking”. More tomorrow.