As I went to bed last Sunday night, I opened my frig and seeing it clear of the pile of ice that had been on it; I felt like I had accomplished something.
On Monday, I had the 11am Mass and took the rest of the day off. I worked on my taxes and cleared up my bedroom. I even went to supper downstairs.
On Tuesday, I again had the 11am Mass and then I took a nap because I knew I would be tired and wouldn’t feel like going to the pastoral center and I wanted to.
After the nap, I did drive over to the center and I was glad I did. I vested for Mass but sat in the back row for the whole Mass. It was the annual jubilee Mass for priests celebrating 25, 40, 50 and 60 years since ordination. I knew a number of the guys and so I wanted to be present. After the Mass, there are cocktails (which I didn’t go to) and a very nice dinner. I sat with Fr. Trancone and Fr. Ingle, Fr. Kevin O’Reilly, Msgr. Jack McFarland, Fr. John Hurley, and Fr. Joe Perkins. We had a great time but I was tired and so I went home immediately afterwards.
On Wednesday, I had the 11am Mass and then drove over to Columbia and met Eileen (Lee) and Jay Baughan for lunch. It has been too long since I last saw them and we had a great time. Keep them in your prayers as Eileen will have surgery on the 22nd because of cancer. We are all very hopeful!
On the way home, I stopped to see Msgr. Beattie who had returned to Our Lady of Lourdes rectory earlier that day. He did very well at the rehab and can walk (with a walker). He is glad to be home and will go up and down the corridor to continue improving his legs. He can not do the stairs yet but they are planning to put in a chair lift like I have that will help him with the 9 steps. I’m just so glad he’s back and walking. Keep him in your prayers.
Today is my day off and so I had arranged with Msgr. Tom Kane to meet him in Annapolis and go over and take Marie Smith out to lunch. She is living now on the Eastern shore. The bridge traffic was terrible and it took a long time to get over but we had a great time and laughed and “remembered when” about the days at St. Bernard’s. Fr. Tom and I had a chance to talk about the church going over and back and that was fun.
I had planned to go to Maggie’s. Rick (my brother-in-law), and a friend, Shirley (whom I met at Easter) were coming up for a reunion and we were planning to get together for crabs. That didn’t work out and so I came home and tried to clean up my desk again.
I just finished with “Jeopardy” and now I’m heading to bed. Very tired.
I cannot believe it has been that hot down there. Gander had a lot of snow this week and I am still making fires in the evening to keep the house warm! Our highs are in the upper 40’s on a good day. This weekend is Victoria Day weekend and is the beginning of our “summer”. (I’m sure you remember this holiday from your days at Combermere),
I continue to be in speech therapy and am healing slowly from the TBI sustained in the accident in 2011. Talking way better and can write much more clearly as well. It just is taking so long. Progress is slow. I got an accountant to do my taxes in both countries this year and it was worth every penny.
Remember we are a 3 hr trip away from Newark and it is cool here. And there is always wind in case you are looking for a reprieve from sultry weather. Peace out…