What Paddy Shot At

I didn’t get back to this on 9/23 but I will try to finish off my “ride around” and bring you up to date.

On Thursday, September 18th, I spent the day recovering! I had a great room at the Taj and except for lunch and dinner, I stayed in the room reading, watching TV, or sleeping. I didn’t even go into the casino!!!! I’m reading a good book called “Still Alice” It is about a college professor who is beginning to see that she has dementia or Alzheimer’s. It is fascinating.

On Friday, the 19th, I stopped at Ed and Jeanne O’Flynn. They had been parishioners at St. Michael’s and once they left to come back to Jersey; I kept threating to visit – but only did once! They gave me lunch and we had a great time catching up on the family and talking about the Church. Then I had heard there was a fund raiser at St. Mary’s in Williamstown for a 16 year old who has cancer. Her grandparents are friends of mine and lots of people that I’ve come to know through Carmen were going to be there. I had a wonderful time and met Taylor (who is just lovely and has a great face), Keep her in your prayers. Then I drove to Joe’s and spent the night.

I had breakfast on Saturday, the 20th, and then hit the road again. I was driving up to Albany to see Sister Mary Xavier McKenna, a daughter of charity who had been my pastoral sister at St. Bernard’s. It took most of the day because of accidents on the Jersey Turnpike and just the distance. It was a beautiful day and the weather was sunny and cool. I got to my hotel around 6pm. Got some food and fell asleep watching TV

On Sunday, I drove to the provincial house and met Sister. We visited for awhile and then joined the sisters at Sunday Mass. They must have been about 80 of them and the singing was beautiful. Then sister and I went out to lunch at a nice little restaurant nearby. We laughed and talked about the past and what is going on now in the church. Sister was born in Albany but has not been stationed there. She is hoping to do tutoring nearby. I left her around 2pm and started towards Canada. I stopped to buy a map of Canada since I hoped to go to Madonna House. However when I saw the map, I realized that I would have to drive about two hours to the border and then I would have to use back roads (not Interstate, which I used always) and in the dark! So I turned around and headed South. It was just getting dark when I arrived back at Joe’s. I called Isabelle Gallagher, who was our receptionist here in the parish but who fell and broke her hip and went to stay in Philly, and invited myself over for a visit on Monday morning. Then I went to bed.

I got up early to visit with Joe on Monday morning as he had class at 10AM. I complemented him on his “bed and breakfast” and then I headed South to Peggy Ann’s, Isabelle sister. We had a nice visit and coffee cake as we sat and laughed and caught up. Isabelle will be staying a while longer as she has some eye issues. I assured her, we’ve kept her desk available. Then I called Maggie from my car phone and told her I thought I might return early to the parish. She said, “No way, you come down here and visit for a few days!!” So I continued South on 301. I realized that I’d be driving by Marie Smith’s home and so I called and went by to visit. She is an old friend from St. Bernard’s and we sat and looked at pictures and caught up on our families and other St. B friends. When I got to Maggie’s, she had made beans and franks and macaroni and cheese for supper. I knew I’d the right choice to come to her house.

On Tuesday, Marie had to have some test done at Calvert hospital; so we spent the morning there. Then we went to Bob Evan’s for brunch. Maggie and I tried to buy me bathing trunk but I think they already put them away and so we couldn’t go swimming. We went to visit JoAnn Adams at her work and then we went to BINGO at Chesapeake Beach. It was so nice to see and talk with Gerri Size, another St. Bernard’s friend who lives down there now. I won $150. Marie and Maggie both won. It was a good night

On Wednesday, Marie had doctors’ appointment, which Mary drove her to Georgetown and Maggie went to On Our Own, a center for people with disabilities that she is involved with. So I spent the day, writing the previous posting on Paddy and then read and relaxed. My niece, Keri and her husband Tim came to visit. Both have lost over a hundred pounds and are looking so good. When Marie and Maggie got home, we went to Ledo’s and had pizza.

On Thursday, (It was the first rainy day in two weeks!) we drove over to the Eastern Shore of Maryland and visited two of our cousins (Margaret Stoner and her son, Eddie). We had a great time and caught up on family news. We had lunch and then we went to visit Jean Pizza. She is my nephew, Rick Walburn’s mother-in-law BUT A LOT MORE. She’s cruised with us and is a close friend. She fell and had to have a shoulder replacement. It didn’t work and so she had to have another. She is in rehab and doing wonderfully. She lives in a senior place and may go back there next week. She lived in Cheverly, Md for 39 years and her kids made her move and she loves it!! Hope my sister, Marie will learn. We had a great time and then I drove Maggie and Marie to a funeral home in Beltsville to see a 44 year old lady friend who died after a 5 year battle with cancer. Please keep Kathy and her family in your prayers.

On Friday morning, I waited till the fog lifted and I drove home. I spent the day, cleaning up my desk and getting stuff out of my car (I had been living out of it for two weeks!) Then I took a nap and went down to supper with Fr. Ron.

Today, Saturday, September 27th was busy. I had an appointment at 9AM and then at 11AM, I had a baptism. Please keep Owen James and his family in your prayers. It was in the chapel and a nice crowd of relatives and lots of little cousins and neighbors’ children. Then I had a very nice funeral service in the chapel at Noon for the uncle of Tonia Essig. Uncle Watson was a person of that “great generation” and we heard some touching and amusing stories of his life. We had good music for the Mass and after Communion, a poem, a history, and a great saxophone performance by his grandson. It was – as we Irish say – “A great sendoff”.
Now, I just finished the 5:30PM Mass. Fr. Ron kindly thought I’d be tired when I returned so he asked the deacon to preach. I was tired and didn’t process in or out and afterwards I heard some confessions and am going home. It was a good “priest day” and I feel good being home.

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