Today was Mike’s 50th birthday. One might expect a grand and glorious celebration. Not so much around here today. Actually, he just got back from a vacation in South Africa and decided to wait for Erin to return home from her most recent summer adventure on Saturday before having a “real”birthday celebration. However, we did not want this momentous day to pass with no acknowledgement, so we decided to have a period of reminiscence while we shared a gourmet dinner…
Lots of things change after divorce. Though life in the grand scheme is better, some things take a little adjustment, especially when one of you is paying alimony and the other is not getting much because, well, you are dating. Such circumstances send one’s creativity, ingenuity, resourcefulness, and frugality into overdrive. I have to admit there is a bit of a thrill to the whole thing. So here it is Friday night. We are the only ones home and have…
A little time travel . . . back to Italy tomorrow.
In many ways, living with God is like living with a toddler – you never know what God will do or say or or if you will be prepared to deal with the next unpredictable move. It was after dinner on our first evening in Assisi before we ventured out by foot into the piazza. The night was cool and clear. As we wound our way among the eight hundred year old buildings, up the stone steps into the town…
In my list of reasons as to why I have not been blogging I quipped about personal computers not being allowed in the convent. By “personal computer” I mean a computer belonging solely to one person though there certainly are computers available to those living in community. I know this because I did consider seriously whether or not I was being called to live my life as a member of the First Order, to be a sister. Franciscans do not…
Yesterday I said that when travelling it is important to have a sense of the place you are to visit before arriving. With regard to the practical, this is true, but after thinking about my statement, I believe that it needs a few caveats. I have been reading the writings of St. Francis himself as well as the words that others have written about him for nearly vtwenty years. I have seen many images of this saint in icons, book…
When travelling, whether to a neighboring town or a far away land, it is usually a good idea to have some sense of what to expect when you reach your destination. A basic understanding of language, currency, tipping practices, and local customs will alleviating many scary and embarrassing situations. It is no secret that in Europe you must pay to use public restrooms, a practice that has long since disappeared in this country, though I can remember those dime slots…
TOP 10 REASONS WHY I HAVE NOT BEEN BLOGGING10. The endless opportunities for TV watching on Dish network have consumed all my free time.9. My computer was overtaken by our Alaskan neighbors and everything appeared in the Cyrillic alphabet. 8. All my fingers were broken while playing in the beach volleyball world championship, thus making it impossible to type. 7. I was on an archaeological dig looking for signs of a lost civilization. 6. I’ve been busy writing the next…
All of my posts lately seem to begin with “it has been awhile since I last posted.” Every time I write those words I vow not to have to do it again. So far this year, I have not managed to live up to those promises. Several people have asked me when I am going to post pictures and comments from our trip to Italy. There are several reasons that it has taken me so long to do this. We…
Here I am at mid-term It seems like only yesterday that I was trying to figure out how I was going to manage teaching five different classes this semester. It has been a challenge, a good challenge, a time consuming challenge. I have spent the last eight weeks preparing a class I have never taught, learning how to teach an online course, helping students prepare for auditions and competitions, and grading papers – lots of papers! I’m not sure how…