A Day in the Life . . .

 

Yesterday:

 

Not much of a walk early in the morning due to the persistent rain.

 

Started pulling material together for Sunday's sermon.

 

Visited three people in a nursing home.  Watched a little bit of an ancient Clint Eastwood movie with a gentleman who had a stroke 1.5 years ago and can't accomplish much in the way of communication.  Prayed with a frail elderly lady who had shared a story of a lifetime of loss and disappointment with me the previous day.  Sat in on a planning meeting for a heart patient going home next week and perhaps helped move things along.  (Or not!)  My folks are not assertive in medical situations, and I . . .  am.

 

Sun came out and so I went for a lovely walk on the muddy trails of a local park.  So did a number of dogs, accompanied by apologetic humans. 

 

Planned a graveside service and took care of some miscellaneous church things.

 

Found a place to stay in the Berkshires en route home from our vacation in Rhode Island in a few weeks.  A very simple motel.  Prices are astronomical, and all we need is a bed for one night. 

 

Talked to my son, who'd just finished Day 2 of the three-day bar exam.  He felt dismal, but I know that everyone does.

 

Went to a party for St. Ignatius' Feast Day and spent the entire evening talking shop with a Methodist pastor who came out of the same Methodist church to which I used to belong.  Let's just say that the path to ordination and ministry has been considerably different for us than it seems to be for young men.  And I don't mean that in a good way.

 

Came home and realized that we are about to experience the empty nest for a second and difficult time.  The first try came when our daughter went off to college, putting all three kids in different cities.  Three years later, Matt came home when his brother died, and has been here ever since.  Obviously, at nearly 29 he needs to move to his own place, which he can do soon because he has! a! job!  But, while neither of us is around much, I will so miss his late night appearances in the living room, studying done, to watch some tv with me. 




Photo: Life in Ashland County.  The goat is no doubt a Republican.  And, I kid you not, there were sheep in the back of the truck as well.

P.S. A couple of weeks ago I posted on FB a Life in Ashland County photo of an ad on the grocery bulletin board for Free Chickens - 6 months old - All Colors.  A friend from NYC said that her first response was: Why would anyone want six-month-old chickens?  It hadn't occurred to her that they were live chickens.