What A Lovely Day

The day just sparkled. On Wednesday it was dreary the whole day while a record rainfall came down gently the entire time. The day ended with 2 inches of rain in the gauge. It was lovely to have that moisture to soak into the ground and water everything well before the first cold snap and the ultimate frozen ground. ¶ It was certainly a blessing for the new plantings in my front garden. Friend gardener has planted the daffodil bulbs and the allium. We are still waiting for the onslaught of 100 some bulbs that will need to go in the ground before frost disables the planting. We have a neighborhood squirrel whose mission in life is to dig things up immediately after they are planted. Not all work is in vain. There is only one of him and he can only do so much damage. I’ve spoken to him about finding greener pastures in neighbors yards. So far he has rejected my advice.

¶ The bright and sunny day today was perfect for a drive in the country. There was not a cloud in the sky as I left for Sioux Center, Iowa. The American Guild of Organists sponsored a workshop on hymn playing in which I was interested. Hymns are my favorite thing to play and I really want to interpret them so the congregation can sing them with meaning. The workshop was excellent. The leader was the organist from First Lutheran here in Sioux Falls, a very talented and gifted young man. So the trip and the workshop were both a pleasure. ¶ The trees about the city are really at their most gorgeous stage right now and the colors of brown, gold and red sparkle in the bright sunlight. When I head over the hill and down towards the bike trail the view is breathtaking. All the trees along the river are doing their best to cheer everyone. ¶ This was chemo week beginning with a CT scan on Monday morning. According to my oncologist there is nothing new, meaning there are no new lesions showing up in the pictures and the old lesions are static. It is best to keep checking because my type of cancer can spread just about anywhere at any time. The chemo seems to be keeping it under control, which is the good news. ¶ All of the chemo sessions began promptly. There was no long wait for the pharmacy to deliver the goods via TUG. TUG the robot was all decorated for Hallowe’en. I doubt she will be let loose to go trick or treating tomorrow evening, however. I expect next that she will be sporting Thanksgiving themed decorations. Whatever the staff does to insert some humor into a place in the hospital where the focus is on cancer is a welcome thing. That is just one more example of the excellent professionals that serve the cancer patients do to make what could be a grim and foreboding place a place of healing and light.

¶ Miss Sophia the cat seems to have reconciled herself to the fact that I am back home to stay. She has been extraordinarily cuddly. I like cuddly kitties so that’s fine with me. She has a game she wants to play every morning right after my shower. She attempts to capture a string which I try to keep away from her. When she tires of the game I can get on with my day. Often the signal that the game is over is Sophia sprawled on her back with the definite look that says “I’m tired of this!” ¶ Thanks for your prayers and thoughts and good wishes. Thank you for reading. Thank you for all you do for others. You are a blessing.

Over Before it Begins

The pilgrimage, about which I wrote last week, continued with a journey to Algoma for Sunday Eucharist at St. Agnes by the Lake. A friend of mine is the priest there and it has become a tradition to go there for Sunday. We enjoyed lunch with him before heading into Door County.

¶ We headed for Sister Bay and had been warned that their fall festival was taking place. This involved blocking off the streets, parking far from the “main drag.” There were numerous PortaPotties, bouncy houses, vendors, and party goers. All Johnson’s restaurant is famous for its turf roof complete with goats. The goats were not present. We were told it was too cold for goats. Who knew?

¶ After dealing with our disappointment, goat wise, we traveled to Sturgeon Bay to spend the night. Waterfront Mary’s was the chosen place for dinner where we got involved with the famous Door County fish boil. The cooking is an outdoor event. The night was a beautiful with a lovely moon shining over the water. ¶ The next morning we visited the Maritime Museum and then headed for Austin, Minnesota. Following the hotel breakfast our next stop was the Spam Museum. It really is a fascinating place especially when one was raised on Spam as a young person. Then it was a fairly short trip to Sioux Falls. It seems like the pilgrimage was over before it began. ¶ The fall colors were not spectacular this year, yet. Door County had some pretty scenes. Even though the pilgrimage is the same time every year, the fall color varies widely. I’ve yet to receive a firm answer on why that is. The weather was excellent while we were away. The temperatures were above average over the weekend. ¶ The welcome home from the resident cat was interesting. She seemed to want attention but her essential catness prevented her from being too welcoming. The look was more like “you’ve been away, and now you’re back, big deal.” The next day, however, the need for attention was desperate. Sophia even took up residence in the suitcase in case I had any thoughts about leaving her behind again.

¶ The rest of the week flew by quickly. I attended an interesting OLLI class on cults which provided enough information to make one uncomfortable in the current time. ¶ Today I saw the live HD stream from the Metropolitan Opera. It was a new opera and the first one by a Black composer with an all Black cast. “Fire Shut Up in My Bones” is based on the early life of Charles Blow, a columnist for the New York Times. Jazz makes up part of the score. The “step dance” is amazing. It was a worthwhile afternoon, for sure. ¶ When Monday comes I will have yet another CT scan, visit with the doctor and begin my week of chemotherapy. I know that all will go well. I don’t seem to have as much anxiety about the CT scan as I do the MRI. For one thing, it’s considerably more comfortable and is not noisy. The doctor will share the results when I see him Monday afternoon. ¶ Thank you for your prayers and thoughts. Thank you for all your kindnesses to me and to others.

On the Road Again

Here. I am in Wisconsin! Travel, which used to seem so natural, now seems like such an exotic adventure. The whole experience of packing, the decisions about what to take and leave behind felt like a strange and different occurrence. It almost felt like I’d not done the whole preparation/packing thing before.

¶ Sophia cat is not used to the packing procedure. Previous feline occupants had plenty of practice in panic mode upon the sight of a suitcase. It’s not that they were not cared for while I was away. I think it’s the fear of not having someone at their immediate beck and call. The report is that Sophia is coping well. It will be interesting to see how she acts upon my return. ¶ The old song said “What a difference a day makes.” I should write new lyrics beginning with “What a difference two years makes.” Two years ago, friends and I made the pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham in Sheboygan, WI. I’ve been attending with various groups since 1991. The current group has been attending for five or so years. The cancelling of the pilgrimage was such a disappointment last year.

¶ This year, friends from Colorado drove to Sioux Falls and added me to their car. On Thursday we drove from Sioux Falls to Sheboygan (500 miles). Another friend from North Carolina met up with us at the hotel. ¶ Yesterday we went to Holy Hill, always an experience. Since it was the feast of St. Theresa of Avila, the patroness of the friary there, the service was celebrated with great solemnity. ¶ Many years ago I was in Avila arriving on this very day, the 16th of October, and the remnants of the celebration there were still visible. It was good to recall those memories of the first trip abroad following retirement.

¶ Today was a bit cool but bright and sunny for the procession around the block led by the statue of Our Lady of Walsingham. As always, the flowers are spectacular. The services today were beautiful. The people at the church were thrilled that pilgrims attended. It will be some time before many people are willing to travel again and the pilgrimage will regain its normal numbers, but it is a start. ¶ Tomorrow we will travel northward and take in a bit of Door County. Monday and Tuesday will be travel days back to Sioux Falls. We will cover lots of miles, and my Colorado friends many more before they return to their home. ¶ The South Dakota scandal of the week was revealed in the newspaper. The Majority Leader of the state senate had a son. Said son has a business. Son has received hundreds of thousands of dollars in South Dakota COVID relief funds and Paycheck Protection Program funds to keep his business afloat. All of this sounds perfectly legal and transparent. The only slight problem is that his business is in Texas! Ooops. ¶ We have a reputation and we are keeping it up in grand style. One only wonders what can come up next in the nefarious affairs of state government. There will be another, I’m sure. ¶ I’m feeling well and keeping up with my friends in hill-climbing, social activities, and things ecclesiastical. I’m grateful that I’m able to do it. ¶ Thank you for your thoughts and prayers. I’m grateful for the constant prayers for me offered here at the Shrine everyday. We pray for safe travels home again.

Autumn Leaves

There is an old song which comes into my mind every October or November. It was one my mother’s favorites. That song is entitled “Autumn Leaves.” It begins: “The falling leaves drift by my window, The falling leaves of red and gold.”

¶ That is exactly what is happening right now in this part of the world. My driveway is completely covered with leaves from the ash tree and there are many more waiting to fall. My neighbor’s tree is one of those producing brilliant red leaves. They are starting to change and it won’t be long before it is stunning. One of the delights of the season is the cooler weather and the chance to take walks through the rustling leaves. It’s a beautiful season. ¶ It is not often that one can anxiously await the next issue of the Sioux Falls Argus Leader. As a newspaper it is wonderful for enabling naps or starting fires in appropriate places. Recently, however, we look for news of the next scandal to involve our fair city or state. ¶ As it was reported this week, Sioux Falls is one of the largest tax havens. Billions of dollars are sequestered in trust accounts right here in river city. The Cayman Islands, Switzerland, or some other far away location usually are the places where the wealthy hide their money. Sioux Falls ranks right up there with the exotica of the world. Who knew?

¶ There is always a juicy tidbit or two coming forth from our state capitol concerning the governor or the attorney general or someone else involved in the government of the state. Currently our governor, who just received her bachelor’s degree in recent history, is on a campaign to dictate the kinds of student services provided at our state schools. She wants to wipe out Diversity Centers because she fears they are spreading information that is not far right-wing enough politically.

¶ What’s next? Who knows? There will be something, guaranteed. When the state government is ranked as one of the most corrupt in the nation we just have to wait for the next shoe to fall. ¶ Having this week off from chemo is almost like a vacation. I’ve felt well and have had some time to enjoy some freedom of choice in my tasks of the week. ¶ There is a neighborhood cat who is given the freedom to roam. This is never a good idea. Cars on the street and cats crossing same is an item of concern. Said cat did pay a visit to our deck yesterday. It was not greeted kindly by Sophia. Growls caused the interloper to leave. Sophia ran from door to window to door to make sure her property was safe. It was some time before she could resume her nap and feel secure. ¶ Thanks for reading, for thinking about me, for praying and for all you do for others. I’ll be traveling towards the end of next week but hopefully will post the adventures next Saturday.

When the Weather Matches the Mood

I have a propensity for sitting down before bedtime and starting to watch something or doing a crossword puzzle or reading a book and often fall asleep for a longer or shorter time. The time is just long enough that one no longer feels tired upon awakening. Going to bed then seems like an exercise in futility so I stay up later than I should. That happened last night. Today I “overslept” (I know some think that to be a ridiculous statement for a retiree to make). When I do that, the day seems to be long and unproductive. There are a million things I could do, but I’m not interested in doing same. The whole lazy attitude is exacerbated by the weather which is grey and cloudy and windy. My attitude and the weather are in sync. ¶ It is definitely autumn now. The temps in the morning and evening are cool. There is noticeably less sunshine. Nature is beginning to rest. The autumn joy sedum are at their darkest red. The mums have burst forth into bloom. The ornamental kale reveals its true color.

¶ All of this means it’s time for the annual fall heating system check. That happened last week and this week was spent in picking up the pieces. Right after the furnace man was here the thermostat ceased to work. The same person replied to my complaint by showing up again. He claimed it was a connection not done correctly. Following his visit the thermostat went dead. Previously one could do some things like call for heat. Now nothing! Furnace man number 2 then responded to my SOS. He claimed everything was just fine except that the system didn’t work. After he left everything worked fine, once again. This is, obviouisly, one of the mysteries of the Age of Computers. I taught with a woman whose husband’s fix for most everything was to “let it sit.” In some cases that’s all one must do.

¶ This was chemo week and everything went smoothly. The pharmacy was very much on the ball and I was in and out in record time. Instead of the usual two week break I will have three weeks due to the annual pilgrimage held in Sheboygan, WI, bratwurst capitol of the USA, if not of the world! Friends from the Denver area and North Carolina will be part of the crowd. It is a joyous reunion time as well as being prayerful. A full report will no doubt be given next week. ¶ Again, one of the autumn tasks is the evacuation of the sprinkler system. All of the water must be blown out so it doesn’t freeze and crack the pipes. The technician arrived early yesterday morning and went to work. It’s all done outside the house, but there is some noise carried into the house by the pipes. Sophia found the strange noises to be very disconcerting. Rather than be a brave cat, she retreated to her favorite “hidey-hole” until the whole thing passed. Cats definitely do not like things out of the usual.

¶ She’s recovering nicely and I will also as soon as the nap is completed. Tonight is the first symphony concert of the season so I am looking forward to that. ¶ I hope you have a good week. Thanks again for your thoughts and prayers. Thanks for all you do for others. Have a good week.