An Evening at Piatti

The keeper flew in from work, fed me, and left again to meet her friend and mine, MKD, at Piatti in the Village.They had a grand time, lots of pasta and pizza, and of course, gelato. MKD is starting to fade by the dessert course, it looks like!

The Mail of a Person Growing Older

The keeper brought the mail inside and laughed as she threw it all on the floor! AARP!

Medicare! Medicare! and to top it off, The National Cremation Society! And in case she lives long enough, another chance to win the Publishers Clearinghouse Sweepstakes! This is becoming an average pile of daily mail here. I think she needs to make friends who send cards!

She thought this was a perfect conclusion to a day which took 140 minutes to drive 12 miles to her office this morning. 

'Tis Himself!

The keeper left the house this morning and spent at least 1/2 of the day at a funeral for a very fine man who anointed all with the oil of gladness, as the homilist shared.

She came home and told me she had always been inspired by this man's life while he lived, but he seemed like he would live forever. But with his death, the reality sinks in. Here was someone, who as Proverbs says, could "laugh at the days to come", and laugh he did! and laugh, did everyone else. Someone who did not take himself seriously and yet lived out of a profound faith and trust in God.

The Church gathered in all of its integrity and  diversity. All the saints! I understand the funeral was with a retired governor, a mayor, and a packed Cathedral, with all of God's holy people from near and far. There was Irish music, Gospel music, and singing music.  There were stories that evoked laughter which became tears. It was a great reunion---lay folk, ordained, women religious. There was simplicity and integrity. There was bread and wine, presence and mystery, right and left, conservative, traditional, radical. There was a Republican reception---with wine!

The keeper was heard to say, "Oh, happy day! Oh Michael, we will miss you, but we must honor you with lives more like yours!"

Visiting Northgate Vet

When she returned from the North Country, she popped out my carrier.  I was nervous.  We went to the place I do not like--Northgate Vet.  I had a checkup.  I had gained a pound. That is good.  They trimmed my Captain Hook claws. And I came home with new pills which I am not supposed to know about, but I know she put them in my chicken tonight.  I also learned that I have been  a benefit to veterinary science: because of me they changed  testing procedures there, since they didn't diagnose my problem for seven years. Now every cat gets the test I finally got, which has led to my healing. 

Visiting STM in Lynnwood

The keeper left me this morning and headed to Snohomish County and she met with people. But she ended her meetings with a visit to the Parish garden in Lynnwood which provides fresh vegetables for the food banks there. Lots of people have a hand in helping it all grow.

Camino Memorial Day

The flowers became more luminous with every mile of the walk.

Memorial Day at Acacia

I will have to admit I don't understand it much, but the keeper has a great fascination with cemeteries 

(and death).  She likes visiting them. She has some Irish blood, but not that much. Maybe it's just her work.  Or maybe it is just her age.

But today is Memorial Day and after planting and weeding for hours outside, she decided to relax by going on a rather long walk to the Lake and back.  It started at Acacia Cemetery where lots of people were decorating graves.  She only knows one person at Acacia who is in a crypt, but she was not a veteran. But still the clumps of people placing flags and flowers, young, old, some with walkers, wheelchairs, others with pets, all made for a touching part of the walk. 

LFP Sunday Market

The flowers at the Sunday market are becoming more spectacular each week.

Iris

The  irises are spectacular right now. The keeper was telling me about how she loves 

their oh, so subtle fragrance.  She says it takes her right back 50 plus years ago to the irises growing in the gardens on the banks of the Columbia River.  They were a signal that school vacation was near.

Celebration

After, they celebrated with lunch.

Blessing with Friends

 The keeper was invited to help some wonderful friends bless their new work space. They covered every inch of warehouse and office space with water, light, incense.  They gathered with employees and prayed for all of the lives brought together across oceans and continents by this business. 

Monday Night at the Movies

Tonight it was The Passion of St. Joan.  She liked it.  I would have preferred Aristocats but we know I have no vote.

Evening Camino

Tonight's walk was a celebration of  Monet color and subtle fragrance.

Back to LFP Farmers' Market

It was a wonderful day to welcome the farmers back and the musicians and the dogs!

View a Little Lower

Good Night!

View at 30,000 feet

She came home to me out of the sky and  after 36 hours of being awake, we are retiring early, I am told.

Weaving New Networks of Cousins

There were eulogies,

heartfelt funny stories,

reminiscences, gratitude,

connections with cousins and children of cousins,

lots of love and thanksgiving for the amazing bonds they share.

Celebrating Aunt Ruth

She left me at 3:30 this morning for the airport to catch the first flight to the East Bay.I understand that four generations gathered in Lafayette from lots of places to celebrate Aunt Ruth with words, tears, rich foods, good wines and general conviviality. She tells me she met a second cousin, and reconnected with lots of Clemens cousins and their children and children's children. She met her cousin's patients who were all friends of his mother. She met golfers and bridge players and talked a lot about Pope Francis. She thinks Aunt Ruth and Uncle Sam would have been very proud of their work.

Opera Night

Well, she left me again for the opera with W.  She came home saying she loved Act One, Act Two dragged a bit, and Act Three picked up. I hear the singers were spectacular, as were the sets. It was also Speight's last opera, so some extra farewells. 

I am also thinking she is leaving for another place, she has a little bag packed but not a big one. 

And she isnt going to bed. I heard her say she will be back tomorrow night.  What will this bring? 

Missing HRH Lord Cecil

Tonight when the keeper finally got home, I went out while she pulled weeds and filled up the hummingbird feeders. I sat on the deck which needs to be finished (by the way) and thought about my friend Cecil.  We used to sit on the old deck together in the sun, watch the bugs, the birds, and the fat squirrels stealing the birds' food. We didn't have to say much to each other, we just liked sharing the same space.

The keeper is not as fun a companion as Cecil.  She always has something like a paper or a book in her hand and doesn't like me bothering her. I do miss Cecil. I think she does too. I saw her talking to the plant over his grave tonight.

Oh Bella!

La Bella Luna has returned to us on this beautiful night!

She let me stay out and look at it til I got lonely. We both sighed and thought of Stassi and Cecil who loved the moon as well.

Mother's Day Camino

Good news!  Yesterday the keeper came home to me after an interesting liturgy at the Cathedral.

Then she went for a long walk to the lake and was smitten by flowers all the way along. But she returned to me and I accompanied her as she pulled out all the weeds in the little side yard. It was a nice time to bond and it seemed like she worked out a lot of stress ripping out every last one of those monstrous weeds. We even had time for dinner together. And no, I didn't get her a gift or a card. She didn't even seem to mind!

Home Sweet Home

Hi, everyone, I think my keeper is racing a little too much. I want you to know that I have bonded with the woman who cleans our house.  She seems much happier to see me than the keeper who is always in a rush.  By the way she left me very early this morning to go to a retreat center where she was leading a retreat for sisters. I hear it was good. But she didn't have time to take pictures of the eagles and the lake. However, she did decide to stay home with me tonight for a change and finally noticed how beautiful all the flowers are in our yard. I have been trying to tell her, but she is always in a hurry. I was proud of the fact that she cancelled an event tonight.  Unusually sane for her. We are re-bonding by watching Kinky Boots and eating pepperoni pizza!

The Garden Path

Jesus and Douglas started laying the stones for the garden path in the back. The deck will look nice with it someday!

Morning amusement

A nice way to start a Monday morning commute downtown!

Blue Dress Fashion Show

She left me very early on Tuesday for a breakfast at SU for St. V deP. There was also a thrift store fashion show with designer clothes found at the stores.