The Blue Night

These photos were definitely taken last night.  Today has been a very different day, weatherwise.

The keeper came home last night and ran off to the gym after she bought all of my premium cat food and hygiene supplies at Mud Bay.  She tells me I have a higher standard of living than she does. 

But rather than fret about my bills she fell in love with the sky over the lake and the moon watching over them all.  I have to admit that it looks pretty enchanting, especially today.

Birthday Dinner for An Older Friend

The very busy weekend ended at our friends' house where Steve was celebrating his birthday. Three generations celebrated his effervescent presence.

It Has Begun at Home Too!

We decided to get a little head start on preparing our home for Easter as well, since the Keeper had the time. I reminded her that she needs to change the purple cloth. 

It Has Begun!

Today she was at the cathedral for the big Passion Sunday festivities.

They processed, sang, blessed palms today. She also read the part of the Crowd in the Passion reading. It was a joyful beginning to Holy Week.

In Bothell

After the retreat was done she stopped in Bothell to buy some plants for her planters. She hadn't been to Bothell in a year and was amazed at the growth of the construction in town.  She also  ran into parishioners at the parish where her office had been located.

In Snohomish

The keeper left e early on Saturday and headed up to the Snohomish Valley which was very beautiful.

She stayed there all day to give a retreat to two parishes. She liked the stained glass window in the Chapel of Reservation. She also liked the way many other  parish members came together to clean and prepare the Church for Holy Week.  They were washing pews, painting new crosswalks outside, hanging banners, cancelling carpets allday long.

In the Neighborhood

The evening was so warm and beautiful the keeper took a long walk to the lake!

At the Capitol

The keeper and District 32 headed to visit their Senator and Reps, chasing up and down stairs, sidewalks with 600 plus other advocates.

At St. Mike's

St. Mike's hosted the opening part of the day. Talks about the issues, the Hunthausen Award for Marian  Malonson, and Mass.

To Olympia

We all got up early and she left much earlier than usual for Advocacy Day in Olympia.

The drive down brought great views and good traffic.

Return of the Van of Repentant Sinners

They had been missing in action for a few seasons. Their absence was noted.

Tonight they came in several vans for a lovely healing evening at the Cathedral.

The keeper has known this crowd for many years and was happy to see them.

A View from TheTop of the Hill

I was waiting at home trying to decide whether or not to ration my remaining food.

Meanwhile, she was enjoying a brief dinner with friends at Skyline.

What I Do All Day

I live like a monk. A very contemplative life. I don't work much, though.

That's the keeper's domain. But I sit on this perch a lot, watch Hunter and that gray cat sneaking in to the yard. I watch the hummingbirds at the feeder and the other birds, including that noisy Bluejay family at the suet blocks. I watch the squirrels drain the hummingbird feeders in several gulps and shake the suet out the feeder onto the ground. They are such smart bullies. And when the keeper gets home I try to tell her all these things.  But really, for one who is generally adept with language, she sure doesn't understand mine. She thinks every meow means "Feed me!" She misses so much.

Happy Spring!

Spring arrived with rain and chilly winds.

The keeper went to the gym instead of hanging outside tonight.

Now we are watching Nebraska, which is boring.

Feast of San Jose

Yesterday we celebrated the Feast of St. Joseph, a very pragmatic dreamer.

The keeper is a dreamer, and I make sure she is pragmatic.

Cabrini Graduation

This week she came home most nights at the appropriate feeding time. But not on Wednesday.

No, Wednesday was graduation night for Cabrini. She told me that she was just going to the liturgy and greet the folks she had supported, but she ran into former parishioners celebrating as well as a few dozen other friends. You ask why I look a little thin? I use up a lot of energy fretting about her erratic schedule! 

Moon at Morning

This morning as I was helping the keeper fetch the paper, and we both looked up to find that the moon had not yet set. It was a lovely sight. It was way too stormy to see it rise last eve. She thought it was an omen of a good day. It was.

VMH Pets

Virginia Mason Rehab floor has a whole bulletin board dedicated to the floor staff's pets.  I told the keeper that is a wonderful idea which might help other organizations' staff seem more interesting too. 

Laetare Rainy Sunday

It's a good day for the blooms.

Home at Last

What  a perfect day to sit in the living room and read the newspapers and New Yorker and The Tablet and all of the blogs and drink tea.

Irish Breakfast

Even the Lord Mayor of GalwayCity attended!

Irish Breakfasting

The keeper was gone all of the morning and spent a good part of the afternoon working on a Pancake Breakfast to benefit the Solanus Casey Center. Towards the end of the event it became a pancake -less breakfast but the potatoes and sausages were great. 

The Irish Gathered all Day and Night Long

It seems it was a day of gathering and celebrating for the Irish and the marginally so.  After celebrating the German Irish Jesuit Prophet, the keeper flitted in to feed me and prepare her dishes for two more celebrations. She visited with the wonderful early guests at the first and gobbled up Joseph's Hors d' oeuvres before heading to the next event, with more Irish people and their marginally Irish friends who are getting older.

The Communion of Saints Just Got Way More Interesting!

Fr. Bix's send off was worthy of a prophet. About a thousand people, and those that didn't fit in the Church went to the tent. Pat Twohy gave a luminous homily. And the people said Amen for a few hours of prayer together. It was a perfect St. Leo's liturgy!

Bix Lives and So Do His Friends!

 The keeper told me that she saw friends from 25 plus years ago, and yes, they all looked a little older too. Buddhist monks, priests, ex-JV's, sisters,Catholic Workers, and so many more...

Friday Lent III

This is what I observed while she was at her office.

The blossoming!

Pay attention, 

be amazed, 

tell about it!

Mary Oliver