Wisterial Evening

Tonight the keeper did not go to the gym but stayed with me and enjoyed the wonderful fragrance of the wisteria on the deck. It is climbing all over and brings us all kinds of hummingbirds. I get to watch the birds and the visiting cats.

Breathing the Water

You guessed it. Another late evening. I suspected so by the way she left this morning. I saved some food in the event she would be late. She came home earlier than I anticipated because she bypassed the after party at the Sorrento. I was appreciative.  The cause of all the excitement was the poet  Denise Levertov who used to attend St. T on occasion. Tonight Rebeca and Patty B led a session on the poet with reading, discussion, and a nice crowd. 

Good Shepherd Week

The keeper collects images of the Good Shepherd.

This is the Good Shepherd she keeps on her desk. She found her in Santa Fe where many of the shepherds are  women. And when she found her, she thought in an upstart way, "Why  not? How many places throughout the world have women shepherds  (of real sheep)?" I tried to add comments about  ecclesial shepherds, but thought better of it.

Remembering Mary Elizabeth

Today, 10 years ago the keeper and her siblings buried their mother Mary Elizabeth after a few days of vacation in her honor with a special celebration at Cannon Beach. This would have been her 101st birthday today.

Dogwood Day

This afternoon the keeper got back into her long walking habit.
It became immediately obvious that she is not in the best of shape at the beginning of the season.
So she huffed along. But the dogwood was the main attraction today.

However, the mountain was not. It went and hid, but if you look closely you can see the base with snow.

Cloud Mountains

Tonight she came home to find Jesus working in the yard.  They are concocting a new plan for the back yard where even moss cannot stay alive. Stay tuned.  But after conferring with Jesus ( and feeding me because I was quite obnoxious) she headed to the gym with all the others who have boring Friday eves. On her way home she said she had to stop the car, jump out and capture the mountainous clouds rising over the forest like tidal waves.

A Visit with the Senior FIS Analyst

The keeper doesn't usually haunt the O'Brien Building at SU since she is not a sports fan, nor a ROTC fan, nor does she have much need to meddle with SU finances. But today was an unusual day and she needed to deal with finance. But who did she meet at the back of the building, but the Senior FIS Analyst whom she knows from the Cathedral.  He guided her through the labyrinth and then she checked out his commodious office. He described his portion of the building as where dreams die. But he  says the sports people keep the bean counters jovial and the military science folks keep them secure.  Not a bad mix.

The Dinner Speaker

She stayed home with me this morning, in between going to the gym and sitting at the computer finishing  a talk for a dinner.

Well, they ate dinner which was good, but  more like a continental lunch---around three. She was scheduled to give the talk as soon as they finished eating. She didn't want to put them to sleep. They seemed to like it, but she was exhausted and ready to sleep herself once it was done.  I was happy to see her and while I ate my dinner at the usual hour, she watched Call the Midwife. It was a very short weekend,

Poverty Workshop

Today I was abandoned for a Poverty Workshop where people who are not poor get to find out what it is like to be poor. Even one hour can be transformative.  The keeper played the role of a rent collector.

The emcee stood under the painting of her great uncle to brief all of the resource workers.

Sarah was the pawn broker who sold guns and bling.

Tom and Patty ran the quick cash store.

The families had to figure out ways to survive for a week in thirteen minute intervals.

Struggling to Survive

In the Poverty Workshop family groups had to find work, transportation, and find funds to pay rent, utilities, food, take care of children.  This family finally paid their rent at the last minute with some difficulty.

This family thought they had it made until they realized there was no record of their rent payment. However the rent collector relented and did not evict them.

This family faced CPS troubles for neglect, leaving their three year old sister at home all day.

The social service staff told of how hard it was to work with so few resources
 for so many people in need.

Wisteria

It is beautiful, although it makes me sneeze. 

Dinner for Peace and Justice

She spent the morning at home with me. We did not interact. But it was good knowing she was there. I slept and watched birds.  She wrote a talk. But of course this ended when she went off to a lunch meeting and to the office. But  instead of rushing home she spent the evening with the Catholics at the Greek Orthodox Church. She saw many people who are also friends of mine.  No one told her to rush home and feed me. This was disappointing. 

Circulos

AS you may know, the keeper travels in a variety of circles.

Here is a small portion of the Women's Justice Circle who created the first Spanish language anti bullying campaign for parents in our area. She worked with them until she started up with the circle of her great colleagues below who are trying to change the world and transform unjust and inhumane structures in many different arenas.

April

Today was a difficult day at the office the keeper said.  One of the co-workers left.

She said  the hardest part of spring ,a time when new life emerges and things seem to signal hope,    is when things fall apart despite all the beauty and bright colors.

Yet, when she came home and the beautiful flowers and I welcomed her. We had no bad news here. 

She agreed that we were balm for  a brutal kind of day.

She Came Home Before 7!

 It was only 6:30. I  heard a car in the driveway.  It was not the UPS truck.  

It was not Jesus's distinctive truck sound. It wasn't ML.  No,  it was the RAV 4! 

I could barely believe my eyes. Sure enough, she emerged. It seems Evening Prayer with Communion is much faster. And Seattle public schools are on vacation. No traffic. So I dined earlier than usual.

She didn't.  She went to the gym. So I still haven't even smelled the salmon she hid in the fridge last night. I may have to wait til tomorrow to beg for that.

The Professors Go Back to School

Today was a perfect day for an all day faculty meeting and afternoon in the computer lab for the keeper and her colleagues at SU.

They plotted out four quarters worth of homework for 7 classes so students would be able to manage it.  They bargained over due dates.

Then they went to a class on how to prepare online learning modules.  The name of the computer lab is appropriate: COPE.



They learned how to install modules and create voice thread discussions and more.



They were quite impressed with themselves at the end of the very long day.

At the Lake

The keeper left me this morning to go to Bellevue to help lead a retreat for a wonderful group of women and one wonderful man. The weather did not waver until the whole event was over. She noted that one of our blog readers is in the group. 

I am told that it smelled like damp earth, laurel flowers, cedar, wind, and grass. They weren't visited by any eagles this time. But the views were magical.

Demoted!

We received an email from Starbucks. A demotion!

It's all because we have a Nespresso machine now. I wonder if they will let her back into the stores.

Octave of Easter

I asked the keeper why she hadn't put away the Easter eggs.

She told me that we are observing the Octave of Easter. I asked her why there were no chocolate eggs. She said she thought we were both getting fat and should skip the this year.

Easter Dinner

She also went to dinner

and waddled in the door quite late. I could smell ham, halibut, and a lot of salads. 

She also had proof that she had partaken of the macarons and other sweet delights. It sounds like they had a very joyous time. 

And the moon rose over Shilshole and the Canal as Easter Sunday called it a day.

More Easter Celebrations

This afternoon, after a nice sunny lazy morning with her, she 
left me and went to Vespers and more Mass

She met Isabella and her parents from Mexico. 

It was pretty beautiful, I admit.

The Easter Breakfast

This Russian painting hangs over our dining room table.

We believe it is a touchstone of hope for every morning.

Pay attention.

Be astonished.

Tell about it.

Mary Oliver

Although, truth be told, our breakfast this mornng was not as grand as this.  

But she did have a scone, and I had two kinds of cat food  mixed together. 

Go and Tell His Disciples

"He is going before you to Galilee;

there you will see him, as he told you." 

Chilly SpringLight

The chilly Easter moon lit their way home as did the new light in the hearts.

Happy Easter!