1. Happy Feast Day! Our pastor did something cool he's not done before. He brought all the parish relics out and put them on display so we could see them after Mass. I know the saints are always present with us at Mass, but it felt like they were "extra" there. Rather, the presence of relics of saints from all different time periods made the Communion of Saints through time and history more present. We have a relic of St. Jerome in the altar, and then in reliquaries were St. Maria Goretti, St. Catherine Laboure, St. Paul, St. Anthony of Padua, one of the St. Teresa's (her name was too bunched up to see) and someone else I've forgotten. (Sorry, St!)
2. Halloween: I neglected to take pictures, but we had two Doctors Who, each with sonic screwdrivers. Middle Weed was #9, as you could tell from his leather jacket. Youngest Weed was #10, as you could tell from his sticking-up hair. Girl Weed made a fine Katniss. Eldest Weed dressed as Teen Who Has Outgrown Halloween, and his costume was probably the most accurate. Some of his friends came to the door dressed as Jesus, Legolas and assorted other elves. They kept Jesus hidden and asked E.W. if he'd met Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Then Jesus popped out to shake hands, bless people (and accept candy).
3. Our dog worships me. This was unplanned. He was obtained to be the BOYS' dog. I had goofy kodak moments of boy and dog puppy piles and lots of giggling in mind. However, this pound hound is a beagle breed and beagles (who knew?) apparently love and bond with women. So he's happy to be outside with any of his various masters, but at home, he follows me from room to room as I go about my business (and with his eyes when he's in the same room with me), cries (and beagles do sound like they're crying) if he's prevented from being with me, and if he's snuggled beside me, will growl at anyone who tries to remove him from my exalted presence. If I'm away, he digs something of mine out of the clothes hamper and naps on top of it, and when I return, he hears my car pull up while I'm still outside and starts yowling with excitement.
At last someone who understands my true worth! If only he did not think of rolling in carrion as an authentic liturgical practice in the cult of me.
4. Proofs of God's Non-Existence. Apologetics for Snarky People. I like it.
5. From Proofs to Prufrock. I also like this.
6. I want to do a Potpourri of Popery, but can't envision when I'll have the time. So meanwhile, read this. Pope Francis' address to a convention of catechists. Pure Francis: insightful, charming, challenging. And send it to anyone who tries to tell you the pope's a "liberal" in the nuns-on-the-bus sense.
7. I am trying to learn French. Don't ask me why I am taking up a new language rather than fully mastering the others I sort of speak. I just am. I have a long commute in the morning now, so have time for a lesson a day. Got the Pimsleur CDs from the library, and they are really well done --and once you get to talking a bit, the dialogues are wryly amusing, so the classes are very enjoyable. My pronunciation is awful. I keep trying to Italianize everything, I can't get used to grunting for some sounds, the half-swallowed "r" sound defeats me and I can't make myself say "si'l vous plait," for some reason. It always comes out either "per piacere" or "por favor." But it has made French movies more enjoyable, so that's something.
Have a great weekend! Check out other Quick Takes at Jen's place.
