The celebration of the Easter Sunday Eucharist with most of my family (Kate was in Boston) was an incredibly moving moment for me. With the first notes of the trumpet accompanying the organ at St. Boniface, I knew I had found my way back where I belonged. Fr. Bob Romano, our pastor and a marvelous homilist (you can tell he actually spends time preparing for what he is going to say) truly touched a nerve when he spoke of how we are all on the road to Galilee - now - just like the disciples of 2000 years ago. (It was ironic to me that the new Archbishop of NY, Timothy Dolan spoke of the road to Emmaus in his homily on Wednesday!) I must admit that I was not up to all the Holy Week services as sometimes I am hit with horrific fatigue and other discomforts which negate my leaving the house. However, I did spend time in prayer and meditation and watched the services broadcast from our local cathedral, St. Agnes on the religion channel. Spiritually, I feel renewed.
This weekend, Agnes Rose had her first sleepover at our house. Joe and Karen went to a wedding and Jack and I had the opportunity to enjoy the little one. Crone Eileen came over Saturday afternoon and we had tea and watched Agnes play outside. Jack managed to find a Fisher Price picnic table and benches (all attached) and Agnes enjoyed sitting at the table. Fortunately , Eileen is lightweight enough to sit on the bench with her. Me, I'd send her sailing through the air as the bench collapsed! We explored the few Grecian wildflowers that are growing and Jack picked a beautiful magnolia blossom for Agnes to smell. I wish I had a camera at that moment because the child did not care for the scent at all! Where is her southern blood one might ask? I love the magnolia tree which is in full bloom but will be in ruins tomorrow as we are expecting heavy rains today.
Easter Week was a mixture of joy and sorrow for me. The good news is that Scott and Andrea sent out their wedding invitations and I hope their lives are blessed with joy. The bad news is that my friend and mentor, Patricia Campbell Horton, passed away from cancer on Holy Saturday. Pat truly encouraged me to write; gave me my first official, paid, writing job for a local paper and then hired me when she and Kevin started their own paper. I gave it up when I started writing more at work and Kate had her surgery and all in all, it just got to be too much to hit a weekly deadline with two columns. I would not be doing this blog if not for Pat. The problem with the columns is that I was limited to what I could say. I like this blogging business because I am in charge of what I can say or not say! Anyway, I hope she is resting in peace as she had a tough time with her cancer. I will say, she was one of the most intriguing, hilarious and brilliant people that ever walked this earth. A genuine, first class, character! And boy, am I glad I got to know her and felt she respected me as much as I did her. Pat asked for no funeral or service or any kind. She just wants those who knew her to write to her grandchildren and tell them some memories of life with Pat. I will tend to this soon - there seems so many stories to tell!
Joe is picking me up in a little while as I am going into Brooklyn to babysit while he sings in the Oratorio at Carnegie Hall tonight. Jack will join me later. This way, Karen can go to the concert and we can play with our baby doll some more. She is so good for us - almost like she knows we are taking the refresher course in child rearing!
I'd also like to send a big shout out and hug and kiss to our cousin Patty who is an inspiration to me....and also nags me when I am late getting a blog out. She should have been a newspaper editor!
Believe! Hope!
As always, love from me to you!
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