Deep Dale Vacation 2013

Deep Dale Vacation 2013, a set on Flickr.

For several years now our family has had a little reunion at my mom's house (which we call "Deep Dale") around the July 4th Holiday. This year the gathering was especially poignant because my mom is selling the house (which my Great-Grandfather built) and moving to Virginia. As you can see, between my two sisters and their families, Henry, and the cousins stopping by, there was lots of kid-energy going on!

Time Off

This past week (since my last post) was supposed to be time off, but of course I find it difficult to disengage from the parish. There was a lot to do, still, at the church. I had to make the leaflet for Pentecost and I had a Corporation meeting and a few urgent e-mails and phone calls to deal with. Also urgent was getting the Kirby 23 (which we've decided to name "Knot Here" rather than "Redemption Song") up-to-snuff before Dave, our skipper, leaves on vacation. That required fixing a small leak, installing a bilge pump, and getting necessary safety gear, etc. It wasn't until Saturday that I was finally able to actually sail her for the first time.

It was "Sailpast," the day when the club officially kicks off the season with ceremonial salutes back and forth between boats and the Commodore of the Club. We "Dressed" both Dragonfly and Knot Here with colorful flags and had BBQ. I was managing Henry on my own, which was a bit of a challenge, but we did it. Here are two pictures to give a sense of what this was all like:

"Knot Here" Dressed for Sailpast

Henry enjoying the feeling of speed on the water

The first sail was exhilarating. Charles--one of my mates--and I took her out with Henry and Charles' friend Audrey. I've "driven" boats before, but this was the first time I've done so as the primary guy in charge (Charles doesn't have his boating license yet). I have to say that it was easier than I expected. Motoring was a piece of cake and then sailing was lovely. She's responsive and fun and I can't wait to take her out again! We are doing a re-naming and blessing ceremony on Victoria Day (tomorrow) so my plan is to go for a sail then.

One of my big questions about "Knot Here" is whether she could be single-handed. In mild to moderate conditions: yes, easily. Now, whether I could do that with Henry also on board is another question. What happens in the extremely unlikely event that I get knocked overboard, for example? If I am by myself and in Toronto Harbour it's a short swim to shore and hopefully the boat won't hit anybody before it runs aground. But it could be quite dangerous for Henry to be alone on board in that kind of situation. So for the time being I think I need a buddy to go with me, just in case.

Today we had brunch with some friends and then went to church at St. George the Martyr. It was a nice service and I had some nice chats afterwards. Then it was home for naps, a bit of gardening, playtime with Henry, and other tasks.

This week I am heading off to Holy Cross for a Tuesday-Friday retreat. It's going to be rich and wonderful and challenging, I'm sure. Not least because it means leaving Betsy with Henry and no car for four days!

-t

Hawai'i 2011

Here are the still photos I've uploaded so far from the Hawai'i trip.

You can see the set on flikr here.




-t

A Brief Note from the Land of Paternity

Yep, I'm still alive. But this summer I haven't been in a space that really facilitates blogging. Which is too bad, since I've got a lot of blog material piling up in my brain. But I find that blogging is tied to my preaching, so since I'm not preaching this summer I'm not spending time in the head space that leads to blogging.


This summer has been wonderful--three whole months off to be with Henry and to visit family and give Betsy a chance to get back on track with her studies. It's going remarkably well, and our little guy is growing into a champ. We dragged him to NJ, PA, DC, Calgary, and Banff! He did great, which means he probably will have some of his parents' wander-lust. I think, from our experience, that the key to travelling with an infant is to relax and adapt. Adapt, adapt, adapt. Sometimes I find myself thinking, "Where can I change Henry," even when he isn't with me.

People always want to know how he is sleeping. Lately (the past few months) his sleeping has really settled down into a nice pattern. Unless he has a cold or is teething, he will typically go to sleep at around 8:30 PM and wake up at 3:00 AM. Then Betsy will nurse him and he'll sleep again from about 3:30 until 7 AM. We do the morning routine and then he'll have a mid-morning nap (for about an hour) and a longer mid-afternoon nap. Our pediatrician has recommended giving him only water at the nighttime feeding to get him out of that habit, but we aren't quite there yet.

It's interesting to talk to other parents and realize that people get quite passionate about how they get their children to sleep at night. I've heard several couples talk about the "Cry-it-out" method as painful but ultimately worth it. We did the opposite and seemed to have fine results, which just goes to show that parents should simply do the research and pick their strategy and make it work.

Speaking of Henry's sleep patterns... It may not be very PC of him, but he really likes furs. Someone (CK) gave us a sheep skin for his crib. It is similar to the ones sold at Ikea, but this one can be machine washed at home. It's brilliant. Henry loves the soft feeling of the sheep fur under him and we believe it does a good job of keeping him warm when it's cold and dry when it's warm. There is something primal about putting your baby to sleep on an animal skin that appeals to me, too.

When we visited the Glenbow Museum in Calgary we let Henry touch a buffalo skin they had out as part of a hands-on fur-trade exhibit. His eyes lit up immediately with him favourite texture--softness. I thought it would be very cool to have a whole buffalo-skin rug to put down on the floor for him to play on, but then I discovered that these suckers cost about a $1,000! My David Thompson and Charlotte Small fantasies of Canadian child-rearing ended there.

Side note for non-Canadians: David Thompson was a great explorer and surveyor of the Canadian West. He mapped out 3.9 million square kilometres of wild frontier with nothing more than compass, watch, sextant, thermometer, and a nautical almanac. His journeys make Lewis and Clark look like silly boys on a late night, suburban Taco Bell run. Even more remarkably, David Thompson's half-Indian wife, Charlotte Small, came with him on many of these journeys and bore him 13 children along the way. Think about that... thirteen children while travelling 3.5 times as far as the Lewis and Clark Expedition. They were married for 58 years before he died, which is the longest marriage on record in pre-confederation Canada. She died a few months after him.

Right now I'm reading a biography of David Thompson called Epic Wanderer: David Thompson and the Mapping of the Canadian West by D'Arcy Jenish. It's a good read that gives you a sense of what the 18th and early 19th Century fur-trade in Colonial Canada was like. I am particularly fascinated with the details of how they managed to live on the frontier as well as what relations with the First Nations were like ("complex" probably sums up both). Anyway, a good summer read if you into that kind of history.

We've been going to a bunch of a different churches since we've had time off from Messiah. I'm looking forward to writing about that experience. I found our visits to non-Anglican churches particularly valuable. Stay tuned!

-t

Back

After England went to NJ, DC, NY state, and then back to Toronto. It's been a crazy time for travelling and I'm only now beginning to relax.

Here's a funny facebook moment I saw reported on Huffington Post:


-t

Orpington

The retreat was great. It wrapped up in fine style this morning after Mattins. Both the Cathedral Clergy and the Guest Lodge Staff went out of their way to give us fond farewells. I have a lot of memories and stories, and I look forward to a moment when I am relaxed enough to tell them. As it was, I spent much of the day traveling from Canterbury up to London and then down to a town on the outskirts of London called Orpington. I'm staying with a ministry friend and his wife until Friday.

Tomorrow I'm meeting with Rachel Jordon from Church House and some of her colleagues to talk about church-y stuff--Fresh Expressions and Pioneer Ministry and Missional Church, etc. Then I might do a little sight-seeing. The short list of places to visit Wednesday and Thursday includes the Tate Modern, Lambeth Palace, the National Portrait Gallery, Covent Garden, and the British Museum. Of course, I won't be able to hit all of those in two days without a severe brain-sprain, so I'll pick two or three and see how it goes.

On Monday I was wandering around the cloister with Bede when we noticed a door that said, "Private - Archdeacon's Garden." Bede stooped down and peered through the key hole. Like many of the doors around the Cathedral, it still has one of those old fashioned locks with the big key-holes. As he was gazing in, one of the workman came up behind us, "No need for that! Here, have a proper look 'round." With that he unlocked the door with an impressive set of keys and swung it open. He invited us to step just across the threshold and explained the different ruins and houses we could see. He was genial and warm and obviously enjoyed our interest.

Now, he didn't know we were part of a retreat group, we were just curious visitors so far as he knew. And he wasn't a steward, verger, or cleric. He was simply one of the maintenance staff who went out of his way to show two visitors a little something special. As I said to Bede as we walked away, "At Canterbury, curiosity is rewarded." There is a spirit of generous hospitality that has totally imbued the place at all levels.

When we told this story to one of the Canons, she explained that most of the staff were actually non-Christian, yet they are also fiercely loyal to the Cathedral and believe in its mission. They are enormously proud and want to share what they have with others. Time and again this was referred to as the influence of the Benedictine virtue of hospitality. The Rule of Benedict says that all visitors are to be treated as Christ.

The Verger who took us up to the Organ Loft above the Quire Screen on Sunday told us about what Canterbury means to him. He finds meeting people from all over the world incredibly rewarding, but he also is honored to be part of an institution that has done this ministry of welcome for hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of years. He explained that he had been initiated into the Cathedral Foundation as a special ceremony in which is name was inscribed in a special book. He beamed as he talked about his work.

When I get back to Toronto I want to write a long-ish letter to the Dean to compliment various people who were particularly friendly and helpful. I hope it's the sort of letter that ends up in personnel files.

I'm already missing the place. I'm thinking of the Canons waiting by the exit from the Quire to say goodbye to us as we left Mattins to go to breakfast. Some places just feel like home, yeah know?

-t

Betsy's Return

Yesterday Betsy's flight was delayed many times. She didn't finally step through the sliding glass doors of international arrivals at Toronto Pearson until about 12:10 A.M. last night! I greeted her there with a poster that said "Yeah Betsy!" and had various slogans on it like, "It's all Greek to her," and "The icon of loveliness," and so forth. We were both utterly exhausted when we got home, so both decided to take it easy today. I have a couple of things to do at work, but have basically decided that this morning belonged to me and the wife and I haven't seen in nearly two months!

Anyway, we are safe and sound and together again. When I left her Betsy was alternating between light housework and watching some talk show called "Motherhood."

Today I've got an ARC meeting. And have been fielding a few e-mails and phone calls.

-t

Home

It was a brief but nice stay in New Jersey. My mom had some of her friends over for a baby shower in our honour. My sister, brother-in-law, and their son were able to make it over from Manhattan. My other sister and her family, however, were unable to make it due to illness. Betsy and I received some nice gifts, including a "Moses Basket" that will go great in my office. There we some baby clothes, too, and a nice go-bag for daddy.

It was important to me to go to St. John's on Sunday. This is my "home" parish--the one that sponsored me for ordination some years ago. Right now they have a priest-in-charge while they figure out whether they can afford a full-time Rector. Like many parishes, they are dealing with the fact that the neighbourhood has changed dramatically since the parish was founded in the 1850's by British immigrants brought in to work the mines. These days Dover, the town, is largely spanish-speaking. The previous Rector, Maggie, established a spanish language service in the afternoon, but it is not yet self-sustaining financially.

My mom had told the priest-in-charge that I would be coming on Sunday morning, but I didn't plan or wearing a collar or participating in the service except as a parishioner. I wore my Utilikilt and a white oxford with the sleeves rolled up. Needless to say, I was the most comfortable person sitting in that unairconditioned old building! At the peace Fr. John asked whether I wanted to come to the chancel. I agreed and went up, assuming that I just be a communion minister distributing the sacraments. As we got to the altar he said, "you do the wine and I'll do the bread?"

"Sure," I said, still thinking about distributing them.

"Ok, in that case I'll say the prayers from the Sursum Corda through the words of institution for the bread, and then you can take it from there to the Lord's Prayer."

"Oh!" now it struck me that he wanted to me co-celebrate with him. I excused myself momentarily to go to the sacristy to get a stole. I'm sure I looked kind of odd in my white oxford, gray kilt, sandals, and green stole! Oh, well!

As it happened, Fr. John was using "Rite I Holy Eucharist"--which my Canadian parishioners would recognize as being similar, but not the same, as the 1929 Prayerbook. I haven't said this Rite in probably 6 years! Remarkably, however, it was still in my head. I was able to read through the difficult Elizabethan style language with hardly a trip. All the while I kept thinking about Rowan Greer in seminary and trying to remember the manual gestures he would do with this prayer.

I've never done co-celebration like this. The usual pattern is more like "concelebration" in which the Assisting priests join the Presider in saying the words of institution in unison. We used to do this at St. Mary Magdalene's, for example. I'd have to check with my liturgy wonk friends about the pros and cons of the two styles.

Interestingly, the choreography at the altar was very smooth. Fr. John pointed to the text so I wouldn't loose my place (a very nice courtesy for the Presider), and when we switched off being in front of the altar it was quick and smooth. And the more conservative liturgy minds out there will appreciate that St. John's uses an East-facing (priest's back to the people) altar. After the service people said they really appreciated seeing me celebrate. It was special for me, too.

Bede came down from the monastery. He has known my family for a long time, so he enjoyed catching up with my mom. He headed off to New York after visiting with us to see two of the brothers that live there.

On Tuesday I packed the car (fitting the shower gifts in meant unpacking everything and then repacking it). Eight hour drive from NJ to Toronto. I talked my way through the border without much fuss. The house was in good shape. Our housesitters did a good job of cleaning it in anticipation. The tomatoes on the back deck are almost ready for picking. My kitties we a little confused, but glad to see me.

Pizza for dinner. Fitful sleep (indigestion from eating beef jerky for lunch?). Got up early for the Contemplative Eucharist this morning.

Here is a wonder: my Contemplative Eucharist service has grown substantially in my absence! I had asked Anne Croswaith to do the service this last month and I'm really glad I did. Suddenly that service grew from three or four to seven or eight! Most of the new people are from a particular Centering Prayer group that has heard of what I'm doing. I'm very pleased to have them.

Today I've set up my computer again and am just settling in to answering e-mails and taking care of urgent projects. This PM I'll pick up Betsy from the airport.

Feels good to be back!

-t

Arrival in NJ

I managed to do a lot yesterday, but the amplifier is still not complete! Everything requiring a drill press on a table saw is done. Sawing 1/16 inch stainless steel sheet metal with a metal-cutting blade on a table saw is a pretty impressive sight. Lots of sparks! As far I can tell, the blade for this purpose is some kind of high-tech fiber with diamonds in it. Very cool. someday I would like to replace the stainless steel sheet with brass, but brass is a lot more expensive and difficult to find. I was frustrated that I didn't have enough time to finish the project, but I'll able to do that when I get home.

The final interview is done. I now have plenty of footage to put together some fantastic content. If I end up needing anything more, I can simply ask one of the monks to record it with their camera and send it to me. Several of the monks are interested in photography and I'm sure some stuff will come out of it.

Two of the monks and I met about the website I introduced them to the first, very basic iteration of the PHP-based content management tool I've been building. At this stage it's really just a web-based HTML editor. Not the most user-friendly thing on earth! I've been working on creating PHP functions that "read" (actually, "parse") the HTML content and present the data in a more friendly way, but it's pretty tedious work!

Still, at least the monks will be able to change the content without my help! I can refine the tools as we go along.

Packing up was a challenge. The monks gave me about six boxes of books for the ARC back in Toronto (the library I'm helping to found). These books were left over from Br. Michael Stonebreaker, a monk who passed away last year. Incidentally, someone else promised to give me a few boxes of books as well, at some point, so our library is already starting to grow! When I get back to Toronto I need to make an effort to get that project going again.

Between the boxes of books and all my stuff the car was nearly full and I was totally exhausted. I was a little worried about driving in such a tired condition--but three red-bulls and a CD with Mickey Avalon was enough to keep my awake! I arrived and had a pleasant supper with my sister's family and my mom. Sipping Grand Marnier in my grandpa's old chair by the hearthy, I started nodding off until my mom suggested I might just want to go to bed! Eleven hours of excellent sleep the same room I had in high school.

Today we are having a party. We all seem to be alternating between preparing for the party and playing with my nephew Charlie! He's such a wonderful, happy kid. It makes me hopeful that our child might turn out okay!

-t

Winding Up

I leave Holy Cross tomorrow. It hardly seems like I've been here for more than a week or two. Probably the two side-trips I took (to NYC and to North Carolina) contribute to that sense the time here has been brief.

In the first few days when I arrived we had a community meeting to talk about what I wanted to accomplish viz. the website. I've actually managed to do most of that, though plenty still remains. Notably:

1. Redo the Order's website
2. Set up a Content Management System
3. Establish a social networking tool for Associates
4. Add videos to the website

I've made progress on each of those, but they are daunting tasks. Setting up a content management system, for example, has turned into building my own from scratch in PHP (a programming language). So first I had to learn PHP! Progress in developing the tool with which Holy Cross monks will be able to edit data online is steady but tedious.

Producing a series of videos is another example. I've interviewed almost all the monks and a few friends and Residents. There are only a few left to do today and tomorrow. That means about 12 hours worth of interviews in the can. Then consider that I taped all these interviews with two cameras (for two different angles) and used my digital audio recorder as back-up--so that's a total of 24 hour of interview footage, plus another hour of B-roll, plus about 10 hours worth of footage of liturgies. When I get back to Toronto I should easily have enough for six or seven 12-15 minute videos! Yikes!

But when I first sat down with the monks I was aware that it would be unlikely that I would complete everything on the wish list during my stay. It gives me something to do when I get home, I suppose. And in truth, most good websites keep evolving, anyway. The only way it would have been possible for to have completed everything on the list would have been a death-march like effort that would have left me exhausted and haggard when I should be feeling relaxed and inspired from my time here.

So do I feel relaxed and inspired? Yes, I do believe I am. In a few minutes I'm saying Mass in the chapel. I'm looking forward to that. Then I have an interview to do. I'm also hoping to complete my amplifier today. Yesterday I spent about five hours working the wood to create the enclosure. Because the workshop here is very hit-or-miss when it comes to even basic tools, I had to do a lot of improvising. Even simple tasks like cutting a straight line with a table saw was made difficult! So today I should be able to stain the wood and then, hopefully, do final assembly.

There is a saying that the benefits of retreat are gained in the last few minutes before it ends. Certainly this last week or two I've felt very much at home here. I think "the house" and I have re-established our relationship on new terms. There was nothing wrong with the old terms of that relationship, except that they were old and therefore in need of renewal. The benedictines say, "And always we begin again." I've had to build up relationship with some new people and refresh other relationships that I've had for many years. So it goes.

One of the Brothers asked me when I'm coming back. As it turns out, I'll be back in September with my confirmation group. That will be only a weekend, but it will be great, I'm sure. After that, who knows. The baby will determine a lot of my schedule come December.

So tomorrow I'll pack up. But today there is still a lot of work to do!

-t

Project Updates

Betsy completed the difficult and worrisome trip across the border into Macedonia (FROY) yesterday (Thessaloniki to Ohrid). It was mainly scary because there was so little information available about how to make this trip. We couldn't even get maps for her GPS. When all was said and done she made the trip safely and even met a few fellow travellers who helped with translation and advice. You can read about the train adventure on her travel blog. I was particularly amused by the giant bath towel origami swan that was waiting on her hotel bed.

One of the really neat things she told me when we last spoke a few days ago is that she can now feel the baby moving--no doubt about it. In fact, she was at a hotel pool one day and looked down and could see the little mossling pushing against her belly and making its shape change. This was a big relief for her, and for me. Something about being able see and feel the baby moving is very reassuring!

I'm pretty well recovered from my trip and have been working very hard on two major projects--the HCM/OHC Websites and my tube amplifier. I've been blogging more about the website, but the Tube Amp has seen good progress as well. The only problem is that I keep finding myself missing small but critical parts. The sort of rare and specific stuff that you can't just pick up at Radio Shack. (Ever searched through bins looking for a 47uF 250V Capacitor?) Luckily there are lots of websites on line for buying these kinds of odd parts.

"Didn't your kit come with everything I needed to make a tube amp," you might ask? Sure, it came with everything I needed but not everything I wanted. The initial design is so simple and open to improvement and modification that it is very difficult not to tinker. So at the this point I'm doing all kinds of mods like upgraded transformers, capacitors, and the potentiometer, substantially modifying the AC/DC conversion part of the circuit, and making other changes, as well. For instance, in the original design the inrush current into the four vacuum tubes is uneven, they sort of start glowing in sequence rather than in parallel. This is because, effectively, the circuit trace on the PCB connecting these tubes and providing the electricity to the "heaters" is too thin. Solution--connect the last pair of these pins with the first pair of these pins, thus giving the juice a more even in-rush. Another tip, adding small capacitors between each pair of heater pins to even out juice. But making these mods I just mentioned required some very intricate soldering work. So far all my solders have checked out with an ohms meter--but I do wonder how much time I'm going to have to spend debugging this amp!

I spent a good part of today scanning old photographs from the Order's archives. More of that do. lots of downtime as the scans commence, so I'm reading David McCullough's book 1776 to fill the time.

The Monastery is very quiet. Silence reigns as everyone is on retreat. Quite nice, actually, though I am looking forward to things getting social again.

-t

My Wife the Photographer

Unpublished icon w/ revetment, 14th cent (?), Benaki Museum

Betsy is finished with her language programme in Athens, so the second part of her trip (research) has begun. That means travelling, mostly by herself, all over Greece and into Macedonia (the part that is in the Former Republic of Yugoslavia, not the province in Greece). You can read about the details of her trip on her travel blog.

Before she left we bought her a second camera, a discrete little point-and-shoot canon sureshot along with a small tripod. It honestly seemed a little redundant to me to bring two digital cameras, but they have turned out to be very complementary. For instance, when visiting sites she has often given a friend her point-and-shoot while she takes charge of the DSLR. Also, there is a lot of sensitivity in some places about looking too professional when you are taking pictures of the art. In low light situations it simply isn't practical or advisable to try to set up the DSLR for a tripod shot. The point and shoot, on the other hand, can be deployed quickly and discretely.

She has been taking hundreds and hundred of pictures of churches like this one:
Panagia Koubelidiki

as well as some more artistic shots like this one:
Lake Kastoria at sunset

I'm very proud and her and her pictures. I'm looking forward to seeing the rest of them when she returns...

-t

A Southern Wedding Weekend

I know I haven't been blogging much during this down time. It's partly because I've been very busy between prayer, Tay-time, website development, and then just this past weekend with a wedding I did in North Carolina. Normally, I would not have consented to take a wedding during the middle of my vacation time, but it was an old friend (more than 13 years) and you just don't turn those down. I just got back to the monastery a few hours ago, and my body feels like I was in a fight.

It was a real Southern wedding, complete with Antebellum plantation backdrop, mint juleps, and the sort of stories and drama that you could never make up. Alas, a lot of it is not blog-safe, but I will tell some stories about it eventually ;)

-t

A Side Trip to NYC

Here's the video from my recent trip into "the city" to see my friends Francis and Ally and my sister and her husband. Enjoy...



-t

It Makes the Heart Glad...

This picture just pleases me in a million ways. Look at that smile!

You can follow Betsy's Studies/Travel this summer of her travel blog...

-t

Road Trip!

Photo by Randy, OHC

Last night I was exhausted by the time I picked up a friend from the airport and got home and had supper. Plans to pack up my computer last night dissolved under the influence of red wine and pizza! But I did manage to pack my suitcase.

This morning I got up at reasonable hour (7 A.M.) and loaded the car with the stuff I'm taking from home. Then I said goodbye to the cats and headed over to my office to do some last minute stuff (like burn CD's to listen to in the car) and pack up my computer. My computer ("ORAC") includes a VERY heavy full-tower unit that houses the drives and motherboard and all that, there are two-monitors and two external hard drives and a gazillion cords. But I couldn't imagine producing these videos for the Order without my workstation, so it was worth the effort.

After some last minute banking I finally got on the road at 11 a.m., but I made excellent time (7.5 hours) and managed to sneak in to the last part of supper before they cleared away the food! On the drive down I listened a pretty eclectic selection that included Tori Amos, Jay-Z, Neil Diamond, and even a bit of Enya! The border crossing into the U.S. was faster than usual and the roads were relatively clear. Being alone for a while gave me the chance to think through a number of things on my mind. I used to drive like this often all over Connecticut.

After supper I unpacked my car and went to a flute recital in the church. A well-known flutist is holding a "master class" workshop this week and kicked it off with a recital of his own. On Sunday afternoon the whole group will perform a concert together in the church. I attended it in years past when I was in Residency here, and I can tell you that the voice of the flute just sores in the church acoustic! Most of the students that come to study the flute here for an intensive week are already very committed and skillful, as you might expect! I also have permission to record the concert.

When I went to the recital this evening I noticed something right away. The windows were open. The city-sounds would make this unthinkable for a recital in Toronto, but out here all I could hear were a few faint song birds. I sort of forgot how quiet it can be outside until this afternoon!

The monks put me in the same rooms were in the last time I visited. Sort of a guest suite for Residents. It's quite, and very spacious. I set up one room as my office and still have a bedroom and a sitting room to spare! Once up a time this was the publications office. Long before that (when the building was built) I believe these were small chapels. Back then Anglo-Catholic priests (and back then all the Brothers of the Order were also priests) would say a Mass once a day as part of their vocational piety. To accomplish this in a house full of priests you naturally need a lot of little chapels! They would take turns saying the Mass and being the acolyte, then switching. No congregation except the heavenly hosts. All that changed after Vatican II, of course.

It's 11 P.M. and I'm exhausted. Time for bed. Mattins in the morning!

-t

Wrapping up Before the Trip

Today was nuts. Got up very, very early in the morning and pretty much non-stop. I was fueled by coffee in the morning and some Power Bars in the afternoon. Ran around doing errands like a mad man. Got the oil changed in the car and cleared off my desk of stuff that needed to be filed, etc. I even put two more wheels on my baptismal tank to make it easier to move when it's loaded with water.

By the time the evening rolled around I had time to clean up the house on last time and then went to the airport to pickup a friend who will be housesitting/catsitting for us. I'm confident that things are in excellent shape all around. I even thought to make up a sheet of emergency phone numbers for the fridge! Whew!

Tonight I packed up my clothes. Tomorrow I'll pack up my video gear and my computer and be on my way! I've already staged most of the pieces in my office, so I should be able to get out of here at a decent time tomorrow. I may even have time to burn some mix-CDs for the drive. We'll see!

Incidentally, more applications for the Music Minister job have been rolling in today. Excellent, Smithers.

-t

Betsy's New Blog

BTW, Betsy has a new blog to chronicle her adventures this summer: Betsy Abroad. She'll be in Athens taking more Byzantine Greek and then travelling around Greece and Macedonia looking at things relevant to her research. She won't be back in Toronto until August 15th.

In the meantime, until I go to Holy Cross in mid-July I'll be resisting the worst of my bachelor instincts to order pizza every night! Though, actually, I did manage to cook for myself last night (Fajitas). I can cook--but it's hard to motivate myself to cook for one!

-t

A New Hammock!

Spent my day off doing errands with Betsy and my mom. Visited Henry's and MEC. Mountain Equipment Coop is the best place in Toronto to find anything outdoor, adventure sport related. But they also have a great selection of backpacks of all different types. Betsy picked up some stuff for her travels in Greece and Macedonia this summer. Meanwhile, I picked up some rain pants for sailing.

For Father's Day I was given a hammock. One of those canvas styles with spreaders--very comfortable. After a day of running errands I got to try it try it out with a nap. Big enough for two... and small third. Life is good.

After supper I played softball with the guys. my team won, though my hitting was not great tonight.

-t

Tay at the NRA

With friends and family at one of the dinners
I haven't been posting much because I'm visiting my dad and my sister at the NRA convention in Phoenix, Arizona, this weekend. My sister works for the NRA, so it made sense for the three of us to meet up here. I know that will seem really strange to my Canadian friends and parishioners, but I'm used to maintaining a foot in two worlds.

It's been a series of events for us. Lots of fundraising breakfasts and lunches and dinners. Perhaps the most impressive was tonight's "Celebration of American Values Banquet." There were 6,000 people at that banquet dinner, which is a record for the state of Arizona. It was completely smooth and even delicious. Very polished fundraising operation! The results... in the last two years they've raised something like $110 Million--and that's over and above regular dues to the Association. That's with an advancement staff of about 30 people. Impressive.

Overall there were about 62,000 people at this convention, which makes it the largest convention in Arizona State history. Some of the events were of a mind-boggling scale. I took some video. Here's an example of me playing with a super-advanced rifle designed for U.S. Special Forces. And no, this rifle is not available for civilians, even in America...


In case you're wondering, all weapons on display on the show floor were rendered inoperable by removing the firing pins. Also, there was no ammo on the show floor. There was a also a very heavy security presence in case someone thought that stealing guns from NRA was a good idea!

Almost everyone we met were friendly and personable. You might not agree with their politics, but you can't deny that they are hard-core patriots that believe in liberty. In fact, a lot of the speeches were less about gun-rights, in particular, than the preservation of personal freedoms, generally.

There were some things that definitely made me squirm in my seat. Some of the criticisms of Obama, for example, I thought were unfair or poorly argued. But when everyone rose to say the Pledge of Allegiance or sing the Star Spangled Banner it was hard not to feel a stirring of the heart.

But what I'll remember most is meeting some really fun people. Two couples in particular that we spent time with at the various receptions and events. Just the nicest people you ever met....

-t