Spiral Crone
What goes around, comes around.

Yesterday I attended a celebration in honor of a friend's fortieth anniversray of being in the priesthood. It was very meaningful, more so than I think most people expected it to be.

For one thing, we thought it would be fruit punch and Ritz crackers in the parish, but it was a sit-down dinner for with chicken breasts *and* filet mignon. And there were over 300 people in attendance. Quite a turn-out!

The video was interesting, with photos from childhood and seminary followed by ones from working. It is quite unusual that this priest has had the same assignment since 1966(chaplain at a university medical center). His explanation is that 1) This is what God wants him to do, and 2) They can't find anyone who would be willing to replace him. Having known him for 37 years myself, I can endorse both of those ideas.

A most wonderful thing about the event, in addition to the accolades and love heaped upon him, was the sense of community among the participants. Between his home church congregation, his work contacts, and random others who know him, there were many people who didn't know others when the event began. By the time we all ambled out of the party, we all had new friends. There were wonderful stories about memories and lives, and they were shared joyfully. The sadness that some of the anecdotes contained was muted by the love and support that surrounded the participants at the time.

It is so affirming to be among people who honor and care for each other. And so validating for an individual to be surrounded by people who acclaim him and love him, publicly and enthusiastically.

I came out of the Broomcloset to this friend a few years ago, because I felt that I was in essence lying to him by not disclosing my spiritual orientation. I had dreaded doing it, but I felt compelled to follow through. I confessed to him at dinner one night, and he listened thoughtfully, as is his habit. I was nervous when he was quiet afterwards, and I blurted out, "I know that you still love me in spite of this." He said that he loved me even more, because I trusted him enough to be honest, and he knew that the fundamental ideas that we believe in are really the same, we just apply them differently.

What a blessing to have such a friend, and for so long.

Bright Blessings,
Spiral Crone

Permalink posted by Spiral Crone -- 2:01 PM.

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Having back pain is no fun whatsoever. The whole time I was stuck in bed, I thought about things I wanted to do, should be doing, could be doing, ought to have done... I made a shopping list for WalMart that would have taken me three days to get from their store to my house.

I read like a maniac, which is to say I read through all the books and journals within reach. I finished a novel about a Quaker girl who marries a man in Colorado in 1917 and starts a ranch in the middle of The Dust Bowl. I made it most of the way through "Calculus Simplified". I started Molly Ivins' "Bushwacked", but it was too scary and sad. Not much better in that respect was "The Creature From Jekyll Island", about the Federal Reserve Bank (which the author points out is not federal, not a bank, and has no reserves.) And I tortured myself reading "The Cheese Primer", because page after page told me about lovely French goat cheeses, and what fruits go well with them, and what wines, and every paragraph seems to have the words "crusty French bread" in it.

It was interesting to see friends fly in and out of my house like Winged Monkeys. They came to cook, to clean, and to entertain. I grew weary of eating soup out of a can sideways, and they rescued me from that. They cleaned my MoHair Rugs (everywhere you looked, there was Mo' Hair from the cat) and now I can see the hardwood floors again. I bless them all and promise to return the favors when applicable.

I finally got an appointment at The Pain Center. The anesthesiologist who consulted with me apparenly operates on the Incentive and Motivational Theory of Pain Management: he offered to stick a big needle into my back and I suddenly realized how much better I was feeling. I did tell him that I felt we were just getting ahead of the curve for the Next Episode. Too bad I'm so sure that there will be a Next Episode.

At least I have my strategy all worked out for then. Except for how to give a 27 pound kitty his morning pill while reclining in a waterbed. He's like a greased toddler when it comes to doing anything he doesn't want to. (I don' wanna! You can't make me!) I am smarter (I *am*! I am!!) and I have opposable thumbs, so the deck is stacked in my favor.

In the meantime, I'm enjoying the wonderful spring weather and the ability to go where I want to when I want to and do what I want to. Thank you, Goddess for the sense to be grateful and make the most of my opportunities.

Bright Blessings,
Spiral Crone

Permalink posted by Spiral Crone -- 11:37 AM.

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I am fascinated by bats. I find this particular image strangely distressing:

http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/mammal/eutheria/chiromm.html


Maybe because it looks so much like a human skeleton... with bird parts and some really exaggerated features.

I had a bat in my house once. I don't know where it came from, but it was perched on the curtain rod, hanging upside down quite comfortably. The cat (Katherine, The Pillow Who Ate) was last seen diving under the sofa. The bat took off and flew around the house. I called Animal Control, but of course by the time they got there, the bat was gone. Nudge, nudge, wink, wink. "Well, ma'am, if you see that bat again, you just give us another call."
Two days later there was a bat in the tub. I set Indoor Backwards Naked Running records getting out of there. I called Animal Control, and guess who showed up. Of course: the same two guys.
"Um, where did you think you saw the bat this time, ma'am?"
I pointed to the door.
"Oh, I guess he thought it was a BATroom! Har har har!"
Um, yes, well, would you please get him out?
Two men into the bathroom. Door closes. Sound of two men trying to get out of bathroom.
Finally they pulled on the door instead of pushing it.
"Um, ma'am, do you have a Cool Whip bowl?"
What are they going to do, serve dessert?
Bowl to men, back into bathroom. Small voice asking, "Um, ma'am, do you have a lid for this bowl?"
Door opens, lid goes in.
Two men come out with bowl full of bat.

When they told me to call them again if I saw another bat, they were not nudging or winking.

Bright Blessings,
Spiral Crone

Permalink posted by Spiral Crone -- 9:31 PM.

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