Thank You and You're Welcome

Last Monday I returned home for lunch to find two thank you notes. A friend returned a hat that I had loaned her with a note on a paper towel thanking me for saving her from a bad hair night. The second was in the mail, from Adam Sullivan, who followed me around at work for a couple of days for a senior project, and it included an invitation to a reception later in the week. It reminded me that I need to send more thank you notes, because I have a lot to be grateful for.

On Tuesday night I went to our parish's Confirmation Mass. Bishop Michael Duca presided, and he gave a great homily about living your faith. He seems much more at ease about the formalities of being a bishop than he did in the fall when he first visited our parish. It was also very special to see kids I taught in CCD four years ago confirming their Catholic faith.

On Wednesday, I went to adoration, bought some life insurance, and then went to the reception at St. Mary's High School in Natchitoches. They gave the mentors a nice pen with the school's mascot on it. Then I hurried back to Many to play cards with some friends.

Thursday and Friday were quieter, which was nice after a long weekend with the family and a few pretty hectic evenings. Saturday morning followed the same pattern, as I rested up for another busy Saturday night.

After Mass Saturday, I headed out to the lake for Tammy's thirtieth birthday party. We danced and laughed and visited and ate some great food. I got home late, which made the 6 a.m. wake up pretty rough. But I had agreed to help the kids with the camp fundraiser at church on Sunday morning at 7 a.m. We had a good time, even though it was hard work. The kids pitched in and helped, and were pretty happy to do it, so it was a rewarding experience.

After a nap during the NASCAR race, I went for a walk with Linda and Kayla and Tippe and Rouxby. Chuck and Alicia returned from their fishing expedition with a nice mess of brim, so we arranged an impromptu fish fry. We had a blast visiting and hearing about Larry and Kayla's vacation to Tennessee last week. The guys and I stayed up for a while solving the world's problems. It was great to feel at home with my friends and neighbors. To feel welcome.

Rainy Friday Night at the Lake

Just returned home from the Bass Unlimited Banquet at Cypress Bend Park with the parents and my brother Jacob and his wife. We had a good time, but it rained the whole time. As the night wore on, the wind kicked up, so it got cooler, and it was a little uncomfortable. Jacob was a pill, whining about being ready to go home and how cold he was. I had a good time. I saw lots of friends and introduced them to my family. Pat, our secretary at work, was very interested to introduce her friend Tammy to my dad. She gets a kick out of her (brief) conversations with Johnny on the phone when he calls to talk to me, and wanted to introduce her friend to him.

I didn't really drink enough, considering I didn't have to drive, but had a great time nonetheless. I am looking forward to trying to entertain my houseguests in the rain for the next two days. Spending tomorrow afternoon on the lake appears to be out of the question.

Christ Is Risen! Alleluia!

For the first time that I can remember, I attended services on Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Easter Vigil. I've done two or three in one year, but this year, I made all three at my home church parish here in Many.

The Triduum is actually one three-day service. During the three days we do things that we only do once a year. It begins with a commemoration of the Last Supper on Thursday night. The priest washes the feet of twelve men as a remembrance of Christ's act of service. The tabernacle is emptied and the consecrated hosts are transferred to an altar of repose. The service ends with the stripping of the altar, and everyone leaves in silence.

On Friday, we gather in silence. It is the only day of the year that there is no Mass. Instead, we read John's account of the Passion of the Lord and venerate the cross. I also found it interesting that the intercessory prayers are common to every church in the world on this one day. We pray for the Pope, the clergy, the whole Church, other Christians, the Jewish people, those who do not believe in Christ, and those who do not believe in God. Finally, communion is distributed, and we again leave in silence.

On Saturday, the service begins after sunset. We begin outside with the lighting of the fire and the Easter candle. We process into the darkened church with tapers lit reminding us of the light we received at our baptism. The lights dramatically come on, and the deacon proclaims the Exsultet, announcing that Christ is Risen and singing praise to God. When the Gloria is sung (in the middle of the Liturgy of the Word, rather than before), the bells of the church are rung in great joy. After the Gospel reading, we renew our baptismal promises and receive new members into the church. We had five confirmandi last night, and one more young man who received his First Communion. In the midst of all this there is also incense and processions and beautiful flowers and vestments. The service lasts over two hours, but there is great joy in those two hours.

Now I'm off to prepare my contribution to Easter dinner.

. . . . and Ended with a Broken Hub Assembly

On the way down to Breaux Bridge Sunday morning, I realized in Opelousas that I had forgotten my wallet in Many. Not a real big deal, since I didn't anticipate needing cash for anything. I'd just get a ten spot from the folks for the ride back to Many in case I needed something. I get to Breaux Bridge before anyone else. I helped Bock start setting up tables and moving equipment as people start showing up. Eventually Emily and her boyfriend Nick show up, followed by my folks, Granny, Nene and Maddie, Unlce Be and Nanny, Bart and his family, Travis and Kristen and Rylie, and Jacob and Charmin and Lisa and Brandon and JP and Brandon's pal Marcus. There were also other friends of Bock and Linda's who I hadn't met. A good crowd, good food, lively conversation, and lots of kids running around.

I laid off the beer, anticipating that I would be leaving pretty early to get to Many for the Seder meal at church. Then my buddy Ben called. He was on the way home to Duson from Navy Reserve drill in New Orleans and wanted to chat. He said he thought about dropping by to visit my folks in Pride. I explained that no one was there, but he was welcome to stop in Breaux Bridge and visit everyone. I looked at my watch and figured out that I wouldn't have a chance to visit with Ben for long if I was gonna make the Seder, so I called Kayla and told her to send my regrets. It's not all that often that I get to hang out with the extended family and good friends.

So Ben shows up, we all visit, eat some crawfish. Ben's wife, Jennifer, and their two boys were at the zoo, and they come by when Ben tells her of his whereabouts. The kids are riding around on the four-wheeler, and everybody gets a turn. JP, who is 22 months old, really like riding, and gets really upset when it is not his turn, crying "I wanna wide!" I told him to tough it out, but I don't think he understood. It was pretty funny.

Around 5:30, I decide I really need to get going. I say my goodbyes, and there are lots of them, and head out to the truck. As I am pulling out, I notice a clicking noise in the front end of my truck. I call Jacob over to see if he hears it, and the more I drive the worse it gets. It becomes apparent really quickly that I will not be driving my truck back to Many, or anywhere really. I was aggravated, more because now I needed my wallet and didn't have it than the fact that my truck was broken. But Bock assured me he would cover my expenses and I could pay him back and Mom used her AAA card to have my truck towed. I was staying in Breaux Bridge for the night. I called my boss, and she joked that she didn't believe that my vehicle was broke down: it sounded to her like I was at a crawfish boil out of town and got carried away. In my aggravated state, I told her that it didn't matter if she believed me, I wasn't gonna be at work Monday.

Emily asked if I wanted to join she and Nick and Travis at a bar. Hell yes. We ended up at a bar on the Atchafalaya Basin that had a bunch of houseboats hooked up to it. I got a chance to get to know Nick, who seems to be a really good guy. I also got to hang out with Travis, which I haven't done, really forever. I ended staying the night on Travis's couch. My truck was ready by 9:30 am Monday morning, and I was back at work at 1 pm. So the weekend was a little longer than usual, but it was most excellent.

The Weekend Started Off Quiet . . . .

I had a very eventful weekend. It started Friday night. I was sitting on my driveway watching the cars go by and having a couple of beers. My friend Barrett drove by and said she was headed to Bob's to visit. I said I would head over there to hang out in a few minutes. When I started to leave, my truck wouldn't start. I had worn down the battery playing the radio. I called Robert to come jump me off. And away I went.

At Bob's, I visited with Barrett and Bob and Claire. Claire invited me to stay for dinner, and we had a great time. Kayla walked over from next door and suggested that she and I take her brother-in-law fishing the next morning. I readily agreed.

Kayla called the next morning at about 8 am, and I got up and got ready for the day. After prepping the tackle for our angling adventure, I took Tippe over to city hall so we could vote in the local elections (mayor and police chief). Then we picked up Kayla and Clayton, grabbed donuts for breakfast and bait, and headed to the Oeys. We spent about an hour and a half fishing. We each caught a catfish or two, and Kayla and I visited with Dr. Sien. It was a beautiful sunny day, though the wind was a little cool. We left so I could meet Robert at my house to clean up the barge for the Super Big Fun Couvillion Family Adventure the weekend after Easter.

Robert and I picked up the barge and then the supplies we needed to clean it. We spent about two hours scrubbing mildew off of seats, spraying down the boat cover and the canopy, blowing leaves, and entertaining Addi. When we finally gave in and let her help us, she did a pretty good job. We finished just in time to head to Rob's house to watch the NCAA Final Four games. I picked up some fried chicken, Rob got some beer, and we cheered on Michigan St. (successfully) and Villanova (unsuccessfully).

Sunday morning my alarm went off at 7 am. I jumped up and dressed for church, and got to St. Terence Mission out on the lake in time for 8 am Mass. It was Palm Sunday, so the Mass is a little long, but it was nice to see friends who attend the mission church and visit with them afterwards. I headed to Many to change clothes and get down to Breaux Bridge for a crawfish boil at Uncle Bock's. Little did I realize that my weekend was just getting interesting.