Mass

Not the kind of mass you go to in Church and celebrate, but rather the kind that is growing in your body. which is not a good thing. A mass, which may be solid, growing on your thyroid is upsetting. So are the words needle, biopsy, take cells, test for cancer. When those words are strung together they are even more upsetting. I don't get sick, I don't go to the hospital except to visit others, I wait for other people's test results, not mine. I don't take aspirin, or pills to help me sleep, or lower my cholesterol, or regulate my blood sugar or my hormones. I am healthy. Therefore I cannot have a mass on my thyroid. But, according to the very kind and gentle man who took an ultrasound of it, there is a mass on my thyroid. I feel fine, I do not know how to be a patient; I hold other people's hands, no one holds mine.
So now I wake in the middle of the night and wonder what is this thing growing inside me and to what end will it serve? But I must wait to have a needle stuck in my neck to learn the answer. So I wait, wonder, and pray.

Quote

"The same everlasting Father who cares for you today will take care of you tomorrow and everyday of your life. Either He will shield you from suffering or He will give you unfailing strength to bear it. Be at peace then, and put aside all anxious thoughts."
St. Frances de Sales

I will think of this during the week when my as we move into the real crunch time before classes start for religious education.

Registration Comments

This week was too strange to even try to categorize responses. However, the overall strange comment, received more than once, was "Why didn't you notify me about religious education registration?" Which is a perfectly legitimate comment, except that it was made by non-parishioners only! How does one send mail if you do not have the name and address in our data base?

A New Hobby

I finally went out and bought myself a rotary cutter and mat. I actually made a pieced table runner for the dining room table. It was part strip quilting, part squares; all done on my sewing machine. I had never done anything like it before and it was great fun. It took about 4 hours, but I didn't quilt it since the fabric is very patterned. Not bad for my first try.

Eggplant

We have friends coming over for dinner and we are going to grill, since it is still very hot down here in Florida. Eggplant is a favorite vegetable of mine and tonight I am making a great appetizer.
Slice the eggplant lengthwise, keep the skin on, brush with olive oil and grill until soft. Meanwhile, take goat cheese, add lemon juice, fresh parsley, and mix together. When the eggplant slices are cool enough to handle, spread the cheese mixture on them and roll them up. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Messy but great. This is a variation of a Nigella Lawson recipe.

Registration Comments, Top 3 of the Week

Scene #1
Parent: I want to sign my child up for CCD.
Sec'y: Great, here's a form and a schedule.
Parent: What time are classes?
Sec'y: There are 3 choices on the form, you choose which time is best for you.
Parent: (looking at form) Are there other choices?
I (DRE) overhear this passing by and my thoughts are: sure, we have other times, but they are a secret; only for my close friends and people I like. Of course I do not say these things. If there were other choices, wouldn't we let people know about them?!
Sec'y: No, we have those 3 options, nothing else.
Parent takes form and leaves, a bit put out.

Scene #2
Parent: I need to register my son for Religious Ed. I have the form filled out.
DRE: No problem, let me check if there is still room in the class, some are already full. (last official day of registration)
DRE: Oh, the Tuesday section is very full, can you come on Wednesday instead.
Parent: No, this happened last year too when I waited until the last minute. Because of my work schedule I can only get him here on Tuesday.
DRE thoughts: so why did you wait again until the last minute if you know your schedule and the same thing happened last year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
DRE: Well, I will call the catechist and see what we can do for you or you can home school him again.

We did put him in the Tuesday class.

Scene #3
Parent: I want to register for classes.
DRE sec'y: Okay, here's a form and a schedule.
Parent: Oh, I would also like to help with the program.
DRE sec'y: Great, I'll have Deanna call you when she gets in.
Parent: But I can't teach at these times, can I do the class at a different time, that works better with the soccer schedule?
DRE sec'y: Well, no, we have classes at these times only.
Parent: I don't think that is going to work.
So, does not register, leave name, or call to discuss options.

We now have 2 1/2 weeks before classes start. It only gets more interesting!
St. Dominic, pray for me.