7 Quick Takes

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1.  This has been a difficult week.  Monday our daughter called from school to tell us about her friend who was in a terrible accident and not expected to live.  She died on Wednesday, after the hospital let her friends go and say goodbye to her.  I was so proud of Elisa for being there, but at the same wishing she didn't have to do something so hard without me.  The memorial service is Sunday for this young woman who died so young.

2.  It's seminary weekend!  Sorry, is it wrong to be excited?  Last Friday we had an interview with a deacon couple.  We spent time all together and then separated.  The wife asked me some questions about ministry, the Church, if I was comfortable with priests, and so forth.  Then she asked me if how did I feel when John was away for the weekend at seminary.  I had to remind myself not to laugh.  I simply said it was not a problem and life always seemed to give me plenty to do so I didn't miss him too much.  This weekend I have a St. Joseph's dinner with all of our friends, then tomorrow I'll spend the day with a girlfriend who is visiting, Sunday morning Mass and work and then, he's back.  Piece of cake.

3.  Sunday afternoon we have a special lunch planned with four other families for our friend who is dying of cancer.  It promises to be a beautiful day and all the children will be there except two who are away at school.  My son and his girlfriend are even joining us.  We'll celebrate spring and life for as long as we can.
4.  Since it is Lent we are eating many more meatless meals than usual.  However, I prefer them much more to meat meals, so what is the sacrifice?  Today for lunch I had brown rice with green pea pesto, it was so much better than say, a turkey sandwich.
5.  I have a serious candle addiction. 

6.  My annual well visit was yesterday.  One hour and forty-five minutes is how long it took.  I will not explain why.  I will say it was not that I was kept waiting in the waiting room.  So, there was good news and okay new and not too bad news.  And, I have to have an ultrasound on my thyroid to check the growths on it, a bone density scan because I take thyroid medication, a chest x-ray because it's good to have a baseline and a mammogram because I had the last one when I was forty, which is seven years ago.  The truth is that if my friend did not have cancer, I would probably have none of this or at most the thyroid done.  But I feel as if I must do what I am told so I can monitor my health and be proactive.  Not that she wasn't, she was, but that story is not a quick take!

7.  My husband and I went to the Society of the Four Arts Garden yesterday.  These were my two favorite sculptures: