Treacherous Brook

I just got finished with one of my favorite rites of summer.....out on the deck early in the morning watering my plants which are finally looking robust. No better way to start the day! Finally, it is just as it used to be....before we had an 'equipment failure'. For the past two or three years....I have been fighting with a hose that leaked, and a sprayer that absolutely had a mind of its own. But, you know the drill: hate to spend the money, these do work--you just have to figure out how to work with them in their peculiarities--maybe when they go on sale at the end of the season--and on and on. Finally, I took the matter into my own hands....marched down to the local store and purchased a new hose and a new nozzle . I felt so accomplished! Then I remember, we have been down this road before--enter--the MOWER ! We live in a mostly rural area and are blessed with about six acres. Of those, we mow about two acres...around trees, gardens, a basketball court and the 'natural ...

We were just about to begin a marriage preparation class. Only four of the fifteen couples expected where present. With not enough time for my husband to do his 'walk-about', he opened the class with prayer. As we finished introductions and started the video session, he went out looking for the other eleven couples. The parish in which these classes take place is right in the middle of a small town. The parish buildings are divided by streets. Granted, it is not an easy place to find where our classes are taking place. There are, however, bright signs that we post on the outside door and on our vehicle, hoping to give some direction for those who are coming who are not familiar with this town. Now, I realize that this is not where these young people necessarily want to be; but they are obligated to participate, as they have chosen to be married in the Church. We always remind them that we, too, have other things to do...the only difference being that we have seen wh...

Yesterday, we had a farewell get-together for our pastor of nine years who has been transferred to another parish. Nine years? How did that happen...and where were we? We began to hear stories of the things that have happened since June, 2001. It was a wonderful celebration of both progress and everyday matters of survival of a small, rural parish school. We were reminded that it is the little things that often have a big impact on others' lives. We would do well to remember that every day. The celebration drew about 225 people in a parish of only about 450 families. It is, I believe, the best of our parish. People taking time out to come and say 'thanks' for selfless service so often exemplified by our priests. It was a wonderful day and a wonderful send off. Perhaps the whole thing made us a bit sentimental. When my husband and I got home, we talked about the fact that the entire time Father had been here, we (and I do mean 'we') were preparing for the ...

We are almost at the one year mark since our contracting business took a nose dive...right into that pool with the rest of the contractors that have also been unable to avoid the sweep caused by this financial meltdown we are experiencing. Tough times. Our particular business began the year we married--1977--not necessarily by choice. My husband was working for someone and could no longer handle the personality differences and left that job. So there we were. Married all of one month and we were off to the yet unknown world of the self-employed. Mind you, his new bride had known nothing but 'white collar', 'salaried' work in her life experience to that point. None-the-less, we were undaunted. I have probably learned more from being a hands-on business owner in construction than all other life experiences combined. I've learned you do not do vacation during the 'season'--which is vaguely identified as somewhere between the ground-is-too-frozen-to-dig...