Ash Wednesday

This past Wednesday was Ash Wednesday. I was at church at 6 pm to participate in this solemn service and receive ashes. "Remember, Oh man, that you are dust and unto dust you shall return". Mid service it became apparent that something was wrong. The priest and the deacon were quietly talking to each other, then the deacon left the altar and disappeared. You could hear cabinet doors opening and closing and when the deacon returned it was announced, the ashes could not be found. The ashes which are made from the burning of last years palms from Palm Sunday were missing. The service continued without the application of the ashes to the foreheads of the parishioners.The scripture readings dealt with not showing your Christianity by praying loudly in the street or giving money so all can see what you have done. Your rewards on earth are from man and your reward in heaven is for your "quiet" Christianity. Those who attended Ash Wednesday with me had no outward sign of their annual remembrance of the realization of where they came from and where they shall return. Quite appropriate.

Valentines Day

As you know Valentines Day was on Saturday. I spent the day building a bookcase for my daughter Esme', which I had promised months ago to have for her by Valentines Day. Esme' had a party and in order to declutter her office/work room she needed the bookcase. It was delivered an hour before the party just as her mother had predicted. It would have been delivered earlier but I fell asleep and Esme' was frantically calling me knowing I was comatose.
In the meantime my wife Sue, part owner of a flower shop, Making Arrangements, was filling the last of her Valentine orders. She did most of the work herself because her partner Gloria was down with pneumonia.
The flowers were delivered, the bookcase filled and the party was a success. All in a days work.

Burning Man Post Card

My son Bradford received a letter yesterday from Vancouver WA. We don't know anyone in Vancouver. When Bradford opened the envelope out dropped a postcard I had sent to him while at Burning Man in September. The attached letter explained the postcard was unsendable through the US Postal Service because of the glitter I applied to the watercolor card. Mari Stephenson of Vancouver had worked at the Black Rock City Post Office and volunteered to repackage and send out all unsendables from her home. In true Burning Man form this burner took it upon herself to spend the time and money to get it done for others. I am forever grateful she did and hope all the other postcards that were mailed will eventually find their homes.