Random Musings - Catching Up

It's been a while and folks are wondering (yup, all 2 of you) what's going on so it is time for some randomness and catching up...

The trip to Dallas was great! Very comfortable meeting the rest of my family. As my sisters and I noted on that Tuesday (our Sister Day) even though we didn't grow up together, it feels as though we've known each other all our lives. 

All the calls, emails and Facebook postings since "first contact" no doubt helped. Connected well with the nieces as well. Wonderful young ladies all! The older girls have wonderful guys in their lives and little great-niece Presley Elizabeth is an absolute doll! The younger two girls are fabulous young women as well. One still in high school has a great deal of energy about her, which goes well with her spunk and freckles. Her older sister is a deep, gentle soul who has had more than her share of troubles at so young an age but her compassion outshines everything else she is struggling with - if she can believe in herself the way the family believes in her she will accomplish great things.

My brother has two boys. I was able to meet one of them, the other couldn't make it up to Dallas from Austin due to school (big tests mean big studying even over Labor Day). Coolest comment of the day of the BBQ at Dad's was "Hi, I'm your brother" and the big hug that followed. Had not been able to chat electronically with him as much as the sisters (no surprise there really, sisters are more chatty by nature) but we hit it off just fine. Everyone kept remarking about how much we look alike. 

Reunion with my father was great. No other word for it. I now see where my quirky sense of humor comes from. There's a good resemblance there too. Thank you Dad for your nose! Apparently, since he stopped drinking in 1983 he really became another person. A lot funnier, lighter... just a good guy. Like Papa, Uncle Peter and a couple of cousins on Mom's side, Dad is an alcoholic. All the more reason for me to be careful... I now have it on BOTH sides. Sigh! Oh well, pass the wine will you?

TOPIC SHIFT

Purrcy is about 10 pounds, almost as big as Honey (as tall, not quite as long chest to fanny). He is HUGE for only 5 1/2 months old. His latest cuteness involves wanting to be picked up. He sits up polar bear fashion and with both front paws "waves" in and up/down motion. His other cuteness is to leap onto my shoulder when I'm sitting at my desk. 

He doesn't talk. Does not say a thing. Unless I am in the shower then he gets all worried and cries until I come out. I am a little worried about his sneezing which is more than the normal after a hard play kitten sneezing. But otherwise he is a healthy, happy kitten.

TOPIC SHIFT

Continued to be worried about our shelter at the Humane Society. Finances are not good. There is an awful lot riding on the Strut Your Mutt event next month but a lack of volunteer help. The Run & Jog Club is not being helpful as to whether or not they can do the timing of the event. The sponsor letters are going out tomorrow. I have yet to seal them, will have to do that tonight. We are in desperate need of volunteers, Board members who can commit to actually DOING things, and donors. It will take baby steps to fix this mess but even I am beginning to wonder if we have the time.

Getting tired too of spending every extra minute on Humane Society business. I have tons of ironing to do, haven't cleaned the house thoroughly in months and the yard work is way behind. I will continue to do whatever I can as long as I can. We aren't going down without a fight, that much is certain.

TOPIC SHIFT

Attended a workshop that was billed as being all about the changes coming in the Mass with the new Roman Missal (the third since the Council of Trent in 1545, the first being issued in 1563 under Pius V). While a very enjoyable morning, the first half was spent not on the Missal and the changes but rather on service, prayer and so forth. Nice groundwork certainly but those in attendance were all in a ministry of some sort (choir, extraordinary ministers, etc.) and I'm not sure we really needed that bit. Only the last hour and a half was spent on the Missal which was a bit disappointing. Some good historical background on the history of the Missal from the first in 1563 to Vatican II (400+ years later) in 1969 to this new version (which honestly is a huge step BACK to the pre-Vatican II language) can be found The Catholic Chronicle web site at: http://www.catholicchronicle.org/index.php/World-and-Nation/revised-roman-missal-binds-catholics-across-a-2000-year-history.html and at the US Conference of Bishops web site at: http://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/roman-missal/index.cfm

Mom says this "new" language is the same language she grew up with (pre-Vatican II) and she still has a copy of her old Missal so she was able to verify her supposition. Yup, same language. 

What I find interesting is the assertion that this new translation is more "true" to the "original" Latin. Uh-huh. The apostles wrote in Greek and Aramaic, not Latin so to claim that Latin is the original is a stretch. Now granted Latin was (is) the official language of the Church and this translation is perhaps more true to the original Latin Mass HOWEVER one of the key points of Vatican II was to allow people to celebrate Mass in their native language(s) therefore making it more accessible. And when you translate you can't always go word for word; some things do not translate smoothly. Given the awkwardness of the "new" language I think awkward may be an understatement. Makes me wonder why we ever bothered with Vatican II. The priest at St Charles is NOT happy with these changes. As awkward as they are for us our changes amount to barely an inch of paper. His amount to about four inches of paper. For him the entire Mass has been rewritten. Yikes!

Well all this will be in place for Advent. We've gotten permission to start (slowly) working in the new music so people don't completely freak out when Advent comes. I wonder if the Catechism will be rewritten since it explains the prayers said at Mass and some (many) of those have now been changed. Oh joy. People are NOT going to be happy methinks. 

Me and brother Kevin in Dallas September 2011