JUNE WARMS UP

Facing our parking area on Milan Street [pronounced MY-LAN]

It has been warm and wet this past week—very wet.  But after great heat, the rain is good for the grounds.  The side of the house facing our small parking area was quite bare until we put in diuranta and plumbago plants last year.  Now the task is to keep on cutting them back so they don’t take over.  They seem to have found a happy home as you can see from the photograph.

The left-hand chair sits where the water fountain was attached to the wall.

While Charles continued his service at Lantern Light Ministries, Bob split his time three ways: between Operation Helping Hands as it slowly winds down, St. Joseph’s Church [on whose property Lantern Light operates] where Bob helps with bookkeeping and our house where he is working on our renovations.  The removal of an old water fountain in the wall of the entry, and lots of repair work, spackling, sanding etc. in the kiosk area, and beginning to paint that side lobby have been accomplished in a short period of time.

Ugly Formica and tile ledges are replaced by donated Brazilian hardwood.

John had meetings with the School Leadership Program at the Office of Catholic Schools on Friday.  He prepared his reports during the week on the six schools he has visited.  The way things developed, he had about 8 minutes for his report!  Then he was invited to a breakfast meeting ["It'll only be an hour or so"] on Saturday on a different topic; it lasted three hours.  He did little talking, mostly listening at that meeting, too.  The people he met said they were delighted with both meetings!  It proves the adage that while good advanced preparation is important, 'just showing up' is what counts!

Friday morning, Charles and Bob attended the 6:30 AM Good Shepherd parish Mass which has moved to St. Henry’s Church.  The Church looked lovely and at least 100 people were in attendance.  The pastor quipped that he’d be happy to have more Eucharistic ministers if the number kept up.  There was a positive feeling among all concerned.

“Were there no God, we would be in this glorious world with grateful hearts and no one to thank.”            Christina Georgina Rossetti