"Never be in a hurry; do everything quietly and in a calm spirit. Do not lose your inner peace for anything whatsoever, even if your whole world seems upset." Saint Francis De Sales

Friday, February 26, 2016

The Cathedral, Sonny & Lucy


My Slow Takes

1. Our granddaughters, Eryn and Hailey, attended their “Rite of Election of Catechumens” at The Cathedral of the Sacred Heart. They were excited about the ceremony and had the opportunity to speak directly with Bishop DiLorenzo.

Dee, Mom, Bishop DiLorenzo, Hailey and Eryn

2. Sonny James, the “Southern Gentleman left to sing with the angels on Monday 2-22-16.


3. Last week I wrote about the Volkswagen Beetle breaking a “world car production record.” This week I have a photo of my friend Bill who refurbished a 1973 VW Super Beetle. He took first place in that VW class. 


4. This week we moved “Lucy” into our home. She has been living in assisted living for the last few years and was ready to come home. She is Dee’s Mom and will be a healthy 94 this year. The two of us share a glass of wine each evening and I’m sure that is one of the reasons that keeps her mind sharp.

Dee and Lucy at a Richmond Spider basketball game.

5. "The Princess and the Frog." This is from the blog "Par la Bouche de mis canons." It is  beautifully painted. It also provides a background for sitting down with the young ones in your home for "story time."


6. This is from the Adaptive Training Foundation. It’s a Doritos commercial that didn’t make the Super Bowl.


7. Pam Tillis - “Mandolin Rain.” A beautiful song.



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Friday, February 19, 2016

VW Beetle, Wine & Cursillo


My Slow Takes

1. Happy Valentine’s Day. I hope you all enjoyed the beautiful cards from your loved ones. Dee and I shared our day with family and a special guest, Ryan.

2. Our friend Ryan’s grandmother, Irene, made her final journey on Tuesday. Please pray for the soul of Irene and her family.

3. February 17, 1972, the Volkswagen Beetle breaks a “world car production record.”  


4. “National Drink Wine Day" is celebrated annually on February 18 across the United States. The purpose of National Drink Wine Day is to spread the love and health benefits of wine.  Wine has played an important role in history, religion and relationships.  We embrace the positive benefits of wine such as new friends, reduced risk of heart disease and the enhancement of food and life.”


5. Thursday evening started the Richmond Cursillo 477th men’s weekend. Please pray for the team members and candidates.


6. Today is Dee’s birthday. We are going to the Richmond Spider versus VCU Rams game. Go Spiders!


7. Patty Loveless, “My Old Friend the Blues.” One of my favorites.



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Friday, February 12, 2016

Peyton, Tarzan & Colleen


My Slow Takes

1. Pam and Tony hosted our annual Super Bowl Party. I didn’t win the pool, but Peyton won the game, which is what I was hoping for. 

The Cheerleaders

2. There is a new GEICO commercial, this one is based on Tarzan, Jane and Cheeta. The commercial brought back memories of watching Tarzan, starring Johnny Weissmuller, with my Dad and brother Tom. There were a couple of things that the commercial missed. The first is that is should have been done in black and white like the old movies. Second, Cheeta was very quiet. Usually he would have some chimpanzee response, even if it was to “blow raspberries.” Third, and probably the most important, Tarzan did not use the word, “ungawa.” 


3. Ash Wednesday was well attended at our 9:30AM Mass. Dee and I assisted with Hospitality and received ashes along with the rest of the parishioners. 

4. Please pray for our friend Ryan’s grandmother Irene who is in ICU. She is a lovely, frail woman. Dee and I visited her at the hospital and prayed with her.

5. Winter brings snow and cold temperatures. Sometimes I think that the “news” likes to have things to talk about in an attempt to get more viewers. Please understand that I’m not ridiculing our television networks, but it appears that they started using term “polar vortex” sometime in 2014. Prior to that, it was just cold, sub-freezing temperatures or “three dog nights.” In any case, this weekend is going to be cold. 

6. This is from “Your Daily Tripod,” by Colleen O’Sullivan. She starts with a reading from Isaiah and then suggests our “action for lent.”

“This, rather, is the fasting that I wish:  releasing those bound unjustly, untying the thongs of the yoke; Setting free the oppressed, breaking every yoke; Sharing your bread with the hungry, sheltering the oppressed and the homeless; Clothing the naked when you see them and not turning your back on your own.  Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your wound shall quickly be healed; Your vindication shall go before you, and the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.  Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer, you shall cry for help, and he will say:  Here I am!”   (Isaiah 58:6-9a)

“Lent 2016 is still young.  There’s still time to ponder God’s words in today’s reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah and to reflect on how we plan to fast during this season.  Fasting without a rice bowl, without a means to reach out in love and compassion to others, is empty.   Especially during this Jubilee Year of Mercy, what God desires is fasting and sacrifice that lead to corporal works of mercy.”

7. Dixie Chicks “Hello Mr. Heartache.” 



Go over to "This Ain't the Lyceum,” where Kelly is hosting more takes.

Friday, February 5, 2016

Roy, Dale, Scully & Kolchak



My Slow Takes


1. We went to a 70th birthday party, for our friend Roger, over the weekend. He has a large collection of cowboy hats so someone thought it would be a good idea to take a picture of the “guys” all wearing the hats. We all started singing “Happy Trails To You.” Unfortunately we couldn’t remember all the verses.


2. This is Roy and Dale Rogers singing the same song, only with all the verses.


3. Paul’s Bods has a link to “Model of Betrayal – The Plastic Panorama of Old Lwów (Lviv: The History Of One City #20).” This is a remarkable diorama complete with the history of the artist.

4. Episode 3 of the X-Files has Scully and Mulder looking for a “lizard-man.” At one point in the episode the intrepid duo are interviewing a prostitute who encountered the alleged villain. Mulder shows the victim a sketch of the “lizard-man.” Mulder asks, “did it look anything like this?” She answers, “no, the thing I saw had two eyes and was wearing underwear.” Scully, with her arms folded and looking at the victim with questionable eyes, asks her, “boxers or briefs.” This was the best Scully line in the episode.

5. There were other things going on in episode 3 of the X-Files. Keith Uhlich from vulture.com writes;

“More than most, the latest episode of The X-Files ("Mulder & Scully Meet the Were-Monster," written and directed by Darin Morgan) is filled to the brim with Easter eggs, callback characters, and other assorted references. We've attempted to gather as many of these as possible …”

“The two paint-huffing stoners,
Mulder and pencils,
How Mukder dies, 
How Scully dies, 
Porta Potties, 
Guy Mann’s human wardrobe,
Alex Diakun, 
The red Speedo, 
The graveyard, 
Jack Hardy, 
Mulder’s ringtone,
Daggoo.”

Yes, I’m a devoted, dedicated, and enthusiastic fan of X-Files.

6. My second favorite science fiction series was “Kolchak: The Night Stalker.” Darren McGavin was an excellent choice for the part. I didn’t miss any of those episodes either.


7. Chris Stapleton - "Whiskey And You," a different type of tune.



Go over to "This Ain't the Lyceum,” where Kelly is hosting more takes.


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