Welcome to the Lodge!

Jerry Williams, a Carmelite priest friend from Chicago (although now he is a pastor in Kansas), used to refer to Tom's place here in the Dells as The Lodge -- until the first time he came up here (before the house was built) and discovered he was camping in a tent. We still joke about The Lodge from time to time.

Over the next few weeks, The Lodge will be welcoming a number of guests back. Tom's friend Chris will be arriving from Evanston on Friday to spend the weekend. The following week Michelangelo will get here on Thursday for a few days. Then Tom's daughter Lucy and a friend are coming in mid-October.

So we and the cats will be busy with hospitality for a while. This weekend's Wo-Zha-Wa activities will make it easy to entertain Chris, not that he's difficult to entertain anyway. For Michelangelo, we may have to work a bit harder, but generally he is happy if he has a cup of coffee in his hand and a bag of cheese curds (don't even ask!) nearby. He likes to work outdoors, so Tom may have him help with some of the fall cleanup around the house. He's also a member of the R&GN Railway, so he might get dragged into working over there some. (That'll teach him to accept our invitations!)

By the time Lucy & Friend arrive, the foliage should be nice and they may be satisfied with a train or boat ride to enjoy the colors.

Just remember, The Lodge has comfortable guest accommodations and Tom is a great cook. Even the cats are welcoming, and if you are lucky, the pileated woodpeckers may put in an appearance.

On another front, I have been plodding along with my book on Elijah and today got started on the updated history of Holy Hill. I am waiting to hear back from the editor of Spiritual Life magazine about when the article they have accepted is likely to be published. I imagine next spring if I am lucky.

I have been having a lot of email correspondence about the Carmelite Institute Distance Learning Program. The new director is interested in sending more students my way, which would mean a nice increase in my income.

I completed and submitted my application for health insurance. I should hear within a week or so if they approve me. If so, coverage will begin October 1. So tuck that away in your prayers.