The Last Day

Well, not too exciting, but it's turning into a kind of wrap-up day.

First, this morning I finished up the billing for Evelyn's work for the county.

Second, I called and made an appointment with Dr. Ewing for later this week so I can renew my prescriptions. With any luck, he may let me drop a couple of them.

Third, we got the stuff together for our New Year's dinner tomorrow afternoon. Peggy and Rich have been invited, but Rich is a bit under the weather, so we don't know if he will be up to it. Tom is cooking the ham that the Screnock's gave me for Christmas, I am making New Year's Black Eye Peas from a recipe I found online, and we will have scalloped potatoes. Peggy is bringing a fruit salad and carrot cake. Peter will entertain us with his scintillating analysis of The Brothers Karamazov, which he has been reading in preparation for his next semester at St. John.

Fourth, one of the guys I had for spiritual direction when I was in Chicago will be passing by the Dells this afternoon on his way home from a funeral in Minnesota. He called and will stop and join us for dinner. When I met him in 2003 he was getting a graduate degree at Catholic Theological Union in Hyde Park, and he is now an ordained priest in the American Catholic Church. (This is a small church in the Catholic tradition, but they are not in communion with Rome and have married clergy.) His name, interestingly enough, is Tim Dodd. His wife is from Poland, and I believe she is there now, finishing up a degree in psychology.

Tomorrow morning I may go into Baraboo to print out Evelyn's bills, finish putting together a file for Joe in preparation for a hearing he has on Thursday, and then come back here to finish helping with the housecleaning and getting ready for the dinner. Helen and Jay will arrive late tomorrow night and stay overnight before taking off for home with Buddy the Dog on Wednesday morning.

And Wednesday, it will be back to the regular work schedule.

I don't know about you, but I am very confused about what day is what, given the holidays, the people in and out and so on.

Couldn't possibly be my age catching up with me!
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PS -- I sometimes ask you to pray for my friend, Archbishop Sleiman, in Iraq. Right now I want to ask prayers for the Carmelites in Kenya, which has been struck by violence in the aftermath of a disputed presidential election. Four of the guys I know very well are living there, including Steve Payne, my best friend in the Order. (You remember him, Ted. He's the one you tried to sell a gun.) They are in a pretty safe suburb outside Nairobi, but one never knows what will happen when things explode over there.

And, of course, I am sure Archbishop Sleiman and his flock would appreciate your prayers for them, too.