TrulyGrace

THU 4 May 2017- Dad drove me to the bus stop to get to PIT International in time for the 2-hour buffer before my 9.30 AM flight. Sat next to a sometime-PCV on the bus out. Flight was cancelled, so I was put on the next direct flight to BOSton. In the meantime, I enjoyed a sweet snack at Bottega dei Sapori. Smooth flight; sat next to someone from a nonprofit organization. I caught the Silver Line bus to South Station, made a smooth transition to the red line and then met Julie at the clock in Harvard Square. She was sans sa famille for the evening, so we went to C’s favorite pan-Asian restaurant in Inman Square, the Ginger Exchange, for dinner, where I enjoyed coconut curry- pho- pork belly soup. We also shared an appetizer. I loved the khulfi (pistachio & cardamom) ice cream for dessert a few doors down at Christina’s parlor.

5 May 2017, FRI- Early in the morning I watched crimping YouTube videos on Julie’s Chromebook. Julie and I enjoyed breakfast by L, then lunch (I had fish & chips) at Christopher’s pub in Porter Square before Julie’s haircut appointment. I went to Porter Square Books for a card for David and other items; then I went to Michaels for crimp bead covers. We then went to David’s party at the Leaky Beaker in the center of the Science Center, followed by a celebration at the Friends Meeting House. Because of the weather leaving Boston and the Friday afternoon rush hour traffic, we were about a half hour late for the Leaky Beaker party. Julie and I dropped our coats, wet umbrellas and cane outside of the Science Center Focus area and spotted people we knew as we snaked behind the projector showing a looped slide show of David & his students through the years. I spotted Prof. Jim Loehlin and his wife first, Julia Speyer, Maya, and a few more people. David looked radiant or flushed, depending on what the present speaker was saying about him at any given time. Maya wrote a poem just for the occasion! ML and I reminisced after the speakers had finished, and after David spoke. I remembered incidents from that summer long ago that she had forgotten; likewise, she recounted incidents which I had forgotten.

Soon, it was time to head to the after-party celebration at the Friends Meeting House. It was great to see alumnae that I hadn’t seen since their senior year, namely, Michele Sprengnether and also saw Julia Speyer. Met with alumnae from then until present-day juniors, including Genevieve, who had written a wonderful article about David for the Wellesley News. Julie and I were certain to get photos of us with David before departing. Julie and I spent the drive back to her family home commenting and noting about our evening, which was a grand reunion of sorts.

SAT 6 MAY 2017- Spent the morning applying for an education position in Pittsburgh on Julie’s Chromebook. Julie and I helped pack bags for youngsters and teens at a church in Cambridge---we each packed two bags for teens in foster care or recently aging out of foster care. After, Julie, C, and I had lunch at Sushi Fusion on Mass Ave. C was intent on doing well on her spoken presentation for her class. Julie and I went to the Peabody and Harvard Natural History Museums in the afternoon. Dinner was Chinese take-away (delivered), Ning arrived late that night.

SUN 7 MAR 2017- After bidding me goodbye, Julie took off for service. L & Ning & Charlie headed out to May Day celebrations. C practiced her presentation, intent on nailing it. Cean came by to pick me up—we headed to SoMa in South Boston. We shared a pretzel the size of someone’s head from When Pigs Fly Bakery (www.sendbread.com), of York, Maine; tooled around a vintage clothing shop, and purchased gifts at the Bead + Fiber gallery, I purchased a gift at The Science Boutique, bought unsweetened sweet iced teas at the tea bar by Evy, had vegan coconut milk-lime sorbet from Honeycomb Creamery, and enjoyed a late lunch at the Gogi on the Block food truck. Some of the artists we loved were a woman who makes “block photo collages” and jewelry, and Paula Ogier. Cean took photos of me in various places about---I vowed that she needed to visit so that we could get photos together. We headed back to her home where Pat had started to prepare a pan-Asian dinner for us! A fond Hello! to Samson and to Amelia. After dinner, Cean brought me to my bus to Hartford. On the way there, I noted that the last time we had drove that route was for C’s high school graduation party balloons. It was cold and had started to rain, so we sat in the car and waited. It was nice to see these buds from college! 

Kim picked me up from the bus depot and gave me an extra layer for my bed before tucking the girls in.

MON 8 MAY 2017- After dropping off C, and also S’s items at school, we went to ask about supplies at a gardening store, then headed to her home for: omelets for breakfast, experimenting with green cleaning products, printing out my boarding pass, and soaking in the atmosphere of her backyard. Killian is a dear. We met with Kathy Flaherty at Sarah’s coffeehouse and enjoyed a great tea and coffee experience! They knew many of the same folks. As we departed, we took a photo of our mini-reunion. I caught the bus to South Station, then caught a cab to the Hostel International. I met my 3 (one would arrive later) roommates, then went to have Goi Tom Thit combination salad with mint and basil at Pho Pasteur as take-away. (Should have opted for the vermicelli, Bun Tom Nuong- shrimp; or the Bun Gu Nuong- chicken). Chatted with a Music Therapy major at Berklee School of Music over dinner. Called it an early night, but kept waking up every hour after a certain point in the morning.

TUE 9 MAY 2017- Got up super early and caught a Silver Line bus to South Station, then caught an airport bus and got off at my terminal. The flight arrived about ½ hour early---so I caught the 11.00 bus to Oakland. My seatmate on the bus was a Canadian woman to whom I pointed out the sights and neighborhood we passed while on the bus. I pointed her toward the Carnegie Museums whilst I crossed the street, carry-on luggage in hand, just in time to catch most of Bishop Zubik’s homily for the Mass venerating 3 relics of Saint (“Padre”) Pio.

http://www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2017/05/09/Relics-of-Padre-Pio-stigmata-st-paul-cathedral-oakland/stories/201705100086

As the crowd rushed forward to venerate the relics, I quietly made my way to the makeshift giftshop in the Ste. Jeanne d’Arc chapel to ask questions. I then departed, intending to drop off my luggage and to rest a bit after travel. Mom, Dad, and I went to wait in line to venerate St. Pio’s relics: we waited from ~16.45 to about 18.40. The wait was long, but we got to meet fellow pilgrims and to venerate a part of his bed, gloves used to cover his stigmata, and a third relic.

WED 10 MAY 2017- After an early morning errand, went to Bible Study with Fr. Paul W. 

THU 11 MAY 2017- Two tours, each of 3 Cultures with sixth graders. Choir practice in evening, as usual.

FRI 12 MAY 2017- Two tours, each of Pennsylvania Natural History with 3rd graders.

SAT 13 MAY 2017- @ 14.00 went with Jorge and Bernie to visit the Radiant Hall Spring Open Studios in the former Westinghouse factory where Ana has her art conservation studio. 16.00+ spoke with Kim S regarding her perspective on teaching.