TrulyGrace

Today was one busy day. Brought M to her regular dental check-up in the South Hills. It took over an hour and a half to get there, as we are part of the City of Orange, as one of my Bookmobile drivers used to quip. We recycled our printer at a branch store where we had purchased it, and had purchased its replacement; then we had burritos for lunch, with iced tea and with root beer. Soon after, it was time for an appointment with the ophthalmologist for M. We had dinner, watched Jeopardy!, and then did some computer work. By 20.30 it was thunderation atsaka Lintik! Stayed chez D and M.

Zoomed Bible Study facilitated by Fr Mike Darcy. There were a handful of us(6+), with a couple of newcomers, including someone in Australia. We read the passages for Pentecost Sunday: During the Day (Lectionary #63). I was honored to read the first reading, Acts 2:1-11 for our group.

Worked on decluttering my living room, slowly but surely. After lunch, ordered online a gift from D and M for MAMc. Swam for ~40 minutes, while taking a "halftime" break of aquatic exercises, as well as a final cooldown of more of the same aquatic exercises. Met L, a transplant with su esposo. Sio pao and ramen Asian noodles for dinner. MAMc called to say that she had received Lola/lo's gift. We sang for her!

Announcement to choir about a Zoom yoga buddy who is selling her family piano.

Went to Palenkeng de Malaking Aguila in Shadyside for NATIONAL DONUT DAY and for other grocery supplies. Enjoyed a Boston Creme donut when I delivered the groceries home. Got (5 more) Boston Cremes, 3 Berliners, 2 Apple Fritters, and a Maple Glazed Donut. My brain is rotating in Sugar Heaven as I write this...

Lunch with WA, D, M (malaking hipon, smoked bangus, kanin) and more donut (fritter) before going to meet with AC in Schenley Park. Cordial chat about our work. Returned a book to the library (Desmond Tutu and the Dalai Lama talk about Joy), then back to D and M's to blog....And look up the rest of articles. Prepare for afternoon activities.

Swam / halftime water exercises / swim/ water exercises cooldown for 45 minutes total.  Dinner chez D and M, had tinapa at kanin, and consumed a total of 3 donuts/danish in the past 14 hours. After Jeopardy! D and I went for a slow walk for 2 blocks round trip. Got to smell the flowers in the local rose garden. Took care of various emails for M, 22.45 discussion with UD. Sooo tired, partially from all the sugar, and partially from the exercise.

Mostly relaxing day. Yoga (Zoom) at 10.00. Helen was still on the Continent. Spoke to Eileen about her family's piano.

D, M, and I attended the televised 10.00 Mass from Cathedral in the morning. Fr Kris celebrated the Mass. Nathan S and the shorter kid were altar servers. Mary McCrory was the sole lector, and Lynn and Tom B were Eucharistic Ministers. There was music ministry from the loft and altar.

There was a Zoom All Staff Question and Answer meeting late in the morning. Rustling to redd up items in the home library.

After watching Andrew Lloyd Webber and Lin Manuel Miranda present snippets from various musicals for the Queen (Elilzabeth II)'s Platinum Jubilee celebration, it was wonderful to hear the two introduce the scenes, replete with each of them introducing each other musically before the musical numbers start (in order):

Hamilton, 

Phantom of the Opera,

Lion King,

6 Queens of Henry the 8th,

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

https://playbill.com/article/watch-andrew-lloyd-webber-and-lin-manuel-miranda-join-forces-for-queens-platinum-jubilee

OR

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhWh6eVhLTg 

I was appalled to find that the musical play which YeSim and I saw at downtown Los Angeles at the Ahmanson Theater---Phantom of the Opera---is basically about an older man who creepily primes the career of an ingenue soprano, then wants to control her life.

See:

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0293508/plotsummary   for this plot summary:

A Chi, YeSim, and I had a pleasant time that evening.

D, M, and I attended the Fire Alarm meeting in the lobby today. Took a looong nap after lunch; D and I went to mail M's return package at the Post Office. Grocery shopping at Friendship/Shadyside and at Palenkeng de Malaking Aguila in Shadyside. Picked up burgers and soft drinks and a shake at Shadyside. Dropped off expired medications at the drugstore in our neighborhood.

We 3 enjoyed dinner and Jeopardy! as the rains from earlier in the day recommenced.

Accompanied D for an eye prescription, as well as an eyeglass selection and preliminary fitting. Picked up some sunscreen at the drugstore.

Went swimming for ~30 minutes (BrS and EBS), punctuated at halftime and at the end with water exercises.

Our small Zoom group, which included D, M, and me, read the readings (and discussed) for this Sunday (Solemnity of Corpus Christi) with Fr Mike Darcy and the gamelan ~8. Laura D rejoined us.

Went for a post-dinner (a large 3-topping pizza), post-Jeopardy! walk with SLH to a different fountain on campus. 

After Dark-Nature Crawl at the museum. After stopping in our check-in location, I spent some time looking at Nature's Amazing Machines exhibit to look for Velcro (R). Checked out the Velcro (R) station in Botany Hall, went back to our check-in location, chatted with Blaire and Leslie, then went to set up further the Velcro (R) station.

A fairly mellow evening, probably due to COVID inoculation checks. Blaire joined me for a while. Most people I asked (2h) were from Pittsburgh---one fellow hailed from coastal North Carolina.

Received an important choir email today.

Picked up grocery supplies from Palenkeng de Malaking Aguila in Shadyside. Went for a 25 minute swim; punctuated twice by water exercises (ronde de jambe). Followed some Spanish lessons, M chatted with DW, and then I rode the public bus to pick up MFMA at PIT. Met LB while waiting for the bus---we chatted, and exchanged information. 

MFMA left something, called PIT from the bus, and everything was sorted out. I was left eating the dust as we arrived chez Lolo at Lola.

Dinner was with D, M, WA, and myself and consisted of salmon cakes, courtesy of WA; pot roast with potatoes and carrots; rice; black grapes; ROY G BI cupcakes (Lola provided the "V"), and Scoops, multigrain. MFMA napped, keeping away to quarantine for COVID.

MM and WA videophoned as dinner was winding down. Took care of electronic communications for M.

D, M, and I attended the 10.00 televised Mass from Cathedral, celebrated by Fr Kris Stubna, assisted by Deacon Tom Berna. Special Sunday for the Scene at Calvary.

M and I ordered pizzas, which D and I promptly picked up. We all enjoyed pizza for lunch and dinner meals. Around mid-afternoon, A Teng called M. I went to the Carnegie Library Summer Reading Extravaganza, decorating a sugar cookie, collecting a piece of fruit and snack bar, and getting a water bottle and a bag to contain my goodies. 

https://www.carnegielibrary.org/event/summer-reading-extravaganza-2022/

I said hi and chatted with one of my mentors, KM-W, in the library, and chatted about COVID testing at Security. Around 17.10, more news from ATeng. Family Zoom at 18.00 to ~20h. Spoke by phone with S from my neighborhood.

Zoom exercise class at 11.00 (after breakfast). Lunch of leftover pizza! Lots of online work with M; worked on my personal finance today. Today was MFMA's first day of work. M spoke with Dr W. Dinner with D and M---pot roast. MFMA isolated from us because of (CDC yellow in Allegheny County) and some are elderly. Mailed a letter to my coworker, CM. Watched Jeopardy! with M and D. M spoke with US to catch up on family news.

Time for bed.

Arrived at my dentist appointment 45 minutes early. Chatted with C briefly before I had a cleaning (with polishing) by C, discussed frequency of brushing, use of devices to clean teeth, and flossing. Had a panoramic Xray taken. Dr L and I talked about the issues I had discussed with C. When I drove home, I was pleasantly surprised to find a goodie bag full of dental care items in my tote bag. Picked up burgers and fries on the way back.

After lunch, I went to the optometrist's office for a new prescription. Plenteous questions.

Took a nap when I got home. Half a large burger for dinner; with multigrain nachos with homemade salsa with melty cheese. Granola bar with milk after Jeopardy! and before setting up a link for M. 

This morning I retrieved groceries from the North Hills.

Picked up grocery and other supplies from Palenkeng de Malaking Aguila in Shadyside

Bible Study Zoomed this evening. We read and discussed the readings for this Sunday celebrating the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus {et Sanguinus} Christi). I was honored to read the 1st reading for our group of 7 (Fr Mike and 6 laity).

Helped M with phone calls. Attended a webinar on retirement. For dinner, fresh lumpia, longanisa, at kanin. Likewise received food photos from my NAFTA siblings! MFMA ate separately, as usual, due to COVID concerns. (Allegheny County is presently CDC Yellow.) I had left, after a delayed Jeopardy! viewing, and MFMA had not yet eaten dinner. A Severe Thunderstorm Alert was in place from ~4 to 9 PM tonight.

Arose early; washed a load of laundry which ended ~ 07.50. Hung the clothes to dry and had breakfast. Said "Bye," to MFMA, (heading off to work) and chatted briefly with D. Blogged.

M and I went to chat with a friend in Oakland, then went grocery shopping at an Asian mart in the Strip District. After dinner, D and I walked to the Starzl statue.

SCN and 6 of us participated in her Zoom yoga class. Chatted with LS on the phone. Worked on personal finances.

As noted by SCN before our yoga class, it is 40 degrees Fahrenheit cooler (than what it was, at 93 Fahrenheit 2 days ago, and it was in the 80s yesterday).

Worked on a household dilemma with others this afternoon, then went to get my swimming in: ~30 minutes, punctuated twice by standing water exercises (les exercices de ronde de jambe, bilaterals), at halftime and also at the end. It was great to inherit a lane, then to pass it on to someone else. Chatted briefly with BG on the way home, as well as with MAS's sisters, E and C, as well as with C's son.

Helped M with contacting classmates.

After dinner, joined SR (who was having dinner at UG, Honest American Food) for dessert of brownie sundaes. Duolingo (of course) afterwards.

D, M, and I attended the televised 10.00 Mass from Cathedral this morning. Fr Steve Palsa celebrated Corpus Christi Sunday. Alex DiC cantored, and Gregory Thomas was the scheduled lector. Nathan Sudie and the short young boy were the altar servers. The Eucharistic Prayer ("...do this in memory of me...") played a key role in the Homily. Fr Steve mentioned that (during the Last Supper): 

Jesus

took

blessed

broke

gave

us the Eucharist. He promised he would be with us.

The Eucharistic ministers were Nancy H, Rich DiC, and Judy N.

Music included

Entrance- Jesus, My Lord, My God, My All

Communion Hymn- Gift of Finest Wheat

Recessional Hymn- Father, We Thank You, Who Has Planted

I went (solo, then again with D) to the Palenkeng de Malaking Aguila in Shadyside for groceries. Returned to select fresh, live lobster from their bubbling, saline water tank. We enjoyed quite a spread for Father's Day, D, M, MFMA, and I: 

Fresh green and vegetable salad

Pork sio bao

Fresh, perfectly ripe mango

Fresh whole lobster and lobster tails (the honoree's favorite)

Thai jasmine rice 

Honey wheat bread

Lemon Bundt cake

The Cathedral bells were pealing at ~ 13.20 to announce the beginning of the Diocesan Eucharistic Procession through the streets of Oakland. 

I went out at ~1.45 and waited with a neighbor from a nearby building, Catherine B, for the return of the procession to the Cathedral. Chatted with a photographer from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, and one from the Pittsburgh Catholic, as well as sighting Fr David Abernathy from the Oratory. Soon, the procession was spotted heading north on Craig Street: The leading priest with acolytes, followed by what appeared to be approximately half a dozen Knights of Columbus, an SUV bearing Bishop David A Zubik, Erica Gamerro, more acolytes (one with a censer, and then the huppa/tent with the Sacred Eucharist, more acolytes with priests and consecrated religious, including sisters), then the faithful crowd, headed up by Brian Gurley, Cathedral music director, leading the sung a cappella litany. LP and I chatted afterwards, and she shared the Procession booklet with me.

Brought some groceries home, took a ~hour-long nap, and then returned in time to set up the family Zoom for D and M, and for myself. k and K Zoomed from home, JO and GJMc connected from a car ferry and subsequently whilst on the road. I snacked while Zooming.

Maintained my spot in the top 10 Diamond League in Duolingo. Blogged about this wonderful day.

Had my late morning Zoom exercise session. Lunch was leftover lobster sandwich. Paid some bills, had a mini-dinner, then headed off to the World Refugee and Immigrant Day - v. Pittsburgh. Went from ~ 17.50 and got to the cafe near the museum by ~19.15. Watched delayed Jeopardy! with M. Planned tomorrow, will have dinner at home and will do Spanish lessons there, as well.

Brought M to dentist's office in South Hills. Dental work looks great. Went to 2 places to attempt to donate Children's Party and Winter clothes. Got Breakfast Burritos and drinks for breakfast. Stopped at the South Side to donate (2nd time's a charm!). Went Swimming for half an hour (30 minutes).

Called the ophthalmologist/optometrist's shop. Dropped off household "building materials," and chatted with D, who also took a photo of me in front of ~as. Went shopping at the Large Plan Megastore for garments and food in Bakery Square. Stopped at a drugstore in East Liberty, but the store had closed. Went to a drugstore in North Oakland for eye care. Went from 17.00 to 18.00 to the Celebration of Life of Sidney Bernstein, a true gentleman and a caring individual. Dinner followed with D and M, then Bible Study for the 13th SUNDAY in Ordinary Time.

At 14.00 to 14.50 attended an economic webinar sponsored by my alma mater. Paula Johnson, president of Wellesley College, Hillary Clinton, former US Secretary of State, and 3 women from the private sector, spoke in turn in front of a small audience, answering questions from the facilitator.

Planning for the reunion of M's med school class. Phone chats with former classmates and travel plans.

Dinner of leftover spaghetti with Beyond Meat "meat"balls and Paul Newman's spaghetti sauce. 

Infrastructure ~as Zoom meeting with KR, NMB, et al. Quite productive. Time for Jeopardy with the newest champion...

Roe v Wade was overturned by the US Supreme Court. When prompted by JO, we female siblings responded. I texted, "No protection for incest & rape cases. None. I don't think I would ever have an abortion...But who am I to judge another person/s's decision? 

Ask me what I think, as a Catholic.

"NBC News just reported that Brett Kavanaugh states that this (decision) leaves open the exception to 'save the life of the mother.' But no guarantees...It Does take 2 to make a baby. Maybe there will be more responsibility needed from more than just the mother in the future! It takes more than just one woman to make a baby.

"(10:57 AM) Tune in to NBC News now. Speaker Pelosi is speaking.

"Gun safety legislation passed earlier, with at least a dozen Republicans supporting it, as well..."

k pointed out the SCOTUS ruling on MMH yesterday, which I hadn't seen. The Pres speaks at 12.30....

Interesting articles--
Lindsey Graham said Alito's abortion opinion was correct for distinguishing Roe from same-sex marriage and contraception rulings (msn.com)

Took a nap. Swam a little over 30 minutes, including water exercises at halftime and to cool down. A woman chatted with me in the dressing room....quite humorous, but rather sad, too.

M and I watched Jeopardy! with a new champion. 

M and I attended the 20.00 broadcast of the 12.00 Mass from Downtown St Mary of the Point. Today is the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. Fr Joe Freedy was thankful for the ruling of the Supreme Court, and celebrated the Mass with Fr Ed Mugbe. Psalm 23 was the Responsorial Psalm between the readings (Ps 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6). Fr Joe Freedy started his Homily after the Gospel passage with a meditation of Psalm 23.

We (D, M, MFMA, and myself) enjoyed hamburguesas atsaka halo halo for dinner---deliciousness! The first celebration of Summer with halo halo this season!

Attended SCN's Zoom yoga class this morning. Packed a brown bag lunch to take with me, and met SR for a fun day at Phipps Conservatory. We enjoyed our lunches in the shade under trees next to the CLP Lecture Hall, then went to Phipps, inspecting the locks on "Lock Bridge" over Panther Hollow. The Summer Show is centered around Claude Monet and his paintings.  Plenty of photos, and sharing of stories. Ran into Re OC, a former coworker, and regaled her with a Phipps story. After 2 visits to the cafe to reset and to refuel, RO was kind enough to take our photo by the entrance.

After heading home, I ran some errands for D and M to the local store to get lightbulbs, and to the drugstore to get vitamins, breakfast cereal, etc. A wonderful continuation of the celebration of Summer with a glass of halo halo! Dinner followed afterwards, nachos with homemade salsa. Almost ready to call it a night. Saw most of Monk (Sharona and her uncle episode--Season 3 Episode 8?) with D and M. Lots of cool drinks (smoothies and fruit punch) to make up for all that time in the hot sunshine today!

I lectored at the 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time, proclaiming the first and 2nd readings. Fr Kris Stubna celebrated the Mass, and I chatted with Fr Douglas when I first arrived. Said hi to Brian G before he went to the choir loft to accompany the Voices of Gwynedd, the choir of Gwynedd Mercy University (near Philadelphia), directed by Carol Evans. Ted Wojcik was the sacristan, with Gabriel and Isaac as alter servers. kr cantored. The visiting choir sang:

Prelude

Praise the Lord- Traditional Cameroon melody

Rise up in Festive Song- Cleareau

Offertory

Siyahamba (We Are Marching in the Light of God) South African Song

Communion Meditation

Circle of Mercy- Sisters of Mercy, Keiss and Regan, RSM

There was not enough time for May the Road Rise to Meet You- True

Many of the selections sung during that Mass were sung a cappella. Much of the service was sung using Peter Latona's Mass.

There was an official announcement in the Music and Worship Tri-fold Guide of the naming of Don Fellows as Emeritus Director of Music and Organist on 17 July 2022, when a plaque will be installed in the Cathedral Choir loft, memorializing the honor. Additionally, Don will inaugurate the 2022 Organ Summer Concert Series.

Part of a series of CBS, LA-TV short articles on the University of California at Riverside:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LH1I-K3kE9U

https://youtu.be/LH1I-K3kE9U

Right before lunch I had my moving/exercise Zoom class.

After lunch SCN brought by the spaghetti pot from E&MW.

From 19-20.00 I went grocery shopping at Friendship/Shadyside.

After dinner, attended the Zoomed Information Management monthly committee meeting for ~as.

I had a meeting with a specialist this morning, and a first meeting with a friend in South Oakland.

Went grocery shopping with M in Bakery Square and also at the Garfield neighborhood.

Went to swim this afternoon for ~35-40 minutes. Spoke with the lifeguard on the way out of the water. 

Wrung my suit out at home.

Mellow day. Took care of phone calls and electronic correspondence.

M suggested fried chicken for lunch today. I retrieved that and some other items at the Palenkeng de Malaking Aguila in Shadyside. D, M, MFMA, and I enjoyed chicken, pepperoni bread, and ice cream bars for lunch.

At 20.15 SLH and I went for a walk to the Porch, chatted whilst we listened to two guitar players perform en plein air. We decided that ice cream would play a role in our next walk.

Ran a quick test for M (COVID-19). The Control line was rather dark, with an absent Test line, thus indicating a negative outcome.

This week I took care of our reservations, eye appointment items, getting tickets and returning tickets for an event, paying bills, helping out a couple of friends, and providing help for our family medical history. Quite a lot of tasks for the end of June 2022!