Wed - Feb 14/18


Happy Valentine's Day!

Originally, today was to commemorate the sacrifice of St. Valentine, who became a martyr for performing Christian marriages 18 centuries ago.

 (oil painting - Leonhard Beck - circa 1510)

For the first time since 1945 it is also Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. This, of course, will put Easter Sunday on April Fool's Day.

As Shakespeare would say; "Therein lies the rub!" (grin)

Today is also Ash Wednesday. Along with Good Friday, while not a "Holy Day" (when Catholics are required to attend mass), it is the only other day requiring Fasting and Abstinence from meat  (not sex - another big grin).

NY Daily News

“My "freestyle" marks are all in good fun,” Bill Donaghy, the artist, said. “God knows we need a sense of humor..."

On Ash Wednesday ashes, an expression of grief in ancient times, are often ceremonially placed on the fore heads of Christians as a visible cross. Traditionally, accompany this gesture are the words (sometimes in Latin) "Remember, man, that thou art dust, and to dust thou shalt return." In 1969, the Catholic Roman Rite (Western) introduced "Repent, and believe in the Gospel"(Mark 1:15) to remind the faithful of their sinfulness; mortality and need to repent. Either wording may be used as well as sprinkling ashes on the head rather than a cross on the forehead.

How do you celebrate Valentine's Day in Lent. Can you still be a believer and celebrate with Champagne and Chocolates? I'm sure the "All things in moderation rule can apply here."

To that end we will pass on the above. Charlotte and I will celebrate with popcorn and bottled water at the Orange Blossom Opry tonight in Wiersdale as The Shirelles perform. It is a 7:30 p.m. show and we will be back too late to include a synopsis in the blog. I will "go out on a limb" and say the show was great!

Happy Valentine's Day Charlotte!

Back to today! A usual Wednesday otherwise. It is starting off overcast, damp and cool; however it will warm up to almost 80 F by this afternoon. Tomorrow and the next week will all be above 80 F and dry. This is on course to be the warmest February on record.

I dropped Charlotte off at the MPR. Just Charlotte and Jean there today - more ladies will probably arrive later. Today she will be working on two "No Sew" Polar Fleece quilts.  Once the top and bottom are aligned narrow slits are cut around the edge. These narrow pieces of material are then knotted together. Voila! a "No Sew" quilt is born. 

I went next door to the Lodge to use the Wi-Fi. Most of the first hour was installing updates, checking e-Mail, checked yesterday's Amazon order (already left CA) and did the banking. The "Tornado Committee" were meeting here again and "fine tuning" their work. Volunteers are often "taken for granted"; but they make many things in life better. 

I finished early and went over to the MPR to check on Charlotte's progress and to help her pack up when done. We got a little "Knotty".(grin) I helped her tie knots to finish the second "No Sew" quilt that she was working on today. That only took an hour. 

Then it was back to the motorhome for lunch. Being a "No Meat" day and because we don't do "Vegan" posed a problem. Luckily, we still had a can of Habitant Pea Soup from home. We usually eat it with really fresh bread; but we had none. Time for a little trick. I put the bread we did have in the microwave (5 slices for 1 minute on high). Mmmm...like it just came out of the oven. Dessert was fresh strawberries w/whipped cream...another Mmmm.

Just a relaxing TV afternoon before heading (At 6 p.m.) to the Opry for the 7:30 p.m. show featuring "The Shirelles". 

Happy Valentine's Day everyone! Hope you didn't make an "Ash" of yourself. (grin)

Quick Update: Just after we published the blog and before we were leaving.

School Shooting in Parkland, FL. (near Ft. Lauderdale)

Former student was taken into custody about an hour after he had left the building. 15 deaths and multiple injuries - no firm totals yet.

This is the 18th. school shooting since Columbine. Parkland was voted the safest community in Florida. I'd hate to live in a dangerous community.