Adventure 861: Day 84/Tucson/2023

And the Madness ends! The only one not crying is UCONN, and maybe the Zags feel a little better, too. We enjoyed another fine dinner and evening with our friends, the Kral's. I enjoyed watching the game immensely on the Kral's immense wall sized TV. Even the coaches look big on that screen. We'll see the Kral's again tomorrow morning since they invited us once again, this time for breakfast before we make our way to Sin City. It's been a very good stay. We got to share the space with several good friends, most of our kids, and we've begun some new relationships as well. I know we haven't left yet, but I can't wait to come back next year. So tonight we'll pray for traveling mercies, and realize as our heads hit the pillow that life is good, especially today.

Judy and Ginny sharing a chuckle at dinner.

One of our neighborhood saguaros.

Thin gruel: a comfortable food dinner of meatloaf, potatoes, cabbage salad, and collard greens.

Adios, Amigo. Until we meet again.

These two young guys guard the garage of our abode.

And this old guys waves as cars rush by on La Canada.

Adventure 860: Day 83/Tucson/2023

Palm Sunday as I've never experienced, brought to life through living truth, left me humbled. Reenacted, the call to worship stated, "When they came to Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus gave two disciples a task, saying to them, 'Go into the village. As soon as you enter you will find tied up a colt that no one has ridden. Untie it and bring it here.' They brought the colt to Jesus and threw their clothes upon it, and Jesus sat on it. Many people spread out their clothes on the road while others spread branches cut from the fields. Here, church members, the pastor, and children of the church paraded through the sanctuary waving branches of mesquite. Then came the anointing at Bethany (Matthew 26: 6-13) where Jesus' faithful complained about the waste of valuable oils. Jesus rebuked them. The special music was "Ride On King Jesus". From there Jesus arrived at the last supper (Matthew 26: 17-29) where Jesus predicted his betrayal. The congregation was served communion. Special music was the hymn "Eat this Bread". Jesus then moved to the Garden of Gethsemane (Mark 14: 26-27; 32-42) where he prayed. Special music sung in a solo by the music director's wife. She sang "This Bitter Earth".....not so much for those in faith. Then came the betrayal, the arrest, the trial. Special music: "Were you there when they crucified my Lord?" Then the equivocation of Pontius Pilot, after which came the crucifixion (Mark 15: 16-21) Special music: "No Greater Lover". Followed by scripture: (Luke 23: 32-43) Special music: "Jesus Remember Me". Followed by scripture: (Luke 23: 44-46) Special music: "O Sacred Head Now Wounded"  Then a call to Confession and solemn reproaches of the cross:

O my people, O my church what more could I have done for you? Answer me! I delivered you from captivity through the water of baptism but you handed me over to my captors, giving me up to die; and you have prepared a cross for your savior.

And then the deacons placed a shroud over the communion table. Special music: "Calvary".

And then we were sent out in silence. "Jesus, Lamb of God, have mercy on us."

My voiced was silenced, but my heart was filled. Sad I am to leave Tucson, if only for Sunday mornings. My suggestion is that you follow along with the readings, and maybe the songs, for then you will realize that life is good, especially today.

Adventure 859: Day 82/Tucson/2023

Like a couple of lugubrious clerics scraping along with heavy feet in the bowels of St Peter's Basilica, Judy and I began packing today. We leave Tucson Tuesday. With traveling mercies, we'll be in Spokane Thursday. We've enjoyed our stay immensely, and hope to repeat the process next winter. We consoled ourselves with an excellent dinner at the Kral's where we watched the semifinals of the Men's March Madness. We were a bit consoled when UCONN demolished Miami in the same way they battered our beloved Zags. All we can say now: Go Huskies! Oh, there's one more thing to say: Life is good, especially today.

Obligatory cactus photo: Echinocereus Pectinatus, a flowering cactus in Ginny and David's backyard.

Ginny and David, looking good as usual.

U.S. Congressmen

The Tai Chi tree. Class meets at this tree in Children's Park.

By the time the evening concluded, the cactus had bloomed. Ginny says the bloom lasts one day. Talk about "Out, out brief candle...."

For dinner, we brought baby back ribs, Ginny created these potatoes; salad, and caramel apples for dessert. Thin gruel indeed.

This little red bird hangs around the Tai Chi tree. She was nice enough to pose for me.

I'm pretty sure that snow covered Mt. Spokane won't have quite the swagger as the Catalinas, but that might be my anguish talking.