Le Weekend

I'm still trying to recover from my lack of sleep last week. I don't think I can do that to myself again. I'm not 20 anymore. Back then I could go days and days with only a few hours sleep per night. But I'm middle aged now (I hope). So, no more of that.

Saturday night we went to church at Holy Trinity in San Francisco Saturday night. There seemed to be a class of highschool girls visitg with their teacher. That was interesting. I guess being a tourist destination goes with being the first Orthodox parish in the USA. My wife felt a need to go to confession before she gets any closer to the due date. We haven't talked about it but she seems very worried about what might happen.

Sunday morning we went to church at St. Stephen's in Campbell. We had been thinking about changing to that parish, but it is so big! And they already have outgrown their new building. They will have to move pretty soon. So, it looks like we are still going to be making the trek up to S.F. every week. Not that there aren't some really great things about St. Stephen's. We both like how it seems that everyone in the parish does stuff together. I think that must be a benefit of everyone in the parish living in the same area. At HTC people drive in from as far away as Moraga, Berkely, Pacifica, San Mateo, San Carlos, Fairfax, and San Jose. Visiting a fellow parishoner's house could easily involve a 90 minute drive! But I was chismated at HTC. My wife was Baptised and Chrismated at HTC. The Little Boy was Baptized and Chrismated at HTC. The first time any of us tasted the Body and Blood of Jesus was at HTC. Add to that the familiar Icons and Relics. Where I stand in HTC is very close to the Relics and Icons of St. Eliabeth the New Martyr and several of the American Saints. At any time I can just lean over and whisper to them, kiss them. We wouldn't have that at St. Stephen's. So, we are going to stay at HTC. But I think we are going to contact Fr. Patrick at St. Stephen's about getting involved in one of their small groups.

Other news: My wife is in the running for a job at Stanford: More money, fewer hours per day, better benefits. They have a very long hiring process so she won't know anything for 3 or four months. (which is excellent for s since the baby could come at any minute.) But from a source inside the University we know she is the top candidate. She is pretty excited.

In sad news, after a long fight with cancer Athanasia's grandmother died at the age of 89. It is sad to see her go. She was a link to part of the California past I knew very little about. I never knew about the SunMaid Raisin Wars until she told me about her brother being burned out, about other farmers poisoning vinyards, etc. (You can read more about the agricultural co-ops here.) She is gone now. And her eyewitness memories of part of California's agricultural history is gone with her. We are going to the funeral in Madera on Wednesday. I'm not sure my wife is able to ride in the car that long. Just going to San Francisco on Saturday night was painful for her.

Sunday afternoon, the Little Boy and I went to my brother's house. It is actually a small mansion in the foothills of the Diablo range. From his house you can see most of San Jose and the small cities to San Jose's north and west spread out on the valley floor. Pretty good for a house painter!!! As we were walking through the house the little boy said: "Daddy, why does this house have so many bathrooms?"