Getting ready for Christmas.

Kathleen and I have been reading aloud one chapter of the Gospel of Luke each day since first December. During this fast I have been making lots of soups. (Vegetable stock is very versatile.) All the presents have been bought if not yet wrapped. I'll get them wrapped and into the mail on Monday. I baked 12 more fruitcakes this morning. Athanasia and Basil will be here for Christmas dinner. I'm planning to make a crown pork roast.

A Failed Hunt

I went pheasant hunting again this morning. The club I am in has dogs. The dog dog I used was uncontrolable. She would not follow commands to halt, and would flush brirds when they were 80 to 100 yards away from me (the max range of a shotgun with bird loads is 40 yards.) She would not stop moving when a pheasant was running on the ground, which means she was between mee and the pheasant. All togeher, I missed two birds because of my poor shooting, and three birds because of the dog. I'm going to be in San Diego on Thanksgiving weekend to meet my son's wife's parents). but the weekend after that I'l try again for pheasants. The best thing about today was being with Kathleen. I have hardley seen her for months because of her masters degree program but she went out into the field with me today, and after my failure to get pheasants she went with me to Black Bear Diner for breakfast (There is a "travelling" exception for all the Orthodox Church's fasts.) where I had the best club sandwich of my life.

Pheasants and an injured hip

Today is Monday. On Saturday morning Basil (son #4) and I went pheasant hunting. (I am a member of a hunting club in Birds Landing and it is a lot of fun.) The dog flushed a bird within 10 minutes but Basil missed and I couldn't shoot at it because Basil was standing between me and the bird. The next bird the dog flushed Basil shot at about 30 yards. Then the dog got distracted by something and rand off. I was whistling and calling and it was gone, chasing something. Then I stepped in a hole. It wasn't too deep, only about 5 or 6 inches, but it made me fall and hurt my hip. Agony. I could barely stand. I spent the rest of Saturday and all of Sunday in bed. I went to work today but evey step hurts. Even sitting in a chair hurts. I hope it heals quickly.

In other news, I am writing a new course based on a book titled Unhumans. I'll pitch it to the headmaster later this week.

I am enjoying the Nativity Fast. Tonight's dinner: A roasted butternut squash.

The Boys and a Shooting Club

Basil has been accepted by all of the universities to which he applied but he is really only interested in two: Cal Maritime (business/logistics) and San Jose State (accounting). Personally, I hope he chooses Cal Maritime. The student body and the teachers seem much less radicaly leftist than the student body and teachers at San Jose State. Maybe the accounting department won't be too yucky. But I think he is looking at the cost of housing at Cal Maritime as opposed to living with me or his mom here in San Jose.

Anselm is under the arctic ice right now. (I got a notice from the commander of the pacific submarine forces.) He's been at sea for a month and won't be back until April.

Today during the meatfare lunch after liturgy Fr. Basil said he wants to go shooting with kathleen and I because he inherited all his dad's guns and hasn't shot them in years and years. So I asked when. He said after Pascha. And a whole bunch of other people said they want to go, too. And someone suggested a parish shooting club, and Fr. Basil said "YES!". So it looks like we are going to have a parish shooting club.

Oh! That reminds me, Kathleen bought a new gun a couple of weeks ago. It's a Sig Sauer P365.

Two nights till Christmas

Wednesay was they last day of the semester. The only Christmasy things I did with my students were that in the last few days of the semester I read Tony's Bread to them one day and cut up pannetone for them. None of them had ever tasted it so that was fun. And I read The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomy (I don't like the second edition as much as the first. The first had bigger pages.)to them on another day. That had 1/2 the class crying. And then, on Finals Week (only three days, actually.) I gave them all a copy of In Hoc Anno Domini from the Wall Street Journal.

Basil came over a few different times during Advent and helped me bake fruit cakes. I gave one to each of the eleven other teachers at my school, and just this morning, mailed off a bunch of them to friends and family all over the country. And he came over and helped my grind and stuff the Christmas sausage. He is such a good boy.

I was going to go to Royal Hours at the cathedral in San Francisco tonight but I have too much to do. I have two pies in the oven, presents to wrap, and a pheasant pâté to make tonight.

About a week before my son Anselm's boat left for the deep blue sea, I sent three fruitcakes with instructions not to open until Christmas, to the skipper of the boat. One for the skipper, one for the COB, and one for Anselm Samuel. I hope they got to him before they left port. Oh, well. I have been told that if they didn't get to the boat before it left San Diego they will be waiting for them at their next port of call.

A Day Off

Until today all I'd been doing since Friday was reading textbooks and preparing for the coming school year. While reading the McClay history textbook (mentioned in my post) I came accross a small error so I looked up McClay's email and sent him the information he needs so he can fix the error in the second edition. He wrote back. It turns out he is a really neat guy. We are getting together later this year.

Today, Kathleen and I went to the Pigeon Point Lighthouse and Scott Creek Beach. I think it was the first time I've been to that beach since my boys were little. Scott Creek Beach, Waddell Creek Beach, and Bonny Doon Beach were the beaches I used to take them to all the time. It was Kathleen's first time at Scott Creek Beach.

There were lots of kite surfers today. Just before we came home the dog dug up a large crab, shook it ferrociosly, ripped it to pieces, and rolled in it. The smell in the car was horrible. We stopped at dog wash and got him all cleaned up before we let him in the house.

It was fun reading about Righteous Gamaleil today. As I was reading about him today I learned that he was a famous rabbi and the Jews still cite some of his decisions. I wonder how many secret Christians there are today. My guess is many.

This is thesecond day of the Dormition Fast. I am always surpised about hw good the food is. Also, meal prep and clean up is much easier when there is no meat, fish, dairy, or oil. I did make some vegan pesto for Katleen yesterday (Yesterday was an oil day. I don't know why.) I don't like pesto but she does so I made it for her.
A normal pesto recipe has five ingredients: fresh basil, Pamagiano Regiano, olive oil, fresh garlic, and pine nuts. To make it vegan, and thereby fast-friendly, all you have to do is leave out the cheese, add a little salt and, bingo, you have vegan pesto.

Catching up, a Meal I am Making Today, and Great Lent

While the cake is in the oven, let's catch up.
So far, I have been keeping my resolution to make it to the Festal Vigils for all the Great Feasts this year. Basil, Son #4, has been with me at most of them.
We went duck hunting one last time for the season but got nothing.
I've been working a lot as a substitute teacher. I have to say that all the computerized lessons that students do now because of covid makes being a substitute exceedingly boring. All I do now is walk in, take attendence, and tell the students to turn on their Chromebooks. And that's it. It is so unbelieveably boring. So, I am applying for other jobs. I am pretty far along in the process for a job with the United States: They made me a job offer contingent on the F.B.I. background check.

Kathleen's brother is visiting from Maine tonight. In honor of the occasion I am making a glazed pork loin with candied apples, corn casarole, and a pineapple-upside-down cake.

Basil and I read through Gensesis together. It was a lot of fun. Next we are going to read Exodous. Kathleen and I are reading The Orthodox Church. She was formally enrolled as a catachumen a few weeks ago and we are hoping to be married right after Pascha. Lent is starting soon and I came across this little thing I wrote a couple of years ago. I don't know if I put it on this blog or not but here it is.

Where Lent Comes From
Have you ever wondered where Lent comes from? Did it suddenly appear in middle ages? Is it some kind of pagan thing the Church adapted to it's own use? Nope. It is Apostolic. Yes, you heard correctly. Lent is Apostolic. First century Bishop, successor of the Apostle Peter, the child Jesus set beside him (Luke 9:46-48), and food for the emperor's lions, St. Ignatius of the Church of Antioch wrote: "These things, brethren, out of the affection which I entertain for you, I have felt compelled to write, exhorting you with a view to the glory of God, not as if I were a person of any consequence, but simply as a brother. Be ye subject to the bishop, to the presbyters, and to the deacons. Love one another in the Lord, as being the images of God. Take heed, ye husbands, that ye love your wives as your own members. Ye wives also, love your husbands, as being one with them in virtue of your union. If any one lives in chastity or continence, let him not be lifted up, lest he lose his reward. Do not lightly esteem the festivals. Despise not the period of forty days [e.g. Lent], for it comprises an imitation of the conduct of the Lord. After the week of the passion, do not neglect to fast on the fourth and sixth days, distributing at the same time of thine abundance to the poor." - Letter to the Philippians, Chapter XIII Saint Irenaeus, disciple of St. Polycarp who was the disciple of St. John to whom Jesus entrusted the care of his mother, makes the claim that the fasting preparation for Pascha (Passover/Easter) was a long standing tradition. "For the controversy is not merely as regards the day, but also as regards the form itself of the fast, For some consider themselves bound to fast one day, others two days, others still more, while others [do so during] forty: the diurnal and the nocturnal hours they measure out together as their [fasting] day. And this variety among the observers [of the fasts] had not its origin in our time, but long before in that of our predecessors, some of whom probably, being not very accurate in their observance of it, handed down to posterity the custom as it had, through simplicity or private fancy, been. And yet nevertheless all these lived in peace one with another, and we also keep peace together. Thus, in fact, the difference [in observing] the fast establishes the harmony of [our common] faith." Eventually the Church universally accepted, and established, an inviolate practice regarding lenten fasting still held to by Orthodox Christians. This acceptance was similar to how Christians accepted the various books of the New Testament. “So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by letter." (2 Thess 2:15)

No Crabs on the 15th

As regular readers probably know, dungeness crabs are on the menu every November 15 for the start of the Nativity Fast. This year, though, the opening of commercial crab season has been delayed and the newspapers are saying there won't be any crabs in the markets on on the 15th. So, this year, for the first day of the fast I am thinking about oysters or maybe, since the 15th is fish day this year, I'll make grandfather's cioppino but substitute other fish and crusteaceans for the crab. That is, if I have a kitchen to work in.

Beans and Holy Unction

Tonight for dinner we had beans. But not just any beans. We had GIANT BEANS FROM GREECE! Fr. Basil introduced me to them a couple of weeks ago. I love them. Sadly, no one else in the house loved them.

After dinner I took Basil on another mini-pilgrimage. Tonight we went to St. Stepen Orthodox Church in Campbell. They were doing Holy Unction. Much wonderfulness.

Lazarus Saturday and Palm Sunday

On Lazarus Saturday I made Grandfathrs cioppino but since it wasn't a Fish Day we we left the fish out of the recipe. Also, I couldnt find any crabs. Essentially, it was the same recipe but we used scallops, clams, and shrimp instead of all the animals called for in the original recipe. It was still good. And because Lazarus Saturday is the only caviar day during any of the Church's fasting periods, we had caviar. We served it on slices of English cucumber with avocodo and chive. It was the first time in many years I didn't order from Marky's but that's okay. Also, because finances are tight for me (lack of work due to the Covid) I only bought the least expensive edible fish eggs I could find in a local store but it was still very good. The boys and Kathleen enjoyed it. After dinner I had to go to work but Kathleen and the boys went to the festal vigil for Palm Sunday.

On Sunday the boys and I went to church. It was a glorious service. Anselm and I carried the palms branches during the procession around the church. After the service I picked up the paskha and kulich I ordered. I am not making my own this year but bought it from the parish fundraiser. THe woman in the parish who makes it does a good job. Her paskah is better than mine but I think my kulich is better than hers. It balances out. Also, the parish needs the money.

After church we came back home and and I fried up crab cakes and served them with a corn and pineapple salsa as a snack. Then got to work making dinner. THere was a cucumber tomato and red onion salad dressed with soy sause and rice vinegar, grilled tuna steaks, roasted potatoes with garlic cumin parsley black epper and thyme, and a fruit macedonia. While Anselm was getting the coals ready Basilwent out to the garden and turned the compost pile.

Speaking of the garden, here are some pictures Kathleen took yseterday.

St. Matthew's Day

Last night was much fun.  The boys were here.  Kathleen's kids were here.  We did the Christmas wreath service, ate the cioppino (I used rosemary and thyme from thegarden, and bay leaves from a , and then I gave everyone little presents to kick off the fast.  Yes, I gave each person a can of smoked oysters.

Today, my name day, I worked out in the garden.  I transplanted all the basil plants from around the garden to one of the planter boxes that is kind of shady.  We've tried growing onions, carrots, parsnips, poppies, tomatoes, beans, and cucumbers in that box but it just doesn't get enough light.  The only thing that ever does well there are pumpkin vines, and that is because the vines grow into the sunlight. I have read that basil does well in shade.  I am hopeful.

I shot another squirrel in the garden.  I've lost track of how many I've killed since I started shooting them in the spring.  They started eating the garlic bulbs a couple of days ago.  I have never heard of squirrels eating garlic, especially when there are lettuce and cabbage plants nearby.  Very strange.

Today's harvest was small but, hey, it's November so I'm not complaining.

Lazarus Saturday and Palm Sunday

Lazarus Saturday I made a big dinner.  The menu was 4 kinds of caviar (I ordered it from Marky's.  They always provide good service.), humous with celery, green onions, and carrots for dipping, kalamata olives, a three-been salad, a beet salad, pita, baklava from Greece, rose, mint and lemon  loukoumi from occupied Constantinople, and halva with nuts from Lebanon.  We prayed the troparion before eating and read a sermon on the resurrection of Lazarus while eating. 

On Palm Sunday I fried three big wild tilapia and a whole big bag full of okra.  Basil made hushpuppies.  Again before the eating we prayed the troparion.  It was the first time I had fried a fish since 1989 when I lived in Tennessee with my first wife.  Wow.  That seems like so long ago.

After dinner on Saturday we watched the first half of the BBC The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe.  We watched the second half on Sunday night.

Today is Holy Monday.  I watched a recording of last nights Bridegroom Matins service while I cleaned the guns.  (I know. I know.  I should have done it days ago.  I've been busy taking naps.)  I think I'll go work in the garden now.  I'm thinking about planting radishes and beets around the tomatoes.

The Garden, my knee, and Lent

Red snap dragons growing near tomato plants.

The garden is looking okay for March.  My Indian neighbor, the one who taught me how to grow garlic, planted marigold seeds with me today along the eastern edge of the eastern most planter box.  We got the seeds from the marigold flowers we planted last year.  Two little boys came out and watched, they are the ones who gave us the little lemon tree we planted out by the garden.  I gave them each a snap dragon and taught them how to open it's saws.  Mammy, my Dad's mom taught me how to do it when I was about these boys' age.  A squirrel ate all the the squash plants that we started from seed.  Oh well.  What are you going to do?

It seems that I am getting old.  I thought I broke or, at least, sprained my knee but it turns out that I have arthritis.  It hurts pretty bad.  Walking is very difficult. The doctor said they don't want to give me shots at this age, 51 because if they do there won't be any tendons left when I am 60. So, I just have to take large amounts of tylenol and ibuprofen and use some some kind of gel on my knee twice a day.  Oh, and she said I have to lose another 50 pounds; like I haven't already lost 80.  I guess Lent is a good time to lose more weight.

This is Kathleen's first attempt at Orthodox Lent.  I am easing her into it.  So far, we are just going meatless.  It is a big change for her.  She has never been a vegetarian before and she is kind of aghast at the idea of no meat at all for 47 days.  Tonight I made indian food: Garbanzos cooked in ginger, garlic, turmeric, and coconut milk together with a roasted savory squash and sweet potato dusted with salt and allspice.

Anselm and I were able to to to Great Compline at St. Nicholas Church last night.  I think, given my work schedule that I should be able to go every Monday and Tuesday night during Lent.  I can't do prostrations because of my knee but, at least, I can be there.

Today in my life: Pickles, Tomahawks, and a Name Day.

I woke up this morning to the smells of Kathleen making breakfast.  Coffee, omelette with baccon, cheese, bell peppers, and onions. They are the best omelettes I have since I was in the Army.  Truly amazing. (We are on day two of the Dormition Fast but I do not keep the fasts.  Because of my living situation it feels pharisaical when I fast.  But maybe fasting would help me solve this problem.  I don't know.)

Kathleen and I moved one of the watermelon vines, watered, and picked tomatoes cucumbers and summer squash.  I ate a couple of the squash then pickled two pints of squash and cucumbers.  Then I cleaned Anselm Samuel's rifle, sharpened the the boys' tomahawks (One could shave with them now), smoked my pipe, and read the day's entry in the Prologue of Ohrid.
Today is my youngest son's Name Day.  He is named for St. Basil of Moscow.  I think I'll pray an Akathist for him now.  Oh, and I have to finish a TPA.

Today's Harvest

Tomahawks

Things to do during Advent

Unlike what we do during Lent, the Orthodox Church doesn't prescribe a lot of activities during the Nativity Fast (aka Advent).  So, I was happy to find this list on the website of Holy Trinity Cathedral.

Suggestions for the Nativity Fast

The Nativity Fast is a gift that reminds us to slow down and be purposeful about how we are living these days leading up to the feast of the Nativity of Our Lord.

• Pray for people: prepare a list of names, and once a week or more frequently pray the Supplicatory Canon to the Theotokos, or a portion of it. Ask the Theotokos to help those people.
• Each week as you set aside the proportion of your funds to give to the Church in thanksgiving to God and for the operation of the parish, also set aside a portion to give to the poor. Then give it.
• Celebrate the Feast of St. Nicholas (San Anselmo, Dec. 6) which spiritually ushers us—with joyful exuberance—into the Nativity season. 
• Celebrate the Feast of St. Herman of Alaska, December 13 (here at the Cathedral).
• Fast from meat, eggs, cheese, and all dairy. Abstaining from particular foods is really the easiest part of the fast. Much more effort is required when fasting from anger, criticism, resentments, and wandering thoughts, especially those of lust and envy and wasting time in idleness and pointless entertainments. Even more effort is required when we engage in works of mercy to the needy.
• Attend Vigil on Saturday evening, and by doing so, prepare yourself for Communion on Sunday. Confess at least twice during the Forty Day Fast, one of those times in the week prior to Christmas.
• Volunteer at one of the many charitable institutions in our city.
• In the week before Christmas read the Nativity accounts from St. Matthew and St. Luke to your children.

Dormition and Dolmas

The Orthodox Church's two week long Dormition Fast starts in a few hours.  It is a time when, in preparation for the feast, we abstain from meat, dairy, fish, wine, oil, and sex. 

For the past couple of years I have not been able to get one of my fasting staples at Trader Joe's:  Amazing vegan dolmas in an octagonal glass jar. They also used to carry some in cans which were very good but not quite as good as those in the glass jar.  I know it is possible to get dolmas from other sources, but the jarred dolmas sold by Trader Joe's were the best.    

And the other great thing about them was that you could  burn the leftover oil from the dolmas jar in your lampada!  It was like an answer to the prayer I used to sing at every chapel service at Sunnyvale Christian School.  What prayer you ask?  This one!  But back to the story...

Yesterday, while in a coffee shop, I ran into the Captain of a Trader Joe's store.  I told him about how we Orthodox depend on Trader Joe's dolmas, how we would stand around after services and talk about how great Trader Joe's dolmas in the glass jar are.  He had no idea they had a fan base.  Today he sent me this message:

"Hello Matt.
To follow up on your quest for Dolmas, I have good news.
My computer tells me that we will be getting Dolmas again.
What I know is that it will be $2.49 for 9.9 ounces.
What I don't know is the exact arrival. Could be a week, could be a month.
Could be a can or a jar, I won't know until it arrives.
Feel free to ask at the front desk periodically for an update when you are in shopping.
Thanks, Randy
Trader Joe's Pinole Captain."

In other news, I am a little bit worried my depression is coming back.  All I want to do lately is sleep.

Where does Lent come from?

Ever wonder where Lent comes from?  Did it suddenly appear in middle ages?  Is it some kind of pagan thing the church adapted to it's own use?  Nope. It is Apostolic.  Yes, you heard correctly.  Lent is Apostolic.

First century Bishop, successor of the Apostle Peter, the child Jesus set beside him (Luke 9:46-48), and food for the emperor's lions, St. Ignatius of the Church of Antioch:

"These things, brethren, out of the affection which I entertain for you, I have felt compelled to write, exhorting you with a view to the glory of God, not as if I were a person of any consequence, but simply as a brother. Be ye subject to the bishop, to the presbyters, and to the deacons. Love one another in the Lord, as being the images of God. Take heed, ye husbands, that ye love your wives as your own members. Ye wives also, love your husbands, as being one with them in virtue of your union. If any one lives in chastity or continence, let him not be lifted up, lest he lose his reward. Do not lightly esteem the festivals. Despise not the period of forty days [e.g. Lent], for it comprises an imitation of the conduct of the Lord. After the week of the passion, do not neglect to fast on the fourth and sixth days, distributing at the same time of thine abundance to the poor." - Letter to the Philippians, Chapter XIII

Saint Irenaeus, disciple of St. Polycarp who was the disciple of St. John to whom Jesus entrusted the care of his mother, of the second century, makes the claim that the fasting preparation for Pascha (Passover/Easter) was a long standing tradition.

"For the controversy is not merely as regards the day, but also as regards the form itself of the fast, For some consider themselves bound to fast one day, others two days, others still more, while others [do so during] forty: the diurnal and the nocturnal hours they measure out together as their [fasting] day. And this variety among the observers [of the fasts] had not its origin in our time, but long before in that of our predecessors, some of whom probably, being not very accurate in their observance of it, handed down to posterity the custom as it had, through simplicity or private fancy, been. And yet nevertheless all these lived in peace one with another, and we also keep peace together. Thus, in fact, the difference [in observing] the fast establishes the harmony of [our common] faith."

Eventually the Church universally accepted, and established, an inviolate practice regarding lenten fasting still held to by Orthodox Christians.  This acceptance was similar to how Christians accepted the various books of the New Testament.

So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by letter." (2 Thess 2:15)

Three Children's Christmas Books

     Basil's Cub Scout Den visited the fire house on Saturday.  The fire fighters were a great bunch of guys.  This was the second time we visited this fire house.  The first time, two months ago they had to respond to a fire just as the wee Cub Scouts arrived for their tour.  This time there were no emergencies so the boys got the whole tour.  Their favorite part?  The brass pole the fire fighters use to get from upstairs to downstairs.  Really.  They liked the fire engine.  They liked the helmets.  But the LOVED the idea of grown men sliding down the pole.

     After the tour Basil and I walked to the library just 100 yards up the road.  While there we listened to two harpists.  We heard Morning Has Broken, And Can It Be, and Greenesleeves (We learned Greenesleeves was written by Henry VIII.) before Basil got squirmy and we went and looked at books.  

     I made a mistake of picking two books by their covers.  Santa's Snow Cat and Santa's Snow Kitten are worth avoiding.  Maybe, if you really like cats you'll like these books, but Basil couldn't get into them, and I also thought they were boring.  It seems the chief virtue of the books is that on every page there is a picture of a wide-eyed yet emotionless cat.  I have trouble thinking of predators sympathetically, but if you like pictures of cats and can look past the destruction cats visit on the wildlife of North America you might like these books.

     A far better book is The Gingerbread Baby. This book has a story that is familiar but has an unexpected ending. It isn't deep and meaningful, but it is fun.  And the illustrations are beautiful and rich.  Basil and Anselm both liked this book.

     I have a stuffed pumpkin in the oven.  Have been enjoying Strauss Family Creamery's egg nog.  The Nativity Fast starts soon and the egg nog will be sold out by the time Orthodox can drink milk again, so these first few days of november are the only time we can drink it.  But that's okay.  I can make my own egg nog, which I'll do during Christmas.

Cycles

A Protestant friend of mine, who also had very little expereince of the Orthodox Church once asked me if I get tired of doing the same thing in Church all the time.  It was kind of funny to me then, and still is now.  I explained to him how our services are like a series of interlocking wheels of various diamaters so that every service is actually different from every other service, and that the same service won't repeat for several centuries.  

Catching up

The last few months have been hard.  I've been sick.  I haven't sold much at work since Christmas. And worst of all, my hearing has gotten so bad from the illness (Doctors think it was just exhaustion and flu) that haven't been able to work much at all in March and April.  My job is 100% telephone dependent, and if I can't hear I can't work.

Needless to say, I am worried about money.  Probably going to have to crack open the IRA.  Athanasia is looking at the budget tomorrow and will let me know if I need to call the broker. Thankfully, the value of the IRA has grown dramatically in the last two years (oil and silver ETFs, and undervalued stocks.  I'm long on National Grid, if you are interested.), so there is money to take out.  Too bad about the early withdrawl penalties.

I don't know if I mentioned that I dropped out of grad school.  I did.  I was just spread too thin.  Between illness, work, Cub Scouts (more on that below), the kids school.  I feel kind of bad about it since I had finished half the program and had an A average.  But as I said, I was spread too thin.

Last week Anselm and I, and the rest of the Cub Scout Pack spent the night on the retired air craft carrier, the U.S.S. Hornet, known the the Imperial Japanese Navy as the Gray Ghost. It was an amazing time.  One of the engine crew from the 1960s was a docent.  He and Alnselm hit it off and Anselm got the tour to end all tours of the engine room.  It was really neat.  The old chief and my son were crawling through tight spaces, looking at ball bearings the size of pumpkins, turning wheels, talking to each other through those horn things.  The kids were kept busy busy busy.  Just before lights out one of the docents told ghost stories.  Some people think the ship is haunted and this crew member told what he saw and what others have told him.  When it was over I asked Anselm, "Are you scared?"  With utter contempt for the idea he said, "of dead people?"  It was as though I had asked him the stupidist question ever.

Anslem has been working up a storm to get Cub Scout stuff done before summer.  He has officially completed all the requirements for bear rank and will be promoted tomorrow night at the Pack meeting.  He completed all the training through the Red Cross to earn the Boy Scouts of America Emergency Preparedness Pin, too.  At first I didn't know it was that big of a deal.  But Athanasia, who is a Red Cross emergency responder, went though the Basic Aid Training with him and told me that the pin is a license from the Red Cross to assist in disaster and emergency relief.  I'll have to buy him a hard had and a good flash light now.  He'll recieve that pin tomorrow night, too.

Today after Church, Anselm and his mother made paper mache masks.  It was the 50th and final elective activity he had to do to earn all the Arrow Points he said he wanted to earn.  Last year he earned 1 gold and 3 silver.  He said he wanted one more this year, so he has been busy doing wood crafts (he made his own tool box), looking up information on planets and giving reports on them, collecting coins, learing about maps, and a whole buch of other things.  So, with todays paper mache mask making he met his personal goal.

We visted the Sacramento Valley a few days ago.  My wife was interviewd for a position at the University of California, Davis.  She doesn't think she'll get the job because they have a strong internal candidate but it was a fun little trip.  We listend to Kenneth Brannagh's ex-wife reading Nanny McPhee all the way there and back.  The family was very kind and played it VERY loud so I could hear it too.  While Athanasia was at her 5 hour long interview the boys and I investigated the little town of Davis.  We spent a couple of hours at Central Park, where I took a nap on a bench and the boys played with some other kids.

The park has a really neat garden.  It is designed to inspire the local population into doing one of several kinds of gardens.  My fave part, and the boys favorite part, too, was the section devoted to plants that attract beneficial insects.  It was buzzing with lady bugs, bumble bees, honey bees, praying mantises, etc.  One thing I thought was especially neat is that the gardeners left one aphid infested fava bean plant right in the middle of the garden.  I asked one f them about it and she said, "have you ever tried to keep lady bugs in a garden when there are no aphds for them to eat?"  Well, I had.  So I knew exactly what she was talking about.  She said that one plant keeps so many lady bugs in the garden that aphids can't get a start on any other plants.  I looked and she was telling the truth.  The infested plant was covered in black aphids (being gobbled up by voracious lady bugs) but I didn't see one aphid on any other plants, not even the plants nearest the infested plant had aphids.

Another neat part of the garden was full of plants that attract bees and humming birds.  I think that might have been my favorite part of the garden (I love bees and humming birds) but for the littlest part of the garden where all of the grain crops grown in the Valley had been planted.  Corn, several varieties of wheat, rice, oats, and rye all growing together in a multi-colored plot of grouned no more than 25 feet square.  It was beautiful.

Since I've lost my hearing and don't know when or if I'll get it back (I see a ear specialist on Tuesday, and will recive the mystery of Holy Unction on Wednsday, so who knows?)  I've been applying for jobs that don't require hearing as much as my current job.  Lots of them are out there: Material handler, tool room clerk, copywriter, etc.  Later this week I'll apply to become an apprentice electrician.  I'm looking at a machinist training program, too.

Basil is pretty excited about something.  The Pack meeting this week will be the last time he wears his "Little Scout Buddy" shirt and hat.  Then, at the May Pack meeting he will wear a real Cub Scout uniform.  It is almost all he can talk about.  He asked me, "When i get my uniform can I start earning beltloops like Anslem?"  I said, "Yep.  In fact, would you like to earn one right now?"  And we spent a couple of hours with the chess board.  By the time we were though he had completed all the requirements for the chess Belt Loop.  He was very happy and excited.  I just can't believe how fast my little boys are growing up.

Yesterday, Lazarus Saturday, we went up to San Francisco and ate caviar with my God daughters and their parents.  It is an anual tradition and much much fun.  Of course, we also drank ENORMOUS AMOUNTS of champagne and vodka.  Hours with them seem like mere minutes.  It was a welcome respite from the challenges of life and Lent.  Today, Palm Sunday, Athanasia did not wake me up for church.  She thought she was being nice, assuming I would have a hangover, but I didn't.  I think I woke up just as she and the boys were driving off to the service.  I was sad to miss Palm Sunday, but as it turns out, I probabaly would not have enjoyed it had I gone.  What do I mean?  Well, tonight I went to Bridegroom Matins but could hear nothing.  If it hadn't been for people crossing themselves I don't think I would have recognized the "Glory to the...".  I stuck around for a little while, but I couldn't hear anything and I became to distracted by worry for my hearing. So I  just came home.