Well, I see it was early January when I last posted! I miss blogging and it is fun to be back. I also hope to read more blogs, too, all my cyber friends.
Hum. I thought I might just share a few happenings around here. You all know how life is... so much just happens in the details. The funny experiences, the private jokes, the new books or whatever else someone has picked up... So. Start with today. Can't think about summarizing my life in my own tome since January. Plus I don't want to put you to sleep...
Today is spectacular in Houston. For those of you who have visited and remember it as being hot, sticky and humid, I wish you could be here today. This is the time of year to live in Houston! Bright sunshine, deep blue sky, green green grass from some drenching rains we had a couple of days ago and little humidity. Just lovely.
Actually my husband and I call these "California Days". When we lived in the Bay Area we had these all the time.. they were the norm. Well, we are thankful to have a bit of California here today.
Speaking of California, I have been speaking of it and researching it and have had it on my mind for a while. Specifically San Diego.
This morning I got up, took my sweet dachshunds out for their business as I sipped coffee... then read the paper. I decided NOT to spend much time on the computer, as I read something that said Americans spend 8 hours a day on screens on average. Well, I don't watch much TV, but I am on my Dell a lot!
But, I logged in and plugged in and thought I might just do a little lookee at San Diego on Google. I am helping Lighthouse coordinate our Account Managers out there. We recently had several start and there are some great existing reps working parishes in the San Diego diocese... so I am trying to help see who is working what and help them coordinate.
Have I ever been to San Diego.... well, no. But! I have worked with parishes and do have the desire. So I thought today I would just get on mapquest and google and find me a map of the area, generally where the reps live and also where hte parishes are and get some sort of map drawn to see the whole picture.
It was really intriguing... and I am learning much about the area: Chula Vista, Oceanside, Powsay, Escondido... Gosh I really want to go there now, not only to meet the reps but see the towns and highways.. and parishes.
I love maps. I always have and ended up with a minor in geography (very marketable.. lol!) So this was fun....
But, then I found on the San Diego diocese website this really cool map where I could see all the parishes... you scroll over the little church icon and it pops up the name of the parish.
At first I just was taking notes, moving the parish names to my handwritten map. Recognizing some as the parishes reps had told me they were calling on or attended.
But, San Diego has almost 100 parishes. Soon I was getting cross-eyed trying to write all these parishes... ... I would have a tiny little space on my handwritten map, scroll the name, and it would be so long... like: St. Adeliane of Burgundy, or Our Lady of Perpetual Help..... nothing that would fit in 1/8 inches I had to spare.
But then something else. The *names* of these parishes began to mesmerize me. They were so beautiful. As I scrolled them, I heard the history of California and began to imagine what it was like before all the development.. when the first missionaries came out.
I recnently read a new adaptation of Zorro, which I didn't realize was about a guy from Spain who was in California during the time of the missionaires. They were trying to bring Catholicism to the native Americans. Very interesting time! One parish I scrolled was called Santa Ysabel Indian Mission.
Others were Our Lady of Light, Mission of San Luis de Francis and St. Thomas More, Oceanside.
Oh, and the names of the towns.. oh you can just see the views..
Oceanside, Le Mesa, Lemon Grove, Rancho Santa Fe, Vista, Eucalyptus Hills, Shady Dell
Here, try it! It's fun!Maybe one day I can go out there and see all the places and parishes I have seen on line.
Well, in other news Boomer, our old 12 year old dachshund almost saw his last day today. Another dog at the Bark Park decided to play rough and the two squabbled with the result of Boomer being pinned on his back, with the other (bigger) dog with his teeth at Boomer's throat!
John rushed over, broke it up. Ralphie the Wonder and friend-dog Abbey also rushed over, but I am sure they had no clue what to do.
Boomer was whimpering as John comforted him but I suspect he started it. At 12 (that is 84 in our years) you can't often finish fights you start...
So, we are all giving him lot of love and playing out the scenarios. For example the dog belonged to our neighborhood computer guy, so if it had been Boomer's demise we figure we would have had free computer fix-its for life!
Stephen thinks a ferret would be a good bodyguard for Boomer, so is lobbying for that.
God bless and I hope you are having a blessed Lent! Off to watch Hawaii Five-O reruns with my husband. A little more screen time.. :)
