The World of Grandpa Don
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Back to grandkid .
A work in progress - complete but not finished |
What's New In the world of Grandpa Don On this page I have recorded what I found significant during the past week as well as my thoughts about those events and other reflections. I started doing this before the practice became popular on the internet This is my diary, written a little each day and published weekly. At times I may seem to pontificate on a subject that comes to mind during the week. I do not intend it as a demand or even a suggestion that everyone should think or act as I do. It is rather, intended to let you know what goes on in my mind ... how I am motivated to live as I do.
If The World of Grandpa Don
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Week Ending Friday |
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Or to learn more of Grandpa Don and his remarkable family ...
Many of the quotes found on this page are from the daily messages I receive from Covenant House  |
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Last week I was telling you what a great day Friday was. Little did I know! ... It was a Stupendicious day. Anne Marie called as I was getting into bed. They had just watched Anthony bat four for five including a home run and two doubles, with three RBI's. His RBI double in the top of the ninth turned out to be the biggest hit of the game for the Sliders in their 7 - 6 win over the Kalamazoo team. In addition, he gunned down an almost certain run by the opposition with his deadly accurate throw from right field to home plate. Fantabilious Anthony!.
| Part of the big day at Kalamazoo | Click to enlarge | |
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Anthony and team mates before the game |
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| Anthony at first base |
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He takes a big leadoff and trots to second |
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Saturday was party day. The rain brushed by in the early morning and the rest of the day was gorgeous. Dan had reserved parking spaces for the Buchlers and for me and we arrived early for choice seats. The big white tent was to the west of the patio and it and the pool were soon filled with revelers in honor of Ana's graduation. It was time to renew friendships and to greet . and exchange news with people not seen for ages as well as to meet some new faces. Much of our family was there as was Karen's and of course Ana's school and soccer friends. The food, drinks and camaraderie were in ample supply. This, I am sure, marks my last grade school graduation ... unless of course, I am still around and kicking in 15 years and we start another round with the great-grand kids.
I miss-spoke. Politicians say that when they don't want to say they made a mistake. So, I'll try it and say I miss-spoke last week when I said Joe and Marc were playing in a tournament in Wichita. They were actually playing at Cape Gerardo. .
I have to explain ... Our music director has been introducing various musical instruments to enhance the Hymns at mass on Sundays. It may be a violin, a cello, a flute, a clarinet, even drums or various combinations of two or three of them. Yes, I said drums. It is all very low key and dignified and even the drums can be played quietly and with dignity using the cymbals, delicately sounded. This day we had the drums. Having set the scene, I now turn to our pastor's homily on the subject of turning to God in our fear. He told the story of an elderly woman making a trip to the Holy Land and it being her first plane ride. She was worried but comforted by the fact that there were four bishops on board. However, shortly after leaving the coast of America, one of the four engines exploded and fell off. She immediately started to scream that they were all going to die! The flight attendant tried to calm her by explaining that the plane was under control and could easily return to the airport on three engines. She continued to scream. The attendant finally tried to calm her by telling her there were four bishops on board to which the woman replied, "I'd rather have three bishops and four engines!". This was immediately followed by a rim-shot from the drummer to the surprise of the pastor and the congregation which erupted in laughter and applause. Settling down, the mass continued in normality but at the final blessing Fr. Steve turned to the drummer who was hidden from most of us and told him that he would be presiding at the 12 and 6 o'clock masses and expected that he would be there also.
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I've learned that people will forget what you
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The rest of Sunday was a relaxed day. I read a chapter of my book and a nap took me at one point. I had eaten a piece of cold, delicious, chicken for lunch and decided to go to Portilo's and pick up a Maxwell Polish for dinner. It had been a long time and I love these sandwiches which originated on Chicago's Maxwell Street when I was in knickers many years ago. See Maxwell Street. The sandwich consists of an oversized hot dog bun cradling a large grilled Kosher polish sausage drenched in yellow mustard and grilled onions. See Maxwell Street Polish. It is messy but delectable, a taste treat for the common man, or boy. A handful of paper napkins ore always provided. I don't think females are allowed to eat them. Well, not in public!
This taste treat is a perfect example of the result of the blending of the cultures in a city like Chicago. Chains of restaurants have been based on this sandwich and they are found in every neighborhood. When everybody contributes a little you get a lot of good things. I watched the HBO presentation of Harry Potter, The Order of Phoenix which ran uninterrupted from 8 to 10:30. Of course with the recording option on my cable box I was able to pause it for a necessary break and again for a trip to the kitchen for some munchies. This kept Mikey and I up late and in the morning I slept 'till 8 and had to wake up my dog. Even when I went down stairs he stayed in the bedroom until I had prepared his medication in a ball of liver sausage and called to him to let him know it was waiting. After his "treat" he reluctantly went out.
I usually don't like these so called IQ tests but I got a score of 24 on Smartorstoopid which put me in the "Smart" category. So take a few minutes and see where you fit in with this short test sent by Alex Kapocius.
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"I sought my soul, But my soul I could not see."
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William Busby, is a gentleman I met through my involvement in RCIA several years ago and is a man I regard as a friend. He sent a copy of comments made by David G. Ehlert. at, I assume, a memorial service at his church. Because it reflects many of the religious concepts that I try to convey in this web site and because of the example of Christian action that needs to be known, I asked for permission to include it as one of my "Witness to Life" pages. We stop to read the many inspirational stories forwarded by friends. This one really is true and well worth the few minutes it will take to read. I offer you What Christ Means to Me by David G. Ehlert
I have finished reading the second part of Escape From the Deep. It is astounding! It describes the sinking of the Tang, in the waters between Formosa and China and the survival of some of its crew. It was on the surface when the aft section was struck by one of its own torpedoes, gone wild. A few who were in the conning tower were immediately in the water. A couple more managed to emerge from the control room through the tower. After the boat settled to the bottom at 180' below the waters a number of others attempted the escape through the forward escape trunk. Some were successful and many were not. There was fire and choking smoke. There were acid fumes from the batteries. There was the dwindling supply of oxygen. In addition many were injured.
There was no general panic. This account told of each man's concern for the others as some were determined to survive while some were resigned to death. Some tried to use the escape trunk but the pain of the water pleasure was overwhelming and they returned to the inner compartment resigned to their fate. Some used it successfully but others died in the attempt. It is a remarkable book about remarkable men. They did what they had to do. Those who survived the sinking were plucked from the sea by Japanese patrol boats searching for survivors of the ships that the Tang had just sunk. The story continues ...
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A smooth sea never made a skillful mariner. ~ English proverb |
Last week Marc was hit in the shin while fielding a ball. It did not break the skin but was swollen and nasty looking. He has seen the doctor a couple times and diagnosed as a hematoma, it is being watched carefully. In the mean time Marc is limping along trying not to have it slow him down. He was able to perform his duties at the tournament in Cape Gerardo but the team was no successful. Joe of course did well behind the plate and with the bat but to no avail. Hang in there guys.
Tuesday while Barbara was cleaning I did a little work on this page and then took the potted Hens & Chicks out to the garden. They had thrived and overgrown their pots last winter. I did my best to plant them next to the entrance of the gazebo and hope some of them survive my clumsy attempt. If they do survive they will look good there along with some river rocks of various sizes. I did my best and we shall see. After watering them well, I relaxed with my book and a cup of coffee. It is now in the hands of mother nature.
It was a bad week for funerals at St Julie this week. After one on Monday and another today (Tuesday) an email from Mary Alice in the liturgy office announced two for Wednesday and another Friday. The email notification of the three new funerals was prepared and sent to "parish "Include Me" members. After reading the thoughts of David G. Ehlert, I am increasingly glad that we have undertaken the effort to notify parishioners of impending funerals. Often in the past I have been surprised to learn of a death a week or two after the funeral. Had I know I would have attended the visitation, funeral or both. I know that it was comforting to me when so many people of the parish visited at the time of Anne's death. I often went to wakes and funerals with trepidation because I didn't know what to say to the family members who were grieving. But what is said is not as important as just being there. Sometimes the less said the better and if the grieving person feels like talking, it is best to be a good listener.
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Happiness is when what you think, what you say,
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I could not put the book down and Tuesday afternoon was crying as I read the account of the survivors of the Tang in the Japanese prison camps. My tears were due to the deep feelings I had for what these men endured. But as I read, I had to stop and reflect and additional tears came when I thought of how sad it is that people can be so cruel to each other. Part of their treatment was deliberate torture to try to gain information. Part of it was in rage and retaliation for the number of ships sunk by the Tang and the huge loss of Japanese lives. Part was due to the fact that towards the end of the war the Navy had cut off supplies of fuel and food to Japan and that combined with the bombing of Japan made everything in short supply and little was given to the prisoners. Their worst treatment came at night from the hands of off-duty drunken guards. Yet there were instances of kindness by guards and some civilians with whom they came in contact. When I read the account of their liberation the tears turned to those of joy as if the events were just now happening ... the book is that well written. Or, ... maybe I'm just an old softy ... or both. Visit Escape From the Deep. Wednesday afternoon I finished the book. The final section briefly described the lives of the survivors after their retune home. There were a few tears there as well.
I often say that it is not what happens to you but how you react to it that defines your life. This book has reminded me that some things that happen to us are so traumatic that they can and do change the future events of our lives. But we are not helpless in our reaction to them. There is evidence for that in this story also.
A short time ago I mentioned that The earliest name used for the Followers of Christ was "The Way". I just received the following:
The Way
A Loving word,
A cheerful smile.
A kindly thought or two,
A helpful hand,
A ready step,
They help, my friend, they do.
A patient heart,
A thoughtful deed,
A willingness to cheer ...
An endless day
Of service, friend
These things make life most dear.
Be kind, do good,
Have loving thoughts
Throughout the livelong day,
Think right, serve God,
be friend to all,
And you have found The Way.
Esther Nilsson
. We have a celebrity in our midst. Well, maybe a minor celebrity. Since a celebrity gets at least 15 minutes of fame this qualifies Joe Albano as a very minor celeb. He has been included in a commercial for Robert Morris College. You have to look close and look quickly. At the beginning of the commercial, right after the cute girl says, "I am an RMC student", the baseball player is our photogenic Joe. See Commercial. What ... you missed him?, Play it again.
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To have a good friend is one of the highest
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You can almost watch the Black Eyed Susan climb the trellis. But it has a mind of it's own and the vines that I have tried to coax along seem reluctant while others charge upward, grasping the metal rods, sprouting flowers as it goes. My Guardian Angel Garden continues to evolve, developing little regions with their own unique personalities. The section in which I planted the Hens & Chicks is now the fairy land. I had dumped a few rock there when a plant died and I needed to cover the spot and the statue of the Fairy was place there to make room for an Angel, a gift that needed a prominent place.
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Fairy Land in the garden |
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The fairy once lived here, the present home of the Angel With the Children |
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| "Old" St. Francis Corner |
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"New" St
Francis needs some foliage in his area |
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The original Guardian Angel
(pre-dates the garden itself) oversees the garden from her hill |
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The Black Eyed Susan is new this year in the patio area. |
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She is thriving and
reaching for the sky. You need to click on the thumbnail to really see it. |
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"Adding insult to injury" ... and old saying used to signify the multiplying of a wrong. In the name of progress, the "On-Star" service that came with my car was changed from analog to digital, making my installation obsolete. I was told that it would be easier for me to buy a new car than to upgrade it so ... I can not use it. I just received a notification that if an accident or other event happens that would have automatically connected me to the On-Star emergency service, my unit will attempt to do so and even though it will not be able to connect, it will continue to try until the car's battery is depleted. Ain't that a sweet kettle of fish! There is a fix for that. All I need to do it take the car in to my dealer and they, and only they, will be able to disable the unit. They won't even charge me for it! The good thing is that I have so little to complain about that I am complaining about this!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY wishes go to Earl Rutzen this week. Earl is a brother-in-law I have never met, the husband of Jean Copeland, the sister I have never known. Jean was born to Eternal Life just weeks before I found my Copeland family. Earl's health is poor and we did not meet when I went to Cleveland to meet the rest of the family. I did meet their daughter Janice and her husband David Webb. With the birthday wishes go our prayers for Earl's health and well being. I wish I had the opportunity to know them. My consolation is that I have at least gotten to know of them.
And, speaking of extended family, please pray for the family of Sarah Albano's grandmother. It is a very difficult time for them. Her Father's mother, Ill for some time is barely hanging on to life. We pray that God alleviates her pain and suffering and that he relieves the anguish of those who love her.
Dominick and Sarah took me out to dinner Thursday evening. No special occasion ... just because they wanted to. That made it a special occasion. I suggested R C Mulligan's. Both Dominick and Sarah enjoyed the Gaelic Steak ... Tender New York Strip Steak pan-fried to order, seasoned and topped with Mulligan’s Gaelic Sauce (a blend of cream and Irish Whiskey). I opted for the Fish & Chips ... White Fish battered in a Tempura Sauce and deep fried, served with homemade chips. Excellent on both counts. We returned to Plefka's Patio, discussing sundry subjects. In spite if the situation with Sarah's grandmother, it was a delightful evening. There are many good things going on in their lives. Thanks Sarah & Dominick for a wonderful evening.
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Self-reverence, self-knowledge, self-control.
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Friday morning was perfect in every way and if it wasn't for a call of nature I would still be in the Gazebo. But ... there are things to do. Going through my email was extra long because the internet, as well as cable TV, was down all Thursday afternoon. Of course there were all the things that the Delete button made short work of. A few things were set aside for future consideration. Another matter has impinged on my time. I have to get a bladder test next week and have homework to attend to. I must measure and record my liquid intake and output for three days. It is not a major thing but just something that accompanies old age. As in an old house, the body's plumbing must be maintained.
It has been another week that has just sped past too fast. For that I should be grateful, and I am. It has been a good week for me and I have much for which to be thankful. In regard to Alfred Lord Tennyson's thoughts on Sovereign power, that is power over one's own destiny, I believe that self-control is the most important. That does not mean that we have control over what happens in our lives but that we exercise control over our reactions to those events. Such is the essence of wisdom and happiness.
Grandpa Don Plefka
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Anne wanted everyone to be 'Nice'. This button was in one of her dresser drawers I cleaned out in August of 2004
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