I WILL!

Those were the last words of last week's Current Events, referring to my renewed (for the umteenth time) determination to exercise more and eat less. After writing that I went foraging for food, being very selective in my choices. That afternoon I met with my general practitioner disarming him completely by announcing my resolve as soon as he entered the examination room. Oddly, his scale had me five pounds less than my cardiologists scale from the previous day. No matter ... still too heavy.

I had visitors from Cleveland. Jack and Judith Woodards checked into their hotel and then came to my house early Friday evening. Tom had arrived a short time earlier having come straight from work on his way to pick up Karen. Judi is my (new) niece, the daughter of Rita (Copeland) and John Barilla. We showed them Grandpa's garden and then went on to pick up Karen which gave us the opportunity to tour Dan and Karen's new home. Dan, stuck in traffic, had called Karen who, in turn had arranged for the ride from Tom. Diane was going directly to the restaurant. As we left my house, Dom, Anne Marie and Anthony were pulling up. She was bringing deserts for later in the evening and then going on to the restaurant. Tom, the Woodards', Karen and I preceded to Rocco's where Dan, young Dominick, Diane Anne Marie and Dominick were waiting. If this all seems to be a logistic nightmare, it wasn't, thanks to the miracle of cell phones which were busy keeping everyone informed and coordinated. We gathered in Rocco's patio to get everyone introduced and start on our before dinner drinks.  Our table was soon ready and everyone enjoyed their meals along with spirited conversation.

After dinner we retired to my house to continue our festivities and enjoy the treats that Anne Marie had delivered. The Woodards' were given a very good tourist map and plenty of suggestions for their sightseeing planned for Saturday. It was close to midnight when, after everyone had left that Mikey and I crawled into bed and ... that's all I remember. It was a joy to be able to bring cousins together, blood cousins who had not even known the others existed a short time ago but who fit like hand in glove. Judi and Jack have twin sons (21) and a daughter (18). Jack and his partner operate Formula Fabricating, a metals fabricating company.

Their visit gave me the opportunity to get to know more about the family and they about us. I was shocked to learn that Judi's father had had a heart attack since my visit to them and subsequent complications damaged his liver causing him to need dialysis treatments. He should have heart surgery but his weakened condition precludes it at this time. Please join me in praying for him. On Saturday, the Woodards went to see the city. They parked at Navy Pier, saw the sights there, taking the speedboat ride for a view of the yacht harbor, the skyline and the museum campus. That was followed by a walking tour of the River North Area. Then they drove North on Lake Shore Drive (LSD) to Hollywood Ave and back through the city on Clark street seeing Wrigley Field in all its glory. Their final stop was at the Chicago Pizza & Oven Grinder Restaurant where they enjoyed a real Chicago meal. They reported that they had a great day and were very impressed with our really big city.

Sunday Morning they, and Anne Marie met at my house and we went to the 10:30 Mass followed by breakfast at Ashford House. That gave us more of an opportunity for quiet talk learning more about the family. Judi has dim, but fond memories of her grandfather, my father. As a little girl. She remembers him as one in poor health, always in his chair but one who took delight in tickling his grandkids and making the laugh hysterically. They stopped briefly at my house and Anne Marie and I recorded the names of all my father's great-grandchildren. In the Copeland family there are 16. And of course on my side there are another 9. The family tree is enormous! Of Grandchildren, there are 7 on the Copeland side and three of mine.

After Jack and Judi hit the road for home, Anne Marie and I went over to Dan and Karen's for a while. Anne Marie had not seen the finished house. After a short visit I came home and relaxed in the garden. I was enveloped in that feeling of well being and contentment, complete at peace with the world. Isn't it wonderful when a busy weekend with people can leave you in that state! Thank you God.

Monday morning I had an appointment with my eye doctor. Or was it my plumber? The Restasis that I have been using has helped to generate more lubricant for the left eye. I have noticed improvement and the vision check confirmed it. He put a drop of lubricant in my eye, checked again and found an immediate improvement. However, it would be short lived. He explained that there are small ducts at the base of the eye lids that drain excess lubricant (tears) into the sinus cavities. Mine are being very efficient in draining away what little lubricant is produced. He told me he could place little silicone plugs into the ducts in the lower lids, preventing 60% of the drainage. It is covered by Medicare and took only a few minutes. He also advised that I use the Restasis in both eyes since they both need help.

After lunch Mikey and I retired to the gazebo to enjoy the summer conditions. It was beautiful and my thoughts went to family and the weekend. That feeling of contentment was there and there is nothing better. No amount of wealth or power can duplicate that happiness. The euphoria was so pervasive that I could not concentrate on the magazine I had brought out there. After a while I went into the house and got on the treadmill. I am out of shape! Well yes, I know what I look like, ... but I mean my strength and stamina. I was only able to walk for ten minutes but it is a start. I WILL expand on that.

Tuesday began cloudy but still warm, pushing 70⁰ at 7 AM.  And so I took advantage of our extended summer by enjoying the garden for a good part of the morning and then in the afternoon after lunch. I am learning to use artificial tears when I intend to do any reading and it helps a lot. I now find that with the Restasis, the use of artificial tears and the application of those plugs, my eyesight has adjusted to the point where, with the aid of my glasses, I can actually read with the left eye almost as well as with the right.  After feeding Mikey, I did another stint on the treadmill. Afterward, as I recovered in the lazyboy I saw my yard maintenance people trimming the evergreens near the gazebo. They had already done the shrubs in front of the house. As I went out to let the foreman know I liked the results of their work thunder sounded and the rain came down. Perfect timing! They had put down winter fertilizer last Saturday and so I am all set for the fall.

Speaking of a good job, in my preview of next week's parish bulletin I found that a friend of mine and former neighbor of Dan and Karen's will be honored. Cardinal George will bestow the Christifideles award to Sheila Pluchar on October 7 at Holy Name Cathedral. I invite you to read about it at Someone You Should Know. The page was added to our "Witness to Faith" section of the parish web site and the link sent to a number of people. We will ad a photo when it becomes available. Sheila and Ed are an excellent example of "Ordinary people doing ordinary things with faith in the good God and in the goodness of others", the motto of our parish. 

I sent the information to Karen and in her reply she reported the following:

Kelsey ran the open race on Sat. and came in first. She also got her time back in the top 7 for Thursday's meet. Ana had her conference meet on Monday and came in 16th out of the top 7 from 10 schools. Ana is done now with cross country but Kelsey runs til the beginning of November.

Good job girls! We also have a couple new "Kelsey" photos

We also heard news of Caitlin. She took a fall, I believe at practice, and hurt her wrist. She will see an orthopedic doctor on Monday. ... But it didn't stop her from swimming. We will be saying a prayer or two that it isn't a fracture.

Getting back to Sheila and Ed ... they are beyond any doubt, worthy of  the award that Sheila will receive and beyond the recognition for them, the award serves to point them out as role models, people who leave you feeling good after being touched by them. In contrast there are people who are apparently either incapable of making an honest living or who think they need to steal to satisfy their desire for more. A mere touch from them leaves a scar. I am accustomed to simply deleting their email messages that claim to be from a bank, savings institution, PayPal or eBay saying I need to sign in to their web site and verify my information whereupon they will try to get me to reveal confidential credit card information so they can steal from me. A new approach landed in my in-box this week.  This was the message:

Dear PayPal Member,

This email confirms that you have sent an eBay payment of $147.85 USD to
(DELETED by DJP) for an eBay item.
-----------------------------------
Payment Details
-----------------------------------
Amount: $147.85 USD
Transaction ID: 2LC956793J776333Y
Subject: Digimax 130

Note:
If you haven't authorized this charge ,click the link below to dispute transaction and get full refund

 [Deleted by DJP](Encrypted Link )

*SSL connection:
PayPal automatically encrypts your confidential information
in transit from your computer to ours using the Secure
Sockets Layer protocol (SSL) with an encryption key length
of 128-bits (the highest level commercially available)
-----------------------------------
Item Information
-----------------------------------
eBay User ID: scratchandgnaw2
---------------------------------------------------------------
Edward Harrell's UNCONFIRMED Address
----------------------------------------------------------------
Edward Harrell
211 David St.
Springtown, TX 76082
United States

Important Note: Edward Harrell has provided an Unconfirmed Address. If
you are planning on shipping items to Edward Harrell, please check the
Transaction Details page of this payment to find out whether you will
be covered by the PayPal Seller Protection Policy.
----------------------------------------------------------------
This payment was sent using your bank account.
By using your bank account to send money, you just:
- Paid easily and securely
- Sent money faster than writing and mailing paper checks
- Paid instantly -- your purchase won't show up on bills at the end of
the month.

Thanks for using your bank account!

Very cleaver. From this I am supposed to think my identity has already been compromised and something has been purchased and paid for using my bank account. I should franticly click on the provided link where they would ask me to provide my account information for verification. Then they would really have me! Instead, I googled PayPal and went to their web site where I found a fraud prevention page, found their email address and sent a copy of the above message. They replied within the hour:

Thanks for taking an active role by reporting suspicious-looking emails.
The email you forwarded to us is a phishing email, and our security team is working to disable it.

-------------------------
What is a phishing email?
-------------------------
Phishing emails attempt to steal your identity and will often ask you to reveal your password or other personal or financial information. PayPal will never ask for your password over the phone or in an email and will always address you by your first and last name.

Take our Fight Phishing Challenge at https://www.paypal.com/fightphishing to learn 5 things you should know about phishing. You'll also see what we're doing to help fight fraud every day.
-------------------------
You've made a difference.
-------------------------
Every email counts. By forwarding a suspicious-looking email to spoof@paypal.com, you've helped keep yourself and others safe from identity theft.

Thanks,
The PayPal Team

I thought so. Check out Can You Spot Phishing? I don't use PayPal or eBay. I buy from on-line companies that I know and trust, and I pay using a service provided by Discover Card. When I am ready to "check out" the Discover Card software fills in my name and address as well as a one-time card number good for that purchase only. I think it is the safest way to go. And ... if there would be a problem, Discover will stop payment and mediate the dispute.

Another new scam arrived late in the week. It was supposedly a notification that I had a tax refund on my credit card account. IRS does not send notifications by email, much less apply them to a credit card account. This got an immediate deletion.

It is sad that all of this occurs, that people chose to be scoundrels, leaving scars on those they touch. But, it is by their fruits that you shall know them. When wealth and power are sought after for their sake in the mistaken belief that the way to happiness and contentment is there, the person will never reach or maintain their goal.

On Thursday I received a surprise email. I wasn't seeking them but the threefold honor of appointment, promotion and award came from the Order of St. Isidore of Seville. Maybe you noticed the changes in the banner at the top of this column. The email stated:

Susan Phillips, DCCStI, OMStI
Chancellor
Order of St. Isidore of Seville

My reply was;

I am honored and somewhat overwhelmed.

My first reaction is that I have done nothing to merit these honors, not having sought them in any conscious way.

I can only assume that the officers approve of the way in which I try to promote the ideals of the order which also are mine. It is these ideals that merit recognition and so I am proud to accept the appointment, promotion and award.

This was followed by the following:

"In addition to your participation level, you "hit the nail on the head" as to why you received these. Since you are Internet-based, we decided on the At-large position. As a Priory leader, you are now a member of the Grand Council. Please remember to check the forum as that's where the official business is handled. God bless!"

And that is what it is all about. When you set your standards high and then do your best to live by them, recognition follows. I don't need the honors and they were not even considered as I try to follow the higher road. They are not necessary to me and I do not boast in them. However, a more important factor in awarding them is to let those who may be in the process of deciding whether to take the selfish, ego driven path or a more selfless, noble path that the admiration and appreciation of others is preferable to being despised and shunned.

I am proud to be a member of Order of St. Isidore of Seville. Many of its members are clergy of various Christian denominations, with membership from various parts of the world. The fact that the motto of the organization is "Overcome Evil with Good" and a goal is to "Use the internet responsibly" is enough to attract me to it. Another goal is to promote St Isidore of Seville as the patron saint of the internet. Isidore was born in Cartagena, Spain, about 560 AD and was a noted scholar who promoted the dissemination of knowledge.

The recognition given to me by the order brings with it added responsibility  As a member, my responsibility was to live within and promote the ideals of the organization. This is the same as being the member of any organization, including church,  and should be taken seriously. However, I now find myself to be invited into the "inner circle" as a member of the Grand Council. I don't know what that means, ... yet. ... I am sure I will.

I continue with my feeling of well being and contentment, completely at peace with the world. That is happiness.  Thank you God.