Friday Medley

Over the past week I have had abundant ideas for blog posts. A few of them are too short for a single entry or are updates of previous posts, so, as I’ve done before, I’m combining them into a single Friday entry. I’ve done this before and entitled it Friday Hodgepodge. Finding the term hodgepodge becoming rather hackneyed, I entitled today’s hodgepodge Friday Medley.


Jimmy’s Wife

I have written about my friends from India, Jimmy and his sister and father, and the tragic death of his mother. I have not written about Jimmy’s wife.

This morning I stopped by H. T.’s Foodmart to fill my CR-V’s half-empty gas tank before the price of gasoline jumps another twenty cents or so. Jimmy’s wife, who was born in India, was the only one clerking at the store. It has been only within the past few months that she and I have engaged in the kind of bantering chitchat that Jimmy, his father, his sister, and—until her tragic death—his mother enjoyed.

This morning I purchased not only gasoline, but enough milk and cigarettes to get myself through the weekend without having to make an extra trip to the store, which I decided was too costly with Louisville gasoline prices ranging up to close to $2.80/gallon.

SHE: “Do you want your cigarettes in a bag?”

ME: “Sure. With everything going up so much except the popularity of President Bush, I don’t want to misplace any of them.”

SHE: “You always say things in such unique ways that I have never heard before, like when you said not to put your cigarettes in a plastic bag so we could ‘save a dinosaur.’ I had never thought of that until you said it.”

ME: “Thank you. Since sculpting words into unique utterances is my calling, I really appreciate your comment!”

And I do appreciate her words. Even more, I appreciate that she seems to feel comfortable enough to chitchat with a strange old guy in this country that is now her home.


Tiffany Update

I would like to say that the crisis facing my sometimes housekeeper, fellow blogger, and friend, Tiffany, is over. However, I have no new information to report. I am unable to reach her, her parents or her aunt for information. She has made no new posts to her blog nor have I received email or Yahoo Messenger communications from her. She remains in my prayers and, again, I ask you to keep her in your thoughts and prayers and, if you will, visit her blog site, AmOr OnLiNe, and let her know you are thinking of her during this tight spot in which she finds herself.


A Good Day in Iraq

The Christian Science Monitor hailed the release of its reporter Jill Carroll as “a good day in Iraq.” I agree—and wish that there were more such good days in Iraq.

If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you’ll remember that I have been praying for Ms. Carroll’s safe release since she was taken as a hostage by Islamic militants last January. I am more than happy that those prayers—and the prayers of millions of others, including many Muslims—have been answered.

More Old (Cat) Pics

While I was searching for one of my liturgical crosses to wear tomorrow at the funeral of a retired pastor, I came across some more old pictures. These were taken in the apartment that my two sons, Nick and Rob, shared in Bowling Green, Kentucky. My guess is that these photographs were taken about ten to twelve years ago. These three feature the kitten that shared the apartment with them.

Below is #1 son, Nick, with the kitten to his right. Since she is literally a black cat, you may have to look closely to see her.

The kitten seemed to take well to me—or at least to my beard. (Please don’t tell Alex; he’s at times a jealous cat).

She even advised me during the card game we played.