From the Outside Looking In…

OK, so adopting a Mastiff was really not on my initial list of “things to do.”  When LC and I began talking about adopting a dog (which we were both for) we each drew up a list of 3 dogs we would want and the only commonality between our lists was a retriever dog.  It wasn’t until I kept hearing him speak about mastiffs that I began to do some research on my own and found out that their temperament was perfect for what we were looking for!  Despite their huge size and weight, they are house dogs.  They love to lounge around, maybe play once in a while, go for a walk once a day, but nothing too energetic where they would tear up our house each morning after we left for work.  Instead, even at 9am as I write this, Luke is napping near the air conditioning and has been napping for about 20 minutes now.  Sure, we went for a walk to the park this morning where he could do his “business” but since then we’ve been back, resting on the deck outside as I ate my breakfast and drank coffee, and now inside blogging he sleeps.

Barking is not an issue for Luke.  Luke is 4 years old and he lost his home because of the financial issues and his previous owner was losing her home.  I found him on Craigslist one afternoon as LC and I were surfing the web together for dogs and a few phone calls and emails later, we were shopping at Petco for over $200 worth of supplies to care for Luke.  Last night was his first night home and he slept on the 1st floor while LC and I retreated to our bedroom.  Sure, there was a bit of whining out of “hey, where are you two going and why can’t I come?” but he settled down and we all slept.  We woke up this morning to a wagging tail….well, LC woke up this morning to the wagging tail at the bottom of the steps while I turned over to get some more sleep.

Tomorrow will be the true test when LC and I leave in the morning for work and Luke is left along for the first time….so I suppose this blog entry is “to be continued.”  All in all, Luke is a gentle giant who loves attention…just like his owners!

Here he is, Luke.  He’s a 4-year-old mastiff who weighs in at 175lbs and now a part of our family!  I thought I would share this photo with you!



Brother John-Joseph Dolan, OFM Conv. was a friend, a formation director, and a person who was instrumental in awakening others to the true vocation of the Religious Brother.  He was an avid scholar of Franciscan Studies and that was infused into all that he did.  He was my mentor and friend, someone who pushed me when I needed it the most.  These feelings are shared by thousands as he has had an impact on so many people all around the world.  He will be greatly missed.  RIP, JJ.

It certainly is/was so hot today!  The weather topped out at 104 degrees and it felt like I was living in Manila!  The humidity was high and even the occasional splash with the sprinkler water from me adjusting its location did nothing to cool the burning that this weather is causing.

Speaking of burning, the poor grass is almost done…rain is expected later in the week and I hope its a big storm because it is going to take a lot of water to revive the lawns of the neighborhood and the region for that matter.  At least the flowers are looking grand amidst the less-than-green grass.  LC has been working hard each day to water the plants and care to their needs.  We have lots of plants in the front, on the side of the house, and on the deck…and the plant collection grows and grows with each trip to Home Depot or the farmer’s market.  LC really has a green thumb and I think I did my share today while he was at work.  I moved the sprinklers around from time to time, in between my glasses of iced tea and snack of frozen grapes.  LC usually walks around and waters plants by hand…I outsource that to a machine that can water many plants at once!  How novel.

Tomorrow is another hot day in triple digits for the temperature.  I suppose I will do more of the same, all involving some form of air conditioning.  Oh, maybe a trip to the mall is in order!  Anything to escape this heat!

I hope everyone out there in Gogolodyland is taking an opportunity to celebrate on this special day where we remember the struggles and successes of independence and our subsequent freedom.  This morning I am still feeling the effects of a long night on the lawn of the U.S. Capitol for a dress rehearsal of A Capitol Fourth.  Yes, I did see David Archuleta and he was very close to me….I had front row seats and sat about 10 feet from all of the headliners.  What luck!  One of LC’s coworkers knew I was coming and they saved me a seat that had been reserved by them since 3pm…so my 7pm arrival guaranteed me a front row seat even though by then almost the entire VIP section had filled up – at least all of the good seats!

So, after LC sang and the celebration ended shortly after 10pm (yes, that’s late for me!) we got home and had some ice cream as a celebration of a successful night.  This morning, we woke up close to 9am (yes, that is late for me, too!) and I made some coconut and almond scones.  We enjoyed our scones and watched Ina Garten to start the day…LC has another performance tonight but I am staying away from the city tonight, opting to stay home and watch him on TV in the air conditioned comfort of our home!

I wish everyone a safe and happy holiday!  Oh, here is a photo of David Archuleta rocking out to the song “Stand By Me.”  Awesomeness!!

And here is my new friend Reba McEntire singing to me…

And, of course, Lang Lang played with great ease…

It is that time of the year again…the 4th of July holiday weekend and you know what that means: celebrity time!  As you may recall, last year at this time LC got me VIP admission to A Capitol Fourth, the celebration and concert at the steps of the U.S. Capitol hosted by Jimmy Smits.  Last year I was a few feet from Barry Manilow, Aretha Franklin, Big Bird, and Natasha Bedingfield…LC even got me Natasha’s autograph…which I dd not remember recently and made a bet with LC that I obviously lost.  I will be paying BIG TIME when he cashes in that win!

This year is featuring Lang Lang, Reba McIntire who now just goes by ‘Reba.’  But, that is not the most exciting part – David Archuleta!  THE David Archuleta of American Idol fame….no, he did not win.  David Cook stole the title from him, but that is another blog entry!

The reason I am excited is for pure reasons – I like his voice and think his style is fresh and entertaining.  I was rooting for him on American Idol (season 7) and thought he was the better of the two finalists.  Again, he was robbed…but I digress.

As I type this, LC is at dress rehearsal.  Earlier I got a text from him that read: “Archuleta tiny.”  Of course, LC is not a real texting pro but I get his drift…but short people with golden voices are perfect in my eyes!   Trust me that I will most definitely have my camera in hand to document this time between me and David…and the 5,000 other people around us!

So, as I sit and type this entry there are workers in and outside of the house ripping out the old, outdated, original windows and replacing them with top of the line windows that have been promised to do everything but make coffee in the morning.  Sure, there is gas between the panes of glass to keep out heat, a lifetime warranty on breakage even if I break it myself by accident or on purpose, and a 90% outside noise reduction.  But what I am most excited about is the ability to open them all!

You see, since I moved in some of the windows were painted shut because of their conditions.  Essentially, four of the five windows that are in bedrooms have been inoperable for the last three years.  So you can see my excitement when I will soon be able to open all windows and allow the air to circulate throughout the second floor.

I have been snapping photos throughout the process and, since there was lead paint, much of the area had been sealed off inside and vented for my safety.  Afterall, what would a little lead do to ya?  Nevermind, I don’t want to know.

So, in a few short hours the work will be complete and I can begin the process of returning the rooms to their regular arrangement, complete with window treatments.  I am excited just blogging about it, so be sure to check out my Flickr page for the photo transformation!

So, I was visiting the parish of St. Francis in New Jersey this weekend and had the honor of hearing confessions before mass.  It has been a long time since I had heard serious Jersey accents and boy did I get my fill yesterday.  Sure, the weather was unbearable and there was not a cooling system where I was sitting to meet with visiting folk…but the accents made it all worthwhile and brought me back to my childhood.

When I first started teaching here in Maryland, my students got a kick out of when I would use words that brought out my Jersey-ness…words like “coffee” and when I would ask kids how they were “doin.”  Since then it slips time to time, but more now than every I hear people say how they don’t hear any accent when I speak.  I suppose it depends….but, back to my childhood.

I remember family gatherings and just sitting amidst all of my elders and hearing them talk – that is where I learned some of the best curse words…of course, most curse words were prefaced with “Jay, cover your ears.”  By the way, since when does that ever work?  Well the fact that I know these words and use them regularly is proof it doesn’t.

Anywho….

The words I heard, colorful or not, were thick with Italian and New Jersey accents and it was like listening to classical music…as the endings were left off of words and grunting noises replaced responses like “yes,” “no,” and “sure, I’ll have another scoop of pasta!”  Those years are long behind me and now that I’m in my mid 20′s (work with me!) and in the DC area, I don’t often hear things that bring back these memories unless I walk past a nearby tourist with high hair and a fanny pack.

Ahhh…..memories!

So today I am driving to New Jersey to cover at a parish of my good friend Fr. George.  He has a number of activities this weekend both at the parish and the prison where he works with the inmates so I am driving up to give a hand with some mass and confession coverage.  It is a lovely and growing parish in Glen Ridge and soon they will most likely outgrow their space which is a good problem to have…

Fr. George is a busy man.  He is a professor of psychology and counseling at several New Jersey universities, has a full private practice, ministers to several hospitals and the local prison, and runs the parish of St. Francis of Assisi which continues to grow into a successful faith community.  How he does it, I don’t know, but I always enjoy my time with him!

I will be staying at the rectory in West Orange and have taken a number of things with me to read and listen to as I plan to use this brief time away for some rest and relaxation – as much as possible given the drive up and back for virtually an overnight trip.  Of course any reason to go to New Jersey is a good reason…right?

I have brought my handy camera along so look for pictures of this trip on my Flickr account soon because I’ll be sure to snap away!

OK, so earlier I promised to blog more often and I did for a few weeks…and then I hit the blogging rock bottom.  This year in school we extended the school day and work hours for staff – and with that came the necessary shift to later evenings those things that would have been done during the day.  Not an excuse, but a context!

Now, I hereby resolve…and this time I mean it…to return to a more steady blogging routine.  I must admit that I miss it and the emails I get from the remaining gogolody fans is that they miss it as well.  It is nice to know so many people from around the world drop by to see my rantings and read my observations…and I promise not to let you down.

So, sit back and relax…the blogging is about to resume!