I'VE NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE!

Yesterday, I went to New Orleans for a routine follow-up visit to the ophthalmologist after my cataract surgery. The good news is my eyes are fine approaching two years after.

The boring news is that I got lost going to the doctor's office. I took the wrong exit off I-10 and ended up hopelessly lost. I had to call the office to get directions. It was one of those situations where you can see the building, but you can't find the service road to get you there.

When I reached the parking lot, there were no parking places. I drove round and round, and nothing. By that time, I had to make an emergency visit to the ladies facilities, so I parked in a spot with red lines, ran into the building which (TBTG!) has a ladies on the ground floor, and raced back to my car. (TMI, I know!) Finally, finally after more circling, I found a spot. Of course, I was late, but no one seemed to mind.

On the way home, I did something I've never done before. I ran a railroad crossing gate. Wait! There was no train! I waited and waited, and cars were going around me weaving their way through the gates, so I inched up and looked and saw no train, so I ran the gates. Far down the road, I could see back to the tracks, and no train ever passed.

I do not recommend that anyone follow my example, but I didn't know what to do. Now I know. Call 911, and someone will (One hopes!) contact whatever authority to fix the problem. Sometimes I act in ways that scare me, that seem reckless, and that was one of those times. What came before, getting lost, no parking place, needing to use the loo badly, badly, all of the frustrations of the day, probably made me irritable and contributed to my poor judgement.

A DOCTOR AND A LAWYER

A doctor and a lawyer were talking at a party. Their conversation was constantly interrupted by people describing their ailments and asking the doctor for free medical advice.

After an hour of this, the exasperated doctor asked the lawyer, "What do you do to stop people from asking you for legal advice when you're out of the office?"

"I give it to them," replied the lawyer, "and then I send them a bill."

The doctor was shocked, but agreed to give it a try. The next day, still feeling slightly guilty, the doctor prepared the bills. When he went to place them in his mailbox, he found a bill from the lawyer.

Don't blame me. Blame Paul (A.). He is a lawyer, so don't ask him anything, or you will receive a bill for services rendered.

VATICAN TO SOCIETY OF ST PIUS X: LET'S BE FRIENDS

From Religion News Services via The Huffington Post:

RNS) The Vatican has summoned the head of a traditionalist group to Rome to assess the results of a two-year doctrinal dialogue between the schismatic group and the Holy See.

Monsignor Bernard Fellay, superior general of the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX), will meet on Sept. 14 with top officials who are trying to normalize relations, including American Cardinal William Levada, head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

In June, Fellay said the church is "full of heresies," and the group ordained its own set of bishops in the United States, Switzerland and Germany without Vatican approval.

It appears that the powers in Rome are eager for reconciliation with SSPX, despite the fact that its superior general labels them as heretics.

Talks between the two sides began in 2009 after Pope Benedict XVI lifted the 1988 excommunications of four SSPX bishops, including Bishop Richard Williamson, who has denied that the Holocaust killed 6 million Jews.
....

According to Vatican Insider, a religion website of the Italian newspaper La Stampa, the Vatican intends to offer SSPX an special structure similar to the "ordinariate" created for Anglicans who want to join the Catholic Church. The deal would require SSPX to give "full recognition" to Vatican II reforms.

Like the structure created for the Anglicans, a special SSPX ordinariate would allow the group to keep some of its own traditions.

Inquiring minds want to know if the group would be able to continue to practice its anti-Semitic tradition in its own particular enclave.

In light of Monsignor Fellay's statement in June, I doubt that the time is ripe for SSPX to give "full recognition" to Vatican II reforms. In his view, Vatican II gave birth to the various "heresies" which he finds objectionable. However, since the Vatican seems to be stepping back from certain of the reforms of Vatican II, the two groups may eventually find a way to come together.

My prediction for the look of the new "ordinariate" or whatever it will be called, if it ever comes to be: An abundance of lace.

Thanks to Ann V. for the link.

JESUS AND MO - FENCE

From Jesus and Mo.

Well, it made me smile.

OH DEAR!

From Reuters:

The Washington National Cathedral, the highest point in the capital, suffered damage in Tuesday's earthquake, with three spires in the central tower breaking off of the gothic-style building, a spokesman said.

Richard Weinberg, director of communications at the Episcopal cathedral, said the three pinnacles on the 30-story-high central tower had broken off and were lying in the grass.

"A fourth is leaning," said Weinberg. "There was other minor structural damage to buttresses and smaller pinnacles."

No one was injured from the damage, but the cathedral -- host to state funerals, and memorial services for many U.S. presidents and the site of several presidential inaugural prayer services -- was closed to the public so the building could be inspected.

Thanks be to God that no one was injured. Prayers for all who have been affected by the earthquake.

Picture from Wikipedia.

UPDATE: A picture of the damaged spires many be seen at Huffington Post.

UPDATE 2: From The Lead, by Nicholas Knisely, St Stephen's Episcopal Church in Culpepper, Virginia, was so badly damaged by the quake that the building is condemned.

STORY OF THE DAY - SIDE BY SIDE

We sat side by side in the morning light
& looked out at the future together.

The story reminds me of sitting with Grandpère 50 years ago next month. Knowing what I know today, the good times and the difficult times, I would do it all over again.

From StoryPeople.

FEDERAL DEBT BY PRESIDENTIAL TERM

From Wikipedia:

This table lists the gross U.S. federal debt as a percentage of GDP by Presidential term since World War II.

Click on the chart for the larger view.

(Source: CBO Historical Budget Page and Whitehouse FY 2012 Budget - Table 7.1 Federal Debt at the End of Year PDF, Excel, Senate.gov)

Thanks to Paul the BB for his post on Facebook which reminded me to have a look at the figures which show the percentages of federal debt accrued in each presidential term. Compare and contrast Democratic presidents with Republican presidents.

'THAT'S HOW THE LIGHT GETS IN' - FOR MOTHERAMELIA

With virtual hugs for our good friend motheramelia.

'WHAT A DOG DOES WHEN IT'S COLD'

Awww....

Thanks to Bruce.

GADDAFI HEADED TO VENEZUELA?

From the Telegraph:

Following an emergency EU meeting of foreign ministers on the situation in Libya, Mr Hague was asked if Britain, or other Western countries, knew if Col. Gaddafi had left Tripoli.

“About whether Col. Gaddafi, is in Venezuela, I have no information that says he is although I have seen some information that suggests he is on his way there,” he said.

British officials stressed that Mr Hague was referring “not to media reports but information from other channels”. “This is credible information,” said a diplomat.

Pray for the people of Libya.

O God, you have bound the people of Libya together in a common life. Help them, in the midst their struggles for justice and truth, to confront one another without hatred or bitterness, and to work together with mutual forbearance and respect. Amen.

H/T to David at Facebook.