My Good Friend, Howard

My good friend Howard Barrons died peacefully the 16th and was buried today. His son Fr. Brian, co-celebrated his mass with many in attendance. Howard was 90 and I know him from St. Vincent's at Holy Cross where I learned from his active faith the spiritual road I follow. Howard would hug you and was a friend for life who I found out was an all-state fullback at Calumet High School. Only 3 other men who were active in the SVDP Society are still alive from the time I was involved during the 80's. I was gifted with the chance to have gotten hugs and kisses from Howard 2 Sundays ago at the 9:00 mass at St. Gerards, I see it as a commissioning to continue on with good works. Whenever I gave Howard communion at Holy Cross I would say his name because he always would say thank you Joe smiling Christlike. Holy Cross has been closed 1 year now and the school since 2007 and they reduced the price last week on the signs in front of them. Times, places, people change but without love all meaning is reduced and only eternal life holds us grounded to purpose in this world. We all will grow weary and older until we are called home to the heavenly reward of true peace.

School's Out For Summer

On the 17th of May we were in Indianapolis at the Indiana Roof Ballroom for Jon's swearing in to the bar. We stayed the night before and walked downtown Indianapolis and ate at the Rock Bottom Brewery. The ceremony was an hour with the supreme court and other justices presiding over the event. It was a rainy day but momentous one. Uncle Tom is home and building his strength up so that he's back at the mall, but Grampa drives him and picks him up. We now have Helen and her daughter Nancy at Tendercare West as she had a triple by-pass on Mothers Day. The warm weather came suddenly the end of May and it has been summer like to end the school year. The open houses started with Hannah's in Zeeland last Saturday. The old Malibu needed a $500 tune up but is running strong now. The Gulf oil spill is 51 days and millions of gallons of pollution that will harm the Earth for decades. Here the grass is green and growing with all the rains we've had but wildlife suffers along the southern coasts of the USA, thanks to BP. Maybe we'll blame global warming on the Gulf of Oil Mexico and stick our heads in the oily sand.