Summertime of the Great Recession

GM has left bankruptcy after 40 days as the new leaner GM Co. leaving all its bad investments to the U S taxpayers. Doom looms over the economy as the recovery lingers on with all questioning are we going to be able to go back to business as usual? Even the comfortable are cutting back on the free spending that drives the economy and our record debt. Over a trillion dollars on the governmental level makes one wonder is this money really worth much?" Sha La LA lets live for today." Lukas had his wisdom teeth removed the day before we lost our dental insurance, which had been suggested years ago, saving us $1,700. I also lost our vision insurance as we also will pay double our current prescription co-pay, in hope of saving GM and my pension. Both boys will be at LCC this fall and I will be very limited on helping them. We were at Duck Lake for the 4th of July for the 1st time in 4 years as we will be in Grand Haven In August this year. I talked to my friend Mark Neering who is related to the family cottage next to the Beckers. I've been to Blues on the Square again this year staying until after 9:30 each night so far. It has been cooler this summer with little time hotter than the 80's here in Lansing. All the cats seemingly have had kittens making the population over 20 and mothers taking care of kittens that aren't even theirs. Kind of sounds like our society in general as we try to survive this Great Recession. We got a new refrigerator and hopefully a new stove soon as we try to catch up on overdue updates. Worry or not time and life goes on with us or without us, so with faith we march or dream on into the future. The diocese didn't give Holy Cross 40 hours before they boarded up the church and changed the locks. A heartless business where most thought the purpose was spirituality," someone's on the cross again/someone's throwing dice. " I freely quoted different songs throughout this blog without permission, please Lord forgive me!

Holy Cross

I was baptised at Holy Cross and my brothers went to school there the years before I was born in 1951. My dad sang in the choir and I can remember singing Holy God We Praise Thy Name on Sundays of the Holy Name Society. I went with my parents often to the St. Anthony devotions on Tuesday nights. In September of 1956 I started school at Holy Cross to continue until June of of 1965. First and second grades were in the new part of the school which was not there when my brothers went there. For grades 3 thru 5 I was in the old building, and then back to the new section for the duration. At the start of fourth grade St. Gerards opened their school which was the beginning of the end. The church had also built a new friary for the Franciscans who had 3 priests there and made Holy Cross an unique parish. I walked home from school almost everyday once I was a little older with the Curtins who lived on Main Street. We walked down Jenison Street about a mile to Saint Joseph. We had a huge first communion class and third grade confirmation class also. On September 6,1975 Jane and I were married at 6:30 by Father Keith at Holy Cross. My mom,dad, and brother Frank were all buried out of Holy Cross. I was a member of the St. Vincent de Paul Society, The Respect Life committee, and an Eucharistic Minister. Today is Fathers Day and the beginning of summer as well as the closing of Holy Cross parish at 1:00 this afternoon. I attended the last parish mass last night at 4:00 and the church was full to capacity and was a beautiful remembrance of my 58+ years of Holy Cross. Father Maurice did a great job and Father Pius gave me communion. I could not attend today as I was told I wouldn't be needed to be a minister for the bishop's dioceses closing the doors mass. I wanted to keep my positive memories so avoided the negative. It has been hard thinking about this final day as each week brought it closer, so I saved my emotions for this tribute to my parish, Holy Cross. Amen,that they can't take away from us.

Busy Blur

It was a busy weekend with 5 open houses to attend and Phillip's graduation at MSU yesterday. On Saturday Waverly had their district baseball game against Charotte and Phil's first pitch went over the fence for a home run and the next 5 hitters also got on base to make it 4-0 and his coach decided to pull him, only to have 7 more runs score to make it 11-0 after one inning. There were some bad calls, all not in our favor and after 5 innings we were mercied 12-2. Our consolation was Charlotte was so hot they beat Hastings for the championship 18-5 in a mercy game. At the baseball banquet Phil got the Heart trophy and at the senior awards night was the recipient of the Alumni Award. At Matt Lottes open house one of his relatives asked me if I knew I looked like Francis Ford Coppola? Time flies by as I write this from Sheridan Road School Kindergarten, after being at East this morning in the last week of school. GM filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization today and I will lose my dental and optical insurance soon due to contract concessions. Nothing is guaranteed in this life and even the mightiest fall bringing down the dreams and promises that once were so secure. Without faith in God we would be lost, the flock dispersed.

Valparaiso Law

Yesterday we drove in a rented minivan to attend Jonathan's graduation at Valparaiso. It was a sunny warm day and it was held at the Chapel of the Resurrection. The ceremonies lasted about an hour and there was a luncheon at the new Christoper student center. We went to Culvers afterwards and all of us were so proud of Jon's determined accomplishment. Simon, April,Lukas ,and Phillip had left the night before and stayed at the Fairfield Inn which as it turned was in sight of the Chapel. Phillip is done with his classes at Waverly and will graduate in a week. His baseball team finished the season 14-13 and will play at Charlotte next Saturday in the districts. Phillip has a 3-1 record and pitched a 7 inning shutout at Oldsmobile Park in the Home Run for Hope tournament against Everett. He struck out 9 giving up 2 hits, a perfect day as his team later beat Eastern for the championship. This spring has been getting warmer after a very rainy April, so everything is green and growing. It has and will be a very busy May and early June with all the graduation parties. Today we celebrated Gloria's birthday and Jon's Graduation at Ybarras, as she and Natalie arrived Thursday and will be here until the 2nd. I have been subbing regularly at Riddle, 3 days a week. So much is coming to its completion as so much is also now beginning giving those mixed feelings of where are we heading and where have we been. Moving on will show what will be as contemplation only is a rest stop on this continuing journey for all of us seeking enlightenment.

Late Spring

Last week I proctored at Cooley and was able to read The Sun Also Rises and Pale Horse, Pale Rider. The irony is the news of a possible swine flu pandemic that has killed 149 and sickened thousands in Mexico and put the US on a state of alert, and the subject of the 1918 plague in Pale Horse. Lansing schools have also announced the closing of Moores Park School, where I was on Friday, and Grand River. Budgets are leaving all aspects of our society in situations that set us back 70 years in decisions on wages, health benefits, and priorities of survival. The closing of business', schools, and churches may only be a foreboding for lost pensions, social security, and other programs that depend on prosperity and good will to succeed. Phillip pitched a 7 inning complete game Saturday against Lakeview and got his first varsity win,15-6. The second game was stopped by a sudden storm that featured microbursts and heavy rain that flooded the field and caused its cancellation. They are currently 3-1 with 6 games being incomplete due to weather or darkness. Gramma had her 85th birthday Saturday and is a wonder of energy and beauty. Jane's Trigeminal Neuralgia has been bothering her again causing her to have extreme pain in her jaw. We are going to be very busy the next month so it could be triggered by stress or the changing of seasons as its initial onset was 2 springs ago. Life goes on and we cope or fight on until there is no alternative as change will always be a constant and we must go with the flow. We have just had our first temperatures in the 80's this weekend, and only hitting the 70's for the first time this year last week, we know everything comes in time and it can be sooner or later.

April 58

April Fools for the 58th time. I spent the morning at Waverly East and then worked out a real account with Comcast for the Internet as time had finally caught up with us over the weekend. We went to Finleys for my free dinner and I took all the congratulatory calls for my birthday. We still haven't had but one day of real spring weather as it is still cool. We have been busy working and that is good with record unemployment and GM's future still hanging in the balance. I've been to Holy Cross every weekend for mass to support Father Maurice. Plant 3 is becoming so bare you can almost see to Saginaw street from Willow,with only the front wall standing. Change is the constant that holds, divides, unites and releases us. Time goes on and to strive we must grow with life's challenges mixed with wisdom attained. The cycles of life, the seasons, aging, growing, fading, and eventual dying, go on with only the characters changing in due time. April Fools! MSU is in the NCAA finals against UNC.

Snowy Cold Winter

We had 3 more inches of snow to give us 65 for the winter. Normal snowfall is 54.5 and we have had few days that have been much above freezing. Lukas is working at the high school 3 days a week for his Teacher Ed class helping with Math mostly. The economic stimulus has been passed now we'll wait to how much it helps in our nation's recovery. Beefus, the white monkey, has taken a liking to TV and computer screens as well as becoming a fetch cat with socks. Jane and I went to the premier of the movie Living Accused at the Lansing Mall this week. The movie was made by Artis White who Jane learned was the State Policeman suspected of killing his wife while she was entering Potters Park 8 years ago. The movie was about 4 people who spent jail time for crimes they were later found innocent of. GM stock fell to a 74 year low of $1.52 yesterday, which dates back to the Great Depression. A year ago that stock was worth $25.54 and now GM is asking for another 30 billion from the government to avoid a bankruptcy that would have an impact on everyone. There is record unemployment numbers already and banks are on the edge of failing and being nationalized. Welcome to reality America, rich or poor if we are to survive we all must face this danger seriously. Easy credit must end and we must live within more reasonable means or we all will be under the same scrutiny of suspected criminals.