The wrong shoes, short pants and a lovely day

Long day, short blog. This morning, Palm Sunday, one of the high holy days of Christianity, I went to church in tennis shoes. Mind you, I didn't mean to--when I dressed I thought I looked rather nice: black top with my squash blossom necklace, cream slacks, and I planned to wear black shoes. Then Jacob and I got into the long pants/short pants discussion (heated, with much talk about casting blame on others) and I ended up at church still wearing my tennis shoes, Jacob in short pants with his long pants stuffed in my purse to hand over to his mother for the birthday party after church. Wondered if I should have made a sign that said, "I just had foot surgery." But it would have been fudging--I've been wearing other shoes. Probably no one noticed but me--and Jordan when I pointed it out. I took Jacob, in his short pants, into the sanctuary because the children were processing with palms and singing a song about the little gray donkey--presumably the one Jesus rode into Jerusalem. He liked that but soon after his dad had to take him to the day-care class. He's not ready for a whole church service yet.
Tonight, twelve of us for barbecue, potato salad, beans, and assorted appetizers--such fun to have all my neighbors on the porch, laughing and enjoying. They all talk at once, with the result that I don't hear much of what is said. But I sit back, sip my wine, and enjoy the camaraderie. I really watched what I ate but even so ate  more than I meant to: split a barbecue sandwich with Susan, potato salad, no beans, too much chip and dip, and a delicious Spanish cheese that Cathy from down the street brought. We were a group ranging in age from thirty to me, the senior citizen, plus five-, four- and one-year olds. Jacob was the five and the two from next door were the younger ones. Grayson is so ready to walk but just can't quite do it--adorable.
Late in the evenng, Sue, Jay and Susan, and Brannon (next door to the east) lingered, and I got to visit. Jordan had done much of the clean-up--I may never give a party without her. And Susan cleared the table. I had the house back in reasonable shape by 9:30--and I sent people home with all that food I shouldn't eat. Kept just a bit of potato salad!
What more could one ask than family, friends, and good food plus a lovely evening to be on the peorch. Last year it went suddenly from being too cold to being too hot for the porch, but so far this year we've had several good porch evenings. I love it. God is good.

Palm Sunday--and a bit of calm

I went to church today for the first day of Holy Week--and Jacob went with me. He didn't mean to. He wanted to go to day care, but when we got there--late, of course--the room was empty. The four-year-olds had gone to walk into the sanctuary with their palm fronds, which I think Jacob would have been too shy to do anyway. So he went to church with me. He was intrigued when the choir sang and when a children's choir--some his age, I swear--sang. He lasted through the opening hymn, weekly remembrances, welcome and response, pastoral prayer and Lord's prayer--though during the prayers he began to mouth to me that it was time to go. Later I told him when people bowed their heads in prayer, he must be extra quiet. But after the Lord's prayer, we went to the four-year-old class and found them in their classroom, so I slipped back into the service. It was comforting to me to hear the message that Jesus had come to bring us all God's love and forgiveness. I sort of needed that in this week of bad news. On the way home, Jacob told me he really liked the singing, and later when I began to sing something to him he put his hands over his ears. I told him I thought he liked my singing (which is always off-key) and he said he did in church but not at home.
We had an early but pleasant supper on the porch. I made chicken bundles in crescent rolls--you mix chopped, cooked chicken with cream cheese and green onion--and I added salt, pepper, and Worcestershire--and make four bundles out of one package of rolls. Then top with crushed seasoned croutons. Delicious and easy. Jacob even asked if I would make it again. To make sure Christian had enough, I gave him all the leftovers from last night in addition to the chicken bundle and the salad that Jordan made.
Tonight I'm deep into edits of Skeleton in a Dead Space. Hope to get it back to the editor by the end of the week, though with a large Easter dinner looming that's a bit problematical. But I'm enjoying doing it. Easter already? It's hard to believe.
For those of you who follow Holy Week, may you feel the joy and anticipation of this greatest of Christian holidays!

Where in the world are we going?

A quick glance through this morning's newspaper was discouraging--the Texas House okayed that 80 mph speed limit and the Federal House approved a budget plan which targets women's health issues, children, and the elderly, the Wisconsin judge instrumental in cutting workers' rights was re-elected, albeit by a slim margin, the Mexican government has totally lost control of the province of Tamaulipas. Not to mention the Middle East and suicide bombers. Nor the wildfires which are causing unbelievable havoc and destruction in West Texas, with the loss of at least one life. I know predictions of the world going to hell in a handbsket have been around for centuries, but sometimes it seems all too true. I'm tempted to say this is the worst of times, but then I remember medieval times were pretty awful, and the Industrial Revolution was no picnic for the poor. So I guess we plod ahead day by day, which seems a grim way to live life.
Except my life isn't grim at all, and I sometimes feel guilty that I am exempt from the troubles that beset so much of mankind. Wildfires could hit Fort Worth, but it's not likely they could get to the inner city where I live; a tornado could touch down--it happened a few blocks from here but was minor, and I just trust it won't happen again. Most of those I care about won't be adversely affected by the attacks on women's health issues and children's health care, though I may suffer a bit if the Republicans are successful in their cuts of aid to the elderly (how strange to think of myself in that category!). But generally I am isolated from the world's woes--and I am both grateful and puzzled, as though I must do something to help others. I think the piddling amounts I give to charity are drops int he bucket, and I carry a sense of guilt.
Meantime, with all the unhappiness in the world, my life went merrily along today. Chrisitian and I took Jacob to the church Easter egg hunt, which turned out to be a non-event. We expeced a carnival-like atmosphere, but instead we sat on our blanket, isolated, eating our sandwiches. The people I know are too old to be there, and Jordan and Christian haven't joined a Sunday school group so there was no one Christian or Jacob knew. And no one came to speak to us, though I noticed a Hispanic family, who wandered tentatively in and did talk to us for a moment, was warmly welcomed. Ah, diversity! The egg-hunt, when it happened, was another non-event. Jacob decided he was too shy to hunt eggs. We went home.
Tonight Weldon and Elizabeth came for a b'dy dinner for Elizabeth--tomorrow's the day. We had great fun talking on the porch, grilling chicken, and visiting. I grilled chicken thighs, marinated in a bit of lime juice and salt, and served with a tomatillo salsa--really good. Accompanied by a pinto bean ragout and a gluten- and dairy-free coleslaw. Elizabeth brought gluten-free cupcakes for dessert, though I declined. We really had a good visit and a good time, though Jacob was in a bit of a "Look at me!" show off mood. We ignored him as much as possible.
So here I am in my smug, comfortable, happy world, while the larger world seems a shambles around me. I know no one person can solve it--if Barack Obama can't, I certainly can't--but it remains a quandry for me. Perhaps Palm Sunday services will help me tomorrow.