Tuesday 8:31 PM: Moon

My son Tony drove us around Brandon in the afternoon.  We did a little shopping.  We saw that the snow that had fallen overnight was melting and the streets were annoying to walk on because of all the puddles and slush.

A shop, near the Real Canadian Super Store, that we walked into had a wall of shame: a wall full of photos of people who were banned from the store.  Asking the man at the till why these people were banned, he said he wished that they were just shop-lifting.  These people, druggies in fact, were acting bizarrely and were even more hard to deal with than just petty criminals, he continued.  Looking at the photos closely, I saw some lost souls who looked absolutely demonic.  How can this be happening in Brandon?

This shop wasn’t far from a section of Victoria Avenue where I witnessed some strange behavior.  I saw a man, with hoodie, crossing the street, so I slowed down. As the man crossed the street, he seemed to give me a one finger salute. The gesture was made in my direction, and so I thought that he was maybe fingering me because I hadn’t come to a full stop.  But he then continued crossing the road to the lanes where cars went in opposite directions to mine — he was giving the finger in the direction of non-existent traffic.  Clearly, he had a grudge against the world or was crazy or was on drugs.

Anyway, I am reading Josef Pieper, Anthony Trollope, Alec Guinness, and Marshall McCluhan.

Tuesday 12:20 PM: Shoveling

 We shoveled the driveways, walkways and puddle points around my Mom’s house.  When I say We, I mean me & my son Tony, who went out and shoveled without my having to prompt him.

Tuesday of Holy Week: 5:28 AM

 I just awoke. I have crossed myself and extended my streak by doing a Mandarin lesson.

Now, I’ll talk to Anhui and maybe Kashgar and maybe Nanjing for 2 hours.

Ugly

 Hate to say it.  But it is.  I was walking in the snow and was ready, in theory, to enjoy it but when I saw the wetness  left on a sidewalk after it had been shoveled, my spirits sunk.

And then there was this;

At the bottom of the snow is slush 

And this:

I suppose it is the price to pay for yesterday’s nice drive.

*I just showed the photos to a man who is in Chile.  Looking at the second photo, he asked if roads were paved in Brandon.  

When to shovel?

 It is morning.  The snow won’t stop till evening.  My son Tony tells me he will do some shoveling today since he doesn’t have school to attend.  Of course, he won’t start shoveling till the snowing stops which may be around dinner time.

I may take an early stab at the shoveling so as to clear the sidewalks.

Just now, I see Dreadlock Man, Brandon’s most well-known homeless person trudging down the street in front of my Mother’s house.  Where did he spend the evening? I wonder.

*Tony, to his credit, did do some shoveling in the day.

Monday of Holy Week: 6:50 AM

 

It’s snowing!  I don’t appreciate it! I liked the look of snow receding.

But it’s not that much, I suppose.  Unless, it continues.  One person has told me a snow storm is coming.

As usual, I extended my streak:

Or a I set a new record.

This morning, I didn’t talk to China.  Tomorrow, I will.  I won’t go so crazy with the classes this Holy Week.

Plans of Holy Week: Prep for the Easter Vigil, finish Twenix onboarding, keep my son Tony usefully occupied (he’s on a spring break), teach the online classes I do have, monitor the news, continue my Lent penances, read, maybe prep for the BSD, pray, be mentally prepared for the fires and wild cards that life throws at me, be ready for the unexpected, pray, and pray.

Road Trip

Riding on mostly empty roads on a Sunny Sunday afternoon, my son Tony driving, was nice.  I had a moment where I just felt at peace.

 We drove through Bossevain, Deloraine, and past Hartley.

Palm Sunday: 6:58 AM

 Have a road trip planned for today.

Retreat before the Easter Vigil

The Easter Vigil will be next Saturday.  The Mass will start at 21:00 and by the time, it ends I will be in communion with the Catholic Church.  Father John presided over this Mass.

This Saturday of the Fifth Week of Lent was a double Mass day.  After doing my two morning classes (Brazil & China), I was able to get to Staug in time for a 9:30 AM Mass which was held for people doing retreats.

The RCIA retreat was held in K of C meeting room;

 We read and reflected on the readings that will be read at the Easter Vigil.  The retreat lasted till 15:00.

At 16:00, I attended the Saturday Mass which was a Palm Sunday Mass.

You can see palms in the photo.  We stood a long time as the story of Christ’s Passion was read.  Father Oliver walked about the chapel blessing palms with holy water.

I was able to borrow some books from a K of C bookshelf and snag some palms that had been blessed.

Saturday of the Fifth Week of Lent: 6:55 AM

 A nice view.  I wish I could freeze the moment in the now.

Friday Adoration

 I took this photo of Saint Augustine as I entered its front door. I did the stations of the cross and prayed for all those who were in my thoughts.

Friday of the Fifth Week of Lent: 12:47 PM

 I wish I went to the Friday Mass.  But I will be attending a few tomorrow.

I went to the Walmart and the River Discovery Center.

 I talked to Anhui.

Snow

 Snow is receding.

Thursday of the Fifth Week of Lent: 8:18 AM

 Definite sunrise there.

I did this:

I prayed the Rosary.

I talked to Anhui province.

It snowed last night.  It took me just ten minutes to shovel it.

Later:  Moldova, Istanbul, Fredericton, Toronto & Alberta.

Wednesday 9:30 Mass: Baptism

 

I attended the 9:30 AM Mass. It was the feast of the Anunciation.

Afterwards, I and two others were conditionally baptized.

The baptisms were done in the basement of Saint Augustine’s.

The baptism rite was conducted by Fsther John.

Music from an organ upstairs made the rite all the more stirring.

As my head was stuck over the font, and the water was being poured on my head,I felt a profound sense of focus and serenity.

Here is a photo of an Andis whose sins have been wiped away.

I joked that that state of sinlessness would last until I got into traffic. 

Wednesday: Annunciation Day: 6:42 AM

 

I’m going to be conditionally baptized today.

And then, I shall have to not commit any mortal sins until I can get confirmed and receive the Eucharist.

I do four classes tonight so I’ll need to take a nap during the day.

Tuesday of the Fifth Week of Lent: 12:54 PM

 

A non-descript March day.

I’m busy today.  A lot of class planning.  Some classes. RCIA. Twenix onboarding.  BSD onboarding.  Praying. Reading.  A good day to Fast, at least. 

Monday 6:20 PM: Random Jottings

 The sun is on the other side. Mom’s house is making the triangular shadow on the roof.

I am being forcibly put in a desert.  Maybe that can justified the emptiness I feel on this Monday.

What is the most fashionable animal in the barnyard?  The Chicken!  Get it? The chic-Ken!

Why did the chicken cross the road?  He thought it was safer on the other side.

What is the most fashionable fast food chain? Kentucky Fried Chic-Ken.

Is it okay for chickens to be chicken at KFC?

I know.  Dad jokes. He he.

I really enjoyed be able to witness the Wheat Kings last regular season game.  My son enjoying was the biggest reason I enjoyed it.  As well, most of the kids playing won’t make the big leagues.  It don’t get any bigger than that for most of them, so that is all the more reason to enjoy the award ceremonies.

I will be conditionally baptized on Wednesday.  There is no way of knowing for sure if the baptism I most certainly had in 1965 was trinitarian.

Monday was a slow day.  I didn’t sleep well and only did four classes.  I had been hoping to talk to the student I have in Saudi Arabia.

The snow is melting away.

For what it’s worth: my thoughts and observations  on the Iran war:

What to think of the Israel USA attack on Iran?  Among those who have not hysterical thoughts about Trump, that is non-Trump Derangement Syndrome sufferers, as well as Trump is a King-Godders, there is a split.  Some think what Trump did is Jim Dandy; and some now have Trump  Disappointment  Syndrome:  they feel he has broken promises and is now a Neo Con.  Among the latter, there is Tucker Carlson, the girls of the Red Scare Podcast, Trish Wood and Frank Vaughan.  Among the former there is David Warren, my favorite blogger and others — but I can’t think of them off my head.

Two Chinese people I know support what Trump is doing.  One supports his actions because he says the Iranian regime is evil — as does David Warren.  They are right that the Iranian regime is evil.  The other Chinese supports Trump’s actions against the Islamic regime because he feels that it is hurting the CCP.  He tells me that Chairman Xi has fired military scientists because the weapons they designed have failed in Iran.  He also says there is lot of anger against the CCP regime and predicts a revolution in China next year.

Some  are predicting that China may become emboldened and attack Taiwan.  I don’t see this happening because it would be a disaster even if the mainland conquered the island.  I like to think the CCP regime isn’t that crazy.  That they know time is on their side when it comes to unification.  But then I assumed that Trump had no intention of starting more wars in the Middle East.

All the Ukrainians I know don’t support the Israeli-USA attack.  They feel that it is resulting in neglect of their war with Russia.

To me, the war is looking like a combination of the Iraq and Vietnam conflicts.  While the Americans were fighting evil regimes then, all their military might could crush but not defeat the enemy.  All the air power the Americans used in Vietnam while doing damage, couldn’t get the Communists to submit.  And despite conquering Iraq, the Americans were defeated.

Like the Ukraine war, I just want the Iran war to end tomorrow.  The longer these conflicts go on, the worse it will be for everybody.  For  Trump, it could end what has been his push to bring about the reforms the USA needs

And I wish that the Americans would get out of the Middle East.  The place was better off being part of the Ottoman Empire.  Israel would just have to fend for itself.  Israel is full of capable people, but they aren’t Christian and in many instances, despise Christians.  Too many American resources have been wasted by Neo-Cons in an area that resents Liberal-Progressive values.

But I could be wrong.  Maybe the war ends quickly and Trump accomplishes a welcome change in the Middle East.

Monday of the Fifth Week of Lent: 6:37 AM

 Waiting for my student in Anhui to start up a Tencent Meeting.

The three of us got haircuts yesterday.

Still waiting. But for another thing.

Today: some online classes.  Maybe talk to a fellow in the Middle East.

5th Sunday of Lent: 11:00 AM Mass

 The 3rd Scrutiny.

My life flashed before me in my mind.

What’s the choice?  The way of the spirit or the way of death.

Wheat Kings Game

 Could be the last game of the year.  The Wheatiex playoff games will be in Virden on account the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair being held at the Keystone.

Princess Auto

 Where I’m working today.

Saturday of the Fourth Week of Lent: 6:08 AM

 I got a busy day: two classes, a seven hour shift, a hockey game to attend, and an appointment with a neighbor.  And all my daily requirements such as making a blog entry.

Still reeling from the death of Chuck.

Friday Mass

 What’s with the shroud?  I suppose I will find out.

I did the stations of the cross.

Downtown Brandon

 Not very attractive, is it?

Puddles

 The temperatures are above zero which is nice, but there are puddles, aka lakes, everywhere which make ambulating a bit of a chore.

Chuck Norris RIP

 I learned from my son that Chuck Norris had died.

I first had to confirm it was true because I remember being told he had died a year ago.

On WeChat, I loved making WeChat jokes in the Wuxi He Man group.

My favorite Chuck Norris joke?  When the cops pulled Chuck Norris over, he let them off with a warning.

Friday of the Fourth Week of Lent: 7:52 AM

 

I am starting this entry at the Shopper’s Mall.

I have already prayed the Rosary and extended the Duolingo Streak and talked to Nanjing and Anhui.

I drove Tony to school.  He be my son.  Then, I went to the bank, Sobey’s. Dollarama and Tim’s.  I’ll buy tickets for tomorrow evening’s Wheat King game.

I will read some NGD…I would rather say politicians or princes.

Man matures when he stops believing that politics

will solve his problems.

I would rather say politicians or princes.

Thursday of the Fourth Week of Lent: 8:07 AM

 I got up at 5:00 AM. I felt weary,

I did this;

The streak is extended.

I prayed the joyful mysteries.

I talked to Anhui Provincr.  I will talk to Moldova, Istanbul, New Brunswick, Toronto, and Alberta.

Grocery shopping.

From NGD:

“Whoever does not understand that two perfectly contrary attitudes can both be perfectly justified not to engage in criticism.”

A lot of pointless name calling would be avoided if people realized this.