Charlie & Opal...

I met them in 2004. They had stopped coming to church, but Charlie was still driving, doing their banking, getting groceries, taking Opal out to eat and to her hair appointments. Charlie was 96 at the time, his blushing bride of 76 plus years was 94. They got married in January of 1928, months before the devastating stock market crash. They were delightful to visit, but quite reserved. I could tell they had gone through something very painful. But it would take months before they trusted me enough to reveal their hurt parts. Coincidently, they were born the same years as my in-laws. Charlie and Jim were born in 1907, Opal and Mag in 1910. But John's parents passed away in '87 and '94. Charlie and Opal were still going strong. Each would easily pass the century mark. Opal's 100th birthday party in June of 2010. Charlie was 102 in this picture.

Two Fish...

My continuing saga of being Parish Visitor (PV) for more than a decade in two churches. Best job I ever had. I have loved older people since I was very young. But this job managed to have me work for 4 horrible bosses in a row. All were ministers. What are the odds? I'm bitter, full of resentment, and know I need to move past my bad feelings towards them. I'd like to forgive them, and hope by writing the story it will be a therapeutic start. This dude, Two Fish (TF) is the hardest one to get past.

Exquisite house of God, but a political cesspool inside...

 

The Farm...

Can you believe it? For a time this Rock Valley city slicker lived on a FARM. With 2 kids. And no car. Hubby was commuting daily to Cedar Rapids, about 40 miles away. Mid-70's, John had finally escaped the clutches of the 5-whack-brothers in Dyersville. Neither of us felt like this was a permanent situation, so we resisted the urge to move again. Tough on John because his day was long. Commute wasn't fun, even less when driving a junker that required constant attention to make that daily drive. But not exactly a picnic for me either. See above: 2 kids, no car and a driveway from hell.

Hanging out a load of wash. Even outside, they smelled of hogs...

One Fish...

Gonna be upfront with you. I've got issues. I haul around this humongous set of luggage chuck full of guilt and regrets. I have some resentment. Better change some to a lot. About my parents, sister, my former bosses and the church. The Methodist Church. Haven't been a Methodist very long. About 15 years and 4 ministers. My resentment shows up occasionally in my blogs. OK, need to change the occasionally to many. I realize this is unhealthy for me and I need to move on. But I'm quite famous for my grudges. Holding onto them for awhile. No, let's forget awhile. We'll go with years. I'll stop now.

My first stint as Parish Visitor...

Mildred & Charlie...

Mildred wasn't on my "parish visitor list" yet. Close to 80, she was still driving. (part of the problem) But a recent car accident had put her there. I stopped to see how she was doing. She promptly lifted her blouse so I could marvel at the perfect outline of the steering-wheel-bruise on her chest. She was a retired teacher, widowed a few years before, no children. Had a cat named Charlie she had adopted from a friend who moved away.

Mildred, around 2005...

Called...

We were attending a huge, beautiful downtown church that had seen better days. When under construction in the late 1920's, it had come so close to bankruptcy that a handful of families from the congregation invested their own savings to finish the building or the Catholic Church was going to snatch it up. At that time, downtown Muskegon was bustling with retail businesses, lumber barons, doctors and lawyers. These well-to-do folks lived nearby, most of them walking to church on Sunday mornings. Central boasted 3 services, packing the sanctuary with its 1600 members.

Catholic-ville...

Big changes were coming for this little family of three in the year of 1974. Celebrating anniversary # 5. Shannon was 3-1/2 and acquiring all the necessary skills (cooking-cleaning) for me to warm up to the idea of adding to our brood. Me, now a master chef could make: 1. Tuna salad 2. Tuna casserole 3. Coffee.

Shannon 4. Look at her hair length...