Booming Banter

There are currently around 2600 women at the Reformatory. Hundreds applied to participate in this weekend and the two wonderful Chaplains at the prison selected 30.

Yesterday afternoon these ladies met the Kairos team. Today, Day 2 of our Weekend they will be learning that they are loved unconditional as this little poster prepared by one of our Sunday school shows so well.

Blessing#1483-Agape

Today Moms long awaited Kairos weekend begins at the The Ohio Reformatory for Women. This means my niece and I will need to tolerate each other and take care of Dad for four days as Ma will be leaving before dawn and won’t get home till ten in the evening.

The bro is going to take care of our outings for our bathroom breaks but we will need to practice extended periods of bladder control. The days he’s working late he is coming home at lunchtime to let us get relief.

This ministry has a great website where you can find out more but bottom line is the moto Listen Listen Love Love.

It all started in Florida in the 1970s and now is in all states and ten countries worldwide. This weekend is the 52nd at this prison as usually there are two each year.

The team formation for weekend 52 started in February 2020 with the goal of having the weekend in April 2020. Of course you all know what happened in March. The whole world went into lockdown because of Covid.

Prisons were particularly hard hit as no visitors were allowed and inmates had to stick to very restricted areas to prevent viral spread. During this tough time the Kairos Christian Communities previously established within prisons played an important role in maintaining moral and hope.

Since July 2022 the 52nd team has been built once more and now are ready to go to work in most appropriately KAIROS the Greek for GODS TIME!

Over the next days our posts will be brief but we’ll still let you know what Ma had been up to.

Blessing#1482-Timing

I was just settling in for a small siesta yesterday when the door opened.

The ancients has had their physicals and were given the green light but the dude doing their taxes had been stuck in Chicago overnight and so wouldn’t be back in his office till one. So we had an early lunch and then Ma negotiated on my behalf that I could come along too.

I was so happy and so it was at midday we all set off.

Pits had to stay home as we only get to ride together when we can be continuously supervised just incase we go at each other’s throats. Since the ancients we’re going to be in this meeting for up to an hour the risk of a riot was too great to take.

Such a beautiful day.

I just oohed and ahhed the whole way at the lovely fall colors.

No tricks it really was a treat. Shame about the tax balance that was quite horrific!

Blessing #1481-Unexpected Outings

I’ve been left home alone to guard the house today.

The thing is in her bedroom so I don’t have to worry about her.

We got a quick trot before Ma and Da left for their annual physicals and after that the are going to finalize their tax which need to be in next week.

This means I’ve got at least four hours to myself.

I look out the back.

If that’s all clear I look out the front.

Repeat repeat repeat and all for what just two milk bones.

Maybe I’ll take up reading. There’s plenty of material to get my teeth into!

Blessing#1480-Double Dipping

On Saturday the Lily Circle at our church had their annual book sale.

Yesterday what was left was sold at $5 per bag before being pack up and packed off to Half Price Books.

Dad was in heaven. Actually he was in Church but that’s close. He snagged a mountain of material to keep him going for a few months.

Ma also had a good rummage and found things for sale at the store.

She also found a great treasure that she’s keeping.

Can you believe that in the midst of all those thousands of books she finds a little vintage hardback novel about Northern Ireland.

It’s little dust jacket was a bit rough at the edges so maybe that’s why it had been passed over. Or maybe it was waiting for her to come and rescue it!

Published in 1954 it is based on the legend of The Swans of Ballycastle and is beautifully illustrated.

There were many memory jerkers for Ma like the painting on the bedroom wall the eiderdown and the big roaring fire.

It’s just like it was meant to come home to us and Ma got so excited.

We read the story as soon as she got home. It’s a somewhat sad little tale about three children and a wicked stepmother but has lots of reference to places back home like Rathlin Island, Belfast and Larne.

Made us quite nostalgic and determined to get one of those direct flights soon.

Blessing#1479-Familiar Sites

Passionate peeps it PITS posting!

Aren’t you all thrilled. I just know you’ve been dying to hear of my exploits.

Yesterday I was excessively busy.

Granny as you know is not partial to housework but as the morning light shone in the dust was seen to be an inch thick so she had to break it up.

I jumped in to help as best I could I just love to smell of that spray she uses but she smacked me on the nose so I took to shredding instead.

She didn’t realize the extent of my efforts until I’d finished.

She’d made her bed earlier but it wasn’t quite to my standards so I undid her work and refluffed it. The pillows were something of a challenge so I make a little hole in one! No golfing puns intended!

While wrinkly was working I rested but on her return we had a quick trot and then I helped with cooking the dinner and doing the dishes. She spills a lot so it’s tasty work and it makes her smile.

We then settled in for the fourth quarter of the big game which we won easily. Dad was so exhausted as he’d started at seven he fell asleep. So I guarded him from the Gizz until it was bedtime.

Basically I’m perfect like most Princesses.

I can do everything so well I deserve to be Queen! Do you like my pose?

Blessing #1478-Multitasking

You know the way dogs have different barks for different occasions well I’m convinced humans have different screams.

Yesterday morning as Ma was finishing off her second coffee she emitted such a big happy holler it was hair raising.

See Auntie Phyllis had just sent her a WhatsApp telling her Aer Lingus was putting on a new direct flight from Cleveland to Dublin.

This has been high on Ma’s prayer list for years specifically Columbus to Dublin but this is as good as it get. My intersessions must have don’t it!

Two hours drive when you don’t have to negotiate a connection in Chicago or NYNY or DC or worst of all the dreaded Newark and you just pirouette with passion.

In a GREEN tutu of course.

Blessing#1477-Non Stop!

Did you see that the Royal Mint has just released the first coin with the King’s head on it?

Got me thinking if I was King what I’d like on my coins.

My most regal pose is from my throne and encompasses all my body.

That might look better on notes or milk bones which should be traded as they have currently more value than the pound.

For round currency perhaps I need to strike the side on look like Charles.

My hair would need to be engraved carefully as that’s one of my finest features and I suppose they’d need to see the eyes and canines.

You can only imagine that if the Princess was Queen we’d need to see her ears as they are her most defining feature.

Not sure the King’s coin does his justice!

Blessing#1476-Money Matters

Thanks to Facebook Mum is still in touch with friends from elementary school. They’ve know each other since they were five years old.

This morning one of them, Linda, posted a link from Voice for the Voiceless on how to help hedgehogs survive the winter ahead.

These cute critters are native to Europe. We don’t have them here in the USA. They are very loyal to the home they adopt and come to the same place year after year. Ma knows that from experience!

Got us thinking of some other cuties like that who stick by their humans who may be suffering at present in Florida; the manatees.

Our Auntie Laura has them all around her in Florida, there is even a river by her place called the Manatee.

We are praying for all dear souls this morning that this terrible Ian doesn’t hurt them too much.

Incidentally another of Ma’s school pals is called Ian but he’s a good guy not at all like this nasty storm.

Blessing#1475-Voices

Don’t you just love all these International This Thing and That Thing Days.

Well today being International Sons Day there is actually some hope it may result in something for me.

Like I’m just saying there are still some of those treats of Auntie Marsha’s that would slip down nicely.

The bro will also be getting BACON as part of his requested ULSTER FRY for dinner.

So I’m praying a piece will slip from his lip or maybe a slither of sausage. I’ll stick close and inspect the details!

Regardless I deserve some sort of pampering as I got my staples yanked out of my leg yesterday and it was sore.

So bring on the snacks Ma for both your son and only fur ball we absolutely must celebrate!

Blessing#1474-Any Excuse!