I share this machine with two teenagers and a cat, so that could explain why I haven't been doing a lot of writing lately. Fortunately, Pepi just stays put where it's warm atop the monitor, or I'd still be waiting. Now that I have the time though, thought I'd talk about what I did last weekend.

Much of what I do on weekends I hear about first on WaukeshaNOW, and last week was no exception. I find that the site's community events description is a little more in depth and easier to access than the alternative.

I went to the UWW play God Willing: A Twology not because I'd heard it was good or even because I'd heard of it before. I checked it out because it promised to be different. Two avante-garde plays in one with seating on the stage for the audience. I won't try to describe it because I can't. I can't relate it to anything I've seen before. It was entertaining, serious and thought-provoking. It was intimate and dark, quiet and loud. I guess you could say it was a good play for the university because they tried something outside "normal" and it was a good experiment. 

Saturday morning I joined my confirmation group for a service project at Jeremy House, a homeless shelter for individuals with mental issues on Moreland Blvd. We prepared breakfast for the guests and learned more about the facility. It was a worthwhile experience for all of us, and fun too.

After mass last Sunday I interviewed candidates for confirmation to see if they had any thoughts, good or bad, on the whole process and to make sure they grew spiritually in this last year of preparation. Tomorrow is confirmation rehearsal.

Later Sunday I attended Waukesha Choral Union's production of Handel's Messiah while not realizing what I came to see and hear. I penciled the Carroll College event on my calendar because WaukeshaNOW made it sound good and, the best part, it was free. I arrived after the last of the programs had been handed out and, because I've never been to "Messiah" before, didn't recognize it. Bumping into a friend at intermission, I mentioned how religious all the pieces were. "Well, it is Messiah. The whole concert is related to the bible, starting with the Old Testament and ending with the New." She showed me the program and every aria, recitation and chorus was straight from a bible verse or psalm. Up to this point the one thing I knew about "Messiah" was the Hallelujah Chorus. Two and a half hours after the start of this concert I was much better informed. It's a monumental production with orchestra, pipe organ, soloists with community members joining the chorus. The concert was fully funded by donations from individuals and businesses. It was director Gregory Carpenter's last production of Messiah. His last production with the Choral Union will be in celebration of Mozart's 250th birthday: Mozart's Requiem at St. Joe's Church in Waukesha, May 4th, with orchestra and soloist. I'm going to pencil this one in too, and hope I don't forget why.  

By now Mrs. Lee is wondering if I'm seeing someone because of being gone so much last weekend. (The family is always invited, but my tastes often differ from theirs.) I later attended Vespers, or evening prayer, at St. William. It's something I've not done before and my family wouldn't have enjoyed either. It was an interesting mix of hymns, readings, reflection and incense. All the prayer without the hassle.

After Vespers I joined 80 to 90 others from my parish to learn about Judaism and Jewish traditions in a Seder meal, something I've wanted to try but never had the chance. I felt this Lent was a good time to understand the roots of my own faith and this was a wonderful way to do it. The nicest Jewish couple, Sherry and David, led us on this trip to the past. Seder, the Passover meal, is full of lessons and history, details, ancestors, special diet and ways of preparation. I'd have to say everything had meaning and relevance and the meal was history come to life. Everything was performed in order, involved the oldest to the youngest, was entertaining and lasted about 2-1/2 hours. The education we received and meeting Sherry and David was wonderful. This meal was far more involved than any other meal I've shared, and I would happily do it again.  

The theme of the weekend seemed to lean toward religion. Not a bad thing with Holy Week beginning tomorrow.

It's not a twitch glitch, but when Pepi my cat rests atop the warm computer monitor, like now, the image jerks when he doesn't sit still. I'll just have to deal with it but bl g ma y jmp a roud lttl if e do esn re ax.

A little bad news. Came home one night and my wife said she had bad news. Her somber tone made me not want to know. It could have been anything. Is everyone OK? The A/C wasn't working! Now that's serious. And a relief. Air conditioners can be repaired.

I did what I could then called Tom's Heating to check both furnace and A/C. Air conditioner is fine but Tom will be here in two hours to talk about a new furnace. The 35 year old beast was leaking so bad the technician shut it down.

I just now got my Freeman delivered and was told by them that my regular carrier was in a bad accident.

Three of us had a dental appointment this week -- a reschedule from an earlier one because he went on vacation. This one was cancelled also. He was in a bad accident and he and his wife both had broken ribs. So we reschedule again. "Can we come in at 5:45? The doctor doesn't usually stay after 6:00." I try to be a "patient" patient, but I'm sorry. I can't get off work at 5:00 in Milwaukee, fight traffic and grab the kids to make it to his office by 5:45. That's why the other two were made for 6:00. Our next "tentative" appt. is scheduled for late Sept. and I see that my son's away football game is the same day. : (

I was at work in Milw. when I heard about the World Trade Center. I was in the basement workshop at St. Joe's in Wauk. when I heard about Challenger. And ten years ago, at two on a Sunday morning, I was driving to the Journal Sentinel to do my route when I heard the BBC broadcast that Princess Diana had been in a bad accident.

One of the benefits of delivering the paper is knowing certain news before everyone else. Ten years ago, while waiting an extra long time for the "mains," I knew what was coming. I delivered a lot of bad news that day.

I, like many others, felt a closeness to the "People's Princess." She seemed warm and friendly and everything a princess was supposed to be. The divorce just reinforced how, in the end, she was still just a normal person with normal problems. Diana and I were both born the same year, though I was 3 months older.

I chose to quit smoking when Diana died and affirmed it a week later when Mother Teresa died. If two great and compassionate women known the world over, and who've met one another, could die a week apart without trying, then I could try to stay alive and quit cigarettes. (It also didn't hurt that my kids learned what cigarettes can do and were after me to quit.) Quitting at the time of a major historical event has been my record keeper. IT'S BEEN TEN YEARS SINCE I QUIT SMOKING! The media will always let me know how long it's been. It's nice to know I was able to stick with something this long. For my family. For me.