Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels Procession

Here is a short movie followed by pictures of the procession from Olvera Street to Our Lady of the Angels Cathedral last Saturday.

Memorial Day Links

A beautifully written Memorial Day essay by Gerard Van Der Leun.

A formerly liberal Berkley psychotherapist sees the light and apologizes to all those she offended while she was a liberal.

The power of metaphor

Last night I finished reading a book, The Shack. It was written by William P. Young for his six children. I had to check the title page to make sure it was a novel. The beginning reads just like a true story and had me fully engaged and flipping pages quickly. It does move into metaphor about a third of the way through. It is often unsettling and at times took my breath away. The themes of pain, healing, forgiveness and love center around conversations-profound questions and answers. I just sent the author an email-something I've never done. One of the things I said was that if Christians used their God given creativity it would change the world. Holy imagination would transform the church and its people. At any rate it certainly has caused me to wonder why it is so difficult for me to access the gifts of stories etc. that I know God has so freely given me. I think one of the things touched on in the story of The Shack is a willingness to seek healing for painful experiences and memories. We just don't want "to go there". When I think of the times that God has most profoundly touched my heart it was exactly then. But of course we "get better" and want to move on to things that "don't hurt". This is our shared humanity and why we need each other to "spark us to love and good works".

Posted by Aloyce.

Sleepless in Windsor Square

When I looked at the clock it was about 3:15 am. Now it's 4:30. I tried turning on the fan-no help. I finally turned on the AC and for some reason here I am at the computer posting for the second time on our blog. Mark will wake-up soon and get ready for work. He thoughtfully sets out his clothes each night so he won't wake me up. He's been taking the bus to the Shrine hospital where he works. The 1990 Corolla, the first car I ever purchased new, has been sitting in the front space of our "tandem" parking space at the luxurious "Regent Place Apartments". Something is wrong with it and Mark plans to have it checked out. My suggestion to "let it go" has so far been fruitless. Mark doesn't like to discard things just because they are old. An example would be his "holely" jeans that are now just about right for relaxing in.
Michele took pictures of the trio of pictures I wrote about yesterday and they can be seen at her blog linked on the left-it's the one in French. I took pictures of my pieces, but will need a "tutorial" in how to post them.
I realized as I was writing that writing for a blog is like an "open letter" to the world. It can be somewhat personal, but not too. You "self-edit" as you go along-you certainly don't want to bore anyone who might read what you've written. It is very different from writing in my journal-which I haven't done for a while. But somehow it has a satisfying aspect. Interesting...

Posted by Aloyce.

Aloyce chimes in...

Mark is so good about researching and setting things up. I take a little more time. Michele just created her own blog today and I decided it was time for me to write something.
Teaching kindergarten last year (of course I just finished on June 20) was hectic and at times overwhelming, so this summer break is most welcome. Michele has been home a lot too and that has meant time to shop, see a movie or two and have the luxury of just talking without having to rush somewhere.
We have also enjoyed a number of artistic moments. She made a set of assemblages with the flavor of "santos". They are very small (about 5x7) and brightly colored. The center piece features an image of the Virgin of Guadalupe surrounded by dried pink roses. One has the Stations of the Cross inside bottle caps with a wire cross in the middle and the last features a clay sculpture of the Sacred Heart she did years ago. All three have glitter and seguins. I'll have to post photos.
Two things I've made began with wooden boxes I "inherited" from my first kindergarten partner, Jo Williams. They look old and were distressed with random crayon marks. One is small and painted light green. The other long and narrow dark wood. In the light green one I put a number of small religious items: a small souvenier from the Sea of Galilee, a small plastic Mary from Lourdes, multicolored prayer beads received in the mail, a bouquet of dried pink roses in a creamer from my grandfather's Mexican restaurant and in the background a picture of Our Lady of Lourdes. In the long narrow one I glued the front end of an old wooden fire engine, an old wooden miniature chair, a little plastic boy from a dollhouse family, a small house made of small wooden triangles and on top a black ladder that I presume went with the firetruck. In the background I glued some picture from a very out of date book about firefighters. Both pieces were very satisfying to make, but a bit challengeing as to where to put them! Mark is very indulgent about my seeming need to fill any blank space on the walls of our apartment. Maybe this is the summer that I will finally arrive at perfection of placement.
Another small project involved gluing vintage animal cutouts on old wallpaper samples. I edged them with ribbon and just bought some frames they may work in-we'll see. These I obviously have to give away! Meredith may want one or two to put above Micah's crib and my neice Mahana may like one for her nursery(baby Leila Rose made her appearance July 10th).
The last framing project is one I've wanted to do for a long time. I have a patchwork of cigarette silks that belonged to my Grandma Mabel. For a long time I had them in an old plastic frame that was all wrong and lost where I had it on the wall . I also bought a large frame for that and think it will work well. It will be mounted high on the living room wall between childhood photos of Michele and Meredith and just above a framed collection of English cigarette cards (reproductions) of "Flower Culture in Pots, 1925". I just realized how perfect it will be to pair them!
Who knew I had so much to "post"? Hopefully inspiration will strike again.

Aloyce