Celebrating the Jubilarians ended with a Spring Snow and tragedy in Blacksburg
The trip up to Scranton was uneventful and speedy. By the time we hit Wilkes-Barre we decided it was time to stop and get a bite to eat. I love it when there’s no stopping on a trip and you drive right through putting you ahead of schedule. This was a good move because there was no other time to eat all evening.
Aunt Dot was happy to see us and she looked great! We had so much for her and I wasn’t expecting her to want it all but she did. Yeah! I brought her two small plant stands for her balcony and Ra sent a small three tier stand that Aunt Dot loved. Plus we brought her two plants. I was happy she wanted it all and we found places for everything. This also meant I didn’t have to bring it home with me.
I also discussed her taking back a beautiful piece she gave me last time. It’s an Our Lady of Hope figurine plate thingy I got her years ago. She was happy that I would bring it back for her to hang on her wall. These were all great signs because I think last time she was just getting ready to die. This time she is fighting and she wants to walk again. She’s even wearing her wig again. The other sisters and I can’t figure this part out. When she was sick and could wear her wig we were all surprised to see she had a lot of hair and it’s less gray than the wig. Go figure.
Sunday was the big Jubilee. There were 18 sisters celebrating from 60 years up to 80 years as nuns. Evidently, it added up to over 1000 years of service. Holy moly! So many of the Jubilarians were nervous but not Aunt Dot. She had her hair done first thing in the morning and was more confident than I had seen her in some time.
After Mass there was a catered supper I still can’t get over how happy she was. I was a happy girl when I found the wine fountain. This might have added to my exhaustion but by the time Mini Red got to our room in the convent, that evening, we could barely keep our eyes open.
The next morning we woke to SNOW! I had heard this might happen but Scranton had 4 inches by 8am and most of the schools were closed. Frackville had 8 inches by 8am and that was the direction we were going. We visited with Aunt Dot for a while before we go on the road around ten. Route 81 wasn’t bad but around Frackville there were all sorts of crazies on the road and not long after that the snow was clearing up. We made record time and Mini Red took pictures the whole way home.
I’m trying to get Mini Red to look around and notice things along the road. She even noticed modern day windmills along the top of a mountain. She went on to tell me they were learning about how they are taking old ideas like the windmills and modernizing them for alternate energy sources for when we run out of oil. This is what I love about these drives.
We stopped in Thurmont to see what Dirt Cheap was selling. As we were getting ready to leave I see the news talking about VA Tech. I did a little panic and at that point I hadn’t even heard all the details like the kids in the engineering class. My panic is my cousin who is studying engineering there. When Mom picked up the phone she just said “He’s fine”. We don’t have a lot of detail but Mom called my Uncle and just confirmed via his secretary that he’s fine. I’m sure we’ll hear more later and I’m just praying that he was no where near any of it.
Aunt Dot was happy to see us and she looked great! We had so much for her and I wasn’t expecting her to want it all but she did. Yeah! I brought her two small plant stands for her balcony and Ra sent a small three tier stand that Aunt Dot loved. Plus we brought her two plants. I was happy she wanted it all and we found places for everything. This also meant I didn’t have to bring it home with me.
I also discussed her taking back a beautiful piece she gave me last time. It’s an Our Lady of Hope figurine plate thingy I got her years ago. She was happy that I would bring it back for her to hang on her wall. These were all great signs because I think last time she was just getting ready to die. This time she is fighting and she wants to walk again. She’s even wearing her wig again. The other sisters and I can’t figure this part out. When she was sick and could wear her wig we were all surprised to see she had a lot of hair and it’s less gray than the wig. Go figure.
Sunday was the big Jubilee. There were 18 sisters celebrating from 60 years up to 80 years as nuns. Evidently, it added up to over 1000 years of service. Holy moly! So many of the Jubilarians were nervous but not Aunt Dot. She had her hair done first thing in the morning and was more confident than I had seen her in some time.
After Mass there was a catered supper I still can’t get over how happy she was. I was a happy girl when I found the wine fountain. This might have added to my exhaustion but by the time Mini Red got to our room in the convent, that evening, we could barely keep our eyes open.
The next morning we woke to SNOW! I had heard this might happen but Scranton had 4 inches by 8am and most of the schools were closed. Frackville had 8 inches by 8am and that was the direction we were going. We visited with Aunt Dot for a while before we go on the road around ten. Route 81 wasn’t bad but around Frackville there were all sorts of crazies on the road and not long after that the snow was clearing up. We made record time and Mini Red took pictures the whole way home.I’m trying to get Mini Red to look around and notice things along the road. She even noticed modern day windmills along the top of a mountain. She went on to tell me they were learning about how they are taking old ideas like the windmills and modernizing them for alternate energy sources for when we run out of oil. This is what I love about these drives.We stopped in Thurmont to see what Dirt Cheap was selling. As we were getting ready to leave I see the news talking about VA Tech. I did a little panic and at that point I hadn’t even heard all the details like the kids in the engineering class. My panic is my cousin who is studying engineering there. When Mom picked up the phone she just said “He’s fine”. We don’t have a lot of detail but Mom called my Uncle and just confirmed via his secretary that he’s fine. I’m sure we’ll hear more later and I’m just praying that he was no where near any of it.
Even more terrifying than having family there and still another cousin is a professor there is this is so gruesomely unexpected. Here these kids are and there worst fear is a bad grade and this crazy dude comes in firing. How can a parent feel safe sending their child off to school? I just can’t believe what this world is coming too?
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