Early weekend update

Yesterday was WONDERFUL!!!

The Phillies parade caused all kinds of chaos. Work was nuts with about a 50% absentee rate. The mayor kept asking everyone to use public transportation- and apparently EVERYONE listened because SEPTA was overwhelmed. The parade lasted hours longer than expected. The wildest thing- or one of them, lol- was that people poured into the street after the parade passed them and then followed it to the staduim- leaving Broad Street a sea of people for hours longer than anyone planned for. They estimate that TWO (2) MILLION people were there!!!

It was GREAT!

I watched the parade from a local restaurant with a couple of my favorite colleagues. Had a great time!

Today was even MORE fabulous!

This morning was the celebration of the 50th Jubilee for a wonderful Franciscan Sister who is a friend of mine. The Mass was beautiful and the reception after was as good a party as any wedding I've been to. It was terrific to see so many old friends we used to work with. I was thrilled and honored to be invited and had a FABULOUS time!!

I'm home a little before the party is over because, as usual, the weird stuff always happens to me. Between the Mass and the reception, a bee got up the sleeve of my jacket and stung me. I am allergic to bee stings. Fortunately, a Sister at the next table had some benadryl, and that, combined with a lot of ice from the bartender, kept the reaction to a minimum- meaning my arm is still very red and swollen and HURTS- yeah, that means a LOT!!!!- but the reax was controlled enough for me to stay and enjoy most of the party.

It was such an such inspiration to see a church and then parish hall crowded with Sisters. These women who have given their lives to God, to the Church and to all of us, do such good work with joy and dedication. The renewal of vows was a short ceremony in the Mass- and to see soooo many women, all standing and marked by the candles they were holding, renew their committment to God and to the world that NEEDS them was awesome. Watching them party afterwards was such a joy that it brought a spontaneous smile- it was just a delight!

So, in spite of a sore arm, it's been a FABULOUS day!