Nov. 12.

Today begins the Fast of St. Martin of Tours, a type of pre-Advent fast that had it's history going back to the year 480 but more verified in the year 582, during the Council of Macon. Regardless, St. Francis had a deep devotion to St. Martin and took this fast very seriously, and so I, as a third order Franciscan will also. As I get older my dietary needs don't allow for the hardcore fasting that my wife and I used to do, so this year it will take on a more contemplative nature. Books I have, the focus on staying strong until Christmas Da
y is always the challenge. I hope to post a bit more throughout, but I'm terrible with that. 

8 out of 10.

 I'll be 69 in April, and I'm slowly (or quickly!) coming to grips with the fact that I really may have to have something more done than just taking Advil or Tylenol or Turmeric. Shoulders, knees, hips and back are cooked. Tomorrow I'm going to pain management to have my hip looked at. I've been diagnosed with adult hip dysplasia and the pain, at times is unbelievable. I've spent most of my late adult life living with pain, but this is tough. Even with the good thought of giving this pain to Our Lord, for Him to do with what He will with it, I guess when I actually cannot walk, then it's time to seek relief. I'll try the shot first, and if that doesn't give me long term relief (which it won't) I'll have to consider an operation.   

End of January

 End of January,

but winter has been scarce

here in New Hampshire.

One cold stretch 

yet double digits held sway

and today the 40's reign.

Retired, yes, but still 

one waits for rest

that never comes,

the days are full.

Age and death 

watch over me, as I do them, 

as we count the days

'till planting time.

Thanksgiving Eve.

 Thanksgiving Eve, and New Hampshire gets three inches of snow overnight but since we're retired, we don't get up at 4:00 am to snow blow the driveway before it turns to rain. No sir, we go out at 8:00 am, and snow blow the slush, which the EGO did very well, with H at the controls, much better than the Ariens. After that we went our separate ways until we rendezvoused at 2:00 back home for lunch. H called me (I was home) and we were able to pray our Franciscan Office with her in the car and me home. Unfortunately, this does happen, but we always get the Office in, every day. 

Many things to occupy the mind today, but with our son coming up for the holiday, well, that's something special. Off to our daughter and our son-in-law's for Turkey-Time tomorrow. H is making special cookies for the kids since they probably won't touch the pecan or squash pie. (Ages 4,2 and 1...)

Happy Thanksgiving to all.

St. Cecilia, pray for us.

Road Beyond Sixty.

 Argh, I haven't posted in a very, very long time, for reasons vague and unclear, but probably mostly out of laziness. That and the fact that I feel inadequate when writing anything! My strong point is reading out loud, which I love to do and, I've been told, I'm good at. It doesn't mean anything, no money is made from it, I just enjoy it. Especially reading to my wife or the grandkids. 

I was thinking of changing the name of this blog to Road Beyond Sixty, because that's where I find myself now. We all change with age, and I find myself a slightly different man now than back when this whole blogging thing started. Spiritually, mentally I think I've held my ground, but physically, yikes, age can most certainly extract its toll. I like to say I'm good from the neck up (I stole that line).  I try not to whine about my aches and pains (like I am now) but I do have them, some are border-line debilitating, and some are just a nuisance. I just try to keep going on. 

I'm not going to keep yakking for no reason today, I'm just trying to see if posting on a more regular basis is something I'll enjoy doing. I don't know what the subject matter will be, I'm leaving that up to the Holy Spirit; if He says write something about Nascar, I will, the Synod of Sin, I'll try, my Franciscan life I'll give it a shot. Expect anything at no certain time. 

Ah, that's enough for one day...

Just a mini-rant, or felling sorry for myself, or both.

 Let's face it, it IS hard to find anything to smile much about in this secular world lately, actually it's down right terrifying to even just get up and go forward to one's job every day. At times I would just rather have blinders on so as not to see or hear the madness that's in our face. Between the scandal of the election and the constant drumbeat to get tested, tested, tested there's almost no where to hide. Here in CT where liberalism is king and the Guv is out to get us all, it's basically keep your head down and stick with your own kind, and by that I mean Traditional Catholics. The world becomes much clearer and much anxiety is lifted when one spends time speaking of Our Mother, or Our Lord Jesus Christ or the Saint of the Day, etc. with like-minded people. The rest of the time, well, the challenge is real, and for me the challenge is not to lose my cool when discussing the usual daily conversational tidbits, namely wuhan, masks, President Trump and rigged elections, executive orders, etc. I know I'm not right most times when it comes to some topics, but dang, can't most people I come in contact with see clearly? Almost everyone I work with has only a vague idea of the absolute strength and primacy of God, and some not at all. Some are Muslims, some Hindus, a lot of lapsed Catholics but most of them are under the wuhan/mask sway and take the uptick in number of positive cases registered as actual sick people. This clouds their thinking, I know it does. Every day I say that I will not discuss these topics any more, I'm just going to tell them to do your own homework, don't take what I say for the truth, but I fail every day. I'm over 65, and don't need this extra stress I put on myself. 

So what to do? Thank God for God, Family, Duty, that's for sure!

But, then again I can't tell you what to do, but I've already started listening to my Advent station on Pandora, for one. I guess I can since being a Third Order Franciscan our Advent Fast has already started. So very soothing, especially at work. But seriously, I've got to ask our Lord for the virtue of (more) Patience, to not let all of these issues weigh on me and try to eat me up. I wish I could go to Mass every morning before work, but even people who are be able to go to Mass aren't able to most days, the times being what they are. And unfortunately the Latin Mass is not everywhere. But thank you for letting me write this and vent, I feel better than I did an hour ago. It's Friday, the feast of St. Felix of Valois, a great Saint (aren't they all?) who died a very beautiful natural death (check it out). 

Tomorrow being Saturday, I will be at Holy Mass.

   

The Coming Storm

                                                                                                                                

  Be aware, my friends, and this is no secret, but be aware that the liberal news media, all Democratic politicians (and unfortunately many Republicans) basically anyone who is opposed to President Trump will try to blame him for EVERTHING that is wrong or has gone wrong in the last four years. The most outlandish lies will be perpetrated against him and he will SEEM to have been abandoned by everyone. Don't fall for it. Do your homework and know your facts: This is the attempted destruction of the United States (and the world) as we know it. Be ready for complete chaos unless President Trump wins in an utter landslide, and even then the Democrats will not go down without a fight, and I mean an ugly street brawl. 

What can we do...

For starters, anyone with their head in the sand, get it out! Do your homework and keep your eyes and ears open. Reject the scams of BLM, Antifa, etc. completely.

Fast, do mortifications and pray that Rosary, adding the intention for our Country and our President. Pray for the enlightenment of all Americans to the peril of liberalism and modernism, and that the party of death will only bring us death. Everyone has faults, we all know that, and Christ's Rule over this land will not take place with Donald Trump, but he is our best bet to holding the vicious wolves at bay (I hope) for the next four years. 

Get out and vote, and vote Red. Your life may depend on it.