Leaving Collegeville

The house is half packed. The moving company comes back in the morning to finish packing and then Thursday they load everything on the truck for the trip to Florida. We will spend Thursday night with Ruth & Jimmi in Norristown. Friday we have to stick around till afternoon to close on our house. Then we head to Maryland to spend the night with John D. and Sara.

The family buying our house has to close on their townhouse in the morning before closing on our house. They are a young couple with 2 young children that will fit in well in this neighborhood. It is sad to leave our home of 14 years, but I am looking forward to a ranch style home with everything on one level in a warm climate. It will suit me well for this time of my life.

My recital went very well on Friday. Everyone did a great job and the acoustics in the CMS auditorium are wonderful. The grand finale was Pachelbel's Canon played by 12 guitars. It was a great ending.

Sunday at mass we played my setting of the communion antiphon and it went well. After communion they played the Irish Blessing in my honor and the whole congregation sang. My last mass at St. Eleanor's was Tuesday for the feast of the Immaculate Conception. I played Schubert's Ave Maria with Danielle singing and it too went well.

The past week has been filled with meals with friends. Last Monday I had dinner with Beth from college. She has just returned from Ghana, Africa and is now beginning a new assignment in Roanoke, VA with Madonna House Apostolate. Saturday was a party in my honor given by the music group at church. As a gift they gave me a photo of the group in a beautiful frame and a recording they made of a song written by Joe M. in my honor! Monday I had lunch with Cindy who played flute with me in our flute/guitar duo, Amarylis. Tuesday I had dinner with Terry from college. We had not seen each other in almost 25 years and had a lot of catching up to do. Wednesday I will have lunch with Sara, a fellow guitarist and Suzuki teacher who teaches flute and piano.

In between these events, I have been playing our new theme song on my mandolin, "Rollin' Through the Sunshine." I found that a mandolin is a great way to occupy myself on a long car ride. It fits easily in my lap in the front seat and I can strum along with the country music John listens to. I am ready for the drive to the Sunshine State.