Thursday, April 26, 2012

N IS FOR "NOT DEAD AND GONE TO HELL"

Just a quick note from Bear to let you know that I am still alive in River City.

What's Up?

My work is quite interesting, but tougher than it used to be. Could it be that I am a little older. I'm not old. Really. There is no such thing as old. You are young until you are 80. After that, you are venerable. But along the way it gets just a tad more challenging to complete familiar tasks. Sigh!

Saturday, I'm doing the funeral for the father of a friend. (Not really a funeral; more the celebration of a man and his life.) A friend at whose wedding I presided. It was at the wedding I met her dad. Life brings all kinds of changes, and surprises, to all of us. 

Other Events

Otherwise, things are pretty regular. Grandchildren are here for a sleepover this evening (night). Tomorrow, finish up the service for Sunday, and get Saturday's remembering service ready. Talk with the family (again) and with the Funeral Service. 

And so, . . .

I hope all of you are well, and enjoying the spring weather. Here, it's hot one day and cold the next. But the grass is greening up. And there is a faint sheen of green on the trees. Meaning we should have buds and leaves in short order.

Blessings and Bear hugs to all of you.

26 comments:

cheshire wife said...

I sincerely hope that you have not gone to Hell. There is a place reserved for you in Heaven when the time comes, but I hope that it will not be for a long time yet.

Elisabeth said...

Thanks Rob bear. It's good to hear that life is okay for you and yours and that we still have time to enjoy it until we turn venerable at 80, and maybe even for a while thereafter.

potsoc said...

So, you have decided that I am now venerable, having turned 81 last month. I do still feel young however.
Nice to see you active and ministering to people, keep it up.
The Venerable Paul C.

Jackie said...

So glad that you are not dead, Bear. And...80...Well, to my Daddy (who is 85 going on 86 this summer,) he thinks of that age as the beginning. He outworks me. We have been working together for the past couple of weeks restoring a home; it has history in our family, so Daddy bought it and we are slowly but surely restoring it. Anyway, I say all that to say this: continue to take the best care of you; stay active, and know that age is only a number. I'm so sorry to hear about the death of your friend. I know that you are a wonderful counselor in times like these...and especially since you point them to the Ultimate Counselor: our Lord. Bear hugs to you.
J.

Posie said...

Lovely to hear from you and glad all is going well, sorry to hear about your friend's father, but glad that he reached an age that the funeral really will be about celebrating his life. Your spring sounds pretty much like ours...it is so so good to see that sun shining, even if there is a biting cold wind.

DJan said...

Glad to hear things are going well. Busy, but going on as expected. I don't think you are going to hell any time soon, Bear! :-)

Irene said...

It's nice to hear that you are doing well and keeping busy. I do hope you are managing to keep your head above water. I'm sure you are doing just fine because you sound great and in control. Carry on! xox

ReformingGeek said...

You are beary, beary, busy with some wonderful things.

Eat more salmon and stay healthy!

Yea spring! It's almost summer here. Sigh.

Rob-bear said...

® cheshire wife: Still very much alive; no intention of shuffling of this mortal coil for a good long time. Until I'm at least venerable. Thanks.

® Elizabeth: Thank you. I enjoy reading your most interesting posts, even if I don't comment on all of them.

® potsoc: Cher ami; tu es certainement un homme vénérable. J'espère que vos voyages vers la Grèce vont bien. Merci pour vos mots aimables.

Rob-bear said...

® Jackie: Thanks so much for your kind thoughts. And happy house-restoring with your daddy. I must check your blog for more details.

® posie: Thanks for popping by. Things are well, a death notwithstanding. We've been having nights below freezing; I expect those will end fairly soon.

® DJan: Tanks.Yes, busy. Interesting times.

® Irene: Thanks. Keeping my head above water. But more important, keeping my head. I've been working for a long time, trying to get ahead, and now that I've got one, I don't want to lose it.

® ReformingGeek: Funny you should mention salmon, reffie. I had some on Monday. It was wonderful. My body is healthy; I'm not sure about my mind — but at least I still have one. Thanks.

Rosaria Williams said...

Busy is good.
Too busy can be harmful.
You sound as though you have a spring in your step, Rob. And that's a good thing at any age.
We get to keep that spring as long as we get out of our heads and into helping somebody else. Enjoy spring and any sun ray you can soak up.

THINGS YOU'D NEVER GUESS ABOUT ME said...

After one year, I am starting to feel gratitude for our seamless seasons. I'd rather not have to plan for anything other than nice weather......(I'm intentionally disregarding threats of hurricanes in this comment).

kj said...

hi bear, i like when you unfold a bit of your daily life and spread it out for your friends here.

i'm glad things are steady but maybe a little boring. time for a little spice...

love
kj

Inger said...

You sound really good here and I'm so glad. Our canyon is turning green too, if only for a brief moment in time. It's raining today, so more grass will grow. All the best, dear Bear.

Susan Kane said...

Sounds like you are ministering to those around you, and that age isn't an issue when it comes to helping others.

Chatty Crone said...

I am so glad to see you = that you are alive and kicking - just busy. I miss you. sandie

Frances said...

Bear, I think that you have got a very good grasp on life's meaning, and am sure that in your professional capacity are very wise and sensitive in arranging and conducting services that help families to send their loved ones on to the world beyond our understanding.

xo

The Broad said...

Bear, you sound wonderful and happy. I love the line about being young until 80 and then being venerable -- really made me smile. Rosaria is so right when she says you sound like you have a Spring in your step.

Lots of hugs to you, too!

Rob-bear said...

® rosaria: As long as I don't spring a trap in the process, I'll be fine. I hope. Thanks.

® Beau's Mom: May you be blessed with delightful weather, and may hurricanes stay far from your door.

® kj: Boring would be nice. There is no time for boring in Bear's life; there is only time for doing. And more doing. And even more doing. Ah, well. . . .

® Inger: Sorry if the atmosphere is raining of your life. It will go away; sooner, I hope, than later. The last thing you need is more flooded roads. I remember the pictures.

® Susan Kane: Thank your for sharing your kind thoughts. Blessings and Bear hugs to you!

® Chatty Crone: I was able to drop by your place tonight, Sandie. Wonderful, as ever.

® Frances: Thank you You are always so kind. I realize your holiday is over, but I trust you are still having a grand time in New York, New York.

® The Broad: Spring in my step? No; actually very tired. Did I mention something about familiar tasks becoming more difficult? I may not be venerable, but I'm not as young as I used to be. This coming out of retirement bit is down-right challenging. Even if it is in a good cause.

Crystal Pistol said...

I'll bet sleepovers with grandkids are great fun! Hope you had a great time. :)

Jenny Woolf said...

Have a good weekend and thanks for the update!

Helen said...

I've been thinking about you Rob, wondering how work felt now that you are a little deeper into it ... the folks (bears) in your neck of the woods are lucky indeed.

susan said...

I too am glad to know you're keeping well and that you're able to bring heart's peace to dear friends known and unknown.

JeannetteLS said...

I was thinking of you last night, but did not get around to reading until today. I hope today will have gone gently with you... as much as possible, by the time you have time for comments.

You are one of a kind in more ways than it would ever occur to you to notice. But we do. I love the idea of describing after 80 as venerable, rather than old. If only that would catch on.

Please take care.I might throw your advice to me back at you, but enough said.

Hugs to you.

About Last Weekend said...

That's so great to hear life is going on and nice to hear about the sleepovers with the kiddies

Rob-bear said...

Oh, dear! I haven;t been answering my mail! Just one of Bear's failed social graces.

® Crystal Pistol: The grandchildren are fun to have with us. Means looking at ideas about the earth (or the oceans, his time) and lots of reading.
But they wake up so early in the morning. No self-respecting mature Bear would be up at such a strange hour. But the Cubs don't know any better, I suppose. So much enthusiasm bottled up in two little ones!

® Jenny Woolf: Thanks so much for coming by. Some of my best friends are wolves. Some of my worst enemies, too!

® Helen: Rob has been a busy Bear — just about every day of the week, including Sunday.

® JeannetteLS: "Words" is my life. I know how to work with them, and how to play with them. When I'm young, and, hopefully, when I'm venerable. Sometimes my ideas catch on; sometimes, not as much as I would like. And advice is usually worth exactly what you pay for it — in most cases, nothing.

Blessings and Bear hugs!

® About Last Weekend: Lots of fun, bits of sadness, learning opportunities, and more. All in all, Jody, things are going pretty well.
I hope things are good for you, too.