A transgendered priest, the Blue Jays, scattering ashes, and other random thoughts

Well I think this might be the first time I’ve blogged in 2023. Not a good way to get a regular blog following but alas… I guess it’s been that kind of year. My mind has been all over the place and I’ve had so many random thoughts with no real sense of direction as to what to write. So today I just thought I’d write down a bunch of random thoughts.

– my good friend Ben died a year ago. That’s weighing heavy on my heart of course. I went to his scattering of ashes on Saturday with Erinn and some great friends at a camp in the muskokas. That was crazy moving.

And intense.

– I sold my euphonium a couple of weeks ago. That was a bitter pill to swallow for sure. That’s weighing heavy on my heart too. The upside is that it is gone to a guy who was the principal euphonium player for his national band of Angola. He’s really very good.

– crazy proud of our girl Cate who starts her fourth and final year of photography studies at TMU (formerly Ryerson). I believe she’s really good and I’m quite certain she’ll find a cool way forward in her field.

– Erinn is also kicking butt and I’m crazy proud of her too in her work. She’s doing very neat stuff amongst those who have mostly been forgotten about. She preached  on Sunday at the Church of the Resurrection and kicked some ass! (Can I say that about a sermon?)

– I’ve been extremely tired much of this year. Doing tons of cool things and going to neat places but all the time feeling heavy fatigue. Trying to figure out what that’s about with my doctor. Of course fatigue is a symptom of MS so it might just be that which is a pain in the ass.

– I’ve been cheering for the Blue Jays this year and we are down to less than 10 games. But I have to say, they are hard and frustrating to watch. They can’t seem to beat teams that are any good. I do hope they can put it all together. Not many games left…

– I was looking at buying an accessible seat to a maple leafs game this year. But $250 for one seat kind of put a damper on that. Thankfully I can get a nice seat out of Jay’s game for 25 bucks.

– I did get a new room at my long-term care home. I’m now at the end of the hall where there are two windows. I love this so much more as it is a lot quieter and a lot brighter. Plus I’m now the kingpin of my long-term care wing😎

– been spending a lot of time at my house this summer. This past Sunday when I was there Cate decided to make us dinner which included a strawberry shortcake. So stinking delicious. Besides being a great photographer she is a good cook and baker.

– we went to the McMichael art gallery last week. That’s where many of the group of seven paintings are. I so love their stuff. I don’t even know why because I don’t know much about painting. And I don’t even like camping though most of their work is out in nature. But they seem to capture something that’s much bigger, more transcendent, then the subject of the painting. I continue to be moved by their stuff.

– I was able to preach this summer at parkdale when Erinn was on holidays. I really loved doing that and I love The community there. And they love me which makes me very happy.

– I took much of the summer off of my own church as I usually do because it is so hot in the building. It was nice to visit other places of worship. One of the places I went to a couple of times is called the metropolitan community Church which is an unbelievably welcoming and affirming church. Do they ever know how to do church! They even have a transgendered priest there which is absolutely wonderful. I loved both of my visits there so much. But this past Sunday I went to my own church and I really do feel like I am home there. There truly is no place like home.

– my mother got sick over the summer and we were worried about her survival for a few days there. But she seems to have bounced back and is now living in a retirement home. She’s as strong as an ox. This whole experience made me realize how much I love her.

– I got a new wheelchair this year. Every 5 years I get a new one paid for by the government. The downside is that I was reminded that I’ve been in this chair for more than 5 years now. The upside is that this chair is a game changer for me. It is smoother and has several new features which include being able to raise the chair up to eye level with people as well as being able to lie flat if I want to take a nap. So I’m glad about that. I’ve got to take the wins as they come.

– I still have a thriving spiritual direction practice which gives me a sense of purpose still. I’m so grateful to still have something to offer this world in my condition.

-I watched my favorite movie, Tombstone, with Cate’s boyfriend. He said he liked it but he would have to say that because I love it so much and I’m his girlfriend’s father:) And our best friends came home from spending a year in Kelowna. As they drove back through the States they went through a town called Deadwood, which is one of my favorite television shows of all time. He bought me a shot glass and a fridge magnet from there which made me disproportionately happy. I’ve got them on display in my room. Again it’s the little things that bring you joy.

I guess I have spewed forth all of the random thoughts that have been circulating in my head for now. Thanks for indulging me to those of you that have read along. My life continues to be full of joys and pains and ups and downs and beauty and brokenness. I guess that makes me like everyone else, which also brings me comfort.