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Monday, 22nd Week in Ordinary Time
After Sunday Compline

Today, Achilles & Artemis returned from Catherine of Aragon’s: they were with her to attend the 3rd blessed wedding of her sister, Stulta. As I said, it was Stulta’s 3rd wedding, coming less than a year after the untimely death of her 2nd, scholarly husband. If the desire to become a bride of Stulta again recurs, I hope that with my few remaining brain cells I may commit myself. As poorly as things turned out with Catherine, life with Stulta would be far, far too interesting.

And what a wedding it apparently was! My own delightful Artemis was the maid of honor (& how many weddings can boast of a 10 year old maid of honor…but perhaps Stulta doesn’t have that many friends who are truly maids). Rufus was the minister. Now, previous to this, I hadn’t a clue Rufus was a man of the cloth. Surely either Achilles or Artemis should have referenced it. However, it turned out to be news to them, too. Well, after some prying, I discovered that Rufus was indeed a minister…an Internet minister! Of an Internet church! No congregation. No temple. No tithing (well, there’s the silver lining). Much to my astonishment, I discovered that, with the click or two of the mouse, I too could be a minister of the Universal Life Church (sounds like they should sell insurance). Occasionally, the thought of attending seminary has entered my mind, but this is so much easier than all that time & expense—not to mention ease, as learning Greek or Latin or some other dreadful language isn’t a requirement. Apparently, according to the lax laws of the province, such a minister is perfectly legal for connubial purposes if he submits the proper paperwork. O tempo! O mores! I was there for Stulta’s 1st wedding where a fight almost broke out between her brother & uncle, but I’m sure this event would have been much more entertaining. (Incidentally, her 1st husband, the Centurion, is doing fine. I always liked him, even if he didn’t’ quite know what to make of me. He’s doing good work, I hear). I wonder if Rufus stuttered during the ceremony or not, as he has a tendency to do so. He also mumbles something frightful, so it would have been arduous for me. Luckily, I wasn’t invited. Perhaps I shouldn’t be as amused by all this: after all, Rasputin had some nasty surprises for his followers. It’s just not in my nature to be threatened by something that sounds like some holdover from the Summer of Love. (It’s all groovy, man). It reminds me, in a sense, of the ancients who built temples to themselves so that they, too, could be assured a place in Heaven. It is an ancient thought that all you need for a religion is worshippers, so it seems like many contemporaries have learned nothing from the last several thousand years.

Achilles was worried over my reaction, or over-reaction, as he put it. Methinks he misunderstood amusement for something more serious.

Tonight, we watched the Olympic women’s football final. I already know the score, but I’ve been keeping it from Artemis, as I want her to be able to enjoy it without the foreknowledge. It is an exciting, if rough, match. I am so glad that Artemis has female athletes of the caliber & quality of a Mia Hamm to admire, much as Achilles has Derek Jeter. And Mia is so deserving of all the adulation, as she’s the greatest football player, male or female, of all time. With the Olympics done, Artemis & I turn our attention to Arsenal—outside of her own athletic pursuits. We still await to see with which club side she will be.

It has been such a special & precious summer. Our month in Malta was probably the sweetest holiday I’ve ever had, spending so much time with family whom I hardly ever see, not since Grandma’s death 20 years ago. With Mom’s declining health, barring the miracle, it’s hard to know how many more trips of that duration we’ll be able to take. It was also important for the children to reconnect—or at least connect—with these branches of their family on the other side of the fence. The weather was also so gorgeous then, sleeping out under the stars every night. Our visit to the Aquarium (& why in the world haven’t we gone there more often!); the walks on the beach to waiting relatives; the dining on the pier at the Port…the years do slip by so fast, as all the bad poets say. I am truly grateful to God for such a spectacular summer. I, sadly, sometimes forget God, but he never forgets me. With all of the planning entailed (sort of like the invasion of Normandy), it still had the surrendipitous surprise of Artemis unexpected running into her football-playing pal Beth, & discovering that Beth summers there, too. This occurring just after the relatives--& playmates—of Artemis departing. Achilles is more comfortable with himself; he knows how to entertain himself. Artemis needs the company of others.

We’ll be heading down to Malta again at the end of the weekend for the civic holiday, but it will be more of a cleaning-up operation, as our dachau down there still has damage from the hurricane of a fortnight ago. More storms have been breezing about the province, but hopeful all will be clear for the holiday.

::: at 06:21

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