More Odds and Ends

Before I left for Rick and Susanna's, I went to the second-hand book shop and picked up three books to take with me - to wile away the hours between flights. One was about Ross Perot's springing of hostages taken from his company in Iran WITH HIS OWN EXECUTIVES! Very interesting.. The second was the first in the Father Tim series of "Mitford" by Jan Karon. I don't normally read things like that, but is really a lovely series. She is a southern lady whose hero is an Anglican "priest". CS Lewis said that the trick to writing a Christian novel was not how we relate to God, but how He in turn relates to us...Karon doesn't really take this on, but that is a plus, I'm sure...They are lovely stories, written by a converted woman who weaves biblical thought, even texts, into her story...Unique!...Then, I bought "The Three Edwards", by THomas Costain....a dramatized, but accurate (I believe) history of the three Plantagenet kings of that name. I read it as a child, and remembered certain elements. Is interesting to read it again many years later and see what I think. Mom and Dad - especially Mom - certainly presented us with contentful reading. No wonder I love history!

On the flight back from NYC, there was a large family of immigrants from Ethiopia on board. ( The jet was a Boeing 767 - a wide-bodied, oh-so-comfortable one.) It was hilarious to see them trying to figure out where they belonged...They simply couldn't read their tickets and match them to their seats...Just milled around for a good half-hour trying to figure it out - like something from John Cleese. Having said this, I know absolutely, I would do no better, not as well, if I were challenged with a north-African situation...In any case, the woman and her toddler ended up sitting beside me. She spoke rudimentary English, telling me she was brought up Christian, but converted to Islam to marry. How tragic!

I have been home for two days now, but havent' yet seen Dad. He has been working in Atlanta and should be back in a couple of hours...We will have to figure out when to go and see our new little granddaughter! THANK-YOU FOR HER, RICK AND SUSANNA!!!

Our friend, Cora, from Florence days, married Everett Koop today on Philadelphia. She is 69, and he is 93!...It was put on Tenth Presbyterian's webcam, so was able to see some of it live...Cora was just as excited as any first-time bride...Long, white dress, flower girls, etc...And now she has a family as long as life lasts, I imagine. The little children in the wedding were doubtless Koop's great-grandchildren. They will grow up never having known any other great-Grandma...I'm sure Koop himself will not be around for too many years, but God has, indeed, placed her in a family. Isn't that beautiful?

We will have a quiet Sunday tomorrow with ANdrew in Oakville and Grace and Justin with Maryanne...