Monday, May 19, 2014

Three Beautiful Things 04/18/14: Cranky Jesus, Throwback Sunday, Stirring Concert

1.  I swung by Chez Troxstar, picked up the 'star, and we went to the 11 o'clock service together at St. Mary's.  You might think my favorite part of the service was getting to be lector and reading the horrifying and moving account of Stephen being stoned to death, but it wasn't.  Father Ted read the gospel this morning from the Book of John and my favorite part of the whole service was hearing Jesus say, "Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me?"  I always get a kick out of it when Jesus is tired, cranky, moody, critical, and sharp-tongued -- even sarcastic.  So, I got a kick out of this moment this morning.

2.  It was Throwback Sunday with the Troxstar.  Our first visit to Sixteen Tons happened in about September, 2011 when we decided to have a pint after church, and, on our way to the High Street Brewery and Cafe, we took a chance and walked into Sixteen Tons.  It's become my favorite place in Eugene to quaff a pint or two.  So, this morning, after the Eucharist, the Troxstar and I wandered on down to Sixteen Tons and enjoyed a pint or two and it reminded me of those days two and half years ago when Jeff worked on Sunday afternoons and the Troxstar surveyed the bottles on the shelf and asked Jeff if the joint carried Bartles and Jaymes.  Made me laugh every time -- and last summer, in Nelson, B. C., I pulled the same stunt in a liquor store and without missing a beat, the guy at the counter told me I'd have to go to Alberta for that.  I got a big kick out of that line.

3.  Rita and I went to the First United Methodist Church in Eugene for a concert of various classical music.  Mostly, we went to hear Rita's daughter, Annalisa Morton, play oboe, first in Alexandre Guilmant's Cantilene Pastorale and then in John Rutter's stirring Requiem.  The whole program was beautiful.  I thoroughly enjoyed Annalisa's playing, which stirred in me delightful memories of when I used to listen to bassoon albums in the North Idaho College library.  It was my secret.  I thought my friends would think I was a weirdo if I told them.  These were wonderful memories and I wrote about them, here

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