Back in Black

Sorry for disappearing from the blogosphere for a few days.  A few things have gone on that have kept me from posting.

First of all, I was gone for a few days down to Orlando, Florida, for an annual get-together with some Priest friends.  This is the 4th year that I've spent the 2nd week of Easter down there, and every time is a blast full of warmer weather and lots of laughs.  For the second time, we took a tour offered by Walt Disney World called the "Keys to the Kingdom" tour.  It's a four hour tour of the park which gives you great insider factoids that will appease the "inner-nerd" in you (including a visit inside the utilidor underneath the park).  Besides the food and fun, we also made a few stops into the Mary, Queen of the Universe Shrine (which has all-day adoration and always has a Priest on-duty for Confession).

When I got back, we surprised my step-mother with a 70th birthday party.  I was the "bait" to get her to the restaurant for dinner, as she thought she was going out with me and her pastor for an early celebration of my birthday.  Little did she know that the dinner was for her (mwah-hah-hah).

Since October, I've been playing in a recreational hockey league, called the Geezer Hockey League, over at the Steel Ice Center in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.  We finished in second place overall, and last Sunday we won the league championship game in the second period of sudden-death overtime.  Hockey-life, unlike real life, has no "eternal life" after death.

Finally, since my mother was away on business for my birthday, I spent an overnight with her so we could have dinner and some "bonding time", as she calls it.  Though she insists that it's my day, I always remind her that she did all the work; I just "showed up".

So, folks, I'm back.  I still have a bunch of things to do this week.  Uncle Sam expects my income tax return by next week.  I have to send out invitations to my 10th anniversary Mass (which means I first have to make the invitations).  Plus, there's adult education, a parish flea market, a junior youth group lock-in, AND the Pope is coming (to the U.S., I mean, not to Alpha).