Thursday, October 19, 2017

A Few Days in South Haven

60 Lakeshore
We have rented 60 Lakeshore several times over the years but not recently.  Our last posting in the guest book was from October 2014.

The cottage was probably built before 1900 and enlarged bit by bit.  It could sleep 14 with six beds stacked in very small rooms on the second floor.  However, it has just one bathroom!  The location is wonderful in the off season--right on North Beach.  During the summer, it would be very busy with cars parked in front and plenty of traffic.  There have been some problems with mobs of teenagers gathering there on summer nights.

But in October, it is quiet and lovely.  Most of the time!  Within a half hour of our arriving on Monday, there was plenty of excitement.   I was resting in the back bedroom when Jim called to me to look out the front.  There was a boat in flames with smoke billowing out of the top just off shore.  An emergency vehicle had sped by and soon there was a fireboat shooting water or retardant on the burning boat.  It took a while to get the fire out; the boat drifted ashore north of us.    Later that evening I googled "boat fire in South Haven" and learned that two boaters were rescued by a couple in a passing boat.  They had no flotation devices; they had no choice but to jump into the cold water.  The woman apparently could not even swim and just hung onto a buoy.

The rest of the three days were spent in walking, reading, eating, and this year, watching the Cubs on TV.  Jim golfed on Wednesday with friends from Grand Rapids and South Bend--the former "pastoral support team" from a few years ago..  He had been concerned about an RA flare-up on his hand but with the help of Aleve, he was OK for play.
The view from inside

Monday night we ate at a new restaurant in town--Kitchen 527.   I had a pretty spicy Tiger Shrimp and Gnocchi dish; Jim played it safe with a burger.  Restaurants in South Haven come and go as the ones that stay open are really profitable just half of the year.  However, the ever popular Clementines had a 15-20 minute wait even on a Tuesday night so  we went to Black River Tap and Grill for burgers for both of us.  And then for night number three, it was takeout pizza from The Vineyard.

Kal-Haven Trail
The second night I had insomnia and ended up on the couch for about three hours of interrupted sleep.  I had been overwhelmed by some obligations that occurred to me earlier in the evening.  Yet the next day was such a day of peace in this restorative spot.  I spent time recording bits from Frank Cunningham's Vesper Time, a serendipitous find on a shelf in the cottage.   He talked about his 8th decade as being one focusing on memory, intimacy, diminishment, acceptance, and gratitude.  I felt I had to recognize that it is OK to feel diminished in ability to take on obligations and just to accept that as part of aging! The next night I fell asleep trying to watch the Cubs.  They won anyway without my help!  (after three losses, they had to win to stay in contention in the NLCS)

We told ourselves we would do this more often.  The next three months will be busy but we could have a wintry stay in February  and we could try 60 Lakeshore again in May instead of our usual condo.




What is Really on my Mind!

Lord, Have Mercy
I wrote this post ten days ago.  I have hesitated to post it because I don't want to offend those I love who disagree with me.

I haven't blogged about the political situation in our country since March during Lent.  But it is on my mind constantly.  I am angry and worried.  In the midst of despair,  I will start with one very positive story.

I think this is how it happened.  Last fall, after the election, D knew that her colleague L really appreciated our church.   D began attending worship and the Women's Study on Tuesday mornings.  In the last few months,  her husband P who has been attending with her, began participating in the Lord's Supper.  D did not come forward because she was never baptized.  Last Sunday D and her 2 year old daughter were baptized and P reaffirmed his faith.  I wept.  I find it so affirming to my own faith to have D and P make this commitment.  D really has been hearing the gospel for the first time in recent months and she has found faith.

And another positive is the many times I have prayed for our country and for wisdom for its leaders because we are in grave danger of going wrong in so many areas.  I don't know when I have ever prayed as often for peace and justice.

I am angry at all those Christians who voted for a man who has been married three times, who used vulgarities to speak of women when he bragged of his sexual prowess, and who regularly sends out insulting and name-calling tweets from the White House--to North Korea, to Democrats, but also to his fellow Republicans. He has tweeted words that have had to be bleeped out of news reports.  He has lied about  President Obama's wire-tapping the Trump Tower, about the size of the inaugaral crowd, and just last week about how Senator Corker, a Republican,  begged for his endorsement and  wanted to be Vice-President, both of which Corker denied.  Senator Corker has referred to the chaos in the White House and the danger of WW III if it was not kept under control.  He is not running for re-election and feels free to speak what he says almost all Republicans in the Senate are thinking.

The country is getting more and more divided along racial lines.  President Trump's tweets seem to encourage this division with his contrasting reaction to hurricanes in the mainland USA and Puerto Rico, with his misunderstanding that kneeling during the National Anthem is a protest against racism,  not veterans, and his defense of  the Confederate monuments which serve to remind "people of color" of a very sad past.

Every day the newspapers are full of news like this.  I take little pleasure in reading the news any more.  I have taken the news app off my phone so I am not tempted to check it so often.

In some ways, I cannot fault President Trump.  He has been a reality show star and he continues in that vein.  I fault those who voted for him who knew what they were getting into when they did.   Some hated Hillary Cliinton so much that they couldn't possibly vote for her. I fault the evangelical Christians who voted "pro-life" as their main issue when to me "pro-life" means so much more than "anti-abortion." 

It is possible that President Trump will find some common ground with the Democatric leadership on improving the Affordable Care Act.  I don't see much hope for gun control or immigration when Building the Wall is still on his agenda as expensive and foolish as that is. It is possible that evidence will be uncovered linking him with Russian influence in the election but that is all pretty murky.  I wonder what I will be blogging on December 31, 2017.
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I just read Margaret Atwood's 2017 introduction to The Handmaid's Tale.  I don't think I have the emotional strength to read the book right now.   Her last few words apply to this blog!

"In this divisive climate, in which hate for many groups seems on the rise and scorn for democratic institutions is being expressed by extremists of all stripes, it is a certainty that someone, somewhere--many I would guess--are writing down what is happening as they are experiencing it. ...Will their messages be suppressed and hidden?  Will they be found, centuries later, in an old house, behind a wall?  Let us hope it doesn't come to that.  I trust it will not." 

Friday, October 6, 2017

New Glasses

In July 2016 I got a prescription for new glasses.  I shopped for frames several times and could not make up my mind.  As the months went on,  I decided I might as well wait for a year and get another prescription.

September 2017--I kept losing my glasses because I had to take them off to read--or to eat--or cook-or to do anything close by.  And then I couldn't see well enough to find them!  So it was back to Troy, our optometrist, for another exam.  My prescription had changed with less strength needed for distance so that would make a difference for the close work too.

I hate buying glasses.  I hate making that major decision.  But I made myself go to Eye-Sight, a place recommended by Dana, the stylish director of the local library where I volunteer.   The salesperson and I pulled out several pairs of glasses and decided on the very first pair we looked at.  I asked them to take a photo and  said that I would go home,  think about it and bring in my prescription later.

They were great salespeople!  They told me they could get my prescription faxed.  They did not take insurance but could knock off 20%.  I told them to go ahead.

Yesterday I picked up my new glasses.  The good news is that I can see better.  I keep reaching to take them off to read, to eat, to look at my cell phone--but I don't have to do that.  I can see very well.  The bad news is that I don't think I like the way I look.    I feel as if I look too old in them.

This morning I told my walking friend that I wasn't sure about them.   She looked at me and said they were a bit severe.  Severe!   I wish she had lied and said they looked great!

So what shall I do about this dilemma?  Troy says that my cataracts are bad enough for Medicare to pay for surgery.  Then I would not need any glasses!  But I am not eager for surgery.  I could buy a cheap and fun pair at Wal-Mart for when I want to be more upbeat. However,  I paid far too much for these already. Or I can just get used to these and be thankful that I can see so well and stop being so vain.

I told Jim I will just have to smile a lot so that I don't look too severe!