Lent 2016: Week Three (Animals and a Finished Book)

Three Weeks Down

Ohhhh we're half way there! Almost, anyway.

This past week was more relaxing and less eventful than the previous, during which I realized, "Dang. I have a good life." I have finished my new Sigrid Undset book, Jenny, and let me tell you: it is pretty dang good. It gets a bit dramatic as it approaches the end, but the descriptions of the surroundings make it amazing. Of course, it makes me miss Rome, but that isn't such a bad thing. An excerpt:

"In a few places only a space could be seen between the mass of housetops, as of streets. All this world of reckless lines, crossing each other in a thousand hard angles, was lying inert and quiet under the pale skies, while the setting sun touched the borders of the clouds with a tinge of light. ... Here and there the upper part of a high house rose above its neighbour, its dark, hollow windows staring at one out of a grey or reddish-yellow wall, or sleeping behind closed shutters. Loggias stood out of the mist, looking like parts of an old watchtower, and small summer-houses of wood or corrugated iron were erected on the roofs. ...

Beyond the valley, where the roofs covered the silent city—it well deserved the epithet 'eternal' tonight—a low hill stretched its longish back toward the skies, carrying on the far-away ridge an avenue of pines, the foliage of which formed one large mass above the row of slender trunks. And behind the dome of St. Peter the eye was arrested by another hill with villas, built among pines and cypresses. Probably Monte Mario.

The dark leaves of the holly formed a roof over his head, and behind him a fountain made a curiously living sound as the water splashed against the stone border, before flowing into the basin beneath it."

On Friday, I talked about my favorite female saints and had the pleasure to babysit the toddler of a grad student couple. He was super chill all night, so we watched cartoons, played with toys and practiced identifying colors. I was pretty excited to hang out with this guy as well:

On Saturday, my husband and I took a walk in the nice weather (Texas had been in the chilly mid-fifties, which is laughable after below freezing months in the Midwest) and paid a visit to the two bears at their habitat. Yes, I realize having bears on campus sounds crazy. They used to be brought to football games, but that was stopped some time ago. Now they hang out in their campus home when not out in the wild (this location I forget). By the way, only females are kept by the university, so there's no chance of baby bears, which if I'm honest is a little disappointing. 

I finally had to admit that my Valentine flowers were too wilted to keep (they lasted more than twice the "guaranteed fresh" date!), so I got some new blooms. Our local grocery store has different bouquets for only $4. Major deal! I think my flower obsession is safe to continue. :)

Quotations

• "God of hosts, bring us back, let your face shine on us and we shall be saved." (Psalm 80)
• "The sufferings of this present time, although thou alone couldest suffer them all, are not worthy to be compared with the future glory which is to be won." (IOC. 2. XI)
• "You will raise me from the depths of the earth; you will exalt me and console me again." (Psalm 71:20-21)
• "Blessed by Thou, my God: for although I be unworthy of any benefits, yet thy noble bounty and infinite goodness never ceaseth to do good even to the ungrateful, and to those who are turned away far from Thee." (IOC. 3. VIII)
• "He that endeavoureth to withdraw himself from obedience, withdraweth himself from grace." (IOC. 3. XIII)

Ciao!