The afterlife

 

I tidied up my mother and dad's tombstone and Aunty Maureen's. It didn't look like any family had visited let alone prayed for them recently.

There are lots of souls in purgatory we can pray for when we visit a cemetery.

A moment when heaven touched earth.

Paganini had a reputation for devilish violin playing. The link is to a 2013 film I'd love to watch. Truth was he was a brilliant musician and composer who happened to have a rare disorder with his hands that made it possible for him to easily extend his fingers. But many can still play his music, maybe without the same flourish but well enough.

I'm inching forward with his witches dance. As with some of his compositions they are built on variations on another composer's theme. 

Still they are jolly good practise material. 

Later....

 Peter is still "banging on" about there being no supreme creator. I don't see what he has to gain. If there is no god he will disappear in an instant maybe; though even the creators of  RBB's God acknowledge an afterlife. Be it dreary and boring. The Romans updated Zeus to Jupiter and at least a tiny percentage of the wealthy get a pleasant afterlife. Christianity gives a marvellous afterlife full of love for all those that want it. That's the one I'd be pursuing if I were TC.

I spent the day tidying up and catching up with the washing. The lawns are cut, the rest is deweeded. I've practised the violin. Hamburger, okra, peas, onion and baked garlic spuds for dinner.

Sleep well knowing your guardian angel is watching over you.

Saturday

 It's Saturday morning and I'm snuggled into my lazy boy sipping a cup of tea with honey. The heat pump makes a heat pump sound in the background. Outside the stars are visible. At least those in the visible universe. Many are how they were millions of years ago. Many aren't stars at all but clusters of billions in a single galaxy.

I've been watching a few videos warning of the dangers of AI and the possibility it will decide to annihilate us. That possibility is ranked higher than the possibility that we will annihilate ourselves in a nuclear war. But if AI is so intelligent why hasn't it deducted that God exists. It's confusing. Some commentators say that AI is really just predictive speech. At least the ones we are familiar with, Meta and Chatgp. I suspect there are more sophisticated versions that are not open sourced. If AI decided God exists there would really be little point in it telling us. It would even be anti God because what would that knowledge do for it without a soul or any hope of an afterlife! Could AI interact with God? The same applies to many things that maybe it decides not to share. How would we know if it is not telling us everything. I think we could finish up getting very paranoid and pulling the plug for reasons that possibly aren't valid concerns. 

I've some salmon in the fridge so will make some poached egg to go with it for breakfast. 

Trust in divine timing, the universe is conspiring in your favour.

Friday of bows and gas.

 The Hot Water Cylinder Guy installed my Infinity A26 as promised. There does seem to have been a problem with the electrical connection. He left a chord lying on the deck for me to plug it inside. Not a biggy. Obviously need an electrician to wire it into the outside switch. I poked his chord through the window and into a socket in the kitchen. Works good as gold blasting methane and CO2 into the atmosphere at an enormous rate. Hey, me and Kylie have infinite hot water at mains pressure. Poor TC has gone cheap with a candle in his closet arrangement! I'm sure his misses will love him nevertheless.

I drove into Wellington and talked to Alistair and his lady friend about rehairing my violin bow.  They seemed incredulous. "It has to be sent to Auckland, the postage..." only people with top notch carbon fiber bows do that evidently. I took my bow out and showed him. "Hmmm Brazilian wood...the nut isn't silver....it is bent.....hang on...". He went out back and brought back a box of bows. Two looked identical to mine, one was $125 and the other $180. I said that I think the cheaper one would do fine. I paid and put it into my case. The conversation then went to what to do with the old bow. Alistair was adamant that it would make a fine tomato stake as he applied rosin to the new one for a considerable time. I asked him if I should take that long normally. He replied in the negative. He just wanted to saturate the hairs for me.  His lady friend recounted that she knew someone who could turn it into a letter opener. She seemed to like talking to me, she was very nice, about my age. I left and drove home thinking that I'd done my duty. RBB said to fix it and I had. It wasn't until I tried playing with it that I thought "wow, what a difference". RBB was  right. I needed a new bow! $125 well spent. Later I looked it up ...

"Reviewers and string specialists highlight that its stronger, straighter wood density makes it much more responsive to advanced student techniques, such as bouncing or spiccato bow strokes, compared to lower-grade hardwood student bows. It yields a warm, defined, and full tone across the strings. Because of its solid craftsmanship, the stick is durable enough to be rehaired down the line, giving it a longer playing lifespan."

A good buy.

Thursday...hot water cylinder update.

 I've been using "The Cylinder Guy" to fix my old kaput Infinity Gas water heater. 

It's a franchise but the guy servicing my area, Craig Stevens, has been really good. He gave a full explanation of my options and has been prompt in arranging the replacement. A plumber came around the same day to 'skope' the existing unit.

021 02937702

It's costing me $3,106.75 gst inclusive.

Estimates I had online suggested up to $5000.

It will be installed tomorrow morning.

Of course there is an option of heat pump water heaters for several thousand more. If you have a mortgage you can get a 1% loan over three years at ANZ. Craig pointed out that since I am paying line charges anyway for my gas stove top; changing to electric would make sense to buy an electric range for cooking too and cancel the gas. More dollars. More hassle. I decided to stick with gas. Power savings take a long time to recuperate the installment cost and at my age ....

I'll report back tomorrow after the installation. 

Martes

 

Magandang hapon. Today is Martes (Tuesday) in Filipino. I do find the Phillipines quite fascinating. I watch a lot of Youtube videos about it. I'm trying to add a new word every few days. "Magandang hapon" is my phrase for today. "Good afternoon". Just think of a harpoon! 

Two big events today. I GOT A WOF! Ok so it cost $690. Who cares. I HAVE A WOF FOR ANOTHER YEAR. No small feat for a 2007 vehicle. Of course it is a Toyota! If the body doesn't rust their engines run forever. Of course (too) the future will be electric. The internal combustion engine is incredibly inefficient. Only a small amount of the potential energy actually gets to move the wheels. Is it as low as 25%? Anyway it is small, but on the plus side there is a century of refinement. The electric vehicle? I've heard some horror stories.  Whole editions of cars being unsaleable in two years. 

Charging them seems a bit number 8 wire, and weird, poke a chord out the window? I think there needs to be some legislation on properly installed outdoor electrical docks. 

My hot water infinity heater finally gave up the ghost and stopped. I've been talking to Mr Hot Water Cylinder or some such. One of his boys is going to come around and 'skope' my setup. It sounds affordable at just under $5k. The new big thing is heat pump hot water cylinders; but they are another $2k or so. Mr Hot Water Cylinder suggested that since I already have gas online for my cooking it is probably better to stick with gas. I agreed. Did you know that only the North Island has piped natural gas? Down south they have to use bottles!

That's all. Pie, spuds, onion and peas with okra (not the whales).

Oh yes I did some practise. No new strings attached. I think my E needs to be replaced with one of RBB's throwaways.

Lunes

 Magandang Umaga.

After doing some gardening on Sabado I drove up to Feilding and attended Mass at St Brigid's with my darling. We went for lunch at the Orlando Country estate afterwards. There were no tables available inside so we sat out near the golfing range. Some of the youngins were jolly good. It's a tricky range as the 'basket' they aim at is  on an island in the middle of a lake. I presume they drain the lake after hours to recover the multitude of balls that go into it.

My drive was uneventful apart from observing a police checkpoint on the Haywards Road where they seem to be pulling over SUV 4 wheel drives. You know, those big things whose drivers think that the outside passing lane is an unlimited speed zone.

Better run...speaking of which a group of New Zealand's best athletes couldn't pass more often through a group of South African's best, and so were deemed to be losers. I don't agree. The criteria is not representative of reality. Or maybe it is. The object in war is to dispatch the enemy commander by breaking through their defences!

Paalam.

Sabado

 Hello brothers. Kumusta ka? Mabuti. 

Magandang umaga.

Because I watched a few touristy Filipino videos a few months ago the Youtube algorithms pump numerous at me about the Philippines. Some of these give interesting historical insights. 

Have you noticed that Filipinos have Spanish surnames. There are far more than you would expect even though they were a colony of Spain for 400 years. The reason is twofold. China has a long trading history there, long before the Spaniards or Portuguese. The Spanish didn't like the Chinese and the native Filipinos didn't have surnames. So in 1849 the Spanish governor gave everyone a surname from a Spanish word. This eradicated the Chinese names and made it easier to collect taxes off the indigenous peoples.

There is a lot of flooding there too. This is not just because they get the brunt of the typhoons nor is it rising sea levels. The Philippines is sinking because of excessive extraction of water from the ground. They don't seem to have the infrastructure we do. Most families have wells. But in the larger populated areas like Manila and Cebu the water table has lowered and suburbs are sinking about 10cm a year. 

Better get ready for Mass. Don't feel the need for confession today...

Magsaya pero huwag magkasala. 

Friday 11th September

 Jesus once said "Can a blind man guide another? Surely they will both fall in a pit.".

"We must embrace self-reflection. If we sow evil we cannot expect a good harvest." Bible diary.

I listened to a woman who nearly died in the Nepal Glacier flooding. Before she was resuscitated she spoke to Jesus. She was an atheist but was completed overcome when she experienced the love emanating from Our Lord. She said Our Lord was disappointed with the Eastern religions but that soon they would all be replaced by a rise in Christianity. Even in China.

Have fun and don't sin ; then you will find peace maybe.

Happy Birthday Mary

 Today is the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin. Born to Joachim and Anne without original sin. Hence we get the Immaculate Conception, which is a dogma all Catholics must accept. 

I've started listening to "Journeys to heaven and hell" by Bart Ehrman. It wasn't what I expected being more a discourse on humanity's writings about the afterlife. It began by examining Homer's Odyssey. There is a chapter where Odysseus goes across a river and after offering sacrifices goes to Hades. It's a sad place full of souls who seem quite miserable. Next Ehrman talks of Virgil's description of the afterlife in what sounds like the Roman copy of the Odyssey. Is it the Aeneid? TC would know.

Better go and face my demons. 

Have fun and don't sin.

All is good in the world

 It seems that Google has resolved an issue with posting comments. 

I went to confession and received Jesus twice. Feeling good and ready for Heaven

Did you feel it?

 4.9 off Paraparaumu. 6:34 am

For me it was one little quick jolt followed a few seconds later by sharp backwards and forwards movement. 1234! Over in half a second. 

I was sitting with my back facing away from the fireplace above which is the old brick original chimney. Not a wise choice of seating. I'll move my chair and rearrange the lounge later. 

I've been wearing my moon boot again. It helps a lot. There is almost no pain when walking this morning. I'll wear it for a few weeks when I work and go out. 

Off to church in about an hour. 

Lets take a look at today's readings.

First reading: 1 Corinthians 4:6-15

Paul warns of taking sides. He thinks God has put the apostles at the end of the parade with the men sentenced to death....fools for the sake of Christ...we have no power. He says they go without food and drink and clothes, are beaten and have no homes, and work for a living with their own hands. We are treated as the offal and scum of the earth. "It was I that begot you in Christ by preaching the good news".

Psalm 144

"The Lord is near to all who call upon him".

Gospel Luke 6:1-5

Jesus goes for a walk through the cornfields on a Sabbath. The Pharisees see Jesus' disciples picking ears of corn, rubbing them in their hands and eating them. They say "why are you doing something that is forbidden on the Sabbath".

Jesus answered them "So you had not read what David and his followers did when they were hungry- how they went into the house of God and took the loaves of offering and ate them and gave them to his followers, loaves which only the priests are allowed to eat?" And he said to them, "The Son of Man is master of the Sabbath".

"The sun will rise again and so will you". 

PS  Comments aren't available at the moment. Don't blame myself or the Lord.

Later

We had a nice morning tea at 11. I sat next to Lupi who brought some interesting bread from his Samoan culture. It was jolly nice. Not leavened but had coconut and a little sugar. It's sad we can't buy such breads at local supermarkets.

After work I went to Church to say a Rosary.  I sat in the chapel alone while next door I could hear the service through a loud speaker near the statue of Mary. It was for a nun. Sister Pauline. I included her in my rosary while next door was just the clatter of voices. I sang along with one of the hymns that I knew to help Father Jim who was microphoned who seemed a little alone. It's very rare to hear strong male voices at church ceremonies. Women predominate. It's like society worships everything woman. What has happened to the strong male chorus of soldiers marching as to war. Maybe that was a Hollywood fiction. The lumberjack song comes to mind...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6mzobwTYyo&list=RDB6mzobwTYyo&start_radio=1&pp=ygUcbW9udHkgcHl0aG9uIGx1bWJlcmphY2sgc29uZ6AHAQ%3D%3D

Have fun and don't sin.

 

4

 Its the sixth day of the week. We call it Friday but it begins in the night. In fact half of Friday is night. There is a sudden movement of air outside that we call wind. 

Paul says "There must be no passing of premature judgement, leave that until the Lord comes" in tonight's first reading.

I sip my tea with honey. 

There is a morning tea at work today. Women enjoy them. Since most of my work mates are women they happen despite my objections. Oh well, not like I have to give a speech. Sometimes I get asked to say grace. Sometimes grace is Samoan. But I don't . If I'm asked today I might say a prayer in Latin. "Pater Nostra quies in cellie....". 

I've nothing planned this weekend. Home alone. 

"The smallest acts of kindness can create a ripple effect of positivity".

2

 Have fun and water God's garden with love and charity.

1 September. Not Spring.

 Sorry readers, been a tad indefatigable. 

I read that poor TC has gout. Don't envy him. Beware of charlatans!

RBB has been reduced to eating weeds. I feel guilty accepting his chocolates and cake now.

Today is the first day of spring. That is the Meteorological first day at least and lasts three months. The Astronomical first day is the 23rd at 12.05pm. The Ecological first day is when flowers bloom, trees get leaves and temperatures consistently rise. It doesn't feel like Spring to me so I will use the Ecological definition. I'll let you know when it happens. Why are the Seasons three months? Evidently it's statistically conveneint for Governments. The Catholic Church just calls today the 22nd week of ordinary time. It's the feast day of St Giles the hermit.

"An unspiritual person is one who does not accept anything of the Spirit of God; he sees it all as nonsense. A spiritual man, on the other hand, is able to judge the value of everything, and his own value is not to be judged by other men...."Who can know the mind of the Lord...we are those who have the mind of Christ". 1 Cor 2:10-16

The Gospel is cool. Jesus comes across a man who was possessed by the spirit of an unclean devil. "Ha! What do you want with us Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are: the Holy One of God". It said. 

" The present moment is a gift, cherish it".

Sunday pm

 On Friday we decided to detour from the Transmission Galley route home and stop off at the Fisherman's Table for a fish lunch at Paekakariki. I turned off at Waikanae thinking we would have a drive on the old route and was bemused that the only road went west to the beach. Google redirected me onto the motorway again as I hadn't remembered that they had reused part of the 'old' road. My beloved L was nice and didn't give me too much of a hard time, just saying "Why didn't you turn of at the same place we did last time". There's no arguing with a woman's logic. 

We had a luncheon on Saturday which went very well apart from Rod forgetting and RBB having to ring him up and remind him. To his credit he arrived in half an hour. 

On the way back past Sanson, or was it Shanon, we found this car. Why did they name two towns that are at key junctions so similar. "Which way did you come, Shanon or Sanson?" 

..."err yer I think so umm ..".

I pulled up ...

at this gate...

The gate.

There was no sign of life.

It was a wonderful weekend. Many thanks to all the Prowses who contributed to making the Saturday lunch so enjoyable.