Back Again!

Well, it has been 9 weeks since I've written anything. I've been reminded about that more than once, so I'll do my best to write updates and all.

Today the summer program at Holden got going in full swing. We have a really good Teaching Staff so early in the summer, and the conversation should be lively indeed. Fred Niedner, who teaches theology at Valparaiso University is the Bible Study leader. This happens at 9 a.m. every morning Monday-Friday. He's very good, and today he got us thinking about biblical promises. The summer theme is All the Promises of God. He came up with a really good phrase:"the grammar of promise," which already appeared in Carol Hinderlie's excellent Vespers this evening.

We're into the summer worship schedule as well, with everything in the Village Center and a start time of 7:30 p.m., a half hour later than Fall-Winter-Spring. It makes for a late night, especially when there's a session after Vespers. Tonight David Wee, a retired St. Olaf College English professor, simply read poems by Billy Collins. They are wonderful and hilarious, and we had a great time listening. Today we also had sessions on American movies with Sam Graber who teaches American Studies at Valparaiso, and Melissa McBain who teaches theater and English at Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois. After dinner there was a writing workshop with poet Rebecca Wee, who also teaches at Augustana Rock Island, and is the daughter of David Wee. They are all very good, and it's hard to have to work and try to dash in and hear a whole session or even part of one. It's handy that our offices are right off the Koinonia balcony, as we can just slip in and out when we have a chance. We all try to go to the sessions, as it encourages the whole conversation of the Village.

For those of you following the ankle drama, things are really improving. Just in the last couple of days I've noticed a pretty significant change for the better. I've abandoned my hiking boots for trainers, and that seems to be going pretty well. This week I hope to get in some walks on the road to increase my exercise regime. It's still a long haul, but I'm encouraged each day.

I have been reading mostly mysteries (what a shock) especially because some new volumes from favorite authors appeared. Alexander McCall Smith's The Double Comfort Safari Club is really good, following new adventures of Precious Ramotswe and company. I really enjoy his gentle prose. There was one thing missing in this book. In each of the previous books, there is a little word picture that appears either on a front or back page. It looks like this:

africa

africa africa

africa africa africa

africa africa

africa

I've always enjoyed that, particularly after traveling to Tanzania. But it's not in this one. I discovered that his website has an actual pathway to ask him questions. I asked this about a month ago and have yet to receive an answer. I'll try again.

I read the latest Laurie King Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes book, The God of the Hive. It's a sequel to The Language of Bees. They are both very good, but you need to read them both in order. She's done an excellent job of creating this female counterpart to Sherlock Holmes.

I just finished the latest Elizabeth George, This Body of Death. At 726 pages, it's quite a tome. I have enjoyed these Inspector Lynley books from the beginning, but I think her usual adept characterizations failed in this one. Lynley seems a bit out of pattern in his choices, and some of the development of a new female officer doesn't ring quite true for me. But it is, as always, a great plot, and, when you come to the end, the title from Romans 7:24 is dead on. (So to speak.)

So there you have it for tonight. Now I get to go pick a new book to read. Yippee!