Like Every Other Sunday

A beautiful and blessed Sunday to you all! Thank you, loving God, we're alive and well!

Since I woke up early this morning at about 5:30 a.m., I prayed the Holy Rosary while still in bed, and after taking a leak in the restroom in our bedroom. I tried to get back to sleep but that's when the alarm-clock-radio in our room automatically sounded off. (It is permanently set at 6 a.m., for my wife Freny who goes to school-work weekdays, except federal holidays.) I just continued to lay down and listened to news broadcast from NPR (National Public Radio) while the wife was in deep slumber. And snoring! From the news broadcast, I learned that the newly-reelected 44th U.S. President Barack Obama is going to have a private swearing in ceremony today at the Blue Room in The White House, Washington, D.C., with the Hon. John Roberts, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. But the public Inauguration Day ceremony marking the start of President Obama's second term will be tomorrow, Monday, January 21, which coincides with the nationwide observance of Dr. Martin Luther King Day, Jr., a federal holiday.

Well, as you know, when it's Sunday, it's church time for me and my family. This Sunday, it's a double treat for us because daughter Tintin (who has been here since late Friday afternoon from D-ville where she works) was scheduled to play the piano in that 11:00 a.m. Christian church services in Norfolk. Actually, she's home every other Sunday because of her being a paid pianist for that church in Norfolk. If she's home, we usually go to that 9:00  a.m. Sunday Mass at St. Mary's Catholic, one of the four clustered parishes in the area. But this morning, we finally decided to attend the regular 9:30 Sunday mass at St. Paul's Catholic, our regular parish where we (my family) have been registered parishioners for years.

Rev. Fr. Chris, our parochial vicar for the four clustered parishes, was the celebrant and homilist. He spoke about praying after those Scripture and Gospel readings. Normally, it takes an hour or less for a church worship service. After the Holy Communion, Tintin, my sis-in-law Rose, Freny and I quietly left St. Paul's for another church service in Norfolk where Tintin does play piano. As usual, we participated in the church worship service there. The second reading there was the same Gospel reading (from John 2:1-11) at St. Paul's Catholic in Portsmouth., which is about the wedding at Cana in which there was a shortage of wine, and Mary, the mother of Jesus called attention to his Son and Jesus did the miracle, turning water to wine.

After the church service in Norfolk, we drove back to Portsmouth and had buffet luncheon at a newly-managed Chinese restaurant. We used to dine there before, under the old management.

How was lunch at that newly-managed Chinese restaurant? Excellent! Food was very good. There's this Hibachi grill as an additional feature. Price was reasonable and the restaurant's ambiance was kinda neat. So were the restrooms. Lighting this time was better, brighter, eye-catching. Decor was simply awesome, with the addition of a man-made fountain inside the eatery. I don't mind going back there again, someday.

Back home after lunch, Tintin prepared herself and then left for D-ville this afternoon. I learned she'll hopefully be in C-ville with her female fellow college adviser and housemate tonight for two-three day in-service training/meetings at their alma mater/employer. As usual, I told her to "be safe and "drive safely" as I hugged her. God, bless her and her friend!

Well, this is all for now, my dear folks and friends. Thank you for your time with me. Take care and enjoy the rest of the day! And, to those residing in the US, enjoy your three-day weekend, everyone! For tomorrow, Happy Inauguration Day and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day! As always, I pray, "May God bless us all!"-chris a. quilpa, 20Jan2013