A Time For Smoke

Much to discuss, as evinced by my being off from the blog for three days.  Holy Saturday started fine -- I got up early, did some errands and chores, handled stuff, and then off to church for the blessing of the baskets, which was... fine?  I mean, I rather like this tradition, and even if it was something different -- everyone was to bring the baskets to the altar for consecration -- it was still nice.  I had the basics but that's all you need, right?  Not sure what happened after, but I just sort of crashed and caught up on work.  This was prolly fine -- it was Holy Saturday, Christ is in the tomb after all -- but it was just odd.

Sunday was Easter and it was...quite nice.  Mass was beautiful -- a bit long, of course, but it is good to see the place full, even if it is but twice a year.  But the crowd was nice (lots of pics in front of the altar, and I even took some family shots), the church was beautiful, the weather decent.  I do marvel at the homilies; not that it was bad, but how exactly do you top the Gospel of the Resurrection?  You really can't, but you've got to try, I guess.  Anyways, after Mass it was off to Michigan to see Favorite Niece, sister, and brother-in-law.  It was a little more than three hours there -- about two on the turnpike, one in MI.  The turnpike would be easier if there weren't so many construction zones; you get to a good rate of speed, and then...slow down.  Sigh.  It's not that bad off the pike -- farm country, Trump country (lots of signs!), but a lot of two-lane roads, and I got behind a truck...alas.  It was good to see the family -- we had lots of fun, plenty of snark and slams, feasting, etc.  For reasons, I decided to go back home Sunday night, so I spent about as much time in the car as I did visiting.  Oi.  But it was good to be home, using my own bathroom, sleeping in my own bed, and being productive at work -- I will have a busy couple of weeks starting tomorrow, so... getting the ducks in the row was a good idea.

Monday, of course, one woke up to the death of Pope Francis.  I think my Facebook post sums my feelings exactly.  Much like the Fed or POTUS on trade, I get what he was doing -- and largely why -- but it wasn't working, and to carry on... as I told my college roomie, the TLM seems to be the one thing getting people back in the pews, so... let's sniff it out?  The Vatican finances remain a mess, the pedophiles remain unpunished, and I think it is fair to say that many people strenuously object to the.... moral relativism he brought out.  I hope the new Pope will be....well, recognize the Catholic part of the Catholicism.  Like this:
As Catholic Church Enters New Era, Conservative U.S. Members Push It Right - WSJ

Mexico Border Crossings Grind to Halt as Trump’s Tough Policies Take Hold - WSJ
Dare I say this is what the average Trump voter wanted?  And we're getting it!  This is good!  I wonder what will happen if we start deporting people by the bunch. but I think most GOPers (and plenty of others) wanted a secure border, and we are getting it.

America's Looming Food Bank Crisis
As I so often say, the people who voted for Bidenomics deserve to have it full-bore, and now they are getting it.  More seriously... this could be me, but this is yet again one of the things we should never have funded in the first place -- food banks and pantries are charities -- and government should be in the business of developing industries and jobs.  Oi.  The issue here, of course, is when and where does it stop?