The days are passing and home is in view.  I have enjoyed the time here very much but am happy to be going home – which is always a good sign for me, that I am content where I am.

I celebrated a wedding here on Saturday and it has been a few years since I did that in this parish.  It was lovely to be involved and to share the day and beginning of married life with Maeve and Eric.  Wishing them every blessing now and always ….. 

On Saturday evening, I met with some cousins of mine who live here in Rockville Centre.  We meet each year and they kindly take me to dinner.  We really had a fine meal and it was great just to sit with them, chat a while and laugh a lot! Afterwards a phtograph was taken and in this one the two husbands were left out, being told “You are not blood relatives”!!!  They took it okay and one of them took the photo!

Over the weekend, I had the chance to meet with some people that I was happy to see.  Three generations of one family came to Mass on Sunday morning and we went for some food afterwards.  I was happy to see Marian, Tara and Fallyn (Marian, being a niece of the late Marie Sharkey, Urlaur). Later in the day I went into to New York to meet Joe, Elizabeth and Lorraine – my Kitimagh connection.  We had a lovely afternoon together and it was great to catch up with them.  I wandered around for a while, went to St Patrick’s Cathedral but there was a line waiting to get in and I don’t especially like lines.  I’d not have stood in line for the Queen’s funeral – not that she would be overly disappointed or upset by that!  May she rest in peace.

As I walked towards the railway station, my eyes caught the registration of a car parked in a street.  I felt I had to take a picture of it and admire the wit of the owner but doubt, even if I could select my own registration that I would ever put this number on a car I might own. Would you?

When I got back here on Sunday evening the streets were closed in preparation for a funeral that was to take place in the Cathedral on Monday – the funeral of a man who retired from the FDNY about six months ago but who has battled illness since attending at the scene of 911’s terror attack.  He lost his brother that day.  God rest them both.

The funeral was this morning and I went out to see the arrival.  It was a most impressive operation, very dignified and respectful.  It is clear that a very strong bond exists between these firefighters.  That bond keeps them safe at work, in most cases, and deppens their frienship.  

I noticed the flag last night, draped between two fire engines and when I read up on it, the symoblism is around the bridge between life and death, earth and Heaven.  The flag flew again today, albeit at a different location to last evening.

So the days are drawing to a close but, as in other years, I have many happy memories to bring home with me.  I am thankful to all who have made them possible.

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Vincent

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