The Feast of the Presentation, Candlemas, is the Fourth Joyful Mystery of the Rosary

Tomorrow is the Feast of St. Blaise, when many Catholic parishes offer blessing of throats during Mass.

St. Blaise has a very good Wikipedia page, I'm glad to see, because I've never known much about him myself --- although always familiar with his name and the blessing of throats.

I must be sure I do get to Mass tomorrow for my throat blessing, because I have had a sore, scratchy throat ever since my mom died of lung cancer in March of 2012. When I was a little girl, I used to try to convince her to quit smoking, but she did not or could not. I don't know which.

So, then, when I became ten years old, (in 1958), I figured I should also start smoking cigarettes, because I did not want her to die alone, and I figured we could "go" together.

However, my kids convinced me to try to quit, in 1982, when they were eleven, five, four and one. I actually had no intention of doing anything at all, but somehow --- I did quit smoking anyway.

When my mom contracted lung cancer, in 2011, I remembered my pledge to die along with her, and I have felt guilty ever since, for not dying along with her in March of 2012, as I was "supposed" to.

I hope that St Blaise will help me become free of this chronic sore throat --- if that is God's will.

Here is a very informative and interesting page about the history,
customs, culture and even recipes pertaining to The Feast of the Presentation.

After all, it is also called "Crepe (Pancake) Day" in some countries, especially France.

The Presentation is the Fourth Joyful Mystery of the Rosary.

Here is a link to a printable page of The Presentation for young people.




Please pray for my mom to be in Heaven with Our Lord.

Please pray that all smokers will have the grace to quit without trying.

Oppenheim

Yesterday would have been the 58th birthday of an old friend of mine, who was also the father of one of my daughters. Certainly much too young to die.

I had not seen him for many years. He had lung cancer. I thought he had already quit smoking before. Apparently he did, but then he started up again.

He died on the day of the recall election, when Scott Walker won again. I remember having a funny feeling that day -- well, other than the obvious. It kept nagging at me. Something seemed wrong.

Okay, I kept saying to myself, "Of course something is wrong. Scott Walker is still governor." I trivialized it in this way. I did not realize until my daughter told me several months later.

So, I have a lot to memorialize today.

• Oppenheim.
• My dad, because it's Memorial Day, and he was a veteran, after all.
• My mom, who also died of lung cancer in 2012, just three months before Oppenheim.