Another shot of the mountains

I upped the contrast in this one a lot but it was shot by turning slightly to the right from the photo of downtown Denver.

Only if you must:



--the BB

Soonerz: Photos of my trip

Well, travel fans, you get the full report with photos sooner than any of us expected.

All seemed fine when we rebooked our flights through Denver instead of Dulles. Alas, it was not weather that scotched it all but a mechanical issue. The flight to Frankfurt last night was canceled, so we spent the night in Denver. The next flight would not have gotten us to Istanbul any sooner than a likely arrival at the hotel around 4 AM Friday, the morning we were supposed to clamber aboard the coach on our way to Gallipoli, Troy, and Çanakkale. Somehow, the thought of seeing Troy after traveling for 2.5 days and having no serious sleep sort of takes the edge off.

So we called the whole thing off and flew home this evening, without ever leaving this time zone.

Proof that we got to Denver follows:

The BB

My BFF, striking the neutral, non-smiling pose.
Well, this was after the flight had been canceled.

The Denver International Airport

The Denver skyline

And there you have it! Hope you had a fun tour.

We will do it at a later date.

--the BB

Travel update

As I posted earlier, we had to rebook because of weather conditions along the mid-Atlantic. Well, yesterday evening our flight from Denver to Frankfurt was canceled because of a mechanical problem. We are in a Denver hotel waiting to see what happens next.

I believe this is where we ask St Jude to pray for us.

If all is well, I will not be posting updates, so if you hear no more things are moving ahead.
--the BB

Laterz

I am turning off the comment feature while I am incommunicado.

Have fun in the meantime.

Be kindly affectioned one toward another and play nice.

--the BB

Travel update

Flights through Dulles tomorrow are canceled because of the incoming storm, something I had dreaded all day today. I was able to reschedule us through Denver and thence to Frankfurt. We depart later and arrive later but still get to Istanbul on Wednesday. Thanks for prayers.

I also want to thank Leticia of United Airlines who worked very hard to make this happen. As a travel arranger I know what she was up against. I am very grateful. So please offer a prayer for her that blessings may abound in her life. She was very professional, courteous, and gracious.

Sweet dreams, my flirtatious fritillaries!

--the BB

Heart thread - 02/07/2010

We begin this evening with a request from David@Montreal.

I've just learned that my much loved cousin Frank is undergoing a recurrence of his cancer. The news comes via dear Mam who spoke with Frank an hour ago. Mam is a generation which doesn't ask awkward questions, so I have no details on whether it is a recurrence of the leukemia or something new. That will only come when I have an opportunity to speak with Frank myself.

Let us hold Frank and the entire family in our hearts.

David also asks "Prayers also all of those dealing with snow in the American north-east and in Newfoundland & Labrador please. For those trying to re-establish normalcy, but also with those who normally have no shelter of their own and those in transit. In both situations the accumulation is serious in many places."

We have heard reports from many dear friends, narrating the challenges this creates. David reminds of us those who normally have no shelter and those in transit. For them especially we offer prayer.

I thank those who have been praying for me. I have been trying to fend off a cold this past week and I do seem to have beaten it down under my feet, to borrow words from the Great Litany. Bill and I will catch a plane Tuesday en route to Istanbul. Prayers for our journey will be gratefully received. Almost everything that needs to be packed is now assembled. My three tasks between now and take-off are sewing the Lenten frontal for the altar and taking it to the church, going to work tomorrow, and packing. This all seems do-able.

Prayers for Jonathan and the Missus. We luffs you!

For Mark's ongoing recovery.

Allez, les Saints!

--the BB

Smoke the Bigots Out of the Closet

That is the title of Frank Rich's column today in The New York Times.

A funny thing happened after Adm. Mike Mullen called for gay men and lesbians to serve openly in the military: A curious silence befell much of the right. If this were a Sherlock Holmes story, it would be the case of the attack dogs that did not bark.

John McCain, commandeering the spotlight as usual, did fulminate against the repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell.” But the press focus on McCain, the crazy man in Washington’s attic, was misleading. His yapping was an exception, not the rule.

Rich comes through again with a great column. Read it all here.

--the BB