Sunday Best

Well, I didn't get around to blogging yesterday, because I was a tad busy.  I spent all day "Bigfoot-sitting"--that is, hanging out with my dear old dad, who recently had some very serious surgery on his right foot and isn't supposed to do too much standing or walking.

Two things were accomplished: 1) I had a nice one-on-one visit with my father, who was in the mood to reminisce--which included looking through some wonderful old photos of him and my mom when they were courting;

(My mom and dad are on the right; on the left is the couple who fixed them up on their first blind date.
Look at how dressed-up and glamorous everyone is!  You've gotta love the fifties!)

and 2) I was able to give my beautiful mother, who has been his nurse 24/7 for a long time now, some much-needed time off.  She went into town and shopped without worrying about leaving her disabled hubby all by his lonesome, and I think she appreciated the break. When she returned, the three of us had a nice dinner together and watched a little C-Span. If that sounds boring, it really wasn't!  We watched a show where an author comes on to talk about his or her recently published book, and I actually got interested in perhaps purchasing a copy of Thomas West's Vindicating the Founders: Race, Sex, Class and Justice in the Origins of America.  I know that nowadays the Founding Fathers are often portrayed as a bunch of bigoted old white men who ought to be demonized, but West's version of their character and motivations is much different, and his book sounds very compelling...But I digress...

Looking at that old photo of my mom and dad all gussied up for a night on the town, I got to thinking: people really don't dress the way they did back in the day anymore, do they?  All of my fellow old fogies out there, do you remember when there was this concept of putting on your "Sunday best" for church each week? Just as date night fashion--and even workplace fashion--is a lot less dressy these days, 21st century churchgoers are a lot more casual than they used to be.  I would love to see my boys in dress shirts and ties every Sunday for Mass, the way they were in this cherished photo:

(Here are my darling boys in 1998, spiffed up for the Baptism of a cousin--at the very church
where their parents had gotten married in 1980.)

[Sigh...]  I do love my boys.  Whether they're in their Sunday best or not.  Whether they're in white tie or black tie or bow tie (or loud tie, as they are here!), or even if they're wearing no ties at all.  God bless them, every one.

You know, on days like today when I just ramble on in a disjointed manner, I wonder if I'm going to lose you completely.  Sorry about that!  From now on I'll try to come up with cohesive plans for each post, and I'll carefully outline my thoughts, and I'll make sure that I have a point to make.  (Really, I will.)  Until then, I hope you're having a happy and holy Sunday!  And God bless you, every one.