Flying north after a wonderful time in Lake Forest with my Santiago de Compostela church buds. Annie was there too for most of it. Carol my handler was along.

On top of all the Q and A’s and talking with folks I was asked if I would like to address the parish. So, lucky me I got to do there short homilies. They were running five to seven minutes. Wow, Mrs Volker look at your son.

Some or all of those are recorded and I will get you the link. That seemed above my pay grade slightly but it all worked out. Hundreds of people are praying for me and my effort. Amazing.  Well, they want me back next year and that seems like an eternity to me. I just want to make it off this plane right now.

The pilot said this was a two hour and ten minute flight to get us to SeaTac. One hour down and just got the free cup of coffee. I’ll get some reading in on my Medjugorje book.

Can’t wait to get back to the ranch and see how the corn and tomatoes are doing.

OK, we are finally back.  Catch you all in the morning.  Love, Felipe.

Wow, long day.  We are all back at Ann-Marie’s and John’s waiting to tear into a spaghetti dinner here momentarily.  The was a huge happening today at Santiago de Compostela church today.  They had a Camino which was something like seven or twelve miles, I don’t know, didn’t walk a foot.  I wasn’t really in shape.

But we had other stuff going on.  Annie and I did four Q and A’s with the four showings of Phil’s Camino.  Those went extremely well.  Met new folks and folks that I had met last year when down here.  New connections and new thoughts where achieved.  Then, check this out, I did the homily at the Pilgrim’s Mass and at the Saturday Night Vigil.  Yea and doing the 8 o’clock tomorrow morning.  Geez, they are getting their money’s worth.

Well, I smell the spaghetti sauce.  Will be back to you tomorrow, promise.  Love Felipe.x

Friday morning and this afternoon I will be jetting off to California.  Here I am going to a church’s mini camino to celebrate the Feast of St James and I find that My Rebecca has ordered a wheelchair for me at the airport.  What, wait a minute, new one on me.  All of of a sudden I am feeling like the Velveteen Rabbit thing where the poor guys eyes pop out and his joints are all wiggly but he is being loved.  Geez, really, is this what it takes?

This last chemo round has been really hard on me and I am all beat up.  I don’t know if I am going to walk at all down there but do have walking sticks from Catherine in my luggage.  What a deal.  I heard that we are having three showings of Phil’s Camino there with Q and A’s after each.  It’s been a while since I did one of those.

Well, I had better get back to packing and make sure I have all my essential stuff.  Trying to make it all good all the time.  That sounds pretty improbable at the moment but trying none the less.

Love you, Felipe.

I am so relieved that my fever broke and I am feeling so much better.  Off to the hospital in moments to get hydrated with Catherine driving.  Trying my best to prep for the trip to California.  But wow, do I feel so much better.

I am saddened by the news about John McCain.  He is such an amazing man.  We will pray for strength for him and his family.  I feel like we are all riding toward the Alamo for the final fight.

The Vashon Strawberry Festival is happening this weekend on the Island.  I have learned to avoid that with religious fervor.  It is fun if you’re ten, I guess.

OK, have to bail.  Thanks for being here.  Love, Felipe.

Now, I am saying just how much self restraint I have.  Dana made a blackberry pie for the celebration last night.  And I didn’t even get any.  Those guests ate two whole thirds. So here I am in the morning before My Rebecca is up and I am doing all sorts of geometry on this goodie.   This is how Euclide learned so much I’m sure.   I wish I could do a handsome “pie” chart right here on the blog.  I’d have the pie of course and Rebecca, Dana and Catherine.  Then there is Rick and Caroline, Kelly, Meredith, Jessika with the pineapple she brought. And Bill the Cancer Commando and Janeen.  They have three Rhodesian Ridgebacks whose tails would be wagging and the pie might actually get lost.

So, anyway,  I just finished one piece which turned one third of the pie into one quarter, roughly.  So, I am thinking that I could make it disappear in two more sessions, if I wanted too.  But I have to sample the cupcakes that one of my nurses made for us.  What a sweetheart.  She made carrot cupcakes with cream cheese frosting.  So I will not starve to death around here.

Well,  I am still fighting my viral infection.  My appetite isn’t up to par.  That must be why I am so fixated on deserts.  Hopefully this will pass soon.

I have to check in with one of my work projects, time to go.  Have a good day where you are, love, Felipe.

So, here is the deal I got cupcakes at the hospital.  Flowers are arriving from hither and yon.  All in celebration of my 100th treatment.  But just one glitch in the program.  My Rebecca made a special trip in today to tell Dr Gold ( callsign Nugget ) that there was no way I should get this treatment today.  I was exhausted, she was exhausted.  I kept her awake for the last two nights with my sweats and chills.

I have gone 99 treatments without missing one and here I am.  But what do good pilgrims do?  They party on right?  We are not going to let a little thing like this get in our way.  Plus, I am supposed to be in California on Friday to show Phil’s Camino and give a little speech.  And I will be down there Saturday and Sunday to give a little speech at two Masses.  Then I am back here Sunday afternoon.  So, this reprieve from my treatment is a good thing considering that.

Some sunflowers just came in from Annie, thank you dear.  It is 2:40 right now.  And I am supposed to be resting till 4:00 when we will walk Phil’s Camino.  Then tapas at 5:00.  So, the way it looks we aren’t going to let being off my one number spoil our fun.  Improvise, Adabt, Overcome!

Love, Felipe.x

Within the Medjugorje mystery are the five visionaries, the young people that experienced the apparition of Mary outside a small town in ex- Yugoslavia.  The link between them and us was Loretta one of the pilgrims that made it here last week.  She brought  the book “My Heart Will Triumph” by Marjana Soldo, one of the visionaries.

We here seem a long way away from this happening.  And it is all relatively recent so between those two things we don’t seem to know much about it.  It seems sort of misty.  And I am on page 51 so there is a lot to go to get to the meat of it.  I guess I am telling you that we are going to talk about this in the future.

Just got my itinerary for the California trip this Friday.  A lot happening this weekend.  Have to pace yourself Felipe.  I will try to blog.

Now, I have a visitor in a few moments.  More doctors, lawyers and Indian chiefs.  She’s a medical anthropologist.  I’d better shine my tie and press my shoes.  OK, have a good one, love, Felipe.

We need some Scout training around here or at least I do.  But I guess before I get packed for this California expedition I need to clean up from archery camp.  I ran off to church this morning with a couple quivers full and a box full of arrows in the back of the pickup.  Hmm, have to do something about that later today.

Yea, I found my Camino pants and I know where my Merrill boots are for this seven mile pilgrimage in Lake Forest.  Need to pack a suitcase for a couple of days of camping at  Ann-Marie’s  bed and breakfast.    Please don’t do this last minute Felipe.

One of the readings today was from Paul writing to the Romans.  It is one of my favorites just because it is so huge, expansive, universal.  “All creation is groaning in labor pains …”. That refers to the work of this time now to bring forth the second coming of Christ.  The universe has been groaning for two thousand years and continues.  It is preparing bigtime.

Well, I’m going to mosey on.  Hope you are getting what you need today.  Right now I need some lunch.  Walk later at Phil’s Camino today at 4 PM, stop by.  Love, Felipe.

Generally:

Monday 0900-1000

Tuesday 1600-1700

Thursday 0900-1000

Sunday 1600-1700

But this week I need to cancel the walks on Thursday July 27 and Sunday July 30th.  I will be coming and going from Lake Forest, CA.

Thank you Terri, Terri, Loretta, Heather, Bobbie, Annie and Jim for gracing our neighborhood and bringing us all sorts of excellent notions and loving moments.  Geez was that just two days?  My Rebecca and I are running half speed today just recovering.  OK, a new rule, no three day visits.

We all traded some great Camino stories and rememberances.  And Kelly showed up to back up all my lies about our pilgrimage.  Nothing better than sitting around a fire on the beach making each other laugh and think and feel certainly.

Now getting ready for Tuesday and my 100th chemo treatment.  I think My Rebecca, Catherine y Dana are going in with me to carry on at the hospital.  Some cupcakes may appear there.  But what I want to say about this is the gratitude that I feel for all the time that all this treatment has given me.  And not just time but quality time.

It’s five years of off and on treatment and off and on miracles.  It’s amazing all the interesting people and moments that it has given me access to.  The Phil’s Camino documentary is in there.  All the festivals, talks and gatherings are in there.  Phil’s Camino the trail is in there.  Spain is in there.  All my doctors, lawyers and Indian Chiefs are there.  It’s been a blossoming and a happening really and I am thankful for allthat.

Ever onward, afternoon sunny puffy cloud loves, Felipe.