Friday, September 09, 2011

A happy day....

...on Wednesday, which was Auntie's birthday. First appointment with St Paul's bookshop, next to Westminster Cathedral, to look at the illustrations for my book on Blessed John Paul, due out in October, with illustrator Kati Teague, who brought celebration cakes! I was really touched and we all settled down to enjoy them along with the illustrations - which are charming, especially one of BlJP11 with children...

In the evening, supper with friends. A lovely welcome, gin-and-tonic, birthday gift (a book by Elizabeth vom Arnim), laughter and catching up on news... The daughter of the house had been at World Youth Day so we regaled the party with tales of scorching heat, queues for the loos, singing on trains, and ants in one's underwear...and going to confession in the park, the unforgettable prayer vigil with the Holy Father, the huge goodwill and joy everywhere, and the sense that, yes, the whole experience was quietly but significantly life-changing...

A delicious meal, with Summer Pudding (my favourite) and J. arrived with flowers and chocs and champagne...

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dear Auntie Joanna,
Belated birthday greetings from Sheila & Nancy in NY, and we thank you for enriching our lives with big picture issues & blackberry jam!
In our battle with the elements, we have survived an earthquake & Hurricane Irene...only to have Tropical Storm Lee's flood waters gift us with a sinkhole crater in our roadway!
Prayers, please, for a peaceful Sunday for the USA on September 11th.
Sheila A. Waters
Bronxville, NY
USA

ThereseRita said...

Wonderful reporting on WYD. I watched the Holy Spirit descend on the Vigil 8/20/11 in the midst of the storm & it made me cry from thousands of miles away. So I very much appreciated your first hand account of it!

Also wanted to thank you for writing a long overdue book on a nun who made a difference.Very glad to see the nuns who built the infrastructure of the Church for centuries getting a bit of recognition. I'll try to order it online. God bless your wonderful witness to Truth, Joanna!
ThereseRita

Anonymous said...

Wonderful reporting on WYD. I watched the Holy Spirit descend on the Vigil 8/20/11 in the midst of the storm & it made me cry from thousands of miles away. So I very much appreciated your first hand account of it!

Also wanted to thank you for writing a long overdue book on a nun who made a difference.Very glad to see the nuns who built the infrastructure of the Church for centuries getting a bit of recognition. I'll try to order it online. God bless your wonderful witness to Truth, Joanna!

ThereseRita
www.zealforyourhouseconsumesme.com

Elizabeth said...

Happy belated birthday Auntie Joanna from Canada. Summer pudding?? hmm I'll have to look that up. It sounds good.

Pearl of Tyburn said...

Happy Birthday, Auntie Joanna!

This wish from a devoted reader in Maryland, U.S.A.

Suzanne Corbin said...

Auntie Joanna,

Wishing You A Most Happy Birthday!

From a fan in South Caolina,USA