Chimacum Cafe

As part of John's belated birthday gift, I took him to the Chimacum Café which is about a 45 minute drive from Bremerton. A coworker told me about the place and said how big the portions were and how good their homemade pies are. Apparently, one woman makes all the pies and one of the favorites is the blackberry pie. Mind you, this pie is not made with the blackberries we saw all over the place here which are large and seedy. Her pie is made with the small and practically seedless blackberries which are now hard to find. While we didn't taste the pie, we did enjoy a delicious breakfast (I took home half of mine), and really loved the drive out there.

The drive to the small town of Chimacum gives the eyes a real treat. Driving north on Highway 3, you cross the Hood Canal Bridge, which is a highlight of the trip for me. The Olympics get a little closer and one gets a different view of them. You slowly wind your way down to the Beaver Valley and see wide open fields, some with small farms and cows, another one with bison. Jill sat in the backseat taking in the sights and smells and stared at the cows.

The Chimacum Café is not fancy. Rather, it is a casual atmosphere with good comfort food where our waitress kept our coffee mugs filled, and the kitchen served up some delicious breakfast fare. We plan to go back there again to try the lunch or dinner and some of that pie. Here's a good article about this nice little place.

9253 Rhody Drive
Chimacum, WA 98325
(360) 732-4631

Lent

As I've posted before, I love Lent. However, I also have a sense of humor. Thanks to Ellen for sending me this picture. Happy Lent to everyone!

In Memory of Robert Susil

Gwyneth Susil and Jonathan Hansen have written beautiful remembrances of Robert Susil. God bless his soul and his family. Remember them today in your Ash Wednesday prayers and sacrifices and hug your spouse a little extra.

Broken Record

There are very good points made on the latest posting at Life After RC. If I had a nickel for every time I got the line, "The Pope loves the Legion," (in response to the scandal) I would have a lot of nickels. Please, Fr. Reilly, turn off the talking points.

L-O-V-E

Yesterday we celebrated 9 years of marriage. Can it have been that long since we stood in front of the altar of my childhood parish in front of 200+ people to vow to love and honor each other till death do us part?

Fr. Lehrberger who celebrated the wedding Mass talked about L-O-V-E vs. L-U-V. LOVE is a self-sacrificing action which extends out to society. LUV is the world's concept of romance in which the couple, as Father said, lives in a cottage by the sea, wrapped up in each other without living their vocation in the world which needs their love in action. These words have stayed with me over the years and reminded me that marriage creates a family, a little domestic church, which can't thrive and grow if it does not go out of itself into the community.

Thinking about that day reminds me again that a wedding isn't about just those two people. Our families were instrumental in not only the wedding preparations, but our preparation as future husband and wife. Two different families were united and our little family started. My mom, dad and sisters took care of so much for me in Florissant, since I was living in Virginia, and they were in town from Australia. My brother traveled from Colorado where he was living at the time to be in the wedding. John's mom made Miriam's flower girl dress (it was beautiful) and his dad wrote an awesome story for the paper (where he's an editor) about our engagement and wedding. His brothers and sisters were in the wedding as well as our nephew, Andrew, who at 3 years old was a very entertaining ring bearer. Christina got him prepared and made a beautiful ring pillow for him to hold. Christina also organized a long distance Pampered Chef catalog bridal shower.

The more I thought about this day and the many people who were involved and did so much work, and the many friends who got on planes to get to a cold St. Louis where we were nervous about the weather holding out, the more I realized how blessed we are, how much love in action there was, how much grace showered us. So, for us as a newlywed couple to 'live in a cottage by the sea' would be a rejection of the love shown us by so many.

These 9 years of married life have been beautiful, difficult at times, a chance to grow in virtue and love someone as we have never loved before. John is the kind of husband I want my future daughters (God willing) and nieces to meet and marry. I love you, John. God bless you always.

God knows why

This evening, Rob Susil passed away. He is at peace, God willing, and helping his dear wife, Gwyneth, through mind-numbing sorrow. I cannot imagine losing my husband so young. God only knows why good people are taken so young with growing families.

God rest the soul of Robert, and give His strength and comfort to Gwyneth and little William. Words fail me to express my condolences to them. Love and prayers surround you and lift you up.

Prayers, please.

Most of the people who read this blog already received an email from me or saw my FB post about the husband of a woman John and I went to college with. Gwyneth Weigel Susil has been updating her husband's blog which has chronicled his 2 year battle with a rare cancer. He's now in the hospital in very serious condition. So many people are praying for him, Gwyneth and their young son, William. Would you please pass this on to others for more prayers to storm Heaven? God bless Rob.