WHAT A LONG STRANGE TRIP IT'S BEEN~

The weather's been unseasonably cold lately. Yesterday it was raining in the morning, as it had been for a few days before. Now the rain's gone but it's as cold as it usually is at the beginning of autumn. Today marks the fourth anniversary of my big move to Pa. In all that time I've grown accustomed to all the innate oddities that characterize this particular neck of the woods. Because I have kin from here I've always known about the distinct fruitiness that only exists here. By now I've gotten to know all sorts of local yokels whom I could never have otherwise gotten to know. I've always been subjected to the accent anyway so that's no big deal. Every day, except for most Sundays, I go to Uncle Frankie's right after 8:00 Mass, to make sure he gets the Citizen's Voice. The only catch is that I can't handle all the junk food. I've been getting terribly overweight lately. Yesterday I made sure I mailed out the forty dollars for my trip to Middletown in a couple of weeks. It's for the Carmelites' Marian day of recollection. Tonight, assuming there's no change of plans, I shall be going to the meeting at O.L. Mt. Carmel in Pittston. The Scranton Diocese now has a new bishop. Msgr. Joseph Bambera's first day in charge was this past Monday.