How about that, Josaphat! Holy Hill granted minor basilica status by pope Exciting news via the Milwaukee Journal (or whatever it calls itself now): Pope Benedict XVI has granted minor basilica status to the historic national shrine at Holy Hill in Washington County, making it likely that even more visitors and pilgrims will flock to the site atop the highest peak in southeastern Wisconsin for prayer and scenic vistas. An estimated 200,000 to 300,000 people travel there each year…The Catholic Church's four major basilicas are in Rome. There are nearly 60 minor basilicas in the United States, including The Basilica of St. Josaphat on Milwaukee's south side. And "Monkey spotted in Pewaukee woman's yard." Oh, how I miss Wisconsin.

I am aware
that there are ominous problems throughout the world. But what are they in comparison to the trouble in Lake Forest? That’s trouble with a capital T, which rhymes with P and that stand for belching pot-bellied pigs.

(PSST – Don’t tell the petition signers that just minutes away there can be found some beautiful free range chickens. And don’t tell my children that their accommodations are less deluxe than that of said porkers.)

April Come She Will
or
Shakespeare Month was three months ago!
The hope of receiving the Shakespeare Pop-Up Globe Theatre book has been crushed again. Back-order, re-order, back-order, resubmit… I noticed a charge to The Metropolitan Museum of Art pending on my debit card and became giddy with anticipation. Today I notice the charge has been removed, so I am anticipating another back-order e-mail etc. At this point we are in it for the long haul and I will consider it as material for next year’s Shakespeare month. I know I could get it elsewhere, but The Met offered it to me at half-price and I ordered that inflatable mummy to justify the shipping charges. I want my half-price Shakespeare Pop-Up book!

Here is an example of why, in a discussion of which fictional character do I most identify with, I said Ragtime’s Coalhouse Walker Jr. (Not that I’m planning on blowing up a library or anything.) But, I WANT MY HALF-PRICE BOOK. I could have had it for 3 dollars more than the Met’s half-price, with free shipping, if I had just added it to an Amazon order the other day. But the point is, The Met offered me a half-price book…
And they will get it to me by April. If not ’06, then ’07 or ’08. Whatever.