Flown

Durwood drove Aunt B to the Milwaukee airport leaving at the crack of still dark this morning and we delivered DD to the local airport a couple hours ago to catch her flight, so all our company has flown. I meant to take today off and just unlax but I found it impossible not to think about what I need to do, make a phone call or two, shout at TW on the phone (brothers), and shuffle through bags. We did get most of the thank yous written yesterday, I got some stamps today, so I'll drop them in the mail later. Huh, clouds just slid over the sun so instead of a bright fall day it's now a gloomy fall day. Hurrah.

October 27--Jean Bourdichon, The Annunciation, from a Book of Hours. The angel of the Lord declared unto Mary and she conceived of the Holy Ghost. Those words, in my grandma Frieda's voice, pop into my head when I look at today's painting. Mary looks devout but kind of suspicious. The angel has its arms crossed as if it is making a point and tolerating no discussion. I wonder what was said. "Hi, you're Mary, right?" "Who wants to know?" "I'm an angel of the Lord and I'm here..." "An angel... of the Lord. Which Lord is that? Lord Herod? Lord Pontius Pilate? Or are you with one of the tribes out in the desert? Buzz off." "No, no, I'm not from some earthly lord, I'm from the Lord God in Heaven" points up "and He sent me to tell you..." "God? You mean Jahweh? You're trying to tell me that you've come from Heaven with a message for me? Right. You sure are cleaner than anybody around here but I don't believe that you're an angel from Heaven." "Yeah, well get used to it. God said to tell you that He's sending the Holy Spirit to you and you're going to have a baby who will grow up to be the Savior." "A baby? No way. Get away from me, demon. Mom! Dad!"

And what did her parents say when she turned up pregnant? Oh sure they totally believed that their pure little teenager daughter was pregnant with the Holy Spirit. I'd have believed my daughter on the first telling. Totally. Yeah, right.
--Barbara