Talk went well tonight in Milwaukee – many thanks to the great Archdiocesan staff who publicized and coordinated things – thanks that I’m sure I’ll be repeating tomorrow. MANY thanks to the very patient staff to whom Joseph attached himself like a leech. We remember, ruefully, the days when he was almost morbidly shy. Now he bounds through the stands in the school gym where I was giving my talk, totally unbidden, handing out Loyola Classics bookmarks to any and all.

Most amazing moment of the evening – I was standing in the lobby beforehand. A woman approached me and asked, "Amy, do you remember me?" Of course I did, although it had been several years (I’d say 9 or so) – it was Valerie, who had given piano lessons to Christopher and David when we lived in Lakeland. She has connections in the area, was up visiting, had seen the notice of the talk, and come to say hello. I was so glad to see her – she is a lovely woman who had great patience with those boys. I still hang the Christmas ornaments she made for them on the tree, and I told her of how when David was home a couple of weeks ago and fiddling around on the piano, I looked at his long fingers, and just sighed. If only he’d kept it up…Ah, well.

Also seen and heard:

Terrence Berres of The Provincial Emails – who has a most valuable recent series of postings on his parish mission trip to an orphanage in Guatemala.

Husband-and-wife bloggers Amy Pawlak and David Pawlak who seem like really great people, as if you couldn’t tell that from their blogs!

Tomorrow: Joseph Comes to the Archbishop, hopefully not shoving a bookmark in his face and saying "Do you want one?" Dash down to Chicago, sign books and GO HOME.