Super Bowl feasting leading up to the Ash Wednesday fast, a pre-Lenen check-in!

Hello ALL, how are you this Tuesday of the Fifth Week of Ordinary Time, also known as the day before Ash Wednesday? Anybody going to a Mardi Gras party? :) For my part, I actually went to daily Mass today, since it was being offered for Mike's grandma who recently passed away. It struck me that this was my last Mass prior to Lent, which makes it significant in multiple ways. I will talk about this more during Tea Time this week. In fact, I have LOTS to talk about during Tea Time this week, prepare yourselves for a full 15 minutes. There's a Zumba update, a Lenten resolutions update, and some amusing teaching adventures. Life is never dull for this librarian, to be sure.

Before we get started, I promised a link to my newest Catholic Mom piece, and it's up!

More Lent talk, indeed. But it's the season, yes? I would LOVE for you to head over there and leave me a comment with your Lenten ideas!

All right, so let's get into this past weekend. It was Super Bowl Sunday, and we had friends over for food, feasting and frivolity. I look forward to the Super Bowl every year, although I do think the event rather makes a mockery of a traditional football game. Why can't it just be on a Sunday afternoon and not include a spectacle of a halftime show? We never watch the halftime show anyway, so I really shouldn't complain. ;-) But the Super Bowl just has a strange vibe about it, and not in a good way. What I enjoy is having friends and family to watch it with. Good company and conversation, always.

At any rate, this is my pre-party get up:

Super comfortable Randy baseball tee by LuLaRoe. I kind of love this clothing company, have you heard of them? :0

...and we prepared lots of delicious chip and dip combinations, meatballs in the crock pot, and crab melts. Deliciousness. Our friends arrived, and we ate, drank, and were merry. I worked on my Downton Abbey mystery shawls, and although I'm still President of the Way Behind In The Craft-Along Club, I *am* making steady progress on both, and I'll post photos tomorrow.

It was a good day. A good weekend, in fact. And then this week started.

*groans*

I knew it was coming, but it hasn't been an easy week. Just super busy and crazy, and I can barely catch my breath. And my mom is having knee surgery today. Right now, in fact. Would you ever so kindly wing up a prayer for her?

So, I'm hanging in there. And to add insult to injury, I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to get ashes tomorrow. The morning Masses are out because I'm on 9 am reference duty and the ash distribution always takes a decent amount of time, so there was no way I'd make it in time. The lunchtime offerings are tough because I can't drive anywhere here in the middle of the day. Why, you reasonably ask? Well, because it would mean relinquishing my parking space, and if I do that, I might as well not bother coming back because there's no way I'll get another one unless I invent a spot on the grass, and that NEVER ends well. And I have plans to meet friends for dinner Wednesday evening that were set weeks ago (before I realized it was Ash Wednesday, oops. But vegetarian offerings on the menu). What is a nerdy ash-seeking Catholic girl to do? Well, happily the Newman Center here is offering ashes in the Student Union at noon, and I can walk to that, so whew! I just discovered that little gem yesterday, much to my great relief.

So I'll have my ashes tomorrow. And I believe they're holding a Mass as well, so shazam. Perfect. I'm looking forward to embarking on our Lenten journey, and I have tons of great stuff to update you all on in this regard on Thursday.

What are your plans for Ash Wednesday, dear reader? What time are you getting your ashes? I'd love to hear from you. :)