[Magdalen] Updates it is!

[Joseph Cirou]

-----Original Message-----
From: <magdalen at herberthouse.org>
Sent: Jan 9, 2025 5:32 PM
To: <magdalen at herberthouse.org>
Subject: Re: [Magdalen] Updates it is!

Nice to hear from you Jay! I love going to rock and mineral shows!

Marilyn (Owens, Palmero) Cepeda


On Thu, Jan 9, 2025 at 1:37 PM Jay Weigel wrote:

> I'm still here in the northern Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, to which I
> relocated in 2010 after an interesting career as a travel nurse following
> separation and divorce from my late ex, who died in 2013. I'm retired, but
> busy now as a volunteer for the Rockingham County SPCA. Normally I clean
> the stray cat jail every Tuesday and Friday morning. Currently I'm on
> hiatus as my foster kitten, Bridget, is suspected of having ringworm so I'm
> not allowed near healthy cats until her test gets back. Bridget is my third
> foster and a very easy baby, about 4 months old and a bundle of purrs and
> friskiness.
> I became a convert to the Orthodox faith in 2016, initially in an Old Rite
> Russian church. After the death of our priest in 2019 we were at loose ends
> and our congregation splintered in a number of different directions,
> partially depending on where we lived. I'm currently attending a Coptic
> Orthodox church but not wholly satisfied with it as I find the language
> barrier a bit difficult. However, it's the nearest one to me.
> I got married in 3019 but for complicated reasons didn't bother changing my
> name. My husband is still working full-time but works from home, mostly, as
> a computer systems architect. We also travel when we can, either as part of
> his work, as part of our side hustle (gem and jewelry shows). or sometimes
> just for fun. Looking forward to a trip to the Virgin Islands in March!
>
> On Wed, Jan 8, 2025 at 6:49 PM Marilyn Cepeda
> wrote:
>
> > Retirement is wonderful! I am totally in favor of enjoying retirement!
> I
> > am so glad that we did the travel we did while we were healthy and
> > physically able to do it! Congrats!
> >
> > Marilyn (Owens, Palmero) Cepeda
> >
> >
> > On Wed, Jan 8, 2025 at 5:19 PM Suzie Buchanan
> > wrote:
> >
> > > As someone who has also missed this list, and who is getting more leary
> > of
> > > Facebook by the day . . .
> > >
> > > My husband Rick and I live in the foothills of western North Carolina,
> > > where he is retired (first from the Navy, and then as IT staff of Union
> > > Presbyterian Seminary in Richmond and then in Charlotte NC) and I
> > continue
> > > to work. I'm in my 8th year as the Rector of St. James in Lenoir, and
> > have
> > > loved every minute in this parish. It's not large, but it is healthy
> and
> > > kind and known around the community as "you're that church that helps
> > > people!" There is a breadth of spiritual journeys and people are gentle
> > > with each other's faith. But I'm also now past the 30 year mark in
> > > ordained ministry (thus eligible for full retirement) and am pondering
> > it.
> > > My ideal might be to spend a few years in part-time ministry so I can
> > also
> > > spend a little more time with Rick before we get much older. Our Canon
> > to
> > > the Ordinary has talked with me about one part-time spot open that
> > actually
> > > might be a fit, so I am beginning to explore that as a real option.
> > >
> > > Hurricane Helene spared us the worst here in our area - we got a lot of
> > > wind and rain, (and about a week or so without power) but none of the
> > life
> > > altering flooding that hit so much of the more western mountain area.
> > But
> > > it has been hard as a diocese and we continue the work of recovery.
> I'm
> > on
> > > the Standing Committee and there has been a need for a lot of
> flexibility
> > > in diocesan plans and where/how we spend money. There has been a
> > > remarkable influx of donations, however, from other places and the
> > diocese
> > > has been able to respond in creative and very helpful ways. I found
> > myself
> > > the hub of donations of handmade quilts (don't ask about the single
> > > facebook post I put out, that went viral!). I've been able to
> distribute
> > > about 400 quilts already to hurricane victims and still have about 100
> > more
> > > on hand to get out the door. That's not counting the overflow of
> > baby/crib
> > > quilts. Seems like many many people wanted to donate those, but there
> > > really wasn't as much need for them as for bed sized ones!
> > >
> > > My son and his wife and their two kids moved to Hawaii a number of
> years
> > > back, so I head out there once a year. Fortunately I'm able to do
> supply
> > > work for two weeks there which helps pay for the plane fare - and that
> > > church usually has a place for me to stay, and they now have a car for
> me
> > > to borrow. For those on the list from VA (Susan, Michael, Grace . . .
> > > others?) I supply for Dwight Brown there in Hawaii, who had spent so
> many
> > > years in Berryville just down the road from my first parish work in
> > > Winchester, lo so many years ago.
> > >
> > > My daughter is still in New Hampshire, so I also get up there once a
> > year.
> > > And my three step-kids are all in the Boston area.
> > >
> > > We're getting ready for our first snow here in three years. My prayers
> > are
> > > focused on our unhoused population here (we've been going around the
> last
> > > few days with lots of extra cold weather gear to hand out) and with
> > > everyone in the Los Angeles area. What devastation is occuring there
> > now!
> > > It is heartbreaking.
> > >
> > > Now - I need to start taking the Christmas tree down!
> > >
> > > blessings
> > > Suzie
> > >
> >
>