ROME 23/05 – Day 31: Last full day and an “If only…”.

In the Novus Ordo calendar it is the Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary whereupon the sun rose at 0536 and will set at 2040.

The Ave Maria Bells is still fixed at 21 for a while longer.

It is Ember Wednesday in the Octave of Pentecost. I have something more about that in another post today.

In these last days in Rome, I’ve been saying Mass for my benefactors of the Roman Sojourn.

On a “benefactor” note, I write email thank you’s each day, but some of them get kicked back as “undeliverable”.  If you are a regular donor and you haven’t gotten a note from me, please please please let me know.  HERE  Even more importantly, if you would like to be a donor, let me know!   That sort of email is always welcome.

A lovely sight in church after Mass on this Ember Day.

Which of these breakfast pairings is mine?  And why?

The elevator where I live is one of those that has the pair of inner doors and an outer door. If someone leaves one of then a little ajar – they must be closed manually and completely – the elevator is your pair of shoes and your pairs of legs and lungs.

When I move in an out of the elevator I am mindful never to be holding something important, like my phone or my keys. It would be exactly my luck that, were one of them to fall, it would go exactly into the gap. Mind the gap.

Use FATHERZ10 at checkout

“Yes, yes, Father, that’s all well and good.  Where’s the CHESS NEWS?!?”

In Norway, Fabiano Caruana beat (#1) Magnus Carlsen and Gukesh D beat (#2) Alireza Firouzja Round 1, the classical portion, and they lead the tournament with 3 points each. My guy Wesley So (Go Wesley!) beat Hikaru Nakamura in an “armageddon” to gain 1.5. Norway Chess continues on Wednesday 31 May 11:00 EDT and 17:00 CET.

The last part of Wesley’s and Hikaru’s game was fun. As the player got squeezed by the clock, things got pretty hairy. We start here with about a minute on the clock. Watch what happens.

Give CHESS as a gift. Maybe even for Father’s Day. In the OTB group I belong to when not in Rome there are a number of men and women who well after retirement have learned to play. They get beaten a lot but they are having fun, getting out of the house and interacting with people their own age and younger. It’s win and win. Chess as a beginner is not just for the young! As I mentioned, one lady in her 70’s comes regularly and gets beaten but she has fun and she is getting better.

GIVE CHESS INTER-GENERATIONALLY.

And “NO! You are NOT too old!” I’m getting back into it. It was on my bucket list … to which I was rather forced somewhat early. Chess is hard, but it’s fun and it is keeping my head nimble. There’s a lot to that.  Chess fun… well… I was playing blitz against a bot yesterday and made a blunder so stupid I almost hurled my mouse through the window. But… never mind.  Chess is fun!

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White to move and mate in 2.  Not easy.

NB: I’ll hold comments with solutions ’till the next day so there won’t be “spoilers” for others.

Priestly chess players, drop me a line. HERE It would be fun to have a small league.

Your use of my Amazon affiliate link is a major part of my income. It helps to pay for insurance, groceries, everything. Please remember me when shopping online. Thanks in advance.  US HERE – UK HERE

Finally… the “If only” moment.

Yes, OF COURSE I want to stay in Rome longer, but would that this were real. I think I would stand in a line.

About Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

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3 Comments

  1. Gregg the Obscure says:

    i still remember when my late wife – before we were married – dropped her keys while exiting an elevator in 1989. it took a few days for them to be recovered. to her credit, she never repeated that mistake.

  2. Dad of Six says:

    “Which of these breakfast pairings is mine? And why?”

    The ‘Pop Tart’ on the left. Because apples remind you of home.

    I wish Kellogg’s had pop tarts like that!

  3. JustaSinner says:

    Tossed my keys into a post box with mail while in college. Called the Post Office and a courier arrived within a half hour—two blocks across the river, so very close.
    Thanked the courier profusely and he had an odd observation. The amount of “weird” items tossed into mail boxes was staggering on a daily basis. He mentioned the top three items. All NSFTW…a big eeeww!

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