Pleasant Hill Picketts - Day Two

The big activity Saturday was the assembly of an adjustable basketball goal.  This was not some wimpy version for a little kid but a full scale one, adjustable from 7 feet to a regulation 10. The base is anchored with 300 pounds of water.  It took us most of the day to complete it and by "us" I mean Sean, Sam and yours truly.  Marilyn provided some photography, occasional advice, and mostly reading her novel in the sun.. Oh, yes, and it was hot...very hot.

Actually the very first activity was a game of Ticket to Ride with Sam.  It is fairly complicated game of strategy on board that looks like a power grid of the United States--that last bit of observation from Sean.  The first one to 100 points wins which Sam did 100 to 98.  I almost caught him!

After Julie left for some Saturday work in the office, the guys began the assembly of the goal.  It took four hours plus a lunch break.  There were the inevitable reassembly of steps once it was recognized that something had been installed backwards.  This apparently is a Pickett trait--at least a Bill Pickett one--since every piece of furniture or device that I have ever assembled has been at least 120 percent assembled due to some necessary rework.  Finally however it was completed.  It was too hot and everyone was too tried to try it out right away so that is left to another day.  Perhaps Sunday before we leave.

We went to 5:00 Mass at Christ the King Parish and heard a remarkable homily by one of the priests who does weekly supply on the weekends.  He preached the raising of the widow's son as a way of accessing the plight of women in the time of Jesus and then went on to say that things really haven't changed all that much.  After detailing the many abuses and injustices of women throughout the rest of the world today, he painted a similar picture of the situation in the United States where we think everything is just fine.  He received a spontaneous round of applause when he noted the fact that "the old boys club" still reigns supreme in most areas of life including the Roman church where women religious who care for the sick, homeless, and marginalized are being investigated by the male bishops most of whom have never been in a homeless shelter or ministered to the homeless and marginalized.  That was the trigger for the applause which was repeated when he had finished.

After a delicious dinner from Three Brothers from China restaurant, I finished the tub of Ben & Jerry's American Dream, watched another episode of The Walking Dead, and went to bed.  Tomorrow is a big day for Sam and his promotion to the next rank in Cub Scouts.

Click here to view photos in the updated album.