15 March 2018
As spring approaches (20 March 18) the Purple Martins are busy nesting in the newly raised pods. It is fascinating to watch them swoop and dive across the blues skies of Texas. They fly back from Brazil in the early spring and then return in the fall.
12 June 2017 Well another day in Paradise?!?! I have sold my 2007 Mustang convertible to my brother Al and it will ship out today. I also received a call that my Honda Crosstour will ship from Houston either today or tomorrow. I have had the Mustang since 2010 and will miss it, but it is time to move on. It is a great sporty car, and lives up to it’s name with the 5 speed tranny and 4.0ltr engine. I have not had the top down since I left Georgia in 2015, so I am sure it will get a workout in it’s new home in Santa Fe, NM. YOU ARE A RARE PONY AND I WILL MISS YOU! 11 June 2017 (BACK ONLINE) After a long hiatus I am again among the living! Much has happened since my last post, so I will not only update the “Adventures”, but the site layout will also change to make it more user friendly. (N.B. I am still learning the details of this software and will be adding new elements over the next months.) 03 December 2016 Well I am back after making my move to BSW. I am slowly putting things together at my cottage (pizza hut) getting rid of boxes and some old junk… “a lot of water under the bridge” since may last post. The house situation is still not resolved, and may not be saleable, and I may take legal action against the seller. I have contacted the insurance company and also am trying to find a real estate lawyer. Only time will tell what happens…at present the house is a “white elephant”! We cannot live our lives every day without learning something. The one thing that keeps me going is the fascination of the world around me. I like to do a lot of research and try to get a handle on the complexities of living life in the 21st century. I have learned some extremely hard lessons within the last few months, but as the old adage says “it is what it is”. We, as human beings can not turn back the clocks, so we have to trudge ahead and look for new horizons. Perhaps this realization has something to do with wisdom and the ability to embrace our failures and triumphs. 05 September 2016 Still in the process of moving and selling the house. I am now living at Blue Skies West and slowly unpacking. The good thing is that I am downsizing a lot and even though the move is a real pain, it is what I need to do. The house will go on the market on 12 September, so from there it is out of my hands…Kathy and John will take the lead. 12 August 2016 I have been getting ready for the move and have also been getting the house ready for sale. A lot of details which drive me batty, but they need to be done…I am prone to wait until the last moment to start packing, but maybe this weekend I will get some of it done. The coverage of the olympics is underwhelming to say the least…I just get bits and pieces of the coverage, but find the whole venue a bit disconcerting. If the media is truthful and balanced it is a cespool there…not a good environment of young people of the world. Anyway, I will be redoing my blog page in the near future, so if the site changes it is intentional and part of the plan. I am still figuring out the intricacies of the software and need to do a lot of research to get what I want. I setup a website in 2005 ( FrianFriar.com) which is now history, but a lot has changed since that time. Peace and blessings and have a great weekend! 19 July 2016 Just watched some of the Republican Convention and turned off the TV as it was too much drama for me. Sometimes I think it would be easier, more fun, and bloodier (if that is possible) if the two final candidates challenged each other to a dual…the winner would be the president. 17 July 2016 MORE POLICE OFFICERS KILLED IN BATON ROUGE, LA…ANOTHER ISIS INSPIRED ATTACK IN NICE FRANCE! Two things that are driving the train: 1. The sale of semi automatic weapons re. AK47 and 2. The rise of militant Islam in our world. Yet again our totally benign, ineffective president will get up to mouth useless platitudes! Again, this congress is so corrupt that it puts the lives of the good people of this country ahead of their greedy money culture. We need to ban all AK47 weapons to individuals…they only need be used by our military, and police departments. As I said before it does not take a genius to figure out that if these weapons are available, then they will be used! I personally think that no Muslim should be allowed to enter this country until we get our immigration policies in order. I personally am not sure that Muslims can be integrated into the fabric of our country. Our president and congress are so influenced by public opinion, or not, that they have no view of our future country. Why do these people want to come to America? I figure that if we follow Obama’s dictates and let an additional 60,000 Muslims into our country, it will cost the tax payers 1+ billion dollars in the short term and billions more in the long term. What have they as a people done to help build and support our country?…NOTHING…but destruction. If we are bound and determined to help them, then send them back to their native countries and waste the money there. 12 July 2016 We have an orator for president…fine words, but no follow-up…no substance…we now need a warrior and a shit-kicker…we need someone to stir the pot and put a fire under the posteriors of our “useless” congress. After years in the military system, I have become brutally honest. Many people are threatened by my approach, but if we as children of a loving God, are not here on earth make things better and become teachers of all that is good, then our lives have been a waste! Much of our leadership in this country is self-serving, dishonest, corrupt, and only motivated by money. Why is this country any different than ancient Rome, ancient Greece, Pre-war Germany and many of the great powers that have lived and died on Earth? We need to get our “ducks” in line use our brains, intelligence, and vast resources to build a better world or we will undoubtedly follow in their footsteps. 11 July 2016 This weekend during my homilies at Mission San Jose I particularly homed in on one problem that plagues our society. A good majority of the atrocities committed in America today are perpetrated by 20 somethings. It seems to me that there’s a disconnect between these individuals and society. In my opinion the blame falls not only to their parents, if they even know who they are, and the communities in which they live. To clean up the problems in this country we need to start with the smallest children. Again, one of the fundamental problems stems from the fact of the “political correctness”. Parents need to be the “first teachers” of our children, which seems to be non-existent in many sectors of our society. Another fundamental question is: if parents are not taught the values that underlie a moral, supportive, and loving society, how can they teach their children? Today school teachers are essentially prohibited to discipline an unruly child. In a very real sense they are expected to be surrogate parents, but have no power or support, so there is no discipline or values taught to the child. The parents are to ones who need to be disciplines, not the children. For many of these children no one takes the time to talk with them, to love them and to take an interest in them. Many of these kids eventually become “throw-away” kids. Where are the parents? Where do the bedrock values come from that helps their children to become productive members of our society? Another pet peeve of mine is what I call the “Apple” generation. There is little or no communication between family members, except through the use of cell phones. Some families do not take the time to sit down and talk, or really discover who each of them is. At some level I think many parents are afraid to talk to their children. If parents cannot communicate at this basic level, how can they pass on any positive values, even if they themselves know the core values, which is questionable. 8 July 2016 TODAY… ANOTHER TRAGEDY THAT INVOLVES HIGH-POWERED GUNS…WILL THIS COUNTRY EVER LEARN! Again we can in large part point at the ineptitude, the pomposity, and the arrogance of our congress. They spent 4+ hours yesterday wasting the tax payers’ money…if I had the power I would fire every last one of them…who was it that said ” Hell is paved with the lives of Congressional leaders”. They are placing politics ahead of the welfare of our great country. 7 July 2016 Returned from Santa Fe and will now have to put my head around my impending move to Blue Skies West. It was good to spend some time with Al and Mary …they were gracious and wonderful hosts as usual. I also was aware of the altitude difference from home to their residence on the foot hills…it takes a bit of time to get acclimated. Thanks guys for your hospitality and a great stay! Just watching the Congress grill the FBI director re. The Benghazi/Clinton situation. It would be nice if they learned to deal with some substantive issues that affect the welfare and day-to-day struggles of the people of this country. They don’t seem to ever learn, and as the old saying goes “they keep beating a dead horse”. 19 June 2016…FATHER’S DAY I have been blessed when it comes to the men who have shaped my life. Among them is my father who was a good, loving, smart, self-effacing, simple, complex and fascinating man. I am not sure what drove his life story or the decisions that made him who he was, but he did something right that made the world a better place. “Curly” Bendorf left his mark on our world. Even today many years after his death, younger people in Trenton Illinois remember his name. They may or may not have personally known him, but what they have to say is always positive. Men like my father leave a powerful legacy and one that has impacted the history and time in which he lived. 18 June 2016 I was just thinking about the fallout from the Orlando massacre. I am not gay and don’t support the gay lifestyle. Furthermore, I feel that despite all the anti-gay sentiment in our world today, I feel it is important to love all human beings no matter what their sexual orientation. If you study history, the gay lifestyle has always been with us. Today with the advent of Facebook and other high profile media, it is just more visible. The problem in today’s society is not with those who are gay, but with popular perceptions. If individuals want to live the Gay lifestyle, then leave them alone! They hurt no one! More to follow on this section… The Following article from The National Catholic Register is timely and thought provoking: http://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/coming-to-terms-with-orlando/ 16 June 2016 Same-ol-same-ol…looking at the coverage of the Orlando massacre opens the door to another round of political finger pointing. I would expect that the writers of the 1791 Bill of Rights did not envision their amendment including AR15 type assault weapons. It is just inconceivable that our governing body in our country cannot or will not figure a way to control the acquisition and control of these high powered weapons. In the history of warfare not nearly as much damage was done in some battles, as was done in the matter of minutes, by one lone shooter, in the Orlando shooting. There seem to be several factors that are driving the inability of this country to control gun violence. One, the NRA, one of the most influential and powerful lobby groups in the history of this country, derives its power through fear, money and power. Many Americans are fearful that they will lose their 2nd amendment rights, or at least have them curtailed. Two, Congress is on the take! Many of the congressional campaigns are buoyed up by the massive donations of the gun enthusiasts and lobbyists. Three, the “gun culture” in this country is an aberration of the original intent of the bill of rights. It is one thing to own a gun for recreational use i.e. target practice, or to hunt for survival. But, there is no sense or need to have an assault weapon that was only originally designed for war. The day of the rugged individualist who roamed the prairies of this country to live off the land is long gone. We now live in a different place, and a different time. I think we as a society do eventually learn, but at what cost? How many more Orlando, or Paris, or Sandy Hook debacles will we have to endure before we wake up? As my ole’ grandfather uses to say “you can bet your bippy” that the next gun-related massacre is not too far away! Addendum: I just thought I would watch one of my old favorite movies “Breakfast At Tiffany’s”. I did not know that the movie was based on the original novel by Truman Capote. It stars some of the most iconic and loved actors of the last century…audrey Hepburn, Mickey Rooney, George Peppard, Buddy Epson and many others who made cinema in the last century unforgettable and perhaps a rare find in the annals of cinematography. The music and theme song, “Moon River”, was composed by Henry Mancini with lyrics by Johnny Mercer…was a genius of collaboration. Audrey Hepburn is one of my favorite actresses of all time and is breathtaking in her role as Holly Golightly…BRAVO! 12 June 2016 I just came across a website, http://storyofstuff.org/, that is very interesting. I have used the word “stuff” for years and find it is a category where I can put all kind of things that either don’t fit anywhere else, or still under my consideration for a permanent home…I think you will also find it fascinating. 11 June 2016 I have been involved in other projects for the last week or so. I am still trying to get this blog site set up the way I want it…it is a whole new world of tech and for me it is essentially learning a new language…will keep you posted! 4 June 2016 I just remembered something that a wise person mentioned to me many years ago “Our greatest sin is to not affirm another person”…even the smallest gesture, the simplest word, or the slightest nod can make a profound impact on someone who is having a difficult day. It costs nothing, but the result can be monumental. Pax Et Bonum! 30 May 2016 The bible is a story of the people of God and their journey to find salvation. It is not a narrative that is cast in stone, but continues to be written as we live our lives. When I contemplate our celebrations of Memorial Day and try to put my head around the cost of war it becomes all too plain that the chance of war ending is not a reality. Our actions in these times are being written and will hopefully inform future generations. Our story is scriptural and must be used as an ongoing guide to build a better world. If a human being is born and does not contribute to the good of humanity, then it is a waste of a life. I mention this because of the carnage of war and now see the desecration of our memorials to the dead who have fought to make our world better. Is there any redemption for those who only destroy? I was born in 1943 and do not remember when we were not at war or picking up the pieces. I do not look fondly on our upcoming generations and the specter of reliving the past. George Santayana’s words echo still even today…”those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it”!
30 May 2016 Addendum: What follows is dedicated to my father Richard W. “Curly” Bendorf and all who have served our country over the decades.
A Veteran stood looking
His eyes were searching
Searching the far vista
He looked with blind eyes
The stare of a thousand battles
He did not have to see
The picture was burned
Into his very being
He could never forget
The sounds were muffled
But were always there
Many were the lives
That fought over generations
Too many to count
Did they really make a difference
Each man woman and child
Touched by the hollow echo
Of war
Could never retreat
The past was only a memory
Gone
The present is now
The future is all we have
Will we never put down
Our arms to embrace
One another
To bury our differences
What will the future bode
Perhaps only the Veteran
Can know
Because he was there
(Rich Bendorf, 30 May 2016)
29 May 2016 I think about those who have gone before me and blazed a trail that unites all of us who have served and have tried our best to make the world a better place. This Memorial Day I vow to never forget! My family members both blood and adopted have been examples to me of what it means to fight for world peace. All of us who have lived our lives for something greater, something memorable, something worthy…let us all never forget. I salute all military men and women who have stood shoulder to shoulder and stepped forward to offer the most that they could, their lives, to make a mark in history that will never be erased. My fervent prayer is that the world will never forget, and somehow those of us who have fought for freedom will not have fought in vain. We have fought the good fight and our echoes will be heard for all time beckoning future generations to stand up for what is right, what is good, and what will never be erased in all of history. Pax Et Bonum! 28 May 2016 Just got a call from Jay Weber and had many enjoyable talks with the remaining members of the class of 61’…no that is not 1861…come on, I am not that old! Anyway it brought back old times in Ashland, IL. I am in awe of the great things that my classmates have accomplished over the years. Those were the years before the cell phone and internet and I still remember the dances at Yatesville school house and the “sock hops” with the Hi-Tones…most of you don’t think I remember, but guess what?…I do! During those years we actually listened to the teachers, albeit, I was off in my own world…especially in Geometry. I also pray for the members of our class who have passed on. I especially remember when Sue Ann Doolin and I went into the principals office to explain why we did not want the school board at our senior prom…not sure if we won that one, but anyway we survived and graduated. We were so blessed to grow up in a small rural Illinois town. Somehow I think much of that purity and innocence has been lost. More to come… 25 May 2016 While I am in the venting mode I want to share my experience with the Chaplaincy of the U.S. Army. Don’t get me wrong, most of my commanders, have been great and I have enjoyed serving with them. On Active Duty, in the National Guard and in the Reserves the command staffs have been a pleasure to work with. These are the men and women who are real heroes and many of them I will never forget. Thanks for a great job! When I entered the Chaplaincy a large percentage of the command and installations chaplain positions were filled with Catholic Priests. I learned a great deal from them and appreciate the guidance that I was given by Jack Kaising (late Bp. Kaising), Richard Minch, Sam Boone (protestant), Mike Chileen, Norman Orr (protestant) and many others. Without their tutelage I could not have served in the many and varied capacities that I did. I was commissioned in 1988 into the U.S. Army reserves. I served much of the Quincy, IL area as well as traveled into Missouri to cover many of the units that did not have a Catholic priest. After moving to Memphis to study Clinical Pastoral Education with Charlie Hart, OFM, I left the reserve unit there in 1990 and entered Active Duty. At that time I was 47 years old and had to sign a disclaimer that I might not be eligible to retire. Even though I did sign the document I believe that it was based on age discrimination! I was assigned to a Mechanized Infantry unit at Fort Polk, Louisiana. I fondly look back at my time there and had a lot of fun running around in the mud, driving M113s and serving with the great men and women of the 4th/6th. LTC Jim Reed was the commander. I always remember our pastoral talks in his office. He was a fine commander and had an equally great staff. During my time at Polk I volunteered to replace the priest at Doha in Kuwait. (TO BE CONTINUED) *** this is just a aside…I have also been thinking about the amount of money this country spends on incarcerating criminals. The latest statistics I could find for a Federal prison was about $30,000 per year. I think we need to bring back the idea of “hard labor” for those incarcerated…let them pay for their room-and-board. There are about 45 million families that live on or near the poverty line with an annual income of roughly $23,850. It does not take a PHD in physics to figure out that something is wrong here. These individuals that are incarcerated are given much better living conditions and amenities than many of our families in America. They have better living conditions, better meals, cell phones, access to the judicial system and much more. Just what is wrong here? Many of these people and families living hand-to-mouth are military families and disenfranchised homeless military. Congress and our political members who are living a life of luxury should, at least, be fired and need to be held accountable. 24 May 2016 I need to vent today after watching Morning Joe. The situation with the VA Secretary, Bob McDonald, and his “politically correct” assessment of the VA mess is a disgrace not only for him, but for the Obama administration. I have been in a number of VA hospitals and the problem is with the administration and the stupid and totally useless congress! The country is now allocating a billion plus dollars to fight the Zika virus. I know that this needs to be done and is a high priority for pregnant women, but how much has been allocated to fix and update the VA system? This guy McDonald should have to wait in the lines at the VA centers, or try to get an appointment with a counselor. He has no clue and should be fired. As a vet with PTSD, SAD and depression, and I voted for Obama, I will welcome Trump, even though he is crass, crude and a shit stirrer! I am reminded of an old saying, I am not sure of the origin, “Nero fiddled while Rome burned”! If we as a society are afraid to stand up for our rights and are throttled by the odious idea of “political correctness”, then perhaps we will suffer the same fate as ancient Rome. 23 May 2016 Just contacted the new facility for a possible move-in date. The logistics of moving seem overpowering. I am very good at planning, but am not the best person when it comes to implementing the plan. Although this move is not all that complicated and involved I would rather have someone else in charge. Knowing that is impossible I need to start putting the pieces into the puzzle. Sometime I think it would be nice to just go to sleep and wake up and voila! it is done! I am getting to the place in life that I want to dig in, drop anchor and pursue my artistic calling. Woodworking, painting, and maybe photography all interest me, but perhaps something else will pop up that is even more tantalizing…only time will tell. 14 May 2016 I have lived in about 50 different places in my lifetime. As my grandmother Emily would say, “it is the wanderlust”…perhaps, the inability to put down roots or just the call of the next horizon for the adventurer. For me the challenge lies in the journey, the awesomeness of the world and the fleeting beauty of new vistas…memories that I can only hold onto in my passing thoughts and dreams. I often wonder what it would be like to live in the same place all of your life…how it would be to know your town, your neighbors, your space, and experience the “ordinariness” of everyday life, the feeling of comfort, the feeling of belonging, the question of what is over that far horizon. I am about to make another move after being here for a little over a year. I am moving to a gated, military retirement complex in the Hill Country of Texas west of San Antonio. At this point in my life I need more time for reading, writing, research, watching old movies, and just pondering the mysteries of the universe. I live in a fast-paced world…the rat race of everyday living. Since experiencing the uncertainties of Afghanistan and 911 I have become hyper-vigilant, more guarded, and am being pulled to the periphery of life in the 21st century…I need a more secure and perhaps, a more ordered world to settle into…in scientific jargon, I need “paradigm shift”. 11 May 2016 Just got of the phone with my sister Lydia in Evans Ga to catch up with the latest intel from the old group there. Hello to Ed, hope he is keeping up with the yard work there…especially the hummingbirds. I need to go to Trader Joe today to top off my wine supply, so will toast you guys with a new vintage. Also please send my regards to the K of C families and the St. Michael’s parishioners…on my way so will update this later. 9 May 2016 I was just thinking about the upcoming Memorial Day and wanted to honor all those who served our country honorably. I especially wanted to honor those who I have known and loved: My father Richard W “Curly” Bendorf, my uncles Wally Tragesser, Joseph Tragesser, My Brothers Bob Bendorf, Allan Bendorf and any other family members that I may have forgotten. Also I have many friends that have served and especially a young man, Randy Monighan who died many years ago in Vietnam. These are only a few of the many brave men and women who have personally impacted my life. If there are any others that I need to mention, please let me know.