Possible good news

This isn't a done deal, but we have heard a rumor that we may be able to stay in  the condo until the end of June. I think it hangs on a conversation with the new owner, and the terms of rental he would offer.  This would take quite a burden off of Paul's shoulders and be easier for us as well. We could proceed with the moving process at a much more relaxed pace. We have our fingers crossed!

Nevertheless, this morning I (1) first made a trip to the Post Office to pick up mail and mail cards; and then (2) moved all the stuff out of our car and made a neat pile in the garage so that we could use the car to move stuff and (3) cleaned out the closet in our bedroom here at the condo so we could do what needs to be done to prepare it to be moved over to the house, and then move it. That was my little contribution to the process today. I also stayed here at the condo while everyone else was away so that someone would be here when the appraiser came. He was going to come sometime between 10:30am and 2:30pm, and it was felt someone should be here. He actually came at about 11:15am, and it turned out that I was helpful to him because he needed to ask someone a question I did not know the answer to and I was able to put him in contact with Jenny. If no one had been here, I think he would have had to come back at another time.

Then I went to the Library to do more file digitizing. It feels so good getting all this paper into a form that is just at my fingertips on the computer! Today I was digitizing papers from a course I taught at Southern Vermont College in 1983 titled Attitudes Toward War and Peace in American Religious Traditions. It was a very interesting course, if I do say so myself. As I recall, there were six-seven students.  Students read a basic text, Roland Bainton, Christian Attitudes Toward War and Peace: An Historical Survey and Critical Re-evaluation, which was supplemented by other readings, and the first half of the course we dealt with topics of (1) Old Testament Views; (2) New Testament Views; (3) Just War and Crusade; (4) Pacifism and Non-violence; (5) War and Peace in the Age of Nuclear Arms, Revolution and Violence. Then in the second half, this was amplified as we addressed the views of specific religious communities: Jewish, Roman Catholic, Lutheran, United Church of Christ, Unitarian, Society of Friends, Church of the Brethren, Community Bible Chapel (a local evangelical church), Ba'hai and Jehovah's Witnesses. I brought representatives of each of those communities into the classroom so that the students could hear and interact with actual persons taking a point of view. This made for a very lively course! A lot was going on back in 1983 -  the Vietnam War was still very fresh in people's memories and experience, there was a lot happening in the nuclear disarmament area, Roman Catholic Bishops had just come out with a comprehensive statement on war and peace (The Challenge of Peace, May 3, 1983), etc. There was actually more real ferment in the society over these issues then than there is today. I'm afraid 9/11 (and everything since) has made a huge difference in that regard. I can't help wonder what it would be like to offer this same course today.

I went home for lunch and now am at the Library again while Ellen takes Max to the local swimming pool at Star Valley Ranch. It is actually warm and sunny today, but the forecast is for temps in the 30's and SNOW on Fri-Sat. Ugh!