The large senior population was joined by teachers and students of the parish school, who took up about three-quarters of the pews. They filed in, row after orderly row. The youngest kids were matched up with older ones in the front of the church, a very well behaved crew dressed in khaki and plaid, with three colors (green, gold, navy) of regulation polo shirt. The colors didn't seem to be "coded", as distribution among the classes looked random.
Everything moved along quite quickly, and the homilist targeted his homily to the school crowd. I love the Ash Wednesday readings and the music was penitential in theme, but musically energetic. The deacon who pressed the ashes on my forehead did so with a little restraint, and they were covered by my bangs. Bob did not fare so well. The entire center of his forehead was covered with a greasy blob of black. We were encouraged to leave the ashes on all day, but we're now sitting on the deck, ashless and perhaps somewhat subdued. It's early yet.
