IAEA 59th General Conference Closing Session. Plenary, M-Building, Vienna, Austria. 18 September 2015.

Photo Credit: Dean Calma / IAEA

57th General Conference President, H.E. Mr. Xolisa Mfundiso Mabhongo of South Africa welcomes delegates and Member States at the opening of the first day of the 57th IAEA General Conference. M-Building, IAEA Headquarters, Vienna, Austria. 16 September 2013.

Photo Credit: Dean Calma / IAEA

Bilateral meeting between Ms. Marja Rislakki, State Secretary of the Ministry of Economic Affairs of Finland, and IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano at the IAEA 57th General Conference. IAEA, Vienna, Austria. 16 September 2013.

Photo Credit: Dean Calma / IAEA

Activists raise their hands in prayer following a silent march through the May 18 plenary session of the 2016 United Methodist General Conference in Portland, Ore. They are protesting what they believe is an attempt to silence LGBTQ voices. Photo by Maile Bradfield, UMNS.

Bishop Elaine J.W. Stanovsky preaches during a May 20 worship service at the 2016 United Methodist General Conference in Portland, Ore. Photo by Maile Bradfield, UMNS.

Ann Jacob of the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference is hugged by fellow young people after reading a statement on church unity adopted by the Global Young People's Convocation and Legislative Assembly. She presented the statement adopted in July 2015 during the afternoon plenary on May 18 at the 2016 United Methodist General Conference May 18 in Portland, Ore. Photo by Maile Bradfield, UMNS

Bishop Sally Dyck, Chicago Episcopal Area, presides over the May 20 plenary session of the 2016 United Methodist General Conference in Portland, Ore. Behind her are Bishops Gregory Palmer and Janice Riggle Huie. Photo by Maile Bradfield, UMNS.

IAEA 59th General Conference Closing Session. Plenary, M-Building, Vienna, Austria. 18 September 2015.

Photo Credit: Dean Calma / IAEA

The Rev. Shalom Agtarap helps lead a pop-up worship service in the rain outside the Oregon Convention Center at the 2016 United Methodist General Conference in Portland, Ore. The service was sponsored by Young People's Ministries, a ministry of Discipleship Ministries of The United Methodist Church. Photo by Mike DuBose, UMNS

Representatives of the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes are recognized May 18 at the 2016 United Methodist General Conference in Portland, Ore., where delegates received a tutorial on the 1864 Sand Creek Massacre, in which U.S. troops led by a Methodist preacher-turned-cavalry officer attacked unsuspecting Indians. Photo by Mike DuBose, UMNS

“Nuclear Olympiad and Developing a Youth Talent Pipeline”, a GC side event co-hosted by the Department of Management and Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications at the IAEA 59th General Conference. Vienna, Austria. 17 September 2015.

Photo Credit: Dean Calma / IAEA

The Rev. Alfred T. Day, III, gives a history of the founding of the African Methodist Episcopal Church May 17 during the 2016 United Methodist General Conference in Portland, Ore. Photo by Mike DuBose, UMNS

IAEA 60th General Conference Closing Session. Plenary, M-Building, Vienna, Austria. 30 September 2016.

Photo Credit: Dean Calma / IAEA

Lara Wagner provides sign language interpretation during the May 19 session of the 2016 United Methodist General Conference in Portland, Ore. Double exposure by Paul Jeffrey, UMNS.

Young people sing from lyrics on a smart phone during a pop-up worship service in the rain outside the Oregon Convention Center at the 2016 United Methodist General Conference in Portland, Ore. From right, foreground are: Anna Eckelbarger Salas,Cormac Mayhue and Anna Ford. The service was sponsored by Young People's Ministries, a ministry of Discipleship Ministries of The United Methodist Church. Photo by Mike DuBose, UMNS

A participant joins a May 12 climate vigil outside the 2016 United Methodist General Conference in Portland, Ore. The lanterns were lit with small solar lights that following the vigil were sent to community groups in the Philippines, the Democratic Republic of Congo and the United States.

Photo by Paul Jeffrey, UMNS.

The Rev. Terri Rae Chattin, Baltimore Washington Conference, introduces a petition form the Church and Society legislative committee May 19 at the 2016 United Methodist General Conference in Portland, Ore. Photo by Maile Bradfield, UMNS.

Bishop Bruce R. Ough, Dakotas-Minnesota Episcopal Area, presides over the May 19 afternoon session of the 2016 United Methodist General Church in Portland, Ore. Photo by Maile Bradfield, UMNS.

IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano at the “Nuclear Olympiad and Developing a Youth Talent Pipeline”, a GC side event co-hosted by the Department of Management and Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications at the IAEA 59th General Conference. Vienna, Austria. 17 September 2015.

Photo Credit: Dean Calma / IAEA

“Nuclear Olympiad and Developing a Youth Talent Pipeline”, a GC side event co-hosted by the Department of Management and Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications at the IAEA 59th General Conference. Vienna, Austria. 17 September 2015.

Photo Credit: Dean Calma / IAEA

IAEA 59th General Conference. IAEA, Vienna, Austria. 14 September 2015

Photo Credit: Dean Calma / IAEA

Although admittedly not a particularly remarkable sunset, this image is a reprise of another picture taken by me and posted six months previously, from the same location, and for precisely the same reason. My description of the other photo is incorporated here by reference, as whatever I could say here would be substantially the same as what I wrote that time. Suffice it to say that I wasn't able to hear a lot over the telephone, but what I did hear was pleasant and edifying. I hope to be able to attend the Madsens' gathering in person the next time it is held, in April of 2007. (This image, by the way, differs from the previous one in two respects. First, our palm tree has been trimmed since then, although it looks like it might need it again soon. Second, this photo was taken in October, with the sun a bit further south in its journey along the ecliptic.)

There are a couple of things I can add this time, however. First, while I listened in, I frequently heard birds chirping over the telephone, and for a few minutes figured the Madsens must have decided to buy a couple of cockatiels as well, following my example. After a while, however, I noticed that the Madsens' birds chirped and squealed a fraction of a second after one of our birds emitted an identical chirp or squeal. In other words, our birds' noise echoed over the telephone, although I am not sure whether Barney and the others at his end heard any of it.

The other item is this. My wife was cooking dinner while I was listening in to the post-Conference wrap-up. At one point she walked out the front door, only to return less than a minute later, which I thought rather unusual for her. Then she appeared upset or annoyed about something, and I wondered if it was my fault somehow. Later I found out that it wasn't, but when I learned what had happened, I couldn't blame her for being a little upset. She and Vanessa had gone to the store late the previous evening, which was Saturday. I went to bed while they were gone, and must have fallen asleep almost immediately because I never heard them come home. As it turned out, while in the course of preparing our meal, Sheila discovered that about $25.00 worth of meat, which she had purchased the night before, was missing. She finally went out to the car looking for it. The high temperature that day in the Phoenix area had been about 100 degrees, so she opened the trunk of our car, and -- well, the odor told her immediately that the meat was no longer edible. They had somehow overlooked it when bringing in the groceries after that little Saturday-night excursion to Fry's supermarket.

So much, then, for my Conference weekend, which as always was memorable, and a spiritual feast as well -- even though the more literal, material feast ended up being something less than it could have been.

International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons, side event at the IAEA 58th General Conference. Vienna, Austria. 24 September 2014.

Photo Credit: Dean Calma / IAEA

Bishop Michael Coyner, president of the United Methodist General Council of Finance and Administration, responds May 19 to an inquiry from the delegates at the denomination's 2016 General Conference in Portland, Ore. Photo by MaileBradfield, UMNS.

Jessica Vargo, East Ohio Conference, presents petitions from the Financial Administration legislative committee May 19 during the 2016 United Methodist General Conference in Portland, Ore. Photo by Maile Bradfield, UMNS.

The Rev. Mande Muyombo helps lead opening worship at the 2016 United Methodist General Conference in Portland, Ore. Photo by Mike DuBose, UMNS

Vilmos Cserveny, Chairman of the Committee of the Whole, delivers his report at the closing session of the IAEA 60th General Conference. Vienna, Austria, 30 September 2016

Photo Credit: Dean Calma / IAEA

Opening of the PACT side event: “Building Partnerships to fight cancer in Low/Middle-income countries at the IAEA 58th General Conference. Vienna, Austria. 25 September 2014.

Photo Credit: Dean Calma / IAEA

“Nuclear Olympiad and Developing a Youth Talent Pipeline”, a GC side event co-hosted by the Department of Management and Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications at the IAEA 59th General Conference. Vienna, Austria. 17 September 2015.

Photo Credit: Dean Calma / IAEA

Bishop Christian Alsted presides over a May 20 session of the 2016 United Methodist General Conference in Portland, Ore. Photo by Mike DuBose, UMNS

The Rev. L. Fitzgerald Reist II reads a decision from the United Methodist Judicial Council May 19 during the denomination's 2016 General Conference in Portland, Ore. Photo by Mike DuBose, UMNS

Bishops who will be retiring from active service gather on the stage May 19 to be recognized by the 2016 United Methodist General Conference in Portland, Ore. From left are: Michael J. Coyner, Bishop Ntambo Nkulu Ntanda, Lindsey Davis and Jonathan D. Keaton. Photo by Mike DuBose, UMNS

Ruth Pierre Jean Pierre gets a hug from her sister shortly after being consecrated a deaconess during a May 16 worship service at the 2016 United Methodist General Conference in Portland, Ore. Photo by Paul Jeffrey, UMNS.

IAEA 61th General Conference. Plenary, M-Building, IAEA Vienna, Austria. 18 September 2017

Photo Credit: Dean Calma / IAEA

Bradley Laurvick of the Rocky Mountain Conference presents a report May 20 at the 2016 United Methodist General Conference in Portland, Ore. Photo by Mike DuBose, UMNS

The Rev. David Wilson of the Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference helps lead closing worship May 20 at the 2016 United Methodist General Conference in Portland, Ore. Photo by Mike DuBose, UMNS

The United Methodist Church as placed advertising messages at various sites around the city during the denomination's 2016 General Conference in Portland, Ore. Photo by Mike DuBose, UMNS

Jodi Cataldo of the Dakotas Conference leads the prayer for illumination during morning worship May 19 at the 2016 United Methodist General Conference in Portland, Ore. Photo by Mike DuBose, UMNS

IAEA 60th General Conference Closing Session. Plenary, M-Building, Vienna, Austria. 30 September 2016.

Photo Credit: Dean Calma / IAEA

IAEA 60th General Conference Closing Session. Plenary, M-Building, Vienna, Austria. 30 September 2016.

Photo Credit: Dean Calma / IAEA

IAEA 60th General Conference. Plenary, IAEA, Vienna, Austria. 26 September 2016

Photo Credit: Dean Calma / IAEA

IAEA 59th General Conference Closing Session. Plenary, M-Building, Vienna, Austria. 18 September 2015.

Photo Credit: Dean Calma / IAEA

“Nuclear Olympiad and Developing a Youth Talent Pipeline”, a GC side event co-hosted by the Department of Management and Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications at the IAEA 59th General Conference. Vienna, Austria. 17 September 2015.

Photo Credit: Dean Calma / IAEA

Rev. William B. Lawrence (left) introduces May 19 the outgoing and incoming members of the United Methodist Judicial Council at the denomination's 2016 General Conference in Portland, Ore. Photo by Maile Bradfield, UMNS.

The Rev. Cheryl Jefferson Bell participates in the May 18 worship service at the 2016 United Methodist General Conference in Portland, Ore. Photo by Maile Bradfield, UMNS.

Members of the Northwest Chorale perform at the May 18 worship service on the 2016 General Conference in Portland, Ore. Photo by Maile Bradfield, UMNS.

Church leaders celebrate the commissioning of new missionaries May 19 at the 2016 United Methodist General Conference in Portland, Ore. From left are: the Rev. Mande Muyombo, Thomas Kemper of the denomination's Board of Global Ministries and Bishops Hee-Soo Jung and Hope Morgan Ward. Photo by Mike DuBose, UMNS

Bishop Thomas J. Bickerton helps celebrate the Imagine No Malaria campaign May 18 at the 2016 United Methodist General Conference in Portland, Ore. Photo by Mike DuBose, UMNS

IAEA 59th General Conference Closing Session. Plenary, M-Building, Vienna, Austria. 18 September 2015.

Photo Credit: Dean Calma / IAEA

“Nuclear Olympiad and Developing a Youth Talent Pipeline”, a GC side event co-hosted by the Department of Management and Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications at the IAEA 59th General Conference. Vienna, Austria. 17 September 2015.

Photo Credit: Dean Calma / IAEA