fossilfreak

 

 

351 recordings of 32 types. 1 SVU, 72 CPD, and 42 LMS. 23% clear.

 

Friday I went on retreat. I went to Penney's in the morning for shoes and also got jammies and slippers. 

 

Gerrie called to wish me luck, and Vince called because this was his first chance this week. (Since I was gone on Tuesday.) The boys are in a speech competition this coming weekend. 

 

I started a Boxcar Children book rather than having Nero Wolfe on my mind all weekend, and left book, and iPad, here. I grabbed a meditation book. Also, at the Retreat House library, I grabbed Thomas Merton's Asian Journal.  It was given to Father Tom on his birthday in 1974, when I guess he was 26.

 

The used books I donated are being sold. 

 

I took Pharaoh to the vet and tried to find some geocaches on the way to the Retreat House. Without success. One was on the other side of the road so I decided to look for it when I left. (Again, no success.)

 

I was reluctant to go this year, and just going through the motions. This didn't last long, however. It ended sometime Saturday. 

 

On the way in, I noted a new garden around the St. Paul of the Cross statue.

 

I was probably the first person there. They knew me. I went up to my room and lay down. In fact, I slept a lot this weekend. 

 

In the devotional booklet in the room for Friday: "Today let us permit Brechero the Gaucho Priest, with his mule and all, to enter the house of our heart and invite us to prayer, to the encounter with Jesus that sets us free from attachments so that we may go out to the street and seek out brother or sister, to touch the flesh of Christ in those who suffer."  Pope Francis

 

The reception was at 5:30. It turned out to be a very small retreat this time, only a few more than 20 attendees. My Camino t-shirt was noticed, and I met a woman, Rita, who actually was in Spain the same time as I was. She had hoped to walk the Camino but had leg trouble, so took the Marian Shrines pilgrimage and was in Burgos, at our hotel, the same day! 

 

I couldn't resist some of the snacks, though of course I should have (trying to lose a few pounds before I see the doctor next week!) Then dinner was cod, kale, salad, and I had no bread, no rice, no chocolate cake. 

 

Father Tom gave the keynote talk. "Do we want to do what we have the power to do?"  He grew up in Pittsburgh, and talked about Kaufmann's at Christmas. Then we had the Great Silence, my favorite part of any retreat. This lasts till after the Mass on Saturday.

 

Saturday I was awake at 3:30 tossing and turning. I went down for coffee, took a shower, ate an apple I'd taken the night before, and my Belvita, opened the blinds, lay down, and had a 90 minute nap.

 

At 7 I went out and walked around the grounds. This led to wet feet and hurting shoes. (I spent most of this weekend in my slippers. Since it wasn't raining, this wasn't a problem.) This turned out to be 1.5 miles or so, to my astonishment. I figured that out in the afternoon, when I grabbed my GPS for another reason.

 

In the Stations of the Cross, I ran into a woman with a dog. I thought she was a neighbor taking advantage, but later it turned out she was on the retreat, and he was an emotional support dog. I try not to be judgy, but besides the dog, she had her iPad, and her Keurig(!) 

 

We gathered in the Chapel for morning prayer, and waited, and waited. Finally a woman suggested we at least say a few prayers before breakfast. It turned out that Father Giltus overslept. He blamed Alexa. I was worried that maybe there was a medical emergency. I thought maybe I would be going home early. (Still fairly "bleh" about being there.)

 

Breakfast was  bacon, scrambled eggs, [I avoided the potatoes, pancakes and bread], oatmeal, fruit, and yogurt. I reported the unlocked door (on the building where I was staying (it was unlocked all day, finally locked at night) and the woman with the dog. 

 

The first session dealt with Mark, chapter 5.  I didn't contribute in the chat afterwards, my problems forgotten. 

 

This has to be my 10th retreat, but I got the 5 times pin anyway, since I'd said it was my 9th. I suddenly remembered that Rich came for the Sunday lunch in 2010, and that was probably my third retreat.

 

I went to the Mass (I had a short reading) and lunch and forgot to turn the heater off. My socks were definitely DRY when I got back to the room. Lunch was hamburger, salad, and chips if I'd wanted them.

 

The voluntary presentation was "introduction to Islam."  Interesting. One of the women really cut loose on them, and Father Tom tried to stick to the religion proper, not the way the Arabs (in particular) practice it.

 

I skipped the Penetential service and Confessions to sleep and relax. I walked the labyrinth, and noticed where the sun was shining. I was totally confused and turned around, so I went to the car for my GPS and learned where north was. I was SO WRONG. I thought my room faced west but in actuality it faced north. So I walked a bit down the road and noticed all the turnings I hadn't really keyed in on before. Maybe now I'll finally figure it out.

 

There was a flock (or a "rafter"?) of turkeys which I was close to. One male was either threatening me or showing off for the ladies.

 

Father Jim presented a meditation about Mary, which was nice.

 

Dinner was deconstructed chicken cordon bleu, potatoes au gratin (I had some) rolls, no, broccoli and no carrot cake for me. Yes, I talk a lot about the food, which is always terrific. I fortunately didn't gain much weight on this weekend.

 

Father Giltus talked about the retreat house and about Passionists. I've never seen him so excited. Then we had the ice cream social. Of course I had a brownie and ice cream.

 

Sunday I was up at 2, bathroom, back to bed till 4:30, coffee, Belvita, no apple this time.  Then I lay down for another hour.  Father Tom at morning prayer: "If you want to know how much God loves you, I'll show you" and turns and points to the crucifix. 

 

Then, the last talk, the final thoughts, Father Giltus gave a little talk, starting with a question he had in the seminary, part of a psychological analysis: "What would you like people to say looking at your body at your funeral?" His answer was "did I just see him move?"  This is good for a laugh, but he grew it into continuing to check that he is moving.  That was the message I took from the 

final thoughts, AM I MOVING?

 

Then, because I had a performance to get to, I skipped Mass and left. We didn't have to make our  beds this time.  I stopped to look for another geocache, without any luck, and then picked up my Very Excited Dog.

 

There were a couple of calls from John, wanting to know more about Sunday Support. I called back, but didn't get him.