hurdling the last hours of the year with a town trip and a gift...

Today is the last day of the year 2007 and it seemed it will not leave without me getting errands for the community.

Today, I left the monastery very early in the morning to drive down a monk Dom John Thomas to Albuquerque who has decided to leave the monastery for good but will continue with his monastic life in another community at St. Meinrad Monastery in Indiana. His leaving us is a sure loss to the community as he did a very good and efficient job as our acountant-bookeeper. But weeks before, He already started training another monk, Dom gabriel (Korean) of the rudiments in the accounting office, so the flow of our finances will not get affected.

We had an early lunch at La Chosa restaurant in Cerillos Road, Sta Fe before dropping by at Sta Fe Place's GAP and picked some garments which he will use when he goes to Farnborugh, England for a three-month break before he finally step his feet to St Meinrad. Afterwards, I drove him to the Franciscans of the Renewal's community in Albuquerque where he will spend the evening for his early morning flight the next day.

It seemed John could not decide what food he will order for his last lunch in New Mexico, or is he just so overwhelmed of the fact that he will be entering another phase in his life in another place with another set of community members of different personalities and values and customary practices? I am just curious really!

He ended up getting a Mexican specialty: with extreme spicy beans and sauce,and he ended up sprinkling sugar to balance its spiciness.

In coming back home, after helping John with his luggages to the room of a Franciscan Brother Simon (who is out for his family visit, so John was lodged in his room), I stopped over a rest area along Interstate 25 highway for a drink and a stretch when I suddenly thought to check the bulks of mails I picked up at Abiquiu Post Office in coming to Sta Fe this morning. Look what I got! A package from my blogosphere sister Vera!!!!

I was so glad, it went through and got itself to its destination.

To my dear Vera,I thank you so much for such gesture of thoughtfulness!

EEEEEKKKKKKKKK, I forgot to include the bookmark in the photosession!!!!!...There is still one item she gave me and it's sooooo cute bookmark. So here it is: my addendum image to the images I took last night. "Vera dear, I am sorry, I was so nauseated last night due to my whole day's driving that my vision failed to hit the bookmark!"...