PHAP LU'U ARRIVES FROM FRANCE

DOUG ARRIVES FROM FRANCE

So Doug arrived in NYC last Friday late and then took a train on Saturday to Rte. 128 in Boston where I picked him up. We stopped to get him a SIM card for the next two months (came with a free additional phone!) and some new hiking boots at L. L. Bean. Then home for him to be “Monkle Doug” for the weekend to his niece and nephew! He spent time with them and Duke, the golden retriever, outside and in playing!!  We had a lovely Easter in Hull with Jackie and Paul, the Easter egg hunt, for the 8th year!! and riding on the 90 year old carousel!! It was delightful to have 90 year old Grammy O there as well!

Doug and his sister had a lot of time together talking on Monday (she took the day off) and kids were in school. I think it was good bonding time!!

On Tuesday Doug and I headed off, with a cartop carrier on my roof, over to Blue Cliff Monastery in Pine Bush, NY, for the start of the experimental “mobile monastery.”  On the way, we stopped and did some ancestor research in New Britain (found the Schmelter headstone with Rudolf, Amelia, Helen (Olga’s 10 year old sister who died of burst appendix), and her brother George. We also went by her Lutheran Church there. 

Next stop was the library in Bristol where the Bachmans lived. We had visited before the cemetery where some were buried. But instead went to the library that had a wonderful History Room.  It happened to be opened and staff with a very helpful researcher who helped Doug find on microfiche the obituaries of Albert Bachman, who died at 43 of pneumonia after a brief illness (this was Bud’s grandfather, married to Nora O’Gorman who immigrated from Cooraclare, Ireland). Then Amadeus Bachman (Albert’s father) and one other (can’t remember!). They all lived at 41 Field St. so we went and found the actual house!! Very cool!!

Next stop was Newtown where we spent an hour or so driving around past the high school (new addition), by the new Sandy Hook school (Doug said it is on an entirely new footprint; I hadn’t remember exactly where the old school had been placed). and then out to Lake Rd. ( the outside FINALLY has been repainted by the new owners!) I met them last time I was there and she gave me a wonderful tour inside; but the outside hadn’t been touched yet!!) 

Finally we arrived at BCM by about 8:30 pm.  Doug was very busy meeting with the crew of monks here in our planning group - three of them had spent the previous weekend at a Wilderness Survival Medical workshop/training in Philadelphia! I’m in Golden Lotus in a 4 bed room all to myself. I had the HOUSE all to myself until Saturday when Aurora and Joachim (two Mexican doctors I met in Mexico City and they now live and work in CT) arrived. They are here for the first two weeks as crew. Saturday I met them at the end point of this segment where they left their car (about an hour from here south of Port Jervis, NY). I’ve met them several times at BCM and stopped once at their medical office near UCONN, Willimantic, I think, once on my way here. They are wonderful!!

On Thursday Doug and I went to pick up the U-haul 5x8 trailer. It was SOOOO noisy!! I’m hoping it’s just because it’s empty and won’t be that loud when stuff is in it!! We’ll see tomorrow! We then crossed the Hudson again to Wappinger Falls to a computer place so he could get a new battery for his iPhone. All Set!! Then we had a wonderful lunch at a Middle Eastern vegetarian place he found in Beacon on the Hudson! We ordered a sampler with about 10 little dishes plus delicious spiced french fry sticks, and stuffed grape leaves. I ate a little and Doug wolfed down everything!! (He hadn’t eaten breakfast!) Topped off with baklava!! 

Friday I did some errands in town and Doug went to NYC with a carload to pick up Ramon arriving from Spain. He is a crew member and I think I met him once in Barcelona. He has run the ski retreat for the past two years that Doug’s been on. I think a couple of the French monks also wanted to see some sights in NYC as hadn’t been there before so they were gone until 10:30 pm.  I did an hour practice hike with my boots just down the road here. Lovely Leah who lives here has invited me to breakfast and cooked me an egg each morning!! There are several young women living here; not sure if they are monastic aspirants or just taking a break from life outside. Several guys are also across the street at the monastic quarters living and working. So on to the Day of Mindfulness on Sunday and the arrival of the hikers!