Solesmes; Saturday - Sunday

Saturday, May 23, cont'd

After showing Dad where to park the car ( about a block away) Michal gave us a tour of our little house.  And it was little :)

Our beds were in different rooms; one in the main room and the other just off the main room, with the master bathroom attached.  Aside from the main living area we had a kithchen with an adjoining bathroom, and a small mud room that lead to the courtyard.

Kitchen door leading to street.

Our kitchen where table always had fresh bread, butter and pastries.  The kitchen was well equiped with everything we needed.

Far view of living room (from kitchen door).  I picked those flowers during Dad's and my long walk on Monday.

View of  Dad's room from main room. (Michael "stole" the rose on the dining table for me, from the Monastery gardens)

                                              My bed.

           It's night time; curtains to kitchen are drawn. 

                            Dad's bed.  Do you notice that it's a hospital bed?  The monks use what they can get!

Michael, Dad and I sat for a visit and a chat - complete with coffee and fresh bread.  Michael heard my concerns for a fan ("It's psychological", he whispered to Dad, winking) and told us about the "Mall in Sable" where you could find everything and anything.  It's name?  E.LECLERK.  Soon Michael returned to the Monastery  for his duties, and we made our beds and did our unpacking and then headed to Sable to find my fan.  We were unsuccessful.  

We couldn't find E.LECLERK and hit every store in town we thought might carry fans.  I was anxious.  My bed was placed in the living room, the windows of the room facing the street. Dad's room was off the living room, his own "little cell", his window facing the quiet courtyard.   

Dad and I returned to our house and tried to get some sleep before going to the Monastery for Vespers.  ( I will explain Vespers and the "hours" later) .  Michael came back to see us around 6, at which point he gave us clearer directions for E.LECLERK at which point we dashed out of the house hoping we would make it there before closing. 

We did make it - but with little time to spare.  Dad bought wine and more bread but there were no fans to be found.  Oh no!

Back at the house and tired, Dad finally gave in and went to bed at 8.  It was 2 a.m. our time and we had lost an entire night's sleep the day before.   Me?  It was too light out and noisy as well.  Weekends in Solesmes are busy times; crowds and tours and what-not going on.  But I finally succumbed.  I found some tablecloths in the wardrobe and hung them over the main windows in the living room; lace curtains were all that the kept the light out. 

I was reading in bed when I heard a faint knock on the door.  Was it our door?  I went to the window and saw Michael hurrying across the street - too late for me to call him back.  Come to find that he had remembered there was a fan in the Monastery office and he was all set to bring it over.  Seeing the tablecloths on the windows, he guessed we were in bed ( and later told us that the wooden window shutters outside the windows are meant to be closed at night - darkens room completely and does a wonder at keeping noise out).  BTW: it doesn't get dark in Solesmes til almost 11 pm) 

           

Sunday, May 24

Dad slept 12 hrs.  I didn't.  But waking in Solesmes on Sunday morning was so nice that it didn't really matter.

Daily and Sunday Masses are at 10.  All Masses are chanted in Latin and Sunday Mass is somewhat longer what with the Creed and the Sermon.   It was beautiful. 

Solesmes was busy; the church was packed; Dad I and found a seat towards the back.  Soon enough the monk in charge of the public came towards us, whispered, "Bozell?", and motioned us forward.  We were family.  We had reserved seats at the very front.  We were happy.  We were even happier when we saw that it was Michael who was saying the Mass.  

He is one of 21 monks who have been ordained priests. Every week one priest is "on the altar" which means he is the one who says the Mass while the others concelebrate with him.   How lucky were we to be in Solesmes during the week that Michael was "on"? 

After Mass Michael stopped by the house for a quick coffee and that's when he told me about the fan and the shutters.  He stayed until his lunch time and said he would be back for "cocktail hour" after Vespers, at around 6:30.

The day had turned sunny but was relatively cool.  Still tired from our trip, Dad and I spent the afternoon taking a walk across the bridge and around town and then back home to read, read and read some more. 

At 5 we were at Vespers and at  6:30 it was time for Michael, wine, bread, cheese and coldcuts.  He brought me the fan and we all spent aboput an hour together.  Shortly after Michael left, Dad and I discovered that we had "no taste" for the wine, no matter how good it had tasted.  It had left us down and out, so so so sleepy.  We struggled to stay awake but were more than ready for a good night's sleep by 10.

We had agreed to meet Michael after 10 Mass the next day at the Monastery so that Dad could use the internet connection and check his email.  Past that?  We had made no further plans, except to pick up some Jack Daniels and save the wine for Aloise and Mercedes.

Entrance Courtyard to Church.  (This pic came from catalog. When we were there it was all green with tubs of flowers scattered about).

Inside the Church.

View of the whole Church . Monk's choir is gated off in front; they sit just in front and on either side of the altar.