Friday, May 29
Dad and I both woke thinking the same thing: that we weren't so keen, after all, for another outing. Instead, we would let Aloise use the car while we stayed back .
A walk to Mass with Mercedes, Aloise and Antje; a quick hello to Michael, who was working in the Bookstore that morning; coffee with Aloise and Co., a handing over of the keys to the car; and Dad and I were free to enjoy the lovely, warm, sunny day. We, of course, had all agreed to meet for cocktails after 5 o'clock Vespers.
It was well into the early afternoon when I broke away from "The Six Wives of Henry VIII" and told Dad I was going out for a walk. This time I brought my camera.
I had made this walk before, both with Dad and by myself, but it remained my favorite because of the memories it conjured up: this was the walk that lead to the Marble Factory and to the house Annie and I had stayed at during Michael's Ordination, the same house I had later stayed at with Granner, Lita and Willie. I thought if I took and posted pictures of this walk, that Annie might remember better her time is Solesmes.
The Marble Factory was, in fact, just that...before it was donated to the Monastery the year Michael was ordained to the pristhood; his reception was held there the afternoon after he said his first Mass. The inside was still being converted into bedrooms for guests ( and is where many guests of the Monastery stay), but downstairs the kitchen was completed and the main room was glorious.
Just past our house, to the left, is this road that leads to the house Annie and I stayed in ( now privately owned). The walls to the right enclose the Monastery. The house is down this road on the left.
Our
"other" house.
From the house, heading back to town, is the Marble Factory. You can see the sign on the wall above the blue door. Past the gate, the grounds open up and lead towards the river. There are picnic tables for eating and the area is quite pretty and soothing.
Here it is, Annie; I took this picture just for you.
Chris, Brent, me and Jamie
Me, Fr. Michael and Annie
The road back...
and back...
and there it ends, a left turn and our petit pontmain is on the right.
When I returned from my walk, the house was empty; Dad had gone on his own walk and stopped to read inside the Monastery grounds using the combination to the gate that Michael had given him. I went back to a fresh cup of coffee, more fresh bread and Henry VIII.
Aloise and Antje went for a walk while Mercedes joined us for Vespers. We had come to really love the way our days were ordered around Mass and the Hours; there was something real, something very comforting and beautiful, about stopping the day - at very specific interavls - to pray.
Dad and I had wanted to repay Mary's generosity by inviting her to a meal. With "the girls" in town, we thought it would be nice for all of us to go to lunch at the Bistro in Juigne which Mary had recommended as very nice. After Vespers, Dad stayed behind in order to propose the lunch idea (for the following day) to Mary who also made Vespers every afternoon. Mary was delighted. She had met Aloise during a previous visit and happy at the chance to see her again.
With Vespers and lunch date accomplished, cocktail hour began.
A view of our joint courtyard. This is where I read on sunny days. That's the kithchen wall of the "gran portmain", where Aloise, Mercedes and Antje stayed, in back of the table.
The brown gate to Dad's left is the gate to the street.
We always had so fun much during cocktail hour. But, unbeknownst to all of us, this would be the last one at "our houses" with Michael.
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