And the work goes on

As Brother Bede observed to me on our way to Diurnum, "it's a good-old-fashioned winter." We continue to have a beautiful snowcover over the landscape. The Hudson is now covered in ice floes which are themselves covered with snow. The floating ice makes the tidal shift in current in the Hudson very visible. We are blessed with a good snow-plowing service. I say a little prayer for them when I hear their truck plowing our driveways in the middle of the night. But of course, we still have to dig out the parked cars to be able to drive them anywhere.

This week, we noted the second anniversary of Br. Aidan's Life Profession.

From top, clockwise: Br. Randy taking a breath between shovels of snow; Br. John freeing one of our cars (two pictures); Br. Aidan who celebrated the second anniversary of his Life Profession this week (archival pictures)

Sunrises and sunsets are particularly spiritual moments to appreciate the beauty of creation. We are well oriented to catch sunrises. Sunsets happen over the hill to the West of the monastery so we don't benefit fromt them as much. I never tire of looking out on the Hudson in the morning. It's a different show every day.

One of our contractors has started removing the old Guest House elevator. The open shaft will be closed with new flooring on each floor. On the second floor a new large linen closet will be built. On the third floor the second staircase to the fourth floor will be reinstated.

The installation of the new elevator has been delayed by six weeks at the last minute. So much for German punctuality. I am not happy with Thyssenkrupp these days. Work on that installation is now scheduled to start in mid-March.

Construction projects are always a source of surprises. After 3 years of overseing them, I take it with some (but not complete) resignation.

From top left, clockwise: a beautiful sky just before sunrise over the river; "the 12-step program" to fill in the floor where the old elevator came through (the ladder happens to actually have 12 steps).

On the Covid-19 vaccination front, things are painfully slow and uselessly complicated. The good news is that two of our elders have had their two shots and two more have had their first shot. But we are having very little success in getting appointments for the other over-65 brothers. The under-65 brothers are eligible too because of our congregate living situation. I snagged an early April appointment in Albany (an hour and a half drive away from the monastery). We would like to have the whole community vaccinated before we consider a re-opening of the Guest House. At this stage, we can't even forecast when that is likely to be. Grrr.

In the meantime, stay home, stay masked, get the vaccine if you can, save lives. Patience, patience, patience. Give it to me quickly, Lord.