What The Heck

 Well, it has been a busy few days. First, I had to get reacquainted with driving a stick shift. I haven't driven a stick shift in about 45 years. And, if I remember correctly, the last time I drove on, it was an old truck that I promptly ran into a palm tree. To be fair, I believe running into the palm tree had more to do with the amount of alcohol consumed that night than the stick shift. It was also the last night of our "Most Competent Drunk" contest, and I was winning hands down until the palm tree jumped into my path. 

 So, Nancy and two priests walk out of a train station . . .sounds like the beginning of a joke, doesn't it? But it is not. Within minutes after I decided to "Wander In No Particular Direction," my friend said she needed someone to house sit her house in Spain because she and her hubby needed to go to London for a week. So, I raised my hand, thinking that sounded like it was in the spirit of "no particular direction." Then I found out the house came with dogs, cats, chickens and a priest. Oh, what the heck. In for a penny, in for a pound. One cat disappeared before I got here, and one extra priest has appeared. 

Because no one else is able or willing to drive the stick shift. I am also the chauffeur. The reason the priests are here is part of a program to make mass available for the Pilgrim's as they come thru the small village. So when I chauffeur them to the church for mass, I attend mass. There must be a reason this is happening. I let you know if I find out what it is. 

I walk the doggies early in the morning. This is an added blessing. 

Then I get to feed the chickens and collect the eggs. This was today's haul. 

Then there is plant watering, priest chauffeuring, cat feeding, helping with mass and dish washing. I need to get back to walking 12 to 15 miles a day with a back pack to get some rest. lol

Two Masses, Singing Nuns and Ringing The Church Bell

So today is the day to leave Santiago, once again. This was a short five day visit. It was refreshing, but I missed walking. My friend Janette was still at the Voluntario flat and after a day or two a new Voluntario arrived. Then last night just before I left another Voluntario arrived. Janette will be leaving in 5 days and I'm sure more Volutarios will arrive to replace her and I. A never ending flow of people to help. 

Meanwhile, I am on a train to Sáhagun in what is starting out as a very strange trip indeed. The screen on the ceiling that shows the map, etc., is upside down. This is not a transfer trip. And yet when we entered the Ourense station, they announced we are in Vigo and the trip is over. l

We get to the next stop Monforte de Lemos and the train stops, people get on and then the engines go quiet. It is usually not a good thing when the engines shut down. 

Leea and I were once on an old style Cercanica train (one that stops in every pueblo enroute) in a station somewhere between Seville and Granada when the engines shut down. We were there for several hours, it was summer, temperatures were in the high 90s and with no engines, no AC. And, that isn't even the reason we refer to it as the "train ride from hell."

That name was earned by the two preschool age children sitting on the laps of two women in the seats behind us. These lovely children kicked our seats, pulled out hair, screamed and cried the entire trip. Other passengers gave us sympathetic looks as they passed by, but the adults responsible for the spawns of Satan either didn't notice or didn't care. Not once in a multiple hour trip and an two hour lay over, did they even suggest that these children should cease and desist.

It's been a whirlwind day. I arrived in Sáhagun and Rebekah, Pat and the priest Dominic come to pick me up. They haven't eaten, so we go to a restaurant and have a nice lunch. I had gaspacho, lamb chops, fries, and watermelon. It was tasty. Then we go to the house, I drop my stuff off, and away we go. We went around to the albergues in the area to let the Pilgrim's know there would be an English mass and Pilgrim's Blessing at 5:30, then we went to the church to set up for the mass. I got to ring the bell, the big one up on the roof with a rope to pull in order to make it ring. It was so much fun. We had a very good turn out and it was a great experience. 

Then we went to Carrion de los Condes to talk to the priest there and attend mass. We arrived while the nuns were singing in the Albergue. So while Rebekah went to talk to the priest, I plopped myself down to join the singing. I lost it on Amazing Grace. I was sitting on the floor, singing with these nuns who have lovely voices, knowing I am exactly where I am supposed to be, and experiencing God's Grace in my life. Of course there were tears. Then they sang Hallelujah. It was spectacular. 

I seem to be reflecting on areas where I could benefit from some growth. There are people who seem to talk without listening. I was exposed to a couple of them lately and in the midst of thinking how irritating they were, I realized I was one of those for most of my life. I still am to some extent. It is a sign of insecurity. Whether I'm telling people how many Caminos I've done, how much I know about the Camino, how many degrees I have, or rattling off the names of who I know; It is all about my insecurity. I suppose as I approach 70 in less than two months, I have been pondering that ultimate final moment. Will any of that be important? Somehow I doubt it. Even if there are pearly gates manned by St Peter, he, being a saint and having known Jesus, would probably not be impressed by my many degrees, or who I know. I mean how can you top a personal acquaintance with Jesus?

So what is important for me? Why am I attracted to some people? I used to want to be one of the cool kids, in with the in crowd. But, these days I seem to like being me. And I like being around people who like being themselves. I find these people are more generous of spirit. And maybe if I'm with them some of it will rub off on me. I think I would like to be thought of, and yes, at some point, remembered, as someone who shared with others, as someone who cared about others. 

I am thinking this may be this year's Camino. Over a period of a day there were two opportunities for me to take a moment and help someone, but I was too busy with my own agenda, with where I "needed" to be and what I "needed" to do. That evening these instances popped up and flitted about like pesky mosquitos and I could hear Joe Q saying, "What would the master do?"  I was truly ashamed. I know this was not the first time I had done this, but it was the first time I became truly aware of it with a strong feeling of regret. 

So, I am trying to slow down and be aware of purpose. It is not how much I get done in a day that matters, it is that I am present to do what I am called to do, to be who I am supposed to be. 

Here are some pictures from Santiago:

A Short Note On A Long Day

UWell, today was not a walking day, but it was. I was exhausted on Friday. I got to the flat took a shower, got settled and took a nap. I was exhausted. I had something to eat, washed some clothes and went to bed. I woke up about 

6 am, still tired. Janette I both had the afternoon shift, so we decided to go see the Ciudad del Cultura. It is the huge modern complex on the hill we can see from our flat. We decided to walk. Well that might not have been so bad, if we hadn't got off track. Somehow, we ended up coming up the back way and even hiking up a steep dirt track that reminded me of the Camino and had me wishing I had brought my poles. 

We finally got close enough to take some pictures of one of the buildings:

At the time we were taking the picture of the stunning building we were standing on a very undeveloped dirt heap. Then when we decided to look for the entrance. Jeannette thought we should go right through a break in the fence. I had never really entered a museum that way, bit hey, mayor this soul debe a different experience. 

We ended up trapped in on an enclosed construction road. We went around the whole complex on in this trap. We couldn't figure out how to get out without going all the way back around, and this was a pretty big complex. Finally I saw the entry gate for construction trucks, surrounded by bushes. I thought with those bushes, there is a chance that they wouldn't run the fence very far. So I went to check it out, while Jannette was saying we should go down over these boulders. I got to the gate and we could in fact squeeze around the gate through the bushes. So I went through and called to Jannette to follow. Meanwhile, I was thinking, with what's going on in the world we might just get arrested, or at least taken in for questioning. We were laughing at the circumstances we had created. 

But we finally got in. This place is pretty amazing, and it's only about half done. There was a lot great art work everywhere, including the buildings themselves. 

There was one piece that liked like o vortex of books and journals or notebooks:

There was an exhibition on textiles and one on fashion in Spanish history.    

I also found these artful urinals. Really I had used the women's rest room and was just passing by the men's rest room when these caught my eye. 

So then we walked down to our flat and got ready for work. There wasn't time for a nap. While we're engaged in this crazy outing the temperatures were slowly rising to about 95 degrees. 

So we went to work in the office. We were both kind of dragging. After work we were walking through the plaza. Out side the Parador- Reyes de lid Catolicis, there was a wedding party waiting for the bride to come down to walk to the Cathedral for the ceremony. There was a band playing Irish jigs at the Parador and another band at the Cathedral. Plus there was a plane flying over trailing a banner wishing them luck. It was about a hundred degrees and everyone was decked out in formal attire. They must have been roasting. And I don't think they were part of the 99%. lol

So on a non Camino day, I walked about 9.5 miles. Think I'll go to sleeo now.