Expotition!

Ooh, this is exciting!

We are off on an expotition.  Well not all of us, just Hebe, the Badger and me.  We’re going to Yorkshire, taking my Mama along and dropping her off to play in her old stamping grounds en route.

First we’re going to Stanbrook Abbey’s new eco-convent at Wass (watch the fab video of them embedded in that article, and see their re-location described by the BBC as "Eco-nuns on the run" here!) staying a couple of nights in one of their pine lodges at Crief Farm.  I’ll be able to meet in person their abbess, Sister Andrea Savage – we’ve exchanged letters but never seen each other.  I hope while we’re there we might be able to go and see Ampleforth Abbey which lies a few miles away and is the general location of my St Alcuins Abbey in the Hawk and Dove series.  Father Cuthbert Madden is their abbot, and he and I have also exchanged letters and he says he uses passages from my books in his monastic conferences (I’m not sure what that is – I think it might be like Chapter homilies or something), but he seems to be very busy so I didn’t suggest I come and interrupt the impossible schedule he already has to juggle.

Then we retrace our footsteps down to York where, by dint of persevering for TWO HOURS one morning is the shove and thrust of other people online trying to do the same thing, I managed to get us 2 nights at the Micklegate Travelodge just by the Ouse Bridge in the £19 per night sale (woohoo!).

So we will be able to go to Evensong at the Minster (where I will be specially praying for you and Michael and all the family, Julie F), and have lunch at Betty’s café (the little one in Stonegate) and supper at Galtres Lodge in Low Petergate.

While we are in York we’ll pop down to Thorganby to see the Carmelite sisters at Thicket Priory and check out the new convent they built in the veggie garden (see the video about it here).  Again, I have exchanged letters with their Sister Anne, but it will be a real treat to meet her in person.

Then back down to Hastings on Wednesday, collecting Mama from Saffron Walden (where she lived before she moved down here to Battle) on the way.

So, I’m off on my travels like Snufkin and will see you next week, with some pics if I get myself and the Badger organised to take his camera – which, unlike mine, actually has a memory card!

Meanwhile, all those links should keep you happily employed while I'm away! xxx

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365 366 Day 69 – 75

Friday March 9^th  - Thursday March 15^th   

(if you don’t know what I’m talking about, see here) 

Well, this is a Composite Thing, and I’m posting it today to cover several days, because it had about 22 music CDs in it.  I gave it to a lady who came for one of many other Freecycled things.   She took it to look through, select out any she wanted to keep, and Freecycle the rest on. 

I LOVE Freecycle!