Scenes From Nantucket, Day 1

{ Two adults, three kids and one dog in a hotel room. Very relaxing. }

{ waiting for the ferry, Hyannis Port }

{ ferry to Nantucket }

{ ferry to Nantucket }

{ lunch and swings at Bartlett Farm }

{ lunch and swings at Bartlett Farm }

{ Madaket Beach }

{ Madaket Beach }

{ Madaket Beach }

{ Madaket Beach }

{ Madaket Beach }

My Fourth Child

Two thousand thirteen has been a crazy year. I have been through some stuff in my lifetime, but good god, I am on my knees saying uncle right now. Separation, selling the house, making plans for myself and the kids, Ryan's therapy AND starting my own business. I know if I can make it through this, I will be mentally invincible on the other side.



All stressors aside, I am really excited for what's to come. My business has been fueling a creative energy that I had put aside for too many years and I feel ready, but so nervous too. I suppose that is only natural.



I am taking an entrepreneurship bootcamp this fall with our local chamber of commerce. By the end of it I'll have a business plan and a bunch of new tools in my belt. But more than that, it's a great networking experience and I hope it will provide enough leads and opportunities to get myself off the ground.



I hope that my business not only feeds my soul, but that it affords me the opportunity to be the kind of mother I want to be. To be present, to have time, to be able to live peacefully. I am intimidated at the idea of supporting my babies alone. But I know I can do it. I just hope that others believe in me too.



So without further ado, a screenshot of my site -- currently under development. I should be taking clients later this fall, with a full schedule in the spring. In the meantime, I'll just be taking deep breaths.

treasure indeedy...

i have treasure that has me rather giddy, perhaps more giddy then i have been in quite the while... my first treasure arrived when i was winging my way to foreign climes. i had of course hoped and prayed to the post office gods high up above that my box of treasure would arrive before my departure. however when i clicked on the handy dandy tracking number all high hopes were dashed. the day of delivery for my treasure = the day of departure for moi...

i did not hang my head, nor weep, instead i told myself i had something to look forward to upon my return. a box filled with unknown treasure... well actually that is not true, i knew the treasure, however having purr-chased it online and colours being what colours are, it was still an unknown as to whether i would gasp with delight at my selection, or indeed weep with dismay at the 'wrongness' of what lay within the little brown box.

GASP! indeedy!

my next bit of giddy inducing treasure came back from foreign climes safely stowed in my hand luggage. i cannot help myself, i see a candle in the grocery stores in and around Todos Santos, Baja and i am overcome with the need to buy them all for fear i will never ever see another candle quite like these ones for the rest of my life. this time i piled my cart pretty highly and thus, my hand luggage was pretty hefty in weight but i did not care, i did not fret, i did not weaken and ask for help. no sirree! i channeled all the yoga arm muscle energy i could muster and carried my prized treasure home. 

where upon i immediately set them up in lovely huddle to admire. i then daydreamed and dallied my hours away thinking of how if i had a bricks and mortar emporium, an emporium of the utmost kind, i would indeed have these magical and magnificent grocery store candles... as surely no emporium worth its emporium salt, could call its self 'the utmost kind' without such peachy candles upon its shelves

Silver Jubilee of Our Foundation

Silver Jubilee

of the

Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer

On the Isle of Sheppey in Kent, in a small, once Toc H, chapel duly decorated for the Sacrifice of the Mass in the Extra-ordinary form, five young men gathered around a young Redemptorist priest who was offering the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. It was the Feast of Saint Alphonsus 1988. On this day then, began the foundation of a religious community that would follow the Rule written by Saint Alphonsus Maria de Liguori and which would finally receive the blessing of the Church to become the Congregation of the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer.

Today, twenty Five years later, a Sung Mass in honour of Saint Alphonsus was offered in thanksgiving to God and Our Blessed Lady for all the graces and blessings received. The ones we know about and the ones known only to God.

We share this joy with all of you, and wish to thank everyone that made our foundation a reality. Many have passed to their eternal rest, others still await the reward God has prepared for them - to one and all, we say thank you and may God ever bless you all.

Below are a few photos from the past which may bring back some happy memories.

Br Nicodemus as a young postulant clearing out the chicken coop.

Building works in progress to link the Sacristy to the Chapel.

On the right can be seen the door of the caravan

which served as sacristy for over three years.

Fr Michael Mary giving his blessing,

to Brother (now Fr) Anthony Mary and Brother Gerard Maria
 on their return from an outside trip.

This is taken at Guildford where we lived for a year.

Site of the Sacristy, Bell Tower and Annex rooms.

Mr Coates and his sons were the builders and friends of the Monastery

Father Anthony Mary as a novice hanging out the washing.

The future chapel can be seen behind the tree on the left.

Unpacking boxes in preparation for the foundation

Every monastery needs a cloister.

Here the brothers prepare the wood for the enclosure fence.

The refectory in the early days.

Oliver Cromwell stabled his horses here, once upon a time.

The ceiling beams were used from dismantled wooden ships.

Solemn High Mass for the Profession of one of the brothers.

In our first humble kitchen with a caravan gas oven,

Br Gerard Maria prepares breakfast.