31st Sunday

Pruning palm tree at St. Louis
hospital

We're almost at the end of the liturgical year ... the Mass readings are more intense and evoke the coming of the Kingdom. It's great because it gives a sense of great expectation leading to Advent. I rather like it. The weather continues to get colder, the skies alot cloudier and the nights longer. Winter is surely here. One activity which we cannot miss witnessing is the cropping and pruning of trees to prevent collapses when the rains and snow begin to fall. Municipality workers are everywhere pruning large trees in the parks and along the streets while private houses hire private companies to prune their trees.

Morning market
near the bank

This morning I had to accomplish one final act in the bank - close the account. I celebrated Mass at 4am so I could be free to go to the bank at 8am. It's dreadfully stressful but I must do it as we're losing lots of money from this library account. There is a monthly charge to maintain this account, then a quarterly charge for something else and then taxes. Then there are charges and taxes for every transaction. And the Municipality takes money from the account for payment for other reasons that have nothing to do with the library. It was a nightmare that e had to end. Well I'll miss all the workers at the bank whom I've become friends. They are really nice and helpful. But this nightmare had to end.

I decided this afternoon to take a break from all the stress by walking in the park. Brought some cheese, bread and chicken wings which the cook prepared for me for my late lunch in the outdoors. My feast day will be in 5 days and Leo our Indian seminarian, who celebrates the same feast day as I, suggested I should just take an afternoon for myself. And I will.