Marla, you get so much extra credit: Phil’s Camino sign, shirt, bandanna and smile! Good for a year!
Yea, we are charged up and ready for the year ahead and whatever it will bring. All we have to do is save our nickels and dimes to catch some transportation back here to the Island, to the Ranch, to the Trail, to each other. August 21st to the 24th for 2020.
I’m finally taking a breath here on the red leather couch, home of the Caminoheads blog. Everyone is gone and on their way. Still some more straightening up to do here but it will happen in the next week. Farmer John helped me count up the donations and we collected $800 even. That’s plenty to cover the port-a-potties and the rest with maybe a little left over. I think that I will be mailing some packages with left behind gear and such so maybe there are a few more expenses.
But we did good, no major catastrophes. Didn’t start any fires. No gear damaged. No feelings hurt hopefully. Some things are being repurposed and put to use for other things. The stage is down and half of it turned into a new bin for kindling for instance. Life at the Ranch goes on.
It is my hope that whatever takes place over the next year we can use the good memories of the Veranda to counter balance any bad news that comes along. We have banked a lot of goodness which we can use to our advantage when maybe things turn bleak. We know how to do this now. There is a lot of power in the knowledge that we are loved, that we are capable, that we belong. We are safely in the “flow of pilgrims” that will take us home.
Farmer John is fresh up and off picking blackberries and dropping them directly into his cereal bowl. His last day here. We have been sorting through the debris of the party. And maybe we are working slowly and not really wanting it cleaned up. And some of it is to be saved as part of the kit for next year.
Yes, next year, the Veranda next year. I never would have guessed that it would be so well received to have an immediate encore. But we have scheduled it already for August 21-24, pretty much the same four day weekend. Corn and blackberry season and still summer vacation for the kids and teachers.
We picked ten dozen ears of corn over three days to feed folks and really didn’t put a serious dent in the supply. So stop by if you are local for some to take with you. Still the plenitude of berries also.
I am hearing from folks that they got home safely and hoping everyone does. Farmer John is taking off this noontime for his flight. And then I think I will sleep for three days.
I’m going to go for now. Have to keep Farmer John busy so he doesn’t get into trouble. Later, love you, Felipé.
Too tired to post much. It was an incredible weekend and I am in recovery mode. Farmer John is here an extra day to help clean up. Everything good but exhausted.
I’m pretty close to exhausted but still standing and it’s only morning. We have our normal Monday morning walk and then a few sights to see around the Island. You can’t come to Vashon without going to see the Point Robinson Lighthouse for one. And there is a labyrinth that we need to find and walk. But we are all, who are left, mostly enjoying the afterglow of the weekend.
Yesterday we had our standard walk and tapas which is always good. And we had an additional walk in the morning to learn and say the rosary. Our gathering of Bureau Chiefs had our meeting, the first ever. There were five of us present, four BC’s and myself. There were four not present. There are minutes that are being typed up and will be available. And last evening before I crashed which was pretty early Padre Tomas very lovingly anointed me with oil and everyone had a part in that. Very special in indeed.
So, it has been fun and loving, deep and moving, challenging and reassuring. It has been all the things that I had hoped for and more. There are a heap of take-a-ways.
Sunday morning here in the neighborhood. Had way through the proceedings. So much has happened so far it is hard to contemplate that there will be more. Will I still be standing.
The apparent high point of yesterday was the showing of the film and that went well. Great Q and A with Annie, my Rebecca, Dr Zucker, Wiley and myself. It was only the second time that I had seen this version and it held up well. Thank you all who came.
Wiley’s pic.
So I am just going to post two items, one from Cris and one from Annie that I see this morning:
Hola Felipe,
What a Saturday…!!!! I am so joyful and grateful for having been invited to this party (not the Veranda per se, but the party that Caminoheads is!)
Yesterday was a day packed with yellow arrows… with hints on how to be a better pilgrim, a better neighbor, a better human… Dr. Z. in the Q&A said that you are a “normal man”, then the missal said it was it was an “ordinary day”, and in all the reflections each of the “speakers” shared yesterday, we were talking about “daily stuff”, nothing spectacular, all “stuff” that is at our fingertips … and I went to bed thinking how the world has changed and will change because of what happened these days… the ripples of the goodness, the generosity, the love, the hugs, the joy, the celebration of LIFE, the companionship, the friendship, the neighborness (catch that new word!), the togetherness, and all the other experiences that can be felt but cannot be named, all resulting from the Veranda.
What a joy loves,
Cris (your neighbor)
Annie’s pic.
Hey there Felipe,
What a beautiful sunrise this morning. It warms my heart to think of the sun rising over all the pilgrims sleeping all around and bash on Island this morning.
Pilgrims from here, there, and everywhere. All with that beautiful heart and soul of a pilgrim, the pilgrim spirit that loves to give and also delights in receiving, the pilgrims who love to walk and talk, to laugh and cry with one another, to listen and to share with one another. You created this space this weekend, Felipe! How grateful I am. Or maybe it’s like you said, it created itself. Maybe it is beyond you, and we have just touched the hem of what is truly possible when we let love be our guiding force.
I am so grateful, for so much. Thank you.
Peace-
Annie
Am I the luckiest guy in the world to have fallen into this situation with these folks around me. See you tomorrow.
We are experiencing a deep manifestation of God’s love here at the Ranch. We had a marvelous first day yesterday and things are ramping up for more shenanigans today. I have a feeling that this energy will start to be noticed from space.
Annie, Esther and Pilgrim Farmer John are coming in sometime before the film. Cathy and Tim coming in and more. Things are humming!
We walk into Santiago this AM on Phil’s Camino our 909 laps will be completed God willing. Then a few hours break and then off to the Vashon Theater for the high noon showing of Phil’s Camino – So Far So Good. Phil’s Camino is up on the movie house marquee next to Apocalypse Now. Maybe it’s two for the price of one.
Anyway we are merrily pilgriming along here. The best to you there. Know that you are loved.
Here we are 8:40 AM. Have coffee brewed and stories are coming out in droves just with the few of us present so far. The rain has stopped for good, fingers crossed. Looking like Spain in August here early this morning.
William CCBC and Rho CSWBC are here with me starting this out. Will just write a few words in this lull to let you know what we are up to. So, with that I need to get back to scurrying around getting the venue oh so just so.
Well, we had a practice last evening, Cynthia from Minnesota and Cris from Buenos Aires were here with My Rebecca and me. We tapa’d away with the rain still sprinkling just to see how things would go and I am happy to report it was a complete success.
It started with a trickle but more pilgrims coming in today. So we are all happy so far waiting for the sprinkles to stop and the sun to come out. Not sprinkles but twinkles is what we need. Have to pick up a couple of strings of twinkle lights yet, thanks for reminding me.
Boy, have to report something very serious that occurred last evening. Cris, who works in the field of clinical trials took a look at the paperwork for my trial and looked up info on the internet. And she explained some important parts of my treatment that is a cause for great hope. I could be doing way better than I realized. So see, the Veranda is paying off bigtime even before it starts. Maybe we have seen nothing yet!
I really did need some good news on that account. It is all a long haul for me and my “fight” or my hobby. And a little bright light is heartening. It is a great way to start the weekend!
Don’t forget the Phil’s Camino – So Far So Good documentary at the Vashon Theater at high noon on Saturday. Bring some neighbors too. We need to pack the place like last time. Also having a showing in Seattle at Calvary: the Hill on E. Howell on Capital Hill. That on is September 27th. Rebecca and I will be there for Q and A.
Have a walk at 9 in a few minutes. Charlie and Cris will be here for that. We are so close to Santiago and should be there at the end of Saturday 9AM walk. I have been dragging my feet waiting for everyone to catch up. So God willing we will be there!
