How Did She Plan This?

Today, Sr. Mary Catharine is leaving us for two weeks, travelling to our Dominican Monastery of Corpus Christi in Menlo Park, California for the annual novice mistress meeting. Sister is the coordinator for this year's meeting and of all the Sisters she will probably be the happiest one there since all the planning she and the other Sisters of the Formation Committee have labored over will finally come to fruition.

Sr. Maria's expression captures the sentiments of all of us as we forge ahead with renovating the kitchen!

She couldn't have timed the meeting better. Last night our community meeting was all about the upcoming adventures of our renovations. Not that this past week hasn't been dull! The domino effect continues and one never knows from minute to minute what she will see being wheeled out the door and down the hall. The Chapter Hall is packed with tables, chairs, boxes, piano, and too many other things to mention. Just temporarily, though, but temporary means at least 6 months!

This coming week we begin losing our kitchen. Slowly the community room is being transformed into a sort of refectory-kitchenette. The big challenge will be cooking in the little bakery (not so long ago the soap room) and getting the meal upstairs before it gets cold! We figure that by the time the renovations are over we will have it down to a science!

The following week the kitchen demolition begins. The reality of this hasn't sunk in because today as we began moving out freezer, refrigerators, et al one look of BEHIND these objects and certain sisters wanted to clean down the walls and wash the floor. "Sister, it's getting ripped out next week!"

Our workmen have been heroic as we exercise our womanly prerogative to change our minds!