After the freak-out and unpacking I had explored the guest house a little just to get my bearing and get comfortable with the surrounding, and I had paused by the front desk. I picked up an info brochure about the guest house. Thankfully it listed all the meal times and I had discovered the guest house dining hall on the quick little self tour.
I set my alarm but I ended up heading to the dining hall early. I thought it was weird that I got there under ten minutes early and the kitchen area was still dark and locked up. I sat outside for a little bit until I heard someone clanking around.
That lady that I had almost run into earlier was in there. Checking the drink machines and clearing the trays left over from lunch. I went in, got another glass of cranberry juice and sat down. We smiled and acknowledged each other. The time crept by and about 5:40 or so I got up the courage to ask the lady if I was in the right place for dinner.
She was shocked to say the least. She asked if anyone had told me to go to Newman Hall for dinner. Apparently she had been told there was no one in the guest house to worry about for dinner and she should just set up for the continental breakfast next morning for six. She explained the students and everyone else were over in Newman Hall eating family style. She asked if I knew where Newman Hall was.
When I told her it was my first time here, she asked if I trusted her. I said yes immediately. She said to come jump in her car, ‘cause if she didn’t drive me there I’d miss the food. She also told me she’d find me some dinner no matter the case.
In the couple of minutes it took to drive to Newman Hall she explained she’d been up since a quarter after 5am. There was a group of 95 Fransican monks for a breakfast this morning, after they left a group of 75 priests from Louisville has arrived for lunch, then there was this family style meal for the students. Family style is more challenging to put together as a meal because everything is grouped into servings of six. So there’s much more work involved.
She actually thought I was some teenager from town hanging around having some free juice! I told her how flattered I was about that. Which I really was flattered. I mean I’m thirty and she thought I was maybe 18. How cool is that? (Second time it's happened this year too!)
As we exited the car at Newman Hall I told her my name was Mikki and she said hers was Gloria. I thanked her and told her how grateful to her I was. We walked in and went through the kitchen to the dining area. She was looking for a seat as everyone was seated in groups of six and only where there was an empty seat would there be food left.
There happened to be a seat left at one of the few tables with a Fr. in robes who I ended up sitting by. A couple of the gentlemen kindly got up and one got me a napkin, another, a glass I think. Gloria located a roll. One of the students cleared some of the dishes out of my personal space. No one had been there so that seat had been the catch-all for discard stuff.
It was wonderful roast pork with apples and augratten potatoes, and green beans. And the roll that Gloria had wonderfully found at another table. The students were polite; they asked where I was from, what I was doing at the Abbey this weekend. They actually tried guessing what church I attended but I only said no to their inquiries. The Fr. then indicated they were going to pray but he turned to me and assured me I could stay seated and continue eating. I thanked him.
It was only after everyone left, when the Fr. asked me where I attended that I shared I wasn’t Catholic. He apologized for his erroneous assumption and I told him it was quite alright. He told me he hoped I had a blessed time at the abbey.
Tune in tomorrow to discover the lovely lady oblate I met after dinner.
I set my alarm but I ended up heading to the dining hall early. I thought it was weird that I got there under ten minutes early and the kitchen area was still dark and locked up. I sat outside for a little bit until I heard someone clanking around.
That lady that I had almost run into earlier was in there. Checking the drink machines and clearing the trays left over from lunch. I went in, got another glass of cranberry juice and sat down. We smiled and acknowledged each other. The time crept by and about 5:40 or so I got up the courage to ask the lady if I was in the right place for dinner.
She was shocked to say the least. She asked if anyone had told me to go to Newman Hall for dinner. Apparently she had been told there was no one in the guest house to worry about for dinner and she should just set up for the continental breakfast next morning for six. She explained the students and everyone else were over in Newman Hall eating family style. She asked if I knew where Newman Hall was.
When I told her it was my first time here, she asked if I trusted her. I said yes immediately. She said to come jump in her car, ‘cause if she didn’t drive me there I’d miss the food. She also told me she’d find me some dinner no matter the case.
In the couple of minutes it took to drive to Newman Hall she explained she’d been up since a quarter after 5am. There was a group of 95 Fransican monks for a breakfast this morning, after they left a group of 75 priests from Louisville has arrived for lunch, then there was this family style meal for the students. Family style is more challenging to put together as a meal because everything is grouped into servings of six. So there’s much more work involved.
She actually thought I was some teenager from town hanging around having some free juice! I told her how flattered I was about that. Which I really was flattered. I mean I’m thirty and she thought I was maybe 18. How cool is that? (Second time it's happened this year too!)
As we exited the car at Newman Hall I told her my name was Mikki and she said hers was Gloria. I thanked her and told her how grateful to her I was. We walked in and went through the kitchen to the dining area. She was looking for a seat as everyone was seated in groups of six and only where there was an empty seat would there be food left.
There happened to be a seat left at one of the few tables with a Fr. in robes who I ended up sitting by. A couple of the gentlemen kindly got up and one got me a napkin, another, a glass I think. Gloria located a roll. One of the students cleared some of the dishes out of my personal space. No one had been there so that seat had been the catch-all for discard stuff.
It was wonderful roast pork with apples and augratten potatoes, and green beans. And the roll that Gloria had wonderfully found at another table. The students were polite; they asked where I was from, what I was doing at the Abbey this weekend. They actually tried guessing what church I attended but I only said no to their inquiries. The Fr. then indicated they were going to pray but he turned to me and assured me I could stay seated and continue eating. I thanked him.
It was only after everyone left, when the Fr. asked me where I attended that I shared I wasn’t Catholic. He apologized for his erroneous assumption and I told him it was quite alright. He told me he hoped I had a blessed time at the abbey.
Tune in tomorrow to discover the lovely lady oblate I met after dinner.
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