Yesterday was vac consciousness raising and moving day, with the last one lugged up the lane and repositioned well after dark.

I oversee all of the vacuum cleaners in the monastery, a voluntary position I should add. It’s a fairly benign task, taken on face value, which involves keeping them in reasonable fettle and with adequate spare dust bags to hand. Occasionally, as happened yesterday, a number of the machines need to be re-deployed. This occurs for a number of complex and intimately interconnected reasons, often involving the humans who drive them.

Today I passed a vacuum cleaner outside of its cupboard with no sign of its hose and power head. A small wave of concern flushed over me. Just why is it out? What’s wrong with it? Where’s the rest of it? It just shows how involved one can become with these critters, or any other thing for that matter.

Returning to the corridor after the evening meal I was slightly bemused to find a note of explanation fixed to the lone machine. SPIDER INSIDE (Hopefully making its way out!) Thank you.

Coalclough is at the top of our valley. Once a thriving lead mining community now just a couple of houses. I’ve passed the way marker many times and then noticed today that somebody had laid it bare and scratched out the moss from the lettering. I’m not sure what the 6 (miles) indicates, perhaps it’s six miles from Allendale to Coalclough. Anyway, once again I’m reminded what an incredible location this is and how fortunate we are to be able to live here.

Looks like Coalclough was inhabited in the 1700’s, and Australia looked like a good alternative for at least part of this ancient family.

Where is Mugo?
On a walk?
She's not signed out.
In her room?
Having breakfast?
No. She is nowhere to be found.

A small thought to move,
yet so engrossed.
In the library,
reading poems by Ryokan,
and Cold Mountain.
Lost, and eventually found.

You should know that the library is the last place anybody would think to
look for me

Here is Batty, a Beanie Baby given to me many years ago by a woman in Plymouth. It first inhabited the Bursary office and now hangs on the end of a hand rail in one of the residences. It’s just hanging around.

Last evening after meditation it emerged that there had been a bat flying about in the hall. Yes, it swooped right in front of your row Mugo, didn’t you see it? Err, no!

And then this morning, saying farewell to departing guests, it seems the bat visited them too. Hopefully it has left, or perhaps it is hanging around readying itself for another display of aero-batics!

The late and lovable Leo, Springer Spaniel from Idaho admiring himself.

One of the monks mentioned I’d not posted any photographs recently and so I’m taking this opportunity to show you this picture of a dog very dear to my heart. Here is an extract from an email I sent to his person today.

I was going to post a photo of Leo the other day. I’d come across a Cocker Spaniel tied up inside the bank. I got so hooked into it sitting there silently whining and then letting go a bit and straining to see her person at the teller, whining a bit like only Spaniels can do. When it came to my turn the teller had to call me three times before I realized it was my turn. I remember you or Linda telling me not to look at Leo or Lilly because then they kinda get you hooked into doing things for them. This dog wasn’t even looking at me, I just wanted it to! (So I’m still a sucker for a Spaniel and apparently still ready to serve.)

This foal popped its head over the wall giving me a pleasant surprise. Talking to a Sangha friend this afternoon she told me she was working towards getting her qualifications for doing Tellington Touch with horses. She already works wonders with camelids. To you and me that means Alpacas and Lamas. We share a love for all matters to do with horses and she already works wonders with horses without certificates.