One Year in Mexico

Well Good Afternoon Good People!  I know I have been very remiss over the Summer with my postings but I've been traveling and very busy during the months of July and August.  I am finally back in Mexico and ready to get back into a normal routine.  I now mark my one year anniversary in Mexico.  So many things have happened during this year that it is hard to recount all of the graces received.  What I can tell you is that one year later my Spanish is better than when I arrived (I still struggle here), I feel part of the local community, I traveled a great deal in this past year, and I lost some weight.  All good things!

So here's a recap of my time away during the Summer:

July
- Visited LA for a few days
- Spent some time in San Francisco, Pacifica, Sacramento, and Menlo Park, California
It was great to see and visit with so many people.  I had lunch with my advisor for my doctoral studies, and also had lunch with my former personal trainer in San Francisco.  I spent a few days with my aunts, Marge and Gayle and as always we had a great time together.  I also spent the weekend with my friends Marisa and Gene in Pacifica where we had a great dinner party one night and then Mass on their patio the next morning with parishioner's from St. Peter Church where I ministered while I was in doctoral studies.  After all that fun, I went down to Menlo Park to attend a conference with the Brothers.  It was a great experience for all of us!

Guess who I am?

August

- I spent some time in NY before going to Cape May.  I caught up with a good buddy of mine, Stephen, one day and walked in Central Park the other days trying to work off all the good food and adult beverages!  I also visited St. Patrick's Cathedral to view the renovations.  It was beautiful and a peaceful refuge in the midst of the "City that Never Sleeps"

 Central Park

 St. Patrick's Cathedral

Columbus Circle

- My friends Ann and Chris picked me up in New York and drove me down to Cape May and we all worked on the Family Retreat Program.  I've been working with them off and on for the past 17 years...needless to say, we know each other very well!  We had a great time and as always I felt connected to so many great people.  I was able to walk the beach in the morning to prepare for the day and just relax, pray, and have some fun with a great group of people.

Me, Annie, Chris, Sue, Billy

Mary's House

View of the Lighthouse from the Bay

After my time in Cape May, I spent another day in Manhattan.  It was so hot in the city! My uncle Mike picked me up and we headed to Brooklyn where I stayed at Mike and Cathy's house for 2 days.  I did the same thing last year, so now I guess it's part of my Tradition with my trip to Cape May.  It was very easy being with them and we enjoyed a few drinks and I even learned how to play Kings in the Corner...I learned, I wasn't very good at it..YET!

After all this fun I found myself in St. Louis for our Provincial Council meetings.  We had our meetings out at our Retreat Center in Eureka, MO.  The meetings were good but at times pretty stressful with some decisions we needed to make.  I was able to walk 5 miles each morning and spent that time thinking, praying and reflecting upon my life and my responsibilities.  I was glad to have the time. 

I returned to Mexico on Sunday night.  This week has been filled with meetings and more meetings! We are planning for our year together and there are many things we need to discuss and change for the coming year.  I'm glad to be back so that I can be faithful to my weight loss.  I actually  do better when I am in Mexico...go figure! I'm back at the gym and back to running again on the treadmill.  I am hoping to make some headway with my weight loss. I'm down 42 lbs and need to lose another 20.  I will get there in due time.  I have not given myself a goal date because that usually sabotages my efforts! So, here's to seeing LESS of me! 

Working hard this morning

So, now you are all caught up...there are always more details to share, but I just wanted to get something up for all of you to know that I am alive and well and ready for a new ministerial year! Only a few more days until Labor Day and the "official" end of the Summer...Make the most of it!