Sunday Breakfast with Bro Columba

It is going to be Lent season soon. This morning after mass, we had a short morning coffee with Bro Columba, the Benedictine monk from Sabah who is currently based here in Bamber Bridge for his next station. How fast has time flown as we are entering the final week of February and spring is already knocking on the door.

As for me, it's great to catch up with my fellow countrymen who is also here in the small town of Preston.In  my previous post,  St. Mary's Brownedge & St Wilfrid's, Bro Columba is the first Sabahan Benedictine monk in the religious order of St Benedict. Bro. Columba has also invited us to witness for ourselves the lives of the monk in Ampleforth Abbey in York which is an opportunity to see the countryside and its a good weekend retreat as well. I remind myself to bring a notebook next time when I meet up with Bro. Columba as there always lots of information and interesting fact in regards of the life in the religious order(anyone up for religious vocation?). Fuh, after Amsterdam and now a retreat with the Benedictine monks! This gotta be fun! :)

I remembered when I was younger when I had the chance to join retreats and go through the Saturday Morning Missal which is also used by the monks and also other religious orders throughout the day. I wonder how is it like here but I am sure to bring back some shots in the countryside too. It will be spring and the flowers will start blooming! Can't wait!!

Yesterday we had a trip to Leeds. It was pretty an industrial city but also with interesting Victorian and Edwardian buildings which we managed to get a few good shots as well. We also managed to drove to Kirkstall Abbey, which is a ruined Cistercian monastery to the west of Leeds city centre in West Yorkshire. I am also very excited to know that we have our very own first Sarawakian Cistercian Monk (Bro Adam who happens to be from the indigenous community of the Orang Ulu in Sarawak! Kewl!!) .

This weekend I will spending a night at Lytham, St. Anne's-on-the-sea, just somewhere below Blackpool with the cousins of Bro Columba for a British weekend. It will be great as well as I will get to taste Malaysian food again(I'm so missing Malaysian food right now ;p)! Yeap yeap, will take some photos by the beach in this winter-to-spring season!

In a couple of hours or maybe a day, I will be... ahem a year older, a year wiser ,so they say. I thank God for the past years of my exciting life and thank Him for His abundant grace and blessings as well. It will be another birthday away on this 24th from my loved ones, and love you all very much, muaakss!!

I would like to end today's piece with this birthday quote below. Sweeeet!!!!!!!!!

Men are like wine. Some turn to vinegar, but the best improve with age.
- C.E.M. Joad