Released by the surgeon.

Hello to the readers of this blog.

I am attaching this old picture of our church or basilica. This picture was taken about 1898, shortly after the murals had been painted on the walls. For those of you who know the church today, you can see that it has changed a bit since that time

This past week I saw my heart surgeon on Wednesday and he has released me. I do not need to see him anymore. Says I am doing fine. A couple weeks ago I saw my cardiologist and he too said I am doing fine and do not need to see him again until the latter part of November. So that is all good news. I am pretty well back to normal except for not being able to lift anything heavy.

I had some visitors the last couple of days. Rick and Sandy Darnell who now live in Phoenix, Arizona were here to visit from Thursday evening until this morning. Earlier in the week I spent the night in Kansas City with my brother and his wife, Harold and Dee. So it has been a busy but good week.

The weather has been unusually cool here for this time of year. I even woke up last night and was cold so had to get up and close the window.

Solemnity of St. John the Baptist

Here it is Sunday again. The weeks fly by. Today Bishop Raymond Boland, the retired bishop of this diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, is celebrating his 50th anniversary of ordination to the priesthood. Abbot Gregory went down to be present for this celebration.

For myself I am continuing to do well and continue to go to cardiac rehab at the Maryville hospital two or three times a week. I am back to normal life except for lifting. That takes some time to heal the chest bone they cut through to work on the heart. Even on days when I don't go to Maryville for rehab I try to spend twenty minutes or so on the treadmill.

This afternoon I spent some time scanning some older pictures of the Abbey and Basilica. You can find them at this web address: http://kennethosb.smugmug.com/gallery/3050112#17637606
Or if you go to my "smugmug" home page and then click on "Conception Abbey" you can also find them.

You who are oblates I again remind you that if you are planning to come for the "Pray and Work" weekend on July 6-8, be sure you send in your reservation soon. I look forward to seeing many of you here.

Catching up with news

Summer is a time of much coming and going even in a monastery. Each final professed monk is allowed to take two weeks of vacation to visit family or others. The junior monks are allowed one week of vacation together and then one week with their family. Others are attending summer workshops or giving retreats or attending the ordinations of alumni. Today the junior monks return from their week together. This year they spent this in Florida, the guests of the parents of one of the junior monks. I am hoping to take some time to visit family and friends toward the end of July and first part of August. By that time I am hoping to be healed enough to do this and I think I will.

This has been a rainy summer so far. It seems that just about every day we get a shower or two. We have not had any bad storms but plenty of moisture.

For any of you who read this blog and may not know, I have many photos on a web site, some of which may interest you. Go to: http://kennethosb.smugmug.com/