Pa-Bah

No chariots of fire this week. Only British Airways, which delivered Ajahn Abhinando back into our midst. He doesn’t waste any time either. Seven hours after touch-down and with a full-day Trust Meeting about to start I spotted him in the kitchen holding a paint tin to the light and reading off instructions for his workshop minions. That said, it’s not been all work that’s landed on his plate. On Tuesday we celebrated his birthday. Mame came along with Maureen bearing all sorts of gifts and to offer the meal, whilst the next day an ‘anonymous’ but belated brown box came through the post causing a little perplexity and the faintest of smiles on the face of the kitchen manager, who knows something more than he’s telling...

It was a moment of quiet amusement in what’s been a generally busy and active week. Not just with birthdays, Trust meetings and building committees, but also with the Pa-Bah offered by Noi and friends on Sunday; an alms giving festival enjoyed by about seventy people, that roughly coincided with the Thai new year and saw the ritual cleansing of hands in the temple and much cleansing of dishes in the kitchen. It was a warm-handed, warm-hearted celebration.

Today, Abramina is downstairs baking her legendary specolaas and putting together some signature dishes for the meal. Whilst outside I can hear the mini-dumper loading gravel into the soakaway, driven by the only builder I’ve ever known to refuse tea (on his colleagues’ behalf as well as his own). Behind them, in my minds eye are the sycamores, one shade of spring green amongst many now on the hill.

Spring greens?? Well yes, they are always appreciated. But just now the following would be the most helpful food items:

• honey
• tahini
• cheese
  
• long-life milk
• semi-skimmed milk powder

Helpful non-food items would be:

• small bread baskets
• fire wood
• Large Letter stamps (1st or 2nd class)
• small denomination stamps (eg.2p,5p,1p)
• larger denomination stamps (eg.£1)
• plastic rake

Thank you also, but we have plenty of toothbrushes, towels, instant coffee, tea bags, onions, pasta, lentils and spices.