Feast of St Benedict

Today is the feast of St Benedict--always one of my favorite Saints since I really got to know him through the works of Kathleen Norris and then through his Rule and then from the Monks at Holy Cross. There is a distinctive Benedictine culture that I really respond to, spiritually and personally. Something about balance and gentleness and a method that is very practical and loving and yet rigorous. I miss my monk friends at Holy Cross. I really need to get to West Park soon and regroup.

I've been asked lately by more than one person for a list of possible presents. Who doesn't love presents? So here's a quick wish list...

• iPod (available here and here)
  
• Gift Certificates for NCIX (a Canadian on-line computer store)
  
• A GPS unit suitable for car nav
  
• Ikea gift certificates (yeah, we've gotten to that age)
  
• A leather or "leatherette" edition of the BAS
  
• Icons... Who doesn't need more Icons?
  
• A Tascam HD-P2 Digital Recorder (It's basically a high-definition sound recorder, handy for recording sermons, concerts, or audio tracks for video, etc.)
  
• Camcorder
  
• Fish (Yes, living fish... I'm going to set up a small aquarium in my office)
  
• Anything off of our wedding registry
  

So there's a nice little list for anyone curious about such things. Christmas is still a long way off, however...

I really miss my wife. Betsy is in Belfast studying Byzantine Greek. It's been three and a half weeks since I've seen her. Another week and a half to go. I know I'm definitely married because my fantasy of her return includes me cleaning the house from top to bottom before she arrives--that's a well trained husband. But as a friend married many years once told me, "A happy wife is a happy life."

-t