Getting settled into the
new altitude and time zone, we got up and were functional enough for me to make
eggs for Anabelle and settle into our usual breakfast routine.
Titi Luzma started
watching Ant Man but left in the
middle. This was a common tactic she used to
watch movies, explaining why she asked for spoilers throughout the opening
acts.
She left to take
Abuelita to her toenail appointment, leaving us to explore. We originally thought all of us were
attending the Spanish mass at the Mother Cabrini shrine, but with foot
requirements, we visited it only to sight-see, planning to meet up with them later at evening
mass.
We knew there were over
three hundred and fifty steps, but it’s hard to count in the thin Denver
air.
Every so many steps, one of the
Stations of the Cross was posted. Once
we passed the final one, and the bonus, “Happy resurrected Jesus” one, I figured
we were near the top.
Then we passed the first
Sorrowful Mystery and I blurted out some expletives that should have sent me to
the confessional back in the chapel at the bottom of the hill.
Hiking up past the rest
of those, and knowing the glorious and nifty mysteries were due, did not
improve my mood. Yes, someone reminded
me it was the “joyful” mysteries once we reached them.
Up at the top, along with the shrine itself were stone reliefs of the Ten Commandments…
When we saw one was a
depiction of Moses receiving the commandments, we could start trying to figure
out the other reliefs. “Thou shalt not kill” was pretty obvious, “Thou shalt
not commit adultery” was completely vague, and the rest were variations of
confusing and oblique that Anabelle found hilarious.
The sealed shrine also
had money somehow stuffed into it. This was also odd, as there were multiple
collection boxes and candles down in the chapel at the base of the stairs. I guess the faithful were hoping Mother
Cabrini herself would pocket the cash this way.
Anabelle overheard some
kids reading the Ten Commandments stones and learned one’s name was Damien.
This made her feel better about wearing her Ankh necklace to the shrine.
We couldn’t figure out
why Rosa was ignoring us on the way down, until we reached the bottom and she
said, “Three Hundred and Seventy Five!”
The total count was
Three-Eighty-Four with the extra flight down to the Holy Water drinking
fountains.
We filled some bottles and had a sip out of the paper cups provided. Rosa insisted on tossing some on Anabelle and me. As she surprised us with this, we were a little stunned. However, we did decide our “drink and douse” blessings were far classier than the group of teenagers performing the “sacred chug and burp.”
To work the Sunday
crowd, local nurses had a blood pressure station out front. I tried it out to see the effects the thin
air and multi-story climb had. I probably should have mentioned the blood
pressure pills newly added to my regimen.
While the pressure was elevated to just barely borderline by the hike,
my heart rate had returned to my medication de-augmented, frequent exercising
levels of the mid-forties by the time I sat there a while. I think their pressures spiked before I could
explain about the pills, but everyone calmed down quickly enough.
After enjoying varieties
of bison, we wanted to see some. We
programmed in the “buffalo overlook” and let Siri lead us to the local herd.
That was the plan,
anyway.
In another case of
evidence that there were going to be some GPS issues, Siri led us on a long and
climbing twisty dirt road adventure that overlooked many a wooded valley, and
many a driveway I thank any deity willing to listen that I don’t have to clear
snow off of, but not a single bison.
Anabelle passed out when
we got home, still not accustomed to the new time. We got ready, followed Titi’s example and got
to the local church a half hour early.
We were immediately asked to bring up the gifts, which is one of the main reasons I try to show up late to mass.
Like our previous
visits, there was some culture shock. It's a much more protestant vibe than New
York area churches.
It was huge, they used
happy modern songs, the mikes were wireless and there was a massive sound board
near the baptismal font.
The giant staring
crucifix in the front was a definite Catholic element however. It being flanked by weeping angels was a nice
touch.
We were called back to
get the gifts early on in the offertory section. By the time they lined up
everyone, collected the donations, and
double checked the sound board, my hands had cramped up on the chalices and I
feared I’d be unable to release them. In
my relief at not flinging the host all over the altar, I forgot to wait for
everyone to unload then be blessed and released back to my seat.
The retired priest
ending the mass with a speech about the recent molestation revelations in
Pennsylvania was done in completely veiled and referential terms making it far
creepier than it needed to be. We briefly stopped in this holy gift shop, because of
course they had one, and went home.
Titi Luzma had to do her
translation work, which she did from home.
We went over to the pool and initiated and continued several traditions
for the trip.
Anabelle began taking
close up artsy fartsy picture of flowers.
She swam a bit in the
main pool before joining Rosa in the hot tub.
Then I soaked my feet and/ or knees while being ordered to hit them with
an unending series of Disney World trivia questions.
We continued the trivia
downstairs until Titi was done, then had leftovers and roast chicken for
dinner. Titi introduced us to her smoothies, which were a highlight of the
vacation.
We ended up watching Goosebumps as a way of answering Titi’s
requests to see horror movies, now that she knew Anabelle liked them.
Her interest in, and her knowledge of our fandom of,
superheroes also led her to asking, “What’s Deadpool?”
but Anabelle wisely slapped the remote out of her hand with a firm, “No!”
before she could hit play.
Click for Trip Index
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