Earth Store Celebration :)

Sunday was the Earth Store Celebration at CTTB and like always, the day started bright and early - actually, so early that it was actually dark when we arrived at the Buddha Hall for morning recitation. I met up with Tara, Kim, and Tammy there, and unlike the morning recitation I attended during summer camp when i was so wiped out that I could barely remember it, I actually was quite alert and awake despite the fact that I had only slept three hours. Plus the ceremony was in English and I am really fond of the English melodies :)

After morning recitation I had initially intended to go back and sleep for an hour before breakfast, but I got persuaded by Kim and Tammy to go back to the girls dorm and actually take a nice brisk walk around JGH. After breakfast we rushed over to the Mountain Gate to attend the Three Steps One Bow session, and even though the rocks sometimes ingrained into painful places in my knees and the fact that the path was lined with dried peacock poop, when we reached the Buddha Hall a bit sweaty but invigorated we all felt rather accomplished :D I was standing next to Kim the whole time and I remember how I was feeling really tired halfway through, but hearing Kim's voice reciting Earth Store's name really motivated me and kept me going - thanks Kim :) I could even hear Andrew in the men's line!! Pictures: Three Steps One Bow

After catching up with some of the students and alumni for awhile, I went in and attended the second incense for the Earth Store Sutra (the first one was concurrent with Three Steps One Bow). There were so many people in there and after the break, even more people came, mostly from the bus coming from Gold Mountain Monastery :) Pictures: the assembly reciting the Earth Store Sutra in the Buddha Hall; pic taken from the women's side; Nancy, Yvonne, and Rebecca

Lunch is always a little hectic on the big celebration days and thanks to my loving friends, I was not alone during my trash monitor shift :D After that of course, was dish duty. I had gotten a note earlier from Heng Yi Shr with a list of jobs needing people and it was really nice how everyone pitched in and volunteered without complaint. Of course with such experienced people, we cleaned the dining hall in no time :) Pictures: Nancy and Yvonne; Hai Ching getting lunch before Yvonne and Michelle take it away; setting out the just-washed bowls to dry - Lotus is in the background; Tara and Tammy using Tammy's painting to block out the sun

Sunday was also the day when I got to spend some time with my fellow musketeers, something we haven't been able to do for over half a year now. So after cleaning the dining hall we all piled into Yvonne's car and headed over to Coffee Critic where we just CHILLED, one of our favorite past times XD Xiao Hui also came halfway through and it was nice to catch up with her - during camp I was just so busy that I didn't get to really spend time with her :( Pictures: Me, Yvonne, Tara, and Nancy; our class creation :D; gifts from Yvonne with a cup from Coffee Critic

By late afternoon I was way too tired and Tammy and I crashed on the dorm couch, coming in and out of counsciousness every now and then, mostly to say goodbye to Nancy, Tara, and Yvonne, each of whom had to leave :( After evening ceremony Kim, Amy, Rebecca, Tammy, and I worked on writing a birthday card for Heng Fu Shr and then Tammy and I left back to my room in Bodhi House to finally hit the hay. What a long day!!