A Very Late Update...

So, I sort of stopped blogging for a while!
The rest of the Consultation was fab. Monday we discussed food security; GREAT conversations all day! That evening we were invited for drinks at the cloisters with one of the lesser canons. Delightful time; once again my liver just cried. Tuesday we focused on health (physical, systematic, mental) – really good again! Our cultural assessment for the day was a play which had us questioning perspectives, our discussions went all over the place. Very engaging! Wednesday we looked at Conflict and Peace; I got to lead the Bible Study on a lesser-read passage from Judges. We almost missed coffee that morning as we all heard different themes from it! This was our last night, so we had some guests for dinner and then people lingered longer for post-dinner conversation. Some GREAT conversations, laughter, debates. Some great whiskey and brandy and other stuff too... I ended up going to bed about 1, then starting to compile our group’s production for the next day. So Thursday we had time to get ready to leave; we then presented a brief synopsis of some of what each of the groups would be taking away from the consultation. Overall we determined that we needed more time to reflect and pray on it all, and were going to continue with the processes that we had been introduced to (and challenged by). A fantastic course, SO glad I was invited to attend!!!
And the vacation began... early Friday morning (0330) Jean and I left her flat for a girls’ weekend in Paris! We met up with Kate later in the morning, and toured around for the weekend. Kate had never been; I’d been but had no memories left. So now we have plenty! Sacre Coeur, the carousel at Montmartre, Tour Eiffel, l’Arc de Triomphe, the Haagen-Dazs cafe on the Champs Elysee, Notre Dame, a boat cruise on the Seine, the Tuileries, the Louvre (or Loover as we overheard a lot – not a toilet vacuum, just a mis-pronunciation!), etc. We had a VERY full 3 days! Friday was good weather, Saturday and Sunday not so much. Sunday night Jean headed back to London; Kate left Monday morning to head back to Thunder Bay. I wandered around the Ile a bit more (Sorbonne, ah dreams!!!). Then I went out to Chartres, and wandered around for the afternoon. Tuesday I spent the entire day at the Cathedral – walked the labyrinth, climbed the bell tower, toured the crypt. Wednesday was an early start for St. Malo, which would have been a lovely seaside town if it hadn’t been 13 degrees and raining! So I went to my hotel early. Thursday I wandered Mont St Michel and attended a mass with the Benedictines; it’s a gorgeous place worth visiting – glad I wore comfy shoes; I watched some people trying to climb around an ancient church/abbey in heels. Friday I spent the day in Caen (home of William the Conqueror), ending a week of cold and rainy weather. On Saturday I met Jean in Calais; we took the ferry across for Dover (white cliffs) and spent a nice lazy Sunday on the beach (quarry) and wandering around the town before heading back to London. Monday I wandered the city (climbed the monument, walked the South Bank and Thames Path, climbed up the tower of St. Pauls). Tuesday I ventured out to Oxford and fell in love! The Bodleian was great, sitting by the river was beautiful, the Cathedral was amazing, and of course walking around the OUP bookstore was just fun. Wednesday I went to Westminster Abbey and then attended Dr. Faustus at the Globe (standing in the yard, naturally!) before Jean and I had a lovely evening out. Thursday I started the journey home – NOT a good day. First the airline gave away my seat, then stuck me on the back of a plane that nearly crashed in Montreal (people screaming, fire trucks racing out in case we burst into flames, etc. NOT the ideal way to improve your prayer life, but effective!). Then a delay getting to Winnipeg meant I got to MB on Friday. Crashed HARD, did a few things in the city, got to spend some good down time (and Auntie time) before heading home today!
So now I’m home with the dogs, bags unpacked and laundry started. It’s been a heck of an adventure, but I am definitely looking forward to sleeping in my own bed tonight.