Demain nous partons pour le canada...

The bookselves are up, the walls have been painted and the floors washed:  la première partie de nos vacances est terminée!  Tomorrow we leave for the Eastern Townships of Quebec ~ 95% Francophone and rural ~ where we'll bicycle in wine country.  It is mostly a chance to totally chill both after the turmoil of Beth's death and before a new season of ministry begins.  And, truth be told, my fantasy of spending 5-10 of retirement outside of Montreal is still in high gear so we'll check out what this area looks like.  We'll even get a chance to make it to the bookstore where Louise Penny will be celebrating the publication of the new Inspector Gamache novel.

I'm still pondering what my church community has to say to my hip hop buddies - and I'll be writing about that after our return as I am getting a few clues - but for now I am going to have a glass of red wine, pack for our pilgrimage and watch the antics of the Republican National Convention.  These are bold and crazy times, beloved, times that George MacLeod of the Iona Community said need the sacrament of salvation - embodied grace and compassion - and that means you and me.

We're going to be staying in Farnham, a small community (population 8,000) founded by Loyalists who left the colonies during the American Revolution.  There is a major farm and wine festival happening as well as a well-travelled bicycle route through wine country.  It will be a little bit of living in a totally new way in a mostly French speaking world.  And then it is back to ministry - and a jazz gig on Thursday, September 6th.

Mais maintenant nous allons commencer les vacances...