Back in the groove...

Getting back into the groove after being away for a week is always a

challenge - especially when the time away was in Tucson with dear, dear friends - with some special farewells, too. Our flight was delayed by a day - what a shame to have to spend another 24 hours in the sunny Southwest! - but we arrived in Hartford Wednesday night at midnight safe, tired and grateful.

Thursday was spent getting caught up at church - and getting our sweet puppy Lucie from John and Lauryn's farm - and MAN was she happy to rejoin us both! Friday was given to sermon study and preparation - it is our annual meeting this Sunday - and we're beginning to celebrate the 250th year of being a congregation. Often for these events, the emphasis for the festivities is a loving look backwards, but we've changed directions for this one and are firmly grounded in the present with our sights fixed on the future. Sure there will be some fun remembrances - and we'll have a 250th Moment each week in worship, too - but no long ceremonies about what once was:  we've got work to do right here and now.

Today was grounded in preparing my budget for the 2015 Jazz Sabbatical in Montreal.  Good thing we started working on this proposal in September 2014 because we're only now close to wrapping it up. As one of the team's members said, "I haven't been this excited about a competition since I applied to medical school!" 

Time for some Turkish vegetable beef soup, red wine and British mysteries, yes?  And then an early night before the busyness of tomorrow. It will do my heart good to see my peeps at worship. For as much as I loved the joys (and sunshine) we shared in Tucson, now we are back home. And after all the work of Sunday is over, we get to have dinner with Michal and Winton!  Blessings abound.