Returning to the blog

Oh, it's been a long two weeks. And, it's a long story, the story about my silence on VicarRidge. Suffice it to say, I'm back and glad of it.

You've heard about the end of vacation -- the washer and the mail mostly. On Saturday, June 29th, we departed again, this time for Kanuga, an Episcopal Conference Center in the mountains of western North Carolina, where we hosted Guest Period One and I served as chaplain.

What is a guest period, you wonder? A Saturday-to-Saturday period for family vacation is the easiest way to describe it. It's going to Myrtle Beach with a twist, a dialed-down twist. The lodging is basic -- no in-room television or telephone, no air conditioning. There's a top-notch children's program, freeing up the adults for several morning and afternoon hours. For the adults ... watercolor, wood carving, basket weaving, Bible study. With additional family activities, three wonderful meals a day, daily worship (Eucharist or vespers) and off-site adventures, like horseback riding, rafting and hiking, there is plenty to do. Of course, one could opt for the most popular activity of all: none of the above. Reading and rocking is a staple of the Kanuga experience.

It was a good week. I didn't feel as though I ever really relaxed until I crawled into bed at the end of the day -- and in July pulled up the BLANKET! My duties were by no means onerous, but they were constant. I found myself encouraging people to do less, to take care of themselves, to choose the children standing in front of them instead of the computer on the end table, but I couldn't do that for myself.

We did have our moments, though. We took the short around-the-lake hike several times, checked out a canoe at least twice, and enjoyed screened porch of the Chaplian's Cottage (#25) as often as possible. A peach-growing parishioner sent a half-bushel of peaches with us, so we welcomed many to our porch who came looking for the rosy, golden prize they knew we had. (The photo above was taken on our porch in the late afternoon before supper. The light was simply perfect.)

And, our neighbors were the same as they were last year. As we all arrived and greeted each other, the intervening months were seemingly erased. (This photo is of Grace -- Cottage #27 -- and her two grandchildren setting out on an after-vespers paddle.)

Well, supper's beginning to make my nose twitch. No, it's NOT burning. But, I'd best sign off. More tomorrow.