What a long strange trip....

My apologies to the Grateful Dead and any Deadheads out there for hijacking their title but wow! Today is the first day in 12 that I haven't been elsewhere or traveling to and from elsewhere! A quick summary so you know what's been happening:

October 6 - Flew to Baltimore MD for a meeting with the provincial youth ministry coordinators. We meet twice a year for an intensive couple of days of planning, praying and playing. It's a fabulous group of people that I enjoy hanging out with, being inspired and challenged by. Baltimore is a very cool city. If you ever get the time make sure you get a ticket for the water taxi that will take you to all the spots to visit around the harbor. October 10 flew home

October 11 Got to sleep in my own bed, had a birthday dinner with my lady wife (her birthday was actually the NEXT day but....well you'll see)then drove to Buffalo to spend the night at Bishop Michael's (and Carol's too) house because....

October 12 Rode with the Bish plus a couple other diocesan staff types to London Ontario for the Quint diocese day meeting. Bishops and their staffs from WNY and Rochester in the US and Niagara, Huron and Toronto in Canada gather once a year to share ideas and laughs. (a secret - Canadian bishops are some of the funniest people on the planet. Don't know why. They just are.) Drove home the same day.

October 13Flew to Washington DC to be trained as a coordinator for the Journey to Adulthood program. Met some great folks, including one old friend and learned some good stuff. Brief plug - flew on one of the new small airlines, independence Air, and had a very good experience. RT Buffalo to DC was UNDER $140. End of plug. Took a whirlwind tour of some of DC, saw the Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, WWII, Korean, and Viet Nam memorials at varying distances. Saw the Capitol dome and the White House in the distance. Got very wet because it rained and stormed. Flew home October 16

So I'm a tired puppy. Good meetings every single one of them, learned some good stuff, talked with some very cool people and came home with new skills and ideas for WNY.

I just need some sleep!
Peace