Crashing California

As promised, some photos, this first one, taken from my flight home, sunset over open skies A Candelabra from within the Oratory The oratory From the "Way of the Cross" walk through the garden the founding fellow's preserved heart (ish) a prayer room? Not really sure what this location is going up the stairs The Oratory, begining the walk up

So, I did infact make it across the border! Yay! I can't say how happy and relieved I am to be back in San Diego. Coming from a place where I didn't know if I'd be able to come back here for awhile, we went to church today, and I saw all my "family" here and it truly felt like home. Jay and I are busy packing (yes, packing) as we're moving on Tues. to Werner's "house on a hill", but below is somthing that I wrote yesterday, as I waited in the airport for my flight out of Montreal. Now, being on the otherside of my most recent travels, I'm feeling kind of overwhemed by it all, and wondering just what is next. I can say that I feel stronger, which I guess is good -- and it's back to the everyday. Thanks for listening (reading). love, a. ---------------------- Is it possible to see sincere human humility before God and religious derailment within the same frame of time and distance? Today, before I departed the old, cultured and slightly a...

Today is brutally hot. It was actually brutally hot yesterday too. (over 30 degrees, plus humidity here ... makes for a crazy day) As many of you know, my visa interview at the U.S. Consulate was yesterday. My visa case is officially "pending" some paperwork from Jay's end, but I am flying home tomorrow (hopefully) and should be arriving back in San Diego around 10 p.m. (this is at a historic house, built in 1906, perched on the shores of the Lake) This old church, and the statue of Jesus in a town just south of Stewart Hall (the building spoken about above) I spent yesterday (the first half) more anxious than ever in my whole life, and nervous, upset and scared -- but the second half (my afternoon) I walked downtown Old Montreal and visited boutiques and stared in awe at the myriad of streets and rows on rows of old buildings, some brought back to life by the almighty dollar and others left to decay, their hollow broken windows crying years of neglect and eerily whisp...

Today we headed downtown to the RCMP headquarters for my criminal record check -- which turns out is a slight headache. You see, in Alberta, we just walked in, they do their thing, and they give you the certificate, in your hands, no sweat. Well, here (as I was informed) it takes 10 days, and costs $50. O.K., I can handle this. Worse comes to worse, I guess the consulate will want to wait for the certificate, although I'm hoping they won't really care (since I have the other one, and this reciept) and I'm able to come back to the states beforehand...I sent the certificate to Werners' house (FYI Werner...) since we'll be living with him when we get back. It was the only hiccup in the day that was spent shopping the downtown malls. I purchased a new pair of sunglasses, some cargo pants and a cool top from le chateau (a store we had in Edm., but not in the states). We stopped into the Pepsi Forum, which was the home for the Montreal Canadiens (NHL hockey team) for year...

So, this weekend we drove up to Lac Simone (Lake Simon) to spend some time with "Auntie Fox" or Aunt Carolyne, Dave's aunt. The drive was about 2 hours north of Montreal, and we had to pass into Ontario for a bit and then cross the Ottawa river to get back into Quebec, before taking miles of twisty up and down roads through green soft mountains to arrive at the cottage. The landscape was beautiful, the lake calm and rippling, her cottage perched pretty much on the edge. From her house you could take a series of steps down towards the water where you could seat yourself on a rock and look out over the water. There was one ... icky, ishy, annoying surprise, that asaulted us the moment we got out of the car, and, had it not been for the rainy and cold Sunday, would have annoyed us ALL Weekend. In French they call them " ba-bits " in english? Black Flys Now, I had heard about Black Flys, and how they are icky and they bite, but I was not prepared for the scope, or ...

So yesterday was the crazy plane rides , turbulence n'all. Today was travelling the Montreal ' Metro ' (the train) to my doctors appointment. I had an AMAZING sleep, considering the time change, but I was so incredibly pooped yesterday. I awoke around 9:30 here and did some work and headed out with Karen (my gracious host while I am here) downtown to my doctors appointment. Driving here is insane so the transit system is the way to go. They have freeways here, kind of like California, but WAAAY older looking!!! We bused it downtown, past old brick buildings and lots of graffiti and then transferred to the metro -- which is 2 levels of trains screaming past you, busy people waiting to go somewhere, and distraught youth bumming money from you, conveniently in both french and english. We arrived for my appointment early by 15 mins but didn't get done until 3:30. The wait was really not great, but I was thankful to have someone there who kept me company! After we were, fina...

I have arrived!!! so, here is the delightful tale of my ten days in Montreal! I must admit, this post will be short, because I am sooo incredibly tired (early flight plus hardly any sleep) so it may seem alittle off kilter too, I apoligize. This is a test The flights were decent. Lots of turbulance on the first, who woulda thunk that clouds could be bumpy?? I arrived at the airport at 4:30 am (see first, amazing photo) and boarded the first flight (connection in Philly) at 6:15. I was scared and nervous as the plane took off, but I got used to it. There is something so incredible about seeing the details of the earth from so high, everything seems bigger and smaller, vast and so incredibly complex at the same time. It's a wonder. The second flight was good, but we circled Montreal a couple times and were delayed for a medical emergency on a different flight. I was sooooo ready to land the freakin plane! I found Karen and Dave easily after I got out of customs -- and we went to supp...

Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum ... k, I couldn't resist - sorry guys As the day approaches for me to fly to Montreal, I have truly been blessed, but being able to hang with some great friends. This last weekend was pretty much perfect from start to finish. On Sunday we went with Werner to a little mountain town by the name of Julian, it actually totally reminded me of the "Rural California" version of Whidbey Island in Washington. My first impressions of Rural California? A cross between, redneck, country hick and old fashioned Saloon...I don't know =) The drive there was really cool, we passed these mountains filled with the largest boulders I have ever seen! So weird. I feel so strange, having to prepare for leaving soon. I have gone through my stuff for the consulate a ton of times, but I haven't packed yet. I have a hard time thinking about things without getting nervous...knowing that people are praying for me makes a big difference for me in my heart. So,...

After having such an amazing last Saturday with Laura and Andy, I wasn't sure when the next one would come along to compare ... well, I have to say, today was a pretty swell day. After a week of relative slowness at work, and being able to catch up with myself. I spent today at the Beach with Jay, Werner and our Pastor Chad, along with two of his friends from Canada (yay!! Kelowna B.C. to be exact) a really nice couple, up for a week of sun and sand and surf. I can't believe we get to be here. The boys (in the photo, Jay is second from the left, Werner in the middle and pastor Chad, far right) went surfing, while I laid on the beach ... it was funny though, we set up our "camp" of beach towel, waters and sunglasses and there was this really funky stench eminating every once in a while, and we were like, "What the hey...." but didn't really see anything to weird, until we turned around and realized that there was a nice, older half eaten bird carcass abou...