Let packing commence...

7 days of "freedom" left before entering the first stages of seminary life. What to do?! Our packing list is pretty brief:

Morning & Evening Prayer book
Bible
Bed linen and towels
Clothes and toiletries for a month

...that's it. We won't exactly be slumming it, but there is an attempt to get away from a lot of things that we expect as essential - broadband, mobiles, TV and radio, fine brandy, the usual ;o)

I've tried living without interruption from the outside world before (mainly over a long weekend while on retreat) but haven't broken the "handful of days" barrier. This could be interesting. I might never want to blog again on return lol :D No, I will be making notes and reflecting along the way and hope to summarise this when I arrive again in Laptopland. 5 men from Down & Connor diocese and 2 from Derry & Raphoe will be spending a month in St Pat's College, Maynooth getting acquainted with all things seminary-ish during a spiritual month of formation.

Should be enlightening and empowering for the first year which lies ahead - now, where did I leave my toothbrush?...

A tourist in your own town

I took a random notion to go walking up the Belfast hills today, spending three hours covering nearly all of the Cavehill Country Park. It was a balmy, stormy day (as you might be able to see from the heavy clouds over the lough above) but good for a yomp. I like taking time out to appreciate the good things on my own doorstep but often bemoan the fact that people don't do it often enough (myself included). That said, I am looking forward to the arrival of the Tall Ships next week and the re-opening of the Ulster Museum here so that I can pretend in passing that I'm a visitor here rather than a local. It's good to see the same old things with fresh eyes :)