Vacation

Are you thinking of attending the LLA convention in Indianapolis June 25-27? It's presumably not too far from Fr. Helman's Chant Institute, so you wouldn't get to use one of those nice air tickets, alas.

If you had August free, I'd recommend the annual living-Latin cenacle of the Family of St. Jerome.

Well, the chant institute finished on the 25th, Jeff Kirch's ordination is on the 26th, and his first Mass is on the 27th, so will be a bit busy for that. My vacation does not start until July 7.

Mexico o otra tierra de Espanol!

SWA does not go to Mexico. Also I do not plan on working during my vacation, recovering workaholic as I am.

Peace, Fr Jeff.

Have you thought of mountains? I'm rather partial to eastern ones: Vermont, the Virginia Blue Ridge, or the Smokies in Tennessee. Naturally, western mountains are more grand, but I have less experience out there. I'd go to Yellowstone if I could pick a place in the Rockies.

The Upper Peninsula of Michigan is quite nice, but it can get a little buggy around midsummer. Ditto Canada around Winnipeg or north of Toronto. But with adequate insect repellant, lakes are quite peaceful.

I also like Montreal and/or Quebec City as urban places to get away. Lots of spiritual sights near there, and the St Lawrence valley is scenic.

Father, go to Lake Tahoe! There's no snow, but it's still really nice this time of year.

Oregon's pretty! Or if you want quiet, you can stay in your nephew's condo in Vegas (no phones, no furniture yet), but it's empty, very nice, all the appliances work and you can sleep in a sleeping bag on the floor, good for your back?

If you are into the great outdoors, you cannot beat Northern Minnesota. My family has done Boundary Waters Canoe Area trips for years there. Pristine woods, lots of lakes, great fishing, and you can either rough it with backpacks and portages and all that or take it easy in some of the beautiful lodges (or even hang out at a lake resort like Lutsen's on Lake Superior or Ruttger's in Bay Lake). I am not sure if SWA can get you there, though.

Mosquitoes can be annoying, though. I will warn you about that, but where there are mosquitoes, there are fish, and nothing beats pan-fried walleye for breakfast, especially when you caught it thirty minutes prior. The restaurant food in those parts is pretty good, too. Nothing fancy, but they do a good job of what they do, and nowhere do they do rhubarb pie better (Keillor is right).