Good Conversations

Posted Friday 23 October 2009

The Hot Dogs

On the Ramparts

On Tuesday we visited Bishopthorpe, the house that will eventually become +Dennis, Cynthia and Aurora’s home in Quebec Cit. We explored all four of its floors, from basement to attic, kitchen to chapel. +Dennis showed us the plans to create a useable and shareable space, utilising the available resources in many of the ways we are seeking to do at Arpafeelie. We also went for a walk along the battlements of the Citadel and learnt more about the history of Quebec and the place of the Anglican Church within its life. I also ate my first North American outdoor Hot Dog, a must, I gather, for all tourists.

On Wednesday Jane and the girls were whisked away by Diana Stavart for a day of sightseeing, poutin eating (Quebec’s national dish) and geese watching, they even went on the Ferris wheel and big dipper, (well Mara did anyway). Meanwhile +Dennis and myself spent the day talking, we talked through the old town, we talked across the Heights of Abraham, we talked back through the old Town, we talked through lunch at a rather posh French restaurant, we talked at the Diocesan office and we talked our way round the Cathedral. We talked about being bishops, about families, about ministry and about hopes and fears, we talked as friends sharing our experiences, our talking was truly blessed by God.

In the evening Jane the girls and myself went for supper with Louisa, Miriam and John. We talked more history and we talked about visiting Burundi, where they have visited, and we talked about music and heritage.  It was a lovely evening. Here in this place we are discovering ourselves truly among friends.