Aye, laddie, we are headed to the Motherland

Now we are five weeks in, and there is a floating quality to my days. I have a routine of sorts - up by 7:30 to make the coffee, ninety minutes of reading (currently the biography of a 19th century preacher), an hour of piano practice (including Oscar Peterson's book of exercises, which are going slowly), and then it's off to the major "tasks" of the day.

Perhaps the task is more reading. Or a visit with a friend. Or scheduled time of silence. The task is the single invitation of the day, not the obligation of somebody's expectations. What a wondrous, spacious way of abiding in time!

All gears shift now, as we depart for our family pilgrimage to Scotland. I'm not taking a computer, so the posts may be erratic for the next couple of weeks. I am taking a camera, and will fill in the posts with pictures as they are available. We will be traveling through some remarkable turf, so brace yourself for the beauty!

The task for the past five days has been fine-tuning the schedule for our trip. Characteristically, we will focus on one task per day - seeing a cathedral, learning about a castle, watching a Highland Games, or playing with the puffins on the way to Iona. I enjoy planning this sort of thing, expecting every contingency, mapping out the reasonable itineraries. As many know, details are not my specialty -- but I can focus on them when I must -- and a bit of problem-solving is involved: how do we get from the Glasgow airport to our rented flat at 7 AM? Where shall we take Jamie for her 29th birthday?

Josh will stand guard at home, tending to the dogs and trimming the lawn. The rest of us have packed for tomorrow's long trip. I suspect when Katie comes home tonight, fresh from celebrating the crown prince's birth, she will be the last to finish filling her suitcase.

More later, when we have the time. Bon Voyage, baby!