M: The plan was this: Up for breakfast and if it wasn't raining to try for a cycle tour. Given the uncertainty of the weather, we hadn't booked, because that may have committed us to a wet, cold, miserable and expensive ride or a warm and expensive cancellation. Everyone else had obviously had the same degree of confidence in the weather - which was windy and cold, but not too wet as it turned out. In any case, since no one else had obviously booked, there was n...

M They go days saying nothing - and now twice in the same day? Nothing like being on holidays for real to nudge the creative juices. Keen readers will recall some of my ranting about "the system" early in this blog. Travelling on VIA Rail this morning has forced me to reflect on the absence of a system! We were due to depart on the 0640 train for Montreal from Toronto. We were notified (a) that it was compulsory to check large luggage; and (b) that we needed...

M - that's Mick. Due to a bit of an emergency, Mike was unable to work with me on Thursday. I have to confess that didn't break my heart as I had an accumulation of emails that had been put on the long finger - feedback to doctoral students, a response to the review of our centre, summarising discussions with CPCO, notes of thanks to people who had assisted me earlier on in the journey, and preparation for my meeting with senior staff at the Toronto Catholic Di...

M: Mick here (I warned you - there are two of us now....): Another long delay - but Anne has been distracting me - the woman made me do it! When I last wrote I was waiting for Anne to arrive. Toronto airport after 1130 is not a joyous place, but it got a bit brighter when Anne appeared about 1230. My day had been long, but hers was longer after nineteen hours in the air and a 6 hour wait at Dallas. I'll let her describe the experience herself. It was great to ...

After all my visits to Canada over the years, I have never really spent time away from the main cities. My visit to Paul Begley was to sort that out. Paul is a (or rather is a freshy retired) Professor at Nippissing University in Northern Ontario. He customarily did a lot of his work from home, and as of the Victoria conference is now retired. We had arranged to spend some time working over issues to do with our running of the Values conference next year and ...