A lie in this morning - 8 a.m. Sara was up early for once and brought me up a cup of tea before dashing off to Chilmark to pick up Mary who had had a sleep-over with a friend out there. I managed to muster the rest of the "troops" - Tom, Malcolm and Sam - for breakfast and to be ready to go off to church. I also hoisted the red rose flag of Lancashire in honour of our Liverpool/Lancastrian guests. I learned afterwards that many people thought that I had flown the Japanese flag until closer inspection. We arrived at the church car park at almost exactly the same time as Sara and Mary. The Morning Worship service was taken by Cynthia and I read the first (Old Testament) reading taken from 2 Kings - the ascension of Elijah. It was a very long reading and at one point I mixed up the names of Elijah and Elisha - the names appearing at least ten times during the reading. After the service and coffee we returned home and Malcolm and I drove off in his car to Andover to do some essential shopping at Asda and to get petrol for his long drive back to Liverpool. We drove back home for lunch via Stockbridge where we looked at the trout in the Test and visited a shooting/fishing shop. The prices were truly phenomenal. Back home we had a lunch of Sara's excellent beef stew and dumplings and apple and mince crumble. Malcolm and Sam left for Liverpool shortly afterwards and I spent half an hour or so finalising the Food for Thought reading and talk. I also lowered the red rose flag and replaced it with the Australian flag flown at half mast on this National Day of Mourning in Australia for those who have died in the terrible forest/bush fires in Victoria. The Food for Thought service went really well - and I was both pleased and relieved when it was concluded. The theme - "Fishing on the Right Side of the Boat" - seemed to strike a chord with the people who came. Klynn came around later for a glass (or two) of wine and a nice chat.
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