No more Doombar at the Inn

We all overslept this morning - it wasn't until I woke at 7.20 a.m. that I realised what had happened - I had switched off my alarm.  Mary had 20 minutes in which to get the school bus, Thom had a little longer - he needed to be out at 8 a.m. and I was scheduled to be at a business breakfast meeting at 7.30 a.m. in Salisbury!  Rush rush rush!  To make matters worse, there was no hot water - that had been accidentally switched off too!  I had an extremely "refreshing" shower of tepid water, flung on some clothes and drove off to Salisbury.  As I left it was sleeting and extremely cold.  My meeting was running behind schedule a little so I managed to get my breakfast without any problem.  I spent the rest of the day in Sarum College library fine-tuning my lecture for tomorrow night on Boaz and writing an Introduction to my next portfolio.  I also started on my preaching essay but need to read some more books before I can get much further with it.  Sara joined me at college at lunchtime with a packed lunch which we ate in the Common room.  Her cough is getting worse and she had to be given a couple of glasses of water by the staff.  Fortunately, she has a doctor's appointment tomorrow.  At 5.30 p.m. I attended choral evensong in the cathedral - a lovely service if not a little strange.  It uses the old book of Common prayer and all the Psalms and Canticles are sung by the Choir as well as an Anthem.  The only participation from the congregation is joining in with the Creed.  However, after a heavy day of study it is nice to let the whole thing wash over you and not have to do much except sit and meditate.  After leaving college and on my way home I called in at Bishopdown Farm and picked Mary up from a friend's house.  It is so good that she has so many friends all over the city and in the surrounding villages. A popular girl.  Richard rang when I got back to arrange an evening at the Lord Nelson chewing the cud over a pint or two of the Cornish brew Doombar - which ran out after the first round!  A long but fruitful day.  Another busy day tomorrow with a Staff Meeting in the Morning and a lodge meeting in the evening when I am delivering my newly written lecture.