Lunchtime with Alabare

Another hot day today - it seems to be getting hotter and hotter and there has been a heatwave warning from the Met. Office that this dry weather may last for some time. I really do hate this hot weather as it leaves me feeling tired and lethargic and I have so much to do.  I met Zoe for coffee in Alderbury this morning to go through the two services we are doing together on Sunday.  She seems well organised unlike me who has still to complete the writing of my sermon - although I have a good idea of what I am going to say.  I left Alderbury at 11.40 a.m. , after a quick chat with Bill about black holes in our galaxy - always such a fascinating man to chat to and it was a pity that I had to go off for my next appointment.  I spent the next couple of hours at the Alabare homeless persons' drop-in centre talking with the manager and some of the clients.  This was my first time at the centre and it will be here that I will be spending a couple of hours each week as their chaplain.  Quite an interesting couple of hours and I was truly amazed and delighted by the facilities which there are available for the homeless of Salisbury.  I called in at the Lord Nelson on my way back home and sat in a corner with a pint of shandy completing Sunday's sermon in manuscript.  It was very busy this lunchtime with a birthday party.  The cold bitter shandy was very refreshing in the hot weather.  I spent the rest of the afternoon watching cricket and feeling I deserved a complete break after receiving a mark of 70% for my last assignment.  Still have to complete the portfolios though.  This weather is just not very conducive to brain work or any work for that matter!  This evening, Richard, James and I went to the Ageas Bowl to watch a thrilling game of T20 cricket - Hampshire (122 for 6) v. Sussex (118 for 7) - Hampshire winning by four wickets.  It all came down to the last ball with Hampshire needing one run to win - they got four thanks to a boundary made by McKenzie.  Who can ever say cricket is boring - certainly it hasn't been over the last few days.