On the Edge

Sara took Thom to the Wallops this morning and I spent the day writing up my second ethics assignment on the subject of Just War.  I had planned to write it yesterday afternoon but with Mike M coming over for lunch yesterday afternoon it was shelved until today.  Sara wanted me to go to the gym with her but I decided that I should really concentrate on getting this ethics essay completed. She worked at home today and later picked up Mary and took her to Wilton for her gymnastics class.  By lunchtime I had completed 1,000 words before I went to St. Francis's Vicarage for lunch with the Benefice's Team.  I met Tessa  who is the Associate Priest at St. Lawrence's, Stratford-sub-Castle and Toby and Katie who run the 20-30s and the children's groups respectively. It was a simple but most enjoyable lunch of pea and ham soup and yoghurt with amusing stories and light-heartedness over the meal.  It was good to meet the three ministers I had not really had a chance to talk to before (Paul and Tom I had met yesterday of course).  After lunch I return home to finish off my essay - completing another 800 words before going to Stockbridge to pick up Thom from the Winchester bus.  We discussed his academic day and I mentioned to him that I was already 300 words over the prescribed word count for my essay and I still had to write my conclusion.  Eventually I completed it which, together with the bibliography, amounted to 2,500 words!  I decided that I would submit it - even if it was well over the word count. This evening, as a little celebration for having completed the essay, I took myself down to Parkwood Fitness Centre and had a swim, steam room and spa.  It was extremely busy and the pool was occupied by three people (two especially) who seemed to be in training for the Olympics - certainly they were swimming fast and making huge waves which resulted in me swallowing quite a bit of water. I have made a mental note not to go to the Centre between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. as it is full of very fit people trying to get even fitter and putting the rest of us to shame.  Back home Sara and I watched a harrowing thriller called The Edge with Anthony Hopkins and Alan Baldwin which we both agreed we could use for a House Group - the story of two men lost in the bear filled wilds of the Rockies/Washington State after a plane crash.  A story of survival, forgiveness, grace, testing etc.  A film I had heard of but never seen before.