Thom's Birthday

It is Thom's 16th birthday today!  Yikes, where has the time gone?  I can remember my first date with Sara like it was yesterday.  Little did I know that 17 years later I would be celebrating my first born's 16 years on this planet.  It is scary to think that if that date hadn't gone as well as it did, Thom would not be here today.  Thom had to leave early for school so decided that he wanted to open his presents when he came home tonight.  Sara and I had agreed that as it was as much her day as Thom's we would make it a day off - no work or studying although I did spend the first couple of hours this morning writing some letters.  We drove over to Stockbridge and had lunch in the Grosvenor Hotel where we nearly spent our wedding night.  We also ordered an Indian takeaway from the Indian restaurant in the High street - this is what Thom had said he preferred to our usual visit to the Water Margin Chinese Restaurant in North Baddesley.  We ordered the meal for 6.15 p.m.  After Thom came home he opened a few presents - mainly money - and rang is Grandma for a short chat and to thank her for the £20 she had so generously sent him.  Thom and I went back to Stockbridge and picked up the Indian meal.  This evening we watched the film "The Queen" which Thom particularly wanted to see as he had been doing some English assessment work on the Queen's speech following the death of Diana, Princess of Wales.  Sara and I and Mary also enjoyed watching it again.    

Story Telling

After breakfast, this morning, I drove over to Whaddon for mid-Week Eucharist followed by a meeting of the Clarendon Ministry Team at the Alderbury Vicarage which lasted until 1 p.m.  After a brief visit to Tesco to buy some ink for Sara's printer, I returned home for a soup lunch with Sara.  This afternoon I picked up Thom from his school where he had stayed behind to attend a Revision Class for his ITC studies.  Tonight I gave my talk entitled "The Story of Boaz" to a small gathering of about 15 Freemasons at Sarum Lodge.  Essentially I retold the Book of Ruth which everyone seemed to find fascinating and at least two of the Masons present have said that it has encouraged them to pick up and read the bible again.  The best accolade I could have.  After the formal part of the meeting had concluded, I, and a few other masons, including Si, sat around and discussed the future of Freemasonry in Salisbury with the declining numbers we are experiencing.     We concluded that we need to inject some enthusiasm for younger members and be much more outward going in telling of what we stand for and some of the good works we have done in and for the community.  We have a great story to tell and we need to tell it!

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.

Bookwork Day

I spent most of the morning on my own as Sara went and had coffee with her friend Janet at 10.30 a.m and didn't return until 1 p.m.  In that time I reconciled our private bank accounts and undertook some administration work for Complex Services Limited including sending out bills, claiming expenses and reconciling the business accounts.  all quite laborious but satisfying to do.  i also took delivery of a large Tesco grocery order which included a large number of items which had been substituted.  As I didn't know what good Sara had originally ordered (although I later discovered that they were listed on the delivery sheet!) I just accepted everything including two enormous Easter eggs which she hadn't ordered.  On Sara's return she cooked us a beef and vegetable stew (hopefully not horse meat!) and this afternoon I went into Salisbury to spend the rest of the day in Sarum College library where I wrote my lecture on The Story of Boaz for delivery at Wednesday's Lodge meeting and again in Brighton on Monday. I stayed on at college tonight and attended another two-hour tutorial on the Reformation in England (wonderful history) and the theology of Salvation as affected by the Reformers. Heavy theology tonight - Luther, Calvin et al.  Arrived home at 10.15 pm. quite shattered.  Sara had a skyped conversation with her father and Grandrea whilst I made myself a sandwich and sipped wine.  Must enjoy my wine and beer as only one week to go before Lent when it will be back to diet cokes at our pub evenings.

Memorial Service in Hove

Sara was up and awake before me this morning and the first I knew she had woken was when she brought in tea at around 7 a.m.  She had already taken Thom up to the shop for his paper round whilst I was still sleeping soundly!  Both Sara and I attended Early Morning Eucharist at St. John's this morning which was taken by Canon Jeremy. Being Candlemas, he gave quite a long homily on the presentation of Jesus in the Temple and described how the baby's hands would have opened and closed and how, on Good Friday, those same hands would have been spread open.  Quite a moving and graphic image.  Despite the Book of Common Prayer language, Sara seemed to enjoy the service.  After a breakfast of sausage, omelette and bacon, I set to work to put up the new curtain pole in the Family Room.  I had a little trouble interpreting the diagram and the brackets themselves are made up of three separate parts and it seemed to need an engineering degree to assemble them.  However, after doing one the others followed on easily and I was very pleased to get the pole up and level (checked with my spirit level at all points).  Sara ironed the new curtains and put them up after I left to drive to Hove to attend a Memorial Service for Colin Lee at St. Philip's Church, Hove.  I arrived at the church at 2.00 p.m. and it was absolutely packed.  I managed to get a seat towards the back and Tim, the Secretary of my mother lodge in Brighton, joined me.  The service lasted just under 2 hours with four eulogies and an address from the Rev. Stephen Terry, the Sussex Provincial Grand Chaplain. A really good service and I thought Stephen conducted it very well - emphasising that it was a celebration of Colin's life and not a funeral although emotions would be mixed and that it was good to show those emotions if people felt the need to do so.   Afterwards there were tea and biscuits in the church hall.  There must have been at least 300 people in attendance - a big affair for a very dedicated Mason who leaves behind a young wife and two young children - aged 13 and 14.  I called in briefly at Peter's but he is clearly away at the moment.  I finally got back home at 7 p.m. after a journey along the coastal road.  Will watch some of the Superbowl game with Sara and Thom before going to bed tonight. 

Give me Strength

Sara and Thom were up early today - Thom to do his paper round and Sara to take an early morning ramble with Jane M.  Sara didn't return until nearly 10 a.m. having walked the circuit to East Winterslow and back.  I washed up and made breakfast and then spent the rest of the morning completing my "Living the Christian Life" portfolio which I placed in an envelope for delivery to my tutor at Church House.  I fantastic feeling of achievement as I sealed it up - one more out of the way - only another five  to go this year and another twelve in total.  I need to complete an essay on preaching so that a further two portfolios can be completed before Easter. I also updated this blog (which has laid abandoned for a week and a half) with a narrative on my trip to Cornwall and my studies ever since my return.This afternoon I accompanied Sara, Mary and her friend Izzy to Southampton where we went shopping in West Quay.  I experienced Hollister's for the first time and although it is not an experience I would choose to have, it is still not as bad as IKEA!  We left the girls to their own devices and had tea in M&S.  I managed to buy myself a new pair of black Oxfords in the BHS sale which will do me just fine for Masonic events and for when I am leading worship and preaching.  I need black shoes to go with my black cassock.  On my return home  I started writing my lecture on Boaz (which means "in strength" in Hebrew) for the lodge meeting in Salisbury on Wednesday which I am also giving to my mother lodge in Brighton on Monday-week.  Tonight, Sara, Mary and I watched the film "The Iron Lady" which I had intended to see at the cinema.  I am glad I didn't.  Whilst the casting is brilliant - and Meryl Streep particularly good - I found the portrayal of Mrs. Thatcher as an old woman suffering from dementia disrespectful of one of Britain's greatest prime ministers.  Whatever her current state of health, it was unnecessary.  Whilst I understand that many people, especially towards the end of her "reign", found her difficult and domineering, the fact remains that she was a stateswoman and none of the prime ministers which have followed her have shown anything like the qualities she did.  My own political fortunes within the Conservative Party rose and fell with her time in office and I shall always admire her for her tenacity and strength of conviction. 

Catch Up - Wednesday 23rd January - Friday 1st February

Apologies

My apologies to all my regular readers of this blog.  I know quite a number of you have expressed disappointment at not seeing any posts over the last few days but as you will read from this brief resume of events, I have been away in Cornwall as well as busy catching up on some of my theological studies.  I shall try, in this one post, to briefly describe what I have been up to over that period.

Cornish Travels

My last post was Tuesday 22^nd January 2013, and the following day (Wednesday 23^rd) Richard picked me up at 8 a.m. to travel the 200 miles or so to Falmouth in Cornwall where we arrived at about 12.30 p.m.  We met up with his daughter, Helen, who is studying for an art degree there and had a hand fish finger lunch at an old smugglers pub called The Chain Locker.  We spent the afternoon wandering around Falmouth until dusk when we drove to St. Ives to stay at the Tregenna Castle Hotel on top of the hill.  We had excellent rooms – in my case a room overlooking the bay with a four-poster bed.  All for £40 per night.  In the evening we walked down the hill into St. Ives for steak and chips and Doombar Ale at the Union Inn.

The following day (Thursday 24^th) we wandered around St. Ives and then drove down to Sennan Cove, Newlyn, Penzance and eventually to Truro taking in the Geevor Tin Mine and Truro Cathedral in the tour.  I really love Truro Cathedral.  It is so well proportioned with its three spires and lets in much light.  I understand that it was inspired by Salisbury Cathedral.  We had tea and cakes in the public library and watched the world go by outside in the main street.   Back in St. Ives we walked down the steep hill again for a pint at the Union Inn followed by an excellent meal at the Sea Food Café – a misnomer as it is actually a very smart fish/seafood restaurant.  Friday 26^th January saw us driving back to Wiltshire and to the snow (we had been clear of snow throughout our visit to Cornwall). I had a meeting with Nils that afternoon in which we talked about intra-personal relationships.  I went to bed quite early tonight after a long day of travelling and meetings

Back into Study Mode

I spent most of Saturday afternoon manning a book stall for the church at Sara’s Table Top Sale for the Streetz Cheerleading Club.  After deducting the £10 for the cost of the table – which goes into Streetz funds – I made the princely sum of £13 profit for the church.  At least we didn’t make a loss!  I attended the Early Morning Eucharist at St. John’s on Sunday, returning the unsold books to the Team Office at the same time.  On Sunday evening I led worship at the United Service at the Roman Catholic Chapel in Whaddon as well as preaching on 1 Corinthians 7:17-24 (stay where you are when you are called).  There were 15 in attendance including Sara and James.  Both enjoyed the service and I certainly enjoyed, for the second time, leading and preaching in this lovely chapel.

On Monday 28^th we had a four hour session on Christian Doctrine and History at Sarum College in the evening which did include a break for an excellent dinner of fish and prawn pie and roast vegetables followed by lemon tart – the food is certainly good at college.   Tonight we studied the beginnings of the Reformation as well as a study of the Nicene Creed.

On Tuesday 29^th I spent the day in Sarum College again, in the library, writing up my portfolio for the Living the Christian Faith module.  My intention is to have this completed by the end of the week. A long day of study and I decided that the only theological studying I would do in the evening would be in the form of watching either Father Ted or the Vicar of Dibley!

On Wednesday 30^th I attended Midweek Eucharist at St. John’s and afterwards a meeting of the Full Ministry Team at Debbie’s where we discussed arrangements for Holy Week.   After the meeting Andrew gave me his stepfather’s “Bishop Brennan” cloak which will be a useful garment to wear when I eventually take funerals and for cold outside services.  It is very heavy and comes all the way down to the floor.  The kids love it as I look like a cross between Dracula and Darth Vader.  Tonight we held the Joint PCC meetings at Winterslow School in which the details of the Holy Week celebrations were announced and explained.

On Thursday 31^st, I attended Morning Office with Nils and Andrew and at lunchtime Sara and I met them again at Sara Bossom’s for an extended luncheon party as a farewell for Sophie who is shortly moving away with her family to Carmarthenshire.  A really enjoyable lunch and chat with about 15 people present.  Sara B makes an exceptional host in her lovely home.  In the evening we started our Lent Group devotions by watching the film “Chronicles in Narnia – The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” as a precursor to studying the works of C.S. Lewis on the Lent Course “Not a Tame Lion” by the same author as “The King’s Speech”  course which we did last year.

On Friday 1^st February I joined the Ambassador’s Group for breakfast after which I went into Salisbury to return a book to the Sarum College Library as well as borrowing some books on Ruth which I need to write my forthcoming lecture on Boaz.  I called in briefly at the Boundary Café in Alderbury for coffee and a scone and chatted to members of the Alderbury Church, some of whom has heard me lead and preach on Sunday.  Tonight I finished writing up my Living the Christian Life portfolio but ran out of ink in attempting to print it off.  I will need to print it and finalise it tomorrow morning ready to hand in on Monday.  That will be a big relief!

You are now all up to date and hopefully, I am back on track with my daily blog!