When the cat's away the mouse gets sick

I am getting a bit sick of getting sick but the latest cold virus thing has got me again. This is the fourth (and truth be told, least) illness since I started to blog. Can't see that there is a link but for someone who enjoys good health normally it is all rather tiresome. Been some tough work things going on and me thinks my body doth protest.

I'll spare you the details but had to leave suddenly during the church AGM last night which goes, once again, to underline the wisdom of the man who said not to worry about tomorrow as it will have enough worries of it's own. All that time spent in preparation...

Time for a break, I'm looking forward to Easter. For so many reasons.

PS - oblique title refers to the fact that my wife gone and left me, sur le continent for a few days.

Something to celebrate

Been a couple of tough weeks in church life but some disgruntled people seem to be more gruntled (?) after a some long and painful conversations. Obviously can't go into any details but the receipt of an email this lunchtime was the first cause for celebration.

Second cause of celebration is that today I got an email saying that They Might Be Giants are playing in London in June and so I was straight on it and have booked the family in. I now want England to be runners up in their World Cup group so that the football doesn't clash but even so, TMBG don't make a habit of coming over and this is something I'm really looking forward to.

Simple pleasures for a simple chap.

London Calling

The scene: Youth Club last night

Actors: Me, middle aged man

Her, 14 year old wearing a tee shirt showing Big Ben, Red phone box and bearing the

slogan "London Calling"

Me: So, are The Clash back in fashion then?

Her: Uhhh?

Me: The Clash, are they trendy again?

Her: Who are The Clash?

Me: London Calling. It's a song by The Clash

Her: Uhhh?

Me: What do they teach you in history these days?

Did everyone else suddenly get braver?

Knowing next to nothing about the film, I went to see The Lovely Bones on Thursday. Not read the book so may be barking up the wrong tree but seemed to be very well done. Visually it was amazing, theologically (unsurprisingly) less so. I found it quite a disturbing film due to it's subject matter and am more than a little surprised at it's only 12A certificate.

This may have already been the subject of media discussion but on a personal level I don't think my two (both old enough to go in unaccompanied) would like it much and as for under 12s? I know I am a sheltered soul but there were times when it was getting a bit much for me.

Am I getting old and sqeamish or did everyone else suddenly get braver?

Pen behind the ear

Watched Tim Vine's latest DVD this week, some really good and silly jokes. This is suitably bizarre. This probably works better after 15 minutes of excellent and awful jokes but see what you think of this trick. I wonder how many people try this themselves once they have seen it.

Though it's not a song I have posted it in the top right hand side of the blog under Friends Eclectic....

Enjoy

Mental as Anything

Love this song from a little known (here) Aussie band. Beneath it's cheerful froth I find it strangely moving and plaintive. Love a bit of plaintive.

Seems an apt choice today as well. Work is going so well, we are seeing great things happen and then suddenly things come in from left field that make people stop and go, "Huh?" Such things will pass, of course, and it's important to remember that. And so I do, as I tap my feet to the charming, "If you leave me, can I come too". Enjoy.

Filthy Poet

Before falling ill this week I had a fabulous time at another church's "Holiday at Home" for those of the Third Age. There was a great turnout, lots of new faces, and a huge variety of things for people to try. We came back buzzing with good ideas to try ourselves.

But... there is one thing we won't be copying - as indeed the church we visited wouldn't again.

In the afternoon they had booked a retired actress - in her seventies? - who came and lead some singing and did some dramatic monologues and recited some poems. Her brief, I later found out, was not to do anything risque. Even without knowing that I was a bit surprised about the poem about the vicar having his hands in a woman's knickers. The one about the prostitute in Portsmouth was even more surprising.

It was truly bizarre, completely out of keeping. I'm pleased to say I've not seen anything like it before. My one comfort is that this happened to such a great church. As and when something like this happens where I am, I will try to remember this and remember that it happens in the best of places.

And why did it happen to them? One reason is that they wanted to love and serve the elderly - often marginalised in our society and to tell them some really important news. They weren't prepared to just stay open on a Sunday and leave it at that.

All told, I would rather make some mistakes through trying than make the mistake of giving up.

More lurgy

Back at work today, though it should be my day off. The reason, which may be connected with the previous post and the hospital visit, is that I picked up a sickness bug and was wiped out for two days. And Sunday will roll round regardless, so here I am.

Lots of people in the church got it too, I know of more than a dozen and that's just from hearing on the grapevine. I do hope it's not an illness that was confined to the church. Not for horrible reasons, but if it was then it will expose that we are an isolated little group. And we are called to be contagious Christians.